Current Events
Page: 10
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: The Washington Post / Getty
Figures close to Donald Trump are bashing Elon Musk and his voter organization as “grifters” in a new report.
According to reports, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s ground game is suffering due to opportunists, naming tech billionaire Elon Musk’s group among them. “I think it’s what happens when you let a bunch of grifters take over,” a Trumpworld source said of Musk’s Save America PAC, speaking frankly anonymously about internal discussions concerning the campaign’s lack of a voter turnout strategy. “S—t is always gonna produce s—t.”
Musk’s Save America PAC has turned up efforts in the last few weeks, offering his door knockers $30 an hour “with bonuses for performance” in addition to creating a hybrid petition and sweepstakes where those participating get the chance to snag $1 million (that effort caught the attention of a court in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where Musk was slated to appear on Thursday (Oct. 31). But Trump insiders, while lauding Musk’s passion, question the effectiveness of such actions. “What happens is, you skim a bunch of money off the top, and then you hire the dumbest people and pay them a little bit of money,” the strategist said. “There’s no way of tracking whether it’s effective or not. It’s hard to track the output, and thus the effectiveness of the output.”
Another issue that’s come to light on social media involving Musk’s PAC is allegations that the SpaceX founder flew Black people hired as door knockers into Michigan, where they were driven around in the back of a U-Haul truck and told that they wouldn’t be receiving hotel rooms unless they were to “maintain a 17-22% engagement rate during the campaign” – higher than the average rates. There’s also the lack of geo-tracking, forcing door knockers to utilize “offline workbooks” that don’t always sync up with staffers’ records at the regional offices.
The campaign team for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has poured robust amounts of money into their ground game in Michigan, setting up 52 offices throughout the state and at least 375 staffers. But they have wondered about Trump’s efforts in the last days of the election. “It’s been fascinating. It’s been weird? It’s been weird,” said Michigan state senator and Harris surrogate Mallory McMorrow, who noted that one of Musk’s workers she met confessed he was a Democrat just in it for the money.
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Source: YouTube / Youtube
Young Thug has taken a plea deal in the YSL (Young Slime Life) case that has lasted nearly a year. The Atlanta rapper now awaits his sentence with his plea signaling the inevitable conclusion of reportedly the longest trial in Georgia’s history.
The New York Times reports that on Thursday (Oct. 31), Young Thug aka Jeffery Lamar Williams pleaded guilty to six counts that included possession of drugs and firearms, conspiracy to violate the RICO act and leading a criminal street gang.
Thugger took a non-negotiated plea deal, which means it will be up to Superior Court Judge Paige Whitaker to decide his sentence. Apparently, this option was presented after Thug’s lawyers and the prosecution were unable to come to terms on a plea. Reportedly, the option to plead out and leave court a free man the same day was presented, but Thug didn’t agree to conditions that included 15 years of probation.
Young Thug was near a plea deal that would have released him from jail today on 15 years probation.
But they couldn’t agree on his release conditions, and now prosecutors are recommending 25 years in prison. pic.twitter.com/PiKidTckzM
— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) October 31, 2024
It seems that Thug’s hand essentially was forced since last week three of his co-defendants took plea deals.
Now his fate is in the judge’s hands, with prosecutors reportedly recommending the 33-year-old get 45 years with 25 served in prison and another 20 years of probation
Prosecutors characterized the rapper as the ringleader of a YSL gang that loomed over the streets of Atlanta, dabbling in robbery and drug dealing, among other crimes. And then, his music career happened to flourish, too.
While Young Thug has taken a plea, his remained co-defendants—Deamonte Kendrick aka Yak Gotti, and Shannon Stillwell aka SB—who are charged with a murder in 2015, amongst other counts.
YSL was originally indicted on RICO charges and its alleged members were arrested in 2022, and jury selection took nearly a year. The trial, which has been streamed online, has featured dramatic turns of botched plea deals, witnesses refusing to testify, rap lyrics being read in court and more dramatics straight out of a TV crime drama.
However, the players are very real. Thug’s lawyer, Brian Steel, who at one point was threatened with contempt charges, is making the case that his client has been denied justice. See social media’s response to the latest YSL trial antics in the gallery.
YOUNG THUG’S LAWYER SAYS THE PROSECUTION HAS MIS-STATED AND MISREPRESENTED THE EVIDENCE
HE IS NOW GOING THROUGH ALL THE ALLEGATIONS IN THE INDICTMENT 1 BY 1 AND EXPLAINING THE EVIDENCE THAT THE STATE LEFT OUT pic.twitter.com/yUx0GeMNai
— THUGGERDAILY ひ (@ThuggerDaily) October 31, 2024
This story is developing.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Paras Griffin / Getty
After putting himself on the national map by unintentionally starting a riot in New York City, Kai Cenat has been all over the place as his ascension to superstardom continues to rise and now he’s enlisted the likes of Kim Kardashian to help him announce his latest streaming event.
