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Lil Durk is currently being held in Los Angeles in connection to a murder-for-hire plot sparked by the death of fellow Chicago artist King Von in Atlanta. Lil Durk was denied bond this week and is now being linked to another murder case in his hometown where officials say he gave orders for another killing in the city.
The Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times both report that Lil Durk, 32, was at a detention hearing on Thursday (Dec. 12) which was attended by over two dozen of Durk’s supporters, including Sony Music representatives. U.S. Magistrate Judge Patricia Donahue said that due to the showing of support for Durk and citing state prosecutors, he is a person of significant influence and a flight risk.
The attorneys for Durk, real name Durk Devontay Banks, put together an extensive bond package that included two homes in Georgia and $1 million from Sony Music along with promises of twenty-four-hour security to keep Durk both safe and on schedule.
Assistant U.S. Atty. Ian Yanniello pointed to the over 30 individuals inside the courtroom as a demonstration of the power Durk has and could wield if he is released on bond.
“This case is about how he used that power and used that influence and how he used those resources to promote and perpetuate violence with deadly consequence,” Yanniello said.
With this setback, Durk’s attorneys are promising to work on behalf of their client to get him out on bond.
‘We were obviously disappointed, but will continue to fight on,” Jonathan Brayman said to the Chicago Tribune. “Mr. Banks remains confident and optimistic about the future. He deeply appreciates the outpouring of love and support he has felt since his arrest.”
As this case unfolded, back in Chicago, Lil Durk is now linked to the 2022 shooting death of an alleged leader of a notorious gang faction in the city’s Far South Side section.
A newly unsealed filing from the U.S. District Court in Chicago asserts that Durk was the mastermind of the Jan. 2022 shooting death of Stephon Mack, who was gunned down while leaving the Youth Peace Center of Roseland. FBI officials say Mack was the alleged leader of the Smashville faction of the wider Gangster Disciples gang network.
According to the filing, Durk’s brother, Dontay “DThang” Banks, was shot and killed outside the now-closed Club O in Harvey, a suburb of Chicago, in 2021. Based on the filing, a Gangster Disciples member who was reportedly connected to Smashville carried out the killing of DThang. In 2023, a federal agent wrote in a statement that Durk was offering a cash reward to anyone who could locate his brother’s killers.
Lil Durk is alleged to have ordered a cross-country hit on rival Quando Rondo after an affiliate of Rondo shot and killed King Von. In retaliation, investigators believe Durk ordered members of his crew to take out Rondo but instead ended up killing Rondo’s cousin, Lul Pab in Los Angeles.
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Source: Bad Boy Records / Bad Boy
One of Diddy’s accusers is stepping forward with his story. John Doe has shared the details of his alleged assault by the mogul.
As spotted on Page Six, an unnamed male has come forward with his version of events around his encounter with the Bad Boy Entertainment founder. In an exclusive interview with CNN, he describes Diddy as “abusive beyond belief.” The man went on to provide some disturbing details about his supposed experience saying, “I was screaming. I was telling him to stop. It was incredibly painful.” He also admitted he was severely intoxicated to the point where he “wasn’t able to stand” and felt “powerless.”
John Doe told CNN he worked one of Diddy’s all white affairs in The Hamptons as security back in 2006. But that timing provided does not align with his original complaint (2007). He also stated that the alleged assault left him so traumatized that he was not able to marry. This was also different from what was captured in the original complaint. John Doe’s lawyer Tony Buzbee has apparently made updates to the documentation after CNN notified him of the discrepancies.
Diddy’s legal team has responded to the interview in an exclusive statement to Page Six. “After Buzbee was exposed this week for pressuring clients to bring bogus cases against Mr. Combs, and after public records showed that—contrary to his allegations—there was no white party in the Hamptons in 2006, Buzbee amended this complaint to walk back the allegations and now claim a different day and wholly different year.”
You can view John Doe’s interview below.
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Remy Ma is embroiled in a rather public beef with Claressa Shields and exposed her reportedly estranged husband Papoose for having an affair with the world champion boxing legend. Remy Ma shared messages between her and Papoose on social media that revealed the affair, but Claressa Shields says the rapper is crashing out.
