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Ice Cube‘s popular three-on-three basketball league, BIG3, is setting down roots. Since its founding in 2017, the 12-team league featuring former NBA and international players has barnstormed around the country setting up shop in cities and playing a series of games, with last year’s contests rolling into Chicago, Dallas, Brooklyn, Memphis, Miami, Boston, Charlotte and Detroit.
In May, BIG3 CEO Cube announced the plans to pivot to a more traditional city-based model, writing on Instagram, “We need to plant our roots in cities so we can be more than a rolling all-star game coming through. It’s really about growing the sport and the league.” The league sold its first franchise in Los Angeles in May for $10 million to a group of investors led by DCB Sports.
In June the league welcomed a Miami franchise (also to the tune of $10 million) and on Thursday (July 4), the BIG3 announced that businessmen Eric Mullins and Milton Carroll had purchase the rights to a team in Houston. Those three teams will join a group of colorfully named squads including the Ghost Ballers, 3 Headed Monsters, 3’s Company, Aliens, Ball Hogs, Bivouac, Enemies, Killer 3s, Power, Tri-State, Trilogy and Triplets.
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The BIG3’s 2024 season marches on this weekend, with six games scheduled for Sunday (July 7) in Newark, N.J. at the Prudential Center, followed by weekend contests in Anaheim (July 14), Portland (July 20), Cincinnati (July 28), San Antonio (August 4), Nashville (August 11) and Boston (August 18). In March, Cube offered college superstar Caitlin Clark $5 million to join the BIG3, though she opted to sign a four-year contract with the WNBA’s Indiana Fever that was reportedly worth $338,000.
Megan Thee Stallion has welcomed another member of the Hot Girl crew. It all began over the weekend when U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles shouted out the Houston rapper after she punched her ticket to Paris when she was selected as part of the American squad. “This was for you uncle and Megan, I’m going to […]
Jason Derulo re-lived one of the scariest moments of his life during a chat with old friend Paris Hilton on her I Am Paris podcast this week. The 34-year-old “Spicy Margarita” singer told Hilton that he thought the 2013 tour rehearsal accident in which he broke his neck might be the end of it all.
“That s–t’s crazy,” Derulo said, explaining that he was working with a trainer at the time to prepare for his upcoming world tour their prep went serious awry. “He was like, ‘today we’re gonna work on endurance, so I’ll need you to do these back tucks, back-to-back-to-back,’” the singer said his trainer told him.
“He had me doing like 50 back tucks back-to-back-to-back, which is another one of the worst ideas that somebody’s ever had,” Derulo said of the maneuver that is a backflip in which the performer starts from a standing position and flings their body backwards, landing on their hands and then springing off them to land back on their feet facing the same direction. “So I slipped during one of the back tucks and I landed on my head, breaking my C2 vertebrae.”
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As soon as the accident occurred, Derulo described hearing, “a big crack, and I was just like, ‘Holy s–t, is this it? Is this how it all ends?’ And all the thoughts that you could imagine are going through my head at the time.” He also recalled thinking at the time that his mother was outside the gym waiting for him in the car and that he didn’t want to scare her with the news. After laying on the ground for five minutes, he said he gathered himself and walked to the car holding his neck.
“And then I’m like, ‘Mom, I think I hurt myself a little bit’ — like with that bright kind of voice,” he said he told her. “‘I think I hurt myself a little bit inside, we should probably go to the hospital just to check it out.’” The ride to the hospital was rough, with Derulo describing every bump in the road as feeling like “hell on Earth. I’m just dying in that passenger seat, but I don’t wanna let her know that.”
At the hospital, Derulo was X-rayed and the doctor arrived with good and bad news. The good news, the doc said, was that Derulo had suffered what’s called a “hangman’s break,” which is the same break that happens when someone his hung from a rope. “‘And you’re still alive. This could’ve ended up way crazier, paralyzed or worse,’” the doctor told him. “That’s the good news, that you’re still here with us, and you can move all your limbs. The bad news is you’re gonna be out for seven months.”
Derulo described going from having total control over his life to not having “any kind of control at all,” down to an inability to tie his shoes or take a shower by himself. “That was the first time in my life where I felt like I just had no control,” he said. The injury required seven months of intense rehab, including a 45 minute walk every morning, followed by “hours and hours” in the studio writing and recording his 2013 Talk Dirty (aka Tattoos) album.
The other major blow for Derulo was the cancellation of his tour, which he knew would be a let-down for his fans. “I know how much this means to people, people save their money, their hard-earned money, and they wanna be part of this experience. All of a sudden all of that s–t was down the drain,” he said.
Derulo released his fifth studio album, Nu King, in February.
