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Last week, we reported that attorneys for Michael Boatwright, Trayvon Newsome, and Dedrick Williams, three of the four men accused of robbing and murdering rap star XXXTentacion in 2018, suggested that Drake might have been largely responsible for the “Look at Me!” rapper’s killing.
The defendants’ attorneys floated the possibility that despite their clients being tied to the shooting through surveillance footage and cellphone spots, as well as the testimony of a fourth participant in the crime, Robert Allen, it was actually an obscure rap beef between Drake and XXXTentacion that ultimately resulted in the victim’s death. In fact, the attorneys named Drake, Joe Budden, The Migos and others as eyewitnesses to the crime, which they said was not committed by their clients.
This, of course, set Black Twitter into a frenzied debate about whether or not the “Hotline Bling” rapper was the killer this whole time.
But fans can rest assured that Drake will not be taking the rap for XXXtentacion’s murder, nor will he be required to appear at the trial at all. According to TMZ, Judge Michael A. Usan granted a motion by the Certified Loverboy to avoid taking part in a deposition he was previously ordered to appear for after attorney Mauricio Padilla, who represents Williams, requested his presence during the trial to answer questions.
Apparently, Usan agreed with Drake’s attorney, Bradford Cohen, who argued that Drake had no relevant information to offer about the case. TMZ noted that “Padilla could convince the judge there’s some other cause for Drake to be deposed, and get a new subpoena,” but that’s unlikely considering the fact that the trial has already started. (And there’s also the fact that a rap beef no one really paid attention to is hardly evidence that Champagne Papi was involved in a murder.)
Either way, the defense team maintains that their clients, who are all charged with first-degree murder, are the victims of lies told by Allen.
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Source: Scott Dudelson / Getty / XXXTentacion
The certified lover boy, Drake, has blood on his hands. That is what defense lawyers in the XXXTentacion murder trial are claiming.
Drake allegedly played a vital role in the 2018 murder of Hip-Hop star XXXTentaction, the defense team for the three men on trial for the death of the “SAD!” crafter claim.
According to the lawyers, an alleged beef between the late rapper and Drizzy possibly led to XXXTentacion’s 2018 murder, but authorities never pursued that angle.
The trial of Michael Boatwright, Trayvon Newsome, and Dedrick Williams is finally underway, with opening statements being presented. All three men are charged with first-degree murder and are looking at life in prison for XXXTentacion’s murder.
A fourth member, Robert Allen, who was with the three other men, has already pled guilty to second-degree murder last year and will take the stand against Boatwright, Newsome, and Williams.
In December, the three defendant’s attorneys named Joe Budden, Drake, and The Migos, plus others as key witnesses, the Miami Herald reports. The defense also claims the three men are a victim of the lies being spread by Allen.
Broward Circuit Judge Michael Usan isn’t buying what the defense is selling, and wonders what relationship the celebs named have with the murder. The prosecution called the defense’s tactics a silly stunt.
The Prosecutor Thinks The Drake Link Is A Joke
“It is apparent from the deliberate, late disclosure of the defendant’s witnesses and comments made between the parties that [the] defendant intended to ‘surprise’ the state and create a trial by ambush,” prosecutor Pascale Achille said to the judge.
She also said the defense provided no addresses or contact information for the celebs so that a subpoena could be issued.
Dedrick Williams’ attorney, Mauricio Padilla, pushed back at Achille’s claims of his tactics being nothing more than a joke.
“They are high-profile people,” Padilla told Judge Usan. “And it’s not easy for me to subpoena. I don’t have numbers, but it doesn’t mean I won’t be able to. Trying to subpoena Drake is not easy — you need a drone.”
Drake’s name being brought up during the trial by lawyers due to an eyebrow-raising post on XXXTentaction’s Instagram page where he wrote, “If anyone tries to kill me it was @champagnepapi.”
