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On Monday (May 26), some of your favorite music artists were bestowed with awards at the 2025 American Music Awards and while some were expected due to the success they experienced this past year, others were surprising as some upsets were pulled off as a reminder that yes, this is America alright.
Most shocking to many in the Hip-Hop culture was Eminem’s wins over Kendrick Lamar for Favorite Hip Hop Artist and Favorite Hip Hop Album as Slim Shady almost helped shut out Kendrick winning any awards in the 10 categories he was nominated in. Now, we can’t deny that Eminem is a Hip-Hop legend, but the man did not have a better year than Kendrick Lamar did in 2024 in any sense of the word. Just sayin’. Luckily, K. Dot was recognized for the work he put in in his efforts to dismantle Drake and took home the award for Favorite Hip-Hop Song for his classic cut “Not Like Us.”
As the show went on many of your other favorite artists took home some gold as the likes of Megan Thee Stallion (Favorite Female Hip-Hop Artist), Bruno Mars (Favorite Male Pop Artist) and Beyoncé (Favorite Female Country Artist) were recognized for their body of work this past year. We’re low-key surprised Beyoncé winning a country award didn’t spur MAGA to take to social media to say this is what’s wrong with America or something.
The biggest winner of the night was indeed Billie Eilish who took home seven awards including Artist Of The Year and Album Of The Year for her third studio album Hit Me Hard And Soft.
While many fans think these awards shows are rigged in some way, shape or form, according to People, the nominees and winners of the American Music Awards is a fan-voted awards ceremony based on “key fan interactions, including streaming, album and song sales, radio airplay and tour grosses.”
How this algorithm led to Eminem beating out Kendrick Lamar still doesn’t make sense to us, but that’s neither here nor there.
Check out the complete list of winners on the American Music Awards website, and let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Source: Dustin Bradford / Getty / Travis Hunter
Travis Hunter is currently living his best life after being drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars and marrying his fiancée, Leanna Del Fuente, but as expected, the haters had plenty to say.
Hunter, the Jaguars’ newly drafted offense/defence specialist, put a bow on what many would consider a fantastic month by tying the knot to his longtime girlfriend.
Hunter, 22, and De La Fuente, 23, began their love story when they met at Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Georgia, and it continued throughout his 3-year college stint in Colorado. It didn’t take long for them to seal the deal after their engagement in February 2024.
Along with her very expensive rock on her finger, Hunter wasn’t done blessing his now wife with gifts. Videos of the wide receiver and cornerback unveiling a black Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 Brabus 800, worth more than $200,000, as a gift to his bride, went viral on X, formerly Twitter timelines.
Other clips show Hunter with his new wife celebrating their nuptials, and another of him dancing with his bride while flashing the biggest grin on the planet.
Haters Were Hating On Travis Hunter Getting Married
But with the bliss, of course, comes the unnecessary vitriol of the man just being happy to be married.
“travis hunter actually married that girl *laughing emojis,” one post on X read.
Another hating ass comment read, “Bag Secured. Look at that GRIN on him. #TravisHunter got the stripper a ring AND a G-Wagon just to show everyone he’s all in on her. What could possibly go wrong?”
Someone on Instagram went as far as to write Kanye West, also known as Ye, entire verse from “Gold Digger” under a post.
Some came to the defense of the newly married couple.
Exactly.
We’re sending our best wishes to Travis Hunter and De La Fuente.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
2. She’s winning though
3. Oh he’s big mad
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President Donald Trump promised many things on the campaign trail that largely have not manifested in ways that some hoped, including his charge to end the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Over the weekend, President Donald Trump aimed at Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the clashes between his nation and Ukraine via his Truth Social network.
On Sunday (May 25), President Donald Trump fired a salvo of words towards President Vladimir Putin, illustrating that the supposed close union between the superpower leaders is not as rock solid as promoted.
“I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him,” Trump wrote on Sunday. “He has gone absolutely CRAZY! He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever. I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!”
Much of Trump’s dissatisfaction with Putin carried over to Tuesday (May 27) with the president writing, “What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He’s playing with fire!”
