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Joe Budden is currently facing a new lawsuit from the neighbors who initially called out the host for public nudity at their complex building where he films his podcast. The new suit alleges that Joe Budden is a nuisance to residents in the New Jersey building and points to instances of noise and marijuana smoke, which they say pose a threat to their young child.TMZ reports that Joe Budden is facing a lawsuit from building residents John and Yuliya Aksoy, who named the host and his co-host Melyssa Ford in their complaint alleging that the pair has carried out a “campaign of intimidation and retribution” against the couple after the Aksoys originally accused Budden of public nudity streaking at their complex. The couple originally accused a naked Budden of trying to enter their residence while their daughter was home.
On his popular broadcast, Budden, 44, addressed the initial dustup which led to the show being recorded at the home of his longtime engineer and co-host, Parks, in Queens, N.Y. Budden also stated that the couple has been racist toward him and guests of his podcast believes that is the root of their complaint against him.
The new complaint singled out instances of Budden’s conduct in the building, including saying heavy weed usage and noise were part of their concerns.
More from TMZ:
John and Yuliya both claim they confronted Budden about the excessive noise from the podcast and complained about Budden and co. smoking weed in the condo’s common area, leaving ashes on the property, and creating a hazardous health situation for their young daughter.
Joe Budden just released a new episode of his eponymously named podcast today (March 26), which was recorded the day prior. As he has done in the past, fans of the show are expecting Budden to address this latest legal jab.
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Michael Archer Jr., the son of the late Angie Stone and D’Angelo, took to social media earlier this week to honor his mother in a series of moving images and videos. An artist himself, Michael Archer Jr. used the moment to call attention to Angie Stone’s lasting musical contributions and the close bond the pair shared.
Michael Archer Jr., the only son of Angie Stone and D’Angelo, posted on his Instagram page on March 21 and posted a video that depicted his first thoughts about his mother’s loss, how he learned of her passing that fateful morning, and how he’s managing the process.
Between videos of Archer, who performs under the name SwayvoTwain, sharing his emotional remembrance with several images, he also mentioned the acknowledgement of observers that Stone and his two “aunties” from the group Sequence were the first female Hip-Hop group as being a fairly new occurrence.
In many respects, it appears that Archer is thankful for the love that fans had for his mother and the outpouring of support, but he seemed to say that was something his mother sought. In addition, Archer was clear in putting those who used his mother’s kindness and her passing as a means to call attention to themselves on notice.
The video can be video below.
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Kendrick Lamar has captured the eyes and ears of many after many believe he handily vanquished his rival, Drake, in their highly publicized audio feud. With Los Angeles announced as the site of the 2028 Summer Olympics, a booking agent for Kendrick Lamar suggested that there might be an appearance from the pgLang honcho at the sporting event.
As seen in an Associated Press report, the 2028 Summer Olympics organizing committee chairman, Casey Wasserman, has the hope that the major sporting event will help revitalize Los Angeles and the region itself. Wasserman spoke at the International Olympic Committee’s annual meeting last Thursday and mentioned how the recent rash of wildfires across California and the impending summer games could help push innovation.
“The rebirth, the rebuild, maybe reimagining LA 2.0 — and the Olympics as a catalyst for all those things — we think is really part of our ethos,” Wasserm. an said to The Associated Press ahead of the IOC gathering.
What also turned heads in the AP’s report was Wasserman suggesting that Kendrick Lamar, a native son of Compton and a potent unifier of the Los Angeles creative scene, could also be involved in the 2028 Summer Olympics. While it wasn’t officially confirmed that Lamar would be involved, Wasserman’s insider status with the rapper is as strong a cosign as any.
“Fortunately in my day job I represent Kendrick Lamar,’ said Wasserman, who heads the Wasserman Media Group and is the booking agent for Lamar. “He is truly an LA icon so I think it would be a pretty fair bet that Kendrick will be involved in the Olympics in Los Angeles in some way.”
The 2028 Summer Olympics will begin on July 14, 2028.
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Sauce Walka and an associate, Sayso P, were reportedly shot in Memphis on Saturday according to several developing reports online and among local media outlets. Via some large Hip-Hop news account on X, Sayso P was reported to have died from his injuries.
Details regarding the shooting of Sauce Walka and Sayso P are scant but according to local outlet Fox 13, the shooting took place near FedEx Forum earlier this afternoon outside of a Westin hotel. The outlet has reported that the shooting left one man dead and another in stable condition and so far the chatter points to Sauce Walka being the lone survivor.
Online, some social media accounts have posted video footage of the crime scene with a wounded person being attended to by first responders and medical personnel. The shooting took place at the intersection of Second Street and Lt. George W. Lee, which is currently closed off to traffic.
Sauce Walka hails from Houston and has worked alongside Griselda Records with songs alongside Westside Gunn and the label’s in-house producer, Daringer. Walka, 34, is also a prolific recording artist with nearly two dozen projects across DSPs and other means.
As Hip-Hop Wired gathers more details, we’ll return to this story with fresh updates as it is still breaking. Check out reactions from X, formerly Twitter, below.