Taking to his official Instagram page, Kai Cenat released a 4-minute trailer to announce his upcoming Mafiathon 2 event and in it has Kim Kardashian play a therapist to his Mafia Don looking self. Talking about how hectic his life has been over recent years including staying in a prison that he built, founding a school in Nigeria and of course, starting a riot in New York City.
“That was bad,” Cenat comedically stated after being reminded of the chaos he caused at Union Square.
Looking to get over his personal woes, Dr. Kim prescribes Kai a 30-day streaming marathon which will let fans keep tabs on Cenat 24 hours a day for a month as he eat, sleeps and even showers while the camera’s rolling… or streaming. Whatever these kids call it nowadays.
Mafiathon 2 is set to kick off on November 1 at 6 p.m. E.T. Will you be following this man live for 24 hours a day for all of November? Let us know in the comments section below.
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Source: Chip Somodevilla / Getty
By now you’ve heard of Donald Trump’s latest stunt of plastering the side of a garbage truck with his campaign’s logo in an attempt to own the libs at the expense of a Joe Biden gaffe. But social media is quick with the punch back, with “Garbage Farce One” trending, and it’s hilarious.
Whoever on Team Trump came up with the idea of their Cheeto Overlord cozying up to a garbage truck in Green Bay, Wiscnsin might not really be gang gang. Just saying.
Add to that Trump in a struggle attempt at dressing up like a sanitation worker—a legit blue color job no one should be ashamed of, by the way—and the slander was inevitable. The hypocrisy is that Trump has referred to the United States as a garbage dump for immigrants and he’s even said much worse. Yet the snowflakes are having a meltdown because Biden allegedly dragged them. For the record, Biden said he misspoke, something Trump has never even bothered to say after, for example, referring to immigrants as vermin.
As for the stunt, the fact people hopped on calling what surely would have been a Decepticon in the Transformers universe as Garbage Force One is comically on brand.
Don’t take our word for it, peep the reactions in the gallery.
This is comedy pure gold. Garbage Force One. 😂😂😂 #HappyHalloween https://t.co/PT2A5h644V
— Sheri 👩🦰 (@redsheri1) October 31, 2024
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Source: Gilbert Flores / Getty / Megan Thee Stallion
Megan Thee Stallion is not playing with you bloggers who have been dragging her name through the mud. On Wednesday, the rapper sued blogger Milagro Gramz to let her know she had time.
The Hip-Hop superstar is accusing Milagro Elizabeth Cooper, aka Milagro Gramz, of alleged cyberstalking and promoting deepfake pornography as well as pushing “false statements” about the criminal case involving Canadian Yosemite Sam, aka Tory Lanez, who is currently doing and saying anything to get out of jail after he was found guilty of shooting Megan Thee Stallion.
Per The HuffPost:
Megan’s legal team alleges that Milagro Elizabeth Cooper, aka Milagro Gramz, has engaged in a yearslong “campaign of harassment and cyberbullying” against the rapper, spreading “falsehoods” about the high-profile shooting case to Cooper’s “tens of thousands of social media followers.”
The law firm representing Megan accuses Cooper of being a “mouthpiece and puppet” for Lanez by promoting “the debunked theory that Mr. Peterson did not shoot” the Houston rapper, also known as Megan Pete.
“Defendant Cooper performed Mr. Peterson’s public bidding to denigrate, belittle, insult, and spread false statements about Ms. Pete on her online social media platforms, for no other reason than to bully, harass and punish Ms. Pete for Mr. Peterson’s conviction and to tarnish her reputation, causing emotional distress,” Wednesday’s lawsuit states, according to a copy obtained by HuffPost.
The suit points to several instances in which Cooper allegedly made false claims about the shooting case in public.
One of the examples the suit points out is that Gramz made a “false and outlandish claim” on social media that the gun Lanez used to shoot Megan Thee Stallion was “missing” and was not presented as evidence during the high-profile trial.
“The firearm remains in the custody of the Los Angeles Police Department,” the complaint said. “It is standard procedure in California criminal cases to show an image of the firearm in question rather than present the firearm in court.”
