Current Events
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Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty / 50 Cent
Taking some time off from trolling Diddy, aka The Diddler, 50 Cent continues to grow his Hollywood empire by launching his own studio.
On Thursday (April 18), 50 Cent took a page out of Tyler Perry’s book by launching his G-Unit Studios in Shreveport, Louisiana.
The rapper/mogul also received the key to the city from Mayor Tom Arceneaux, and April 18 is officially known as 50 Cent Day in Shreveport.
The “Wanksta” crafter’s music career is no longer his focal point. Still, he has become one of the biggest names in Hollywood thanks to his slate of popular crime dramas like Power and its successful spinoffs Power Book II: Ghost, Raising Kanan, and Force.
He also has BMF, the series loosely based on the lives of Demetrius Edward “Big Meech” Flenory and Terry Lee “Southwest Tee” Flenory, all currently on the Starz network.
A large crowd was at Government Plaza on Thursday afternoon to see Diddy’s number one nemesis officially secure the lease for the property.
Per local news affiliate KSLA 12, 50 Cent and G-Unit Film and Television acquired a 30-year lease for the property at $2,400 per year, with an option to extend for 15 years.
50 Cent spoke on the epic moment, telling Billboard:
As someone who has always believed in the transformative power of music, film, and television, I’m beyond excited to introduce the expansion of my G-Unit Film & Television through the launch of G-Unit Studios right here in Shreveport.
From the gritty narratives of the streets to the compelling stories that define our era, G-Unit has always been more than just entertainment; it’s a platform for voices that need to be heard, stories that need to be told. Bringing G-Unit Studios to Shreveport is not just a business decision; it’s a commitment to fostering talent, creating opportunities, and building a community that thrives through creativity and innovation. We see Shreveport as a beacon of inspiration and creativity.
Mayor Arceneaux spoke about the move, potentially providing many job opportunities for Shreveport natives.
“We are thrilled that G-Unit Studios will plant its roots in Shreveport,” said Mayor Arceneaux. “This city’s rich culture and talent provides the perfect backdrop for this endeavor. We are eager to collaborate with Mr. Jackson and G-Unit Film & Television to bring captivating movies and entertainment to Shreveport and Caddo Parish.”
Congrats to 50 Cent and the G-Unit Film and Television team.
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Source: Eric Charbonneau / Getty / Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg has found his way into the current “beef” between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, and it had nothing to do with him actually interjecting himself in it but with the use of AI.
Like the rest of the Hip-Hop and music world, Snoop Dogg was stunned to hear AI voice on Drake’s latest diss track at Kendrick Lamer, “Taylor Made Freestyle.”
On Friday (April 19), Drake released his “Taylor Made Freestyle,” which features the computer-generated voices of Snoop Dogg and the late 2Pac “pressing” their West Coast counterpart to respond to Drizzy.
On the song virtual Snoop raps:
“Dot, you know that the D-O-G never fucking doubted you/ But right now it seem like you posted up without a clue of what the fuck you ’bout to do.”
Not too long after the divisive record hit the internet, the Doggfather took to his Instagram account to post a hilarious reaction to AI bars.
“They did what? When? How? Are you sure? [Sigh] Y’all have a good night,” Snoop said in the Instagram clip. “Why everybody calling my phone, blowing me up? What the fuck— what happened? What’s going on? I’m going back to bed. Good night.”
Will Kendrick Lamar Finally Respond To Drake?
“Taylor Made Freestyle” comes a week after Drake’s first response record, “Push Ups.” When the song hit the internet, thanks to the rampant AI use in the music industry, the song’s validity was initially up in the air.
On the song, Drizzy accuses Lamar of taking his sweet time to respond due to Taylor Swift dropping a new album while also naming TDE’s boss, Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith.
“But now we gotta wait a fucking week ’cause Taylor Swift is your new Top/ And if you ’bout to drop, she gotta approve/ This girl really ’bout to make you act like you not in a feud/ She tailor made your schedule with Ant, you out of the loop.
