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Source: James Devaney / Getty / Cardi B
President Biden and Donald Trump don’t have to worry about Cardi B pulling the lever for either of them in the voting booth in the upcoming presidential election.
Speaking with Rolling Stone, the Bronx Hip-Hop star got candid on numerous topics, including her highly anticipated sophomore album, love life, parenting with her ex-husband Offset, and politics.
The “Bodak Yellow” crafter has never been one to shy away from sharing her thoughts on political matters and what’s going on in the country, so it should come as no surprise that she had something to say about our choices when picking a president.
In the interview, Cardi B doubled down that neither the incumbent, President Joe Biden, nor his rival, disgraced former president Donald Trump, will be getting her support.
“I don’t fuck with both of y’all n*ggas,” Cardi B told the publication.
Cardi B’s Beef With The Current Government
This is not the first time Bardi has expressed her disdain for President Biden, whom she supported in the 2020 election. She explained that her current stance is due to “layers and layers of disappointment.”
“I feel like people got betrayed,” in reference to wages not going up (wage growth is outpacing inflation), the cost of living going up at a staggering rate, and no one in the government is doing anything.
We can attribute the lack of production due to the House GOP, who instead participate in culture wars and spend their time standing behind Trump in solidarity while he is on trial for illegal hush money payments he made to porn star Stormy Daniels.
“It’s just like, damn, y’all not caring about nobody,” she told Rolling Stone. “Then, it really gets me upset that there is solutions to it. There is a solution. I know there’s a solution because you’re spending billions of dollars on any fucking thing.”
She’s No Fan of “Endless Wars”
Cardi B also spoke out against President Biden’s commitment to supply military aid to allies Ukraine and Israel last fall and told Rolling Stone the United States should not “pay for endless wars for countries that have been going through shit for a very long time.”
“There’s countries [where] kids are getting killed every single day, but because the [U.S.] won’t benefit from that country, they won’t help,” she explained.
“I don’t like that America has this superhero cape on. We never did things to be superheroes. We did things for our own convenience.”
Ukraine is currently fending off dictator Vladimir Putin’s Russia, who illegally invaded the neighboring country on February 22, 2024, in an attempt to restore Russia’s strategic depth and counter NATO’s eastward expansion.
Israel is currently locked in a battle with Hamas to free hostages taken by the terrorist organization on October 7 during the bloody surprise attack on the country.
Gaza has been ground zero for the Israel-Hamas conflict, which has seen the death and displacement of Palestinians, leading to massive protests breaking out on college campuses and city streets across the United States.
X Users Are Reminding Cardi B She Is Speaking From A Place of Privilege
Following the article’s release, Cardi B received plenty of flak for her stance on not voting. Users on X, formerly Twitter, didn’t waste time reminding her that she could afford not to vote because she was in a position most Black and Brown US citizens were not.
“Cardi B and celebrities like her are fortunate enough to not have to care about who the president or any elected official is bc the decisions they make likely will not affect them. The rest of us don’t have that luxury,” one user on X wrote.
Another X user wrote. “YOU do not have the financial means to ignore. YOU will be the first to suffer. When the plague comes it strikes your home and your body first.”
Responding to the backlash, Cardi B explained her decision to not support Biden due to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
“I just can’t support that. My heart can’t support that, “Cardi B said during a Twitter Spaces stream. “I can’t see children under rubble. Im not with that. I hate that. It disgusts me. My heart hates it.”
Cardi B has every right to feel the way she does, but keeping it a buck, there is a lot at stake in our democracy, and who is sitting in the Oval Office after November 5 will most definitely impact our future.
Do your due diligence and read up on Project 2025 before mindlessly following Cardi B’s lead.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. An excellent explainer video
2. Another video you should watch
3. Civics 101
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Source: Rockstar Games / GTA 6
We don’t have an exact date for when we will return to Vice City in GTA 6, but the window for the highly anticipated game’s release did narrow a bit.