Remy Ma, 44, took to Instagram early Thursday (Dec. 12) and shared a post that Papoose was on the phone with Shields while falling asleep and that the boxer hung up when she heard her voice.
“[P]apoose dum ass fell asleep on the phone with @claressashields. Laying in my house he refuses to leave. This b*tch supposed to be a world champion boxer and [her] scary ass hung up soon as she heard my voice. Nowwww I’m telling everything ohhhh and babygirl u not the only one,” Remy wrote in the caption sharing a text exchange.
She added in another caption, “Papoose u f*ckin Dummy! Hey Ms Shields, he took your advice but not before I screenshot yall convo. Oh, he was getting me arrested, the woman that NEVER f*cked off on him in 17 years! While plotting with ONE OF his chicks to try to destroy me. The same woman that could’ve BEEN used my platform to expose you. I got all your pics and messages from the chicks while I was away and he was “holding me down” #FVCKYAMOVIEMA. Sidebar: he bout to say he wrote me rhymes IMAGINE THAT, and if anything sexual leaks about me it was him cuz he threatened that too.”
Shields took to Twitter and shared a few sharp words with Remy but she didn’t duck the smoke.
“Misery loves company baby…. Smh. I’m just so happy over here,” Shields posted on X Thursday morning. She added, “I can’t believe a 45 year old woman is crashing out like this. [Clown emoji] behavior” as a direct shot to Remy.
Remy responded to the X reply with, “Im not 45 YET! But you are 29 and I’ll just say this…you not aging like wine. AGAIN tho I’m not your enemy, tell ya boyfriend buy you some flowers & gifts. & he didn’t answer any of his phones cuz he was with his Cali girl this week.”
Shields hit back with, “You making fake text is crazy! ‘’m not a bitch you can bully. Yo’’re bitter and mad. You making yourself look stupid, just stop it.”
At the root of all this are long-swirling rumors that Remy Ma moved on from Papoose with battle rapper Eazy The Block Captain but it has never been officially confirmed despite the intensity of the rumors. Pap has issued a statement calling his estranged wife a “narcissist” and that he’s requested a divorce several times.
On X, the back-and-forth between Remy Ma and Claressa Shields has fans of all involved reacting. We’ve got them listed below.
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1. This is probably the plan.
4. When there is mess, someone will find it.
9. Okay, let’s not do this.
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Everyone knew it was only a matter of time before 50 Cent got to talking about the rape allegation Jay-Z was recently hit with, and sure enough, he’s having a good ol’ time with Hova’s latest legal issue.
After teasing his thoughts by asking if the Super Bowl was still going down due to Jay-Z being accused of raping a 13-year-old at a 2000 VMA’s afterparty, 50 Cent decided to go a bit further with the jokes. According to TMZ, 50 Cent took another swipe at the Hip-Hop icon in a now-deleted post, which featured Jay, Beyoncé and Blue Ivy attending the premier of Mufasa: The Lion King with a caption that read, “Jay said they said I raped a kid, everybody get dressed we going to see Mufasa LOL.”
Y’all know 50 petty as hell.
To further throw some gasoline on that burning fire, 50 decided to post an AI-generated video of Jay-Z and Diddy getting arrested by the police at a fancy soiree and being led off in handcuffs with a caption that read, “I wanna post this but I’m afraid I’m gonna get shot. LOL”
While 50 isn’t necessarily accusing Jay of being guilty of any of the allegations, he does seem content simply roasting Jay for the time being.
While we doubt Jay will publicly say anything about 50’s posts, we wouldn’t be surprised if Hova or his team is reaching out to 50 to tell him to fall back from the situation. Then again, they probably won’t as they don’t want to give someone like 50 more material to work with on social media because 50 would let the world know that he’s hit a nerve with Jay and his peoples.
Jay-Z for his part hasn’t only denied the allegation but implored to have the lawsuit changed from civil to a criminal as he wants to go to trial to clear his name.
