Norm MacDonald, “Saturday Night Live” Icon, Passes Away At 61

America’s longest-running sketch variety show is mourning the loss of a beloved alum. Norm MacDonald is known for his various appearances on film, television, and the comedy stage, but millions of fans recall him as the host of Saturday Night Live‘s “Weekend Update” from 1994 to 1998. The sharp, straight-forward comedic delivery was something that made him a stand out and it is being reported that MacDonald passed away on Tuesday (September 14) at the age of 61.

According to Deadline, the actor’s longtime producing partner and good friend Lori Jo Hoekstra delivered the sorrowful news, along with a cause of death.

MacDonald reportedly had been quietly battling cancer for the better part of a decade and was determined to keep his health struggles away from the public. Hoekstra was with MacDonald when he transitioned and issued a statement about her late friend.

“He was most proud of his comedy,” Hoekstra said. “He never wanted the diagnosis to affect the way the audience or any of his loved ones saw him. Norm was a pure comic. He once wrote that ‘a joke should catch someone by surprise, it should never pander.’ He certainly never pandered. Norm will be missed terribly.”

The tributes have poured in by the thousands from those who knew him dearly and others who were impacted by his talents. We send our sincerest condolences to his loved ones. Check out a few posts about Norm MacDonald below.

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Nicki Minaj Calls Piers Morgan A “Stupid Piece Of Sh*t” Over “AGT” Accusation

Twitter has turned into a bout of Nicki Minaj versus the world following her COVID-19 remarks. The celebrated rapper took over timelines yesterday (September 14) after she revealed that she had not received the vaccine, had tested positive for COVID, and would not be attending the Met Gala in New York City. The event required attendees to be vaccinated and while Nicki did advocate for people to get the shot, she also stated that she needed to do more research before making a decision for herself.

Minaj also shared a story about her cousin’s friend who claimed that his testicles were enlarged after receiving the vaccine, causing him to go impotent. The memes and jokes poured in by the thousands, but people like Joy-Ann Reid and Meghan McCain came forward to call her out.

Piers Morgan never skips a beat to interject his voice into a social media conversation and decided to use the opportunity to fire off accusations against Minaj. He claimed that she once snubbed him and his children while visiting America’s Got Talent. A back and forth ensued, resulting in Nicki asking Morgan to get on Instagram Live with her.

“Professor Whitty beefing with the ghastly @NICKIMINAJ (one of the rudest little madams I’ve ever met) is not the breaking news that I expected today – but it’s most welcome. She’s peddling lies that will cost lives,” tweeted Morgan. Nicki liked the “little madam” line so much she put it in her Twitter profile. 

“Sir I’ve never met you. I know… we all look alike,” she replied. “Thanks Pierce. Love the accent. I’d love to come chat. Scones. Tea. Clown nose & big red shoes for you. Lmk babe.” Morgan corrected the spelling of his name and egged her on, detailing the story of how she curved him.

“Madam, we met on @AGT when you appeared as a guest act – but you refused to say hello to my three young sons because you were ‘too busy’. Oh, and it’s ‘Piers’ – I know, we Brit names all sound alike,” he quipped before retweeting a screenshot of Nicki’s appearance on the show. She added, “Stop fkng lying. I never turn down pics with kids. If a middle person told you that, they were out of line. don’t blame me you stupid piece of sh*t.”

It’s unclear if these two will battle it out on Livestream, but you can check it out below.

Tems Shares New EP “If Orange Was A Place” Ft. Brent Faiyaz

If there’s one name that left the summer still blazing hot, it’s Tems. The release of her debut EP, For Broken Ears dropped last summer which sparked her buzz before it was cemented with the release of WizKid’s Made In Lagos single, “Essence.” Throughout the year, the song blew up before earning a remix featuring Justin Bieber and rang out all summer 2021. On top of that, she closed out the summer with an appearance on Drake’s Certified Lover Boy

Coming off of an incredibly successful summer, Tems has unveiled her debut EP, “If Orange Was A Place.” The five-song record includes the previously released single “Crazy Tings” and features Brent Faiyaz who appears on “Replay.”