Megan Thee Stallion Claims Milagro Gramz Shared A Deepfake Porn Video
The “HISS” rapper also accused Cooper of sharing a deepfake pornographic video featuring seemingly realistic footage utilizing artificial intelligence allegedly showing Thee Stallion engaging in sexual acts.
The 29-year-old musician is also accusing Cooper of intentionally inflicting emotional distress and invasion of privacy and is requesting a trial by jury.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, Cooper acknowledged that the rapper has officially come for writing in a post, “I’ve been informed that I’m being sued by Alex Spiro on behalf of his client Megan Thee Stallion.”
In a statement, Thee Stallion addressed the lawsuit, saying, “It’s time to hold bloggers accountable for years of harassment, cyberbullying and the publication of misinformation about my personal and professional life.”
Clearly, Megan Thee Stallion was fed up. The lawsuit comes on the heels of people like DJ Akademiks sharing false information claiming the California appeals court had found Lanez innocent. Now, clips of her documentary are being shared, and she is leaving no crumbs and snatching wigs.
Social media has been reacting following the news of the lawsuit and to the documentary.
You can see those reactions in the gallery below.
1. Trrrruuueeeee
3. At least somebody is in her corner
4. Mmmmmhmmmm
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: DREW ANGERER / Getty
The largest newspaper in Puerto Rico endorsed Kamala Harris in the presidential race, blasting Donald Trump in the process.
The fallout from a comedian’s remarks at Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Madison Square Garden over the past weekend continues, as the largest newspaper in Puerto Rico has officially endorsed Kamala Harris in the presidential election. The editor of El Nuevo Dia, María Luisa Ferré Rangel, didn’t mince words in describing the effects of Tony Hinchcliffe’s joke calling Puerto Rico “a floating island of garbage”, shocking many who saw the clip. “Today, the hearts of all of us who love this beautiful Garden of America, and of the world, clench with rage and pain,” Rangel began. She stated that while those three million who live in Puerto Rico cannot vote in the election, the five million of Puerto Rican descent who live in the United States can: “Today we urge all those who love our beautiful island, the land of the sea and the sun, not to lend their vote to Donald Trump. To all Puerto Ricans who can vote in this upcoming United States election and represent those of us who cannot: Vote for Kamala Harris.
“Let’s not forget the paper towels he threw at us while we suffered without electricity for months [after Hurricane Maria] and let’s not forget that the funds did not arrive because Trump – through the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development – told them to stop because he considered Puerto Ricans ‘bums who live begging,’” she wrote, also highlighting Hinchcliffe and others’ odious remarks and calling out those Latino supporters of the Republican presidential candidate: “They also insulted Latinos, Blacks, and women. An angry mob shouted prostitute at the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate. They also spat in front of a group of her supporters. Many were Latinos, who applauded, not understanding the consequences. One day it will be your turn.”
Rangel strongly highlighted the clear difference between Vice President Harris and former President Trump, writing: “Trump does not discriminate. He is a convicted candidate who not only has no remorse, but considers women to be an object that can be touched whenever he wants. Many have raised the alarm.” She’d illustrate the promise of a Harris presidency for all, writing: “Her speech has not been one of hate. On the contrary, it is one of inclusion.”
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Aaron J. Thornton / Getty
Music artists wanting out of their contracts is nothing new in the game and it seems like Ari Lennox is the latest in a long line of disgruntled rappers/singers to demand they be given their walking papers from the record label they feel is holding them hostage.
Taking to her Instagram stories, the “Pressure” singer went into detail as to why she no longer wants to be a part of Dreamville and Interscope saying they’ve been “playing” with her all month and “treating me like they’re sorry for me and like I’m the face of mental health.” Further expanding on her discontent with her situation, Ari explained where she was coming from in the situation.
“What I don’t like is being signed and lied to and manipulated. Not one person at those labels ever knew how to market or protect me. Y’all don’t know the half. Constant let down and neglect. This industry stuff will never be for me.”
https://x.com/big_business_/status/1851513547265605725
According to Rap-Up, Ari even explained how she had to come out of pocket to pay for Google ads after the label released her visuals to “Smoke” without her permission.
Per Rap-Up:
The Shea Butter Baby creator hopped on Instagram Live to further air out her problems with Interscope. There, she revealed that the visuals for “Smoke” were released without her permission. “You cannot expect an artist to be anything without advertisement,” she said before mentioning that she’s been paying for the track’s Google Ads.
“I just want to be released, and it’s just that simple, and I’m tired of being nice,” the D.C. native explained. “I was trying to do everything the right way, but now I’m pissed. This was my final straw.”