What do y’all think of 50 Cent taking swipes at Jay-Z like this? Fair or foul? Let us know in the comments section below.
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DJ Mustard is firing off at Boi-1da, revealing private messages between the producers referring to the beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar.
The current beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar has taken on a new dimension as the hit producer DJ Mustard has levied some shots against producer and artist Boi-1da by revealing private messages between the two, where the latter actually praised Kendrick Lamar’s scathing diss track “Not Like Us.” The back-and-forth began as the Canadian producer and friend of Drake wrote, “West Coast rap is a–,” and continued with, “Nobody outside LA wanna hear that s—t.”
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DJ Mustard, a Los Angeles native and frequent collaborator with Kendrick Lamar, created an Instagram Story by first writing, “Say it ain’t so man,” and then revealing screenshots of his private messages with Boi-1da. “@boi1da I thought you was a real one i ain’t kno you felt this way,” he wrote as a caption to a screenshot of one exchange in another Instagram Story. The two producers had previously enjoyed a good relationship in the past. The next one of those screen captures shows Boi-1da complimenting Mustard on the production of “Not Like Us” by writing, “Good shit. Beat hard af.” Over that Instagram Story, Mustard wrote, “You said you liked ‘Not Like Us’ @boi1da. Welp there’s enough yellow tape to go around.” He’d end it with another Instagram Story bearing the caption, “and that’s the end of my TED talk. Lame a— n——.” Boi-1da and Drake haven’t yet responded to the social media posts.
Mustard has been enjoying substantial success due to the production of “Not Like Us” and his production work on Lamar’s recent album, GNX. In a recent Los Angeles Times interview, he spoke about dealing with the responses and particularly going up against Drake and his fans mockingly online. “These guys don’t go to sleep — all they do is tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet,” he said. “That’s where ‘the Nation of drizzlam’ came from. I said it in a joking manner, but I guess on Twitter it looked like I was mad.” He laughs. “Drake should use that phrase. I won’t charge him for it.”
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Jaleel White found his footing as an actor in the early 1990s by way of his breakout role as Steve Urkel on the hit sitcom series, Family Matters. At a recent talk, Jaleel White shared his thoughts on why Family Matters isn’t mentioned as one of the top Black television series of its time, prompting fans on X to deliver what they felt were doses of reality.
Jaleel White, 48, is currently on a promotional tour for his memoir, Growing Up Urkel, and was at the Wilmington Public Library in Delaware recently to discuss the work and his time on television. During the chat, White shared that he believes Family Matters doesn’t get the same attention as other Black shows of his time for reasons he feels were connected to the fact it focused on a middle-class Black family.
“Being a part of the TGIF brand sometimes makes you feel like you don’t completely belong in the pantheon of Blackness,” White said earlier in the chat regarding Family Matters and its place in Black culture. Blackness has been treated as a very monolithic experience in entertainment. If it’s not a hood story, it’s not a Black story. And you know, sometimes I feel left out of that.”
TGIF was first established as a programming block on the ABC network in 1989 meant to bring attention to several family-friendly television shows, typically sitcoms, that can be viewed by all on Friday evenings. During its height, TGIF was home to some of network television’s top-rated shows of which Family Matters was a part.
White continued in the chat to add while Family Matters isn’t viewed as the Blackest show among the other greats, it is viewed well as a family show.
“If there’s ever a poll, and they say what are your favorite black shows, Martin is in there, Living Single. I already know we [Family Matters] coming in last,” White added. “But if there’s ever a poll and it’s just your favorite family shows, suddenly Martin is not in there [and] we rank really high. So it’s kind of interesting in how we look at ourselves, to be quite honest, as Black folks.”
White’s quip about the perceived Blackness or lack thereof caught the ears and eyes of those who saw or heard the chat, and were especially bothered by the “hood” jab despite Living Single and Martin focusing on middle-class Black characters as well.
On X, formerly Twitter, Jaleel White had his name dragged through the virtual dirt. Just for reporting purposes, we’ll share some of those reactions.
Hop to the 7:30-minute mark on the video below to hear White’s quip in question.
