New Hip Hop News

On the heels of news that the NFL was dealing with their own scandal, the NBA jumped in with one of their own—well, a small one. The Los Angeles Lakers may be out of the playoffs but they’re still making headlines. Hours ago, news began to circulate that Alex Caruso, a guard for the team, was arrested at the Easterwood Airport in College Station, Texas.

Because the airport is technically on Texas A&M University property, the school’s police were contacted by TSA agents.

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According to KBTX News, agents believed they’d found drug paraphernalia in one of Caruso’s bags as he was catching a flight out. When police arrived, they allegedly located a grinder that still had marijuana residue inside so they arrested the 27-year-old NBA star. He was reportedly taken into custody “on charges of possession of marijuana, less than two ounces, and possession of drug paraphernalia.”

The Texas A&M alum was hit with a $4,200 bond which he quickly paid before being released. While cannabis laws have been lax in several cities within the U.S., the majority of the country still adheres to strict, anti-marijuana laws. Unsurprisingly, the jokes have begun pouring into social media, so check out a few reactions to Caruso’s arrest below.

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While teasing the release of his rum brand, Michael B. Jordan wasn’t prepared for the backlash that followed. We previously reported on Jordan releasing J’Ouvert Rum, and it all seemed well and good until people accused him of cultural appropriation. Those with Trinidadian roots were particularly peeved, especially after it was discovered that the actor was attempting to trademark the word “J’Ouvert” without having a tie to its cultural significance.

On Tuesday (June 22) evening, Jordan returned to Instagram with an apology. “I just wanna say on behalf of myself & my partners, our intention was never to offend or hurt a culture(we love & respect) & hoped to celebrate & shine a positive light on,” Jordan wrote.

“Last few days has been a lot of listening,” he continued. “A lot of learning & engaging in countless community conversations… We hear you. I hear you & want to be clear that we are in the process of renaming. We sincerely apologize & look forward to introducing a brand we can all be proud of.”

Earlier in the day, Nicki Minaj weighed in on the controversy. “I’m sure MBJ didn’t intentionally do anything he thought Caribbean ppl would find offensive— but now that you are aware, change the name & continue to flourish & prosper,” she wrote in an Instagram caption. Check it out below.

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The NFL is facing another scandal after a Kansas City Chiefs player was reportedly arrested Father’s Day Weekend. Earlier this year, the team lost out on being the Super Bowl champions after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers secured that spot, but Kansas City is still one of the most respected squads in the league. News broke that defensive end Frank Clark was arrested over the weekend in Los Angeles after authorities claimed they located a submachine gun inside of his vehicle.

CNN reportedly spoke with a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson who detailed the interaction between Clark and authorities.

“Yesterday at about 9:20 p.m., Mr. Clark was pulled over in the area of Grand and Adams for a vehicle code violation,” the spokesperson reportedly stated yesterday (June 21). “At this time, officers observed a bag with an Uzi sticking out.” Clark was said to be in the vehicle with three other people, but it seemed that only Clark was taken into custody.

He was “arrested for allegedly possessing a concealed firearm in a vehicle.” After paying a $35K bond, the Super Bowl winner was released from the Los Angeles County Jail in the afternoon. Alex Spiro, the Chief player’s attorney, told CNN that the weapon in question wasn’t his client’s but “belonged to the bodyguard.”

The Chiefs haven’t yet made an official statement regarding Clark’s arrest and the NFL reportedly said they’re handling matters in-house.

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There was a time when we couldn’t hear enough about Kevin McCall. Throughout 2020, the singer-songwriter was at odds with his ex, Eva Marcille, over custody of their daughter, Marley Rae. The court battle that ensued resulted in Eva getting Marley’s last name changed to Sterling, her attorney husband Michael’s name. Kevin battled it out in court because he claimed that Eva was keeping their child from him, but she insisted that he hadn’t been in Marley’s life and he was abusive to Eva in the past.

Then, a video circulated showing McCall being arrested at a courthouse on his way to his custody trial because he got into a scuffle with a security guard. McCall was arrested, and that was one of several controversial moments he was involved in, at least in recent years. Back in January 2019, the singer was accused of domestic violence, and by September 2019, he was officially hit with charges related to that case.

Frazer Harrison / Staff / Getty Images

We haven’t heard much from him in recent months, but McCall’s visit to Thee Kraig Smith Podcast went left for a brief moment. During the chat, the fellas seemed to be having an edifying conversation, but when addressing some of his controversies, things took a turn. 

“I just was talking sh*t and trying to get attention just like I got Chris Brown’s attention when I posted a picture of Rihanna’s face all beat up,” said McCall in the clip. “This is before I had allegations of the second victim.” He quickly corrected himself. “‘Alleged’ victim… Which, I did hit her, ’cause she hit me. Which is not cool.”

Co-host Bradyn stepped in and said he can’t women and he didn’t agree with that, and it seemed that McCall didn’t appreciate being corrected. “I’ve even beat up n*ggas over this. So, if you want a fade over this, if you feel like I shouldn’t hit women, catch a fade outside, bro. So don’t sit here and act like you think I’m some weird ass n*gga bro,” McCall said.

