Today a Manhattan grand jury voted to indict Donald Trump on charges involving payments of “hush money” to porn actress Stormy Daniels, with whom he allegedly had an extramarital affair, and which were made in the runup to the 2016 election. 

The charges are under seal and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg must formally charge Trump.  Once he does, Trump will very likely surrender to authorities and be fingerprinted, photographed and processed for a felony arrest, although the details of how this will happen are apparently still being worked out.

Trump has repeatedly attacked the investigation, calling it “the greatest witch hunt in history” and claiming that Bragg, who is black, is racist against white people.   Certain Republicans have repeatedly claimed Bragg to be a “George Soros-backed” prosecutor, referring to the billionaire philanthropist who Republicans frequently cite as an antisemitic dog whistle.

 Trump previously predicted that he would be indicted last Tuesday and urged his supporters to protest in response, leading to tighter security in Manhattan on light of the events of January 6.   Just yesterday, when it was reported that the grand jury would not be imminently voting to indict, he posted on Truth Social that he had “gained so much respect for this grand jury . . . that [they] are saying hold on, we’re not a rubber stamp . . . we are not going to vote against a preponderance of evidence or against large numbers of legal scholars all saying there is no case here.”  

The grand jury voted to indict him the next day.  Trump has now issued a statement calling the indictment “political persecution.”  

This is the first time that a former U.S. president has had criminal charges brought against him, and it will undoubtably shake up the 2024 presidential election, for which Trump has been a declared candidate for months.   A Quinnipiac University poll taken this week found that 57% of Americans believe a criminal indictment should disqualify Trump from running for president again.  This includes Democrats 8% – 9% and Independents 55% – 36%.  However, Republicans say 75% – 23% that an indictment should not disqualify him.  There is nothing that legally prevents Trump from running for president if he is indicted – or even convicted.

These results indicate that Trump’s indictment will likely do him no favors in the general election, although the Republican primaries are far less certain.  According to a number of recent polls, Trump stills holds a lead of anywhere from 14 to 30 points over his closest rival, Florida governor Ron DeSantis.  It is unknown how the indictment will affect these numbers, but at least in the short term, it is possible that Republicans will rally around Trump.  Indeed, DeSantis has declared that Florida will not assist in any extradition request for Trump.  Privately, he is probably popping champagne corks.

Trump is facing a number of additional criminal investigations that may also yield indictments, including an investigation by the Fulton County District Attorney into Trump’s meddling with the 2020 vote count in Georgia, as well as two federal investigations into Trump’s removal and handling of classified documents following his presidency, and his role in inciting the insurrection on January 6, 2021. 

America faces the prospect that the Republican nominee for president will have been indicted  – and possibly convicted – of multiple, unrelated felonies under federal and state laws.  We are truly in uncharted territory already, and even more so if these circumstances come to pass.  

The post Donald Trump Indicted for Hush Money Payments Made to Porn Star and Business Fraud appeared first on The Source.

Today a Manhattan grand jury voted to indict Donald Trump on charges involving payments of “hush money” to porn actress Stormy Daniels, with whom he allegedly had an extramarital affair, and which were made in the runup to the 2016 election. 

The charges are under seal and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg must formally charge Trump.  Once he does, Trump will very likely surrender to authorities and be fingerprinted, photographed and processed for a felony arrest, although the details of how this will happen are apparently still being worked out.

Trump has repeatedly attacked the investigation, calling it “the greatest witch hunt in history” and claiming that Bragg, who is black, is racist against white people.   Certain Republicans have repeatedly claimed Bragg to be a “George Soros-backed” prosecutor, referring to the billionaire philanthropist who Republicans frequently cite as an antisemitic dog whistle.

 Trump previously predicted that he would be indicted last Tuesday and urged his supporters to protest in response, leading to tighter security in Manhattan on light of the events of January 6.   Just yesterday, when it was reported that the grand jury would not be imminently voting to indict, he posted on Truth Social that he had “gained so much respect for this grand jury . . . that [they] are saying hold on, we’re not a rubber stamp . . . we are not going to vote against a preponderance of evidence or against large numbers of legal scholars all saying there is no case here.”  

The grand jury voted to indict him the next day.  Trump has now issued a statement calling the indictment “political persecution.”  

This is the first time that a former U.S. president has had criminal charges brought against him, and it will undoubtably shake up the 2024 presidential election, for which Trump has been a declared candidate for months.   A Quinnipiac University poll taken this week found that 57% of Americans believe a criminal indictment should disqualify Trump from running for president again.  This includes Democrats 8% – 9% and Independents 55% – 36%.  However, Republicans say 75% – 23% that an indictment should not disqualify him.  There is nothing that legally prevents Trump from running for president if he is indicted – or even convicted.

These results indicate that Trump’s indictment will likely do him no favors in the general election, although the Republican primaries are far less certain.  According to a number of recent polls, Trump stills holds a lead of anywhere from 14 to 30 points over his closest rival, Florida governor Ron DeSantis.  It is unknown how the indictment will affect these numbers, but at least in the short term, it is possible that Republicans will rally around Trump.  Indeed, DeSantis has declared that Florida will not assist in any extradition request for Trump.  Privately, he is probably popping champagne corks.

Trump is facing a number of additional criminal investigations that may also yield indictments, including an investigation by the Fulton County District Attorney into Trump’s meddling with the 2020 vote count in Georgia, as well as two federal investigations into Trump’s removal and handling of classified documents following his presidency, and his role in inciting the insurrection on January 6, 2021. 

America faces the prospect that the Republican nominee for president will have been indicted  – and possibly convicted – of multiple, unrelated felonies under federal and state laws.  We are truly in uncharted territory already, and even more so if these circumstances come to pass.  

The post Donald Trump Indicted for Hush Money Payments Made to Porn Star appeared first on The Source.

Families have gathered for six years to watch The Saints grow their drug empire every Wednesday evening. What started as a family business quickly became a civil war, with Jerome and Franklin standing on both ends of the gun in season seven. A bullet wounded Jerome in the stomach after he swooned in Kane’s warehouse like a knight in shining armor. The OG’s passing left a void in Franklin and Louie’s hearts, but the former business partners are pointing fingers at each other. 

Twitter labeled Louie the show’s villain, but Angela Lewis doesn’t think her character did anything wrong. Lewis said, “I think Louie is the villain because she is not on Franklin’s side. But I don’t think Louie has done anything wrong, even with her going to Teddy. You know, people say she went behind his back. I look at it as she went over his head, and I think that’s why he’s mad. Because she went over his head and she did what was best for her. Let me remind everybody that this didn’t happen until after she was shot and almost killed because of something Franklin did.” 

Despite Louie and Franklin’s fractured relationship, Lewis’ character reflects the true story of the strong, no-nonsense women who were power players during the crack epidemic. Lewis admits to being “scared of everything” in real life. But her character gives her a strength she never knew she had. Lewis said, “[Louie] taught me to open my mouth and say what I want to say, what I don’t want to say, what I like, and what I don’t like, to be able to articulate my vision, even if the vision isn’t fully clear to myself.”

Angela Lewis virtually sat down with us ahead of the premiere of episode seven to discuss the impact her “Snowfall” character had on her life, John Singleton’s influence, and her next chapter.

