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Source: Jason Mendez / Getty / Young Dolph
It’s been three years since Young Dolph was senselessly gunned down, and finally, his murder trial is underway, and day one is already producing some eyebrow-raising developments.
According to Shelby County Assistant District Attorney Paul Hagerman, Young Dolph, born Adolph Thornton Jr., 2021 murder in Memphis was the result of a $100,000 bounty put on him by Yo Gotti’s late older brother, Big Jook.
Hagerman made the bombshell claim during his opening statement, ahead of Justin “Straight Drop” Johnson taking the stand as a defendant.
“Big Jook, the person I told you about before — the No. 2 guy at [Yo Gotti’s] CMG — he’s put out a hit: $100,000 to whoever kills Dolph,” Hagerman said, according to FOX13. “He has met with Justin. He has met with Cornelius, and they think they’re ready to do it.”
Johnson is facing charges of first-degree murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and theft of property. According to Rap-Up, Hernandez Govan, the alleged mastermind behind Dolph’s murder, is also expected to testify, followed by the third suspect, Cornelius Smith.
The DA also claimed Johnson wanted to become the next big artist on his brother’s record label, CMG, and intended to use the money from the hit to push his music career.
For those who didn’t know, Yo Gotti and Dolph had a long-running feud, which many believe led to the rapper’s murder. The artists took jabs at each other on songs “100 Shots,” “Play Wit Yo B**ch,” and “Don’t Beef With Me.”
Ahead of the trial, Dolph’s family issued a statement:
“We remain heartbroken over the loss of Adolph, and we have faith that the legal system will bring justice to all of those involved in this crime. This has been an unimaginable time for our family, but the love and support of the community has given us strength as we continue to process this situation.”
“We ask for privacy as the legal process unfolds, and for patience from those who stand with us. We trust that the legal system will deliver justice for Adolph, allowing us, and the community he loved, to begin the journey toward healing.”
You can expect more bombshell details to drop as the trial pushes on.
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Source: Christopher Polk / Getty
MAGA country hates it when high-profile celebrities voice their opposition to their dear leader and encourage Americans to vote (just ask Taylor Swift), so a lot of stars choose to remain silent about their political beliefs.
Luckily, that isn’t keeping all of the celebrities from continuing to remind everyone that democracy is on the line come Nov. 5. At Sunday (Sept. 15) night’s Emmy Awards, Liza Colón-Zayas took the opportunity to do just that as she accepted her award for Best Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series in The Bear. With women’s rights, workers rights, and basically everything else under the sun at risk should Donald Trump and his MAGA cult once again come into presidential power, Colón-Zayas took a moment in her acceptance speech to encourage women to cast their ballot accordingly come November saying, “To all the Latinas, who are looking at me — keep believing and vote. Vote for your rights.”
Luckily for her, this was her first Emmy nomination and win, so MAGA country isn’t familiar enough with her name to bombard her with hate mail or death threats (y’all know how they do). Had this been Jennifer Lopez, Sofia Vergara or Selma Hayek, their pages would’ve been flooded with all kinds of racial hate. Just sayin’.
Check out Liza Colón-Zayas acceptance speech below, and give it up for the Bronx-born native in the comments section.
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Source: Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images / Getty
Now that the Boston Celtics took home the NBA Title this past June, we’ve seen less of Millyz since then as we’re sure he’s been busy celebrating his city’s first NBA Championship in quite some time. Now that we’re going into the Fall, the Beantown bars-smith seems ready to get back on his grind and remind everyone he’s got some potent work.
Linking up with Sada James for the visuals to “Holy Water,” Millyz and Sada take to a house of worship to spill their souls out and pray for some guidance going forward.
Back in the South, Boosie Badazz takes on the role of a teacher and in his clip to “Sharpened Pencils,” Boosie puts some kids on to the kind of life lessons that won’t read about in a book, but might be familiar with in their everyday life. Those parents and teachers conferences with Boosie must be quite the experience. Just sayin.’
Check out the rest of today’s drops including work from 93Baby, C-Loc, and more.