While Drake continues to poke the bear, word on the podcast streets is that K.Dot has a response record ready, according to Joe Budden Podcast host Antwan “Ish” Marby, who claims the record is on the level of 2Pac’s “Hit Em Up.”
“Some people that have heard the Kendrick track, I heard that his energy is just something that’s going to be hard for Drake to match. They said he’s coming on some Pac’ Hit Em Up’ energy,” Ish claims.
We shall see if that’s the case. We just want Kendrick Lamar to take his time and deliver a worthy response, no one wants a wack a** diss record.
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Source: Al Pereira / Getty
A Tribe Called Quest will officially go into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of this year’s inductee class along with Mary J. Blige.
On Sunday evening (April 21), the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced their class of inductees for 2024 through their social media accounts. The legendary Hip-Hop group A Tribe Called Quest was among those to gain entry. The Queens, New York group of Q-Tip, the late Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Jarobi White had been previously nominated for the last few years until this point. The class also includes R&B icons Mary J. Blige and Dionne Warwick, and Kool & The Gang.
“Rock ’n’ roll is an ever-evolving amalgam of sounds that impacts culture and moves generations,” Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation chairman John Sykes said in a statement. “This diverse group of inductees each broke down musical barriers and influenced countless artists that followed in their footsteps.”
Jarobi White shared the news to his fans through his Instagram account, writing in the caption: “Wow!!! @qtiptheabstract @alishaheed we did it!!!! Phifey we got you in the hall of fame!!!! Wish you were here. Well I know you’re watching so….. Fuck yeah!!! lol To all of the questers, from the bottom of our hearts thank you!!!! #jedibusuness.” The induction makes A Tribe Called Quest the sixth Hip-Hop group to gain induction after Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Run-DMC, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, and N.W.A. The group’s induction also comes after missing out on two previous votes in 2022 and 2023. Their snub last year sparked ATCQ affiliate Consequence to blast the selection committee, writing: “What we not gon’ do is keep subjugating that name, A Tribe Called Quest, to a white popularity contest, and having them in there as the token n—-s pick. We gon’ stop that.”
Those who didn’t make the cut this year for induction included Eric B. & Rakim, Mariah Carey, and Sade. The 2024 induction class also includes rockers Cher, Ozzy Osbourne, Peter Frampton, and Jimmy Buffett along with the pioneering Big Mama Thornton. Two names instrumental to the success of Motown Records, executive Suzanne De Passe, and songwriter/producer Norman Whitfield, were also named. The 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees will officially go in at a ceremony held at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse next to the museum in Cleveland, Ohio on October 19, with the ceremony being aired live on ABC and streaming on Hulu the following day.
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Source: Bill Clark / Getty / Marjorie Taylor Greene
Bootleg politician and regular spewer of dumb conspiracy theories Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has many nicknames. Still, this new one, given to her by Dulcé Sloan, is perfect and instantly sticks.
During Thursday’s episode of The Daily Show, guest host Dulcé Sloan had time for Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is currently still proving why she is hands down one of the dumbest people ever elected to a political office not named Donald Trump.
Sloan dragged the far-right goof following her latest attempt to get current Republican House Majority Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) all because he decided actually to govern and push for aid for Ukraine.
Following a montage of Greene’s greatest hits of stupid attacks on Speaker Johnson, Sloan said that Greene had “the strongest Karen energy I have ever seen.”
Sloan hilariously continued, “Damn. Last time I saw a white lady that pissed about a bill, she was getting kicked out of a Chili’s. I don’t know if she’s going to get Mike Johnson fired, but she’s definitely getting store credit for something.”
Capitol Karen Is Here To Stay
She wasn’t finished clowning Greene; the chef’s kiss on Sloan’s dragging of Marjorie Taylor Greene was when she gave her the nickname “Capitol Hill Karen,” which has become an instant hit, instantly sticking with the poor excuse of a lawmaker.
