News
Page: 80
From “In West Philadelphia born and raised” to now having a street named after him in his hometown, Will Smith will forever be synonymous with Philadelphia. Smith was honored on Wednesday (March 26) during a ceremony celebrating the 56-year-old artist having a street named after him in West Philadelphia. From here on out, 59th Street […]
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Prince Williams / Getty
Memphis rapper GloRilla was forced to cut her show short in St. Louis after multiple fights broke out in the crowd during her performance.
While delivering her hit song “Whatchu Kno About Me,” chaos erupted in the audience yet again, frustrating the rapper. Clearly annoyed, she paused and looked at the crowd, visibly upset, before saying, “The f**k wrong with y’all?” She then shook her head in disbelief and decided to end the show early, much to the disappointment of fans.
This incident wasn’t isolated. At a recent stop in Atlanta, a similar situation occurred, with fights breaking out in the crowd and not stopping despite the efforts of security and event organizers.
It seems that GloRilla’s high-energy performances and raw, in-your-face style of rap are sparking a level of excitement that has people ready to turn up in ways that cross the line into violence. Her unique sound, which she affectionately refers to “music” as “murrrsic,” has a gritty, powerful appeal that riles up her audience. It also appears to have a tendency to fuel aggressive behavior in some fans.
While the CMG rapper continues to garner success with her distinctive style and anthem-like hits, it raises questions about the intensity of her live shows and whether certain audiences might be taking things a bit too far. Despite the disruptions, GloRilla remains a rising star in the rap game, but it’s clear that her shows are not for the faint of heart.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: BROWARD SHERIFF’S OFFICE / Broward Sheriff’s Office
Another rap related legal battle is underway. Sean Kingston and his mother’s fraud trial has commenced, and she has already requested a new lawyer.
As reported by XXL, the Jamaican performer and his mother are finally in court in hopes of clearing their names regarding some very serious wire fraud charges. On Monday (March 24), their trial begun with the typical jury selection process. According to NBC News, the pool started with 45 prospective jurors but was eventually narrowed down to 12 jurors; nine women and four men with one alternate to be on standby. But the following day, Sean’s mother Janice Turner formally requested new representation because “she could not get along with her previous counsel.”
After the session closed for the day Sean Kingston and his mother exited the court and headed to their ride. Janice was spotted holding a bible in her hand and did not answer any questions. Sean on other hand was gracious enough to send a message to his supporters. “All my fans that supported, I love you guys,” he said. The two were both arrested by federal authorities back in May 2024 on fraud charges. Prosecutors claim they swindled several businesses out of pricey items by using fake documentation like wire transfers and payment transfers. Some of the purchases included a $86,000 bed, a Cadillac Escalade SUV valued at $159,701.49 and various pieces of jewelry totaling $480,000.00.
If found guilty they both could face up to 20 years in prison.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Madison Square Garden is owned by a larger entertainment group that oversees the famed venue, along with other properties such as Radio City Music Hall. A patron was barred from entering a Madison Square Garden Entertainment property this week over designing a t-shirt that read “Ban Dolan” back in 2017.As spotted in The Gothamist, Frank William Miller Jr., a notable graphic designer with credits with major brands and record labels, was hoping to take his parents out for their 47th wedding anniversary at Radio City Music Hall. However, facial recognition software used by MSGE and implemented by owner James Dolan flagged Miller over an act that occurred back in 2017.
Miller designed a “Ban Dolan” shirt, which he says was created in response to Dolan banning New York Knicks legend Charles Oakley from Madison Square Garden.
“I just think it’s amusing that a lowly thousandaire like myself is living rent free in a billionaire’s head,” Miller told the outlet regarding his ouster while trying to attend a Cleo Sol concert with his parents. “The only part that really bothers me is that my mom was crying.”
Adding to this, Miller never wore the shirt, and instead, it was worn by a friend of his who attended a Knicks game and was booted from the venue in 2021. Miller was apparently unaware that Dolan and MSGE had banned him from all their venues despite the generally simple explanation for the shirt.
