State Champ Radio R&B/Hip-Hop
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J. Cole is serious about this blogging thing. Last night, Cole blogged up a short post addressing fan speculation that his new The Algorithm blog means that his long-awaited album The Fall-Off is finally close to being released. “Ib told me some people was thinking this blog meant an album was about to drop,” he […]
Rihanna showed support for her boo A$AP Rocky as she pulled up to the rapper’s trial in Los Angeles on Wednesday (Jan. 29).
Per legal reporter Meghan Cuniff, Rih was seated between Rocky’s mother and sister as the trial in his 2021 felony shooting case continued. She has not been shown on the court’s livestream, but there are security guards on both sides of the row. According to Variety, Rih isn’t expected to testify in the case.
The Harlem rapper previously turned down a final plea deal last week, which would have seen him serve 180 days behind bars. LA County prosecutors recommended three years of probation and a seven-year suspended sentence. Rocky is facing a pair of felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. He can face a maximum of 24 years behind bars if convicted on all charges.
The charges stem from an alleged November 2021 altercation that accuses Rocky of firing a weapon at former A$AP affiliate A$AP Relli — born Terrell Ephron — following an argument near a Hollywood hotel.
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Rocky’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, has maintained that the weapon was a prop gun and not a real firearm, as the rapper shot off blanks to defuse the situation. There is video footage that allegedly shows Rocky holding some sort of a handgun from the night of the shooting.
Months after the heated confrontation, the “Fashion Killa” rapper was arrested in April 2022 at Los Angeles International Airport. Rocky posted a $550,000 bond shortly after the arrest and later pleaded not guilty to all of the charges in August 2022.
According to The Associated Press, Ephron took the stand to testify against Rocky on Tuesday (Jan. 28) where he recalled the shooting. “He turned around and then it was like boom,” Ephron explained to the jury. “The whole thing was like a movie, he kind of like pointed down and he shot the first shot.”
He emphatically declared that it was “a real gun” in Rocky’s hand. “I was hit. Or I was grazed,” Ephron said. “I didn’t have a hole or nothing.” Relli says his life’s “been a living hell” since the shooting.
Wednesday’s court session has concluded and the trial will continue on Thursday (Jan. 30), where the defense will have its chance to cross-examine Relli.
U.K. rapper Central Cee recently dropped his impressive debut album Can’t Rush Greatness, but fans noticed one thing missing: a track featuring Drake. While chatting with Dutch radio host Fernando Halman of FunX, Cench was asked if he had any songs with the Toronto rapper stashed away. “I’m sure there’s a Drake record in the […]
Don’t ever play yourself, DJ Khaled stays winning. According to the RIAA, the We the Best mogul racked up another 17 new certifications on Wednesday (Jan. 29) to go along with his new diamond plaque for “I’m the One.” Outside of “I’m the One,” other standout certifications include Rihanna and Bryson Tiller’s “Wild Thoughts” at […]
While MGM refuted reports of a $50 million gambling debt compiled by Bruno Mars last year, the superstar still had some fun with the casino rumors.
Bruno hit the jackpot to break a Spotify listener record earlier this week and he took to his Instagram Story on Tuesday (Jan. 28) to celebrate the feat and even joked about taking a chunk out of his alleged debt.
“I’ll be out of debt in no time,” the 15-time Grammy Award winner captioned the post about him becoming the first artist to eclipse 150 million monthly Spotify listeners in the platform’s history.
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NewsNation reported in 2024 that Bruno owed millions to MGM and that number was as high as $50 million from hitting the casino tables. “He makes $90 million a year off of the deal he did with the casino, but then he has to pay back his debt … after taxes (Mars makes $1.5 million per night),” NewsNation‘s source speculated.
However, MGM Grand quickly debunked the report and said that the singer had no debt with the casino.
“We’re proud of our relationship with Bruno Mars, one of the world’s most thrilling and dynamic performers,” a spokesperson from MGM Grand told Billboard at the time. “From his shows at Dolby Live at Park MGM to the new Pinky Ring lounge at Bellagio, Bruno’s brand of entertainment attracts visitors from around the globe.”
They continued: “MGM and Bruno’s partnership is longstanding and rooted in mutual respect. Any speculation otherwise is completely false; he has no debt with MGM. Together, we are excited to continue creating unforgettable experiences for our guests.”
The 39-year-old even mocked the gambling debt reports on stage during a performance last year. “Ever since those articles came out about me owing the casino money you stopped picking up my calls,” he joked. “It’s me baby — I got money.”
Bruno Mars jokes about the rumors of him being in casino debt. “Ever since those articles came out about me owing the casino money you stopped picking up my calls… It’s me baby I got money.” 😂 pic.twitter.com/aWQyd5CGhq— Rap Alert (@rapalert6) September 9, 2024
Bruno added another seven dates to his Las Vegas residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM, where he’ll kick off the summer with shows in late May and early June.
On the music side, Bruno Mars remains atop the Billboard Hot 100 with “Die With a Smile” featuring Lady Gaga holding strong at No. 1. Bruno also delivered his first single of 2025 when teaming up with Sexyy Red for their “Fat Juicy & Wet” strip club anthem.