Rockstar Games’ parent company, Take-Two Interactive, revealed in its Q4 2024 earnings report that Grand Theft Auto 6 will arrive in fall 2025.
While that’s not an exact date, it’s a slight update from the more vague “coming 2025” release window.
“Our outlook reflects a narrowing of Rockstar Games’ previously established window of Calendar 2025 to Fall of Calendar 2025 for Grand Theft Auto VI,” Take-Two Chairman and CEO Strauss Zelnick said in the report. “We are highly confident that Rockstar Games will deliver an unparalleled entertainment experience, and our expectations for the commercial impact of the title continue to increase.”
In an interview with Variety, speaking on the game’s fall 2025 release window, Zelnick added, “I think we’re going to leave it there for now.”
GTA 6’s Rollout Marred By Leaks
Gamers shouldn’t be surprised by the vagueness. Rockstar Games plays it very close to the chest for its games, especially Grand Theft Auto.
Information about the game in the form of leaked materials hitting X, formerly Twitter timelines, September 2022.
Then, the game studio had to release GTA 6’s trailer earlier than planned when a bunch of crypto dweebs leaked it.
The trailer confirmed that the game will feature two male and female protagonists and take us to Leonida, the GTA equivalent of Florida, and we will spend most of our time in Vice City, the game’s take on Miami.
With any news regarding GTA 6, the reactions are pouring in. Some are excited that we seem to be getting closer to a release date, while others want to know the EXACT day we can expect to boot up the game.
With this game, we want Rockstar Games to take its time and deliver a game on the same level as GTA V.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
2. Challenge accepted
4. A perspective we can get behind.
12. Now why would you say that?
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Source: Slaven Vlasic / Getty / Eric Adams
NYC Mayor Mixxy, aka Eric Adams, continues to strongly push for the title of worst mayor ever.
New York City is facing a lifeguard shortage, which could be an issue for the upcoming Summer season. Mayor Adams has a possible solution for that problem: hiring immigrants because they are “excellent swimmers.”
Adam’s latest boneheaded statement came after being asked about the lifeguard staffing at the city’s pools and beaches potentially being an issue as Memorial Day approaches.
Local news affiliate News 4 New York reports that Adams responded to the question by suggesting the city expedite work licenses for migrants and asylum seekers.
“How do we have a large body of people that are in our city and country that are excellent swimmers and at the same time we need lifeguards — and the only obstacle is that we won’t give them the right to work to become a lifeguard?” Adams said.
The website also notes that Mayor Adams mentioned other “in-demand professions” like food service workers and nurses, which could lead to migrants being fast-tracked to work.
News 4 New York reports that the mayor’s office did not immediately provide any more information when asked for further comment.
X Users Are Clowning Mayor Adams For His Suggestion
Unsurprisingly, Adams is being clowned on X, formerly Twitter, for his latest comments.
“The worst part about Eric Adams is that we all had to vote for him because the other option was a crazy vigilante in a red beret covered in cats,” one user on X wrote.
Mayor Adams is working extremely hard to be a one-term mayor. We hope there are better options when choosing a competent mayor for New York City.
Until that day, you can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. Accurate
2. All New York City residents when this man speaks
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Source: Jeff Fusco / Getty / Comcast
We didn’t ask for it, but another cable-like streaming bundle is coming.
Comcast chief Brian Roberts announced a new three-way bundle featuring Peacock, Netflix, and Apple TV+ is coming at a reduced price.
Speaking Tuesday at MoffettNathanson’s 2024 Media, Internet, and Communications Conference in New York, Roberts said the new package will be called the StreamSaver bundle and will be available to all Comcast broadband and TV customers.
Without revealing many details, Roberts said that Peacock, Netflix, and Apple TV+ will “come at a vastly reduced price to anything in the market today.”
According to Roberts, the goal of this new bundle is to “add value to consumers” and, at the same time, “take some of the dollars out of” the other streaming companies’ businesses.
