PHOTO OPS Archives

Swizz Beatz Is Not Sweating Usher Being All Boo’d Up On & Alicia Keys During Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show

February 12, 2024

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Source: Michael Owens / Getty / Usher / Alicia Keys
The “Usher Bowl” went down, and it was full of many memorable moments, new memes, and plenty of reactions. One moment in particular between Usher and Alicia Keys has the internet still talking.
Since his Vegas residency took off, the Usher experience now involves the iconic R&B superstar crooning and swooning guests who happen to be in his line of sight during his show.
He continued that trend during his highly anticipated Apple Music Halftime performance at Super Bowl LVIII. Just like when he sang to Keke Palmer, leading to the downfall of her relationship with her son’s father, Usher got very close to Alicia Keys.
Keys was one of the many guests during his electrifying performance. Alicia Keys kicked her guest spot off, singing “If I Ain’t Got You” while playing a red piano that matched her form-fitting body suit.
Usher eventually helped her close out the song, and the two stars began singing their hit record, “My Boo,” during the performance, Usher hugged Keys from behind, and she looked thrilled during the moment.

Swizz Beatz Was Over The Social Media CAP
As expected, the moment sparked plenty of chatter. Alicia Key’s husband, Swizz Beatz, was very much aware of what was happening on social media and plugged him and his wife’s art exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum.
Taking to Instagram, the producer wrote in the caption of a gallery post of photos of his wife:
Y’all talking about the wrong damn thing !!! y’all don’t see that amazing dress covering the entire stadium. Tonight’s performance was nothing but amazing with 2 amazing Giants ! Congrats @usher and my love @aliciakeys that song is a classic. We don’t do negative vibes on this side we make history. Go see GIANTS at @brooklynmuseum it’s open until July blessings.

Regardless, people were more upset about Usher hugging Alicia Keys from behind than her own husband. Professional homophobe Boosie Badazz had something to say. On Instagram, he wrote “@USHER ENOUGH IS ENOUGH BRO‼️U NEED TO APOLOGIZE TO SWISS. SHE MARRIED MY N-GGA I KNOW THAT WASNT PLANNED.”

Professional boxer Gervonta Davis said on X, formerly Twitter, “Usher would have been on his way to the hospital as I write this if I was Swizz,” HipHopDX reports.
Some folks, like Gillie, believe people are doing too much.

Regardless, it was a moment, and Usher understood the assignment, plus we got an excellent damn football game.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.

1. This Druski moment will always be relevant

3. Howling

5. Y’all are dead wrong

Megan Thee Stallion Twerks & Sips Henny Through A Straw On IG Live To Celebrate “Hiss” Going No.1

djfrosty

February 6, 2024

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Source: Momodu Mansaray / Getty / Megan Thee Stallion
Megan Thee Stallion celebrated her blistering single “Hiss,” earning the top spot on the charts in the most Megan Thee Stallion way possible.
The leader of the Hot Girl movement celebrated her “diss” track snaking its way to the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 chart this week, giving her first solo no.1 record.
She has no.1 songs before with the Cardi B-assisted “WAP” and Savage remix featuring Beyoncé.
In the caption for an Instagram post celebrating the major career accomplishment, she wrote:
We made so much HISSTORY with this one! JU remember we used to sit at your living room table making beats! Now we got our first # 1 together!!! @liljumadedabeat I think me and @bankrollgotit met during an intense game of paper rock scissors at a party in 2021 and we’ve been locked in ever since. Thank you to everyone that ran it up !!! Im so thankful, so grateful, so appreciative !!! Hotties we got THEE ALBUM AND THEE HOT GIRL SUMMER TOUR NEXT. Lets stay focused and stay positive and keep going up !!! Ps. YES IM ABOUT TO START PLANNING THEE HOTTIE PARTY LETS GET THE HENNESSYYYY.

On X, formerly Twitter, Megan’s longtime collaborator/producer Lil Ju joined her in celebrating writing in a post, “Lil Doo Doo On The Beat Produced A Number 1 Hit,” playing on the name he was given by Nicki Minaj after he declined to give clearance to a beat he gave the Queen’s rapper.

