New Hip Hop News

It’s been a distressing time for associates and friends of celebrities. Last week, Lady Gaga received disturbing news that her dog walker had been shot and left for dead by unidentified assailants who attacked him on the street and stole two of her French bulldogs. The dog walker would survive his shot to the chest and Gaga’s pups would later be returned by a woman who claims she found them tied to a pole on the street. On Wednesday (March 3), more harrowing news was reported, but this time it comes from Machine Gun Kelly’s camp after his drummer was attacked.

According to a report by TMZ, JP Cappelletty, also known affectionately as Rook, was in the Hollywood Hills when he became the victim of an assault. MGK’s drummer was reportedly walking down the street around 8:00 p.m. when two men jumped out of a vehicle and attempted to rob him. There was a reported violent altercation that resulted in Rook losing “thousands of dollars worth of property.” To make matter worse, Rook sustained injuries to both his foot and arm when he was also hit by a car.

Rook shared photos of himself in the hospital, one that included a selfie with MGK. “Don’t Worry I’ll Bounce Back,” Rook wrote over one of the images. There hasn’t been information shared about the assailants and it is unclear if they were armed during the assault.

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Unapologetic and unafraid of repercussions, Tekashi 6ix9ine continues to taunt the industry. The disgraced rapper has been facing an uphill battle since it was first announced years ago that he would be cooperating with federal authorities to help build a case against his Nine Trey associates, and since he was released from prison last year, 6ix9ine has actively embraced his “most-hated” moniker bestowed by many of his fellow rappers. The New York artist found acceptance with artists like Nicki Minaj, Blac Chyna, and Akon who ignored the scandal and collaborated with him in some fashion, but 6ix9ine continues to beef with the likes of Meek Mill, Lil Durk, 600 Breezy, Lil Reese, and many others.

By now, we know that when it comes to trolling, 6ix9ine is a king. He often goes below the belt and when he attacks online, there are no limits to how far he will go. On Wednesday (March 3), 6ix9ine continued his taunting with a new set of photos, this time showing him wearing a shirt with King Von’s portrait.

“IF A N*GGA KILLA AINT DEAD YOU SHOULDNT WEAR NO RIP SHIRTS,” 6ix9ine wrote in the caption, referencing Pooh Shiesty’s “Back in Blood” bars. In another photo, 6ix9ine is photographed laying in the middle of the street as if he was dead. “#PickYaMan,” he wrote over the image. As 6ix9ine’s trolling doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon, Lil Durk reportedly received another memorial piece of jewelry dedicated to his fallen friend. Check it all out below.

The Fyre Festival has gone down in concert history, and it seems that for the first time, organizer Billy McFarland has openly admitted that he knew he was lying to investors. McFarland raked in millions for his non-existent Bahamas-based luxury festival that was said to feature dozens of mainstream, chart-topping artists. McFarland’s team hired several social media influencers and artists to promote the event, but when it came down to delivering the goods, attendees were left with barely edible food, unreliable amenities, and no entertainment as musical acts were never booked or confirmed.

McFarland reportedly sat down with Jordan Harbinger for an unsanctioned interview that has been talked about since last Fall, where he dished on all things related to his downfall. In 2018, McFarland was sentenced to six years in prison over the failed 2017 event and has been serving his time in Ohio. “I think the biggest mistake before I went awry was just setting an unrealistic time frame for the festival,” said McFarland.

“Had we given ourselves a year or two and had I obviously not made the terrible decision to lie to my backers, I think we could have been in a bit better place, but regardless of the mistakes that I made or what made things go wrong. So, that’s where things started and ended,” he added. “I knowingly lied to them to raise money for the festival. Yes. And that’s what the crime was. The crime was inexcusably lying about the status of the company to get the money I thought I needed for the festival.”

According to the incarcerated organizer, he truly believed that he would be able to pull off the festival at the last minute. “I legitimately thought the festival was going to be executed,” said McFarland. “[There’s] no excuse and I wish I could have just woken up one of those mornings in the beginning and I just had stopped.”

