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Welp, Beyoncé‘s Cowboy Carter album has been released into the wilds, and, like all things Beyoncé-related, it has the internet streets buzzing, and opinions are all over the place.
Some think Bey’s latest studio album is a musical masterpiece, others aren’t into it as much, and many are still figuring out how they feel about it by giving the 27-track country-themed album a second or third listen.
Then there’s Azealia Banks, who didn’t like it…or doesn’t like Beyoncé…or both…or whatever.
It seemed like the Act II album had just dropped on streaming platforms Friday (March 29), when Banks decided to slip into her usual salty, attention-starved, aggressively negative character and level of criticism at Cowboy Carter that, unsurprisingly, appeared to be more indicative of her contempt for the “Formation” singer herself more so than Bey’s new project.
From HipHopDX:
“Absolutely not,” she declared after joking that she might have to “eat her words” when it comes to previous criticism of Bey’s turn into the Country curve. “Themes r redundant. The lyrics really are forced. Album is too long… Plus who is this imaginary adversary sis thinks still wants to hump on [JAY-Z] in 2024?
“She’s gotta find new content. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY thinks he’s even remotely attractive …. LOL,” she added before finding positive things to say about the non-vocal aspects the album. “Great work from the band/producers/engineers. Cool and interesting work on the sonics. Might be her first sonically cool attempt at being arty…”
So, Banks, who claimed Cowboy Carter was so boring she “dozed off again” while listening to it, didn’t hate everything about the album. There were things she quite enjoyed, apparently—just nothing that she’s willing to attribute to Beyoncé’s talent.
And even though Beyoncé featured and brought increased attention to six Black country artists with her new album, Banks felt the feature list lacked too many of country music’s biggest names, such as Taylor Swift and Kacey Musgraves.
“I personally would have jumped out of my seat for a KT Tunstall appearance,” she continued. “A strong dr. Luke power ballad was missing … like ‘Low’.”
Listen: neither Beyoncé nor her art is above criticism, but sometimes the critiques come off more personal than objective, and considering Banks’ past comments about the “Daddy’s Lessons” artist, and the fact that she’s made her entire existence in the public eye about mean-spirited attacks on, well, pretty much everybody she speaks on (you’d almost completely forget AB is a talented recording artist herself), there’s just no reason to see her criticism any differently.
More from HipHopDX:
Azealia Banks’ review echoes sentiments she shared earlier this week, when she suggested that the former Destiny’s Child leader is trying to behave like a white woman.
“Sis, I live for Whiteyonce Donatella Bianca Bardot DOWN, but I’m kind of ashamed at how [you] switch from Baobab trees and Black Parade to this literal pick me stuff,” she began.
Azealia then suggested that Beyoncé went above and beyond for the Dixie Chicks (with whom she performed at the CMAs in 2016) because they were white women.
“Like u do lame stuff like bring out some blacklisted white women (Dixie Chicks) at the Country Music Awards. and they would never, ever do the same for you. Ur always sharing ur platform with white women, who are so jealous of you but have such a long history of sabotaging other black careers,” she wrote. “You’re reinforcing the false rhetoric that country music is a post-civil war art form.”
I mean, referring to Beyoncé as “Whiteyonce” is kind of rich coming from someone who vehemently defended bleaching her skin, but OK.
Anyway, the fine folks on X had some thoughts on Banks, and, as usual, most of them weren’t very flattering. Here are some of the replies.
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5. Some remembered that time Banks collaborated with and defended Dr. Luke, who was accused of rape.
6. But some were on AB’s side.
7. Most weren’t, though.
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So, what did y’all think about Cowboy Carter? Did Banks make any good points, or should she have just sat there and ate her bitter food? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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At some point, it needs to be acknowledged that the main reason the two-decade-old beef between Benzino and Eminem refuses to die is that Benzino refuses to stop talking about it.
It was just last month that the “Who Is Benzino?” rapper had a tearful emotional breakdown on the set of Drink Champs because he was supposedly tired of talking about his Caucasian rival, who he said he “don’t have a problem with” at the time. But then he was right back to trading jabs with Slim Shady soon after. Now, the 58-year-old is taking his beef with Em to the latter’s home city of Detroit and posting on Instagram photos and footage of himself at Em’s “Mom’s Spaghetti” Italian cuisine restaurant, where he bought bags of food just so he could tell his followers that the spaghetti was “horrible.”
