State Champ Radio celebrity news
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Tory Lanez is still healing up from a brutal stabbing incident that left both his lungs collapsed, along with other injuries. In a new report, Tory Lanez has since been transferred to another California facility after officials remarked on being unable to keep the Canadian star safe.
TMZ reports that Tory Lanez, 32, moved earlier this week from the California Correctional Institution (CCI) to the California Men’s Colony (CMC), some three hours away from the CCI. According to Lanez’s attorney, the rapper and singer isn’t happy about moving from the supermax in Tehachapi to San Luis Obispo County. CMC is not considered a supermax facility, but does have a wing where some of its most troubled prisoners are housed.
Attorneys for Tory Lanez are hoping to appeal to California Gov. Gavin Newsom to seek a pardon for their client or a reduction in the current 10-year sentence he’s serving in connection with the Megan Thee Stallion shooting incident.
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Rosetta Tharpe was a trailblazing Black musician who found fame early on as a gospel artist before shifting to rock and roll and inspiring several future legends. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor has been tapped to pen a script for a biopic about Sister Rosetta Tharpe, with legendary rocker Mick Jagger serving as a producer.
Deadline reports that the Sister Rosetta Tharpe biopic was set in motion after Live Nation Productions reached out to Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor to piece together the script. Along with Jagger’s Jagged Films, the film is also being produced by Tribeca Studios and Inaudible Productions.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe emerged on the music scene first in the world of gospel, releasing her first recordings at the age of 23 in 1938. One of the singles, “Rock Me,” would become a hit and influenced the likes of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Little Richard, among others.
Tharpe would mix gospel lyrics with secular music, which angered some. She went on to perform her mix of gospel and rhythm and blues, all accented by her guitar playing. The image of a Black woman singing gospel music inside secular establishments, along with her chosen instrument, caused many to not support her musical endeavors despite her quietly influencing future musical superstars along the way.
In interviews, Thapre essentially framed rock and roll as rhythm and blues at a faster pace. Sister Rosetta Tharpe passed away in 1973, but was acknowledged by her peers as a pioneering voice for rock and roll.
Along with the biopic, there will be a documentary about Tharpe centering on her contributions to music and her lasting influence, most especially in the world of guitars. The film will also pull from author Gayle Wald’s Shout, Sister, Shout!: The Untold Story of Rock-and-Roll Trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe biography.
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Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi took the stand this week at the sex trafficking and racketeering trial for Sean “Diddy” Combs, detailing his side of the ordeal and alleging that the mogul attempted to harm him. Kid Cudi testified that he confronted Diddy after an incident involving his car, referring to him as a “Marvel supervillain.”
Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi was in New York at the Manhattan federal court on Thursday (May 22), where Sean “Diddy” Combs has endured brutal testimony from the likes of ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura and former recording artist Dawn Richard.
As spotted in Newsweek, Mescudi shared his side of things in the wake of Ventura’s testimony. Ventura shared that she and Mescudi had a brief romantic encounter that was strained by the alleged actions of Combs to keep them apart. According to Mescudi, he was unaware that Combs and Ventura were still an item after he began dating the singer in 2011.
In 2012, Mescudi’s car was set on fire while away from his home, stating from the stand that he later confronted Combs at Soho House in Los Angeles. Combs claimed that he didn’t know anything about the car bombing, according to Mescudi. When asked what his reactions were regarding the car explosion, Mescudi replied on the stand, “Umm, what the f* ck?”
In addition to the exploding car, Mescudi claims that Combs entered his residence in a bid to intimidate the rapper and actor, whilst attempting to sever the connection with Ventura.
Mescudi said he broke things off with Ventura due to what he referred to as “drama” and added that Ventura “played” both him and Combs. He also added that Combs approached him and apologized for all of the alleged actions that took place during the ordeal with Ventura.
On X, reactions to Kid Cudi’s testimony are all over the map. We’ve got the best reactions below.
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Spike Lee is preparing to deliver his latest body of work to the big screen and was present at the Cannes Film Festival this week, discussing his upcoming film, Highest 2 Lowest. During a press conference in support of the film, Spike Lee was asked a question, and he answered with an assumed swipe at President Donald Trump.
Spike Lee was flanked on the podium by Highest 2 Lowest co-stars, Jeffrey Wright and Ilfenesh Hadera. Lee, Wright, and Hadera largely spoke about their roles in the film, with Hadera reminding the media that, for as much as Highest 2 Lowest is another collaboration with Lee and leading man Denzel Washington, she has worked with Lee several times as well. Wright, a fan of Lee’s work, remarked that this is the first time he’s worked with the famed director.
Around the 22:37 mark, a reporter stood and asked if social media has compromised American values after noting that his film speaks a lot about integrity. Lee, freewheeling as ever, answered as only the Brooklyn native could.
“Well, I mean, I don’t know how much we can talk about American values considering who’s the president of the,” before trailing over to cover his mouth, but it was clear he was saying “the United States” to conclude his covered-mouth statement.
He added with exuberance, “My wife said: ‘Spike, be very careful what you say!’”