UPDATE:
Local outlet WREG added in its report that local authorities are on the lookout for a white vehicle that carried the alleged shooters and tailed the suspects out of the city. A citywide manhunt is underway.
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Kay Flock, a Bronx Drill rapper who notched several local hits en route to what looked to be a promising career, was arrested in 2021 for allegedly shooting and killing a rival. Earlier this week, Kay Flock was convicted on attempted murder and extortion-related charges but was not convicted of murdering Hwascar Hernandez.
As spotted on the Inner City Press website, Kay Flock, real name Kevin Perez, was convicted on March 20 after court proceedings that began last week on March 11 when opening statements were heard. According to the publication, Flock will not face the death penalty for the 2021 killing of Hernandez but could very well face life in prison. Flock
Flock will await sentencing on the convictions of racketeering conspiracy, use of a gun resulting in death, attempted murder and assault with a weapon in furtherance of racketeering, and use of a firearm for attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon. The court, however, did not go forward with the murder in aid of racketeering charge charge related to the Hernandez killing, accepting Flock’s self-defense plea.
On Instagram, Kay Flock celebrated not being found guilty on the murder charge and issued a message to his fans via the Story feed:
I MADE THE JUDGE CRY ‘HE SAID NOW HE NOT FORCE TO GIVE ME LIFE.’ ALHAMDULILLAH EVERYTHING GOOD NOT GOOD AND EVERYTHING BAD NOT BAD. JUST GOTTA STAY HUMBLE TILL THE OUTCOME OF YOUR SITUATION AND SEE WHAT ALLAH GOT FOR YOU. CHIN UP CHEST OUT SH*T AINT OVER NO WERE NEAR!! REMAIN A G AND STAY SUCKA FREE. NEVER FOLD NEVER WILL. FREE THE THERLBREAD ONES KILL ALL RATS
Kay Flock will be sentenced on July 16.
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Adrien Broner, a boxer and former world champion whose career was marred by legal issues, found himself connected to the ongoing matter involving alleged gang leader Eugene “Big U” Henley. In the complaint filed against Big U, Adrien Broner was named in the document and allegedly used trick dice to rob NBA players of $6.5 million in a high-stakes gambling game.
As seen on Total Pro Sports, a user on X highlighted a portion of the federal complaint against Big U that centered on a 2019 dice game and a boxer with the initials “A.B.,” assumed here to be Adrien Broner. The document states that Broner, by way of a cooperating witness, was hosting the high-stakes celebrity dice game where the scheme unfolded.
In a Los Angeles Times report, the cooperating witness alerted authorities about the buy-in dice game that took place in June 2019. Broner and other unnamed individuals were in attendance with known NBA players. Henley became involved because Broner reportedly didn’t “check in” with him and ordered people in his alleged operation to physically harm Broner and return the stolen money from the trick dice.
The witness added that NBA players and other entertainers would need to alert Henley of their visits to make certain no harm would come their way and that any parties or event they attend would be safe to do so. Failure to check in with Henley resulted in retaliation from the alleged “Big U Enterprise.”
The Times added in its reporting that Henley personally confronted Broner after he stole $1.5 million from a current NBA All-Star player and cheated a former NBA All-Star out of $5 million. Authorities oversaw the meeting between Henley and one of Broner’s victims, and in this same meeting, said that he would charge $100,000 to get the money back for the duped NBA players.
Adrien Broner last fought in 2024, losing to Blair Cobbs.
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Erykah Badu has been a creative force since the mid-1990s and is highly regarded as one of the most innovative vocal performers of modern times. In a new profile, Erykah Badu lets fans in on her artistic process and shares that she has a full project with The Alchemist in the works.
Erykah Badu, 54, was the subject of Billboard‘s Women in Music series as this year’s chosen icon, and traveled down memory lane regarding her upbringing in Dallas, Texas, the early days of crafting her acclaimed debut album Baduizm, living in Brooklyn in the 1990s, and much more.
However, the portion of the profile where Badu talks about the impact of Hip-Hop music and culture was notable, with the songstress explaining how she’s into the music but not to the level she once was. However, her affinity for music and culture is still vibrant as her children have all toyed with creating music themselves.
“Rap is the people. Hip-hop is the people. It’s the folks. It’s the tribe. I have the luxury of experiencing having children who I watch grow up and love and encourage very much, and I cannot separate them when I see artists who are that age coming up,” Badu said.
Regarding the project with The Alchemist, Badu shares limited details of what’s to come and says that what she’s aiming to create with the legendary California producer and rapper is taking up the majority of her focus.
From Billboard:
She’s been hard at work on her first studio album in 15 years, which is being produced solely by The Alchemist, the hip-hop journeyman who has had a resurgence as of late thanks to his work with the Buffalo, N.Y.-based Griselda crew and artists like Larry June. Badu posted a teaser of the project on Instagram to an exuberant response from fans who’ve been damn near begging her to drop something new and show the generations of artists who’ve had her pinned to the center of their mood boards how it’s supposed to be done.
The entire profile on Erykah Badu is well worth the read. Find the full piece here.