The women have been carrying the final season on their backs and it’s a true reflection of the relationship dynamic between black men and women, particularly in low-income neighborhoods. Can you speak on the impact playing Louie had on your life and career?

What I learned about playing Louie is that you can’t play her from a place of fear, right? And, and I think historically in my life I’m afraid of everything. From bees to like, what if I turned the wrong way to like, oh, what if the ink pen dries out before I finish this? Whatever it is. Like I’m scared of everything. Louie put me in a position to be trying new things. From holding a gun to, you know, being gangster and how to do that and make sure I do it and look good, look cool, look like I know what I’m doing and all these things, right? In spite of that, if I am doing it from a place of fear, from a place of being back on my heels, it doesn’t work. 

Episode six was so intense! One highlight for me was that emotional scene between Jerome and Louie when she admitted that her ambition caused the war between him and his nephew. Many people on Twitter feel like Louie is the show’s villain. How do you feel about that?

I did a lot of work to be able to be deep in that space: In the space of like fear, but courageousness. In the space of feeling the pain. I think this is probably the most extreme situation she’s ever been in, but Louie is not a stranger to abuse. She’s not a stranger to not knowing if she’s gonna make it through a given situation, you know? And so I had to tap into that. What does that look like for her? What does it also look like? You know, Louie is a survivor. Someone asked me on online, ‘How come she didn’t just give up Buckley?’ And, you know, it wasn’t about Buckley. It was about, if I give, if I give him up, I’m dead right now. Louie doesn’t give up even when things look grim and looks like there’s no way out. I think she’s gonna stall it as long as she can, you know? Maybe she can find an escape. Maybe somebody, ie. Jerome will come looking for her. I think there’s always that little glimmer of hope for Louie that I’m gonna get out of this. How can I get out of this? So there was a lot of that. There was a lot of anger that this is happening to her. Anger that she knows Franklin is the one who gave her up and then when he walks in the door, she absolutely knows that. 

And so there’s anger towards the, you know, him for that. Um, just, it is a lot, you know, she, right before she, this happened to her, she and Jerome were on this precipice of, are we gonna make it?

Despite take accountability privately, Louie blames Franklin for EVERYTHING and wants revenge. I was a bit hopeful for reconciliation at the end of episode seven when Louie asked why’d he return for her, but it’s clear that she plans to help Teddy take Franklin out. Is there any possibility that you guys will bury the hatchet before someone gets killed?

I think Louie is the villain because she is not on Franklin’s side, but I don’t think Louie has done anything wrong, even with her going to Teddy. And, you know, people say she went behind his back. I look at it as she went over his head, and I think that’s why he’s mad. Because she went over his head and she did what was best for her. Now, let me remind everybody that this didn’t happen until after she was shot and almost killed because of something Franklin did. Up until that point, she had been undervalued. Louie has been his biggest asset, his biggest help, his biggest support. Every time she was asking for a pay cut on the price of the bricks he was like, “No.” She’s like, well, let me talk to Teddy to talk him down, “No.” You know, and not only that, but like screaming on her, so she wasn’t being heard. She wasn’t being seen. Now I’m almost dead cause of you, let me do my own thing. So I think her admission to Jerome about her ambition wasn’t an admission to this is my fault. The family is torn apart, the family is messed up. Her admission was, I have learned that I have value.

Thinking about the ending of “Snowfall” makes me emotional because the show is also one of John Singleton’s final contributions to the culture. What is a fond memory you share with him?

I would say the being in my power was my biggest lesson from him. Something that I’ll carry with me forever at work and at home, and as I’m navigating this crazy, crazy world. I just remember I had a birthday party and I invited everybody and he came and that meant a lot to me. I was like, “Wow, He showed up for me.” He didn’t have to do that. He’s a very, very busy man, and he came out for me. That really meant a lot. 

I want to backtrack to how you landed the role because according to reports, John Singleton had a Louie in mind. Reports claim Lauren London was handpicked to play Aunt Louie, but everything plays out the way it’s supposed to. How’d you ultimately get the job?

The pilot of “Snowfall” was shot twice. I auditioned for Snowfall in like 2016 or something like that. But I didn’t get it. So, you know, as actors, we audition for a lot of stuff and don’t get it, and then you keep it moving. So then a year later, when they came back across my desk, it was the same scene. You know, the, the scene where Louie is fighting off the porch and taking the earrings off. I was like, ‘I know I auditioned for this already.’ This is because you don’t forget a scene like this. My reps were like, well, that’s okay, just audition again. I was like, ‘Okay.’ So I auditioned and I got a callback, and then I got another call back, and then I eventually booked the role. I found out like a week later that I had booked the role. I had not heard of such a thing as in Hollywood. Oftentimes they shoot a pilot and for whatever reason it doesn’t work. It doesn’t go. So they scrap all the things and start building it again, and then they try again. So that’s what happened with Snowfall. They shot the pilot, it didn’t work, and then they just kind of dismantled it, put it back together, tried again, and then, and that was our pilot. Then it went and it went for six years. So I feel extremely fortunate, and you’re right. Things happen the way they’re supposed to happen, and I believe what’s yours is yours and nothing can stop that. I had no idea Snowfall was mine and Louie was mine, but here we are. . 

Were there any roles you previously auditioned for that you didn’t get and it turned out to be a huge role?

I can’t think of one in particular. But I had an odd experience: I went to the movies and I was watching The Wrestler and I was sitting there and I knew the scene. Like I knew what was about to happen. I kind of knew the lines. I was like, ‘Have I seen this movie before? No, I haven’t seen it.’ Then it occurred to me like two weeks later, I auditioned for that movie, and The Wrestler is like one of my favorites. I auditioned for all kinds of stuff: Big stuff, little stuff, the stuff you don’t think is gonna go, or you don’t think it’s gonna be a big deal, and then it is. Or you turn down something and you’re like, ‘Ah!’ I feel like with every decision I make, I always am considering everything: Do I like the project? Is it gonna be good money? Is it gonna be good timing for me and my family. There are so many things to consider. So if I say no or if I don’t get something, you know, well, if I don’t get it, then, you know, it wasn’t for me. It was for this person to enjoy this success and God bless ’em. And I have to know that my time is coming and it’s my time. My thing is my thing. What’s for me is for me, and if I say no to something and it blows up, then I have to know, well, I said no for a reason and be okay with it. Because if I’m walking around mad because I missed out on this thing, it’s like, well, I’m gonna just be mad and sad for the rest of my life. You gotta feel good about your decisions and feel good about knowing that you’re supported by God, by the universe. Whatever your thing is, you’re supported. And so there’s no need to worry, there’s no need to get upset, there’s no need to be feeling envious and all those things. Like what’s for you? It’s for you. 

What’s next for Angela once Snowfall ends and Louie’s chapter is closed?

Well, Angela’s gonna have this baby in the mid-Summer. So I’m just focusing on that right now. Focusing on finishing out “Snowfall” and bringing this new life to the world and being ready for that. And then, you know, we’ll see.