It isn’t plainly stated as to what bad things President Trump is referencing here, considering that he’s considered Putin a close friend despite the contentious nature of the relationship between the nations.
The Kremlin responded on Monday (May 26) after being asked about Trump’s comments regarding Putin.
“We are really grateful to the Americans and to President Trump personally for their assistance in organising and launching this negotiation process,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “Of course, at the same time, this is a very crucial moment, which is associated, of course, with the emotional overload of everyone absolutely and with emotional reactions.”
On X, President Donald Trump’s jabs towards Russian President Vladimir Putin sparked some reactions. We’ve got them listed below.
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Photo: Universal History Archive / Getty
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Source: Getty Images / Bernard “Beanz” Smalls / Kid Cudi / Diddy
The legal team for Diddy, also known as Sean Combs, is seeking to have Kid Cudi’s explosive testimony dismissed.
It’s no secret that the Diddy saga is a pure circus that not even Netflix or HBO could have dreamed of in terms of shenanigans following his arrest on racketeering and federal sex trafficking.
One of the more eyebrow-raising claims is that Kid Cudi’s Porsche was torched because of his relationship with Diddy’s ex, Cassie Ventura. Lawyers for Diddy are asking the judge to dismiss Mr. Rager’s testimony on the grounds of CAP, strictly based on his unconfirmed claim that the disgraced mogul lied about his involvement.
During his testimony in Combs’ federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial last week, Cudi spoke about meeting Diddy at Soho House after his car was set ablaze.
Cudi’s testimony provided the public with one of the more memorable statements when he hilariously said that Diddy was “standing there like a Marvel supervillain.” Still, Diddy’s team of lawyers believes the focus should be on discussion when Cudi was asked if he believed Diddy when the Bad Boy general said he didn’t know anything about Cudi’s whip being torched.
After Judge Arun Subramanian overruled an objection from Combs’ lawyer Brian Steel, Cudi went on to say that Diddy was “lying.”
As part of their argument to have Cudi’s testimony thrown out, Comb’s legal team argues that Cudi’s claims qualify as an opinion and should be stricken from testimony because it is in reference to the “Day ‘n’ Nite” crafter’s firebombed vehicle and could sway the jury’s opinion.
Ye & Young Thug Were Not Fans of Kid Cudi Testifying
Speaking of opinions, there are those within the Hip-Hop community who are not happy that Cudi testified against Combs.
Taking time off from being an antisemtic douchebag, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, Ye, expressed disappointment in Cudi.
“I wish Cudi hadn’t testified against Puff,” the problematic producer/rapper wrote on his X, formerly Twitter account, per HipHopDX.
West continued, “We need to not be locked in white systems. Praying for Puff and his family.”
Ummm, ok.
Young Thug also demonstrated why those in the Hip-Hop community continue to hold flawed logic regarding “snitching.” The rapper, who recently returned home from a lengthy prison stint, wrote on X, “Dam Cudi a rat lol.”
SMH.
Trust and believe if someone blows up our car and we knew who did it, we would be on the stand testifying too.
Just saying.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. Ridiculous
3. Exactly
4. Make it, make sense
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A man was struck and later died after a stray bullet flew into his residence in the northwest section of Washington over the Memorial Day Weekend. The killing was part of a violent stretch of incidents that have occurred over the past nine days in the District of Columbia.
Local outlet WJLA reports that on Sunday (May 25) at around 6:20 PM local time, a man was struck by a stray bullet at the home on the 1500 block of Ogden Street, Northwest. Officers and emergency medical technicians attempted to revive the man after discovering him suffering from the wound, but the man would later die of his injuries. The victim was revealed to be Jose Carcarmo of Northwest Washington.
Executive Assistant Chief for the Metropolitan Police Department Andre Wright held a press conference addressing the shooting and to allay concerns that residents might have.
“Based on the evidence and what we know, this does not appear to be a targeted shooting of the individual who was inside of his residence,” Wright said. “It appears, preliminarily, that this was a stray round that struck his residence and subsequently struck him.”
