celebrity news
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty
Last month, it was reported that Wendy Williams’ dementia had left her “cognitively impaired and permanently incapacitated.” Luckily for her son, she was able to make his graduation ceremony earlier this week.
According to TMZ, Wendy Williams made an extremely rare public appearance in Miami this past Thursday (Dec. 19) when her son, Kevin Hunter Jr., graduated from Florida International University. Rocking a black and silver dress while rolling around in a mobility scooter, Williams was joined by a couple of armed guards and her father, Thomas Williams Sr. While our hearts break to see Wendy Williams in such conditions, it is nice to see that she can still enjoy special moments like this with her family when she can.
Per TMZ:
There are also pictures from inside the graduation — showing WW seated to watch the culmination of her son’s college years.
It’s a rare day out for Williams … who it was revealed earlier this year suffers from dementia during a legal battle over the controversial documentary “Where Is Wendy Williams?”
She was photographed earlier this month grinning big from the back of an SUV … though her guardian recently claimed in court filings that the disease has left her “permanently incapacitated.”
Looks like she felt well enough to cheer her son on while he accepted his diploma … making for a happy family memory.
Good for her!
What are your thoughts on Wendy Williams these days? Sound off in the comments section below.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / Getty
Pharrell Williams continues to be a champion for benevolence. UNESCO has appointed him a Goodwill Ambassador for Arts Education and Entrepreneurship.
As reported by The Associated Press, the multi-hyphenate has received yet another honor for his great work for the creative community. On Tuesday (Dec. 17), the Virginia Beach, Va., native was appointed as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Arts Education and Entrepreneurship at the Organization’s Headquarters in Paris. The ceremony was followed by a screening of his LEGO biopic Piece by Piece. After the film, the In My Mind performer spoke to 800 secondary pupils who are studying music, art and fashion.
Pharrell Williams expressed his enthusiasm for the honor in a formal statement. “Words cannot describe how I feel about being chosen by UNESCO as a Goodwill Ambassador. Thank you to Director-General Audrey Azoulay for this opportunity” he said. “I’m honored to continue our work in evening the odds for children and adults through education with YELLOW and Black Ambition.”
UNESCO Director Audrey Azoulay detailed why the nomination made sense for the organization. “A complete artist, Pharrell Williams is also a humanist who works to put culture at the service of peace and bringing people together. He believes in the power of creativity and education to build a better future,” her statement read, according to a press release. “His commitments resonate with UNESCO’s mandate. I am delighted that he is joining UNESCO’s family of Goodwill Ambassadors today to support our action.”
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is an agency of the United Nations that promotes world peace via arts, education and the sciences.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin / Getty
Life behind bars is taking a toll on Diddy’s physical appearance. A reporter says he appeared to be thinner and much grayer at a recent court hearing.
As spotted on Page Six, the founder of Bad Boy Entertainment looks to have lost a bit of his signature luster. On Wednesday (Dec. 18), Diddy appeared at a hearing to review his forthcoming federal trial. Reporter Elizabeth Millner of Law & Crime was in attendance for the proceeding and gave an account about how he looked. “He appeared just astonishingly thinner, which you can expect [from him being] inside a federal detention center for a couple of months now,” she noted. “A lot different from the luxury lifestyle that he was living before, but he appeared very noticeably thinner and maybe being locked up in detention is starting to wear on him.” Millner also pointed out that his hair is a lot more gray than before.
The celebrity gossip website reached out to Diddy’s legal team for comment on the matter but did not hear back. A source that is apparently close to the “Last Night” performer told the outlet that his change in appearance is due to engaging in more physical activity while he awaits trial. “He has been very active, remains in good spirits, and, as always, he was happy to see his children,” the source explained.