The post Snowfall’s Angela Lewis Discusses the Impact Portraying Louie Had on Her Life Ahead of Series Finale appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Afrobeats star Davido has a new album coming out soon.  After the death of his 3-year-old son last year, the “Fall” rapper took the time to heal with his family.  He took to Instagram to post a trailer for the album with a caption thanking his fans during his hiatus.

“Thank you to everyone out there for your love and support that has held me down.  All the love and messages while I was away, the gifts sent, the concerts you all threw!  I appreciate it all.  Today, I want to remind you all that what is now Timeless, was once new.  It’s time for new.”

His new album is titled Timeless and is a follow-up to his 2020 album, A Better Time.  His fans took to the comments to celebrate him and his comeback, as he was truly missed.  

Just before Davido announced his return on Instagram, his hype man, Special Spesh, was becoming impatient.  Along with fans questioning him about Davido’s whereabouts, Special Spesh contemplated leaking a new song.  Now, it’s possible that he isn’t talking about releasing a Davido song, but fans are speculating this to be the case.  Many fans encouraged him to do so on Instagram after he posted his frustration.

             “THE WAY I DEY FRUSTRATE LIKE DIS [mad face emoji] I FIT LEAK ONE SONG!!!!….[purple devil emoji]”

It looks like he didn’t, and fans will have to wait until the end of the month for the new album.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Davido (@davido)

The post Davido Is Back and Announces New Album appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Bun B had a vow renewal and 50th birthday party in one night!  The Houston rapper and his wife, Angela “Queenie” Walls, celebrated 20 years of marriage by renewing their vows.  In front of a few family and friends, Pastor Keion Robinson remarried the couple at the Contemporary Arts Museum of Houston.  Shortly after, the couple went downstairs to attend Bun’s 50^th birthday party.  Of course, his business, Trill Burgers, was on the menu for the festivities. 

The UGK rapper took to Instagram to celebrate his wife on Instagram before the ceremony.

“Happy 20^th anniversary to my favorite cowgirl ever!  Only getting better with time!  Trillionaires baby!  Love you Queenie!”

His birthday happened to be a black-tie affair and was a surprise.  A few of Houston’s own were in attendance, such as LeToya Luckett and J. Prince.  Attendees even got to witness Bun B perform all his hits.

What a coincidence that Bun is turning 50 the same year as Hip Hop.  His birthday party included tributes to Hip Hop turning 50; for example, CIROC was the featured beverage as it is the official Vodka of Hip Hop 50.  Bun B sure has a lot to celebrate.  To add to this past weekend’s celebration, the Houston rapper’s Trill Burgers were also named the best burgers in the nation on Good Morning America. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nick Scurfield (@nickscurfield)

The post Bun B Celebrates 50th Birthday and Vow Renewal All in One Night appeared first on The Source.

It appears that the indictment of Donald Trump by a Manhattan grand jury is imminent and could occur as soon as this week.  

If this happens, it will represent the first time that Trump has been criminally charged in connection with his actions leading up to, during, and following his presidency. However, he has been credibly accused of committing at least 56 criminal offenses since launching his campaign for president. 

Trump is expected to be indicted in connection with a “hush money” payment of $130,000 made by his long-time attorney, Michael Cohen, to the adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who claims to have had an affair with Trump.  The charges will likely center on the false recording and concealment of the payment as a “legal expense” in the financial records of the Trump organization.

In addition to the Manhattan grand jury, Trump appears to be squarely in the crosshairs of three additional grand juries, including the Fulton County, Georgia grand jury, which is investigating claims of election fraud and other offenses, a federal grand jury investigating the January 6 insurrection and a federal grand jury investigating allegations of Trump’s unlawful possession and concealment of government records after leaving office.

Early this morning, Trump posted on his Truth Social Account that “THE FAR & AWAY LEADING REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL BE ARRESTED ON TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK.  PROTEST, TAKE OUR NATION BACK!”  A spokesman later clarified that the post had not been written with any direct knowledge of the timing of any arrest.

The New York Times reports that while the Manhattan District Attorney’s office officially has no comment, it has signaled that an indictment is imminent but has not communicated any timeline to Trump’s lawyers. The grand jury must still hear the testimony of one remaining witness.  State and federal law enforcement agencies, including the NYPD, the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Secret Service, and others, are preparing for a possible violent response to Trump’s indictment, particularly in light of the January 6 events in 2021. 

Whether there remains an appetite among many Trump supporters for a violent confrontation with state and federal authorities remains to be seen.    Over a thousand participants in the January 6 insurrection have already been arrested in nearly every state in the U.S. and charged with a variety of felonies and misdemeanors.  Late last year, the Department of Justice sent a letter to the Chief Judge of the U.S District Court for the District of Washington D.C., reporting there would be an estimated additional 700 to 1,200 defendants charged.  However, the events of January 6 have shown that all necessary precautions should be taken in instances where Trump appears to be inciting his supporters.  

This indictment, and the possibility of additional indictments to come, send an important and long overdue message that Trump, like anyone else, will be held accountable by the U.S. justice system for crimes he has committed.

The post Trump Indictment Could Happen Next Week; Authorities Prepare for Possible Violence appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Grammy-winning singer India Arie has put her songs back on Spotify.  After issues with podcaster Joe Rogan, and Spotify itself, last year, the “Video” singer removed all her music from the popular platform. 

Rogan hosts his own podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, on Spotify.  Just like any other podcast, the host always speaks his mind, and Rogan is no different.  Arie has issues with Rogan because he has always and continues to use negative language when discussing Black and brown people.  Also, she did not like how Spotify treated Black artists.

In an interview with Billboard, the 47-year-old artist explains why she protested Spotify.

“I pulled it off in the name of my own dignity.  It was in protest……And so knowing that Black music does the most streams, streaming has deeply affected people’s ability to make a living as songwriters…. they’re giving this man who uses racist language $200 million-for me, my dignity could not stand it.”

India goes on to explain that streaming platforms like Spotify have made life harder for songwriters and artists.  Record labels have joined forces with streaming services and decided who would get paid what.  This leaves the artist and songwriters to get little to nothing.  First, the label gets paid.  Then, Spotify takes a percentage. Finally, the artist gets paid, and then the songwriter gets paid.

Although she protested for a year, the “Brown Skin” singer’s catalog is back on Spotify as she has over one million monthly listeners.  There were two important factors for her doing so: royalty payments and an increase in royalty rate.  Recently, the songwriter royalty rate jumped from 10.5% to 15.1% and was backdated to 2018, therefore, she will receive the updated rate for any songs written from 2018.

It’s clear India wants those checks!

“So when those two things shifted, I put my music back up.  Cause I want my checks.  And not only do I want my checks, I deserve my checks.”

The post India Arie’s Catalog Returns to Spotify After Protest Over Joe Rogan appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Earlier this year, Flo Rida won his settlement against Celsius, and now he will become their rival.  He is taking his 82.6 million dollar winnings from the lawsuit and will open his own energy drink company.  The “Low” rapper calls his new beverage, JettSet1, and it should be in stores at the top of 2024.  The drink is said to have all-natural ingredients, and Flo Rida intends to do what he did for Celsius.

In an interview with Insider, he explains that.

