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Source: Urban One / Urban One
Ludacris sat down with Urban One’s CEO Alfred Liggins for an in-depth talk about the impact of Black culture in America in Cannes, France.
On Wednesday (June 19), the Urban One Influential Beach at the Cannes Lions Festival in France was the scene for a dynamic talk between superstar rapper and actor Ludacris and the CEO of Urban One, Alfred Liggins. The subject was the powerful impact of Black culture in America and beyond. Liggins opened up by sharing the origins of the bond between the two with the audience. “I’m a little older than him but we started our careers together because I bought a little radio station in Atlanta back in 1995 called Hot 97,” he began before sharing how Ludacris got his start at the station as an intern before asking the Grammy Award winner to share a bit about his background.
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Ludacris spoke about how he began rapping at the age of 9, and how he came to Hot 97 with the hopes of joining the team. “If I can get a job up there, I can pursue my dream of becoming an entertainer, an international entertainer,” he explained. “What happened was, like you said, I just went up there and begged for an internship and at first your company said “we’re not hiring”. I said, “okay” and came back the next week and asked “Are you guys hiring yet, I’m willing to do anything, I’m willing to work for free.” They call it pleasant persistence.” He’d go on to reveal that after two months, he was hired to work on the morning show at only 18 years old.
The conversation soon moved to the impact of Black culture domestically and globally. “For a long time, it’s driven our local culture, international culture but it didn’t get its just due. How do you do that and what are ways that we can make that happen?” Liggins asked. “That’s a perfect example of why and how we need to invest into the Black dollar,” Ludacris responded. “I’m trying to provide a safe space and an incubator for my children the way that Urban One provided a safe space and an incubator for me. I think the more that we do these things and the more that we have these conversations, the more open-minded people are and the more they want to invest.”
Check out the entire conversation between Ludacris and Urban One CEO Alfred Liggins above.
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Tia Kemp and Rick Ross won’t be winning any co-parenting awards anytime soon, this after the rapper caught yet another verbal lashing from his son’s mother. Rick Ross celebrated Father’s Day this weekend by announcing he no longer has to pay child support for their son, but Tia Kemp wasn’t about to let him have his day.
On June 15, Rick Ross posted a video asking his fans what they would rather celebrate, Father’s Day or the final day of paying child support.
Tia Kemp caught wind of the video and unloaded on Rozay with a profanity-laced barrage of insults stating that if she wanted to run it back, she would. Kemp also mentioned that the money she’s making now dwarfs whatever payments Ross sent over for their son, who reportedly just finished high school.
It doesn’t appear that Ross was bothered by Kemp’s jabs as he just posted on his Instagram Story feed this morning (June 18) stating that he’s still celebrating Father’s Day.
Knowing how Rozay’s baby momma gives it up, we can expect a lot more insults in the coming weeks if they continue to poke and jab at each other through social media.
On X, formerly Twitter, Tia Kemp and Rick Ross’ back-and-forth was trending and we’ve got the reactions from all sides below.
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Photo: Instagram/@tia_kemp2
1. If that’s a goal in life, then yeah, sure. Great. Kudos.
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Charles Barkley is one of the most vital media figures of the global basketball community as evidenced by his long stint on the popular Inside The NBA program. Amid the NBA looking to enter broadcasting deals with other networks, Charles Barkley announced that the 2024-25 NBA season will be his last as a member of the Inside The NBA panel.
Charles Barkley, 61, appeared on NBA TV after Game 4 of the NBA Finals series between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks, with the Mavs handling business. Barkley, speaking in his usual straight-talk fashion, has said previously that he was trying to find ways to keep Inside The NBA going but shocked viewers with his retirement announcement during the broadcast.
“I ain’t going nowhere other than TNT,” Barkley said. “But I have made the decision that, no matter what happens, next year is going to be my last year on television. And I just want to say thank you to my NBA family. You guys have been great to me. My heart is full with joy and gratitude.”
