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It’s been a month and change since Troy Ave was released from prison for the now famous shooting incident at Irving Plaza back in 2016 and looking to revamp his music career, the Brooklyn rapper returns with some new work in hopes to get some heads nodding.
Coming through with some new visuals to “Payed To Play,” Troy Ave hits the highway in a spiffy new Ferrari while showing just how he’s been living his best life following his 6 month prison stint. Say what you will about Troy, he’s not letting anyone dim his light these days.
Back in the South, Boosie Badazz shows love to the San Antonio Spurs and in his clip to “Cold World,” Boosie sports a Victor Wembanyana jersey while stuntin’ on a platform all by his lonesome.
Check out the rest of today’s drops including work from Ablaze, Albee Al, and more.
TROY AVE – “PAYED TO PLAY”
BOOSIE BADAZZ – “COLD WORLD”
ABLAZE – “SCAREFACE”
ALBEE AL – “COME BACK OUTSIDE”
REASONS – “JALMEN”
JESSICA DOMINGO – “BABY I’VE BEEN”
PEEZY – “A HUNNID”
KEL DA KING – “LATE NIGHT”
DABOII – “BABY”
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Source: Amazon Music Live / Prime Video
One of the most popular streaming concert series is back in a big way. J Balvin, Big Sean and Halsey will perform on the third season of Amazon Music Live.
Source: Amazon Music Live / Prime Video
On Tuesday (Oct. 8) the streaming giant announced the return of AML. Season three will not only feature genre-spanning artists but also bring together both sports and music fans with the performances to follow Thursday Night Football. Slated to take the stage are the likes of Big Sean, J Balvin, Halsey and Jelly Roll. The “One Man Can Change the World” rapper will headline the second episode on October 24. As expected he is taking this opportunity to highlight the culture in a unique way. As a nod to the rich history of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Big Sean will be joined by The Blue and Gold Marching Machine and The Fellowship Gospel Choir—the band and choir from renowned HBCU, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Additionally, the venue will feature a HBCU themed tailgating event via the Amazon Music Yard Fest.
Each episode of Amazon Music Live will stream live from Los Angeles and air exclusively on Prime Video and Twitch. Actress Liza Koshy will host the festivities online and interview all the headlining artists before each set. Tickets to the popular concert series can be requested here.
Source: Amazon Music Live / Prime Video
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Source: Noam Galai / Getty / Eric Adams / Sheena Wright
Embattled NYC Mayor Eric Adams remains defiant as the walls continue to close in around him, the corruption probe into him intensifies, and shakeups in his administration keep happening.
Spotted on The Daily News, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright is the latest high-ranking official in Eric Adam’s administration to say, I’m good, and resign.
According to the newspaper, one of her top aides, Maria Torres-Springer, the current deputy mayor for housing and economic development, is expected to replace Wright. She was supposed to make the move last week but initially refused before deciding to step down.
Per The Daily News:
Wright, one of five senior Adams administration officials whose homes were raided by federal authorities on Sept. 4, was initially expected to step down this past Friday as part of an effort by the mayor to push out advisers ensnared in the corruption investigations.
But sources familiar with the situation told the Daily News that Wright refused, even as the other four top staffers raided on Sept. 4 — including her husband, outgoing Schools Chancellor David Banks — announced their resignations.
Finally, as of Tuesday, Wright had submitted her own resignation to the mayor, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
At the time of reporting, Fabien Levy, a spokesman for Adams, said that “no announcement is final until and if it is made,” but in a statement shared by The New York Times, Adams said Wright is an “exceptional leader who assembled a strong team and constantly demonstrated a bold vision for this city.”
It Gets Worse For Eric Adams
To make matters worse for Mayor Mixxy, an adviser to Adams, was charged with witness tampering and destroying evidence.
The indicted politician is in big trouble as the dominoes around him continue to fall. It’s only a matter of time before Adams announces that he will be stepping down as mayor of NYC.