“Coming from the success of Celsius, when they had no name and the marketing was very little, I took that product, and I took it worldwide.  This is the thing that we wanna do with JettSet1.”

JettSet1 will be launched under the Florida native’s new company, JettSet1 Enterprises, co-founded with Dr. George Tabi and Erik Hicks.  It’s clear the rapper already has an edge in the energy drink industry as he has experience with Celsius.  JettSet1 Enterprises have plans to do business across various sectors such as real estate, health, film & television, and biotech.  

This is a perfect business venture for the “Wild Ones” rapper, as he has been known to exercise and care for his body. 

“Everyone knows me as a guy who works out.  You look at my music videos like ‘Good Feeling’ and they are a reflection of me and my healthy lifestyle.  That’s what we want JettSet1 to be.”

The post Flo Rida Starts His Own Energy Drink Company appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Mary J. Blige has combined with Pepsi again to bring the Strength of a Woman festival and summit.  The event will take place in Atlanta from May 11-14.  In a statement, the My Life singer expressed her excitement to put together the empowerment festival again.

“I’m so excited to bring our Strength of a Woman Festival & Summit back to Atlanta for its second year.  Having the opportunity to continue to uplift, inspire, and build amongst a community of women is the reason why we created this festival.”

On Instagram, Mary shared the festival flyer stating she will be performing a never before seen B-sides set celebrating 50 years of Hip Hop.  The Strength of a Woman festival is set to empower, educate, and elevate all women.  Attendees will have plenty to do throughout the weekend!

On the first night, Grammy winner for Best R&B Album, Robert Glasper, will be hosting an evening at the City Winery.  The following night, Mary will headline the tribute to 50 years of Hip Hop with performances from Jodeci, Jadakiss, Busta Rhymes, Jeezy, and DJ Drama.  The “Family Affair” singer booked another legend for the third night of the festival.  Lauryn Hill will headline with Summer Walker, Muni Long, Coco Jones, and Lucky Daye all performing.

The Earn Your Leisure Podcast, Angela Yee’s Lip Service and many more speakers will be on the Strength of a Woman Summit panel.  The festival closes out on Sunday with performances by Saucy Santana and Mike Epps.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mary J Blige (@therealmaryjblige)

The post Mary J. Blige Announces Second ‘Strength of a Woman’ Festival appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

In 2011, R&B crooner Miguel released his hit song “Sure Thing.”  12 years later, it remains a hit-thanks largely to TikTok.  Amid finishing up his new album, Miguel just recently found out about the song’s performance on TikTok.  It is performing so well that “Sure Thing” has landed in the Top 10 on the UK charts!  Also, New Zealand and other European countries have seen the song climb their charts too.

TikTok creators have been using the sped-up version of “Sure Thing” to dance to, calling it the “Sure Thing” challenge.  Miguel feels it is “fascinating” how a song so old is still relevant today.

“Getting the information that something of mine from so long ago is picking up, and exponentially picking up, week by week, is just fascinating.”

The Los Angeles singer is no stranger to seeing success on the Billboard charts, as when “Sure Thing” first debuted in 2011, it was highly ranked.  It was number one on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, number seven on their Adult R&B Songs chart, and came in at number 14 on Billboard’s Rhythmic chart.

Now, in 2023, the hit song has reached #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, surpassing the previous position.  In 2011, “Sure Thing” debuted at number 36.

The post Miguel’s “Sure Thing” Is Popular Again, Skyrocketing Up UK Charts Due to TikTok appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

On April 9, 2021, DMX passed away, and his record label, Ruff Ryders, is planning a tribute to him on what will be the second anniversary of his death.

The legendary record label will host an “NYC Ryde Out.”  It will be an event for families and friends in the community to celebrate the life of DMX through music, food, and games.  More information about the event can be found at RuffRyders2TheRescue.org.

The Ruff Ryders posted the flier to their Instagram account.

“Save the date!  On April 9^th please join the Ruff Ryders Family as we celebrate and remember our brother DMX and all our fallen Soldiers with our NYC Ryde Out!  Please bring all your family and friends for a day full of food, fun, games and music.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ruff Ryders (@ruffryders)

Since the Mount Vernon rapper tragically passed away, his longtime record label has made sure to keep his name alive.  His first posthumous album, Exodus, was released a month after his death.  It featured many artists he has collaborated with, such as Swizz Beatz, Jay-Z, Nas, and The LOX.  Usher, Snoop Dogg, Alicia Keys, Moneybagg Yo, Lil Wayne, and the Griselda gang also had features on the album.

Just last week, Wayne released his song, “Kant Nobody,” featuring DMX with Swizz Beatz on production.

The post Ruff Ryders Announce ‘NYC Ryde Out’ Event to Celebrate DMX on Second Anniversary of His Death appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

R&B singer Keyshia Cole will be starring in her own television series on Lifetime.  The popular network announced its plans for the new year, which involves a few stars.  Aside from Cole, Janet Jackson, TLC, and Kelly Rowland will all have productions with the network.

The “Love” singer’s series will be titled, Keyshia Cole: This Is My Story and premiere during Black Music Month on June 24.  She will serve as executive producer.  The series will tell the 41-year-old’s origin from growing up in Oakland, California, to being Grammy nominated.  Viewers will also get to see the relationship between Cole and her mother in depth.  The “Let It Go” singer released a statement regarding her late mother, Frankie Lons.

“This is a story of a daughter’s love for her mother and although my heart remains broken from her untimely passing, I am honored to be sharing it with the world…I miss her every day and even though she is not here, her presence was felt throughout this film.  Mom, I love you.”

Fans are expected to hear a new song from the Oakland native when the movie premiers, titled, “Forever Is A Thing.”  Her last single, “I Don’t Wanna Be in Love,” was released in 2021 and reached number 43 on the Billboard Hip Hop/R&B charts.  Cole is looking forward to releasing a new album under her new record label, BMG.

The post Keyshia Cole Set to Produce and Star in Her Own Biopic appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Bun B is always doing something for the community in Houston.  This past weekend, along with a host of other stars, the “Get Throwed” rapper showed up to the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. 

Bun B performed at the show last year and was invited again to be the face of Black Heritage Day. The NRG stadium was sold-out with nearly 75,000 people in attendance.  The Houston rapper performed with a band while sporting a leather fit with a poncho and cowboy hat, truly embracing the rodeo culture.

Artists on the lineup this year were Tela, Jazze Pha, 8 Ball & MJG, David Banner, Lil Flip, and Big K.R.I.T.  Attendees were in for a treat as more Hip-Hop legends hit the stage. Cupid, Juvenile, Mannie Fresh, Trinidad James, Slim Thug, Killa Kyleon, and Erykah Badu also performed.  Trinidad James was looking festive as well, performing his hit song, “All Gold Everything,” while dressed like the “King of Cowboys,” Roy Rogers.

The Rodeo Takeover was a success but didn’t end exactly the way the city wanted it to.  Unfortunately, the poncho Bun B was performing in went missing that night.  He took to Facebook to alert everyone and rewarded $1,000 to the person who returned it to him.  This poncho is near and dear to him as it has the UGK logo on it in the original Houston Oilers’ colors.  The Houston Oilers were a football team that originated in the AFL before the league merged with the NFL in the 60s and 70s. 