“Shut the f*ck up my n*gga. I’m a real ass n*gga. I f*ck up n*ggas bro. It’s n*ggas that come around that try to jump me. It’s n*ggas that wait until I get around a camera and switch the f*ckin’ narrative. So if you got a problem, if you think I hit women, like I told Eva brothers, catch a fade my n*gga!”

It was later shared that everyone reconciled the argument and were good. Check out the clip below.

There was a deadly weekend of shootings in Virginia Beach back in March, and sadly, Pharrell Williams’s cousin was one of the victims. We previously reported on 25-year-old Donovan Lynch being shot and killed by a Virginia Beach officer, and more information about the altercation is being shared now that Lynch’s father, Wayne Lynch, has filed a federal lawsuit.

According to NBC News, it was on March 26 when Donovan was spending time with a friend at a restaurant when police were investigating three separate shootings in the oceanfront area. The slain man’s father reportedly states in the lawsuit that Donovan didn’t pose a threat to police and was “unlawfully” killed by an officer named Solomon Simmons.

It’s reported that while Donovan and his friend were at the restaurant, they heard gunfire. They decided it was time to leave so they began walking to their vehicles and it was there that they were confronted by Officer Simmons. The lawsuit also reads that Donovan wasn’t named as a suspect to whatever event Simmons was summoned to, thus suggesting either the officer didn’t properly identify himself and-or he did not take the time to properly identify Donovan.

“Immediately, unlawfully, and without warning, Officer Simmons fired his police-issued firearm at Mr. Lynch, shooting him twice and killing him,” the lawsuit reportedly states. “At all relevant times, Mr. Lynch was not speaking or acting in a manner that would suggest that he posed any threat, let alone a deadly threat, to Officer Simmons or anyone else.”

The lawsuit also alleges that the “shooting was motivated at least in part by Mr. Lynch’s race as a Black man.” Authorities claim that Donovan was armed at the time he was shot and they reportedly shared a photo of the firearm they say belonged to him. They accused Donovan of “brandishing” the weapon before being killed.

Wayne Lynch has named both Simmons and the City of Virginia Beach in his lawsuit. He is seeking $50 million in damages. Check out a portion of a previous press conference with Wayne Lynch below.

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There will certainly be more shared about this story in the coming days, but it’s being reported that a settlement has been reached in the helicopter case that involved Kobe Bryant, his teen daughter Gianna, and seven others. In January 2020, nine people lost their lives after the helicopter tragically crashed in California, and later, a lawsuit was launched by Vanessa Bryant and several others representing the deceased.

According to Los Angeles’s ABC7 News, a confidential agreement was reached “with the company that operated the helicopter involved in the crash,” Island Express Helicopters. Pilot Ara Zobayan was also named in the wrongful death suit as a defendant.

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On Tuesday (June 22), it’s reported that all parties filed court papers showing a “joint notice of settlement and joint request to vacate discovery deadlines.” The reported documents read: “Plaintiffs and Defendants jointly report that they have agreed to settle their claims in the above-entitled action.” The settlement amount was not included in the papers and a court still reportedly needs to give the final approval before this case is officially completed.

For Father’s Day, Vanessa shared a loving family photo with a sweet message to her late husband. “To the best girl dad~ Happy Father’s Day, Papi. We love you forever and always, always and forever. Love you always, Nani, Gigi, B.B, Koko, and VB.”

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Nowadays, it seems as if everyone is getting themselves involved in liquor brands. We’ve recently watched Kendall Jenner unveil her 818 Tequila brand and most recently, Michael B. Jordan has reportedly diversified his portfolio with J’Ouvert Rum. It’s another way for celebrities to capitalize on their notoriety as they open up new streams of revenue, but quickly, Jordan was tacked with cultural appropriation allegations.

A description of the rum reads, “Derives from the Antellian Creole French term meaning ‘daybreak,’ J’OUVERT originated in the pre-dawn streets of Trinidad, as celebration of emancipation combined with Carnival season to serve as the festival informal commencements. Crafted on those same islands, J’OUVERT Rum is a tribute to the party [starting].” 

Robin L Marshall / Stringer / Getty Images

Following the viral controversy, Nicki Minaj emerged with an opinion, and it has been widely accepted, especially considering her Trinidadian roots. She reposted a comment from someone that was angered over Jordan’s rum’s moniker. “J’Ouvert also known as jouvay originated in Trinidad with the festivities of Canboulay, which was a time when sugarcane fields caught on fire and slaves were still forced to harvest the remainding crops before complete destruction.”

The historical event is honored at Carnival and people believe that their history is being used to sell alcohol without proper tribute or consideration. In the caption, Nicki added, “I’m sure MBJ didn’t intentionally do anything he thought Caribbean ppl would find offensive— but now that you are aware, change the name & continue to flourish & prosper.”

Check out her post, and a few responses, below.