The outlet also reported on a double homicide in Southeast Washington that left Royell Walker, 16, and Jamar Jackson, 19, dead. An unnamed victim, 14, was also seriously injured in the Friday night (May 23) shooting.
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Photo: The Washington Post / Getty
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Charlie Rangel, the former congressman who represented several New York districts across his four-decade career, died on Monday (May 26) at the age of 94. Rep. Charlie Rangel’s storied career also included a stint in the military, where he became a decorated war veteran before completing his high school studies and going on to earn a law degree, culminating in a long life of public service.
Charlie Rangel was born Charles Bernard Rangel on June 11, 1930, in Harlem, N.Y. Rangel’s father was a native of Puerto Rico, and his mother was Black. As a young man, Rangel, who was raised primarily by his mother, took odd jobs before dropping out of high school at 16. Rangel enlisted in the United States Army, serving between 1948 and 1952. He was a member of the all-Black 503rd Field Artillery Battalion in the 2nd Infantry Division.
Fighting in the Korean War as part of a racially segregated unit, Rangel’s actions led his fellow soldiers to safety, earning him the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and three battle stars. Rangel returned home and completed his high school studies, then enrolled in the New York University School of Commerce. From there, Rangel went on to earn a law degree from St. John’s University School of Law in 1960.
Rangel was named the Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York by U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, staying in the role for a year. Rangel, under the tutelage of civil rights activist and Assemblyman Percy Sutton, would later serve as a state assemblyman, beginning his life in public office.
In 1970, Rangel challenged longtime congressman Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr., who fell out of favor in the public eye with some due to an ethics scandal, losing his seat in 1967 but regaining it in 1969 after a U.S. Supreme Court decision detailed in the Powell v. McCormack case.
Rangel would go on to serve 23 terms in Congress before retiring in 2017. Along the way, he was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus and became the first Black chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives.
One of the hallmarks of Rangel was his no-nonsense approach to working for his constituents and his ability to work across the aisle with the opposing parties to get bills moved through the chamber. Rangel also had an affable personality that resonated well with his colleagues, and his distinctive New York accent was hard to miss.
As a member of the Gang of Four, which included David Dinkins, Basil Paterson, and the aforementioned Sutton. The quartet was notable for its ascension in the political realm.
In 2024, Rangel’s wife of 60 years, Alma Carter, passed away. He is survived by two children, Steven and Alicia, and three grandsons.
On X, reactions to the passing of Rep. Charlie Rangel have cropped up. We’ve got them listed below.
[h/t CNN]
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Photo: Tom Williams / Getty
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George Floyd, a resident of Minneapolis, Minn., lost his life at the hands of Derek Chauvin, the police officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck for nine minutes. On the fifth anniversary of his death, many on social media are honoring George Floyd’s life.
On this day (May 25) five years ago, George Floyd was arrested after a store clerk at Cup Food alerted the police that Floyd used a counterfeit $20 bill inside the establishment. Officers J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane arrived on the scene shortly after 8:00 PM local time. The officers approached Floyd’s SUV and ordered him to show his hands before pulling him out of the vehicle.
Chauvin and Officer Tou Thao arrived next, making it a total of four officers on Floyd. The officers pulled Floyd out of the backseat of a squad car with Kueng, Lane, and Chauvin physically holding down Floyd. Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck, who repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe, and was suffering from an anxiety attack, according to onlookers.
The officers ignored Floyd’s complaints about his discomfort, with Thao, who kept bystanders at bay, reportedly telling folks, “This is why you don’t do drugs, kids.” The observers noticed that Floyd was no longer moving, and officers discovered that he no longer had a pulse. Witnesses say that the officers did nothing to attempt to revive Floyd as he was lying face down on the pavement.
The death of George Floyd sparked citywide demonstrations and protests around the nation, calling for the arrest of the four officers. Floyd’s murder bolstered the “Defund The Police” movement, and tensions between police officers and Black and other minority groups grew as a result.