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CBS News held a meeting with its executive members to discuss the on-air clash between author Ta-Nehisi Coates and CBS Mornings co-host Tony Dokoupil. Last week, Tony Dokoupil said of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ new book The Message that it was a tome that could be found in the backpack of an extremist.
As reported by CNN, CBS News held an editorial meeting on Monday (October 7) and the matter of Ta-Nehisi Coates and Tony Dokoupil was at the center of the discussion at one point. According to accounts, the company did address Dokoupil’s approach while adding that they spoke with him about the matter.
CNN was able to obtain a comment from a CBS News staffer who thought Dokoupil didn’t do anything out of the ordinary for journalists.
“We have an obligation as journalists to challenge controversial guests, and that’s what Tony did,” said the staffer, who spoke on condition of anonymity to the outlet.
Coates, who just released his latest collection of non-fiction writing, The Message, was on CBS Mornings to discuss the book, which depicts his journey to the Gaza region along with other examinations of race in Africa and America.
Dokoupil, who is married to MSNBC anchor Katy Tur and has children and an ex-wife living in Israel, seemingly went on the offensive and dominated the segment while co-hosts Gayle King and Nate Burleson barely got words in.
“I have to say when I read the book, I imagine if I took your name out of it, took away the awards, the acclaim, took the cover off the book, publishing house goes away, the content of that section would not be out of place in the backpack of an extremist,” Dokoupil said.
To his credit, Coates gamely stood his ground and met Dokoupil’s challenge although the tension between the pair was sometimes visible. The moment has caused some inner turmoil at CBS with some siding with Dokoupil and others feeling that the co-host’s tone was charged.
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Photo: Getty
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Source: ANGELA WEISS / Getty
An alleged victim suing Diddy for sexual assault has encountered difficulty as her lawyers requested removal from the case.
According to reports, a woman who has accused Diddy of coercing her into having sex with his guests at one of his infamous White Parties will be without her legal team. Ariel Mitchell-Kidd and Steven A. Metcalf, who were representing Adria English, filed a formal request in a Manhattan federal court on Wednesday (Oct. 2) to withdraw from the case, citing “irreconcilable differences,” including receiving conflicting instructions from English on how to proceed with the case. “As a result of a fundamental disagreement between Attorneys and Plaintiff regarding almost every aspect of the litigation,” the filing stated, “including settlement demands, causes of actions in the pleadings and Plaintiff’s undermining behavior and questionable antics an irreconcilable conflict and tension has developed between Plaintiff and Attorneys.”
English, a former adult film star who performed under the name Omunique, filed a police report in Miami, Florida, accusing the embattled music mogul of sexual assault in August. Among those claims includes an allegation that she was “groomed” into sex trafficking by Diddy, aka Sean Combs, with ecstasy-laced liquor and forced to be intimate with guests at his parties in Miami and in the Hamptons. In a phone interview with the New York Times, English confirmed that she was looking for new lawyers and spoke about the conflict she and Mitchell-Kidd had. “I’m the client; you work for me,” she said.
A bone of contention was Mitchell-Kidd’s instructions to English to not talk to the media. When contacted, Mitchell-Kidd responded via text, saying: “I never lost faith in her case, just in her. Her case is great,” she continued. “My issue was with her undermining my work and going behind my back doing things incongruent to advancing her case.”
Diddy is currently being held in a Brooklyn jail after a judge ordered him to be detained until trial. Representatives released a statement on his behalf. “As we’ve said from the start, anyone can file a lawsuit without proof — and this case is a clear example of that,” the statement said. “Adria English escalated things by filing false police reports and making baseless claims, using high-profile events as a backdrop to harm innocent people.” The news comes as lawyers in Texas have reported that they’ve been contacted by other victims alleging sexual abuse by Diddy.
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Source: Taylor Hill / Getty
Flavor Flav slammed the Daily Mail over their coverage of Public Enemy and Chuck D, calling it “disrespectful.”