“Mark this date. #Rapelvis Video soon come……oh the [spaghetti] was horrible,” Zino captioned a photo posted to IG that showed him flipping the bird at the logo of Em’s restaurant. Apparently, the former Mad Men member didn’t think there was anything counterintuitive about spending his money on food from Em’s eatery—which essentially puts it in the Music to be Murdered By rapper’s pocket—while giving the restaurant free advertising.
From Vibe:
Zino also uploaded various other clips from behind the scenes of his music video, showing him launching more disrespect at Em’s establishment. The former The Source owner is seen ordering bags of food from the spot. In another clip, he takes a bite from a pint-size spaghetti order before chucking it in disgust. Another clip features the 58-year-old Hip-Hop figure stealing one of the store’s signs.
Meanwhile, outside of an occasional diss track, Em appears to be far less invested in this beef than Zino is. So, you know, maybe it’s time to let it go, bruh.
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Last week, social media was buzzing after NewsNation “reported” that Pop/R&B sensation Bruno Mars had racked up more than $50 million in gambling debt at MGM casinos and that a large portion of that debt is being paid off with money Mars earned during his residency at Park MGM in Las Vegas.
After the news was reported, the interwebs were flooded with memes, gifs and everybody’s opinion on Mars’ apparent gambling addiction. Shannon Sharpe even started dishing about a story he heard about the “Talking to the Moon” singer losing nearly $2 million after a single night of gambling.
Well, it turns out that the Silk Sonic member may not be a victim of his own gambling impulses, but he might be a victim of bad journalism. According to MGM Resorts International, none of the rumors about Mars’ outstanding debt are true.
“We’re proud of our relationship with Bruno Mars, one of the world’s most thrilling and dynamic performers. 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,” MGM said in a statement to People. “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.”
Since the company doesn’t have any discernable reason to lie about Mars not owing it money, it seems pretty safe to say this is yet another example of why folks can’t just believe every headline they read in their news feeds.
From People:
A source had claimed to NewsNation that MGM “basically owned” Mars after he allegedly racked up millions in gambling debt with the hospitality and entertainment company.
The outlet also claimed that Mars made $90 million a year from his residencies at MGM, but the singer was using a large amount of that to pay the company back.
“[He will] only make $1.5 million per night after taxes,” NewsNation claimed.
Mars’ began his partnership with MGM in 2016, leading to his Park MGM residency. This year, his Pinky Ring cocktail bar opened at MGM’s Bellagio Resort & Casino.
So, it sounds like Bruno Mars is doing fine, and there are some entertainment media outlets out there that really need to do better at checking their facts before rushing to put a juicy celebrity story out.
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It has only been a month since comedian Jess Hilarious announced that she was set to be the new host of The Breakfast Club with Charlamagne The God and DJ Envy, and drama between Jess and the hosts has already ensued. Note: Charlamagne disputed the claim that she was selected as a permanent host, but we’ll get to that in a second.
On Tuesday (Jan. 23), Jess shared a post by The Shade Room that showed Envy and Charlamagne elevating songstress SZA to the level of Mary J. Blige. Jess was having none of it.
“These N-ggas trash,” the Wild ‘N Out comedian wrote. “Envy shut up! I know artists be pissed when old heads do this bc now everybody negatively comparing SZA to MJB and it ain’t even her fault! She has her own identity already.”
It’s arguable that Hilarious isn’t wrong here. Calling SZA the new Mary is basically opening the door for trolls and die-hard MBJ fans to lash out and cause the “Kill Bill” singer to catch strays when she was just minding her own business and being great.
Still, it’s also arguable that Jess was being a little harsh when she called Charlamagne and Envy “trash” just for making the comparison. Perhaps her hostility towards the two Breakfast Club hosts has something to do with whatever happened with her joining the team.
From Hip Hop DX:
In late December, the former Wild N’Out star announced that she would be replacing Angela Yee on The Breakfast Club after more than a year of the morning show being just a two-man operation.
