New Hip Hop News

The first day of the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin came to a close after Donald Williams, an expert witness and MMA fighter, took the stand to testify on Chauvin’s restrain. Williams was among the bystanders who witnessed George Floyd’s death and is heard in the bystander video demanding for the officer to ease pressure on Floyd. 

Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office via Getty Images

Per Star Tribune, Donald Williams explained that he was familiar with the hold that Chauvin put on Floyd, describing it as a “blood choke” that can lead to a loss of consciousness. “‘My stomach hurts, I can’t breathe, I want my mom, please let me up'” Williams recalled Floyd saying. “He said he wanted to get in the car, he said he’s sorry for what he did.” 

He described Chauvin as “shimmying” when he would shift his weight onto Floyd’s neck to tighten his grip. “You see Floyd fade away like the fish in the bag,” he said. “He vocalized that he can’t breathe and ‘I’m sorry.’ His eyes rolled back in his head.” He added that it looked like Floyd was trying to fight “through the torture.”

Williams was told by the judge to refrain from adding conclusions or opinions into his testimony and leave it strictly to what he witnessed and his martial arts experience. The judge later ended the day’s proceedings after a “major technical glitch” affected the live stream in other rooms where Floyd’s family members were watching the trial. 

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Despite the social media tension between Safaree Samuels and his wife Erica Mena, the rapper is proving that the love he hasfor their daughter, Safire, is real. Recently, there have been issues in the Samuels household—at least that is what the Love & Hip Hop New York pair have suggested with their posts. Safaree stated that getting married was a mistake and Erica retorted that her husband is “the most selfish, vain and inconsiderate person. And not just with me but your only daughter!”

Over the weekend, Safaree showed off the latest piece he’s adding to his jewelry collection and the hyperrealism caught his followers off guard. “I ordered and he delivered! I am at a loss for words @traxnyc !!!” the reality star penned in the caption. The pendant is dedicated to his daughter Safire, and the design is applause-worthy. “This is my favorite piece of anything I’ve ever seen or owned! Wow! I asked for my favorite pic of @safiremajesty to be brought to life and this here is nothing short of greatness prestige and perfection! Wow! The Godfather has spoken.”

The piece itself was inspired by a photo of young Safire Majesty and the likeness is uncanny. Erica was also blown away by the piece, so swipe below to get a closer look at the stunning work.

There’s no beef between the two singers at the moment, but people still view Monica and Brandy as two artists at odds. It was decades ago that the pair of vocalists delivered their megahit “The Boy is Mine” along with a music video that showed the singers battling over Mehki Phifer. The classic jam is enjoyed by several generations of music lovers and last year, the ladies even joined together on Verzuz where they performed their collaboration. It’s clear that there was some animosity all those years ago, but as mature women with families of their own, both Monica and Brandy aren’t worried about fights they had in their youths. Still, fans won’t let it go.

A Twitter user recently wrote that “The Boy is Mine” gives her “secondhand embarrassment” because two “goddesses” like Monica and Brandy were fighting over a man. Monica could have ignored the mention, but she decided to address a more pressing issue with the tweet. “I think she and I both are more concerned that 20 + plus years later you’ve still not come to grips with it not being real [crying laughing emojis] GTFOS Sincerely from the 90s.”

In other Monica and Brandy news,Verzuz has partnered with Peleton for their new Artist Series. “It’s me vs. Brandy. Join me on the Peloton Bike, Tread or App and get ready for all my hits,” Monica tweeted. “This is fitness like you’ve never seen it before.” Check out the singer’s posts below.

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Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Jay-Z, Method Man, Xzibit, and Wiz Khalifa are just a handful of rappers who have stepped into the cannabis lane, and on Monday (March 29), Russ has announced he’s added his name to the list. In partnership with famed and longstanding West Coast cannabis brand Wonderbrett, Russ has released his CHOMP strain that bears the same name as the bar-heavy EP he dropped back in November 2020. During an intimate press conference last week, Russ shared that he’s been cultivating this cannabis concept with Wonderbrett for some time and explained why he wanted to create a strain targeted at creators—specifically musicians.

Image Provided to HNHH By Publicist

“I’ve been interested in getting into the cannabis industry for a while and Wonderbrett was the perfect partner to enter that space with,” said Russ. “Their taste level is super high and Brett [Feldman, co-creator of Wonderbrett] is a genius. As far as the product itself, I just wanted to create something organic that was true to me. I’m not a heavy smoker who’s just gonna sit around and smoke all day but oftentimes in the studio, I enjoy experiencing an alternative yet still tuned in perspective, so keeping a joint of something productive nearby comes in handy…I might as well control what’s in the joint, so that’s what I’ve done here with Wonderbrett.”

Cameron Damwijk, co-founder of Wonderbrett, explains the effects of Russ’s CHOMP strain as “a great introductory high that really serves to enlighten and inspire artists to create.” He added, “It doesn’t give you a couch lock effect.” For cannabis lovers looking to enhance their creativity without the indica body high that may limit productivity, CHOMP just may be the option for you. 

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Russ emphasized that his sensitivity to certain strains makes him a finicky cannabis smoker because of the magnified effects of paranoia, so CHOMP was the answer to unlocking a third-eye creative process. Additionally, aside from making a strain that will help artists create masterpieces in the studio, it is also important to Russ that he supports initiatives that aid in the decriminalization of cannabis offenses.

In other recent Russ news, the multihyphenate artist announced that he has rescheduled his delayed “Shake The Snow Globe Tour” for 2022. Check out more from Russ, Wonderbrett, and CHOMP below.

Image Provided to HNHH By Publicist

Image Provided to HNHH By Publicist

Image Provided to HNHH By Publicist

It was a joyous occasion in the world of hip-hop when Gucci Mane and Jeezy squashed their beef in front of the world on Verzuz. Many rejoiced that two artists who many believed would never move past their problems came together to celebrate their respective catalogs. Peers, friends, and family congratulated them on their maturity but it seems that not everyone is apparently fond of the idea of the two breaking bread.

The feud reached a breaking point after the death of Henry “Pookie Loc” Clark in 2005. Pookie Loc attempted an armed robbery at Gucci Mane’s home where he attempted to steal the rapper’s chain. Gucci fatally shot Loc and was acquitted of all charges after it was deemed self-defense. Of course, on the evening of Verzuz, many wondered if things were going to go left as Gucci stated, “Smokin’ on Pookie Loc tonight.”

The co-founder of Jeezy’s label CTE, Kinky B, recently revealed to the Big Facts podcast his thoughts on the two Southern rap legends’ Verzuz. Kinky explained that the move to make a public peace offering to Gucci Mane cost Jeezy his credibility in the streets.

“That man, in the United States of America, any street n***a lost all respect for that man that fucking day,” he said. “He lost all his street credibility that day due to the fact that, I don’t give a fuck, when a n***a lose their life, man, ain’t no peace. They’ll never be peace. Never, ever.”

Full episode of the new Big Facts podcast drops this week. Check the clip out below.