On Monday (Sept. 30), the legendary Hip-Hop group Public Enemy announced that they had to cancel their Australian tour dates due to Chuck D needing an eye procedure. “I’m sorry to make you wait a little longer but I need to get this eye surgery done, so I can really rock the house for you and Bring The Noise. Stay tuned for the new dates,” he said in the statement. It would go on to express that “all existing ticketholders will be notified of rescheduled dates once confirmed” and that the “original purchases will be valid for the rescheduled date without the need for exchange.”
The Daily Mail, a British tabloid, reported the news with the headline: “Hip-Hop legends Public Enemy cancel entire Australian tour just days out – after Chuck D and Flavor Flav dropped half their Aussie dates from the line-up.” The headline was accompanied by a side-by-side image of Flavor Flav and Taylor Swift that sat at the top of the article. Flavor Flav wasn’t pleased with the publication’s misleading headline and the image, which was snagged from an embedded video where Flav had attended the superstar singer’s show recently.
“So much disrespect and false news in one headline,,, let me set it straight,” he wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “We have to postpone some shows because my partner @MrChuckD requires immediate eye surgery. We put health above wealth. Why use a picture of Taylor for clickbait,?? PE is in the [Rock & Roll Hall of Fame]. We good.”
Public Enemy had been slated to perform in Australia from Oct. 2 through Oct. 24 for their On The Grid 35th Anniversary Tour, with dates in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth included. Chuck D addressed the cancellation through another post on X, writing: “Thx yall im. Not sick. Had 2 torn retinas this year and upon repair the right eye needs cataract surgery this month because it accelerated. The eye is 64 years old those that are in tune with their elders are familiar although they don’t rhyme high speed on a stage. Ish shappens.”
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Source: Carmen Mandato / Getty
The Drake and Kendrick Lamar storyline refuses to die down. Champagne Papi’s camp has denied trying to block K Dot from performing “Not Like Us” at the Super Bowl.
Last week, music executive Wack 100 made a wild claim that Drake was attempting to limit what songs the Compton, California, rapper could perform during his halftime set. “He’s trying to get the NFL to restrict Kendrick,” Wack explained. When pressed further on whether he thinks the request would be honored by the league he replied, “No, if Jay-Z got something to do with it, it ain’t.” As with most of his claims Wack’s statement soon went viral. Page Six has now exclusively reported that Drake’s camp has refuted the rumor with one of his representatives simply saying it’s “not true.” Another unnamed source tells the celebrity gossip site “There was never any intention or plan to send a cease and desist to anyone.”
Last month, the National Football League revealed Kendrick Lamar as the Super Bowl LIX halftime show performer. Given the game is taking place in New Orleans the announcement was met with a lot criticism, with many crying foul that Lil Wayne should have been given that slot. Since then, show producer Jesse Collins confirmed that Jay-Z chooses the headliner, which further added to the speculation that there was a conspiracy against Weezy. Days later, Lil Wayne revealed that he was hurt by the snub but was humbled by all the support he received from his fans and peers.
Super Bowl LIX takes place on Feb., 9 2025 at Caesars Superdome. You hear Wack 100 discuss Drake and the Super Bowl below.
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Source: YouTube / NBC
Actress Maya Rudolph thrilled audiences in her SNL return as Vice President Kamala Harris over the weekend.
As Saturday Night Live opened up its 50th season over the weekend, the cold open featured the return of veteran comedienne Maya Rudolph portraying Vice President Kamala Harris. “Well your fun aunt has returned,” she began, “The fun has been rebooted. Too fun, too furious.” From there, Rudolph demonstrated how uncanny her portrayal of the Democratic presidential nominee is, right down to recapturing the exact facial expression Harris displayed during her debate with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
Stepping in to portray Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, was comedian Jim Gaffigan. “What can I say? I’ve got that BDE- Big Dad Energy!” Gaffigan said. He continued to portray the effervescent energy of Walz in the intro. “I’ve got to be honest here folks. When Kamala Harris called and asked to be her vice president, I said, ‘Uh, yeah,’” Gaffigan said before adding: “This is personal for me. I love this country. And as a former teacher, I need the money. This suit is from Costco!”