Fortunately, the poncho was returned late Monday night as the 49-year-old rapper posted it on Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Trill Burgers (@trillburgers)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by RODEOHOUSTON (@rodeohouston)

The post Bun B Takes Over the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo appeared first on The Source.

Brown Mamba is a unique rap artist hailing from San Diego, who has taken the music industry by storm with his exceptional talent and creativity. With his diverse musical influences ranging from Drake, Gucci Mane to Big Sean, Brown Mamba has created his own distinctive sound that combines trap beats with Mexican melodies. His music is a blend of rap and hip-hop, infused with a positive message of staying consistent and keeping a positive mindset.

Brown Mamba’s creative process is simple yet effective. He first selects the beat and then proceeds to write the lyrics. Recently, he has also started producing his own music. His latest album, an alliterations project with 16 songs and no features, charted #8 on the iTunes top 100. This project showcased his unique lyrical ability and earned him recognition in the music industry.

Brown Mamba has worked with several big names in the industry, including Jay Critch, 24hrs, Dylan Reese, Yo Gotti, and is currently working on a song with Fetty Wap. His song, Freaky DM’s, is about to hit a million streams on Spotify, and one of his tracks has been used in over 1500 Tik Tok videos. He has been featured on 50 Cent’s website, marking a significant milestone in his career.

Despite his success, Brown Mamba remains grounded and authentic in his music. He writes all his songs and aims to maintain his individuality and creativity while helping other artists along the way. He uses social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Tik Tok to showcase his music and build connections with fans and fellow artists.

Brown Mamba’s long-term goals for his music career include traveling city to city and performing for fans. He hopes that his music inspires listeners to stay positive and never give up, despite life’s challenges. Brown Mamba is a rising star in the music industry, and with his unique style and positive message, he is sure to make a significant impact in the years to come.

The post Brown Mamba – The Rising Star from San Diego appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

James Corden’s late-night show, The Late Late Show, is coming to an end this year.  His very popular segment, Car Karaoke, is a set fans live for.  The biggest entertainers have driven around with Corden singing along to tunes and having fun. Lizzo, Migos, Cardi B, and even the former First Lady, Michelle Obama, are just a few names to be on Car Karaoke.  Another superstar was supposed to have her chance on the segment but ended up missing the opportunity.

SZA, surprisingly, did not end up going on the show.  In fact, the SOS artist was invited, but at that time, was too afraid to be viewed by millions of people.

“Scared of being on camera, looking bad, sounding bad and being perceived,” SZA told the Alternative Press.

At this point in her career, SZA would love to be on Car Karaoke and mentions seizing opportunities.

“I really have to remind myself this is my moment in the sun, and I have to take every opportunity because this shit may never happen again.”

Hopefully, the TDE artist will have another opportunity to be on Car Karaoke within the next two months, as the show’s last episode will be on April 27. 

SZA sure does have a lot to sing about!  She remains at the top of the Billboard 200 charts for SOS.  Her sophomore album has been number one for ten weeks, and Billboard named her their Woman of The Year in 2022.

Right now, SZA is continuing her success as she is on her first major arena tour, selling out shows in the process.

The post SZA Says She Never Did ‘Carpool Karaoke Out of Fear of Looking and Sounding Bad appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Rolling Loud is back in California this weekend with plenty of stars to hit the stage.  Of course, fan favorite Lil Yachty will be performing, and he will also have more in store for festival attendees.  Sneakerheads will want to pay close attention to Lil Yachty as he will be giving away his stage-worn pair to a fan. 

Whatnot, an online shopping platform, will hold a raffle Wednesday, March 1, to see which lucky fans will get a chance to attend the three-day festival as well as win a pair of the Atlanta rapper’s sneakers.

Rolling Loud, the Atlanta sneaker community, ATATF, Lil Yachty, and DJ Scheme came together to provide this giveaway.  The winner will receive VIP tickets to Rolling Loud California, where they will meet Lil Yachty and receive his sneakers right after he performs.  During the Whatnot Livestream, the “Poland” rapper will let fans know which sneakers he will perform in, so they know what they’ll be getting.

Whatnot will also have festival merchandise, such as clothing and jewelry, that has not yet been released for sale during the live stream.  This isn’t the first time the shopping platform has combined with an artist for a promotional event.  They have also worked with Post Malone before, as he challenged a fan to a magic competition with a chance to win $100,000. 

The post Lil Yachty to Give Away His Sneakers Worn During Upcoming Rolling Loud Performance appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

50 Cent has been making his moves all around Houston, Texas. Since being a city resident since 2021, it’s clear the “In Da Club” rapper wants to make a positive impact in Houston. The Queens businessman has his hands in the community, from being the Grand Marshall in last year’s Thanksgiving Day parade and hosting parties to sitting courtside at Houston Rockets’ games. He recently attended the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo International Wine competition, where he made a massive purchase.

The International Wine competition is an annual event in which over 3,000 entrants from over 18 countries compete. The three-week livestock and radio show is the world’s largest rodeo and cattle auction. The 2023 Reserve Grand Champion’s best of the show was the Bernhardt Winery Antiquity Chardonnay Reserve, with a price of $165,000. 50 Cent and his company, Sire Spirits, won the wine at the auction. Not only did his company win big at the event, but 50 also won.

His French wine brand, Le Chemin du Roi Brut Champagne AOC, won the Grand Champion Best of Show Award for International Wine. A real estate company based outside of Houston, J, Alan Kent Development, won the bottle at the auction for a record price of $325,000! The Get Rich Or Die Tryin rapper is no stranger to winning at this event, as he received an award in his third year in a row.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 50 Cent (@50cent)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 50 Cent (@50cent)

The post 50 Cent Wins Big at Wine Event Based in Texas appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

2000s R&B group, B2K, is recapping their 2019 time on the Millenium Tour. After breaking up in 2004, the group reunited in 2019 to perform on the tour alongside Bow Wow, Mario, Lloyd, Keri Hilson, Pleasure P, and other artists from the early 2000s. They documented the tour in a five-part series titled, Omega: The Gift and the Curse. Throughout the three months, fans will see how the group interacts on and off the stage.

Recently, the WE network revealed a juicy trailer for the series. Omega: The Gift and the Curse will be narrated by Omarion as he gives his perspective of his relationship with his ex-bandmates. In this trailer, you can see that all group members are not on the same page. Raz B appears to have issues with J. Boog while at this time, Lil Fizz was dating Omarion’s baby mother, Apryl Jones, which also takes a toll on the group. Also, around this time, the music world received the devastating news that Los Angeles rapper Nipsey Hussle was murdered. Viewers get a chance to see how the group was affected by the news. The series airs on WE on March 2nd.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ALLBLK (@watchallblk)

Recently, a woman online claimed she was engaged to the “Touch” singer and sent him a total of $4,500 throughout the past few years. The woman who believes she is engaged to Omarion appeared on Dr. Phil to share her story, for which Omarion had a message for. During the episode, Dr. Phil played a recorded video from Omarion, in which he states that she needs to be careful and aware of catfishers online. The video was also posted to the R&B crooner’s Instagram page with a caption informing his supporters that he does not scam people.

