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New York rapper Ja Rule had some words for his longtime industry rival, 50 Cent, for the way the G-Unit founder mocked the death of Murder Inc. founder Irv Gotti, who passed away in February. Ja had reflected on his career and relationship with Gotti during a Hip Hop Wired exclusive discussion between the “Always On Time” rapper and New Orleans legend Juvenile.
During a recent appearance on The Breakfast Club, Ja went all the way in on 50, who posted on Instagram shortly after Gotti’s death was announced, “I’m smoking on dat Gotti pack, nah God bless him [white dove emoji] LOL.”
“I see some of the things that [50 Cent] gets involved in, feuds. ‘Grow up, my n***a.’ That’s what I be thinking to myself,” Ja told Breakfast Club hosts Charlamagne tha God, DJ Envy and Loren Lorosa.
Then he addressed Fif’s Instagram post.
“It’s goofy sh*t,” Ja said. “‘Cause I was hot. I was ready to go nuclear and sh*t … Preme said, ‘You know, Rule? Here’s what you gotta understand about who we are and what we are: We are the masters of self-defense.’ I said, ‘I love that,’ because I don’t want to start or make trouble with people, but if we gotta get into it … I’ll f**kin’ end it.
“That’s who we are as men,” he continued. “Here to protect our family, protect our home, defend our honor, our names, our reptuation. I’m not here to be a bully and bother people. That’s not what I’m here to do, but I am a master of self-defense.”
Ja, also addressed his 20-some-odd-year beef with the “In Da Club” rapper, who he claimed is largely responsible for the continuation of the rivalry, noting that he rarely even mentions 50, but will occasionally respond to his endless online “troll” behavior.
“He keeps it going,” Ja said. “I’ll go to the circus once in a while. I really like to stay clear of that sh*t …. I like to have fun sometimes. I poke jabs at him, too, but that’s all that really is. To me, it’s silly. We’re both successful Black men and I think the focus should be on continuing to make sure that we pay it forward.”
You can check out the full interview below.
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Bowers & Wilkins, a notable audio products brand that has been in existence since the 1960s, produces some of the finest loudspeakers and Bluetooth audio products in the world. After recently announcing a partnership with the British motorsports team McLaren, Bowers & Wilkins has released the new Pi8 McLaren Edition Bluetooth headphones.
We’ve experienced Bowers & Wilkins’ excellent Pi5 and Pi7 S2 in-ear Bluetooth headphones, and we can state firmly that the hardware lives up to the hype. By way of its solid construction, world-class audio, and exceptional all-day comfort, coupled with strong battery life, we’re excited to share the news of the brand’s Pi8 McLaren headphones.
The McLaren Pi8 is equipped with two 12 mm Carbon Cone drivers, offers 24-bit audio connection, 5-band customisable EQ + TrueSound™ mode, Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX™ Lossless technology, and Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), a feature that is standard across all the in-ear products we’ve tried from the Bowers & Wilkins brand.
Back in March, Bowers & Wilkins and the McLaren Automotive team announced that B&WW is the Official Audio Partner for McLaren, with hopes of bringing fans of F1 racing into the high-end audio space. We can certainly say without a doubt that from the images, this will be an especially head-turning set of headphones with their Papaya orange and Galvanic Grey color stylings, and the amazing functionality will certainly spark some folks to hop aboard and get into all the offerings put out by Bowers & Wilkins.
Giles Pocock, Vice President of Brand Marketing for Bowers & Wilkins, shared in a statement, “We are thrilled to collaborate with the McLaren team once again. This reimagining of our award-winning earbuds elevates our long-term partnership even further by combining the unmistakable design DNA of McLaren with our industry-leading audio products to create an attention-grabbing version of our Pi8. We’re excited to see how it’s received by Bowers & Wilkins and McLaren fans alike.”
We hope to get our hands on the Pi8 McLaren Edition headphones very soon, and the product is currently not on the market after a brief pre-sale event earlier this month, but it will be dropping very soon. Click here to learn all the nuts and bolts about this exciting release from Bowers & Wilkins.
Click here to learn more about the brand in full.
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Photo: Bowers & Wilkins
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The beef with Kanye West and Taylor Swift continues. Sources say she is taking legal action against him after his latest slander campaign.