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Big U, an alleged top-ranking Rollin’ 60s Crips gang member and community activist, was arrested and charged with other individuals this week in connection to a RICO case. Big U, who was formerly connected to the late Nipsey Hussle, is accused of running a Mafia-like criminal enterprise by authorities, claims that U say are overblown due to Internet chatter.
In a report from the Los Angeles Times, Eugene “Big U” Henley, 58, was a massive influence on the Hip-Hop scene in Los Angeles, and his involvement with the gang world was notable considering he spent recent times as a community leader looking to quell violence on the streets. Now, Henley is facing charges of murder, kidnapping, robbery, and more.
As the Times notes, Big U was instrumental in boosting the career of Nipsey Hussle, who was also a member of the Rollin’ 60s. His connection with the music scene and his reported position in the Crips operation was framed by federal investigators as that of a mob boss with people visiting Los Angeles being required to “check in” with Henley to move untouched about the city. Henley is alleged to have put the “check in” requirement toward musicians and professional athletes alike.
In the 107-page federal complaint, officials say that Henley ran his self-styled enterprise similarly to how the Mafia operates, using his “stature and long-standing association with the Rollin’ 60s and other street gangs to intimidate businesses and individuals” across the city, according to the complaint.
When authorities first announced their intent to go after Henley, they named him a fugitive in a news conference but Henley eventually turned himself in. As reported by TMZ, Henley recorded a video ahead of turning himself in, stating that he’s done nothing wrong and has contributed heavily to his community. Over a dozen other individuals connected to Henley were also taken into custody.
U.S. Atty. Joseph T. McNally spoke at Wednesday’s news conference and said that Henley’s image as a music executive and community leader was false.
“[Henley] has maintained the image of an entertainment industry entrepreneur running a music label and of somebody who gives back to the community here in Los Angeles,” McNally said. “The facts alleged in the complaint paint a very different picture. It is one of a murderer, a thief, a liar and a cheat and the criminals that enabled him.”
Henley is accused of kidnapping and killing a young rapper and discarding his body in the Las Vegas desert. FBI investigators say that the hit was carried out due to disrespect and ordering a robbery of an unlicensed marijuana dispensary over unpaid extortion payments. Henley is also alleged to have taken charity donations from the likes of Shaquille O’Neal and Draymond Green, only to pocket the money for himself.
Sylvester Robinson, 59, allegedly Henley’s second-in-command, and alleged lieutenant Mark Martin, 50, are both accused of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Along with Henley, Termaine Williams, aka “Luce Cannon,” was charged with robbery, Armani Aflleje, aka “Mani,” was charged with transporting an individual to engage in prostitution, and Tiffany Hines was charged with bank fraud.
As seen in the videos above, Big U is claiming innocence.
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LaVar Ball first emerged on the scene as a larger-than-life figure who touted the basketball skills of his three sons as the next big thing in professional sports. Recently, LaVar Ball went through a medical procedure to remove his foot and explained in a new column piece that complications from diabetes led to the decision.
LaVar Ball, 57, penned an exclusive column for the April/May issue of SLAM magazine with Ball gracing the covers of the publications with his sons LiAngelo aka Gelo, LaMelo, and Lonzo. Ball’s relentless promotion of his sons and their athletic exploits made the Ball family one of the most intriguing names in sports and both Lonzo and LaMelo have flourished in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Hornets respectively.
In the SLAM column, the patriarch of the Ball family gets candid about the complications from diabetes that led to the amputation of his foot, which caused him to face his mortality. However, he found strength not only in the success of Lonzo and LaMelo on the court but also in Gelo’s big hit “Tweaker” which he references several times throughout the piece.”
From SLAM:
When I was in the hospital and “Tweaker” was starting to become a global hit, I had a couple of FaceTime conversations with Gelo, but I was kind of slurring because I was all drugged up with all the medication they were putting in me. It was hard for me to really dial in on what I was trying to say. Even though I was kind of slurring with my speech, Gelo understood what I was trying to say. I remember just telling him, Keep doing your thing. And make sure you take care of your brothers. Just make sure all of y’all are together. Cause the more you guys are together, the better I feel. That’s all I kept thinking about when I was in the hospital—my boys being together.
Read the story in full here.
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Mystikal was arrested in July of 2022 on several serious charges, including first-degree rape, which carries a mandatory life sentence in Louisiana. This past Monday (May 17), a judge overseeing Mystikal’s case moved the trial to May 19 as the rapper continues to declare his innocence.
Mystikal, real name Michael Tyler, was first arrested on July 30, 2022, and booked at the Ascension Parish jail on charges of first-degree rape, simple robbery, damage to property, domestic abuse battery, strangulation, false imprisonment, and four counts of drug possession.
Local outlet KLFY reports that this past Monday, it was thought that Tyler, 54, would face his plea deadline and enter the record for the court. However, the judge decided to move the case to next month. Despite authorities saying that the victim appeared to have suffered physical harm and anguish, Mystikal pleaded not guilty to the bevy of charges.
As the outlet noted, Tyler has faced sexual assault charges in the past, going way back to 2003 when the Louisiana rapper pleaded guilty to sexual battery and did six years behind bars. In 2016, Tyler was charged with kidnapping and sexual assault but the case was dropped.
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