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Jay-Z was named in a civil lawsuit brought against Sean “Diddy” Combs and was accused of raping a 13-year-old girl while attending a music industry afterparty back in 2000. Jay-Z has since filed to have the lawsuit case dismissed, citing that the attorney representing Jane Doe in the matter is attempting a financial shakedown and is asking that the identity of Doe be revealed.
In a new report from Page Six, Jay-Z, 55, has filed documents in court that took aim at Texas-based attorney Tony Buzbee and levies a claim of his own that the lawsuit was an attempt to force the rapper and entrepreneur to pay a large sum of cash to make it all go away.
“That campaign was cynical and calculated to force payment of an exorbitant sum of money—Defendant would have to pay X millions of dollars irrespective of the truth, or else,” a portion of the doc said, which was obtained by the outlet.
“When Defendant refused to pay and instead took measures to establish his innocence, this unnamed Plaintiff and her self-promoting counsel (whose name has been splashed across headlines and press conferences under auspices of representing her) went to extraordinary lengths to shut down fair defense,” the doc continues.
“These claims are not about justice for victims. Nor are they about giving victims of sexual violence a voice. Instead, they are merely the next chapter in Attorney [Tony] Buzbee’s sprawling extortion saga—a saga whose aim is base and measured in dollars,” the doc also adds.
Jay-Z’s side wants the judge in the matter to reveal the name of Jane Doe to the public, stating that the accuser’s legal team has not provided sufficient evidence to justify the anonymity.
Buzbee, Doe’s attorney, gave a statement to Page Six regarding the matter.
“Sending a basic litigation demand letter and then filing a lawsuit isn’t extortion or blackmail. That’s the legal practice.
Buzbee added that his side “won’t get bogged down in a silly sideshow that tries to make the lawyers the focus of what are very serious allegations brought by a courageous woman.”
In the court of public opinion, reactions to the lawsuit claims have grown legs, with some already announcing Jay-Z is guilty as charged before the matter has been heard. Others, such as 50 Cent, have taken to social media to take shots. Others are saying that as more details emerge, the truth will be revealed in an attempt to show grace.
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The Roots have always shown reverence to Hip-Hop en route to becoming stalwarts of the culture themselves, and a newly announced event solidifies that stance. The Roots announced on Monday (Dec. 9) the “A Roots Picnic Experience: Class of ’95” with Lil’ Kim, Method Man, and Redman among the stacked lineup for the concert that kicks off next year.
Hosted by Live Nation Urban and the LA Phil, “A Roots Picnic Experience: Class of ’95” will be a one-night-only event taking place at the Hollywood Bowl venue in Los Angeles, Calif.
Along with the aforementioned acts, Bay area legend E-40, Cleveland’s Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Staten Island Wu-Tang Clan swordsman Raekwon, Compton funkster DJ Quik, Atlanta quartet Goodie Mob, Queens rapper and producer Havoc of Mobb Deep, and more will all take to the stage. The Roots will provide the backing sounds for each of the acts, and will be similar in scope to last year’s “Roots Picnic: Hip-Hop is the Love of My Life” event at Hollywood Bowl which was sold out.
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, the drummer for The Roots, shared the following statement:
Well: 1995 was our true arrival. Nineteen eighty-seven was the Year of the Creative Adhesive, the year that tied together Tariq’s world and my world in high school, and 1991 was the Year of the Green Light, the year we gave ourselves permission to take our resources and passion and pursue our dream. But 1995? That was the Year It All Came Together, the year when our first major release, “Do You Want More?!!!??!” was sent into the world. Hip-hop was an entirely new ballgame back then, on an entirely new playing field. Those were the days when there were still things like mainstream terrestrial radio, bloated video budgets, and creativity at both the regional and the global levels. Those were the days that produced classic album after classic album, unleashing countless new ideas about art. Those were the days when the world was our oyster. This is the story of those days.”
The “Tariq” that Questlove mentions is no other than the legendary Black Thought, whose given name is Tariq Trotter.