MILLYZ FT. SADA JAMES – “HOLY WATER”
BOOSIE BADAZZ – “SHARPENED PENCILS”
93BABY – “CLS 550”
C-LOC – “GANGSTA”
FRONTDOEX5 – “HOLD ME DOWN”
EARLY N DA MORNIN’ – “WHERE WE STARTED”
DUCKWRTH – “HAD ENOUGH”
NSG MONEY – “WHO TOLD YOU THAT”
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Source: Hope In Harlem / Hope In Harlem
A community event in Harlem focused on wellness and mental health for young people will feature NBA stars such as Allan Houston and Olympians along with other notable figures.
Source: Hope In Harlem / Hope In Harlem
The organizing committee behind the Hope In Harlem Conference announced their lineup of guests for the event. The in-person gathering will take place at the First Corinthians Baptist Church this upcoming Saturday (September 14), and there will be some notable athletes that will be on the distinguished list of speakers. Former two-time NBA All-Star and New York Knicks legend Allan Houston will attend, along with Olympic Gold Medalist and world champion track star Natasha Hastings and former Miami Heat guard and NBA champion Derek Anderson.
The 2024 Hope In Harlem Conference’s theme is about youth addressing mental health and wellness through sports and other activities in the community. It begins at 10 AM with the invited speakers engaging in a series of panel discussions, led by First Corinthian Baptist Church Senior Pastor Rev. Michael Walrond, MDiv. The panel discussions will touch on topics such as how families in New York City can gain better access to resources to bolster Other speakers include NYC Schools Chancellor David Banks, NBA Players Association Director of the Mental Health and Wellness Program Dr. Bill Parham, and Dr. Nyaka NiiLampti, PhD, the NFL’s Vice President of Wellness and Clinical Services. There will also be a fencing demonstration led by U.S. Olympic Team fencing coach Akhi Spencer-El.
Afterward, attendees and the public are invited to the wellness fair which will take place on 116th Street featuring free food, games, face painting, and other engaging activities. Health screenings and free information on resources will also be provided by vendors at the wellness fair. Aside from FCBC, other sponsors for the event include Coca-Cola, the Mother Cabrini Foundation, Athletes For Hope, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinia along with the American Psychiatric Association. The wellness festival will run from 1 to 4 PM.
For more information, those interested are invited to check out the event’s website.
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Source: @michaelrubin / Instagram
JAY-Z and Michael Rubin are taking their talent back to Atlantic City. The two will host a blackjack tournament to launch Fanatics Sportsbook.
As reported by Page Six the two moguls will once again partner for an invite only event. On Sunday, September 15 the duo will throw a blackjack tournament at Ocean Casino Resort with the grand winner taking home a pot of $250,000. In the house will be various high profile guests including musicians, actors and athletes. Also expected to attend are select Fanatics Sportsbook customers. According to the celebrity gossip outlet attendees will view Sunday NFL football during the early portion of the day with Michael Rubin and JAY-Z. The two are also expected to sit at the final table for the blackjack tournament.
This is not the first time JAY-Z and Michael Rubin have teamed up for an event in Atlantic City. Back in October 2023 the two hosted an all star gala that raised over $24 million dollars for REFORM Alliance. The organization aims to change the criminal justice system by changing laws related to probation and parole. The brand new Fanatics Sportsbook will be located inside the Ocean Resort Casino. This is a 12,000 square foot space where patrons can watch their favorite sporting event via 140 led televisions, make wagers and enjoy a curated menu of food and beverages. You can learn more about it here.
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Source: Theo Wargo / Getty
The founder of the ill-fated Fyre Fest is out of jail and ready to throw a new version of the event with an expected launch date.
For those who remember the disaster that was Fyre Fest, be prepared —a new version is on the way. According to reports, Fyre Festival founder Billy McFarland is gearing up for Fyre Festival II with the announcement that it will take place on April 25-28, 2025. “We have the chance to embrace this storm and really steer our ship into all the chaos that has happened, and if it’s done well, I think Fyre has a chance to be this annual festival that really takes over the festival industry,” he said in an interview about the proposed event.