Miller took the incident in stride and urged his parents to enjoy the show without him, but didn’t allow MSGE’s code of conduct violation ban sour him from speaking his mind.
“These venues are bigger than his ownership — they were here before his family owned them,” Miller stated. “They belong to the people, maybe not legally, but the Knicks, Radio City… It’s just crazy.”
Support Williams’ work here.
—Photo: Erik McGregor / Getty
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Source: Marvel Studios / Avengers: Doomsday
Marvel Studios did something entirely different by announcing that Avengers: Doomsday is in production and revealing the highly anticipated comic book movie with a huge cast.
X, formerly Twitter, was buzzing when the Marvel Studios account went live, leaving fans wondering what big announcement was coming. Little did they know they were in for five hours of watching chairs with names lined up to reveal who would be in the film.
The live stream began at 8 am PT Wednesday with Disney-owned studio slowly revealing each cast member by playing accompanying music associated with their characters while placing down the chairs.
Millions of fans tuned in to the 5 hour live stream in hopes their patience would eventually be rewarded, but nope, it was just chairs, and it also just proved how much of stranglehold Marvel Studios still has on the culture.
Out of all of the 27 cast members announced, there was only one person in the exceptionally large soundstage, Robert Downey Jr. himself who was revealed to be playing Dr. Doom in the Russo Brothers directed superhero epic.
Almost Everybody And Their Momma’s Are In Avengers: Doomsday
Some of the names revealed to be in the film should have come as a surprise, especially to those who follow Marvel Studios. Those names include:
Chris Hemsworth as Thor
Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm / Invisible Woman
Anthony Mackie as Captain America
Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes
Letitia Wright as Shuri / Black Panther
Paul Rudd as Ant-Man
Wyatt Russell as John Walker / U.S. Agent
Tenoch Huerta Mejía as Namor
Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm / Thing
Simu Liu as Shang-Chi
Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
Lewis Pullman as Sentry
Danny Ramirez as Falcon
Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm / Human Torch
David Harbour as Red Guardian
Winston Duke as M’Baku
Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost
Tom Hiddleston as Loki
Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic
Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom
The biggest surprised had to be the announcement of the return of OG X-Men from the Fox movie franchises, Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Ian McKellen (Magneto), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler), James Marsden (Cyclops) and Rebacca Romijin (Mystique).
A huge surprise was the announcement of Channing Tatum reprising his role of Gambit we met in Deadpool & Wolverine which was a hit. So clearly he did make a name for himself.
Glaring Ommissions
There were some glaring omissions, no Halle Berry Famke Janssen, or Anna Paquin. Also, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman were also missing plus, fans couldn’t help but bring up Chris Evans, the original Captain America in the MCU.
But chances are high that Kevin Feige has plenty up his sleeve in terms of cameos and other easter eggs when it comes Avengers: Doomsday, so we don’t think these announcements begin to scratch the film’s surface.
But, like with the poster reveal for Avengers: Endagame which became a hilarious meme, the cast reveal for Doomsday has also spawned jokes with users on X, formerly Twitter adding random pop culture characters to the film’s cast.
Lol bruh.
You can always count on social media to deliver some laughs.
Hit the gallery below for more reactions to the Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Vivien Killilea / Getty
It looks like T.I. and his wife Tiny have scored another legal win in their battle against Sabrina Peterson, as a judge as moved to dismiss her defamation lawsuit against the couple after years of back-and-forth.
According to Rolling Stone, the judge overseeing Peterson’s case against T.I. and Tiny tossed her case against the Harris’ citing “her inexcusable failure to push the case along.” The ruling comes after Peterson failed multiple times to follow court orders, which instructed her to pay the Harris’ legal fees to the tune of $96,000 after much of her original lawsuit was thrown out years ago. Naturally, a $96,000 bill is nothing to sniff at if you’re not a successful business person or celebrity. Peterson insists she didn’t mean to defy any court orders, but simply couldn’t afford to put up that kind of money.