Athlon Sports is reporting that Taylor Swift is considering taking her grievances with Kanye West to a court of law. Earlier this week, Ye took to X, formerly Twitter, and had another brain dump regarding why he has yet to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show. “I never was allowed to do the Super Bowl because of 3 moments,” Ye wrote. “George Bush don’t care about black people. The Taylor Swift movement moment. Wearing a MAGA hat. How it feel to be the best living and blocked from the main stage because of being ahead of my time.” Of course, this assumption that Taylor Swift is somehow blocking his big moment soon picked up traction.
The Daily Mail spoke to a source that is said to be close to the “Shake It Off” singer and claims that she is considering taking legal action against Kanye West. “This time he has gone too far,” the source said. “His claims are not just false they are defamatory. This isn’t just [West] gossiping. This is [West] sexually harassing a woman, defaming her and intending to cause harm to her and to her career.” The unidentified contact also says that her boyfriend Travis Kelce also wants to confront [Ye] “man to man.”
The Taylor Swift and Kanye story dates back to the 2009 MTV Music Video Awards when West interrupted her acceptance speech and proclaimed that it should have gone to Beyoncé. “Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you. I’mma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time!” Since then the two have gone on to make amends but it didn’t last very long.
Taylor Swift has yet to formally speak on the matter.
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Source: Kilmar Abrego Garcia | Courtesy Jennifer-Vasquez / Courtesy Jennifer-Vasquez
On Thursday (April 10), the Supreme Court upheld the decision of a lower court that the administration of President Donald Trump must “facilitate and effectuate the return” of Kilmer Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and deported to a prison in El Salvador. “The order properly requires the government to ‘facilitate’ Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador,” the Supreme Court’s decision said. “The intended scope of the term ‘effectuate’ in the district court’s order is, however, unclear, and may exceed the district court’s authority.”The vote was 9-0 in the ruling, a direct rebuke of the agenda of President Donald Trump to forcibly expel all purported gang members from the United States. While the vote was unanimous, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Justice Elena Kagan blasted the government in a statement. “To this day,” Justice Sotomayor wrote, “the government has cited no basis in law for Abrego Garcia’s warrantless arrest, his removal to El Salvador or his confinement in a Salvadoran prison. Nor could it.” The statement then urged District Court Judge Paula Xunis, who made the initial decision, to “continue to ensure that the government lives up to its obligations to follow the law.”Abrego Garcia, a father of three, has been accused of being a member of the notorious street gang MS-13, which was recently named as a terror organization. “The ‘evidence’ against Abrego Garcia consisted of nothing more than his Chicago Bulls hat and hoodie,” wrote Judge Xunis in her initial order, “and a vague, uncorroborated allegation from a confidential informant claiming he belonged to MS-13’s ‘Western’ clique in New York — a place he has never lived.”“The rule of law won today,” said Andrew J. Rossman, a lawyer for Abrego Garcia, after the ruling. “Time to bring him home.” D. John Sauer, the U.S. Solicitor General, argued that the decision was to “treat the executive branch as a subordinate diplomat and demand that the United States let a member of a foreign terrorist organization into America tonight.” Abrego Garcia’s lawyers refuted the claim. “Abrego Garcia has lived freely in the United States for years, yet has never been charged for a crime,” they wrote. “The government’s contention that he has suddenly morphed into a dangerous threat to the republic is not credible.”
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The popularity of the MGM+ series Godfather of Harlem is undeniable, highlighted by the music under the purview of the iconic Hip-Hop producer and artist, Swizz Beatz which includes its compelling theme song, “Just In Case” featuring Swizz along with Rick Ross and the late DMX. As the show returns for its fourth season, viewers will be heavily tuned in to see the next chapter in the story of famed crime boss Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson, played by Academy Award-winner Forest Whitaker.