Listen to Derulo on I Am Paris below (talk about the accident begins at the 5:15 mark).
Playboi Carti’s new album has been four years in the making, according to the rapper’s producer Cardo, who recently shared insights about the project’s intense creative process.
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In an interview with Lucid Monday, filmed during SXSW earlier this year, Cardo confirmed his involvement in the highly anticipated follow-up to Whole Lotta Red and described working on the album as “crazy” and “fun.”
“I’m going to Atlanta to finish up Carti’s s–t. It’s been crazy — in a good way. It’s been crazy fun, just being able to wake up and he decides to drop a song you produced. It’s weird,” Cardo said. “I’ve known Carti since 2016, but me and him have been working on this new album for a good four years.”
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Back in April, Cardo also spoke to Billboard about working with the “Sky” hitmaker.
“That’s my little brother, man. Just being around him, the young one, you know, and gaining some kind of different kind of energy and inspiration from what he’s doing, seeing what levels he’s going on, it kind of gives me an idea of what levels I should just keep going,” he said.
“That’s how we’re creating all these fun records, breaking all these barriers that people made up.”
I Am Music, Carti’s forthcoming album, has generated excitement for quite some time now. Back in February, Carti joined streamer Adin Ross on his Kick channel, where he teased what fans can expect from the album.
“Mindblowing,” Carti described the record when asked by Ross. “My best. My very best — it’s actually insane.”
Earlier this year, Carti began the album’s rollout with a series of singles, including the Kanye West-produced “2024,” “Backr00ms” featuring Travis Scott, and “H00dByAir.” The tracks led many fans to believe that I Am Music was imminent, but Carti has since taken a step back from the spotlight, even going as far as to cancel his Antagonist Tour.
Despite this, Carti has had a notable year thanks to several high-profile collaborations.
In March, he scored his first-ever No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Carnival,” a track by Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign featuring Carti and Rich The Kid. Another major collaboration, “Type Shit,” featuring Future, Metro Boomin, and Travis Scott from the We Don’t Trust You album, peaked at No. 2 and earned a gold plaque.
The most anticipated video of the year so far has finally dropped. “Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar’s jubilant Drake diss track that topped the Billboard Hot 100 and has stayed on the chart for eight weeks, has enjoyed a legendary run. It’s been played in clubs and sports arenas, soundtracked children’s birthday parties, and inspired […]
Kendrick Lamar just threw gasoline on the simmering flames of his feud with Drake, sending fans into a frenzy with a series of explosive teaser photos from the set of his upcoming “Not Like Us” music video.
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The track, a blistering diss aimed at the 6 God, has been a juggernaut since its release, skyrocketing to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and dominating the cultural conversation.
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Anticipation for the video reached a fever pitch following K. Dot’s Juneteenth concert at The Forum on June 19, The Pop Out – Ken & Friends, where he performed “Not Like Us” a staggering five times in a row.
The 18-track set also featured guest appearances from Kendrick’s Black Hippy crewmates and his longtime industry mentor Dr. Dre.
Among the images causing the biggest stir is a shot of Kendrick obliterating an owl piñata, a not-so-subtle jab at Drake’s OVO brand.
The photo, cheekily captioned “DISCLAIMER: NO OVHOES WERE HARMED DURING THE MAKING OF THIS VIDEO,” set social media ablaze with excitement over the music video’s contents and the escalating tensions between these two rap titans.
But it’s not all barbs and bravado.
Another snap shared offers a rare glimpse into Kendrick’s personal life, showing the Compton native posing alongside his longtime partner Whitney Alford and their two children. The tender family moment suggests that the video may offer a more multifaceted look at the rapper, balancing its hard-hitting disses with an intimate portrait of the man behind the mic.
Shot on location in Kendrick’s hometown of Compton, Ca., the “Not Like Us” video looks to continue with the authentic, gritty aesthetic that has become synonymous with the rapper’s celebrated body of work.
While the exact release date remains under wraps, one thing is certain: the cultural impact of this video is bound to be seismic.
Houston’s very own Sauce Walka appeared on Los Angeles radio’s Power 106 with Justin Credible and did what he does best: rap his a— off. All he did was give us game and display some elite wordplay with lines like, “We been shootin’ choppers, changin’ lives before Obamacare” and “I’ll slap a n—a left ear, […]
Inflation has left holes in everyone’s pockets, and even multimillionaires like 50 Cent are feeling the effects. 50 went to buy a treat from a local ice cream truck in his neighborhood and he couldn’t believe some of the dessert prices in today’s society. “I jumped out and went to an ice cream truck today […]
Uncle Luke has a message for Drake. Rick Ross was recently attacked after a show in Vancouver, B.C., as Kendrick’s Drake diss track “Not Like Us” played in the background. While Drizzy had nothing to do with the altercation, he liked a post from Keep6ixSolid on Instagram, and this apparently is a cause of concern for the former leader of the 2 Live Crew. He posted a 13-minute clip on social media, in which he called the violence “unacceptable” and called Drake liking the post “more unacceptable.”