Lee, turning serious, continued by saying, “But here’s the thing, I don’t think that we can condemn social media. You can say the same thing about film, movies or whatever. So I’m not going to demonize the form.”
Wright answered as well, and shared his thoughts, adding that some developers of these massive social media platforms won’t allow their children to use those spaces.
A$AP Rocky and Ice Spice, along with Wright’s son, Elijah Wright, making his big screen debut, are part of the cast.
Spike Lee’s full conference for Highest 2 Lowest from Cannes can be viewed below.
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Jalen Hurts, the star quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, addressed a question regarding why he elected to forgo visiting the White House with his teammates. Jalen Hurts fielded a question regarding why he skipped a meeting with President Donald Trump, but did so in a respectful, if succinct, manner.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that while addressing reporters at the NovaCare Complex on Tuesday (May 20), Jalen Hurts cleared the air on why he didn’t join the Eagles in their White House visit in honor of winning Super Bowl LIX.
“I wasn’t available,” Hurts said. “I don’t think that’s pertinent. Everyone who went and was available, they seemed to enjoy themselves.”
A.J. Brown was a bit more elaborate on why he didn’t attend the visit with his team.
“I had a personal reason I was dealing with that day,” Brown shared. “It wasn’t about politics or who is in office or anything. I just had something personal going on with my family.”
The outlet wrote that around 30 players met with President Trump, who delivered glowing remarks praising Hurts’ performance. Other players shared with the media that they skipped the visits due to prior commitments or personal family matters.
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The ongoing sex trafficking and racketeering trial for Sean “Diddy” Combs continues to roll on, and more shocking details have been unveiled since its start over a week ago. In a new report, it was shared that the 2024 raid of Diddy’s home turned up baby oil, drugs, and a rubber duck.
The Independent reports that the 2024 raid of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ home in Miami involved several dozen Homeland Security Investigation agents, who discovered several items at the spacious residence. Agents uncovered 25 bottles of baby oil, firearms, MDMA and Xanax pills, bottles of personal lubricants, and the aforementioned rubber duck.
Gerard Gannon, an agent who was involved in the raid, will take the stand in the trial on Wednesday (May 21). Gannon will be joined today by forensic psychologist Dawn Hughes, who also appeared before the court in Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s defamation trial in 2022.
Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi is scheduled to testify later this week. Mescudi dated Diddy’s ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, and was an alleged target of the mogul’s wrath.
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Salt-N-Pepa, the legendary Hip-Hop group that amassed several hit songs in the 1980s through the 1990s, is currently fighting for the rights to their master recordings. Salt-N-Pepa filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), claiming that the label is violating copyright law by not giving the rights back to the group.
The Associated Press reports that Salt-N-Pepa, separately known as Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton, are angling to see the master recordings of their previously released material returned to them, especially as their music has viability in today’s market. Adding to this, many legacy acts are cashing via the ownership of their catalogs.
James and Denton asserted in their filing that they have rights to their music due to the Copyright Act of 1976, which allows artists to do away with previously signed deals and reclaim their master recordings.
This has been an ongoing fight for years after Salt-N-Pepa attempted to regain their master recordings but were rebuffed by UMG. The legal back and forth between the group and the label sparked UMG to remove its musical catalog from DSPs.
“UMG has indicated that it will hold Plaintiffs’ rights hostage even if it means tanking the value of Plaintiffs’ music catalogue and depriving their fans of access to their work,” a portion of the lawsuit read.
Salt-N-Pepa made their debut in 1986 with their album Hot, Cool & Vicious, produced by Hurby “Luv Bug” Azor. The group is also hoping to obtain the rights back to tracks like “Push It,” a song that has been used in movies and commercials several times since its release.
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The FBI is doubling its reward for tips leading to the arrest of a handful of escaped prisoners from a New Orleans prison. Last week, 10 prisoners made a brazen nighttime escape from the Orleans Justice Center, and authorities are combing New Orleans and beyond as they look to apprehend the remaining seven escapees.
The FBI’s New Orleans office issued a media alert regarding the 10 escapees from the Orleans Justice Center on May 16.
From the FBI New Orleans website:
At the request of the New Orleans Police Department, FBI New Orleans has surged resources to assist with apprehending inmates who escaped from the Orleans Parish Jail on May 16, 2025. The FBI routinely offers assistance to our law enforcement partners, to provide additional manpower and specialized resources.
In addition, the FBI is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for tips leading to the arrest of any of the inmates.
As reported by local outlet WDSU, Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson, who is up for reelection, is facing heavy criticism from residents and others regarding the escape. During a press conference, Sheriff Hutson suggested that the inmates may have been helped by someone who works for the Orleans Parish Police Department.
The outlet adds that three employees of the Orleans Justice Center were placed on suspension as an investigation takes place.
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Hip-Hop music has long suffered from segmentation, pitting certain parts of the scene against one another in a foolhardy race for relevance. MIKE, one of the leading voices in the so-called underground scene, has managed to merge sounds that defy his designation via his brilliant new project with producer Tony Seltzer, Pinball II.