“We’ve been bundling video successfully and creatively for 60 years, and so this is the latest iteration of that,” Roberts said. “I think this will be a pretty compelling package.”
Social Media Says The Bundle Is Basically Cable TV
The new bundle’s reception isn’t met with the excitement Roberts hoped for. Most users on X, formerly Twitter, are basically saying this is just cable television, which many have cut their cord for, replacing it with streaming platforms.
“let me just go ahead and get a landline too,” one person on X wrote in response to the announcment.
Another user wrote, “Cable is back baby! (Without the same residuals for actors though).
One user pointed out this move could be out of desperation because the streamers are not making as much money as they used to.
“They are all folding. Individually, each business model cannot sustain itself. When you see mergers like this happen, it’s because they are hemorrhaging money. They merge not to become a superpower but to save each other,” the post on X read.
Welp.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. Exactly
3. Too damn much
5. Basically
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Source: Alvaro Keding / AMNH
Hip-Hop is at the American Museum Of Natural History. Ice Cold: An Exhibition of Hip-Hop Jewelry opened at the famed New York City museum on Thursday, May 9 and it is must attend for any proper Rap fans.
The special exhibition features an impressive collection of custom-made jewelry from fashionable current and old-school Hip-Hop stars including Nicki Minaj, A$AP Rocky, Slick Rick and Jay-Z. There are also cherished pieces from artists the culture has lost including the Notorious B.I.G., Biz Markie and Young Dolph.
Source: Alvaro Keding / AMNH
The exhibit is a continuance of the celebration of Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary and its aim is to highlight Hip-Hop’s cultural influence and its indelible impact on fashion and the globe in general. The pieces, which include watches, chains, rings and more, is being held in the Melissa and Keith Meister Gallery in the Museum’s Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals.
“Bringing the Ice Cold exhibit to the American Museum of Natural History is a testament to the cultural significance of this art form and culture,” said Ice Cold guest curator Vikki Tobak in a statement. “It’s time to celebrate the artists, jewelers, craftsmen, and everyday people who contributed to the storied history of hip-hop jewelry. This exhibit not only pays homage to hip-hop’s roots with pieces from Biz Markie and Jam Master Jay for example but also highlights its enduring impact on style and society with pieces from contemporary artists like Tyler, the Creator, A$AP Rocky, and FERG.”
Ice Cold follows Hip-Hop jewelry’s evolution over its 50 years, from gold rope chains to iced-out necklaces and watches. Besides Tobak, who authored Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History, the guest curators are Kevin “Coach K” Lee of Quality Control Music, and Karam Gill, the filmmaker behind the 2021 doc series ICE COLD.
And for any haters saying the jewels were just money poorly spent, Roxanne Shante dropped some knowledge at a preview of the exhibit. “If you wanted to think of it in a negative way, it made people think we took all our money and we spent it on jewelry,” said Shante, whose Juice Crew ring is part of the exhibit. “In all reality, we didn’t. Because some of those pieces were acquired after we purchased homes. You didn’t want to have that type of jewelry, and didn’t have a safe place to go put it in.”
Other advisors involved in putting the exhibit together include familiar names like Slick Rick (who is a senior advisor, naturally), Lenny S. of Roc Nation and jewelry designer Alex Moss.
Source: aqua / hiphopwired
This writer’s favorite piece, of many, had to be Ghostface Killah’s eagle bracelet aka The Wings of the Wu. Bong bong.
Source: aqua / hiphopwired
You can see Ice Cold: An Exhibition of Hip-Hop Jewelry, which runs through January 5, 2025, at the cost of general admission, which for NYC residents is “pay what you wish.” Check out some detailed photos of the exhibit below.
Source: Alvaro Keding / AMNH
Source: Alvaro Keding / AMNH
Source: Alvaro Keding / AMNH
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Source: picture alliance / Getty / Phil Spencer
The video game world is still reeling after word hit the e-streets that Xbox closed Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, and Alpha Dog game studios under the Bethesda Games umbrella. Now, gamers are focusing on Xbox chief Phil Spencer and his leadership, or lack thereof. Should Phil Spencer be fired? Is it time for him to go? That’s what many are calling for to happen after this recent round of studio closures and the absorption of one into ZeniMax Online Studios.