“This whole fightin’… My boy Ross and his guys in Canada, that’s unacceptable,” he said. “That [isn’t] supposed to happen. And what’s more unacceptable is when Mr. Drake liked the post.
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“I expect more out of Mr. Drake,” added Uncle Luke. “When there is violence, you don’t condone it. Mr. Drake, you should be bigger than that. You don’t like no posts because here’s what happens: There’s always a backlash of it all.”
He added: “Now you inserted yourself … Even if you were not involved, half of the country thinks you set the man up. … When you, Mr. Drake, liked the post, you just inserted yourself into violence toward Mr. Ross and his crew.”
Luke then brings up how he tried to broker peace between 2Pac and Biggie Smalls, saying, “I seen how this s—t end, man.”
Uncle Luke reacts to Rick Ross’s crew getting jumped in Canada and tells Drake that he has just inserted himself into violence by liking the post on Instagram of Rick Ross’s crew getting jumped. pic.twitter.com/SBddzjyiaR— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) July 3, 2024
Billboard has reached out to Drake’s rep for comment.
The day after the incident in Vancouver, Drake wished his fans a Happy Canada Day on his Instagram Story and said “Cheers to the whole country” as he enjoyed a summer cocktail outside.
In a separate post on his IG feed, the Toronto emcee posted a video of him and his friends rapping along to “Northern Touch” by Vancouver rappers the Rascalz. “Why you people wanna bang wit’ us, ain’t nobody can hang wit’ us,” Drake can be heard saying.
After the attack — which was captured on video — Rick Ross posted a photo to Instagram Story showing him in front of a private jet, saying, “Vancouver it was fun, till next time.” He also commented on an Instagram post by The Shade Room about Drake liking a video of the fight, writing, “I thought they were bottle service boys ha!”
In a statement after the altercation, the Miami rapper told TMZ, “Vancouver is a beautiful city and he can’t wait to go back.” He also said that no one on his team was seriously injured.
Waka Flocka Flame is riding with Donald Trump this presidential election. While performing in Utah earlier this week, the “No Hands” rapper instructed supporters of President Joe Biden to leave his concert.
“All Joe Biden voters, get out of my concert,” he said while on stage. “We going to see y’all at the bingo game. We’re gonna party right now for motherf–king president T24!”
The declaration drew a mixed reaction from the crowd before Waka cut through the awkwardness and moved into performing his “Grove St. Party” anthem.
Footage of Waka Flocka Flame went viral and he faced backlash from some fans on X. “We need a study done on why older rappers start using their platform to be loud and wrong,” one person wrote.
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Another quipped: “Can waka name one thing from the trump administration?”
With 2024 being an election year, politics have been part of the pop-culture conversation, with Biden and Trump facing off in a debate last week.
Waka Flocka Flame pledged allegiance to Donald Trump in October 2023 when he changed his profile picture on X to him posing alongside 45.
The Bricksquad boss responded to critics blasting his support of Trump in a since deleted tweet shortly after posting the photo with DT. “I’m an not a politician and i don’t wanna talk politics… i only answer to the people that made me and that’s my FANS aka THE PEOPLE… i love y’all with every bone in my body man Squaddd,” he wrote at the time.
The Trump administration is in Waka’s good graces after gifting him a lifetime achievement award for his contributions to the non-profit Daughter of Destiny.
“Lifetime Achievement Award. I gotta thank my pastor/big sister Apostle Dr. Bridget C. Outlaw for teaching and guiding me on this journey God got us on I’m just honored,” he captioned an Instagram post in April 2021. “S/O to my president!!!”
Earlier this year, Waka Flocka flame called for Trump to abolish Columbus Day if he returns to the Oval Office. “Dear Trump abolish Christopher Columbus Day,” the Atlanta resident tweeted in January. “As a what’s called Blackman in United States this holiday is a spit in our faces… Thanks from Waka Flocka Flame and the People!!!”
Another rapper who has pulled away from Biden is previous supporter Cardi B. However, she promised fans she would never join the Republican party. “I will never turn republican lol,” she assured on X earlier this week.
President Biden’s lackluster performance in the debate against Trump on June 27 drew criticism from the Democratic party, and some politicians are even calling for him to step aside in the presidential race.
Watch the footage of Waka Flocka Flame dissing Joe Biden supporters below.