Current Events
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Source: ANGELA WEISS / Getty / Diddy
Recently indicted music mogul Diddy can talk about his crypto wallet with Sam Bankman-Fried.
Spotted on Digital Music News, Sean “Diddy” Combs and crypto fraudster Sam Bankman-Friend are now prison mates. After getting cuffs slapped on him following his indictment on racketeering and sex trafficking, the Bad Boy general was thrown in the Metropolitan Detention Center’s unit for high-profile prisoners.
Diddy is now in the same unit as Sam Bankman-Fried, who has been in the unit since last year after a judge revoked his bail because he violated the conditions of his release.
50 Cent’s favorite punching bag has been locked up in MDC after his attorney failed to convince a judge to allow him to post $50 million in bail and a security team that will monitor him at all hours. The judge said yea, nah, expressing he believed Diddy would engage in witness tampering, and sent him to the special housing unit in the notorious Brooklyn jail.
Diddy’s Lawyers Are Working Feverishly To Get Him Out of The MDC
While Bankman requested to stay at MDC as he pursued an appeal, Diddy and his legal team argue that the conditions there are “too horrific” for a defendant like Diddy awaiting trial.
The website reports the prison houses around 1,200 inmates and is plagued with a long history of complaints ranging from overcrowding to unsafe living conditions.
Attorneys for Diddy are pushing for a speedy trial.
“My view is if the government wants to arrest him and hold him in jail, despite a massive bail package and despite his repeated offers to turn himself in, we are all going to have to move this along with unprecedented urgency,” Diddy’s lawyer Marc Agnifilo told The New York Times.
If Mr.Combs stays there long enough, Mayor Mixxy Eric Adams might join him and Bankman.
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Source: The Washington Post / Getty
The indictment of Mayor Eric Adams has been unsealed and the Southern District of New York has laid out massive corruption from the ex-cop. The defendant is being charged with bribery, fraud and solicitation, mostly tied to his dealings with Turkish nationals seeking his favor as the leader of the largest city in the United States.
The indictment was unsealed on Thursday (September 26) morning. Adams has been indicted on five federal corruption charges that include bribery, fraud and soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations. According to the SDNY, his corruption dates back to 2014, when he was elected Brooklyn Borough President.
Allegedly, the Turkish nationals had their eyes on Adams, and he happily took the bait, accepting campaign funding and luxury trips in exchange for favorable decisions on their behalf. Among the SDNY’s allegations are that Adams accepted illegal campaign contributions, free luxury travel via Turkish nationals and even accepted bribes as part of a quid pro quo with his benefactors.
Some of the ways Adams allegedly tipped the scales was by pressuring New York Fire Department officials to open a new Turkish consulate despite issues with its fire inspection. Adams is also accused of changing his phone’s password, then saying he forgot it—after the Feds seized said phone. Cover up much?
Adams, a retired NYPD captain, became New York City mayor in 2021.
A defiant Adams, surrounded by Black supporters, said “I ask New Yorkers to wait to hear our defense” and that “my day to day will not change” in regards to his job as mayor of New York City during a press conference on the steps of Gracie Mansion shortly after the indictment was unsealed.
As the details of the indictment make their way out into the world, social media continues to pile on. See some of the more boisterous reactions in the gallery.
You knew things weren’t going to go well when Adams’ press conference began with him getting heckled and read the riot act.
This story is developing.
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Source: JIM WATSON / Getty / Kamala Harris
Republicans have been screaming for Democrats to “lower the temperature” after two “assassination” attempts on former disgraced president Donald Trump. Still, someone must tell them to keep the same energy for their followers.
Spotted on Raw Story via the New York Post, windows at an Arizona campaign office for our current Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris were shot out.
According to the website, no one was at the office when the alleged incident occurred.
Per Raw Story:
“Damage from gunfire, fired sometime after midnight on Monday, was discovered at the Democratic National Committee campaign office near Southern Avenue and Priest Drive in Tempe,” reported Patrick Reilly, noting that staffers discovered the windows shot out when they arrived at work on Tuesday.
According to Sgt. Ryan Cook of the Tempe Police, “No one was inside the office during the overnight hours, but this raises concerns about the safety of those who work in that building, as well as those nearby.”