The post was eventually deleted, and the late rapper said his account was hacked. XXXTentacion also threw shots at Drake and his mother on Twitter.
As expected, Twitter had thoughts and sounded off on the platform. You can see the reactions in the gallery below.
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Photo: Scott Dudelson / Getty
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Source: OVO / OVO
Drake and his team are coming with a new project just in time for Super Bowl Sunday. They have announced an OVO x NFL capsule collection.
As spotted on High Snobiety the Canada based brand has unveiled some new pieces as part of a football forward drop. On Thursday, February 2 released what seems to be their most extensive capsule yet with officially licensed product bearing the likeness of some of the National Football League’s most popular clubs including Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams, and Las Vegas Raiders.
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Included in this team inspired collection are varsity jackets, t-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, mock neck sweaters, long sleeve shirts, crewneck sweaters, sweat pants, and neck gaiters. Additionally, we also get a collectible in the form of a Riddell mini helmet that is housed in a plastic case. As expected we get co-branding throughout every product with OVO logo and the respective team’s marks.
For the launch of the capsule Drake and company tapped into some of his favorite collaborators including Lil Wayne and Benny The Butcher. Naturally, Weezy is outfitted in all Green Bay Packers pieces while Benny is sporting all Buffalo Bills merch. The OVO x NFL capsule collection is available now and can be shopped here.
Source: OVO / OVO
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Drake and the NFL are joining forces for a fashion collaboration just in time for game day. The sporty collab between the football league and the Canadian rapper’s October’s Very Own lifestyle brand was announced Tuesday (Jan. 31) and will debut later this week.
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Drake tapped his Young Money boss Lil Wayne and fellow rapper Benny the Butcher to star in the campaign, which features OVO x NFL co-branded hoodies, varsity jackets and tees. The limited collection launches this Friday, Feb. 3, at NFLshop.com, NFLShop.ca and in OVO stores and online at octobersveryown.com.
Weezy, a proud Green Bay Packers fan, represents his favorite team in a green varsity jacket in one photo and green hoodie in another. Ditto for Benny who sports Buffalo Bills gear in honor of his hometown team.
Lil Wayne
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Benny Butcher
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Underscoring the partnership’s Canadian roots, Canadian NFL players Jevon Holland, a safety for the Miami Dolphins, and Neville Gallimore, a defensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys, will showcase the campaign across their respective social media platforms.
Other teams featured in the collection include the New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders, San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams.
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News of the NFL x OVO capsule collection comes one week after the league unveiled its merch collab with Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty brand and sporting goods giant Mitchell & Ness.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will face off in this year’s Super Bowl scheduled for next Sunday, Feb. 12, at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
Chris Stapleton will sing the national anthem, Babyface is singing “America the Beautiful,” Abbott Elementary star Sheryl Lee Ralph will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and Rihanna is taking over the halftime show. Super Bowl LVII airs on Fox at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT. Want to catch the action in person? Click here to buy tickets to the Super Bowl.
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Jim Jones’ voice will be heard no matter the setting. He recently met NYC Mayor Eric Adams and made sure to speak up on behalf of his community.
As spotted on HipHopDX, Capo was slotted to perform with his Diplomats group at Drake’s show at the world famous Apollo theater Sunday, Jan. 22. While he was hanging out in the dressing room, he got the chance to meet Eric Adams, current Mayor of New York City. The Lobby Boy took the opportunity to express his concerns with the current state of the city; specifically the Harlem area.
“I’m not th [sic] most politically correct by [sic] I know politics as usual I chose to think of my community Harlem there r so many things we need here in our city of Harlem Nyc and who else is better to express those concerns to And I know these concerns won’t b fix over night but every step forward is a step closer” he wrote on an Instagram post.
The two seemed to make a genuine connection as the politician looked to be engaged in the conversation. Later on they exchanged their contact information. Jim made it clear that the impromptu chat left an impression on him.