For the curious, tickets to Fyre Fest II would cost $1,400 to start for a pass to the three-day event. Ticket prices range up to $1.1 million for VIP packages which include a chance to hang out with McFarland exclusively in addition to indulging in other activities such as spending time on luxury yachts, scuba diving, and island hopping. The fest would take place on a privately owned island off of the coast of Mexico. McFarland didn’t disclose the name of the island or the production company that would be involved with planning, adding that more information would be released in the next few months.
The first Fyre Fest took place in 2017 and was advertised as a luxury music festival taking place in the Bahamas. Veteran rapper Ja Rule was involved in the organization of the event, but it quickly turned into one of the most disastrous concert failures ever with people being stranded without much shelter or food. McFarland was sentenced to six years in prison for fraud related to the event, and he was released from prison in 2022. He still owes $26 million in restitution to concertgoers.
McFarland has also been busy consulting the presidential campaign of Donald Trump, steering rap celebs such as Waka Flocka Flame to endorse his run for office. He does feel there will be a turnout for Fyre Fest II. “I think there’s a large number of people who want to go to Fyre II because they’re unsure of the outcome, and they would like to have a front-row seat no matter what happens,” he said. “Thankfully, we have good partners who will make sure they’re safe and obviously make sure things work out.”
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Source: Courtesy of Damon Dash / Damon Dash
Dame Dash isn’t ducking any joke smoke. Harlem’s very own has addressed his recent viral mishap by pulling out his fake chomped on Instagram.
The mogul had an interesting week, last week. During an Instagram Live Dame Dash started responding to 50 Cent’s commentary from his recent visit to the Million Dollaz Worth Of Game the top row of his teeth fell out. It seemed that this took him by total surprise as he quickly handed his phone to his wife. While the mishap happened within the blink of an eye the moment soon went viral prompting him to explain on another Instagram Live session.
“First of all, sh*t is not dentures. These are my grills,” he explained as he showed the camera the fake teeth. “What happened was I have to go get implants put in ’cause I have implants. And I got them 20 years ago, and every 20 years, you got to switch them out. So I have to do surgery—pause—oral.” He then went on to poke fun of himself saying “my diamond grills popped out because that’s what happens when you’re broke.” The joke is a reference to an interview where the former Roc-A-Fella Records founder admitted to being broke.
You can see the former Cake-A-Holic reveal his missing teeth and discuss his streaming platform below.
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Source: YouTube / Nervous Records
Hip-Hop has lost yet another MC this month. Broadway of Strickly Roots and of Boogie Down Productions fame has passed away.
As spotted on HipHopDX, one half of the Bronx duo is no longer with us. On Saturday, September 7 DJ Premier broke the bad news via his Instagram Story when he shared a video that featured the MC. Media personality Desus also acknowledged the performer on X, formerly known as Twitter. “rip broadway from strickly roots. bx mc, valley legend” he wrote.
Born Dion Barnes, Strickly Roots gained a buzz with their single “Beg No Friends” featuring Grand Puba and Fat Joe. The song would be played on local radio and the very influential Video Music Box show. Later in 1996, Broadway would go solo and release his single “Must Stay Paid” which was produced by KRS-ONE. Broadway was the son of Reggae singer Sugar Minott. At this time Broadway’s cause of death is unknown.
You can view the video for “Beg No Friends” below.
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Source: YouTube / Youtube
DJ Akademiks got upset at the news of Kendrick Lamar performing at the 2025 Super Bowl, accusing Jay-Z of getting involved in the beef with Drake.
On Sunday (September 8), Kendrick Lamar announced that he would be the headline halftime performer at Super Bowl LIX. The news sent everyone into a frenzy and made DJ Akademiks highly upset. He then leveled accusations at Jay-Z for deliberately picking Lamar to stoke the beef between him and Drake further. The social media announcement came before kickoff began on the first full day of the NFL’s 2024-2025 season, with Lamar saying: “You know you only get one chance to win the championship, right? Ain’t no round twos.” Many saw it as a reference to Drake’s subliminal message in a recent post where he claimed, “He will win game two.”