“It’s official,” she said during an event in her hometown. “I’ma put the fuck on for my city. Specifically, West Baltimore.”
However, these plans seem to have fallen apart.
Just last week, Charlamagne Tha God said he was “not happy” about the confusion surrounding the show, which has been without a third host since Yee departed in December 2022 to front her own syndicated program.
The Breakfast Club has had a number of rotating guest hosts including Claudia Jordan, Jess Hilarious, Jason Lee, and Loren LoRosa over the last year and a half, but they have yet to announce a permanent replacement.
When asked by TMZ about the situation, CTG said: “I would really like to know. I just came from downstairs. It was just me and Envy doing the show again.
“Everybody saw us rotating guest hosts last year and we said we were gonna start 2024 off with a new host and that hasn’t happened yet.”
He added: “I am done with the rotating of the guest hosts.”
Welp, now that Jess Hillarious has fired off on the show’s only two current hosts, chances of her ever becoming a Breakfast Club host—if it’s even something she wants anymore—have likely gone from slim to nill.
So, what do y’all think? Is Jess right about the comparison of SZA to Mary, or did Envy and The God have a fair point? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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It may appear that the LGBTQ community has made a lot of strides in recent years, but that doesn’t mean the threat of bigotry isn’t still present and a cause of concern for queer people. Recently, openly gay rapper Saucy Santana expressed fears about having a gay son in a world that still breeds and facilitates hate.
In fact, Santana said he would prefer that any son he has doesn’t turn out to be gay, not because he’s self-loathing at all, but because he knows too well the intolerance and outright bigotry that, in his experience, is virtually inescapable.
“I think for me—just being honest—I’m just worried about how to raise a kid and just me being gay,” he said during an interview with VH1’s For The Fellas, a preview of which was released Friday. “And I feel like if I have a son, I wouldn’t want my son to be gay. And not because nothing is wrong with it but because of everything I went through. I don’t look at it as self-hate because I love myself more than anybody.”
“I think that it’s just not easy,” he continued. “I want better and I don’t even know if better is the right word because it’s not saying…To me, nothing is wrong with being gay.”
As previously reported, the “Walk” rapper got into a beef that started online with DJ Akademiks, which resulted in the latter declaring that “everybody know I’m cool with the LGBT community,” just before launching into what just might be the most blatantly homophobic attack ever uttered by someone claiming to be “cool with the LGBT community.”
“No batty man like Saucy Santana could talk to me. I’ll spit in your face, n-gga,” Akademiks said. “Me and you couldn’t have a conversation. You’re a cocksucker. We don’t talk to n-ggas like you.”
“You need to go get right with God. Go look in that mirror and figure out what the fuck going on with yourself,” he added. “We ain’t indicting people who are homosexuals, but a n-gga like you, you got a mental illness, my boy. You trying to mix it up with a n-gga like me.”
Yeah—that certainly sounds like a homophobic indictment though.
Notably, Santana responded to Akademiks with a homophobic slur of his own, which could possibly have been part of his angry reaction to hateful words that should anger anyone who stands against bigotry. Later on, Akademiks took to social media to literally cry about how he’s “not tryna get canceled.”
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As for Santana’s VH1 interview, the full episode will premier on December 15.
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Lil Nas X’s documentary Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero was supposed to premiere at the Toronto Film Festival at a certain time Saturday night but, unfortunately, it got delayed for about 20 minutes because, well, homophobic bigots ruin everything—or at least they try to.
According to Variety, the screening was scheduled to begin at 10:pm Saturday at Roy Thomson Hall, one of TIFF’s premier venues. Fans were lined up to see the documentary and the film’s co-directors, Carlos López Estrada and Zac Manuel, and editor, Andrew Morrow, were all on the red carpet taking photos. But just as Nas X was pulling up to have his moment with his fans and collaborators, organizers were informed that a bomb threat had been called in and everything was brought to a grinding halt.
From Variety:
The threat specifically targeted the rapper for being a Black queer artist, one source added.
Nas’ arrival was delayed 20 minutes while TIFF security conducted a sweep of the venue. After the threat was proved not credible, he joined Estrada and Manuel on the red carpet and the screening began at approximately 10:30pm.
