New Hip Hop News

America’s War on Drugs has led the nation to dedicate relentless resources and time to keeping substances off the streets. While it seems like marijuana may soon become one of the drugs excluded from the list of drugs the Drug Enforcement Administration goes after, cocaine, and many others, remain on the list.  

In Florida, over 69 pounds of cocaine enclosed in garbage bags were discovered on a cruise ship and seized by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Discovered by the ship’s security team, the cocaine bricks were found in a cargo area on the cruise liner. They were then seized by the cruise’s security officers and given to Customs patrol stationed at the Port Everglades seaport when the ship socked there for maintenance last week. 

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According to cocaine price estimates provided by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the 69.5 pounds of cocaine discovered could be worth over $5 million based on the drug’s street price. Customs patrol furthered that they did a more thorough sweep of the ship afterward and did not discover any more contraband. 

“This seizure is indicative of the excellent collaboration CBP has with our industry partners to detect and interdict illegal drugs being smuggled into our nation,” said Dylan DeFrancisci, the CBP’s port director of field operations for the area the drugs were found. 

“Our officers strive daily to develop and enhance our partnerships with other law enforcement agencies, industry partners, and the citizens of our community to stop criminal activity at our borders, be it land, air, or sea,” DeFrancisci added. 

A spokesman from the agency also told publications that the cruise ship is operated by Royal Caribbean Cruises. Right now, there’s no word yet on who the shipments belonged to or if any arrests have been made in connection to it. In other large-scale drug trafficking news, however, El Chapo’s wife Emma Coronel Aispuro recently pleaded guilty to helping her husband run the Sinaloa cartel. 

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Baton Rouge rapper Fredo Bang has been speaking out during his multi-part interview with VladTV, speaking about why he requires $100,000 to perform in his hometown, and more. During the latest portion of his sit-down with the media outlet, the “Top” rapper spoke about how rappers tend to date in the same circles. That led to a conversation about Fredo’s own relationship with Dolly White, Young Thug’s sister, which ended unsuccessfully a few years ago.

Vlad wanted to know about their relationship, asking why they broke up, and Fredo Bang had nothing but kind things to say about his ex. However, he pointed out her strong will as a reason why they eventually called things off.

“Dolly [is] a strong-spirited person,” he said about Thug’s sister. “So it could come off as toxic. I don’t know, it just got to a point where I felt like I was having high blood pressure. That’s my dog, though. I love her to death. She helped me through a rough time in my life… I love her, I got the most respect for her.”

During the same interview, Fredo also spoke about his calm nature, which he developed in jail. He said that, behind bars, people are always trying to get a reaction out of you, which is how he learned to push aside all the drama and keep his zen-like mentality.

Watch the video below.

Joe Exotic might be behind bars but he’s getting ready to cash in on the cannabis industry. According to TMZ, the star of Netflix’s hit documentary Tiger Kingis on pace to launch his own line of cannabis products under Joe Exotic Cannabis. The former zookeeper began plotting on the cannabis brand last July, following the success of Tiger King, and putting the right plays in motion ever since. The motivation behind his new product is providing medicinal cannabis to people who need to ease pain from any illnesses. 

Exotic’s lawyer Brad Small said that Joe has partnered with Tango Hotel Charlie Group, LLC and Cannaxxs LTD for the launch of Joe Exotic Cannabis. While it’s incredibly doubtful that Joe has managed to test out the products himself, he has reportedly been involved directly with all business aspects. His lawyer said that he’s been communicating on behalf of Joe through calls and emails. The product largely consists of several companies coughing up the loot for the products with Joe’s brand on it.

Joe Exotic Cannabis line will include flower, CBD products, and edibles that will be available in California, Colorado, and his home state of Oklahoma where cannabis is only legal for medicinal use. 

Expect to see Joe Exotic Cannabis line at your local dispensary in these states in the weeks to come. Small said that a percentage of Joe’s profits to be donated towards captive tiger care. 