“Be smart. So many people have stories saying they spoke with me online. I don’t take advantage of people. I respect and appreciate people who support me.”

– Omarion

The post Omarion to Recap 2019 ‘Millennium’ Tour in New Docuseries ‘Omega – The Gift & The Curse’ appeared first on The Source.

By revoking copyright registration it had previously granted for a comic book whose artwork was created by an AI-powered image generator, the U.S. Copyright Office has effectively ruled that AI-generated images are not eligible for copyright protection in the U.S. 

Kris Kashtanova is a New York-based artist who created the graphic novel Zarya of the Dawn.  Kashtonova wrote the story, created the layout and organized the presentation of the images.  The images were generated by Midjourney, a commercial image synthesis service that uses the latent diffusion process.

Latent diffusion models are used to generate detailed images from text descriptions, by mapping an image generator to text descriptions.  Effectively, the user can input a text description of the image they want created, and the latent diffusion model will generate detailed image based on those parameters.

Kashtanova registered the copyright in Zarya of the Dawn with the Copyright Office in 2022, claiming that the artwork was not created entirely by the AI, but had been created by her with AI assistance.  The Copyright Office has previously rejected copyrights registered to AI as the author – however, it has not ruled against copyrights in AI artwork where the author is a person.    Here, Kashtanova was granted copyright registration for Zarya of the Dawn in September 2022.

However, this past Tuesday, the Copyright Office revoked the registration, on the basis that Kashtanova had not disclosed in her application that the images in the comic were created by an AI model.  Apparently, following issuance of the registration, the Copyright Office learned on social media that her comic included AI-generated images.   The Copyright Officer then issued a notice to her in October 2022, requiring her to provide additional information showing why the registration should not be canceled.

Through her attorney, Kashtanova responded that Midjourney was merely an assistive tool, and she had authored every aspect of the work.  The Copyright Office rejected this argument, finding that although she claimed to have “guided” the content of each image, it was Midjourney that had “authored’ the images for purposes of copyright registration.  Accordingly, the portion of her registration covering the images was canceled.

Kashtanova still holds a copyright registration for the other elements of the comic- namely, the text and the selection and coordination of the visual elements.  However, for now, this ruling means that AI-generated images cannot be copyrighted in the United States, and this ruling will likely stand unless it is challenged in court or revised by law.

The post Can You Copyright an AI-Generated Image? The U.S. Copyright Office Says No appeared first on The Source.

Another legendary R&B singer has passed away.  Chuck Jackson, a singer in the doo-wop group, Del-Vikings, died last week at 85 in Atlanta, Georgia.  Jackson is considered one of the best soul singers of all time.  The crooner was most known for his hit song, “Any Day Now,” but he also had other hit records such as “I Keep Forgettin’,” “Hand It Over,” and “What’s With This Loneliness.”

“Any Day Now” landed him a record deal with Motown Records in 1960 as other prominent artists such as James Brown and Elvis Presley also covered the track.  He greatly inspired legendary singer Dionne Warwick as the two collaborated and were labelmates.

“Another heartache has come my way.  Chuck Jackson has made his transition.  I’ll truly miss his daily calls checking on me and his wonderful voice.  Rest in heavenly peace my dear friend.”

Over 20 of his singles made it on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the 1960s.  He has also made over 20 albums, with his final project, I’ll Never Get Over You, being released in 1997.  Jackson often referred to New York’s Apollo Theater as his second home.  He was even included in the Apollo Hall of Fame documentary in 1993.  In 2015, the soul singer was inducted into the R&B Hall of Fame and the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.

The post “Any Day Now” Singer Chuck Jackson Dead at Age 85 appeared first on The Source.

Jury selection is now in its second month in the trial of Young Thug, also known as Jeffrey Lamar Williams, and a number of his associates alleged to be members of the “Young Slime life” criminal organization.  The case continues to face unique challenges and delays based on its vast scope and the substantial amount of time that it will take – possibly half a year or more.

This past week, the Fulton County District Attorney’s office filed a motion seeking to have two of the defendants, Kahlieff Adams and Tenquarius Mender, tried separately.  Of the 28 people originally charged in this case, eight have taken plea deals, and six are being tried separately since they were not arrested before the trial started. 

The DA’s motion is based on the fact that the attorneys representing Adams and Mender are both pregnant.  The DA argues that because the trial is estimated to take six to nine months, Adam’s lawyer Teombre Calland and Mender’s lawyer Nicole Fegan will have to take maternity leave before the trial is over, which would prevent them from effectively representing their clients.

Neither client wants to be tried separately, and their lawyers disagree that being pregnant will harm their ability to represent their clients.  Mender and Adams have also stated that they don’t want to be represented by other attorneys.  In a statement to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Fegan said that the DA’s motion made them look unsympathetic to expectant mothers and that it would be expensive and possibly prejudicial to try her client separately after jury selection had already begun.

“If Rihanna can do it, I’m sure we can both adequately represent our clients,” she told the publication.

Judge Ural Granville has scheduled a hearing for the motion on March 1.

The post The YSL Case: Pregnant Defense Lawyers May Cause Further Shakeup in Trial appeared first on The Source.

On Monday night (Feb. 13) against the Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson put on a show in front of the home fans.  Brunson ended up with 40 points in a 124-106 win at Madison Square Garden.  The Garden was packed to see the cross-town rivals go at it, which included some A-list celebrities.  One celebrity was excited not just for the Knicks, but for Brunson’s performance.

The former Dallas Mavericks guard shot 71% from the field, including 66% from three-point range.  After his postgame interview, Brunson and the “Fancy” rapper met on the court where they hugged and conversed before taking a photo.  We can only wonder what was said between the two as Brunson covered his mouth with his towel while talking to Iggy.  The 32-year-old rapper has been known to be a fan of basketball.

Back in 2016, she dated former Los Angeles Lakers guard Nick Young before dating rapper Playboi Carti.  Carti was recently arrested for allegedly choking his girlfriend, who is pregnant with his child.  The former Grand Hustle artist took to Twitter to discuss the situation.  In a series of tweets, she claims that this is who he is, and it is not new.

“Been there. Done that. Warned you.”

“Imagine having a pregnant girlfriend and pretending they don’t exist until it comes out you like to abuse them too”

Iggy went on to discuss their 2-year-old son as well, claiming the 26-year-old rapper rarely sees his son.  Lately, the “Black Widow” rapper has been the talk of the Internet as she has started her OnlyFans page.  She is expected to release her fourth studio album this year.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: Iggy Azalea Hits MSG Floor to Salute Jalen Burnson After Big Game appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

R&B legend Huey Smith passed away at the age of 89.  Known as “Piano,” Smith’s daughter confirmed that he died in his sleep on Tuesday.  He has worked with many famous artists like Little Richard and Earl King.  His 1950s hit, “Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu,” is what Piano is most known for.  Many future acts, such as Grateful Dead, Johnny Rivers, and Aerosmith, have sampled the song.  This led him to form his group, Huey Smith and the Clowns.