The report also notes, “Detectives are currently analyzing evidence collected at the scene, and additional measures have been taken to beef up security for staff and others in the area.”
The Political Violence Is Out of Control
As we barrel towards election day, things have been quite testy on the campaign trail for both candidates. The first attempt on Donald Trump’s life left several people injured at his rally and the orange menace with a bloody ear.
The most recent attempt that saw a man trying to shoot Trump while he was on his Mar-A-Lago golf course was thwarted by Secret Service agents, preventing the bootleg assassin from getting a shot off.
Secret Service has been under fire since the two attempts on Trump’s life, and now we are sure they are ratcheting up the protection for both VP Harris and Donald Trump.
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Source: Brandon Bell / Getty
Republican nominee Donald Trump went after Haitian migrants again at a campaign rally with more outright lies.
False claims about Haitian migrants in the town of Springfield, Ohio have been advanced by former President Donald Trump once again, this time with more sinister overtones. The Republican presidential nominee held a campaign rally in Savannah, Georgia on Tuesday (September 24) at the Johnny Mercer Theatre. In what’s been increasingly a feature at these rallies, Trump talked about the crowd size being 5,000 to 6,000 people – in truth, it was 2,500 in attendance. He also spoke about the migrants again in a disparaging rant.
“With left-wing nonprofits to inundate Pennsylvania communities, changing the character of small towns and villages all over our country, and changing them forever,” Trump said. “They will never be the same. They will never be. Do you think Springfield will ever be the same? I don’t think so. The fact is — and I’ll say it now — you have to get them the hell out. You have to get them out. I’m sorry,” he continued, adding: “You have to get them out. Can’t have it. Can’t have it. They’ve destroyed it. It’s terrible.” The audience cheered during the speech, which also saw Trump talking about his administration bringing a “manufacturing renaissance” and bringing back millions of jobs to the U.S. “Did you ever hear that expression before? Have you ever heard that we’re going to take other countries’ jobs? It’s never been stated before,” he said.
Trump has leaned heavily on the false claims about Haitians who’ve settled in Springfield, Ohio, expressing it in his debate against Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris – a claim first advanced by his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance. These claims of Haitians eating the dogs and cats of fellow town members sparked a wave of outrage since the disastrous debate, with many Haitian-Americans holding protest rallies across the country. It has also led to the Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) advocacy group filing a criminal complaint against Trump and Vance, alleging that their amplifying the false claims led to heightened danger against the Haitian community in Springfield resulting in at least 33 bomb threats being called in against schools and other city structures. “Trump and Vance’s lies have harmed the Springfield community, and their lies have violated criminal law,” said the statement filed with the complaint. The Trump campaign team has not commented to the press.
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Source: Matt Jelonek / Getty /Fatman Scoop
The Hip-Hop community suffered a tremendous loss with the tragic passing of Fatman Scoop, and now we are learning what led to his death.
Spotted on HipHopDX per the Los Angeles Times, Connecticut’s Chief Medical Officer has revealed what caused rapper and legendary hypeman Fatman Scoop to collapse during a performance last month.
According to the CMO, Fatman Scoop’s death was caused by “hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease,” and it was ruled as caused “naturally.”
Per the Cleveland Clinic, hypertensive heart disease is described as “a long-term condition that develops over many years in people who have high blood pressure. It’s a group of medical problems ― like heart failure and conduction arrhythmias ― that can happen when your high blood pressure (hypertension) is unmanaged.”
The Mayo Clinic defines Atherosclerosis as a “buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances in and on the artery walls. This buildup is called plaque. The plaque can cause arteries to narrow, blocking blood flow. The plaque also can burst, leading to a blood clot.”
Fatman Scoop’s Legacy Was Celebrated By His Family & Friends
Fatman Scoop, born Isaac Freeman III, was only 56 years old at the time of his passing. His family issued a statement after he was pronounced dead at the hospital hours later.
“It is with profound sadness and very heavy hearts that we share news of the passing of the legendary and iconic Fatman Scoop,” his family said. “Last night, the world lost a radiant soul, a beacon of light on the stage and in life.”
The statement continues, “Fatman Scoop was not just a world class performer, he was a father, brother, uncle and a friend. He was the laughter in our lives, a constant source of support, unwavering strength, and courage.”