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Innovative and legendary rapper Tupac Shakur has remained a widely accepted GOAT and staple of the industry in the 20+ years since he was fatally shot and killed. Though shunned by some members of society at the time, the rapper was known for his progressive ideas regarding race relations and inequality of all forms, paving the way for 21st-century movements.

Now, his estate is continuing his legacy of inclusion and equality with the release of a new clothing collection celebrating June as Pride Month. The collection includes a number of hoodie and t-shirt colorways that interpolate 2Pac’s 1992 hit song “Changes” about the struggle of minority communities and living in poverty. The clothing features the name of the song as well as a stencil of the rapper’s face redone with rainbow colors and lettering as a nod to Pride Month.

Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images 

The estate stated in the Twitter announcement that all revenue from the clothing will be donated to pro-LGBTQIA+ foundations and movements. However, some fans are criticizing the rapper’s estate for taking too much creative freedom — among other more unfortunate criticisms. Though some condemnation of the collection can be narrowed down to blatant homophobia, others assert that it shouldn’t be in the estate’s power to decide what the late rapper would or would not want to release under his creative profile. 

Will you be copping any of the new merch? Let us know and check out the announcement below:

Chris Brown is taking his music career slow in 2021, instead making room for his other artistic interests. The singer, who has a known 30+ tattoos, shared a newcomer to the collection yesterday with a new large ink piece on what appears to be his thigh.

The tattoo resembles the old manga and anime series Astro Boy. It’s actually his second Astro Boy tattoo, though this one is much more intricate and open to interpretation. The ink sees the unwinding of the character’s physical form to reveal a scarier and seemingly lifeless image of the iconic character. 

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Brown’s connection to the Japanese series is well documented. Brown got his first Astro Boy tattoo in 2016 with the character’s signature face on the back of one of his calves. Earlier this year, Brown posted a picture of his son to Twitter with the caption “ASTRO BOY.” Though it’s unclear whether he connects himself to the character or his son, fans have wasted little time speculating about a deeper meaning to the image.

One user writes “Don’t understand it but it goes hard,” while another responded with what they think the meaning is: “they think ima robot, but I feel dead inside”. Another user clarified what the artwork, which Brown reportedly drew himself, was: “it’s a realism drawing of Astro boy with a boy inside.” Others were just simply shocked to see that he had any room left for another tattoo: “this man still got space to put tattoos on him?”

Do you think the new tattoo is a good fit? Did the tattoo artist do him justice? Let us know and check out the ink below:

Lizzo, in addition to being recognized for her stellar musical achievements, has become known for her unapologetic attitude and comfort in her skin. While being confident in your body shouldn’t be anything out of the ordinary, the “Truth Hurts” artist has been the subject of tasteless jokes by internet trolls about her physique. 

While she’s often able to maintain an unbothered and carefree public persona, she has been vocal about how the negativity affects her. She took to TikTok to share a vulnerable moment with fans where she shared,  “I am loved. I’m not alone. That’s how I want to feel but I don’t feel it.” Proving that the moment was a mere bump in the road, she took to Instagram to share a video of herself in an itsy-bitsy bikini to declare it’s a “BIG GRRRL SUMMER!” 

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In the video shared Sunday (June 13), the Grammy-winning songstress rocked a “tribal” print bikini as she posed in front of the camera. She expressed, “This is a public service announcement: big girl summer has officially begun. And big girls, we have abs…look at that. I know you see it. Fabs, honey! Stay sick, stay mad h**. Where my big girls at?”

She subsequently added in the video’s caption, “PSA: BIG GRRRL SUMMER = BREAK OUT THE BIKINIS. FABS ON DECK HOE! BIG FAT ASS PURRRRRRRRRRRRR.” 

Scrolling through Lizzo’s feed, it’s quite obvious she’s not shy about showing skin and inspiring her fans to do the same, no matter their body type. She’s currently working on a reality competition series for Amazon Prime titled Big Grrrls, which will follow her as she searches for a collection of plus-size dancers and models to join her tour entourage.

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