Unfortunately, for her, her lack of resources has led to a judge tossing out the remainder of her lawsuit. The judge has taken notice of Peterson’s bragging about being a baller on her social media account while ducking paying off her court-ordered debt to the Harris family.
Per Rolling Stone:
“There’s a possibility of you going to jail. Anything you say could be used against you,” Los Angeles County Judge Michael Shultz warned Peterson before she was sworn in to explain herself Monday. Peterson said she understood and told the court that the $96,000 award represented half of her annual income, so the only way she could pay it would be if the Harrises let her pay $1,000 a month under a “payment plan.”
At one point during her testimony, Peterson spoke over the judge, drawing a rebuke. “Ma’am don’t interrupt. I listened to you,” Judge Shultz said. “It’s been 17 months and you haven’t paid a dime,” he said, referring to the October 2023 order from a prior judge granting the fees. The same judge issued a follow-up order last October giving Peterson 90 days to satisfy the debt.
“It’s been almost two years since she has defied the original court’s order, and almost a year since she defied the second court’s order,” T.I. and Tiny’s attorney, Andrew Brettler, argued Monday. “The case should be dismissed, and Ms. Peterson should be held in contempt of court. She has shown nothing but disrespect. … She brags about how much money she has online and that she’s never paying this sum to the Harrises. And she has absolutely no respect for the court’s time or its orders.”
After getting chewed out in court and walking away with a massive L, Peterson was surprisingly relieved as the past few years has seemingly weighed on her even though she was the one who brought the lawsuit against T.I. and his wife. Unfortunately, for her, this might be the beginning of another yearslong court battle.
“I’m relieved it’s finally over,” Peterson told Rolling Stone as she walked out of the courthouse. “It’s fine. I’m tired. This has gone on for four or five years. I’m really tired.” In her purse, Peterson had a large envelope that had been handed to her by a process server minutes before the hearing started. Brettler told the court that Peterson had been served with the dueling defamation lawsuit filed against her by T.I. in federal court.
Looks like T.I. is looking for a little justice of his own and given his Hip-Hop history, we’re not surprised.
What do y’all think about this sudden turn of events? Let us know in the comments section below.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: VIEW press / Getty
A Columbia University student who filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration was granted a temporary restraining order against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials who were out to arrest and deport her. U.S. District Court Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald issued the order Tuesday (March 25) preventing the officials from taking Yunseo Chung into custody. “Nothing in the record has indicated in any way that she is a danger,” Buchwald said from the bench. Chung is the latest student activist who participated in pro-Palestinian protests targeted by the administration after the high-profile arrest of Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Kahlil.A Department of Homeland Security official alleged that Chung “engaged in concerning conduct,” citing Chung’s arrest after a sit-in protest (which they claim was “pro-Hamas”) at a library at Barnard College, a sister school to Columbia. The 21-year-old received a ticket for “obstruction of governmental administration,” according to her lawsuit filed with CUNY Law School’s CLEAR (Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility) clinic. But ICE officials would show up at her parents’ home on March 9, and the following day Chung’s lawyer was informed that her lawful legal permanent status (Chung came to the U.S. from South Korea at the age of 7) was being revoked. ICE agents also searched for Chung at two residences including her dormitory.
The government, through the office of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is arguing that Chung’s presence in the country is preventing their foreign policy goal of fighting antisemitism. Judge Buchwald swatted down their reasoning, stating that they had to “provide sufficient advance notice” to Chung and her legal team. The judge also barred attempts to transfer Chung out of the Southern District of New York by ICE as they did with Kahlil by transferring him from a facility in Newark, New Jersey, to Louisiana. “No trips to Louisiana here,” she remarked.
“After the constant dread in the back of my mind over the past few weeks, this decision feels like a million pounds off of my chest. I feel like I could fly,” Chung said in a statement to the New York Times after the ruling, adding her gratitude to her lawyers, students, and professors at Columbia who “have given me strength at every turn.” One of her lawyers, CUNY Law Professor Ramzi Kassem, confirmed that Chung is still completing coursework to finish her junior year.
