State Champ Radio GALLERY
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Ab-Soul was largely seen as a neutral player in the ongoing Joey BadA$$ versus the entire West Coast beef that’s going down, but it appeared that the back-and-forths were done with. Ab-Soul emerged with a new track addressing the war of the coasts while also throwing a shot towards DJ Akademiks that sparked an expected response from the media figure.
Ab-Soul recently joined Big Sean and JoeyBad$$ two weeks ago in a Red Bull Spiral Freestyle, where the Black Lip Pastor spoke directly to Badmon’s salvo against the West Coast. However, Soul also showed his alignment and respect for BadA$$’s Pro Era team and kept things strictly rap.
Since that time, a barrage of songs from Soul’s TDE labelmate Ray Vaughn, Hitta J3, Az Chike, Daylyt, and more. Joey got backup from the likes of his Pro Era colleagues Nyck Caution and CJ Fly, along with jabs from Generation Now’s Kai Ca$h among others.
The new drop from Ab-Soul was produced by Low The Great, who has a project with the aforementioned Az Chike, and Python P, whom Soul has worked with on previous tracks. The first half of the new joint finds Soul rapping in an aggressive double-time flow at a lower register than we normally hear him, conversational in tone as he dissected Daylyt and Vaughn’s battle bars and their assumed flaws.
In the second half of the song, Soulo ramps up the energy and lets it be known that while he has love for Pro Era, it’s still very much Carson and TDE for life for the lyricist. In this half, Soul raps that he’ll smack Akademiks when he sees him, setting off an entirely new thread to this coastal conflict.
Ak, talking to his fans on stream, fired back with the threat of death towards Soul, saying, “If you ever raise a hand on me, it’ll be your last day on Earth, n*gga. You’ll join Nipsey, King Von, and Pac. All of y’all gonna be having a good time.”
Fans on X caught wind of DJ Akademiks issuing the grim warning towards Ab-Soul and dropped off some choice words. We’ll share the reactions from all sides, along with the track in question, below.
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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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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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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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Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi took the stand this week at the sex trafficking and racketeering trial for Sean “Diddy” Combs, detailing his side of the ordeal and alleging that the mogul attempted to harm him. Kid Cudi testified that he confronted Diddy after an incident involving his car, referring to him as a “Marvel supervillain.”
Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi was in New York at the Manhattan federal court on Thursday (May 22), where Sean “Diddy” Combs has endured brutal testimony from the likes of ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura and former recording artist Dawn Richard.
As spotted in Newsweek, Mescudi shared his side of things in the wake of Ventura’s testimony. Ventura shared that she and Mescudi had a brief romantic encounter that was strained by the alleged actions of Combs to keep them apart. According to Mescudi, he was unaware that Combs and Ventura were still an item after he began dating the singer in 2011.
In 2012, Mescudi’s car was set on fire while away from his home, stating from the stand that he later confronted Combs at Soho House in Los Angeles. Combs claimed that he didn’t know anything about the car bombing, according to Mescudi. When asked what his reactions were regarding the car explosion, Mescudi replied on the stand, “Umm, what the f* ck?”
In addition to the exploding car, Mescudi claims that Combs entered his residence in a bid to intimidate the rapper and actor, whilst attempting to sever the connection with Ventura.
Mescudi said he broke things off with Ventura due to what he referred to as “drama” and added that Ventura “played” both him and Combs. He also added that Combs approached him and apologized for all of the alleged actions that took place during the ordeal with Ventura.
On X, reactions to Kid Cudi’s testimony are all over the map. We’ve got the best reactions below.
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Adin Ross is no stranger to garnering controversy as dictated by the many times he’s gone viral for his explosive takes and his current alignment with DDG, who was recently accused of some heinous acts. During a recent livestream, Adin Ross unleashed a vicious verbal attack against Doechii, calling her a “piece of sh*t” among other choice words.
Adin Ross, 24, is one of the most popular streamers in the business and boasts over a billion views among his various platforms that include Twitch, YouTube, and the Kick platform where he is currently signed. During a stream, someone in the chat mentioned Doechii’s name, sparking Ross to go on a tirade.
“Don’t get me started on that b*tch,” Ross repeatedly said, adding, “Don’t get me started on that industry plant. People say a lot of sh*t about me but one thing I’m not is an industry plant.”
Ross continued to aim barbs at Doechii, angered by what he witnessed during the TDE artist’s Met Gala appearance. The “Anxiety” star was seen on video sharply directing her team to cover her Met Gala outfit from the rain as she traveled to the event. She has since apologized to her team and fans for the outburst.
That wasn’t good enough for Ross, who then called Doechii a “entitled, unintelligent piece of sh*t” and urged his fans to stop listening to her music. He then made a plea to The Weeknd and Playboi Carti, asking why they included Doechii on the “Timeless” remix.
On X, fans are packing up Adin Ross with the swiftness, along with making mention that he was just on air with DDG, who is accused of physically abusing his son’s mother, Halle Bailey.
Check out the reactions below.
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Ironheart, the highly anticipated miniseries starring Dominique Thorne as genius MIT student Riri Williams, is slated to launch this summer. Marvel dropped the official trailer for Ironheart on Wednesday (May 14), which details Riri Williams’ journey into superheroism after studying abroad in a famed African nation.