Knowing what it’s like to be in a dire situation with a record label, T-Pain offered his services and took to the comments section to let Ari know that he’s there to help steer her through this situation as he’s been through the motions himself.
“Bb… … I need to talk to you. I wanna at least throw out some suggestions from experience on how I navigated from being supported by a label to fully independent. It’s fuckin tough as shit but you’re so talented and smart I knew if I gave you a littler perspective from my recent experience, I’ll at least spark something you can take and absolutely kill this shit on your own and be your own boss.”
Yeah, Ari Lennox is over it. Damn. pic.twitter.com/vwx35bshhN
— Write Life (@TheQueenMuse1) October 30, 2024
We hope she reached out to T-Pain to see what could be done to help her get out of her situation. Who knows, maybe her label will honor her wishes and just let her walk away, but if we’ve learned anything about the music industry over recent decades it’s that they rarely ever give the artists their freedom when asked to.
What do y’all think about Ari Lennox calling for her label to release her from her contract? Let us know in the comments section below.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: The Washington Post / Getty
The Washington Post has become the latest so-called progressive publication to feel the wrath of the fall-out following its decision not to endorse a presidential candidate in this uncomfortably tight race between Vice President Kamala Harris and the orangey-white nationalist who has normalized slinging lies and bigotry from the political stage.
According to anonymous courses cited in an NPR report, more than 200,000 people canceled their subscriptions to the Post after the publication announced it is “returning to its roots” by staying neutral in the race to the White House and declining to endorse Harris or Donald Trump.
if you’re in line to cancel your washington post subscription, stay in line pic.twitter.com/y2DEOSrVl0
— Florida Chris (@chrislongview) October 28, 2024
It’s not terribly surprising that the Post is basically hemorrhaging subscribers, considering folks on social media put out the call to send a message to the Post and its owner, Jeff Bezos, that its readers won’t stick around if it won’t make an endorsement in an election this crucial.
BREAKING: Jeff Bezos is forcing the Washington Post NOT to endorse Kamala Harris for President — just in case trump wins the election.
🚨EVERYBODY CANCEL YOUR WASHINGTON POST SUBSCRIPTIONS NOW. 🚨
FUCK YOU, JEFF BEZOS. pic.twitter.com/joQOvl5H8z
— BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) October 25, 2024
From Variety:
On Friday, Washington Post CEO and publisher William Lewis wrote in an article on the paper’s website, “The Washington Post will not be making an endorsement of a presidential candidate in this election. Nor in any future presidential election. We are returning to our roots of not endorsing presidential candidates.” The Post has endorsed a candidate in every presidential election since 1976, with the exception of 1988. Lewis, who joined the post in November 2023, was formerly CEO of Dow Jones & Co. and publisher of the Wall Street Journal.
As first reported by NPR, Bezos — who bought the Washington Post in 2013 — had recently decided that the newspaper would not endorse either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump in the 2024 election. The paper’s editorial board had already drafted an endorsement of Harris. Some observers (and, evidently, thousands of subscribers) interpreted the move as an attempt by Bezos to avoid getting targeted for attacks by Trump.
The fallout for the Post comes just a few days after the Los Angeles Times lost its editorial chief, who resigned over the publication’s relatively new owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, ordered the Times’ editorial board not to endorse Harris after endorsing a Democratic president in every election since 2008. Journalist Mariel Garza said in her resignation letter that it mattered that the largest newspaper in California declined to endorse “in a race this important,” and that “it matters that we won’t even be straight with people about it.”
“It makes us look craven and hypocritical, maybe even a bit sexist and racist,” Garza wrote. “How could we spend eight years railing against Trump and the danger his leadership poses to the country, and then fail to endorse the perfectly decent Democrat challenger — who we previously endorsed for the U.S. Senate?”
Yeah — this is the wrong time for major news outlets to choose silence in the name of pseudo-neutrality and objectivity. The choice between a non-fascist woman who will have worked in all three branches of government if elected and the guy from The Apprentice who spouts non-stop hate speech and propaganda is clear. The Post and the Times needed to do the right thing.
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Source: CNN / x
A CNN discussion fell into chaos as guest panelist Mehdi Hasan was labeled a terrorist by another guest, and social media was incensed.