The youngest members of ARMY will soon have the perfect album of lullabies to fall asleep to. As shared exclusively with Billboard Thursday (March 27), Rockabye Baby is taking on BTS for its next album, featuring calming covers of “Butter,” “Dynamite” and more of the K-pop boy band’s biggest hits.
Dropping April 4, Lullaby Renditions of BTS will feature a total of 13 songs. The tracklist includes Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Permission to Dance” and “Life Goes On” as well as “Boy With Luv,” “IDOL,” “Blood, Sweat & Tears,” “ON,” “DOPE,” “DNA,” “Fake Love,” “Save Me” and “Spring Day.”
The project marks Rockabye Baby’s first K-pop tribute album. The children’s music brand has previously released lullaby collections for artists such as Bad Bunny, Dolly Parton, Shakira, Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Beyoncé and more.
Trending on Billboard
Rockabye Baby also shared a video of its soothing take on “Dynamite” with Billboard. In the minute-long clip, BTS’ famous melody plays in the form of gentle, cascading xylophone hits as the brand’s teddy bear mascot sets up a stage in his bedroom, recruits his stuffed animals to be his bandmates and tests out his K-pop dance moves.
The sweet project comes amid the septet’s ongoing break as several of the band’s members complete their required service periods in the South Korean military. Jin was the first to be discharged in June, followed by J-Hope in October.
BTS hasn’t released a proper studio in four years, dropping BE in 2020. The project debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, one of seven total LPs from the group to top the chart.
Here’s the tracklist for Lullaby Renditions of BTS:
“Dynamite”
“Butter”
“Boy With Luv”
“IDOL”
“Permission to Dance”
“Blood, Sweat & Tears”
“ON”
“Dope”
“DNA”
“Fake Love”
“Save Me”
“Spring Day”
“Life Goes On”
As the first person to ever win American Idol, Kelly Clarkson walked a lonely road for several years as other stars in the music industry had mixed feelings about her then-unorthodox route to success.
On the latest episode of Kylie Kelce’s Not Gonna Lie podcast posted Thursday (March 27), the “Stronger” singer revealed that some of her now peers initially judged her for getting her start on Idol — something that wouldn’t be so ironic if some of those same stars didn’t end up serving as coaches on offshoot competition series The Voice. “I had no one,” Clarkson began. “I was the first winner. It was hard.”
“People were really mean,” she continued without naming names. “People that were really mean have been coaches. You know what I’m saying? Like, hated talent shows, and they ended up being on The Voice.”
Trending on Billboard
Clarkson won season one of American Idol in 2002, a victory that propelled her to a successful career in music marked by three Billboard Hot 100-topping hits and three No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 so far. Ever since the flagship show premiered, numerous other competition series inspired by Idol have sprung up over the years — one of which, The Voice, saw Clarkson stepping into the coaching role for seasons 14-21 and 23.
But while televised talent shows are all the rage now, the three-time Grammy winner added that 20 years ago, “people were really cruel at first.”
“They didn’t like it,” she told Kelce. “It took the industry kind of by storm, the talent shows. It was a very unlikable thing in the industry concerning the populous. Now there’s so many.”
One advantage of starting out on Idol, however, was Clarkson’s ability to empathize with the contestants back when she was a coach on The Voice. The same applied to fellow coach Jennifer Hudson, who competed on Idol in 2004 before joining The Voice panel on seasons 13 and 15.
“People like us who have been there in that audition process, and just being so judged instantaneously, on maybe not your best performance but you know you can do better … it’s a grueling thing,” Clarkson said of herself and the Dream Girls star. “And it’s unforgiving in a lot of ways, and a lot of pressure for these artists that I don’t think a lot of artists that sell tons of records would be able to handle. It’s a different thing.”
Listen to Clarkson reflect on Idol critics on Not Gonna Lie below.
If you already loved K-pop girl group aespa‘s 2024 hit “Whiplash” then you’re in luck, because on Thursday (March 27) they dropped not one, but three new versions of the bouncy pop track. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “We’re so excited to share these new versions of […]