Diddy is being held at Metropolitan Detention Center, Brooklyn (MDC Brooklyn). You can see reporter Elizabeth Millner’s analysis below starting at the 2:06 hour mark.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Mariah Carey is definitely in the midst of her season as evidenced by her Christmas-themed tour, which stopped in Brooklyn earlier this week. Among the celebrities in the crowd, Rihanna was in attendance with Jason Lee and the Fenty Beauty founder got one of her billionaire boobs signed by Mariah Carey.
In a video shared on Jason Lee’s social media account, Rihanna was seen having a fangirl moment as she attempted to get Carey’s attention. With a security escort in tow, Carey floated to Rih-Rih’s section near the front of the stage and reached over the security barrier to greet one another. With the two superstars having the moment, a pen made its way to Carey’s hand as the Bajan businesswoman lowered her skintight white top and exposed her left breast to get signed in red ink.
Taking the microphone, Rihanna says to the sold-out Barclays Center crowd, “Mariah Carey is signing my t*t, y’all. This sh*t is f*cking epic!” which sparked a heavy round of applause. Afterward, the two embraced and the crowd cheered as they parted ways.
Carey was in Brooklyn for the final date of her Christmas Time tour, which suffered a previous delay due to illness.
Check out the moment below.
—
Photo: Getty
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Catherine Powell / Getty
Just days after running into each other at a club, Cardi B and Offset are once again going at it on social media. This time around Cardi is demanding that her former hubby man up and sign their divorce papers so she can get on with her life.
According to Page Six, the former Hip-Hop lovebirds have again engaged in a public feud for all to indulge in. Cardi B took to X to call Offset a “Babymomma acting a*s b*tch.” Needless to say Offset took the bait and responded in a now-deleted tweet saying, “I’m baby mama now cuz u lied for no reason used me as a sacrifice off a comment from a stranger” and went on to accuse Cardi of making herself look like a “h*e” who’s only concerned with getting “d*ck.”
Y’all knew that wasn’t going to go unanswered.
Clapping back as quick as her cheeks do in her videos, Cardi B responded saying, “So dating because I’m single means I’m just worried about d–k?? You sound like a dummy.. trying to be fake nice after you did what you wanted from the beginning trying to push a narrative to these people.”
Surely it didn’t end there.
Per Page Six:
The mom of three then told her estranged husband to “f–k off” and sign their divorce papers “TODAY.”
The “Versace” rapper replied, calling Cardi “single and miserable” and said she has mentioned him in all of her live chats on X Spaces.
The “I Like It” emcee shot down her ex’s shade, writing that he is “just mad” because she is enjoying her life and men are interested in her — despite her having three kids and being in her 30s.
“I don’t bother none of the hoes you f–k but every guy I talk to you dming and talkin s–t about me like let’s not!” she tweeted and deleted.
Responding to her tweet, Offset said he’d sign the divorce papers once she “splits the custody” of their three children.
“When u split the custody I will u ain’t worried bout music u worried about d–k everybody can see it all u talk about [is] d–k and in clubs burnt no music no nothing just drama,” he tweeted and deleted.
We still feel these two will reconcile at some point, have another baby, and end up bitter enemies all over. Just sayin’.
What do y’all think about Cardi B and Offset once again going at each other’s throats on social media? Let us know in the comments section below.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Lil Wayne, Marshmello, and other entertainers were revealed to have abused pandemic grants numbering into the millions, instead using the funds to splurge on hotels, trips, and other offenses. Among those named in the new report, the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant funds were reportedly misused by Rae Sremmurd, Chris Brown, and more.
In a new report from Business Insider, it was revealed that Lil Wayne, Marshello, Chris Brown, and members of the Alice In Chains band all received funds from the pandemic-era Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) meant to supplant the careers of working musicians and the venues they perform in while much of the nation and world contended with the rise of the COVID-19 virus.
Lil Wayne received $8.9 million in SVOG funds, spending $1.3 million on private chartered flights and over $450,000 on clothing and other miscellaneous items. The report also showed that the New Orleans star spent over $175,000 on expenses for a music festival related to his GKUA cannabis brand, and clothes for artists on his Young Money record label. Further, $15,000 in grant funds were used on flights and hotels for women with loose connections to the rapper’s touring operation, one of which was also reported to be an adult actress.