ABC is highlighting this interview and revisiting the Fyre Festival debacle for their true-crime series The Con. Check out a clip below.

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Soon, we will all be able to enjoy Pop Smoke’s acting debut, but it’s a bittersweet moment as the rapper won’t be here to celebrate with his millions of fans and admirers. A little over a year ago, we received the devastating news that Pop Smoke had been viciously murdered during a Hollywood Hills home invasion. The rapper’s team and loved ones have continued to walk out his legacy, including his inclusion in Eddie Huang’s film, Boogie.

Just months prior to his murder, Pop filmed the coming-of-age story and now, Huang is reflecting on his time with the rising New York rapper. “At first I made this film and I was like, ‘Look, this is for my family and this is to represent for all of us overseas Chinese in America,’ but this is Pop’s film,” said Huang. “It’s absolutely dedicated to Pop. I really miss my brother. Once I met him, the film changed.”

“He [had] no fear, Pop [wasn’t] scared of anything,” Huang continued. “He also probably had the fastest computer processor in his head I’ve ever seen. I could tell Pop something, and he would immediately adapt and make that change. And he didn’t have an ego about it, and he wouldn’t get scared about it. And he wouldn’t have self-doubt about it. He just did it.”

Huang also reflected on grieving Pop Smoke’s loss. “But I will tell you this. Pop’s not a dude that would’ve wanted you to be sad. He really [was] a person who was celebrating life all of the time. So happy, very sensitive. Amazing to be around. And a lotta love. He got a lotta love.” Check out the trailer for Boogie below.

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It’s safe to say that 2020 was rough on just about everyone, but some faced greater tragedies than others. Damian Lillard worked on music and his basketball skills under quarantine, but his professional career wasn’t the only thing on his mind. During a recent interview with The Athletic, the NBA star revealed that he suffered a string of losses in an 18-month period, causing his mental health to be affected.

Ezra Shaw / Staff / Getty Images

“It’s been a hard year and a half for my family, man. People have no idea,” said Lillard. The Athletic detailed a few events that Lillard experienced, and it’s a heavy burden for just one person. The outlet claims that last year, Lillard discovered “the dead body of his cousin and personal chef,” and later, his aunt passed away following a battle with cancer. Then, a friend of his family lost their life to COVID-19 and earlier this year, one of his cousins was killed in Oakland, California.

Before his game against the Los Angeles Lakers last week, Lillard also reportedly learned that two people “in his inner circle” were shot to death—one being a cousin he was reportedly close to and the other a best friend of one of his cousins. As players have adapted to the new rules of the league, many have taken the time to highlight the importance of mental health, especially during this global, unprecedented time. We send our sincerest condolences to Lillard for all of the losses he’s endured.

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It’s safe to say that 2020 was rough on just about everyone, but some faced greater tragedies than others. Damian Lillard worked on music and his basketball skills under quarantine, but his professional career wasn’t the only thing on his mind. During a recent interview with The Athletic, the NBA star revealed that he suffered a string of losses in an 18-month period, causing his mental health to be affected.

Ezra Shaw / Staff / Getty Images

“It’s been a hard year and a half for my family, man. People have no idea,” said Lillard. The Athletic detailed a few events that Lillard experienced, and it’s a heavy burden for just one person. The outlet claims that last year, Lillard discovered “the dead body of his cousin and personal chef,” and later, his aunt passed away following a battle with cancer. Then, a friend of his family lost their life to COVID-19 and earlier this year, one of his cousins was killed in Oakland, California.

Before his game against the Los Angeles Lakers last week, Lillard also reportedly learned that two people “in his inner circle” were shot to death—one being a cousin he was reportedly close to and the other a best friend of one of his cousins. As players have adapted to the new rules of the league, many have taken the time to highlight the importance of mental health, especially during this global, unprecedented time. We send our sincerest condolences to Lillard for all of the losses he’s endured.

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