Kobe Bryant’s Former Friend Has Beef With The Late Superstar

Kobe Bryant is revered by NBA fans. After his tragic death, the outpouring of love from his peers and fans was felt around the NBA world. From his teammates to opponents to opposing fans, everyone recognized him as an important part of the NBA that would be missed. Now, his former friend is dissing him. Kevin Sanchez, who was good friends with Kobe, has spoken out against Bryant. Sanchez does not share the warm feelings or good memories everyone has of Kobe. Furthermore, Sanchez has nothing but beef for his former friend. 

Kevin Sanchez and Kobe Bryant used to rap together in Philadelphia. Additionally, Sanchez was a big reason Kobe dropped a rap album back in the day. Sanchez went to prison and has now spoken about his experiences recently. He sat down for the “Blood on the Wire” podcast and spoke about his prison bid. Additionally, Sanchez also revealed the source of his animosity towards Kobe Bryant. Sanchez claims that Kobe never helped him financially after he was released from prison. He apparently thought his longtime friend would be there for him after everything they had been through. Furthermore, Sanchez says he felt abandoned by the late superstar. 

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Kobe Bryant’s Former Friend Kevin Sanchez Calls Him A “Piece of Sh**”

 
 
 
 
 
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Sanchez spoke on the show about his experience with Kobe after returning from prison. Additionally, he explained how he waited for Kobe when the Lakers had a road trip to Philadelphia. He said, “This is when I really found out he was a piece of s***,” Sanchez said. “This right here is what made me be like ‘you know what, f*** him.’ I waited in the rain, it was freezing outside….waited out there the whole time freezing. I saw the little tour bus that [the LA Lakers] was in. I see Shannon Brown and a bunch of the players.” He waited for Kobe to Get off the team bus. When Bryant did, Sanchez claimed that after he had called him, they had a conversation.

Sanchez asked for help getting stable after just bein released from prison with help getting employment. Sanchez says he received a phone number from Kobe, and they left it there. He didn’t get Kobe on the other line when Sanchez called the number, but an assistant. Ultimately, Kobe never helped Sanchez. Sanchez also alleges that many members of Kobe Bryant’s family feel similar towards him. Overall, Kobe Bryant died over four years ago. Ultimately, it is an unfortunate situation, and it’s a shame that stories like these from people in his past are coming out.  

Read More: Cam’ron & Mase Theorize Why Kobe Bryant’s Parents Are Auctioning Off Championship Ring

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The Weeknd Pledges $2 Million to Provide 18 Million Loaves of Bread for Gaza Humanitarian Support

Weeknd Dawn FM

Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, through his XO Humanitarian Fund, just pledged to donate $2 million to humanitarian support in Gaza. His donation aims to supply 18 million loaves of bread to support families under threat of starvation in the war-ravaged enclave.

Teaming up with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), The Weeknd’s pledge will facilitate the distribution of 1,500 metric tons of fortified wheat flour, benefiting over 157,000 Palestinians. This donation follows his philanthropic gesture in December 2023, where he contributed $2.5 million, providing food parcels to feed 173,000 Palestinians for two weeks. Additionally, The Weeknd encouraged his fans to contribute to the cause and support those in need in Gaza.

This philanthropic move adds to The Weeknd’s growing list of charitable endeavors. Earlier this year, he donated to the Los Angeles-based organization School on Wheels, aiding over 1,000 students experiencing homelessness. Over recent years, he has contributed millions of dollars to various charitable causes, including support for Ethiopia, Lebanon, and Covid relief efforts.

Corinne Fleischer, WFP’s Director for the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe Region, expressed sincere gratitude for The Weeknd’s compassionate support, highlighting its crucial role in relieving thousands of Palestinian families facing daily hunger. Barron Segar, president and CEO of World Food Program USA, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the solvability of hunger with adequate funding and access, made possible by The Weeknd’s commitment.

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SOURCE SPORTS: Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch Hurt After Mid-Game Collision with Player

Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch Hurt After Mid-Game Collision with Player

It wasn’t all pretty after the Minnesota Timberwolves took out the broom in the four-game sweep against the Phoenix Suns’ so-called super team on Sunday. Head coach Chris Finch encountered an unfortunate and severe mid-game collision with point guard Mike Conley, resulting in Finch being assisted off the court. Sheesh. 

According to a team spokesperson speaking to CNN, Finch suffered a rupture to his right patellar tendon, the crucial connective tissue linking the kneecap to the shinbone. The incident went down with less than two minutes remaining in the game when Conley, fouled by Suns guard Devin Booker, collided with Finch, who was stationed near the scorer’s table, causing the coach to fall.

Timberwolves players came to their coach’s aid, and staff members helped him to his feet and escorted him to the locker room. Fans showed their support with a standing ovation as Finch exited the court, and assistant coach Micah Nori took over for the remainder of the game.

Despite the freak accident, the Timberwolves emerged victorious with a 122-116 win, securing a series sweep over the Suns and advancing to the NBA playoffs’ second round. This was a milestone achievement for Minnesota, marking their first playoff series win since 2004 and the franchise’s inaugural post-season sweep.