The SVOG was touted by members of Congress as a means to keep venues afloat and help keep musicians and their staff financially whole as touring was all but shut down for many during the height of the pandemic.
The outlet came to uncover that beyond Wayne, Chris Brown used his $10 million in SVOG grant funds to pay for a birthday party that approached $80,000 in costs. He also pocketed $5.1 million of the SVOG funds personally by way of his company, CBE Touring. Brown also used $24,000 of the grant to pay for a tour bus from the United States to Tulum, Mexico in 2020 for a monthlong stay for him and his team but did not perform in the resort town.
Other names mentioned in the Business Insider report include Marshmello, who received $9.9 million in SVOG funds and reportedly pocketed it all. Rae Sremmurd’s Sreem Touring was given $7.7 million, which was paid to Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi.
Representatives for the artists in question declined to comment on the findings of the report. As for any ramifications, the government has gotten back some of the misused funds from Chris Brown. It wasn’t stated if officials would go after the other individuals named.
—
Photo: Getty
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: YouTube / A&E
It seems Kanye is going to Kanye wherever and wherever. He did the absolute most during a virtual lawsuit deposition.
As reported by TMZ, the rapper was recently featured on A&E’s Interrogation Raw: Celebrity Under Oath. The news series shows high-profile stars participating in legal proceedings. To promote the premiere the network released a promotional trailer, which captures Kanye being questioned regarding a lawsuit MyChannel. Inc. filed against the “Stronger” rapper for allegedly stealing their technology.
As soon as Kanye joins the virtual call he makes it clear he sees this very important matter as beneath him by wearing a cap and keeping his head down while using his phone. Naturally, the lawyers request he put away the device to which Yeezy responds defiantly. “Due to my mental geniuses-ness, in order to focus on this bullish*t I need to be on a phone.” Shortly after, his counsel asks about the device. Kanye volunteers to get off the phone but then proceeds to put on a mask. When asked why he put on the facial covering he said, “because you don’t have the right to see my face.”
In a second clip, Kanye is asked where he is located during interrogation and tells the plaintiff’s lawyer “I’m not going to tell you! You’re never going to see me again.” When prompted further on who else is he with and what other items he has in the room besides the phone he yells “Are you stupid? You are talking to the richest Black person in the history of America.”
You can watch the trailer for Interrogation Raw: Celebrity Under Oath below.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Megan Thee Stallion has long moved on from the debacle with Tory Lanez but it appears that the Houston superstar is taking additional steps to create distance from her past. According to a new report, Megan Thee Stallion is requesting a restraining order against the imprisoned Tory Lanez, citing that the Canadian artist is still harassing her from behind bars.
In a report from PEOPLE, Megan Thee Stallion, born Megan Pete, says that Tory Lanez, born Daystar Peterson, is allegedly using social media and other individuals to harass her according to court documents filed on Tuesday (Dec. 17) asking the Los Angeles Superior Court judge overseeing the matter to grant the order.
“Despite being sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting Ms. Pete, Mr. Peterson continues to subject her to repeated trauma and revictimization,” a portion of the court document read according to PEOPLE.
Adding to the claims made by Pete, the filing says that Peterson allegedly employed celebrity blogger Milagro Gramz to spread more lies and poke holes in Pete’s account of what took place between her and Peterson back in 2020. The filing reveals that it appears that Peterson’s father was the go-between person for his son and Gramz, whose real name is Milagro Elizabeth Cooper.
“In these prison calls, Mr. Peterson’s father—when he thought no one was listening— asked his son about payments to Ms. Cooper for her harassment of Ms. Pete: ‘How are they ever going to prove something like that?’” the court document revealed, with reportedly Peterson saying to his father, “exactly.”