While many blame the practice of companies like Xbox and PlayStation acquiring game studios, some also feel that Spencer’s feet should be held to the fire.
Kotaku’s Zack Zwiezen proclaimed in an article that “It’s time to stop giving Phil Spencer a pass,” pointing out the many “bad decisions Spencer has made during his time as CEO and contradictory statements.
Per Kotaku:
In October 2020, shortly after Xbox announced its plans to consume Bethesda, Spencer told Kotaku: “This deal was not done to take games away from another player base” and added that Xbox wants “more people to be able to play games, not fewer people to be able to go play games.” Yet, in March 2023 Redfall director Harvey Smith said that Microsoft stepped in after buying Bethesda and canceled a PS5 port of the vampire hunting co-op game. Starfield shipped only on Xbox and PC. And despite a few Xbox games—like Grounded and Sea of Thieves—jumping ship to PlayStation and Switch, future big titles like Indiana Jones won’t be multiplatform.
Xbox’s boss has also talked a big game about giving developers the freedom to make what they want to make, explaining in a May 2023 interview with Kinda Funny: “When a team like Rare wants to do Sea of Thieves, when a team like Obsidian wants to do Grounded, and Tango wants to go do Hi-Fi [Rush] when everyone probably thought they were doing The Evil Within 3. I want to give the teams the creative platform to go an push their ability, push their aspirations.”
The article states that Spencer says the right things, but even when those studios get to make the games they want, and if they are critical successes, there is still a chance they will suffer the same fate as these latest studios.
Social Media Reactions
Social media hasn’t been kind to Spencer either, and that’s totally understandable because we are all tired of hearing about these layoffs while people in offices continue to line their pockets with cash while game developers have to figure out how to make ends meet.
Former PS I Love You XOXO co-host and head of Pen To Pixels Janet Garcia also called out Spencer for his comments that have now “aged like milk,” pointing out his penchant for trying to be transparent, something people appreciate about Spencer, leaves him open to these contradictory moments.
“Yeah so many of Xbox’s comments are aging like milk rn. This is the danger of selling the “good guy” narrative. It only works when you do “good” things. That said this is also why PlayStation and Nintendo don’t talk to anyone anymore. They’re like nah I’m not gonna play myself,” Garcia said on X, formerly Twitter.
Former Blizzard President Mike Ybarra Comes To Phil Spencer’s Defense
Former president of Blizzard Entertainment Mike Ybarra tried to empathize with Spencer, writing on X, “I know this hurts him [Spencer] as much as anyone else.”
Ybarra continued, “I’m not trying to defend the decisions. I think we all get ourselves into situations that are tough and unexpected (certainly I have). It’s part of the job, as is the accountability for the outcomes. But he’s a good human and he cares deeply for the creative process and developers. That’s my first hand experience in working closely with him for 8+ years and knowing him for 24+.”
Unfortunately, folks were not trying to hear it and didn’t hesitate to tell Ybarra he was wrong.
What a sad state of affairs.
Hopefully, we will hear from Spencer in his own words about this latest decision.
Until then, you can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. Oh wow.
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Source: KENA BETANCUR / Getty / Megan Thee Stallion
The girls are rapping, specifically Megan Thee Stallion. While the Hip-Hop community is still in an uproar because of Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s back and forth, the Houston rapper is getting us ready for the real HOT GIRL SUMMER.
Megan Thee Stallion is in her bag and shows no signs of letting up. On Monday, she started her #MeganMondays freestyle series by dropping a new freestyle to remind us what the Hotties always know: She’s got bars.
Thee Stallion flexed her lyrical muscle, flipping Gucci Mane’s “I Think I Love Her Freestyle” and incorporating her unique rapping flavor throughout the beat.