“The crazy thing is if Capitol Hill Karen does get the speaker fired, that’ll be the second time in six months,” Sloan said before letting Republicans know: “If you’re constantly firing speakers, maybe the problem is with you.”
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Following the episode, if you search GGreene’sname on X, formerly Twitter, you will see people already refer to her with the apt nickname.
“It’s Official… Marjorie Taylor Greene’s new nickname is: “Capitol Hill Karen“… let that go viral,” one person wrote in response to a post on X from Greene.
Yeah, this nickname is perfect for Marjorie Taylor Greene.
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Source: Simon Ackerman / Getty / Kid Cudi
Kid Cudi’s pursuit of happiness regarding finding a wife has ended.
Spotted on Page Six, Kid Cudi is now engaged. The New York Post’s celebrity gossip section reports the rapper/actor revealed his engagement to menswear designer Lola Abecassis Sartore.
The “Day ‘n’ Nite” crafter announced the news in an Instagram post featuring a photo of the couple, writing, “My fiancé Lola and me at the Knuckles premiere.”
He continued, “This amazing woman makes me so happy, she is everything to me and im so excited to share this news w u all. Life is wild, and right when I felt my future was uncertain, it became crystal clear with Lola. Happy Cud in full effect.”
Satore followed Cudi’s post with her own, sharing the same photo and writing in the caption, “I never thought I could love someone this much! I’m so proud to call you my fiancé, Scott.”
She also commended Cudi’s performance in the upcoming Paramount+ series Knuckles, a spinoff from the Sonic The Hedgehog films starring Idris Elba as the popular video game character.
“I can’t wait for you all to see this amazing man in the new Knuckles show!” Satore wrote in her post.
Cudi hopped in the comment section, responding to his fianceé, “U have me forever.”
Awwww, we love to see the couple loving on each other on social media, and so do other celebrities like Amber Rose, Ty Dolla $ign, and Bryan Greenberg, who also sent their well-wishes.
Congrats to Cudi and Sartore.
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Source: Chip Somodevilla / Getty
Marjorie Taylor Greene was swiftly rebuked by congressional colleague Maxwell Frost for complaining about “Nazis in Ukraine” in a hearing.
On Wednesday (April 17) at a congressional hearing by the House Oversight Committee which was entitled “Defending America from the Chinese Communist Party’s Political Warfare,” Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene decided to devote her time to talk about another subject. “It’s amazing to me that just in a few years time, it’s now considered misinformation to talk about the Nazis in Ukraine,” Greene remarked.
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“According to Christopher Wray, the FBI director, he said that [the Azov Brigade] has been recruiting and radicalizing and training American citizens for years. He also finished saying in his testimony to the U.S. Senate that American white supremacists are actually traveling overseas to train,” she added. “I don’t think anyone in the United States government — Americans do not support actual Nazis or white supremacists,” Greene concluded. “I know I certainly do not.” Those words wouldn’t go unchallenged, and Florida Democratic Representative Maxwell Alejandro Frost made sure of it. “It’s interesting to hear my colleague just now talk about disavowing white supremacists when in 2022 you — she spoke at an event hosted by white supremacists and white nationalist Nick Fuentes,” Frost began. “And when asked about it, doubled down on it and said we’re gonna focus on people, not labels. So get out of here with that damn hypocrisy,” he added.
Frost’s words would be followed up by similarly strong comments by his fellow Floridian congressman, Jared Moskowitz. “Stop bringing up Nazis and Hitler. The only people who know about Nazis and Hitler are the 10 million people and their families who lost their loved ones — generations of people who were wiped out,” Moskowitz began. “It is enough of this disgusting behavior, using Nazis as propaganda. You want to talk about Nazis? Get yourself over to the Holocaust Museum. You go see what Nazis did. It’s despicable that we use that, and we allow it, and we sit here like somehow it’s regular,” he stated.