Barkley was referencing the ongoing negotiations between the NBA and Disney/ABC/ESPN, Amazon, NBC, and Warner Bros. Discovery for the league’s media rights. From early reports, it appears that Warner Bros. Discovery was the only group out as NBC seemingly emerged as a frontrunner although Adam Silver and the NBA have yet to share details of the potential deals. As it stands, Warner Bros. Discovery owns TNT and Inside The NBA and if a deal doesn’t materialize, the show would likely end anyway.
“I hope the NBA stays with TNT, but for me personally, I wanted you guys to hear it from me. I wanted to tell my NBATV and TNT family that I’m not going to another network, but I’m going to pass the baton to either Jamal Crawford or Vince Carter or you Steve [Smith],” Barkley added.
Charles Barkley added a no-nonsense air of authority on the show and his spirited and sometimes chippy banter with co-host Shaquille O’Neal and good-natured ribbing with Kenny “The Jet” Smith and Ernie “EJ” Johnson Jr.
Barkley has been with the network since 2000.
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Photo: Getty
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LL COOL J doesn’t need to prove himself as a rapper as he’s cemented in the annals of Hip-Hop history as one of the culture’s living legends. However, a spark still exists within the Queens star, and his new track “Saturday Night Special” featuring Fat Joe and Rick Ross proves that his comeback promises were not a fluke.
LL COOL J has been teasing his upcoming 14th studio album, The FORCE ((Frequencies of Real Creative Energy), with fellow Queens native Q-Tip executive producing the project.
Produced by Q-Tip, who also shows up on the hook, “Saturday Night Special” displays LL COOL J giving a grim warning about a tough street cat that you shouldn’t cross. Sounding invigorated, LL doesn’t appear to have lost any of the fire that he displayed over the 1980s and 1990s and finds an interesting pocket atop the A Tribe Called Quest legend’s airy production.
Rick Ross takes over for the second verse, sounding comfortable over the soulful boom-bap, and Fat Joe, no stranger to this type of bop, added his flair. Even better, all three MCs stick to the same common theme and each verse has its standout moments among them.
LL’s return to music was a long time coming as it has been over a decade since he’s lost put out a project. Fans were curious to know how LL would sound over Q-Tip’s production and the results are seemingly pleasing even to the most hardened online critics. Of course, there are your requisite detractors but that’s to be expected in the “keyboard kourage” era.
For now, check out the video for “Saturday Night Special” below and keep scrolling to see reactions from X, formerly Twitter.
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Photo: Getty
6. Can’t win ’em all.
10. This facts.
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As Rasheed Wallace reportedly said, even the sun shines on a dog’s ass twice a day and Candace Owens is a perfect example of that phrase. Candace Owens was a recent guest on the Piers Morgan Uncensored show and in their discussion, the conservative pundit checked the host on the nature of the Israel-Hamas and the media’s reluctance to refer to the happenings as genocide.
Candace Owens, 35, sat down with Piers Morgan, 59, and the tense discussion surrounding the Isreal-Hamas war turned towards Owens making note of the fact that journalists are seemingly fearful of critiquing Israel’s actions. At one point, Owens included Morgan in that group.
“You too, Piers, seem a little fearful to critique Isreal and coming off as trying to be a little understanding of everything,” Owens said. Morgan, perhaps anticipating this, dodged the assertion. For her part, Owens clearly articulated what the word genocide means and did manage to get Morgan to throw a very soft jab at Israel’s PM, Benjamin Netanyahu.
The 90-minute conversation between Morgan and Owens touched on her leaving The Daily Wire, her political positions, her connection with Ye FKA Kanye West, the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, and much more.
Check out the clip in question below and keep scrolling to see reactions to the Israel-Hamas segment. Also, let’s be clear, we’re not on her side about much of anything. On this point, however, she called it straight and that’s all we’re noting.
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Photo: Getty
Despite rumors of beef between Young Thug and Gunna, Thug’s father, Jeffery Williams Sr., continues to publicly support Gunna while his son is embroiled in a RICO trial.
During Gunna’s Bittersweet Tour stop at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena on Tuesday (June 11), Thug’s dad could be seen in the VIP pit in front of the stage enjoying the Atlanta rapper’s performance of his and Thugger’s song “Ski” from the YSL compilation album Slime Language 2.