Check out the debut EP from Tems below and sound off in the comments with your favorite song on the album.

Derez De’Shon & Money Mu Connect On “Residue”

Before artists like Rod Wave and Yung Bleu cemented their name in the rap game, it was Derez De’Shon that brought the sounds of “pain rap” to the masses. Singles like “Hardaway” became undeniable bangers that echoed through the streets while the Pain mixtape series produced records that fans continue to spin regularly. Unfortunately, this year has been particularly quiet on his end which likely means that he’s been locking in the studio, preparing for the right time to pop out.

This week, the rapper returned with his latest single featuring Money Mu titled, “Residue.” Marking his second single of the year, it follows the release of “In My Feelings.” Derez and Money Mu swap bars over hypnotizing trap production as they detail their rise to the top of the game.

Quotable Lyrics
That money got residue
I came up juugin’ right on Second Avenue
Throwin’ plays to my dawg like a lateral
Put that shit on, I’m in Louis V casual 

Kanye West Made Collaborators Wear “Donda” Merch During Studio Sessions

Every artist has their own specific vibe in the studio. Some enjoy recording with only the engineer in the room while others prefer bringing a group of people in the studio to capture an authentic vibe. Kanye West is notorious for enforcing a strict set of rules when in recording sessions. For My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasycollaborators were forbidden from tweeting or wearing hipster hats. For Jesus Is King, ‘Ye directed those involved to abstain from pre-marital sex. And for Donda, everyone was expected to be wearing Yeezy merch.


Lisa Lake/Getty Images

Fivio Foreign recently sat down with Power 106.1’s LA Leakers where he discussed coming back home and his relationship with Kanye. Fivio had one of the best verses on Donda and ended up spending a significant amount of time with ‘Ye. So, when it came down to his set of studio rules, he said that he would be making everyone wear his merch.

“Everybody gotta be wearing Fivio merch,” he told DJ Sour Milk and Justin Credible. “I learned that from ‘Ye. When we was at the ‘Ye shit… We had the vest on. He made us all wear Donda merch. Know we on Donda time.”

While there were bulletproof vests with Donda written in front of them, it seems like everyone was able to leave with a pair of Yeezys, as well.

“Yeezys, certain pants. No, this is what he do. It’s like a uniform. He’ll give us like Yeezys, some time of pants — some type of black cargo — and then Donda shirts. That’s what he do,” Fivio explained. “Uniform. So I guess it take away the, like, egos.”

Check the clip below.  

Ciara Reps Her Hubby At Met Gala 2021 In These Must-See Pics

R&B star Ciara killed her Met Gala 2021 look. The theme for this year’s star-studded ceremony was “American Independence” and nothing is more American than good ole American football. CiCi transformed her husband Russell Wilson‘s Seahawks jersey into a dress all while wearing his Super Bowl XLVIII ring. The green dress has a train and […]

Dr. Anthony Fauci Refuted Nicki Minaj’s Vaccine Side Effect Claims On CNN

Nicki Minaj’s recent claims about a vaccine’s side effects on her cousin’s friend already brought her into conflict with conservative English pundit Piers Morgan and now, they’ve got her at odds with no less an authority than Dr. Anthony Fauci, the US authority on the COVID-19 virus and the government’s response strategy.

During a recent appearance on CNN covering Nicki’s tweet that she’s not vaccinated because she doesn’t trust any of the available vaccines, Fauci said that her anecdote about a friend who experienced some “sexual discomfort” after receiving a vaccine seems less than likely. As host Jake Tapper ticked off Nicki’s bonafides — nearly 180 million combined followers across social media platforms and an intensely loyal (and susceptible) fanbase — he pointed out how vaccinations opponents have already weaponized Nicki’s tweet.