Twerking & Henny
Back to Thee Stallion, keeping her word, she did hop on Instagram Live to celebrate and blessed her fans with some twerking and, for good measure, sipped Hennessy out of the bottle with a straw while teasing an unreleased record called “Toxic.”

On her subpar diss record, “Big Foot,” Nicki Minaj tried to clown the Houston rapper’s penchant for alcohol consumption by criticizing her for drinking alcohol from a bottle with a straw.
The Hotties were also happy about the accomplishment. You can see those reactions in the gallery below.

1. Juicy J showing love

2. Gotta love Thee Stallion

3. Our favorite version of Megan Thee Stallion

Xbox Gaming Community In Shambles After Multiple Reports of Exclusives Ttitles Heading To PlayStation 5

djfrosty

February 6, 2024

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Source: JUNG YEON-JE / Getty / Xbox
The Xbox community is in shambles after several leaks over the weekend, indicating a significant shift when it comes to the company’s “exclusive” titles is coming.
Multiple reports from The Verge, XboxEra, and Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb claim Xbox will put exclusive titles like Bethesda releases, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Starfield, and even Gears of Wars are coming to the PlayStation 5, adding a lot of fuel to those Xbox going multiplatform fires.
According to The Verge’s reporting, a source close to Bethesda told the outlet that MachineGames, which is owned by Bethesda’s parent company, ZeniMax Media, is “considering” releasing the upcoming Indiana Jones game on the PS5 console after its launch on PC and Xbox Series X/S in 2024.
We got our first look at Indiana Jones and the Great Circle during the recent Developer_Direct presentation, and it met with some mixed reactions, with some excited about the game and others mum on the idea of the game being in first person.
Per XboxEra’s reporting, Starfield, the massive Xbox exclusive, is also coming to the PlayStation 5, allegedly sometime after the release of the Shattered Space DLC. The website also claims Microsoft has invested in more PlayStation 5 dev kits to make the interstellar RPG’s jump to the PS5 happen.
“The other one that I’ve heard that’s definitely under consideration—it doesn’t mean that it’s going to happen, but it’s in talks—is Gears of War,” Grubb said on a recent episode of Game Mess Mornings.
Other games like live service pirate adventure Sea of Thieves and Tango Gamework’s surprise hit Hi-Fi Rush are also rumored to jump from Xbox consoles to the PS5.
As you can imagine, the news sent the Xbox community spiraling on X, formerly Twitter, with Spaces titled, I’m not an Xbox fanboy anymore.”
We’re dead serious. Well-known Xbox enthusiast Tim Dogg started it, and we paid a visit to it, and it was A LOT, to say the least.

Phil Spencer Hears You
Hilariously, while all this was happening, Xbox Chief Phil Spencer was happily playing Diablo IV, according to Tim Dog, but he finally broke his silence on Monday, Feb 5.
In a very Spencer-like response, he wrote on X:
“We’re listening and we hear you. We’ve been planning a business update event for next week, where we look forward to sharing more details with you about our vision for the future of Xbox. Stay tuned.”
Oh boy.
He honestly needs to say something now, but we’re just going to have to be patient and wait on Phil.
Justified Anger or Just Overeacting?
Until that day comes, and Phil drops the news many Xbox fans are dreading, there are plenty of reactions, some hilarious, also quite delirious.

Are these reactions to this news warranted? We guess. Listen, we get it; some people buy these consoles due to brand loyalty and love the idea you can have certain titles on them.
Believe it or not, some gamers bought a PS4 or PS5 because they want to play exclusives like Marvel’s Spider-Man, Horizon Zero Dawn, or God of War.
Xbox console owners were hoping to get the same thing, and hearing games they used in their arguments to prop up their consoles are now possibly heading to the competitor.
Then, some don’t care where they play their games; they want a machine that can run them flawlessly.
But if this news is accurate, it does seem that Xbox is waving the white flag, and understandably, the people who ran out and bought Xbox Series X and Series S consoles are now giving them the ultimate side-eye.
We shall see if there is any truth to these reports next week when Phil Spencer speaks on it; until then, you can see more reactions in the gallery below.