With a big smile on his face, Thug Sr. raps along with the song’s chorus while doing the #SkiChallenge as the crowd around him goes crazy.
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Back in December 2022, Gunna agreed to a so-called Alford plea, which allows a defendant in a trial to enter a formal admission of guilt while still maintaining their innocence. He was released from jail with time served and probation conditions that include 500 hours of community service.
“While I have agreed to always be truthful, I want to make it perfectly clear that I have NOT made any statements, have NOT been interviewed, have NOT cooperated, have NOT agreed to testify or be a witness for or against any party in the case and have absolutely NO intention of being involved in the trial process in any way,” the rapper said in a statement the day of his release in 2022.
Thug’s father has confirmed on multiple occasions that he still supports Gunna. Last December, during an interview with Infamous Sylvia, Williams Sr. adamantly defended the rapper, saying, “I love Gunna… Let me try to help the attorney clarify that a little simpler. Gunna hasn’t done anything whatsoever that can hurt us on this case, period.”
When asked about Lil Baby telling a DJ to stop playing his “Drip Too Hard” collab with Gunna during a concert and saying, “F—k the rats, turn this s—t off,” he reiterated his position on the matter. “He need to shut the f—k up ’cause he don’t know what’s going on,” he told Infamous Sylvia in another interview. “Ask Lil Baby has he ever came to a court date?”
Recently, one of Thug’s lawyers in the ongoing RICO trial was held in contempt and sentenced to 20 days in jail. However, the Georgia Supreme Court granted an emergency motion, pausing the jail sentence until they review the controversial decision. Prior to that, a witness called by the prosecution went viral for referring to Young Thug’s song “Lifestyle” as a “banger.”
Watch the clip of Young Thug’s father dancing at Gunna’s Atlanta show below:
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Malcolm-Jamal Warner is currently the host of a new podcast which made its debut earlier this week, titled Not All Hood. Alongside his co-hosts Candace Kelley and Wesui Baraka, Malcolm-Jamal Warner made waves after a clip from the podcast went viral where the famed actor shared he no longer listens to J. Cole because of the rapper’s use of the N-word.
Not All Hood debuted on Monday (June 10) and the opening episode, titled “Welcome Comrades,” served as a warmup for what’s to come with the program. Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Candace Kelley, and Wesui Baraka employed a breezy, comfortable flow as they introduced the podcast and themselves to the listening and viewing audience.
During a portion of their conversation, the cast mentioned the use of the word n*gga in modern Hip-Hop which prompted Warner to also mention the use of b*tch in songs.
“I’m more against it now because it’s used so gratuitously, it’s used without regard,” Warner said to Baraka. “At this point, for me in hip-hop, I think n*gga and b*tch, there should be should be a moratorium on both of those words in hip-hop because it’s low-lying fruit and it’s so easy, everybody is f*cking does it to the point it’s corny.”
Warner added, “There are MC’s who I love who I cannot listen to anymore. I love J. Cole, but I had to stop listening to J. Cole, I got tired of hearing n*gga and b*tch every two sentences.”
The spirited discussion between Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Candace Kelley, and Wesui Baraka came with a different perspective, especially when Baraka mentioned ahead of the segment that even famed Black leaders such as the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reportedly used the word.
We’ll share the clip below, courtesy of The Art of Dialogue, along with the full episode of Not All Hood, which can be found on YouTube and wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Photo: Source: Santiago Felipe / Getty
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While many of her counterparts talk a good game Sexyy Red is really here for the smoke. She and her crew got into a massive brawl at an airport.
The St. Louis, Missouri, native was caught on video in a wild fight with multiple individuals. On Saturday, June 8, she and her entourage were at Newark Liberty International Airport in the early morning hours. Around 1:20 a.m. they got into it with another group at Terminal C, gate 82. Things escalated very quickly to the point where the “Skee Yee” rapper picked up a stanchion and started using it as a weapon. Soon after a man can be seen pulling her away from the action, but it seems she stayed active in the melee off camera.