Newly minted Academy Award nominee and Emmy-, Grammy- and Tony-winning actress Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), actress-director Teyana Taylor (A Thousand and One), Emmy-nominated industry veteran Marla Gibbs (227) and Emmy-nominated creator, writer and-producer Raamla Mohamed (Reasonable Doubt) are 2025’s honorees for the ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards. The 18th annual gala will take place Feb. […]
Things are getting a little uneasy in the Big Easy. According to Nola.com, ahead of Kendrick Lamar‘s anticipated halftime show at Feb. 9’s Super Bowl LIX, a group of 17 Republican Louisiana legislators sent a letter to the leaders of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and the Louisiana Stadium and Expo District claiming that the state’s taxpayers should have a say in what takes place during the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.
Specifically, the note called out what is deemed a “lewd” performance by Rihanna in 2023 and the 2020 halftime show by Jennifer Lopez, during which they said the singer “wore little clothing and was groped by male and female dancers on stage, while the performer made sexually suggestive gestures and performed on a stripper pole.”
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“While certainly a large amount of support exists among many Louisianians who are excited about the Super Bowl coming back to New Orleans, many are also hardworking taxpayers with children who have serious concerns about the fact that past Super Bowl halftime performances have been less than family-friendly,” the letter read.
The note does not specifically name Lamar, instead focusing on some past performances, including the infamous 2004 Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake “wardrobe malfunction,” while devoting half a paragraph to a vivid description of Rihanna’s halftime show. It describes the singer “groping herself while she sang song lyrics that were so offensive that few Louisiana adults could read those lyrics before an audience without shame.”
The signatories to the letter said they refused to repeat the lyrics in their note because they are “so offensive.”
“We realize that these past vulgar performances may have been acceptable to the residents of those states where those Super Bowls were held but, in Louisiana, these lewd acts are inappropriate for viewing by children, objectify women, and are simply NOT welcomed by the majority of Louisiana parents,” they wrote.
This year’s game will take place at the Caesars Superdome in the city known for its generous embrace of all manner of debaucherous behavior, including nearly round-the-clock drunken, boisterous tourists stumbling through the legendary French Quarter and women hoisting up their shirts to expose themselves for beads during Mardi Gras.
And while the lawmakers acknowledged that the contracts for next month’s Super Bowl are already signed, they expressed a wish that future contracts for the use of facilities “funded and paid for by Louisiana taxpayers” ensure, in writing, that any performers’ conduct adheres to “Louisiana’s community decency standards.”
Pulitzer Prize honoree and 17-time Grammy winner Lamar will be joined by four-time Grammy winner SZA for this year’s halftime show.
Read the full letter here.
J. Cole has decided to start a blog. The Carolina rapper posted the first entry to The Algorithm on his Inevitable website, which also hosts his podcast of the same name. “This is just a place for me to share,” he wrote. “I been wanting a lil blog for years. Somewhere to post random sh– […]
Max B and Young Thug spoke over the phone recently, the imprisoned rapper revealed this week. The Boss Don — who is reportedly coming home later this year on Nov. 9 — posted a clip of himself talking to Young Thug over the phone on his Instagram Stories. “Man, I’m in here grinding this sh– […]
Nothing pairs better with football than fried chicken and tequila. That’s why Popeyes is teaming up with Tequila Don Julio to curate a special Championship Lineup menu for the Super Bowl.
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The Popeyes x Tequila Don Julio Reposado Flavored Concha Chicken Sandwich includes a chicken breast fillet marinated in reposado tequila then fried in Popeyes crunchy buttermilk breading, topped with a tequila lime slaw, spicy spread, a barrel cured pickle and sandwiched between a concha roll. Additional items featured on the specialty menu include Popeyes x Tequila Don Julio Reposado Flavored Louisiana Garlic 3-Piece Wings with a specialty sauce and a Spicy Strawberry Hibiscus Flavored Lemonade Mocktail.
For one day only, on January 31, select Popeyes restaurants in New York City, Miami and New Orleans, as well as the hometowns of the teams headed to the Super Bowl — Philadelphia and Kansas City — will feature the collaboration for customers over 21 years of age. In New Orleans, where the Big Game will take place this year, the items will be available at the flagship restaurant on Canal Street for an extended period from January 31 through February 9, while supplies last.
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To celebrate the collaboration, Tinashe will head down to New Orleans to perform at the Popeyes x Tequila Don Julio bash on Feb. 7. “It’s two things I’m a fan of coming together,” she tells Billboard of the collaboration. “It’s fried chicken and tequila. What more could you ask for?”
While drinking tequila, the “Nasty” keeps it simple. “I’m usually taking shots,” she says with a laugh.
It’s also the second Super Bowl she’s attending. “The Super Bowl was always a huge day in my family. We have a ton of big sports fans in the house,” she shares. “The halftime performance is something I always look forward to every year. I’m just so excited to be back and part of the Super Bowl energy. It’s always so much fun.”
Her performance at the Popeyes x Tequila Don Julio bash will be equally as fun. “I always have a lot of high energy in my performances,” she says. “It’s going to be dancing, going to be on your feet. It’s going to be a real fun, high energy vibe and a celebration.”
If you’re unable to get your hands on the Championship Lineup menu, you can still redeem a buy one get one free chicken sandwich when purchasing Popeyes on UberEats, as well as a $5 code to redeem on Tequila Don Julio until Feb. 9.
