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While the wins continue to pile up for Megan Thee Stallion, there are still those looking to bring her down. Meg continued her Hot Girl Summer Tour over the weekend, and she appeared to become visibly emotional during her performance inside Tampa’s Amalie Arena in Florida.
Footage surfaced from Saturday night’s (June 8) concert of Megan choking up, with the instrumental to her “Cobra” single booming. In fan-captured video, the three-time Grammy winner shakes her head, fans her face and attempts to pull herself together as the vocals start playing. The serpentine-themed track finds Thee Stallion opening up about her resilience and darkest days.
“Breakin’ down and I had the whole world watchin’/ But the worst part is really who watched me/ Every night I cried, I almost died/ And nobody close tried to stop it,” she raps on the tune.
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Earlier on Saturday, Megan Thee Stallion addressed those looking to bring her down while threatening that this will be their last time playing with her.
“It’s really sick how yall go out of the way to hurt me when you see me winning,” she tweeted. “Yall going too far, Fake a– s–t. Just know today was your last day playing with me and I mean it.”
Though Meg didn’t specify who she was directing her comment at, fans believe she was talking about an alleged AI-generated sex tape that has reportedly surfaced on social media.
“Not liking Megan thee Stallion is fine, but creating an AI sextape is just evil and vile,” one person wrote. “People actually enjoy doing shit like this.”
Another added: “They created a fake AI video of Megan Thee Stallion in a ‘sex tape’ i hope she sue all you delusional, twisted sick fans that always take shit to far just bc you don’t like someone….”
Billboard has reached out to Megan Thee Stallion’s reps for comment.
The show goes on for the 29-year-old. Meg’s Hot Girl Summer Tour continues this week with shows in New Orleans before returning to Texas for an Austin date, and then a pair of hometown concerts in Houston at the Toyota Center.
MTS is building momentum heading into her anticipated MEGAN album, which she announced is slated to arrive on June 28.
Watch the clip of her emotional performance below.
06/10/2024
The weekend was packed with performances of new songs, killer costumes and more.
06/10/2024
Rick Ross has long prided himself on living an life of luxury. Now, he’s looking to give back some of those opulent material items laying around his estate to benefit those less fortunate than him.
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Rozay will be hosting the two-day auction that boasts 800 items, and is presented by Julien’s Auctions; it will be held June 25-26 live and online, and benefits the Boss Up Grant program with The Creative Collective NYC.
“I looked around one day and marveled at how blessed I am. I wanted to figure out how to be a blessing to others and share some of the dopest, rarest luxuries with the world that I’ve collected over the course of my career,” Ross said in a statement, before explaining how Pharrell Williams’ auction inspired him to launch one of his own. “Inspired by my brother Pharrell, I thought of an auction with the proceeds to help the next generation of bosses. It was the most player and sustainable way to not only touch my fans but also pour into a community that has poured into me.”
The Boss Up Grant aims to help “entrepreneurs with grants to accelerate their continued impact, business initiatives and scale their operations,” according to the release.
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“Even the most motivated people have to feel empowered to chase and pursue those big ideas, and through this charitable effort with The Creative Collective, the aim is to provide entrepreneurs and young hustlers with the push they need to become legendary,” added Ross.
The MMG mogul will be putting up some prized possessions for auction, such as 300 rare pairs from his sprawling sneaker collection, including the Air Jordan Retro 5 “University of Michigan Fab 5” PEs (est. $2,000-$3,000), Air Maxes (est. $1,000-$2,000), DJ Khaled “Father of Asahd” Air Jordans (est. $3,000-$5,000) and Virgil Abloh Off-White collaborations (est. $500-$700).
Rick Ross’ “Father of Asahd” Air Jordan 3.
Julien’s Auctions
There are also plenty of designer garments and eccentric outfits Ross rocked to various award shows on the red carpet and music video shoots up for grabs. From Versace silk shirts (est. $500-$700) to designer sunglasses and varsity jackets (est. $200-$500), there’s a little bit of everything from the Biggest Boss’ expensive wardrobe.
For the art enthusiasts, Rozay will also have some street, contemporary and high artwork pieces taken from the walls of his jaw-dropping mansions to the auction table. There are also miscellaneous personal items such as a custom-painted piano featuring Michael Jackson Thriller cover (est. $2,000-$3,000), a Franky Cardona’s signed painting of Ross holding up Luc Belaire bottles (est. $2,000-$3,000), RIAA plaques, MMG memorabilia and more accolades and trophies from his illustrious career.
Rick Ross’ Michael Jackson under hood ‘Thriller’ album piano.
Julien’s Auctions
The Push It to the Limit-Luxury & Lifestyle: A Rick Ross Auction will be run by Julien’s Auctions in Los Angeles on June 25 and June 26 starting at 10 a.m. PT. Those who can’t attend will still have the opportunity to virtually participate and bid on items online via the auction house’s website, or by calling 310-836-1818.