A spokesperson for TIFF tells Variety: “Earlier this evening, we were made aware by the Toronto Police Service of an investigation in the vicinity of the red carpet for the ‘Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero’ screening. Our standard security measures remained in place during this time and the screening commenced with a slight delay. To our knowledge, this was a general threat and not directed at the film or the artist.”
The “Old Town Road” artist is, of course, no stranger to dealing with homophobic nonsense, but it’s still a shame that, in 2023, folks are still so full of hate that they would attempt to derail the premier of a documentary they don’t even have to watch with terroristic intimidation and threats of violence.
Fortunately, it was a failed attempt and the “Industry Baby” entertainer was still seen on the red carpet with family, fans and his team of documentarians.
So, basically, haters can hate, but the show will go on.
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First, let me just say Joseph Foreman aka Afroman is still HILARIOUS!
Last August, the “Because I Got High” rapper’s Adams County, Ohio, home was raided by deputies and other officers with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, who were armed when they executed a search warrant for drugs, drug paraphernalia and evidence of kidnapping and human trafficking, none of which they found.
From Fox 19:
The suspicions turned out to be unfounded. The Adams County Prosecutor’s Office said the raid failed to turn up probative criminal evidence, according to attorney Anna Castellini. No charges were ever filed.
In a bizarre turn of events unrelated to the civil suit, the sheriff’s office appeared to come up hundreds of dollars short returning cash seized from Foreman’s property. An independent investigation by Ohio BCI resolved the matter last month, concluding deputies had miscounted the money during the raid itself.
“They come up here with AR-15, traumatize my kids, destroyed my property, kick in my door, rip up and destroy my camera system,” Afroman said in August.
So, months after the officers of the law entered the gate to his property and battered down his front door while his family was apparently home in search of drugs and kidnapping victims that were not there, Afroman used video footage of the raid taken from his security cameras and his wife’s cell phone and turned it into a couple of music videos that are just damn excellent.
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One video titled “Will You Help Me Repair My Door” shows the damage the armed officers did to Afroman’s gate and front door as they forced their way into his home in search of imaginary contraband and stolen humans. In the video, Afroman asks comedically if the sheriff’s office will pay for the damage to his home, if it was really necessary for the officers to traumatize his children, and how many kidnapping victims and/or pounds of marijuana did they find in his suit pockets and CD cases, which they were seen searching on camera. He also asked why the oficers were stealing his money, which, again, they came up short on initially when it was time to return.
Anyway, seven of the deputies are suing Afroman because video footage used in the video caused them great harm and embarrassment by—*checks notes*—showing their exact behavior during the raid. The deputies who literally broke into a family’s private residence to find zero evidence of a crime also complained that showing the footage violated their right to privacy. (The cop-casity, I tell ya’.)
More from Fox 19:
Four deputies, two sergeants and a detective are claiming Foreman (a.k.a. “Afroman”) took footage of their faces obtained during the raid and used it in music videos and social media posts without their consent, a misdemeanor violation under Ohio Revised Code.
They’re also suing on civil grounds, saying Foreman’s use of their faces (i.e. personas) in the videos and social media posts resulted in their “emotional distress, embarrassment, ridicule, loss of reputation and humiliation.”
The plaintiffs say they’re entitled to all of Foreman’s profits from his use of their personas. That includes, according to the complaint, proceeds from the songs, music videos and live event tickets as well as the promotion of Foreman’s “Afroman” brand, under which he sells beer, marijuana, t-shirts and other merchandise.
They’re also asking for an injunction to take down all videos and posts containing their personas.
Cincinnati attorney Robert Klingler filed the suit in Adams County Common Pleas Court on March 13 against Foreman, his recording firm and a Texas-based media distribution company. Not every law enforcement officer involved in the raid is named as a plaintiff.
But Foreman said in a lengthy Instagram post that he’s going to fight fire with fire by countersuing “for the undeniable damage this had on my clients, family, career and property.”