On Monday night (October 28), CNN host Abby Phillip was moderating a panel discussion that devolved into chaos as one guest panelist inferred that Medhi Hasan, another panelist, was a terrorist. The discussion was centered on the controversial Donald Trump campaign rally held the day before in Madison Square Garden, including Hasan and conservative Ryan Girdusky. Hasan opined that if right-wing supporters of Trump didn’t want to be labeled as “Nazis”, they shouldn’t make anti-Semitic statements. “You’re called an anti-Semite more than anyone at this table,” Girdusky replied, to which Hasan retorted, “Yeah, by you.” As Hasan stated that his support of the Palestinian people made him susceptible to those attacks, Girdusky then said, “Well, I hope your beeper doesn’t go off,” referring to the Israeli military operation targeting Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon weeks ago by setting off their pagers which contained hidden explosives.
Here’s the video of Ryan Gidursky saying to Mehdi Hasan, “I hope your beeper doesn’t go off.” https://t.co/Zn1B7SCI8i pic.twitter.com/5MX93GOeAe
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) October 29, 2024
Girdusky tried to continue speaking but the former MSNBC host cut him off. “Did you just say I should die? Did you just say I should be killed live on CNN?”, he asked. Girdusky then claimed he thought Hasan supported the Hamas terror organization, which Hasan denied, leading Girdusky to say, “Then, I apologize.” The other panelists were stunned as Phillip said, “Ryan, that is completely out of pocket.” The program went to commercial, and Hasan and Girdusky weren’t present. Phillip would issue an apology to Hasan and the viewers on-air.
Phillip: I want to apologize to Mehdi Hasan for what was said at this table. It was completely unacceptable when we get this discussion started, you’ll see that Ryan is not at the table… I want to apologize to the viewers at home pic.twitter.com/wyPaStHUex
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 29, 2024
CNN would issue a statement on X, formerly Twitter, banning Girdusky from appearing on the network. Girdusky attacked CNN afterward, writing in another post on X: “You can stay on CNN if you falsely call every Republican a Nazi and have taken money from Qatar-funded media. Apparently you can’t go on CNN if you make a joke. I’m glad America gets to see what CNN stands for.” The situation was met with outrage by many on social media who viewed the clip. Lawyer Qasim Rashid questioned the network’s decision to have Girdusky on in the first place: “He calls it a “joke” but his racist comment isn’t isolated. He’s a Project 2025 advisor, runs a racist PAC, & previously wrote for a Nazi—yet CNN invited him on anyway. Why?”
MAGA pundit Ryan Girdusky spewed to Hasan “I hope your beeper doesn’t go off.”
He calls it a “joke” but his racist comment isn’t isolated.
He’s a Project 2025 advisor, runs a racist PAC, & previously wrote for a Nazi—yet CNN invited him on anyway. Why?🤔https://t.co/dKvLG9W7ie
— Qasim Rashid, Esq. (@QasimRashid) October 29, 2024
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
1. Vince Aries
3. WinstonOrozco_1
4. Adam Parkhomenko
5. Dante Atkins
6. EmperorTChalla
7. DaizyGedeon
8. Ricky Davila
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Matt Cardy / Getty
An account on the X platform known as “Black Insurrectionist,” who made a false claim against Governor Tim Walz, was revealed to be a white man.
An individual spreading some of the more virulent conspiracy theories online, who went by the handle of “Black Insurrectionist,” was revealed to be a white man and supporter of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. According to reports, the “Black Insurrectionist” account, which went by DocNetyoutube on X, formerly Twitter, belongs to a white man named Jason G. Palmer. Palmer is a resident of upstate New York and had been using the account to peddle these conspiracies about Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. The false claims were amplified by Trump and his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance.
“Black Insurrectionist,” the anonymous social media persona behind some of the most widely circulated conspiracy theories about the 2024 election, can be traced to a man from upstate New York.
He’s white. https://t.co/vHdrBj9pFQ
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) October 25, 2024
Palmer’s deception included promoting a false claim that Walz had an inappropriate encounter with a student when Walz was a football coach decades ago. That lie originated as part of a Russian disinformation campaign, according to U.S. security officials. The account also spread a falsehood about ABC News concerning the presidential debate in September, claiming that an employee gave Vice President Harris the questions in advance. This was circulated by the account’s 300,000 followers, and former President Trump would be asked about the account and replied, “I love the person.”
The 51-year-old has a highly checkered past, according to several individuals who were interviewed for the report. He reportedly owes the Internal Revenue Service $6.7 million in unpaid back taxes, has a history of drug addiction, and has been on record as defrauding multiple business partners. His home was also raided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation a decade ago. The incident reminded those on X, formerly Twitter, of multiple accounts that engaged in “Blackfishing” during the closing weeks of the 2016 presidential election. Palmer’s identity was confirmed by the Associated Press in conjunction with a specialist from the Human Rights Center at the University of California at Berkeley. The account has been deleted from the X platform.