MIKE is an artist we’ve featured heavily in our CRT FRSH playlist roundups, and we’ve mentioned him in a few AOTY posts over the years. The depth, maturity, and presence of the artist born Michael Bonema are astounding when one learns he’s still in his 20s.
Looking back over MIKE’s discography, intentional listeners will recognize the growth from year to year, with the rapper-producer’s gruff voice conveying a bevy of emotions. As he rapped on “Tapestry” from his excellent Beware Of The Monkey mixtape, MIKE’s penchant for the “sad boogie” across his largely self-produced projects morphed into deeply analytical and often personal accounts of his journey in music, honoring his late mother, uplifting his family name, and making sure he’s a solid advocate for his associates.
PInball II doesn’t lean into the aesthetic that MIKE usually performs over and produces under his dj blackpwr alias. Giving Tony Seltzer the keys for a second time, MIKE allows himself to have fun, boast about his successes, and also celebrate his long climb into notoriety. Like their first outing, Seltzer, who has produced for the likes of Wiki, Ski Mask the Slump God, Princess Nokia, and more, gives MIKE a series of booming platters of backdrops that allow Big MIKE to flex.
The album opens with the stage-ready “Sin City,” which sounds prime for a marching band to replay. MIKE is in top sh*t talk mode, shouting out his 10k Global brethren Jadasea, Niontay, and redLee. This leads into “Dolemite” featuring Lunchbox, and the hazy, trap-influenced track is an abrupt shift in energy that feels purposeful all the same.
Seltzer warms things back up with “#71” with MIKE’s growling timbre sounding at home over the bouncy production. At one point, MIKE raps “These n*ggas hardly vicious, but got war paint” with all the sincerity in the world, and while there is a smile in his voice, it still sounds slightly menacing.
Pinball II is something of a roller coaster ride with slinky grooves like “Golden Dragon” and “Money & Power,” allowing MIKE to use his powerful vocal instrument and find pockets in the beat that most rappers would be lost trying to locate.
Features are kept to a minimum; however, 10k artist Sideshow shows up on the sinister “Hell Date” and once again, the Washington, D.C. rapper manages to pierce the soul with his grim outlook and his desire to break away from the streets but never leaving those elements behnd, a common theme in Sideshow’s music. The Ethiopian-American lyricist steals the show on the feature.
“Shaq & Kobe” once more pair MIKE with Florida’s Niontay, and their chemistry remains undeniable. Niontay raps in rushed, slurred bursts, and when juxtaposed against MIKE’s bass-heavy monotone delivery, the contrast in their voices over Seltzer’s heat rock helps the song soar higher.
If there is a song that has a sound similar to MIKE’s previous solo works, it would be “Jumanji,” featuring his friend and past collaborator, Earl Sweatshirt. Pinball II reaches its apex here as MIKE again employs a delivery reminiscent of what he did with Sweatshirt on the track “SENTRY” from the California rapper’s Voir Dire album, produced by The Alchemist. Sweatshirt, known to be a technician, allows himself to let his verses hang and float with little regard to the rhythm, making it one of the most refreshing verses we’ve heard from him.
Pinball II will lazily be called “trap,” or at least say it sounds influenced by that Hip-Hop sub-segment by casual listeners. Upon further listens, MIKE’s increased musical productivity has not dimmed his passion, considering this is his second release after the stellar Showbiz! album from earlier this year. As MIKE continues to establish his position in the scene he’s poised to lord over for years to come, corny as it comes off, the fans are winning as a result.
Find Pinball II at your preferred DSPs here.
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Styles P has been one of the sharpest rappers in the game for the past three decades as a member of The Lox, along with his prolific solo career. In a recent interview, Styles P essentially ranked himself higher than Jim Jones and cited his body of work as proof.
Styles P was a recent guest on The No Funny Sh*t podcast hosted by Kenny “KP” Supreme & DP. The G-Host discussed a bevy of topics, including his alignment with his brothers from The Lox, his various health business ventures, becoming an elder in Hip-Hop, and life as it happens.
In a clip that began to buzz online, Kenny Supreme, who we should note is a Harlem native, floated the idea that the Capo Jim Jones would get Styles P out of here in a song-for-song VERZUZ-like battle. Holidays Styles, a battle-tested MC, met Supreme’s assertion head-on as any rapper would when it comes to their skill set.
“Me and Jim [Jones] ain’t in the same league,” Styles says, after telling Supreme that his opinion is incorrect in his eyes. “Me and Jim don’t do the same things. I’m a bar master. I’m a lyrical technician. I’ve been on joints with some of the best emcees in the world. [The Notorious] B.I.G., Hov, Black Thought, Talib [Kweli]. I bar sh*t down.”
Styles added, “If there is a lyricist or MC, I’m one of their favorites. I’m not here to make catchy hooks and do dope shit, I don’t know that. I’m into making your f*cking soul move.”
Styles P, along with Jadakiss and Sheek Louch, easily dispatched of Jim Jones and the Dipset collective in their explosive VERZUZ battle in New York that the culture still talks about with high reverence. Will this renew interest in a further battle? Will the Vamp Life honcho respond to Styles? Stay tuned.
Hop to the 23:00-minute mark to hear the discussion above.
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