The Port Authority has since issued a statement to XXL regarding the incident and have confirmed multiple arrests including Sexyy Red, born Janae Nierah Wherry. “Two victims were found to have lacerations to their heads,” reads the statment. “The two males accompanying Ms. Wherry, Leslie Baptiste and Carl Thompson, were arrested for assault, and Ms. Wherry was arrested for disorderly conduct. The male victims were transported to University Hospital with minor injuries.”
It is reported that Sexyy Red was released the following day. She acknowledged the detainment on social media when she was hanging with Kodak Black shortly after saying, “I just got out, good morning.” The “Pound Town” performer would also offer to replace a missing phone. “To the people that was in that altercation at the airport please dm me so I can replace yo phone !!” she wrote on Instagram.
You can view the footage of the brawl below.
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Young Thug and his ongoing RICO trial in Georgia has undergone several twists and turns and the latest instance stands out as one of the most explosive. Earlier this week, attorney Brian Steel, who represents Young Thug in the YSL RICO trial, was held in contempt of court and ordered held for 10 weekends behind bars.
Local outlet 11 Alive reports that Judge Ural Glanville told Brian Steel that Steel’s failure to share the name of his source regarding a private meeting between Glanville, the State, and key witness Kenneth Copeland is why he charged Steel with the action.
The outlet adds that Judge Glanville gave Steel several warnings about being in contempt which Steel bypassed. Instead, the attorney stated that the court was in violation because his client didn’t have any representation at the private meeting.
“I’m going to give you five minutes. If you don’t tell me who it is, I’m going to put you in contempt,” Glanville said. Steel responded with, “I don’t need five minutes.”
After a recess, the judge once more demanded details and Steel refused.
“Mr. Steel, I’m going to ask you again. I need you to tell me how you got this information. This is so sacrosanct to have a conversation in my chambers parroted to you,” Glanville said.
Steel then motioned for a mistrial which the judge denied, and he was taken into custody right after. From there the judge read the terms of Steel’s jail time.
“Those 20 days consisting of every weekend for the next 10 weekends,” Glanville added. “And you’ll be reporting to 901 Rice Street NW, Atlanta, Georgia, 30318. At 7 p.m. on Fridays, you’ll be released on 7 p.m. on Sundays. And it’s to commence this Friday, June the 14th at 7 p.m. and not to end until Sunday, August the 18th, 2024, at 7 p.m.”
A video of the exchange captured by 11 Alive is posted below.
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Photo: CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA / Getty
Sometimes it takes seeing yourself represented to feel like you can be honest about your own sexuality. But the question remains: Which celebrity helped you realize you were queer?
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At the GLAAD Media Awards back in March, Billboard News asked stars on the red carpet — including JoJo Siwa, Dylan Mulvaney, Billie Joe Armstrong and more — which musical artists provided them with their “queer awakening.”
For Siwa, the answer was immediate: “Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus,” she said without hesitation. “And currently G Flip. I love them so very much.”
Mulvaney, meanwhile, said she’s felt affirmed in her gender identity by pop stars Britney Spears and Chappell Roan. “The way that I danced to Britney Spears’ music was very suggestive of my queerness,” she said. “Now, I feel like the person I’m so inspired by is Chappell Roan. It’s so queer, it’s so exciting, and it feels like she’s the next it girl.”
Green Day frontman Armstrong went for a deep cut, pointing to punk group Pansy Division as inspirations. “[They were] pioneers when it came to just straight, queer punk rock,” he says. “It was amazing.”
When asked for his take, Let’s Make a Deal host Wayne Brady couldn’t pick between two of his favorite artists. “Janelle Monáe, who was a trendsetter in my mind, because when she came out, it was like ‘Woman!’” he said. “And Prince — I dare anybody to say that you are more of a ‘man’ than Prince. Prince, in six-inch heels, would do a split, get back up, play the piano and the drums, steal your girlfriend, get on his private jet, make a record, go on tour and beat your a– in basketball.”
Check out the video above to see more answers from Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Frankie Grande and more.