Smith was known for being a boogie pianist as his sound introduced funk to the mainstream world.  He played piano in the group while the Clowns sang, danced, and put on a show.  There’s only one song in his career that he did not receive credit for.  On the hit song “Sea Cruise,” Piano’s vocals were taken off the original music in place of Frankie Ford.  President of Ace Records, Johnny Vincent, felt Ford, a white teenager, would sell more records than a black artist.  It just so happens that “Don’t You Just Know It,” another hit from Smith, landed at the number nine spot on the charts, while “Sea Cruise” came in at 14.

The boogie pianist was born in the Garden District of New Orleans and died in Baton Rouge.  His career was recognized when he received the Rhythm and Blues Foundation’s Pioneer Award and the Big Easy Music Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.

The post Music Legend Huey Smith Passes Away at 89 appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Lil Wayne almost vowed never to watch UFC again.  But then he looked at the upcoming matchups.  Last week, Islam Makahachev faced off against Alexander Volkanovski in the UFC 284 main event.  By unanimous decision, Makahachev defeated his opponent for the lightweight gold belt.  Along with legendary UFC fighter Nate Diaz, the Cash Money rapper did not like the outcome of the match either.  He took to Twitter to vent his frustrations.

“Not sure if I’ll ever watch UFC again.  Did Volk bad bad.”

Volkanovski aka “The Great” was looking to become the fifth-ever dual-weight UFC champion, but took the L.  After watching the film, he thought he won the fight and is now looking for a rematch.  Wayne agreed but soon went back to Twitter to change his mind after realizing who would be fighting soon.

“Wait, Bones Jones komin bak?! Ok I lied and u know I kant miss dat Pereira v Stylebender!!!! And Connor bak right?? Yeah I lied.”

The 40-year-old rapper has always shown his love for sports throughout his career.  He is a big fan of the Los Angeles Lakers, especially Kobe Bryant, as the two were good friends.  In 2009, Wayne released the song, Kobe Bryant, in honor of the five-time NBA Champion after he won his fourth ring.  In 2020, Wayne added more verses to the song after Bryant passed.   He is also a huge fan of Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.  The Dedication rapper created the theme song for the NFL team titled, “Green & Yellow” back in 2011 after they beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.  He released a new version in 2021 at the request of the organization.

The post Lil Wayne Walks Back Claim To Quit Watching UFC: ‘Wait, Bones Jones Komin Bak?!’ appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

British singer/songwriter Mahalia has been fed up with the BRIT Awards committee.  This past Sunday, at the BRIT Awards, the “What You Did” singer showed up in a Burberry jacket with the words “Long Live R&B” on the back in bold black letters.  Mahalia made it clear that she loves R&B.

“It’s a genre I feel very passionate about and I don’t think it’s talked about enough.”

She also adds that people feel UK R&B artists won’t be successful.

“There’s an idea that American R&B artists can be commercially successful, and we can’t.  That conversation needs to become more positive.  I just think it would be really powerful for R&B artists to have their own moment to shine.”

Mahalia, along with other British R&B acts, has voiced their disappointment with the BRIT Awards in the past regarding recognizing the thriving R&B scene.  The BRIT Awards combine pop and R&B artists for Best Pop/R&B act.  This year, Harry Styles, Dua Lipa, Charli XCX, Cat Burns, and Sam Smith were all nominated for Best Pop/R&B show.  Unfortunately, none of these acts are considered R&B; they are all pop artists.

After seeing the nominations, Mahalia took to Twitter to urge the BRIT Awards committee to give R&B its category.  Other R&B singers, such as MNEK and Tiana Major9, have also spoken out against the nominations.  This is only the second year the BRIT Awards have had the Best Pop/R&B act after making changes to their format.

In their plan to evolve with the music industry, the committee decided to eliminate gender-based categories and add more categories.  Instead of Male and Female Artist of the Year, the BRITs award an Artist of the Year and an International Artist of the Year.  Along with the Best Pop/R&B act, the awards ceremony now includes Best Alternative/Rock Act, Dance Act, and Hip-Hop/Grime/Rap Act.

The post Mahalia Critical of BRIT Awards Combining R&B and Pop Awards appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Recently, R&B singer Blxst participated in a panel at Loyola Marymount University in California.  The University offers a marketing course, titled, “The Marathon Continues: Building Brand Through Culture”.  The course honors the legacy of Nipsey Hussle as it details his business mindset in and out of the music industry.  Throughout the course, Professors David Gross and Mitchell Hamilton make sure self-sustainability and accountability remain the theme.  Blxst was a part of the series the course is giving to its students.

Guest speakers have been coming in to speak to students about their entrepreneurial paths.  Last week, Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings of the popular financial podcast, Earn Your Leisure spoke to students at LMU.  Next week, former NBA champions, Matt Barnes, and Stephen Jackson will be on the panel as well.  The “Chosen” singer spoke to students about being an independent artist and at the same time an entrepreneur.  He mentioned his team is a major part of his success.

“I got to a point where I got smart enough to know that I’m not smart at all….I’m a student at the end of the day, and I’m willing to learn, so I just surrounded myself with people that I felt like I could benefit just being around [their] presence.”

– BLXST

The people Blxst are referring to are Victor Burnett and Karl Fowlkes.  Together, the three started their record label, EVGLE LLC with Burnett being the President and Blxst’s manager.  Fowlkes serves as the entertainment lawyer for the label.  Throughout the lecture, you can tell Blxst agreed with Nipsey’s mindset.  He suggested students build their own businesses and be self-reliable because ownership is very important.

“I want to be self-sustainable…and that’s what I want for my people as well.  Ownership is everything.”

EVGLE LLC will also speak at SXSW.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 𝐁𝐋𝐗𝐒𝐓 (@blxst)

The post Blxst Speaks During Nipsey Hussle-Inspired Course at Loyola Marymount appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Robert Glasper is still winning after the Grammys.  After winning Best R&B album along with Chris Brown claiming he didn’t know who Glasper was, the 44-year-old has become very popular.  He has become so popular that he even made his own T-shirts that read, “Who the f*** is Robert Glasper?”

As of Monday, the shirts are sold out!  Glasper took to Instagram to thank his supporters for purchasing the shirt.  He also mentioned that some of the proceeds will go towards the Community Music Center of New Orleans.

“Thanks for the support.  A portion of the proceeds from this shirt will be donated to the Community Music Center of New Orleans.  A nonprofit created to share the music culture and music education in New Orleans, providing free music lessons to underserved youth.  I can’t thank y’all enough for supporting this cause.”

Glasper was just announced to be the Artist in Residence at the Blue Note Jazz Festival in July.  It will be the second straight year for the Black Radio artist to perform at this event.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Robert Glasper (@robertglasper)

The post Robert Glasper Capitalizes on Chris Brown Diss by Selling Out of ‘Who is Robert Glasper’ Shirts appeared first on The Source.

Drake was ordered by a Florida judge last week to appear for a deposition in the murder case of XXXtentacion, he is now fighting the order through his lawyers, who claim that he has no connection to the murder and it is unreasonable to make him appear for a deposition.

Four men have been charged in the murder of XXXtentacion – Dedrick Williams, Trayvon Newsome, Michael Boatwright, and Robert Allen.   In December, Williams’ lawyer, Mauricio Padilla, included Drake, real name Aubrey Graham, on a witness list.  He later argued to the court that Drake was a necessary witness because the police had not adequately investigated an alleged feud between him and XXXtentacion.