Seeing Johnson fight the mafia for control of his beloved Harlem takes on new dimensions in the wake of the assassination of his friend Malcolm X, and the presence of an up-and-coming underworld figure in Frank Lucas (played by Emmy Award-winner Rome Flynn). HipHopWired had the opportunity to talk with Swizz Beatz before the premiere of the new season to get his perspective on crafting the tone of the show.HipHopWired: We’re days away from the premiere of this fourth season. What’s the anticipation been like, for you and everyone else involved for the viewers to see the season play out?Swizz Beatz: Man, well, there’s been a lot of anxiety, because people were like, “When is it happening? When is it happening? When is it happening?” And when they see the announcement, people start hitting me up, and they’re like, “Okay, finally, is this going to happen?” Is that going to happen?” But, I don’t watch the show until it comes out. So I love to keep it a surprise, because imagine, you spend all this time doing work on the show. By the time the show comes out, you’ve seen everything. It’s not really a celebration, you know? It’s kind of like spoiling your own party, right? So I do my little clips. I get small scenes and things like that, but I don’t know where they go or how they’re pieced up. And then I score the music around that, and I make the songs around that. And so we had a small premiere here in New York the other day, and it was the opening scene. I had never seen it before. I was like, “Wow. Okay. That’s how they pieced that up.” So it’s been amazing.
“Seeing DMX and Forest Whitaker in the studio together as big fans of each other was pretty awesome.”
HipHopWired: That leads me to my next question. For the process of creating the soundscape, because if there’s anything that stands out for Godfather of Harlem, it’s your music. I’m curious as to the process that you undergo in creating whatever you have for the scenes. How do you go about it?Swizz Beatz: I have an open door policy at the studio, where we have the writers, directors, songwriters, you know, everybody’s invited that’s involved. A lot of the characters in the show pop up, and it’s good to just feel everybody’s energy and just let everybody feel at home. And then at that same time, I have artists coming in. Some known, some unknown.
But what I do different now is I kind of make it like, my voice is the voice that’s in Bumpy Johnson’s head. So, when you hear my vocals, I’m saying what Bumpy Johnson’s probably thinking at that moment. And then I have B singing vocals from Teddy Sinclair. That’s the vocals for Stella [Gigante], right? And then this other person, that’s the voice for that. So I tried to make the records be the voices in a different character’s head and what they’re thinking and what they’re going through at those particular times, rather than just making songs and just placing them and sending them in. Sometimes I keep the mic on while I’m watching the scene and score the scene with my voice to the actual scene, just so you can really feel how that’s going down. Like the single that’s coming out with me, Jadakiss, and Pusha T called “Danger, Danger.” When you see “Danger, Danger” in the show, you’re gonna know it’s “Danger, danger.” (laughs)
HipHopWired: Comparing the work you’ve done in the past seasons to the music you’ve put together for this season, do you like to have a distinct tonal change reflecting the story for each season?
Swizz Beatz: We’re putting out the record of the soundtrack for the season, for the first time. Before, we were just doing it as one song for each episode. But I felt like it was getting lost in the sauce. And so we said, “You know what? Let’s put it as a body of work. “Swizz Beatz Presents Godfather of Harlem, Season Four,” as a body of work for season four. And I think we’re going to do it going forward. But you know, having that particular mood and that sound…because Godfather does have a sound. When I go back and look at the other season, I wasn’t really thinking of a sound overall. At that point, I was just thinking of and doing the tasks at hand. But now when I go back, it’s a moody sound, we were able to get darker and explore more, because I’m not looking to make a smash hit. I’m looking to make the show a smash hit. So it’s a whole different dynamic that I’m able to play with. Rather than somebody paying me to be in the studio to make a smash hit so they could go on tour and do different things, Godfather is so that we can make the show a smash hit. So it’s two different frequencies, and Godfather is way more freedom.HipHopWired: What’s been among your top experiences working on Godfather of Harlem, just off the top of your head?Swizz Beatz: Seeing DMX and Forest Whitaker in the studio together as big fans of each other was pretty awesome, you know, they both went into their little shell of respect. But wow. I’m looking at [DMX], he’s like, giddy as a kid when Forest walks in. Then I’m seeing Forest do the same thing, and I’m just in the middle, just looking at this whole excellence of celebration unfold in front of me, and…that was a major moment. We may have got that on camera as well. That was one of my major moments. Right then, I was like, “Okay, sh*tt is real.” (laughs)
Season 4 of Godfather of Harlem kicks off April 14.
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Our “Forever FLOTUS” is addressing rumors that she and former President Barack Obama are divorcing.