3. Howling

5. Did they?

First The Swag Surf, Now This: X Users Collectively Roll Their Eyes At The Fade Being Called The “Travis Kelce Haircut”

djfrosty

February 5, 2024

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Source: Patrick Smith / Getty / Travis Kelce
Damn, we can’t have nothing. First, the Swag Surf, and now the fade haircut.
Barbershop enthusiasts are stark raving mad, and understandably so, after witnessing the colonization of the fade haircut. The hairstyle that Queensbridge MC NaS and other rappers have famously donned has become the go-to hair choice for white men trying to be like Kansas City Chiefs tight end and Taylor Swift’s boo, Travis Kelce.
Like with the Taylor Swift Swag Surf incident, Kelce is not directly responsible for what’s going on; instead, a news article from the New York Times is getting folks riled up.
In the article, Jeffrey Dugas, a barber at Obsidian Barbers in New Brunswick, Canada, says his white clientele are rushing to his shop to get the “Travis Kelce cut” because they know he made the hairstyle popping, according to them.

Black folks on X collectively rolled their eyes, pointing out that Kelce’s haircut ain’t nothing but a damn fade.

“Isn’t the Travis Kelce haircut a regular fade?? Isn’t this more Caucasian people throwing sum blonde hair on things POC been doing and saying it’s new and exciting/trendsetting?” another post on X, formally Twitter, read.
There were white folks just as perplexed. “That’s called a buzz cut and it has been an extremely popular hairstyle for men for like… a century,” a post read.
Another noted, “Isn’t the Travis Kelce haircut a regular fade?? Isn’t this more Caucasian people throwing sum blonde hair on things POC been doing and saying it’s new and exciting/trendsetting,” Bossip reports.
We’re sure even Travis Kelce rolled his eyes at any posts suggesting he made the fade popular or invented the haircut.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.

2. Of course video exists

3. Accurate

5. More context from Jemele Hill

6. Howling

Wendy Williams Claims She Is Broke & Battles Health Issues In Trailer For New Lifetime Documentary, Social Media Reacts

djfrosty

February 2, 2024

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Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty / Wendy Williams
Former radio shock jock/talk show host Wendy Williams has remerged in a new 2-part documentary coming to Lifetime, and it already has people talking.
The trailer for Where Is Wendy Williams? shows the 59-year-old struggling with her health while her family and friends try to support her and the issue with her court-appointed guardianship.
The trailer features clips of a very sick Williams, who is dealing with apparent mental issues as well. Williams says in one part of the trailer, “I have no money, and I’m gonna tell you something. If it happens to me, it could happen to you.”
In another clip, her son, Kevin Hunter Jr., says, “Mom has done a great job making it seem like everything is OK always, but in reality, there is something wrong. My mom always talks about how she wants to work, but I think she’s worked enough. She has people around her who are ‘yes’ people that have allowed this to continue.”
The documentary, which also claims to have had “unparalleled access” to Williams, also touches on her battle with alcohol abuse. In one scene, a person grabs a bottle, asking her if she drank the whole thing, and she tells him to: “keep the bottle there.”
The official synopsis for the documentary reads:
“After Wendy Williams was placed under a financial guardianship and her hit talk show was unexpectedly canceled, she was determined to make a career comeback.
Opening the doors to her private life like never before, cameras chronicled her comeback journey to reclaim her life and legacy despite facing health issues and personal turbulence.
With unparalleled access granted by Wendy to film with her and her family for nearly two years, what was captured was not what anyone expected.
The documentary provides a raw, honest, and unfiltered reality of Wendy’s life after she was placed under financial guardianship, shedding light on the vulnerabilities that has turned Wendy into the Hot Topic herself. Suffering mental and physical issues, Wendy’s delicate state of mind, erratic behavior, and declining health were all captured by the cameras.
Where Is Wendy Williams? is the story of Wendy’s journey to resurrect her career and what filmmakers discovered along the way. But many questions remain — who truly has Wendy’s best interest at heart? Is she healthy now?”
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Social Media Users Have Early Thoughts About Where Is Wendy Williams?
The reactions to the documentary’s trailer are pouring in, with people saying they will watch it but are very suspicious about the process of making it.
“Wendy said it best in the trailer, “This is all too much.” I hope she gets back to health in her finances and life,” one person on X, formerly Twitter, wrote.
Another X user added, “In the trailer her son says people are exploiting Wendy for money/clout. But what is this documentary doing? Cuz showing her in this seemingly very painful, unhealthy place can’t be good for her mental health either.”
Where Is Wendy Williams? the two-night documentary event goes down on February 24 and 25 at 8 pm ET/PT on Lifetime.
You can see more reactions to the doc in the gallery below.