The skit also introduced another SNL alum, Andy Samberg, who played Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff who referred to himself as the “Second Gentle Minch,” and James Austin Johnson as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Lastly, SNL alum Dana Carvey appeared as President Joe Biden leading to a comical exchange where Rudolph said thanks for “putting the country first and for handing over the reins,” to which Carvey replied, “I didn’t want to! They made me.”
Rudolph’s portrayal of Harris has garnered her two Emmy Awards – the first in 2019 for her presidential debate sketch, and in March 2021 when she hosted the show. “When I see her, I see her having fun,” she said in a Variety cover profile about the role. “And so the fictional Kamala that we created tapped into her fun. And then [SNL producer] Steve Higgins said to me that his wife called her a ‘fun aunt,’ and we were laughing at how that sounds like ‘funt.’ We just went from there. That was the moment where you realize, ‘Oh, now I know how to do this.’”
Check out the entire opening sketch above.
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Source: Bad Boy Records / Bad Boy
It seems Diddy isn’t going out without a fight when it comes to his criminal case. His lawyer says he will take the witness stand to defend himself.
As spotted on TMZ the celebrity news site is about to release a new documentary titled The Downfall of Diddy: The Indictment on Tubi. Diddy’s lawyer Marc Agnifilo was one of the individuals interviewed for the project and the legal professional made it clear that the mogul is more than willing to testify. “I don’t know if I can keep him off the stand. I think he is very eager to tell his story and I think he will tell every part of his story; including what you see in the [Cassie] video” he explained.
Harvey Levin was taken a back by the reveal and said putting Diddy in a position to have to speak on the Cassie video, allegedly blowing up a car and more is a big gamble. “He has his story and I think he has a story that only he can tell” Agnifilo added. “It’s a human story, it’s a story of love, it’s a story of hurt. When he describes that relationship he uses the word heartbreak.”
You can see the trailer for the documentary The Downfall of Diddy: The Indictment below.
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Source: 741 / 741
Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown is investing in himself. The NBA Finals MVP passed on surely millions of dollars in endorsement money and just launched his own athletic performance brand, called 741.
According to Brown, he turned down a smooth $50M in endorsement deals from “major sneaker companies” to roll with his own product—which means full ownership and creative control of 741. The 741 has a deeper meaning for Brown as each numeral represents “spiritual awakening, hard work, and new beginnings.,” respectively Per Brown, via a statement, “741 is more than just a sneaker brand—it’s a statement about independence, creativity, and ownership.”
Brown also insists the brand is not just about aesthetics and will be dedicated to “creating technologically advanced, performance-driven products with no compromises in design or functionality.” But while the tech may be first and foremost, Brown isn’t trying to burden pockets by offering “accessibility for all households, offering high-performance products at an affordable price.” Part of that plan includes offering “big kid” sizes of his shoes for 40% less than its competitors.
Also noted for his progressive politics, Brown plans to create jobs for “aspiring professionals from underserved communities, opening doors in all areas of performance and fashion retail.”
How dope is that? The sneakers look pretty good, too. Brown was infamously signed to Donda Sports (but left after, ya know) but credits the experience for boosting his eye for design. “I’ve poured everything into designing 741, and it’s been just as challenging and rewarding as anything I’ve done on the court,” says Brown.
The Rover model in a Black Moon colorway goes for $200 and features a translucent rubber outsole, Hyper Gravity Critical EVA in the midsole and engineered knit in the upper. There is also dynamic lacing and a molded external counter. The Big Kids model goes for a smooth $70.
According to Brown, the inspiration to create his own brand comes from the late, great Kobe Bryant. “Kobe’s journey taught me about being fearless and pushing sports, along with society, to new heights,” said Brown in a statement. “That’s the mindset I’m bringing to 741.” Of course, it didn’t hurt that Brown started really moving forward with 741 after he signed his massive, and well-deserved, supermax NBA contract in 2023.
Brown’s kicks are now available for pre-order (scheduled to ship in late November) at www.741performance.com, and the products are scheduled to go live on October 22 online and at retailers.