Tickets for “A Roots Picnic Experience: Class of ’95” will go on sale Wednesday (Dec. 11) at 10 AM PST at www.hollywoodbowl.com. Get your tickets fast as this one is certain to sell out quickly.
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Photo: Live Nation/Getty
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Pusha T doesn’t speak much, but when he does the culture listens. In a recent interview, he gave his opinion on the Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef.
As spotted on Rap-Up, the front man of Clipse was in Miami for Art Basel. The Virginia Beach, Va., MC was a guest on “Saint Sessions Live,” an in person Q&A hosted in front of a live audience. While he discussed a variety of topics regarding his illustrious career it was his take on this very high-profile moment that soon went viral. Journalist Ari Melber asked him his thoughts about Kendrick’s infamous “Yeah, f**k all that pushin’ P, let me see you push a T” line from “Euphoria.” Pusha T made it clear he got what K. Dot was hinting at.
“I guess he was just telling him, you know he needed to address me before it comes back and trying to go at him.” He went on to reveal that he took the reference as a gesture of respect. “I think it was a great time for me. That whole battle was an awesome time. I think that him being a fan of Hip Hop, he saw it as that.” When asked if he also agreed with the people that Kendrick Lamar won the battle against Drake he emphatically replied, “1,000%.” Pusha T added, “I think that Kendrick is a lyricist and a lyricist that talks to your soul.”
You can see King Push discuss the beef below.
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On Sunday (Dec. 8), the Hip-Hop culture was shocked when it was revealed that Jay-Z was accused of raping a 13-year-old girl in a civil lawsuit against Sean “P. Diddy” Combs. While most lawyers advise their clients to keep quiet in such cases, Hova, allegedly, went on the offensive.
In a statement shared on Roc Nation’s X account, he suggested that attorney Tony Buzbee was “blackmailing” him with the lawsuit.
That in turn prompted Buzbee to respond in kind. The lawyer representing “Jane Doe” in the latest lawsuit against Diddy took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to push back against Jay-Z’s claim of blackmail by stating that Jay got himself in this pickle by suing Buzbee for trying to inquire about the situation in general. In his post Buzbee wrote, “Regarding the Jay Z case and his efforts to silence my clients: Mr. Carter previously denied being the one who sued me and my firm. He filed his frivolous case under a pseudonym.”
As for Jay saying that Buzbee was “blackmailing” him with this case, Buzbee added, “What he fails to say in his recent statement is my firm sent his lawyer a demand letter on behalf of an alleged victim and that victim never demanded a penny from him. Instead, she only sought a confidential mediation.”
Buzbee then went on to say Jay and his team tried to intimidate him and his client and wrote, “Since I sent the letter on her behalf, Mr. Carter has not only sued me, but he has tried to bully and harass me and this plaintiff. His conduct has had the opposite impact. She is emboldened. I’m very proud of her resolve. As far as the allegations in the complaint filed, we will let the filing speak for itself and will litigate the facts in court, not in the media.”
https://x.com/TonyBuzbee2/status/1865928354114814391
In the statement in which Jay-Z accused Buzbee of blackmailing him, Jay not only denied the allegations but went so far as to dare the lawyer to file a criminal complaint instead of a civil one and said, “Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away, would you not agree?” After calling Buzbee a “deplorable human” and “ambulance chaser in a cheap suit,” Jay ended the statement and said, “I look forward to showing you how different I am.”
https://x.com/RocNation/status/1865917852542247358
Jay-Z wants all this legal smoke to clear his name.
In the lawsuit, Jane Doe claims that both Jay-Z and Diddy raped her at a 2000 MTV VMAs afterparty when she was 13-years-old as another female celebrity watched.
Needless to say, Jay-Z haters celebrated the lawsuit on social media while Jay-Z fans also suggested this could be a shakedown and are awaiting all of the evidence to be presented before abandoning ship.
50 Cent for his part isn’t weighing in but wonders if this lawsuit will effect the Super Bowl.
Y’all knew 50 Cent wasn’t going to not say anything.
What do y’all think about this latest bombshell? Do y’all think Jay-Z is being blackmailed, or is karma catching up to the pop culture icon? Sound off in the comments section below.