After the game, Nori informed reporters that Finch remained in good spirits, and the team supported him. Minnesota’s all-star guard, Anthony Edwards, expressed concern for Finch’s well-being. The (unofficial) MVP of the first round emphasized the coach’s significance and disappointment at seeing him sidelined due to injury.

Finch, who completed his fourth season as the team’s head coach, had a great season touting a 56-26 record, the second-best in franchise history. He finished third in the NBA’s Coach of the Year award voting earlier on Sunday, and his team is a contender to win it all.

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H.E.R. Starring and Producing With Oprah Majorettes-Inspired Dance Movie at 20th Century Studios

H.E.R. to Deliver National Anthem Performance at the 2023 World Series

H.E.R. is expanding deeper into Hollywood with an upcoming Majorettes-inspired HBCU film set being developed at 20th Century Studios. But get this: H.E.R. is teaming up with The Color Purple. producers Oprah Winfrey and Scott Sanders on this high-profile project.

The versatile artist, who marked her entrance into feature films with the acclaimed “The Color Purple” last year, is set to take on a triple role in her upcoming project: developing, producing, and starring in the film. Inspired by the influence of majorettes on Black culture, H.E.R. brought the concept to Winfrey and Sanders following their collaboration on The Color Purple.

The production will collaborate with H.E.R., Winfrey’s Harpo Films, and Sanders’ Scott Sanders Productions. Lauren Ashley Smith, known for her work on A Black Lady Sketch Show, will handle the film’s writing duties. Carla Gardini and Mara Jacobs are producing with H.E.R. Winfrey and Sanders.

Here’s the official synopsis:

The story follows an introverted ballet dancer from L.A. who defies her parents by putting her thriving dance career on hold to go to college. There, she joins her HBCU’s struggling majorette team and attempts to overcome culture shock, her stuffy dance background, and fierce rivals to help return the team to its former glory. “The intent is to make a funny, joyous celebration of authentic HBCU life told through the point of view of a majorette who, through experiencing HBCU life for the first time, will start to tap into who she really is,” states The Hollywood Reporter’s exclusive report. “Majorette traditions, which combines marching band, dance, and gymnastic elements, has emerged in the last 50 years as a major cultural touchstone in college and Black culture.”

The post H.E.R. Starring and Producing With Oprah Majorettes-Inspired Dance Movie at 20th Century Studios first appeared on The Source.

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Alicia Keys, Sufjan Stevens, And More Got 2024 Tony Award Nominations, While Britney Spears And Others Didn’t Make The Cut

Alicia Keys 2024 Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show
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The 2024 Tony Awards are set to go down on June 16, at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater in New York City. Before then, though, organizers have unveiled the list of nominees today (April 31), and the music world (the part of it not traditionally or primarily associated with musicals, specifically) is well represented.

Nominated for Best Musical are Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen and the Sufjan Stevens-inspired Illinoise, along with The Outsiders, Suffs, and Water For Elephants. The Who’s Tommy is also nominated for Best Revival Of A Musical.

Maleah Joi Moon is nominated for Best Performance By A Leading Actress In A Musical for her role in Hell’s Kitchen, while Brandon Victor Dixon is up for Best Performance By An Actor In A Featured Role In A Musical also for Hell’s Kitchen. The musical also spawned Best Performance By An Actress In A Featured Role In A Musical nominations for Shoshana Bean and Kecia Lewis, and a Best Book Of A Musical nod for Kristtoffer Diaz.

Stereophonic, which has music by Will Butler, is also well-represented, including consideration for Best Play and Best Original Score. David Byrne and Fatboy Slim’s Here Lies Love is also nominated in the latter category.

As People notes, musicals that didn’t get a nomination this year include Barry Manilow’s Harmony, the Britney Spears-inspired Once Upon A One More Time, and Huey Lewis’ The Heart Of Rock And Roll.

Find the full list of nominations here.

Ashanti Isn’t Here For Nelly’s Jokes About Her Pregnancy

Nelly and Ashanti are celebrating the latter’s pregnancy quite happily, but their engagement doesn’t mean that the future spouses can’t cross each other’s boundaries. Moreover, the two had a pretty funny Instagram Story exchange recently that had fans wondering whether things were as cheeky in person as they were online. To explain, the Country Grammar MC posted a picture of his boo sitting on his leg on Sunday (April 28) on his IG Story, captioning it: “Of course not beautiful I’m fine..!! Luv u2 @ashanti.” He seemed to insinuate that she was putting a strain on his leg, to which she had the following IG Story response in her repost: “Lmaoooooo!!!! Babe!!!! Ima knock u out!!!!!!”

From there, they started to joke about their history together, as well as engaging in a fair share of backtracking and explaining that anyone in a relationship can relate to. “What my love..??? I didn’t say anything..!! To me you still the same size you were in 2005..!!” Nelly responded to Ashanti’s clap-back. “Lmfaoooooooo!!!! Lemme go pull out these bikini shots from 05!!!” she replied.