Greene’s referral to “Nazis in Ukraine” is related to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s repeated false claims, which he’s used to justify his nation’s invasion of Ukraine which began in February 2022. The Georgia congresswoman is also no stranger to domestic white supremacists like Milo Yiannnopoulos, who was embroiled in a scandal while running Kanye West’s political campaign.
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Source: Prince Williams / Getty / Jeezy
The Snowman is clearing up the ongoing situation between himself and his ex-wife Jeannie Mai regarding custody of their 2-year-old daughter Monaco.
TMZ exclusively reports that Jeezy is no longer seeking primary care of the couple’s daughter but wants to ensure that he and Jeannie Mai have equal parenting time with Monaco.
According to the celebrity gossip site, the “Put On” crafter claims the former talk show host is restricting his access to his child in a new motion.
Per TMZ:
The rapper says he and Jeannie worked out an informal custody agreement last year, but that fell apart at the beginning of 2024 … and he claims he’s barely seen Monaco this whole year.
Jeezy says they agreed to let him take Monaco for spring break from March 3 to March 9 — but, when he sent someone to pick up his daughter for another visit at the beginning of April, she wasn’t at the home he and Jeannie shared.
The website also reports that Jeezy claims Jeannie Mai violated their agreement after moving out of their home, which leads to him often not knowing where his daughter is.
Jeezy also says FaceTiming his daughter is impossible because Mai blocked his number.
Cold world, if true.
Jeezy also addresses claims from Mai that the fact he owns guns is the reason she doesn’t want their daughter to see him, saying that they are not fair because he has always owned guns and his daughter’s safety is always a priority to him.
After initially filing paperwork asking for primary custody, he now requests a hearing to get to a temporary schedule allowing them to co-parent equally.
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Source: MARK PETERSON / Getty
A reporter caught Donald Trump dozing off during his Manhattan “hush money” trial again, and social media was quick to poke fun at him.Former president Donald Trump was back in the Manhattan Supreme Court on Tuesday (April 16) for the jury selection in his “hush money” trial involving adult film star Stormy Daniels. But the proceedings seemed to have a different toll on Trump, as a reporter in the courtroom observed him falling asleep. Frank G. Runyeon, who is covering the trial for the legal analysis website Law360, detailed the septuagenarian’s slumber in steps in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“Trump’s head slowly dropped, his eyes closed. It jerked back upward,” Runyeon wrote. “He adjusts himself. Then, his head droops again. He straightens up, leaning back. His head [droops] for a third time, he shakes his shoulders. Eyes closed still. His head drops. Finally, he pops his eyes open.” Other reporters present in the courtroom also noticed Trump’s nodding off, which some noted lasted a minute or more.
The moment caught on like wildfire on social media, with the hashtag #SleepyDonald rising in the trending categories. Alina Habba, one of Trump’s lawyers and a frequent spokesperson, dismissed the idea as a “remarkable story at best,” before adding: “There were a tremendous amount of emotions being heard yesterday. I wasn’t there so I can’t comment on that. I find that to be a ridiculous thought though.” Trump himself has bragged that he doesn’t need a lot of sleep in the past. Maggie Haberman of the New York Times also pointed it out, also noting that he dozed off in court on Monday (April 15).
Trump’s sleepiness was still a hot topic on the court’s off day on Wednesday (April 17), with one expert stating to The Daily Beast that the significance of the trial as he is the presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential election is weighing on him. “Anyone that is on the campaign trail and fighting all these indictments against him might not be sleeping well,” said Dr. Chris Winter, a sleep expert and advisor to Mattress Firm.
We’ve collected some of the more colorful responses to Trump’s snoozing moment on social media below.