DJ Akademiks wasn’t thrilled and began to issue a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter expressing his anger. “The NFL just gave Kendrick Lamar a global “Pop Out” show… Jay Z I see u n–guh… u ain’t low…”, he wrote, referencing the torrid beef between the Compton rapper and Drake that dominated the spring and summer culminating in several tracks including “Not Like Us”. He followed that up with another post directed at the Roc Nation founder: “Jay-Z and Roc Nation responsible for curating the Super Bowl halftime show… remember that.”
The podcast host continued to vent, writing in another post: “Drake and J.Cole rapped ‘Big As the What.. Big As the Super Bowl’ And Jay-Z just made Kendrick Lamar the headliner of the Super Bowl. Nah n—-a dis s—t is wild … this s—t crazy.”
DJ Akademiks also called Jay Z a “legendary hater” for the Mr. Morale and The Big Steppers rapper being chosen to headline over New Orleans native Lil Wayne. The controversial media personality also referenced the former beef between Jay Z and Drake in an Instagram post. “Jay-Z set up the play. Drake … Jay ain’t forget bout that “Charged Up” verse n—-a. He the higher-ups,” he wrote with a tears streaming emoji.
Super Bowl 59 will take place on February 9, 2025, with Roc Nation and Jesse Collins co-producing the show sponsored by Apple Music. “Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date. And I’ll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one,” Lamar said in the press release.
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Source: Gregory Shamus / Getty
On Sunday (September 8), social media was buzzing when it was revealed that Kendrick Lamar had been tapped to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans as many assumed the honor would go to Nawlin’s favorite son, Lil Wayne.
But with Jay-Z running the show and tapping Kung Fu Kenny to kick things off come February 9th, Lil Wayne’s mixing engineer Fabian Marasciullo took to social media to express his disappointment in the surprising choice. According to HipHopDX, Marasciullo took to his Instagram stories and bluntly stated that he felt “Confused. Disappointed. Angry. But most of all. Inspired.”
Continuing to build on his feelings, Weezy’s engineer added “Will never again be in the position or have the [GOAT] where we are at the mercy of someone else’s decision. We will make the decisions.”
After Kendrick Lamar was revealed to be the headliner for the Super Bowl Halftime Show, many fans felt he’d undoubtedly bring Wayne along with him to perform on stage, but with the way Marasciullo is describing the mood on that side, would Wayne even accept an invitation to the show if he’s not headlining it?
Per HipHopDX:
During an interview with Taylor Rooks for Bleacher Report last December, Weezy talked about his desire to perform at Super Bowl LIX, which is being held at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on February 9, 2025.
“Just as bad as I wanted to see my name at the top of that list when I was whatever age it was and I would bust into the office and get that Billboard magazine,” he said about wanting to perform.
“Just as an artist, you know, ’cause this has nothing to do with the sport. As an artist, this is an achievement. This has nothing to do with the sport — that’s so crazy. I don’t care what teams are playing, what city it’s in. ‘You performed for the what?!’ Like, what? Oh man, so that right there is an achievement.”
We’re not gonna lie, we lowkey feel bad that Jay passed on Wayne in favor of Kendrick Lamar. Yes, we know K. Dot had a monster year thanks to his back-and-forth with Drake, but Weezy is a Hip-Hop legend from New Orleans with an illustrious catalog. Seemed like a no brainer to us.
Even New Orleans triple OG, Master P took to social media to say Wayne should be added to the Halftime show writing “He’s one of the greatest Hop Hop artists alive, still relevant and he’s a New Orleans native. Let’s not miss this cultural moment in the South.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/C_qySizy0XE/?img_index=2
What do y’all think? Should Lil Wayne have been the first choice to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show? Should he accept an invite to perform alongside Kendrick Lamar? Let us know in the comments section below.