On the track, Thee Stallion touches on the thirsties living in her DMs, the men acting really feminine at the moment, and the rap girlies using her blueprint to get on.
“Show a new bitch that ain’t Megan coded/ Show a beat I was on and ain’t rode it/ If she think she the shit, I’m the colon/ My pen gets gutter, I’m bowling,” she rapped.
It’s Megan May
Megan Thee Stallion is not just taking over Mondays; she is gunning for the entire month, labeling it Megan May.
On Tuesday, she announced her next single, “Boa,” continuing the snake narrative from her previous singles, “Hiss” and “Cobra.”
Later this month, Megan Thee Stallion will kick off her nationwide Hot Girl Summer tour featuring GloRilla in Minneapolis on May 14 and eventually head overseas in July.
It’s Thee Stallion’s world, and we are just living in it. She has gained her freedom from 1501 Certified Entertainment, dropped collaborations with Nike and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, as well as other philanthropic endeavors like “Hotties Helping” and a mental health website Bad Bitches Have Bad Days Too.
You can see reactions to the “I Think I Love Her Freestyle” in the gallery below.
4. This actually slaps
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Source: Christian Petersen / Getty / Xbox
The video game industry is in turmoil, and you wouldn’t think that’s the case because of the quality of games we have been getting. While we, as gamers, are enjoying a spoil of riches, developers continue to lose their jobs at a ridiculous clip.
Xbox is navigating choppy waters as it shifts its business model, putting some of its biggest exclusive titles on competitive consoles.
One of those titles was the beloved Hi-Fi Rush from Tango Gameworks, one of the many studios Xbox acquired when it acquired Bethesda Game Studios.
In a stunning turn of events, Tango Gameworks is one of four studios, including Arkane Austin, the developer of the massive flop Redfall, Alpha Dog Studios, and Roundhouse Games, which have been closed by Xbox, IGN reports.
Xbox is one of the many video game companies that have been unable to avoid the massive layoffs in the industry. The Microsoft company started the year by laying off almost 2,000 employees, which led to then-Blizzard president Mike Ybarra leaving.
Now comes the news of a new round of layoffs due to significant studio closures under the Bethesda umbrella.
Per GameRant:
Xbox has decided to shut down Arkane Austin, Alpha Dog Studios, and Tango Gameworks, with Roundhouse Games also effectively shutting down by being “absorbed” by ZeniMax Online Studios. In an email from Matt Booty obtained by IGN, it was explained that these shutdowns are about “prioritizing high-impact titles and further investing in Bethesda’s portfolio of blockbuster games.” Arkane Austin worked on the 2017 Prey game and Redfall, Tango Gameworks was known for The Evil Within and the critically-acclaimed Hi-Fi Rush, Alpha Dog Studios was working on the Mighty Doom mobile game, and Roundhouse Games was primarily serving a support role at the time of its closure.
Arkane Austin’s demise could directly result from the disastrous launch of Redfall. Reviewers immediately deemed it a critical flop due to its broken state and abandoned it despite some quality-of-life improvements.
In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Arkane Studios confirmed the Austin studio’s closure, telling gamers who bought the Hero Pass of the premium Bite Back edition or Bite Back upgrade will be eligible to receive the value of the upgrade.
Arkane says Redfall serves will remain online, but there will be no further updates.
Tango Gamework’s closure is the biggest surprise due to Hi-Fi Rush’s success following its surprise drop on the Xbox Game Pass and, most recently, its newfound popularity on the PlayStation 5 console.
What a spooky time to be a developer in the video game industry.
You can see reactions to the sad news in the gallery below.
1. No lies detected
2. This is also true
3. We’re old enough to remember the push for Xbox to gobble up more studios.
8. Cold world
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Source: Arrowhead Game Studios/ Sony Interactive Entertainment / Helldivers 2
Well done Helldivers. PlayStation is now saying whoops, after gamers made it loud and very clear that they did not rock with the PSN linking requirement to continue playing Helldivers 2 on Windows PC via Steam.