Chauvin was later charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter, and was sentenced to 22 and a half years. Chauvin pleaded guilty to federal charges of violating Floyd’s civil rights for ignoring his pleas for help, not administering medical care, and for using extreme measures to subdue him. The other three officers faced similar charges.
Lane pleaded guilty to state level charges of aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter and sewas ntenced to three years to be served alongside a 2 and a half year federal sentence. Kueng pleaded guilty to the same charge and was sentenced to 3 and a half years in state prison to be served with his 2 and a half year federal sentence. Thao waived his right to a trial but was later found guilty of aiding and abetting manslaughter and sentenced to almost five years in prison.
Naturally, right-wing trolls and MAGA enthusiasts are pushing the theory that Floyd overdosed on drugs instead of focusing on the charges that the officers actually pleaded guilty to. If these tough-guy officers believed they didn’t commit a crime, protests and folks calling for their heads wouldn’t have made them fold. It didn’t stop them from killing a Black man in broad daylight, right?
On X, George Floyd’s name is one of the top trending topics. We’ve got those reactions listed below.
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Photo: The Washington Post / Getty
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CRT FRSH, Hip-Hop Wired’s playlist where we showcase music that we believe is “Certified Fresh,” is back with the newness! With our latest update this week, we’re gonna focus on Joey BadA$$ and his feud with what seems like the entire West Coast before sharing new heat.
I want to explain how I approach curating the CRT FRSH playlist. Most importantly, I don’t segregate my Hip-Hop. Every form of music from the main cultural tree deserves a listen and a look. When I construct the playlist, I want to include all regions across the States and, when applicable, across the globe. I also want to entertain every fan of Hip-Hop, not just those who enjoy one segment of it. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get to it.
The CRT FRSH playlist is a labor of love. We don’t take payments, nor do we do favors. We only add joints to our playlist that fit the theme and vision we’re going for and don’t seek to waste the listener’s time. Further, we don’t stick to one lane of Hip-Hop. We believe that all aspects of the music should get some light, whether it’s young lions in the trenches or those hoping for that one shot to blow up to grizzled veterans puffing out their chests with lots more to say. — D.L. Chandler, Lead Curator, CRT FRSH
Like I said, I’m opening up this week’s update with all the joints I could find from Joey BadA$$, Ray Vaughn, Daylyt, and anyone else who hopped in the ring, including some of Badmon’s Pro Era team like CJ Fly. Not every song is on DSPs, so what we’ve amassed here is all we got unless folks can clear samples and production to get it up on streamers.
I’m not picking any sides in the battle. I’m just enjoying good rapping, and that it’s all being kept to recordings and not spilling into nonsense in real life. If rapping is a sport, then battling is one of the ways to show and prove one’s mettle. One super impressive thing is that in the back and forth between coasts, folks are working quickly and addressing bars head-on instead of ducking from any smoke.
If I missed a joint you feel like should’ve been added, let me know and I’ll adjust. This playlist is live for two weeks, so we’ll probably have plenty of time to update this. And, from what I’m hearing online, there are over 90 songs recorded by several artists since Joey took the first swipe at the West Coast on his Conductor Williams-produced track, “The Ruler’s Back.”
I’m not going to break down every joint. Instead, check out the collection of songs we did find, search out the rest online, and just enjoy the collection of new heat I tacked on at the end of the disses.
Salute to Joey BadA$$, Daylyt, Ray Vaughn, AZ Chike, REASON, CJ Fly, Kai Ca$h, Hitta J3, YG, Shoreline Mafia, IDK, Joey Valence, Brae, DRAM, Ellis Quinn, Chance The Rapper, Erick The Architect, Joyce Wrice, Smoke DZA, Dave East, Mike & Keys, Niontay, Sideshow, MAVI, Troy Ave, Boldy James, Your Boy Posca, Mike Shabb, CRIMEAPPLE, DJ Skizz, Estee Nack, ETO, Grafh, Benny The Butcher, NYC Rap Star, Ransom, Jay Electronica, Numbz, Larrin, Defcee, Paralell Thought, Lukah, Statik Selektah, Larry June, Cardo Got Wings.