Watch a trailer for what’s to come with the Rick Ross auction above.
Kendrick Lamar has been out of the spotlight since the conclusion of his heated feud with Drake ended several weeks ago. But on Friday, K-Dot made a surprise appearance at the 2024 commencement ceremony for Compton College, where the rapper gave props to the city he grew up in and gave graduates words of wisdom as they start their journey into the wider world.
Making his way to stage to a censored version of “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe,” a smiling Lamar stopped to take a few pics and dole out handshakes and hugs as he took out his own phone to grab a video of the happy scene. “I wanted to come out here just to tell y’all how much I appreciate y’all. I’m proud of the city of Compton, I’m proud of Compton College, most importantly I’m proud of the graduates out here,” he told the crowd.
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“I know what it takes. You had a lot of hardship, not only in your house, in your communities, but most importantly, in yourself, and that’s the toughest thing to overcome. We still growing day by day, brick by brick, making sure we develop, not only in the physical form but in the spiritual as well,” he added.
“Seeing y’all you out here, it is not only a representation of the world, but it’s a representation of me. When I walk out in these cities in these countries, I can be proud and say, ‘This is where I’m from.’ I still believe in Compton, Compton always been a future for me. I think we breed some of the most incredible individuals: Creatives, intellectuals, talent. We had it since day one, that’s why I always screamed this city. I traveled the world, there’s no place like this one right here. No place,” the rapper told the cheering crowd.
“I still believe in Compton. Compton has always been the future for me. I think we breed some of the most incredible individuals, creators, intellectuals, talent. We had it since day one… I traveled the world, it’s no place like this one right here… I still believe in everything that we’re doing. Brick by brick.”
Wearing glasses, a purple ball cap and a black suit with a white t-shirt, the hometown MC told the graduates that he still believes in everything that the community is doing, but that it’s time to change the narrative. “Some people tell us this generation don’t have what it takes. Gen Z. We talk about it all day. They try to pull us down and say we don’t know what we’re doing,” he said. “They wrong though. Because not only you all have what it takes, you have something bigger: You have the heart, y’all the courage to be independent thinkers. Independent thinkers. There’s nothing more valuable than that.”
Lamar assured the graduates that their degree from Compton College was just as important and vital as any degree that anyone else might get from a different school. “This Compton degree is just as big,” he said to whoops of approval. “Now it’s all about taking these resources and taking what you learned and applying. It’s as simple as that. You gonna have hardships, you gonna have tribulations as you had coming up here, but guess what? You have someone special behind your corner and all around you and that’s God, period. Period. Period. Every step of the way when you fall and you have your shortcomings, he’s right there. When you have your victories, he’s right there. Give yourself grace, give yourself time to grow and appreciate it, because he’s growing with you.”
Lamar will be back on stage in Los Angeles on June 19 as the hots of The Pop Out – Ken & Friends concert at the Kia Forum for a special gig that will be streamed live on Prime Video.
Watch Lamar’s surprise Compton College speech (Lamar segment begins around 41:30 mark) below.
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Quavo has long been sipping on and rapping about “Good Drank” before the thought of making a splash in the spirits industry entered his mind.
That all changed Thursday night (June 6) with the official launch of Huncho’s White X Cognac. Produced in tandem with Sazerac Spirits, Quavo rented out NYC hot-spot restaurant Carbone for about 40 friends and family for an intimate cognac tasting and four-courses of premier Italian dining.
“I just thought I’d stand in front of something and be the face of some good drank,” Quavo tells Billboard. “White X is unapologetic and they ready to bend the rules a little bit, so it’s only right they choose the frontman of the culture to represent that.”
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The Migos rapper continued of the endeavor: “They was looking for someone who matched the same aesthetic as me and I just think it made perfect sense. We’re looking forward to coming into the industry and f—ing s— up.”
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White X wants to inject a vibrant youthful energy and usher in a new era for the crowded cognac lane. With a straw coloring and notes of peach and vanilla mixed with the light grapes, the 80-proof French liquor makes for a much smoother pour than its VSOP competitors. In an homage to the late Takeoff, Rocket Power (White X, Gran Gala and lemon juice) served as the cocktail of the night.
However, this isn’t Quavo’s first foray into the alcohol business. He was tied to another cognac earlier in his career, which ended up falling flat. Now, Huncho’s trying to take those lessons he learned and make sure White X doesn’t suffer a similar fate.
“I learned from my mistakes there,” he adds. “I wanted to do something different. Just the basics of me not knowing how big the brand could be if you actually let these people know what you’re part of.” The 33-year-old points to making more content and being involved in the day-to-day of turning it into a “lifestyle” brand, rather than just posing with the product for fun.