Lanez was convicted in 2022 for assault with a semiautomatic firearm, having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence after shooting Pete in the foot in 2020. Lanez is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence and is angling for an appeal.
—
Photo: Getty
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Courtesy / Netflix
We now have more details about the mishap at Jamie Foxx’s birthday. The incident was apparently caused by crew members of Jackass.
Page Six is reporting that the Oscar winner’s recent celebration of life came to an abrupt end thanks to an indecent attempt at humor. The celebrity website says the In Living Color talent invited a small circle of family and friends to Mr. Chow’s in Beverly Hills, Calif. While dining, someone in the upstairs VIP area starting shining a laser pointer in the shape of a penis to his table. Naturally, this infuriated the comedian especially considering both of his daughters Corinne, 30, and Anelise,16, were both present.
He and some of his party went upstairs to meet the troublemakers. According to TMZ, the area was rented out by Dickhouse Productions, the makers of Jackass. Words were exchanged, which resulted in a confrontation where one of the production crew members allegedly tossed a drink at Jamie’s face, which cut his mouth. Sources tell TMZ the Ray star stood there bleeding and said, “It’s my birthday, what is wrong with you?” It is reported he soon left after the incident, but the Dickhouse Productions crew continued to be aggressive to Jamie’s party downstairs.
A lawyer for Dickhouse has commented on the matter saying, “Although the crew has the greatest respect for Jamie, the version of events that has been presented is totally inaccurate and deeply unfair to those attending their holiday celebration that night.” None of the actual stunt cast members from the Jackass series were present.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Kara Durrette / Getty
Days after the woman accusing Jay-Z and Diddy of rape back in 2000 admitted that she may have misremembered crucial details about the incident, Jay-Z’s lawyer is pouncing on the admission and is filing a motion to have the lawsuit dismissed entirely.
According to Deadline, Jay’s legal representative, Alex Spiro, is looking to get his client off the hook as Jane Doe admitted that she was “guessing” specific details about the night in question and wrote a letter to the judge overseeing the case calling it all a “sham” of a lawsuit. While Jay-Z promised to fight the allegations in a court of justice and even implored Jane Doe’s attorney, Anthony Buzbee, to file a criminal suit instead of a civil one, it seems like it may not even come to that as Jane Doe has damaged her own case by the statements she made during her NBC interview last week.
Per Deadline:
“These stunning revelations make clear that the complaint filed by plaintiffs’ attorney, Anthony Buzbee, therefore had no factual basis whatsoever,” the Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan partner added. “Even Mr. Buzbee is walking back the complaint he put his name to – excusing these glaring inconsistencies by pointing the finger at the case being referred by another firm who allegedly vetted the story before sending to them. The heinous allegations against Mr. Carter are patently false.”
Leaning hard into his take-no-prisoners persona, Spiro also went for the jugular in his letter of late last week by questioning the ethics and jurisdictional rights of Houston-based Buzbee, who has filed dozens of suits against Combs and says he has over 100 clients with sexual assault allegations against the Bad Boy Records founder. “Mr. Buzbee thus appears to have strategically declined to seek admission in order to avoid sanctions for a complaint that he knew had no factual basis,” says the high-profile Spiro in the three-page correspondence to NYC-based Judge Analisa Torres.
While many Jay-Z haters rejoiced after the rape allegation took social media by storm just a few weeks ago, Jay was quick to deny the accusation and called the lawsuit an attempt at blackmail. Since then, Jane Doe’s story has seemingly fallen apart. Not only have many people said that Jay-Z and Diddy didn’t even hang out on the night in question, but the accuser’s own father (whom she said picked her up after the alleged incident) said he didn’t remember doing so that night.
Whether or not the case gets dismissed remains to be seen, but what is obvious is that Jay-Z and his lawyer are prepared to fight this accusation to the bitter end as Jay has promised Buzbee he wouldn’t get “one red penny” from his pockets over this lawsuit.
What do y’all think about this latest development in the Jay-Z rape case? Sound off in the comments section below.