In a new interview on the podcast Work in Progress with Sophia Bush, Mrs. Obama acknowledged that the rumors were largely fueled by her decision to miss both Jimmy Carter’s funeral and Donald Trump’s inauguration earlier this year.
Rumors varied from the beloved former first couple divorcing to even questions whether or not Mrs. Obama was ill.
Per Buzzfeed, Mrs. Obama explained that she looked at her calendar and in the case of a “real big example,” chose not to do something she was “supposed” to. “I chose to do what was best for me. Not what I had to do, not what I thought other people wanted me to do. And between you and me, it was an important test for me as a woman, as an independent person. Because like all women and a lot of people, I operate from guilt,” she continued. “What should I do? What is the best thing for everybody else?”
She did not address what the specific event was that she opted out, but explained that she is reclaiming her time.
She explains that as her daughters Sasha and Malia have reached adulthood and her husband is no longer president, she is living life on her own terms. “It’s the first time in my life all of my choices are for me.”
“But it’s also a little scary. Because as a mom and a busy person, it was always somebody else’s excuse — Why didn’t I do this? Why haven’t I gone there? Well, I have to make sure the girls are okay, or my husband’s president, so I can’t do that,” she continued.
“Now, I can’t blame my decisions and indecisions on anyone other than me,” she continued. “As a woman, I think if I’m honest with myself, I could have made a lot of these decisions years ago. But I didn’t give myself that freedom. Maybe, even as much as I let my kids lead their own lives, I used their lives as an excuse for why I couldn’t do something. And now that’s wrong.”
She added, “But the interesting thing is that when I say no, for the most part, people are like, ‘I get it.’ That’s the thing that we as women struggle with: disappointing people. So much so that this year, people couldn’t even fathom that I was making a choice for myself. They had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing,” she explained. “This couldn’t be a grown woman just making a set of decisions herself, right? But that’s what society does to us.”
Mrs. Obama is currently hosting a podcast IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson where she and her brother take questions about life challenges.
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Source: Andy Wenstrand / Getty
Our “Forever FLOTUS” is addressing rumors that she and former President Barack Obama are divorcing.
In a new interview on the podcast Work in Progress with Sophia Bush, Mrs. Obama acknowledged that the rumors were largely fueled by her decision to miss both Jimmy Carter’s funeral and Donald Trump’s inauguration earlier this year.
Rumors varied from the beloved former first couple divorcing to even questions whether or not Mrs. Obama was ill.
Per Buzzfeed, Mrs. Obama explained that she looked at her calendar and in the case of a “real big example,” chose not to do something she was “supposed” to. “I chose to do what was best for me. Not what I had to do, not what I thought other people wanted me to do. And between you and me, it was an important test for me as a woman, as an independent person. Because like all women and a lot of people, I operate from guilt,” she continued. “What should I do? What is the best thing for everybody else?”
She did not address what the specific event was that she opted out, but explained that she is reclaiming her time.
She explains that as her daughters Sasha and Malia have reached adulthood and her husband is no longer president, she is living life on her own terms. “It’s the first time in my life all of my choices are for me.”
“But it’s also a little scary. Because as a mom and a busy person, it was always somebody else’s excuse — Why didn’t I do this? Why haven’t I gone there? Well, I have to make sure the girls are okay, or my husband’s president, so I can’t do that,” she continued.
“Now, I can’t blame my decisions and indecisions on anyone other than me,” she continued. “As a woman, I think if I’m honest with myself, I could have made a lot of these decisions years ago. But I didn’t give myself that freedom. Maybe, even as much as I let my kids lead their own lives, I used their lives as an excuse for why I couldn’t do something. And now that’s wrong.”
She added, “But the interesting thing is that when I say no, for the most part, people are like, ‘I get it.’ That’s the thing that we as women struggle with: disappointing people. So much so that this year, people couldn’t even fathom that I was making a choice for myself. They had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing,” she explained. “This couldn’t be a grown woman just making a set of decisions herself, right? But that’s what society does to us.”
Mrs. Obama is currently hosting a podcast IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson where she and her brother take questions about life challenges.
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Source: Richard Termine/Sesame Street / Sesame Street
SZA has taken her talents to children’s television. The musician has graced Sesame Street with a new song about gratitude.