After destroying all the goodwill Arrowhead Game Studios built with Helldivers 2 and its fantastic spin on a live service genre, PlayStation finally admitted they f*cked up by requiring PC players to get a free PSN account.
The decision came after two days of Helldivers 2 players expressing their anger on social media and flooding the game’s Steam page with negative reviews that also hit other PlayStation titles after Steam delisted the popular shooter in 177 countries.
Via PlayStation’s official account on X, formerly Twitter, the company wrote:
Helldivers fans — we’ve heard your feedback on the Helldivers 2 account linking update. The May 6 update, which would have required Steam and PlayStation Network account linking for new players and for current players beginning May 30, will not be moving forward.
We’re still learning what is best for PC players and your feedback has been invaluable. Thanks again for your continued support of Helldivers 2 and we’ll keep you updated on future plans.
What Possibly Led To PlayStation’s Reversal
The fallout from the dumb policy led to Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt expressing his frustration on X. “Waking up to the sunshine of yesterday replaced with a dreary drizzle and shivering winds makes me reflect on how I spent my time those rare few moments when all was perfect,” Pilestedt said.
On Sunday, before PlayStation decided not to proceed with mandatory PSN linking, he noted his company was “talking solutions” with the company, which ultimately led to PlayStation’s change of heart.
He also took some blame on the matter as well, saying he was not completely “blameless,” adding they “didn’t talk about it enough” regarding account linking.
The review bombing and harassment of Arrowhead’s community managers and developers likely aided in PlayStation’s policy reversal.
We’re happy people can spread democracy again and continue the fight to liberate Super Earth.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. For real, they were innocent in the matter.
2. Exactly
3. PlayStation pay attention
8. Only losers do things like this.
9. Lol, chill
10. We do too.
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Source: Arrowhead Game Studios/ Sony Interactive Entertainment / Helldivers 2
Sony Interactive Entertainment’s decision to require PSN linking has destroyed any goodwill that Arrowhead Game Studios built with its fantastic game Helldivers 2.
Friday, gamers, specifically Helldivers 2 fans, did not have any kind words for Sony Interactive Entertainment, the publisher of Arrowhead’s game, after it announced, “Due to technical issues at the launch of Helldivers 2, we allowed the linking requirements for Steam accounts to a PlayStation Network account to be temporarily optional. That grace period will now expire.”
According to Sony, the bonehead decision was “critical” to the “safety and security” of Helldivers 2.
Following the announcement, gamers immediately pointed out that the PSN account linking would lead to many players no longer having access to the game via Steam because certain countries do not have PSN support.
Welp, those worries are bearing fruit.
Helldivers 2 Is No Longer Listed In 170 Territories Because of PSN Linking Requirement
Despite Helldivers 2’s community manager assuring players in countries without PSN support can continue playing the game and not worry about being denied access on Saturday, the game has been pulled from 170 territories lacking PSN support, according to listings from the Steam Database.
The fallout has been instantaneous.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Culture Crave notes that Helldivers 2’s Steam page has “over 100k negative reviews since [the] change was announced” and that “Steam is approving refund requests for players even if they’ve played over 2 hours.”
Like Arrowhead Game Studios CEO Johan Pilestedt, community managers are telling fans to direct their anger toward Sony Interactive Entertainment in hopes that bullying will make the company reverse its crappy decision.
As for the refunds, Valve is ignoring its policy by giving players who logged more than 100 hours spreading democracy and liberating Super Earth.
Steam usually only refunds players who have not exceeded 2 hours of playtime. Honestly, this is an intelligent decision on Valve’s part and an indication of how wrong Sony Interactive Entertainment’s decision was.
Gamers are still sounding off on Xitter about SIE’s ridiculous decision.
You can see those reactions in the gallery below.
1. G R E E D
2. Yup, to put it simply.
4. Exactly
8. We don’t want the game to be buried, let’s just hope Sony just changes it’s mind