At the end of the day, cops shouldn’t be able to blindly break into homes where there are children present armed to the teeth so they can ransack the home based on a warrant that seems to have gotten signed based on a hunch and a prayer rather than tangible evidence of criminal wrongdoing.
Isn’t that how Breonna Taylor got killed?
Exactly.
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Apparently, there are folks on social media who, for whatever reason, believe openly gay recording artist Lil Nas X is basically the Rachel Dolezal of the LGBTQ community and is only pretending to be gay for the publicity.
But Nas X, being the internet clap-back-ologist that he is, had the perfect responses for men who had veered too far out of the lane of minding the business that pays them.
“Oh no guys, it’s the estrogen expert,” he replied to a Twitter user (emphasis on “twit”) who insisted that Nas X is “not really gay or not really that feminine” because, in his mind, “it’s so forced.”
Of course, commenters on the thread had a field day dragging the “estrogen expert” and coming up with alternative titles for the apparent testosterone tabulator.
But the orientation auditors were not done yet. Here’s another one who has predicted that “One day we will realise that Lil Nas X is not gay” and that “He just finessed the LGBT community and got to the bag.”
I mean, I can confidently say I’ve never spent any amount of time contemplating the sexuality of someone who has already openly said what they are. But this man has thought about Lil Nas X’s sexual orientation so deeply that he’s out here giving “one day we’ll get to the mountain top” speeches about it.
Nas X had just one question for the intimacy inspector.
“Do I have to give head at 3:45 am behind a McDonald’s in Chicago on a Friday night during the middle of pride month while streaming on twitch and IG live for y’all to realize I am really a fruitcake?” he asked.
Clearly, Lil Naz X is comfortable in his own skin and he knows who he is.
Some of these dudes on Twitter should be far more concerned with themselves.
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It’s been two months since Rolling Stone published its “200 Greatest Singers Of All Time” list. Soul legend Chaka Khan is still calling out all the shenanigans that resulted in her ranking at No. 29, while other singers who shouldn’t even be humming a tune while mowing her lawn were ranked higher.
OK, Chaka Khan didn’t say all that, but she is displeased, and she had some choice words for higher-ranked singers like Adele, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige and others, as well as whoever is making the artist ranking decisions at Rolling Stone.
From HuffPost:
Appearing on Los Angeles Magazine’s “The Originals” podcast, Chaka Khan had some choice words about many of Rolling Stone’s selections. At one point, the 10-time Grammy winner argued that the publication’s editors “need hearing aids.”
“These are blind b*tches,” the “I’m Every Woman” singer, who is ranked No. 29 on the list, told host Andrew Goldman.
Khan took specific issue with Mariah Carey and Adele, who are ranked No. 5 and No. 22, respectively.
“That must be payola or some shit like that,” she said of Carey. Regarding Adele, she was perhaps even more dismissive, stating dryly: “OK, I quit.”
Still, Khan reserved her harshest critique for folk icon Joan Baez, who came in at No. 189. “Let’s be honest, the b*tch cannot sing,” she said of Baez. “Now, she was a good writer.”
Daaaayum, Chaka, it’s like that?
You can tell Khan is at that age where she just really doesn’t do the filter thing—if she ever did.
Notably, she acknowledged that Aretha Franklin reaching G.O.A.T. status on the list is as it “should be,” because even arguably the second greatest singer of all time won’t be offended by being listed under the Queen.
Anyway, Khan must have felt bad about going in the way she did, because on Sunday, she posted a lengthy apology to her Instagram account.
“Recently, I was asked about a list of the ‘greatest singers of all time’ and instead of questioning the need for such a list, I was pitted against other artists and I took the bait,” she wrote. “As artists, we are unfairly put into ‘boxes,’ ‘categories’ or on ‘lists.’ Being an artist or musician is not a competition. It’s a gift, for which I am truly grateful.”
“It was not my intention to cause pain or upset anyone. To anyone that felt this way, I sincerely apologize,” she added. “Empowering all artists is most important because we truly are the architects of change…and change begins within the heart.”
So, what do y’all think about Chaka Khan’s ranking on the Rolling Stone list? And is she wrong for shading the higher-ranked singers, or was she just keeping it real and calling out a great injustice? Was she right to apologize, or nah?
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