1. Very much so.

2. Complicated

‘Halo Infinite’s Black History Month-Inspired Armor Shaders Turns Your Spartan Into A Pan African Covenant Destroyer

djfrosty

February 2, 2024

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Source: 343 Industries / HALO Infinite
It’s Black History Month, which means companies are doing their best to show how inclusive and down for the Black cause they truly are. Halo Infinite studio 343 Industries’ attempt to celebrate BHM is getting clowned on social media.
Don’t get it twisted; we know there was goodwill in 343 Industries’ attempt to celebrate Black History Month by introducing armor shaders to commemorate the annual celebration of Black excellence.
But, man, we understand why the jokes are flying across the timeline.
Gamers can now add bold green, gold, and maroon colors, typically associated with African country flags, plus kente cloth, the West African traditional textile as a pattern on their Spartan armor.
To announce the new Black History Month-inspired shaders, the Halo account on X, formerly Twitter, dropped a photo of a Spartan with all the custom shaders, which did not land well.

Immediately, comparisons to A-Train, the only Black superhero on The Seven in the hit Amazon Prime series, The Boys, hit timelines.
In that particular episode, Jessie T. Usher’s character got an African-themed super suit to gain the approval of Black people, but 343 Industries’ attempt was nowhere near as egregious in terms of pandering. However, you still can’t unsee it, especially when you compare A-Train’s costume.
The Verge’s Ash Parrish confirmed that with her well-timed response to the Halo account tweet.

Xbox’s Other BLM-Inspired Initiatives
The announcement of the Black History Month-inspired Halo Infinite shaders was just a small part of a more significant initiative that Xbox announced to celebrate BHM.
The Microsoft-owned company announced a partnership with the Gameheads development program and other amazing Black History Month initiatives.

Announcing a partnership with Gameheads to showcase games created by students (ages 11-25) who have gone through Gameheads’ game development program. Gameheads is a California-based non-profit that uses game design and development to engage, prepare and train low-income youth and youth of color for careers in the video games and technology industry. Check out the games, and how you can play them here.

As part of the partnership, Xbox also donated to Gameheads to support their commitment to diversifying the pipeline in the gaming industry & empowering the next generation of game developers.

Sharing a collection of games available on Xbox, made for and by the Black community, including spotlighting Black game developers from the ID@Xbox Developer Acceleration Program who, with Xbox’s support, are increasing Black representation and elevating underrepresented voices in the games they create.
Encouraging players to donate Microsoft Rewards points to both Gameheads and/or Cxmmunity.
Sharing Xbox Ambassador stories, including tips they have for how to stay safe when gaming, and more!

By heading here, you can learn more about how Xbox and Gamesheads are working together to amplify Black voices in the gaming industry.
Still, Xbox, you are going to get these jokes. You can see more reactions to the Blackety, Black Spartan armor in the gallery below.

2. Won’t be shocked to see this at New York Comic Con

3. Howling

5. Someone likes it

6. Intriguing

7. Wait a minute

Nintendo Drops Demo For ‘Mario vs. Donkey Kong’ & Special Gift To Celebrate Valentine’s Day