“This my first time meetin any mayor from ny and he’s a black mayor which I’m a very proud to see someone who looks like me in a position of power and is takin th [sic] steps to help turn th [sic] city round from experience and political position.”
You can see footage of Jones and Adams talking below.
Photo: Bernard Beanz Smalls
Drake is joining the roster of star-studded parties for 2023 Super Bowl Weekend, performing at h.wood Homecoming on Friday night, Feb. 10, at the private jet complex Scottsdale Hangar One in Scottsdale, Ariz., Billboard can exclusively reveal.
The h.wood Group and Uncommon Entertainment announced the news Tuesday (Jan. 24), bringing back Cash App & Visa Present h.wood Homecoming after last year’s Los Angeles pop-up ahead of the 2022 Super Bowl, which featured performances by Justin Bieber and Drake.
“We are thrilled to bring the h.wood Homecoming experience back for a second consecutive year in partnership with Uncommon Entertainment,” said John Terzian and Brian Toll of The h.wood Group. “We saw monumental success in Los Angeles in 2022, and this year’s lineup of talent and experiences promise to create yet another unforgettable evening leading up to the big game weekend.”
The hangar will transform into a “two-story playground,” according to a press release, showcasing artists, brands and experiences. Other sponsors for the event include Taco Bell, Grey Goose, NUTRL, Celsius and Mezcal El Silencio, which is planning an immersive bar and tattoo pop-up in the space.
h.wood Homecoming, with music by Zack Bia & Night Owl Sound, is set for 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Feb. 10.
Super Bowl Sunday is set for Feb. 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., where the winner of next weekend’s games — San Francisco 49ers vs. Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals vs. Kansas City Chiefs — will face off for the NFL championship and Drake’s frequent collaborator Rihanna will take the 50-yard line as the halftime show headliner.
Drake might have offered a preview of his Homecoming performance this past weekend, playing back-to-back concerts at Harlem’s Apollo Theater on Saturday and Sunday nights and bringing 21 Savage and Dipset along for the ride.
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It seems like every month New York City Mayor Eric Adams finds a new way to frustrate and alienate his Big Apple constituents, and now he’s showing that he simply does not give a f*ck.
Over the weekend NYPD was criticized for taking videos of everyone attending Drake’s show at The Apollo Theater with fears that they’d be used for facial recognition. When asked about the practice, Mayor Eric Adams applauded the NYPD for the controversial tactic. Gothamist is reporting that Adams praised Police Captain Tarik Sheppard of the 28th Precinct saying “Thumbs up to that great captain,” before adding “And I encourage all of my commanding officers to be creative on how we engage with our residents,” he said, adding, “That was a safe event.”
That’s considered “engaging” with residents?! Feels more like a violation of our personal space. More and more it’s looking like Eric Adams is going to be a one-term Mayor.
A spokesperson for the 28th Precinct meanwhile said that the officer taking the videos of the people exiting the Drake concert is a part of their social media team and that “The officer was taking video for an upcoming twitter post that will highlight local community events. The video will not be utilized for any other reason.”
Yeah, ok.
Will Owen, of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, an anti-surveillance and privacy rights group, isn’t buying that explanation (neither are we) and feels that “This is yet another example of NYPD’s racist use of surveillance technology, following the department’s long legacy of targeting rap concerts. We’re deeply concerned facial recognition may have been involved, and demand the department destroy any footage it took. This is the latest proof that the city and state must ban its use at venues once and for all.”
We doubt that Eric Adams will hear the outcry from his constituents as he’s blatantly brushing off any criticism that’s come with this past weekend’s suspect practice.
“Those who are naysayers find reasons to complain about everything,” he said. “That’s not reality. Let them keep complaining.”
What’s the chances that Eric Adams is actually a MAGA Republican on the low? Just sayin.’
What do y’all think of the NYPD recording concertgoers this past weekend and Eric Adams response? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Source: Prince Williams / Getty / Drake
Drake has strengthened his OVO Sound label’s roster with the addition of Naomi Sharon, the first woman to rep his imprint.