1. Ron Filipkowski
2. Jon Cooper
3. TruthHurts
4. Victoria Brownworth
5. Ron Waxman
6. Marc A Caputo
7. Santa Claus, CEO
8. Janey Vee
9. We The Sheeple
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Source: Roberto Machado Noa / Getty / Red Lobster
Red Lobster possibly going out of business? Say it ain’t so.
Folks on social media are panicking right now because they might have to find another spot to enjoy cheddar bay biscuits and endless crab legs for graduation day, Mother’s Day or after Easter service.
Spotted on TMZ via Bloomberg, iconic seafood restaurant chain Red Lobster is mulling bankruptcy as the company tries to figure out how to restructure its debt and other expenses, including restaurant leases and rising labor costs, as the celebrity gossip site reports.
Some even point to popular promotions like endless shrimp hurting the restaurant and the chain, which is bleeding cash due to the pandemic.
Per TMZ:
There’s also this tidbit that some are resurfacing amid this news — namely, the fact that Red Lobster’s recent endless shrimp reportedly hurt their bottom line quite badly … only for them to pivot to endless lobster after reporting a $12.5 million operating loss in ’23’s 4th quarter.
Even before the $12 mil hit … Red Lobster was bleeding cash, with reports saying they’d suffered a $19 million loss through the first 9 months of ’23… attributed to the pandemic, among other issues. Some minority owners in the biz have also started to jump ship.
For those who know about running a business and financial issues, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy does not mean the end for the restaurant that Beyoncé at once had popping cause she sang, “When he fuck me good, I take his ass to Red Lobster.”
Despite knowing that, the reactions to Red Lobster possibly filing for bankruptcy are flowing like butter you pour on your lobster tails, and they are hilarious.
One user hilariously wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “they still got them unlimited crab legs cause if so I’ll go tomorrow.”
“oh lawd somebody save the biscuits,” another person wrote in response to the news of Red Lobster considering chapter 11 bankruptcy.
“How did we let this happen???? Y’all too bougie for Red Lobstas?!?,” another post on X read.
We don’t think Red Lobster is going anywhere, but we are always here for funny reactions. You can see those in the gallery below.
2. Sharing means caring
3. Solid suggestions
4. Very important question
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Source: MediaNews Group/East Bay Times via Getty Images / Getty
Protesters angry over the war in Gaza shut down the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco as part of a day of action worldwide.
On Monday (April 15), the famous Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California, became the scene of a major protest by those opposed to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Protesters accessed the bridge from the southbound side at 7:30 a.m. local time, blocking the travel lanes on the bridge by chaining themselves to each other, using tubes in what’s referred to as a “sleeping dragon” method. Some protesters held up a banner that read, “Stop the world for Gaza” in capital letters.
The morning commute was brought to a standstill, with law enforcement clearing the protesters and reopening the bridge at 12:15 p.m. Before it was cleared up, traffic was backed up into Marin County on the southbound 101 highway. The California Highway Patrol told members of the press that 26 of the protesters present were arrested for multiple charges, including unlawful assembly, false imprisonment, refusal to comply with a lawful order, resisting arrest and conspiracy.
Some drivers caught up in the traffic jam caused by the protest boiled over into frustration, with one confrontation being caught on camera. “We’re just trying to get home or work, everyone’s just mad,” said one driver, Aung Zin. “I think this is the only way people will listen but at the same time, I wish there was a resolution around it.” Another driver spoke about their frustration as the protests blocked them from arriving for a medical procedure. “I’m headed to the city for stem cell replacement. They’re frozen I have to get there before they thaw. I’m feeling frustrated, I support the right for people to protest but if It causes thousands of people disturbance, it isn’t the right way to go about it,” said Rachel McKim.
The protest was part of A15, a day of action initiating a worldwide economic blockade to display solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza who have suffered over 30,000 lives lost and to call for the end of aid to Israel by the United States. It was set for Monday to coincide with it being the final day for U.S. citizens to submit their taxes. Other protests occurred on the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, as well as at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.