djfrosty

February 1, 2024

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Source: Nintendo / Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Wahoo, you can take Mario vs. Donkey Kong for a. quick spin.
A demo for the Gameboy Advance Classic Mario vs. Donkey Kong remake is now available in the Nintendo eShop before its release later this month.
The demo will allow players to experience four levels from the game where players will control Mario as he jumps, backflips, handstands, and solve puzzles on his mission to recover all the Mini-Mario toys stolen from the factory from his longtime nemesis not named Bowser, Donkey Kong.
The remake will feature a new Two-Player Mode, challenging new levels, and a fully reorchestrated soundtrack. “Mario vs. Donkey Kong is all about finding someone who completes you … but not without making you work for it,” the press release reads.
Along with the demo, Nintendo also shared a brief gameplay overview trailer that gives more of a look at the game.
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Eurogamer reports the demo will allow players to experience the game’s casual or classic modes. Casual removes the timer while placing checkpoints between levels and giving players five hit points before they die.
Celebrate Valentine’s Day The Nintendo Way
But that’s not all; to celebrate the upcoming love holiday, Valentine’s Day, Nintendo wants its fans to celebrate their lovers, the Donkey Kongs, to their Marios with Valentine’s Day eCards inspired by the upcoming game.
Source: Nintendo / Mario vs. Donkey Kong
The remaster officially launches on the Nintendo Switch on Feb.16 and joins other remasters coming this year, like Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Luigi’s Mansion 2.
Nintendo is poised to have another strong year, and if the rumors of the “Super Nintendo Switch” or “Switch 2″ dropping this year are true, 2024 will be lit for fans of the Nintendo brand.
Hit the gallery below to see and download the other Valentine’s Day eCards.

1. Mario vs. Donkey Kong Valentines Day eCards

Source:Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Mario vs. Donkey Kong Valentine’s Day eCards nintendo,mario vs. donkey kong

2. Mario vs. Donkey Kong Valentines Day eCards

Source:Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Mario vs. Donkey Kong Valentine’s Day eCards nintendo,mario vs. donkey kong

3. Mario vs. Donkey Kong Valentines Day eCards

Source:Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Mario vs. Donkey Kong Valentine’s Day eCards nintendo,mario vs. donkey kong

4. Mario vs. Donkey Kong Valentines Day eCards

Source:Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Mario vs. Donkey Kong Valentine’s Day eCards nintendo,mario vs. donkey kong

5. Mario vs. Donkey Kong Valentines Day eCards

Source:Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Mario vs. Donkey Kong Valentine’s Day eCards nintendo,mario vs. donkey kong

Hideo Kojima Delivers A 9-Minute Look At ‘Death Stranding 2 On The Beach’ & Announces New Game ‘Physint’

djfrosty

January 31, 2024

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Source: Kojima Productions / Death Stranding 2 On The Beach
PlayStation’s first State of Play broadcast arrived, and there were bangers announced that we can look forward to playing on the PS5 consoles.
The presentation was roughly 40 minutes long and had surprises, but Hideo Kojima stole the show.
Death Stranding 2 On The Beach
Source: Kojima Productions / Death Stranding 2 On The Beach
Death Stranding 2 is no longer a worker title. It has an official name, Death Stranding 2 On The Beach. In typical Kojima fashion, we got a 9-minute plus trailer. Norman Reedus’ Sam Porter Bridges returns and will face a new threat in Drawbridge, plus the BTs due to the Death Stranding.
Sam comes face to face with a character voiced by Troy Baker to cap off the trailer, who returns from the beach holding a guitar that shoots out electricity and doubles as a sword.
Source: Kojima Productions / Death Stranding 2 On The Beach
It’s the most Kojima game ever, featuring some other strange touches that could come from the mind that gave us the Metal Gear video franchise.
The game doesn’t arrive till 2025, but thankfully, that will give you enough time to play Death Stranding: Director’s Cut in the time being on either your Apple devices or PlayStation consoles.
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A New Tactical Action-Espionage Game From Hideo Kojima
Hideo Kojima blew our minds with his project OD coming to Xbox, but it doesn’t mean his relationship with PlayStation is over. To cap off the State of Play, Kojima announced that Physint is coming to PlayStation and will be a new tactical action-espionage game called Physint.
Kojima says the new game will blur the lines between video games and film.
We have no idea what this game is, but consider us very excited. Watch the announcement below, and hit the gallery for more screenshots from Death Stranding 2 On The Beach.
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1. Death Stranding 2 On The Beach