The news comes as Drake shut down Harlem’s iconic Apollo Theater for two nights that saw the Canadian Hip-Hop star perform a bevy of his records and share the stage with Dipset and 21 Savage.
Drake took to Instagram to announce the big news while formally introducing Naomi Sharon to not only his millions of followers but his fans all around the globe.
“@naomisharon I been waiting for this day for too long now where the world finally gets to digest the insane amount of work you have put in since we met. My dear friend just dropped her single Another Life on OVO SOUND,” the rapper wrote in a post on the gram that features a photo of the cover art for her new single and a clip from her new visual.
The Dutch-born singer returned the love in the comment section, writing, “I will be forever thankful for this insane opportunity you gave me. Finally, we can share this with the world. Big love.”
OVO Sounds’ leading producer Noah “40” Shebib also expressed his excitement for his label’s latest signee adding in a separate post, “I’m honoured to be a part of this journey. Im so proud of you and can’t wait for the world to hear the rest of what you’ve been working on.”
Sharon first hit the music scene in 2019 with “The Moon,” followed by her second single, “Breeze.” In 2021 she gave fans a taste of what’s to come with “1991.” before her latest singles, she released Hills” and “Daughter of the Sun on streaming platforms.
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Some audience members leaving a concert by Drake at the Apollo Theater in Harlem came outside to see a New York Police Department officer filming those filing out, raising concerns from privacy advocates over what would be done with the footage.
The NYPD said Monday (Jan. 23) the video would only be used for a social media post, but there were still calls for the material to be deleted.
Music writer Jon Caramanica of The New York Times tweeted on Saturday night that the NYPD was filming those leaving the show at the Apollo Theater, putting up a video showing an officer seemingly recording those coming out.
In a statement, the department said the officer was part of the social media team for the local precinct and was getting video for a social media post about local events.
“The video will not be utilized for any other reason,” the department said.
But the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, a New York City-based group that focuses on privacy and civil rights, called the videotaping “highly concerning” and that attendees were being surveilled without their consent. It demanded the video be destroyed.
See Caramanica’s video below:
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Source: Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty
Over the weekend, the King of The North, Drake, galloped down to the city of dreams and had social media buzzing after putting on two historic shows at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.
It all began Saturday night (Jan. 21) when Drake performed at the historic theater. Drizzy performed classic hit after classic hit such as “Best I Ever Had,” “Say Something” and “Marvin’s Room” much to the delight of the crowd. Looking to wow the crowd, Drizzy treated fans and celebrities in attendance to some surprise performances. He brought out special guests such as Dip Set and 21 Savage to join him on stage.
Decked out in baggy clothes, chunky ice and pink attire, you would’ve thought Drake was a part of the 2000’s Diplomats forreal forreal. They could’ve used a singer/rapper back then too. Aside from performing the music catalogue that helped propel him to superstardom, The Grio is reporting that new music is on the way just months after dropping his latest project with 21 Savage, Her Loss. Drake even revealed he’d be hitting the road for a new tour this year.
“I thought about a bunch of things in life, but at this moment in time, none of those things are stopping making music for you,” Drake told the doting crowd. “I hope I can strike up some more emotions for you, maybe this year — I might get bored and make another one.”
Noting this was his first show in about five years and later stating “I’ll be out and about on the road a lot this year,” Spotify’s most-streamed artist in the U.S. last year told his captivated audience the show was about gratefulness.
“I wanted to make this a show about gratitude,” Drake said. “This is a little story we put together: my deep love for my family, for my dear friends and each and every one of you that have been supporting me for a long time.”
With the way Drake had the internet talking with his weekend performances at The Apollo, you know Drizzy bout to clean up with that tour money in 2023.
Were you able to catch any of Drake’s shows at The Apollo Theater over the weekend? Let us know in the comments section below.