A memorial for the “Put Your Hands Up” crafter was held at the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem on September 12. Many in the Hip-Hop community came out to pay their respects and honor the late musician’s legacy.
We hope Fatman Scoop’s passing will remind Black and Brown men to take their health seriously.
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Macklemore is no stranger to using his massive platform to throw his support behind causes that are important to him. In a recent benefit concert in support of the residents of Palestine, Macklemore uttered a strong “F*ck America” statement during his set.
As reported by Rolling Stone India, Macklemore was performing in his home state of Washington over the weekend. The “Thrift Shop” star dropped the pro-Palestinian track “Hind’s Hall” earlier this year in celebration of the students who led protests at Columbia University in New York that took over Hamilton Hall to honor the life and legacy of Hind Rajab, an elementary school-aged girl who was killed during the Israel-Hamas conflict that still rages today.
In a sequel track, “Hind’s Hall 2,” Macklemore doubled down on the anti-Israel stance with a song that was created to benefit UNRWA USA, an organization established to help Palestinian refugees.
During his set in Seattle over the weekend, the artist born Benjamin Hammond Haggerty rocked the Palestine Will Live Forever benefit concert in Kent, Wash. and a journalist by the name of Cam Higby captured the moment in question. The video has since made its rounds on social media with many equating the rapper’s stances as anti-semitic and anti-American, with harsh critique following.
According to Macklemore’s Facebook page regarding the benefit concert, proceeds from the event at Seward Park Amphitheater will be spread among several other organizations in support of Palestinian refugees.
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Photo: Getty
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Source: Gilbert Flores / Getty / Rapper T.I. and Tiny
Rapper T.I. and his wife, Tameka “Tiny” Harris, secured a massive $71 million payout in their lawsuit against the maker of the popular L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls.
Spotted on TMZ Hip Hop, the “U Don’t Know Me” crafter and his wife got richer after a jury sided with them in their lawsuit against toy company MGA Entertainment following a week-long trial.
According to the lawsuit, the couple claims MGA Entertainment violated the intellectual property rights of their now-defunct girl group, OMG Girlz, which also featured Tiny’s oldest daughter, Zonnique Pullins.
Per TMZ Hip Hop:
The jurors reportedly agreed that “L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. dolls” infringed on the trade dress and misappropriated the name, image, and likeness of the all-female group that T.I. and Tiny formed in 2009.
At trial, T.I. and Tiny zeroed in on 7 dolls MGA promoted that they argued had the identical appearance of their OMG Girlz during “very specific public events,” including the image and likeness of Tiny’s oldest daughter, Zonnique Pullins.
Following the decision, Tiny, along with OMG Girlz members Bahja “Beauty” Rodriguez, Breaunna “Babydoll” Womack, and her daughter Zonnique “Star” Pullins, celebrated the massive legal victory that earned them $17,872,359 in real damages and $53,616,759 in punitive damages.
The victory doesn’t necessarily end the beef with MGA. According to Forbes, the company can still appeal the decision.
So, this victory could be short-lived, with all parties heading back to court.
It’s also a big win for the couple who found themselves as the subject of a sexual assault lawsuit earlier this year.
$71 million is a lot of money. We are curious about what the couple does with it, barring MGA not appealing the decision.
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Source: Andrew Lichtenstein / Getty
Federal prosecutors are now researching New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ ties to five other countries concerning an investigation into his campaign.
According to the New York Times, the federal investigation of New York City Mayor Eric Adams and his ties to the Turkish government has now expanded to include five other countries, according to sources. The request for information is linked to the sweeping grand jury subpoenas that were issued to a swath of City Hall back in July. The primary goal of the investigation for prosecutors was to determine whether Adams conspired with the Turkish government to illegally funnel foreign donations into his campaign back in 2021. The five countries prosecutors requested information about are Israel, China, Qatar, South Korea, and Uzbekistan.