Read More: Ashanti Flaunts Baby Bump In Beautiful Blue Dress Following Pregnancy Announcement With Nelly

Ashanti & Nelly’s Back & Forth

Elsewhere, the couple has spent a long time just living life and enjoying their company as pregnancy rumors ran rampant online. Finally, in an interview with Essence magazine that coincided with a partnered announcement of the upcoming birth and wedding, Ashanti expressed her excitement for this amazing chapter in her life. “This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope and anticipation,” she remarked. “Motherhood is something that I have looked forward to, and sharing this with my family, fiancé, and loyal fans, who have been so supportive of my career, is an amazing experience.”

Meanwhile, the St. Louis rapper was recently the subject of some debate after a clip came out of him performing for a pretty empty stadium, save for some souls in the stands and in the pit. Folks couldn’t tell whether it was an actual concert or just a soundcheck for one, but it went viral regardless. No matter what it was, we’re sure that Nelly is happy to stick by Ashanti’s side and stay focused on their journey together over any sort of social media gossip. Let’s just see whether he holds his tongue the next time he thinks about speaking on his boo’s belly.

Read More: Ashanti & Joyner Lucas’ Relationship Was “Dope,” Latter Reflects

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Travis Scott, Justin Bieber, And Young Thug Delivered An All-Timer With “Maria I’m Drunk”

Travis Scott has delivered some phenomenal projects over the years. Overall, his latest Utopia was a solid effort, while Astroworld is the one that made Scott a superstar. However, his true magnum opus is 2015’s Rodeo. This is a project that contains the signature Travis Scott sound. Furthermore, it was jam-packed with a ton of bangers as well as moody cuts that proved to be a staple of nights out in the middle of the decade. Although not everyone is convinced of this album’s greatness, it has a case for being a top 10 album of the 2010s.

Today, Travis Scott is turning 33 years old, which makes it a perfect time to go back to his catalog and think about some of his best work. In fact, today, we are going back to the Rodeo era with a collaboration between Scott, Justin Bieber, and Young Thug. Of course, we are talking about the incredible song “Maria I’m Drunk.” This is a song that Scott fans remember fondly, and it is one of those cuts that has stood the test of time.

Read More: Travis Scott To Appear On “SNL” March 30

Travis Scott x Bieber x Thugger

The song begins with some moody vocals from Scott, over drugged-out and warped production that fits the aesthetic of the album perfectly. Meanwhile, Bieber and Thug deliver amazing vocal performances that stand out as some of the best on the record. This was quintessential Travis Scott during this era of his career. Fans will likely forever look back fondly on this era, and we hope that Scott some day revisits these sounds.

Let us know what you think of this track, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that this is one of the best songs that Travis Scott has ever come out with? What is your favorite album from him? Do you think Astroworld and Utopia are better? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.

Quotable Lyrics:

Twelve more hours left for us in a day
(Call your friends and let’s get drunk)
I’ve been drinkin’ all day, I’ve been floatin’ all day (Ayy, ooh)
(Call your friends and let’s get drunk, ayy)
Bring your ass over here now
You know where, how I stay

Read More: What Is Travis Scott’s Best-Selling Album?

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LeBron James Trolls Woman Courtside After She Calls Him A CryBaby

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers lost a hard-fought game 5 to the Denver Nuggets. This loss marks the end of the Lakers’ playoff journey, with the Nuggets advancing to the second round to face the Timberwolves. Despite the outcome, LeBron’s performance was nothing short of remarkable. The 39-year-old superstar nearly achieved a triple-double in the elimination game, scoring 30 points, securing 11 rebounds, and distributing 9 assists. The game was physical, with the referee’s decisions not always favoring the King, which led to a memorable moment with an opposing fan. 

After a foul was called on LeBron, who was boxing out Nikola Jokic, Lebron couldn’t believe the call. Players complaining about getting called for fouls or not getting calls is a regular thing at NBA games. LeBron, being LeBron, is going to let the referees know they got it wrong. After 20 seasons, the stature he has gives him some leeway in how he criticizes the refs. Fans calling out and barking at opposing players comes with the territory, but that doesn’t mean players won’t bark back. Lebron decided to bark back and had a hilarious interaction with a woman on the Denver sideline last night. 

Read More: LeBron James Livid With Officiating Following Game 2 Loss

LeBron James Mocks Woman After She Calls Him A CryBaby

After the foul call, LeBron James storms down the court, decrying the refs. “They (refs) are f” cking horrible,” James says as he makes his way down the court. A fan gets Lebron’s attention when she says, “You’re a f*cking crybaby,” making a crying gesture with her hands. As LeBron walks closer to her, he play-jumps at her and scares her. She was not expecting that, and LeBron thought it was hilarious that she jumped. LeBron returned to the action, mocking how the woman jumped and screamed, calling her “Scary A**.”

The moment was one of many entertaining sequences in what was a great game of basketball. Denver’s fans brought the energy, and their team needed it. Jamal Murray hit another dagger shot to win the game, sending the Nuggets to the second round. For the Lakers, a lot of questions remain. Is Lebron going to be a Laker next year? What about D-Lo’s contract? Their future is up in the air. It is pretty easy to imagine them beating any other team in the first round. The Nuggets are just the Lakers and LeBron’s kryptonite. 

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