Dominique Thorn stars as Riri Williams, an MIT student from Chicago who is encountered by a mysterious figure known as The Hood, played by Anthony Ramos, who helps fund her mission to build an all-powerful armored suit similar to the suits created by the late Tony Stark, better known to the world as Iron Man.
The trailer shows The Hood testing Williams’ brilliance inside her makeshift laboratory, and later promising riches to make her dreams of building a super-suit come true. As it would happen, The Hood doesn’t seem to have the purest intentions for Williams, setting up a clash with Ironheart in the future.
The six-part series follows the action shortly after Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, where we first encounter Williams after being recruited by the Dora Milaje’s top general, Okoye. Coogler also serves as an executive producer for the series, which also stars Lyric Ross as Williams’ friend Natalie Washington, and Alden Ehrenreich as Joe McGillicuddy, among others.
Get the full cast and other details for Ironheart here. Check out the trailer below. The show’s first three episodes will be released on June 24.
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Source: John Nacion / Getty
Jake Tapper is facing loads of criticism after promoting a book that details the alleged physical and mental decline of President Joe Biden. Despite the CNN anchor’s past defenses of President Joe Biden, many have viewed Jake Tapper’s book as an underhanded play to boost sales and play both sides.
Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson of Axios co-wrote Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, which looks at the prior presidential election cycle and the decision for President Biden to attempt to run for a second term.
What seemed to turn most heads was that Tapper was seen as a strong advocate for Biden, often defending the president’s performance and praising his efforts to lead to country. Now, it appears that Tapper and Thompson’s book is looking to blast holes in Biden’s legacy, moving away from the praise Tapper once heaped upon the longtime public servant.
Naturally, opponents of CNN, mainstream media at large, and Biden himself are delighting in what they’re framing as a contradictory position by Tapper. Others are accusing the anchor of looking to make a quick cash grab at the expense of a man he once defended with fervor and passion on the airwaves.
Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again is slated to be released on May 20, 2025.
On X, reactions to Jake Tapper’s upcoming book have been cropping up. We’ve got reactions from all sides below.
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Source: Theo Wargo / Getty
Halle Bailey has levied explosive claims against the father of her son, DDG, alleging that the popular streamer and music artist abused and attacked her several times during their union. On Tuesday (May 13), Halle Bailey filed to obtain a court-ordered restraining order against DDG.
In a report from TMZ, it was shared that Halle Bailey, 25, detailed the abuse she suffered at the hands of DDG, 27, adding that the issues dated back to the top of this year. The pair have not been an item since October of last year, but were still in contact as co-parents for their young son.
During a January visit to his son, DDG reportedly became angry with Bailey as she tried to get their son in a car seat, allegedly calling the singer the b-word and demanding she leave his vehicle. From there, Bailey says that the two began to scuffle, with the streamer allegedly slamming Bailey’s head against a steering wheel.
Adding to this, Bailey claimed that back in March, DDG showed up at her house and let himself in without asking, then went to her bedroom to take a photo of her empty bed. He then allegedly sent an image of the text with the caption, “now I know what u been on lol,” which Bailey presumed was charging her with having sex with other people.
Days later, the menacing allegedly continued with DDG appearing at Bailey’s home asking to see their son, but she didn’t want the boy to leave as she told the father that Mom and baby were feeling ill. DDG was allegedly angered by this and smashed Bailey’s Ring camera and took her phone.On X, the reactions to the news have fans of Halle Bailey angry and ready to ride against DDG, who feigned shock at the news during a stream with Adin Ross. We’ve got those reactions below.–Photo: Getty
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Source: John Lamparski / Getty
The sex trafficking trial for Sean “Diddy” Combs is underway after opening statements were heard as the prosecution unveiled their star witness, Cassie Ventura, who took the stand. Among the harrowing details shared by Cassie Ventura, she added that her fear of Diddy’s anger is why she went along with the so-called “freak-off” parties.
We do wish to caution readers before proceeding, as some of the details within will be disturbing to some.
TMZ reports that prosecutors opened up their case on Tuesday (May 13) to discuss the allegations of sexual abuse, violence, coercion, and assault that occurred under Diddy’s watch and direction. Before Ventura took the stand, the prosecution shared that Combs forced his ex-girlfriend to have sex with male escorts, with one allegedly urinating in her mouth under Combs’ orders.
Ventura, who was accompanied by her husband Alex Fine to court, spoke about the 2016 beating at the hands of Combs, sharing that it happened shortly after a freak-off party. When asked why she participated willingly, Ventura shared that she was “confused, nervous. I wanted to make him happy.”
Prosecutors questioned if Ventura agreed to attend the initial freak-off party, and she did so without knowing it would be the start of more.
“Then there were more. It wasn’t something I wanted to do, at least not that frequently,” Ventura told the prosecutors. She added that the fear of retaliation and the threat that Diddy would release the video footage of the freak-off activities kept her from saying anything.
Ventura also told prosecutors that she provided evidence of the freak-off parties, sharing that she provided several laptops that allegedly contained said footage. Amid all of this, Ventura and Fine are expecting their third child.
On X, reactions to the opening statements are in, and we’ve got some listed below.
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