The specific information that the federal authorities are looking for in this new batch of subpoenas includes information on records concerning tickets to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which Adams attended, as well as data on New York Police Department booths outside of foreign consulates and Adams’ use of the encrypted Signal app. Prosecutors are also looking into allegations of Adams receiving free flights and upgrades from Turkish Airlines, as well as the allegations that he pressured the New York Fire Department into approving a high-rise consulate building in Midtown
They also sought more information about the former Turkish Consul General Reyhan Özgür and Arda Sayiner, a brand influencer based in Turkey who has ties to Rana Abbasova. Abbasova was a former Adams liaison to Turkey and worked in his international affairs office until her home was raided by federal authorities last November. Ms. Abbasova is now cooperating fully with the government’s investigation. The July subpoenas had been issued after FBI agents had seized Mayor Adams’ phones after stopping him outside of an event he was attending last November.
Fabien Levy, a spokesperson for City Hall said officials weren’t going to comment on the subpoenas “but, as we have repeatedly said, we will continue to fully comply with any law enforcement inquiry.” At his weekly press conference, Adams defended his policies. “We continue to progress…that is what I must do,” he said. “I’ve always done that for New Yorkers, and I will continue to do that.” To date, Adams’ administration has been rocked by resignations after federal seizures of devices including former NYPD commissioner Edward Caban.
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Freddie Lee Trone, the California man at the center of the plot to rob and murder PnB Rock, will see prison time for his actions after being convicted earlier. Freddie Lee Trone will serve 31 years behind bars after his sentence was heard on Monday (September 23).
Local outlet KTLA reports that Freddie Lee Trone, 42, who was iniitally convicted of the murder of PnB Rock in 2022, was found guilty on all charges in August. The fatal incident took place on September 12, 2022, at a Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles location in the South Los Angeles region. Trone also faced charges of felony murder, robbery, and conspiracy.
One of Trone’s co-defendants, Tremont Jones, was found guilty of robbery and conspiracy. Jones was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Trone ordered his then-teenage son to rob and kill PnB Rock, who was dining in the establishment with his romantic partner at the time. According to prosecutors, Trone was the mastermind of the crime and served as his son’s getaway driver in the crime.
The son of Freddie Lee Trone is charged with first-degree murder and his case will be heard in juvenile court.
Another co-defendant, Shauntrel Trone, pleaded no contest to an accessory after the fact charge earlier this summer. She will face sentencing in January 2025.
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Photo: Getty
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Source: Atlantic Records / Atlantic Records
The cult classic film The Warriors is getting a new interpretation from Lin-Manuel Miranda, featuring Lauryn Hill among others.
For many, The Warriors is a beloved film from the late 1970s that has been celebrated since its release. A new album reimagining the original story from award-winning playwrights Lin-Manuel Miranda and Elsa Davis is set to be released on October 18, and it features Grammy Award-winner Lauryn Hill playing the role of Cyrus, and the titular street gang from Coney Island played by notable actresses Kenita Miller, Sasha Hutchings, Phillipa Soo, Aneesa Folds, Amber Gray, Gizel Jiménez, Jasmine Cephas Jones and Julia Harriman.
Lauryn Hill’s addition to the album already rounds out the highly-impressive cast on the project. “We just had to have her, you know what I mean? There was no plan B, whatsoever,” Davis said of reaching out to the singer. The album also features Nas (who’s an executive producer), Ghostface and The RZA, Busta Rhymes, Cam’ron, Chris Rivers, and reggae artist Shenseea, along with actors Colman Domingo and Billy Porter. Original cast members James Remar and David Patrick Kelly also appear on the project. “Eisa and I crafted our letter with care and just stayed in touch with her manager over the course of the year, never having a plan B, texting back and forth until one day we had a Dropbox file with all of these harmonies,” Miranda said.
For the Hamilton actor and producer and Davis, an Obie Award winner her performance in Passing Strange, the Warriors being portrayed by all women isn’t just a mere gender-swap. It’s a choice inspired by the online vitriol that the two observed in Gamergate and tying it to the moment Cyrus is killed by Luther and his gang. “I made that connection and then thought, “Well if the Warriors are women, how does that change the narrative?” At every point, it complicates it in a really compelling way,” Miranda explained. “I think that it’s just so crucial to think about this — it’s a group of women that no one believes. Everyone is accusing you falsely, as Lin is saying, and what is it that you do? What is it that you try?” Davis stated.
The two did say there are no plans to turn this version into a feature film. The Warriors concept album is out October 18.