As spotted on Variety Magazine SZA is the latest performer who has paid a visit to the legendary television show. On Thursday, April 10 her episode premiered and we find her performing an original song that pays ode to gratitude. Joined by Elmo, Abby and Gabrielle the New Jersey native flexed her signature vocals to remind others to be thankful for all things including friends, family and more. Additionally, the “Good Days” songstress showed the beloved characters how to make their own gratitude jar.
Source: Richard Termine/Sesame Street / Sesame Street
This marks Sesame Street’s 55th season. In a press statement executive producer Sal Perez explained their direction for this year’s content. “New episodes of Sesame Street will help young viewers understand and express their feelings, learn new mindfulness practices, and as always, have a blast with their favorite furry and funny friends,” he said. “Whether it’s taking a volcano breath when angry, learning to give yourself a hug when frustrated, or wiggling it out when disappointed, we are empowering children with the strategies to help build resiliency and the foundational skills for emotional well-being.”
You can watch SZA help Elmo, Abby and Gabrielle with their gratitude jars below.
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According to reports, the vaunted partnership program between Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and LIU-Brooklyn has given its students unexpected debt and more struggle than promised. The Roc Nation School of Music, Sports, and Entertainment at LIU-Brooklyn was touted as a major achievement when it was launched in 2021 to much fanfare, with some students receiving “Hope Scholarships” for those deemed “higher need” applicants with the promise of debt-free learning. One recipient, Justice Stephenson, shared her excitement about getting the offer. “ I remember being just generally conflicted about school and then coming across this school made me feel a sense of security,” she said.
Stephenson is slated to graduate this year but told Gothamist that she is doing so with $5,000 in debt – an amount she negotiated down from $26,000. She’s one of a dozen students from the program who have accrued debt in amounts ranging up to $39,000. According to a former employee speaking anonymously, the Roc Nation program admitted 50 students in total in 2021. Some students took up couch surfing to help defray the cost of attending, and others allege they were guided to take out private loans.
The group of students speaking out also voiced complaints about the quality of offerings that the Roc Nation School promised. They said they created an improvised music studio out of a former student radio space, which they used along with professors. Another issue that was raised was the lack of celebrity guest lecturers promised – Megan Thee Stallion spoke to students, but others such as DJ Khaled, Rihanna, and the Jonas Brothers didn’t materialize.
LIU marketing chief Jackie Nealon stated that the scholarship covered tuition only. “The offer letter also expressly includes that neither university fees nor housing costs are included in the scholarship,” she said. The school program shows a change in language about the program was made in 2023 from “debt-free education” to a “tuition-free education.” Sumante Hutchinson, who claimed taking out a private loan was suggested to him by an associate dean, has some bitterness about the program. “My dad thought it was a scam,” Hutchinson said. “Come to find out it kind of has been a scam.”
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Source: Allen Berezovsky / Getty
One Young Thug fan has gone viral for all the wrong reasons. The rapper has reacted to one of his supporters inking the incorrect lyrics to “Digits.”
As spotted on HipHopDX a young man was inspired so much by Thugger’s music that he decided to permanently tattoo some on his skin. The fan got a rather large piece on his back that reads “Horses don’t stop, they keep going” as a nod to the popular single from Slime Season 3. It seems the gentleman must of misheard the song as the lyrics really say “Hustlers don’t stop, they keep going.” As expected the photo quickly made the rounds online and eventually landed on Young Thug’s radar.” And that’s y I’m talking with more clarity UY SCUTI… dam bro…” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Rolling Stone has since interviewed the fan in question and he maintains that he intentionally tattooed the incorrect lyrics. “Yes, I intentionally chose the wrong lyrics to match the theme of the tattoo. I have been wanting a horse piece for a couple years now” John Nelson said. “Many people online think that it’s simply just a Young Thug tattoo with no deeper meaning, but in 2022, a childhood friend of mine took his own life.” He went on to further detail what the piece means to him and how it came about. “For whatever reason, the beauty of these horses was oddly healing for me, so I wanted to get a tattoo that was horse-themed to kind of frame that memory. As for the other aspects of this tattoo, they were decided more impulsively.”
You can hear “Digits” below and decide for yourself.