“Is there any evidence that the Pfizer, Moderna, or the [Johnson & Johnson] vaccines cause any reproductive issues, in men or women?” he asked. Fauci didn’t hesitate. “The answer to that, Jake, is a resounding no,” he asserted. “There’s no evidence that it happens, nor is there any mechanistic reason to imagine that it would happen.” Then, in response to Tapper’s follow-up wondering how authorities can combat misinformation from powerful stars such as Nicki Minaj, Fauci replied, “It’s very difficult. There is a lot of misinformation, mostly on social media. The only way we know to counter mis- and disinformation is to provide a lot of correct information… These claims may be innocent on her part — I’m not blaming her for anything — but she should be thinking twice about propagating information that really has no basis except a one-off anecdote. That’s not what science is all about.”

T.I. Addresses Allegations, Being Seen As A “Creep,” And His Final Album

It’s been a roller coaster for T.I. of late, as the Atlanta rapper has recently found his reputation under scrutiny following a series of disturbing allegations. Though he attempted to offer his perspective on the controversy with the song “What It’s Come To,” many have been waiting to see how the situation plays out before drawing a firm conclusion. 

As it happens, T.I. actually addressed many of the allegations during an interview with the Big Facts Podcast, where hosts Big Bank, DJ Scream and Baby Jade inquired about some of the claims being made about Tip’s character. 

Paras Griffin/Getty Images

“Listen man, that shit don’t hurt me,” says Tip, prompting Big Bank to cut straight to the heart of the matter. “What the hell they talking about you drugging hoes n’ shit?” asks Big Bank. “What’s going on with that shit!?”

T.I. shakes his head, adamantly maintaining that “shit didn’t happen.” He continues, explaining that the allegations eventually reached the ears of the feds. “That shit got sent to the feds,” he says. “They sent that shit to GBI. I trust every legal faculty to do their job.” Bank reminds T.I that there was a man leveling accusations against him — “you going crazy, boy!”

T.I.

Paras Griffin/Getty Images

“To be honest with you bro, stupid people listen to stupid people,” continues Tip. “It’s simple as that. The name of the show is Big Facts. You show me one motherfuckin’ big fact on the subject and we can have this discussion. This shit started January 29th.”

“You go to any superstar’s house or any kind of private gathering, you’re going to sign [an NDA],” he states. “Privacy and anonymity must be held in high regard. That don’t mean nobody doing anything.” When Bank notes that one of the parties involved — Sabrina Peterson — wanted an apology, Tip reacts with a defiant middle finger. “Hey man, I told you before,” he adds. “I know from whence my blessings come, I’m not negotiating with no terrorist. Do your worst.”

In another moment, Tip addresses how people have come to see him as a “creep,” noting that he believed he had earned goodwill through “decades of helping his community.” “Motherfuckers want me to be a creep so fucking bad,” he exclaims. “Where’d that come from? A Peepin-Tom ass muthafucka. An old under-the-bed-sniffin’-socks muthafucka. I ain’t never presented myself as nuthin’ but a playa. I don’t understand where this narrative came from.”

T.I.

Ronald Martinez/BIG3 via Getty Images

“Let’s take the instance with my daughter Deyjah,” he continues, addressing a moment that many of his critics would likely call exhibit A. “I made a joke, I spoke on something. Granted, I probably shouldn’t have spoke on it, and it probably wasn’t a laughing matter. Only because she didn’t find it funny. How did it go from that to he must be messin with her, he forced her to go?”

“People are a culmination of our experiences,” he says. “Most people have been exposed to creep-ass n***as. Most people had some exposure to a creep, to where they see or hear certain things they expect creep shit. That’s what leads their opinions. No disrespect…I ain’t never had no experience as a child with a creep. I ain’t got no desire to be a creep.”