We’ll be back with an update in two more weeks. Check out the CRT FRSH update below.
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Photo: Peter Carruthers / Getty
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On the last day of March, Sen. Cory Booker made history by delivering the longest speech in the history of the U.S. Senate, beating out Sen. Strom Thurmond’s filibuster intended to prevent the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1957. It was a great moment for Booker, who received widespread praise for using his time to call out President Donald Trump and his Constitution-defying, orgiarch-friendly, civil rights eroding administration.
Well, it took Booker less than two months to piss away all of that political fanfare by being the only Democrat vote to confirm ex-con Charles Kushner, father of Ivanka Trump’s husband, Jared Kushner, as ambassador to France.
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For those who aren’t familiar, in 2005, Charles Kushner was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to 16 counts of tax fraud, witness retaliation, and making false statements to the Federal Election Commission.
Since the MAGA-fied GOP had no issue pledging their undying loyalty to a 34-time felon and backing him for the presidency, it’s no surprise that 50 Republican senators voted to confirm Kushner. It’s also not surprising that 45 Democrats voted “no” on the appointment. What has surprised many people, however, is that Booker was not one of those Democrats.
Now his constituents want an explanation.
Unfortunately, there might just be an explanation, just not one that will satisfy anyone who doesn’t like to watch elected officials scratch each other’s backs for political favors. You see, before Booker became the mayor of Newark, New Jersey, in 2006, he ran for the position unsuccessfully in 2002, and, according to The New Jersey Globe, Kushner was a major donor to his campaign.
“Charles Kushner was convicted of making false statements to the FEC and pleaded guilty to tax evasion & witness tampering,” Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) said in a statement explaining her (hell) “no” vote. “And Trump pardoned him. Of course, I voted NO to advance Kushner’s nomination as AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE. We don’t need any more Kushners in government.”
Meanwhile, Booker has been all over X blasting the forthcoming GOP tax bill, which is all well and good, but he seems to be completely ignoring the onslaught of social media users who are dragging him up and down these internet streets, either demanding that he offer up an explanation for his Kushner vote, or just condemning him for doing so.
Check out some of the reactions below.
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On Wednesday (May 21), a federal judge formally dismissed charges against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka brought against him by interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba’s office after he was arrested outside of the Delaney Hall immigration center earlier this month. U.S Magistrate Judge André Espinosa made the ruling in an afternoon hearing, blasting the federal government’s “embarassing” action in filing, then retracting the charges.“An arrest of a public figure is not a preliminary investigative tool. It is a severe action,” Espinosa said while delivering the dismissal. “Federal prosecutors serve a single paramount client: justice itself,” he added., continuing: “Your role is not to secure convictions at all costs, nor to satisfy public clamor, nor to advance political agendas. Your allegiance is to the impartial application of the law, to the pursuit of truth, and to the upholding of due process for all.”Mayor Baraka was at Delaney Hall with New Jersey congressional Democrats Rob Menendez, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and LaMonica McIver protesting the administration’s detaining and deportation policies along with the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. He was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor by Habba’s office. According to The Washington Post, Habba listened in to the hearing but opted not to speak. Espinosa also called out Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Demanovich, who was present in the courtroom, for hearing of the government’s request to drop the charges through news reports rather than it being brought to him directly.Espinosa wasn’t done chastizing the federal government. “The apparent rush in this case, culminating today in the embarrassing retraction of charges, suggests a failure to adequately investigate,” he said. “Your office must operate with a higher standard than that.” Afterward,Mayor Baraka declined to speak to the press, letting his attorneys talk on his behalf. “If this matter had proceeded to trial, we feel confident that Mayor Baraka would be vindicated,” said Rahul Agarwal, one of his laywers. “We have believed from the outset that these charges did not and would not survive scrutiny.”Habba’s office filed charges against Representative McIver on Tuesday on two counts of assaulting, resisting and impeding an officer. If convicted, she faces eight years in prison for each charge. McIver has denounced the charges as “purely political.” She was present for a hearing earlier on Wednesday, with another preliminary hearing set for June 11.
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