Quavo
Simone Hamilton, Sean Bolasingh, Suresh Gordon
White X is currently on sale throughout the United States at clubs, bars and liquor distributors with a suggested retail price of $59.99 per 750ml bottle.
While there wasn’t a TV in sight within the confines of the famed Italian restaurant, basketball fans still found a way to check-in on game one of the NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics with their phones.
Being a hoops fanatic himself, Quavo’s heart is with the Mavericks because of a connection between superstar Luka Doncic and his late nephew, Takeoff.
“I got Dallas,” the “Hotel Lobby” rhymer says when asked to pick a winner. “Only reason why I like Dallas is because Luka and Takeoff had a crazy relationship. I think he was a fan of the gang so they was rocking.”
There’s no doubt Quavo and Migos were among the most influential artists of the 21st century in helping shape rap’s sound for the 2010s, and keeping the spotlight on Atlanta Culture. “You know, I’m a real trendsetter,” he boasts. “We taking it to the moon. You know we’re gonna have some sparklers on this in somebody’s section all around the world.”
Time will tell if he can bring his trendsetting ways that made him a diamond-certified rapper to cross over into his entrepreneurial ventures like hip-hop has seen with dignitaries such as 50 Cent, Kanye West, Travis Scott and more.
“We gonna have some great years to come — it’s a new beginning,” Huncho promises before raising his glass for a toast. “We represent culture and we’re unapologetic, of course. We gon’ stand on business at all times.”
DJ Khaled and The Kid LAROI are headed to the NHL Stanley Cup Final — but the duo won’t be lacing up their skates (although we would love to see Khaled on the ice). Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The NHL tapped Miami resident DJ Khaled and […]
Nick Cannon has teamed with Dr. Squatch and their Ball Valuation Tool to determine the price of his, um, family jewels, and they’re worth eight figures, according to TMZ. Not only has Dr. Squatch given Cannon — who has 12 children with six women — the honorary title of “Most Valuable Balls,” the men’s soap […]
Fresh off his Billboard Hot 100 debut, Cash Cobain continues his hot streak with new song “Rump Punch” on Friday (June 7). Like most of his unreleased music, the snippet for this song has been driving up the hype on social media. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and […]
Bun B and his wife, Queenie (real name Angela Walls), were the victims of a 2019 armed home invasion. Five years after Demonte Jackson’s arrest, the then 20-year-old intruder has learned his fate: 40 years behind bars, according to Houston’s Fox 26 and CBS affiliate KHOU 11. The decision came Friday (June 7), one day after the musician’s testimony.
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The UGK rap legend — born Bernard Freeman — took the stand at Jackson’s sentencing hearing on Thursday (June 6), where he delivered a poignant testimony recounting the home invasion and detailed the emotional toll its taken on his family.
“There are times when [Queenie] gets closed off,” he said in court footage shared by Houston’s Fox 26. “She can’t communicate, and I just get so angry all over again because she didn’t deserve this. She didn’t ask for this.”
“Just the idea of seeing my wife in this state, hearing her voice in this state,” the artist said in court, per video shared by ABC news affiliate KTRK in Houston. “I mean I’m her husband, that’s my primary job, is protecting her, making her feel safe.”
The couple’s ordeal began in April 2019 when Queenie answered their Houston home’s front door expecting an Amazon delivery, but instead was faced with a masked armed robber. Jackson held a terrified Queenie at gunpoint and demanded valuables while she led him to the garage.
“I wanted to confront the person who put that fear in my wife’s voice,” Bun told the courtroom. “She was very panicked. She was borderline hysterical. She just did not want me to go out that door and face the person with the gun.”
Still, Bun B grabbed his firearm and headed to the garage where he found Jackson behind the wheel of his Audi, and the two exchanged gunfire.
The Trill OG rapper wounded Jackson — now 25 years old — with a shot in the shoulder. After a brief tussle, Jackson attempted to flee the scene on foot, but Bun caught and unmasked him so he could be identified, but the intruder eventually got away. After being treated at a local hospital for his injuries, police apprehended Jackson and he pleaded guilty in December 2019 to two counts of aggravated robbery and one count of burglary.
“I wanted to know who that was behind the mask,” the H-Town rapper explained in court. “I wanted to know if this was someone I knew personally or someone that knew someone I knew personally.”
Bun B also shared that the traumatizing incident still affects Queenie to this day. “She was broken. She was absolutely broken,” he added, according to ABC13. “My wife never stepped foot in that house again.”
Watch clips of Bun B’s testimony below.
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A clip of a witness’ testimony has been making the rounds on X. While being examined Thursday (June 6) by Atlanta state prosecutors during the YSL RICO trial, former Hertz rental car employee Ira Singleton was asked about a 2014 Infiniti Q50 Young Thug (real name Jeffrey Williams) allegedly used in the murder of “rival gang member” […]