It’s a passionate response from the Atlanta rapper, though it’s uncertain as to whether or not it will turn the tides of public favor. In any case, T.I. seems determined to keep it moving, maintaining that his upcoming project Kill The King is due to be his last. “I don’t care enough,” he admits. “I just don’t care about the same shit other muthafuckers out there care about…At this point. It did at one time. When I went to prison and came home, I learned what the fuck was important.”

For those interested in hearing T.I. speaking on those topics and more, check out the full episode of the Big Facts Podcast below.

Kehlani Announces New Album “Blue Water Road”

After spending the summer collaborating and hustling cowboys with T-Pain on “I Like Dat” (after T-Pain finally checked his DMs) admitting that, despite her support of the rising cannabis industry and the plant’s benefits, she stopped smoking back in 2018 and an appearance at last night’s Met Gala R&B songstress Kehlani made waves by announcing the title of her new album, Blue Water Road. 

Unfortunately, the singer did not include an official release date, only Tweeting that the project would touch down sometime “this winter.” She did, however, release a minute-long album trailer on both Twitter and Instagram. 

kehlani revolve

Craig Barritt/Getty Images

Accompanied by the short message, “welcome to my world,” the trailer features cold visuals of broken clay masks, a dragonfly which calmly lands on Kehlani’s hands before disintegrating and being pulled into the Earth by what look like barbed-wire roots and a large, dark, looming presence which overtakes the singer just before the end of the video. As of now, there is no album art or tracklist to give a better idea of what to expect from Blue Water Road, but if this trailer is a taste of what’s to come, we can expect a cooler, more-intimate project.

Kehlani’s last album, It Was Good Until It Wasn’t, dropped last April and debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200. 

Kehlani is always experimenting and finding new ways to use her voice and sound which raises the question: what are you expecting from Blue Water Road? Something sounding like “I Like Dat” or something colder, closer to what we saw in this album trailer today? Let us know in the comments. 

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Conor McGregor Deads Beef With MGK, Tells Him To Come To Next Fight

Despite Doja Cat’s array of insane outfits, Lil Nas X’s show-stopping performance of “Industry Baby” with Jack Harlow and everything else that happened *during* the MTV VMAs on Sunday night, the craziest headline came from before the award show even started. 

When Conor McGregor and Machine Gun Kelly crossed paths on the red carpet before both later appearing on stage, (McGregor as an award presenter, MGK as both a performer, performing his record “Papercuts” with Travis Barker, and an award recipient, winning Best Alternative Video for “My Ex’s Best Friend’) all hell broke loose. The story, according to TMZ, was that MGK refused to flick up with McGregor, McGregor lost his cool, threw a drink and the two were separated while Megan Fox stepped in between. 

McGregor was quick to point out that he doesn’t even know MGK aside from him being with Fox and that he only fights “real fighters” and not “little vanilla boy rappers.” MGK and Fox were quiet on the matter and things seemed to have died down and now, as he is one to do, McGregor is the only one still talking. 

Just after hitting the street, McGregor told the paparazzi in front of his hotel that there is “no beef” between he and MGK. Extending an invitation to his next fight, whenever McGregor has fully recovered from the gruesome leg injury he suffered weeks ago in a bout against Dustin Poirier, McGregor was welcoming in saying that “everyone’s more than welcome to come to my fight or come to the shows.” 

mcgregor vmas

Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

After reiterating that he does not know MGK at all, however, McGregor made sure to drop a line about Fox before leaving it be. 

“I don’t know (MGK). Who is he? Megan’s been at the fights years, so I know Megan,” McGregor made clear. “Then I don’t know the guy. Come to the fights.” 

Whether or not we’ll ever get the real reasoning behind McGregor and MGK nearly coming to blows on VMA red carpet is a mystery but McGregor let it be known that MGK is always welcome at his fights. 

Is there actual beef between the two? Do you think we’ll see MGK at a McGregor fight once his leg is all healed up? Let us know in the comments. 

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