In a 2018 social media post, which was later deleted, XXXtentacion wrote that “if anyone tries to kill me it was @champagnepapi,” which is Drake’s Instagram handle.  He later claimed his account had been hacked.

Padilla subpoenaed Drake to appear for a deposition in January and claimed that Drake did not show up. Subsequently, Judge Michael Usan ordered Drake to appear at a deposition on February 24 or be charged with contempt.   The judge found that Padilla had made a sufficient showing to allow the deposition to take place but indicated that the deposition could be limited in scope and that the transcript would remain sealed. 

A deposition is an out-of-court examination of a witness transcribed by a stenographer, which may be used in court under certain circumstances.

Drake’s lawyers filed a motion on Sunday seeking to overturn the order, arguing that Drake was not required to appear because he was never properly served with the subpoena and there was no evidence showing that he had any knowledge relevant to the case.   They claimed that the defense counsel was merely trying to bring big celebrity names into the chance to make headlines.

Drake’s motion is awaiting a decision by the judge. 

The post Drake Wants to Slide out of XXXTentacion Questioning, But May Have No Choice appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

After a battle with liver cancer, Charlie Thomas passed away at 85 years old.  He was a member of the popular 60s group, The Drifters.  Their biggest hit, “Save The Last Dance For Me,” topped the Billboard charts in 1960. 

For over 60 years, Thomas sang with The Drifters having lead parts on songs such as “Sweets for My Sweet” and “There Goes My First Love”.  His lifelong friend, Peter Lemongello Jr., confirmed that the singer passed away on Jan. 31^st at his home in Bowie, Maryland.  Lemongello laments that even though he was getting old, he was still very active.

In 2013, Thomas credits his mother for his ability to sing.

“At my father’s church, I used to take the tambourine and do collection, and my mother used to sing in the choir.  That’s where I really got my training from singing.”

Before he joined The Drifters, he was part of a band called The Five Crowns.  The tenor of the group also appeared on other popular songs, such as “Saturday Night at the Movies,” “Under The Boardwalk,” and “Up on the Roof.”  The Drifters were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.  In 1999, he was awarded the Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation.

Thomas continued to perform until 2020, when he formed his own group called, Charlie Thomas’ Drifters, a spinoff of The Drifters.  He leaves behind his wife and four children.

The post The Drifters Member Charlie Thomas Passes Away at Age 85 appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon has a new business in Newark, New Jersey. 

Located at 799-805 Broad Street, Raekwon has opened a cannabis lounge.  The lounge is called Hashstoria, a mashup of hashish and Astoria.  The dispensary where the cannabis comes from is in Astoria, a city in Oregon.  Hashtoria already has three locations, making the four floors of the Newark location its fourth.

The New Jersey’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission ruled that cannabis users are allowed to use cannabis where they purchased it, a big reason why the Hashstoria wanted the location.  New Jersey is now one of eight states to approve this new law.

Even though the 53-year-old rapper hails from Staten Island, New York, Raekwon is familiar with The Garden State.  Their biopic, Wu-Tang: An American Saga” was filmed in downtown Newark as well as other places in New Jersey.  As of now, there is no set date on when the lounge will open.

The post Raekwon Set to Open Cannabis Lounge in Newark appeared first on The Source.

JT celebrated her first solo brand deal with KISS Care and Colors. The City Girls rapper’s cultural impact and inherent swag make her the perfect ambassador for the beauty brand. Fans, influencers, and media professionals had the opportunity to connect with the “Act Up” rapper and go home with swag bags filled with products from her collaboration at an avant-garde style pop-up shop in New York City on Tuesday (Feb. 7).

Harp Media & Creatives head honcho Whitney Harper explained what inspired her to bring JT and KISS together. She said, “I want everyone to feel represented when they look at a magazine or commercial.  I want women to not feel invisible in beauty conversations, especially women of color because we are often erased despite our contributions. I want my clients to take advantage of how they move and shape society and culture … and to monetize that.”

JT sat down with us for an exclusive interview to discuss the timing of her first solo brand deal, her connection to the longstanding cosmetic brand, and the Paris Fashion Week lip combo that had the Internet in a frenzy.

Fans have been anticipating you to venture into brand deals, and you always said you’ll do it on your own time. How did you know the time was finally right?

Well, I definitely said 2023. I must come outside more. I mean, like, I was in a house. It’s not that I couldn’t. It’s just that timing is everything. The right partners are everything. The right brands are everything. You don’t wanna just do anything with anybody just to be doing it. And I feel like I’m a brand myself, and I wanna represent myself and the girls who look like me.

What’s your relationship with the company KISS and how come you knew that they were the right brand for you to finally align with? 

I love the way they handled things. I love their products. KISS is a big deal to me because you go inside Walgreens, you go to Walmart, anywhere, you’re going to see KISS. It’s always your go-to. That’s something that’s gonna pop out every time. So to me, that is a big deal. 

Does Lil Uzi Vert have a favorite hairstyle that you do?

I switch my hair so much. I don’t know. I should ask him. I think he likes highlights, though.

Did you think the girls were going to eat up that Paris Fashion Week lip combo the way they did?  

Girl, that was just me being me, baby. I didn’t know they were gonna eat it up. They hate on me so much. I’m glad they liked that.

The post JT Celebrates KISS Brand Partnership at NYC Pop-Up appeared first on The Source.

Christian Eppinger, Rodalius Ryan, and Damone Blalock, defendants in the blockbuster Fulton County trial of Young Thug and the alleged “Young Slime Life” criminal organization, have been accused of stabbing a fellow inmate at the county jail, where they are being held. At the same time, the jury is selected for their trial.

On Tuesday night, deputies responded to a commotion surrounding inmate Demarcus Bussey. When the deputies attempted to disperse the crowd, Eppinger allegedly stabbed Bussey in the upper left chest with a handmade “shank.” Bussey was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Eppinger and Ryan have been charged with aggravated assault, and Blalock has been charged with misdemeanor battery in connection with this incident. All three men have also been accused of misdemeanor willful obstruction of a law enforcement officer.

Eppinger has been charged with shooting an Atlanta police officer six times in February 2022 when the officer attempted to serve an arrest warrant on him. Ryan and Blalock are both serving life in prison for separate murders.

Ryan has already been charged in two additional incidents that have delayed the jury selection. Last week he was accused of spitting on a Fulton County investigator while being driven from the jail to the courthouse. His counsel after that filed a complaint alleging the use of excessive force on Ryan at the time of this incident, claiming he was punched in the head and dragged out of the van. Ryan and Blalock have also been charged separately with unauthorized possession of contraband by an inmate, and Blalock was charged with giving an inmate a prohibited item.

After more than a month of jury selection in this large and unwieldy case, not a single juror has yet been seated.   This is primarily because the trial is scheduled to last six to nine months, and virtually every potential juror will experience legitimate hardship is made to serve. However, the frequent incidents involving the YSL defendants are not helping move the process along.

The post The YSL Case: YSL Members Shank Fellow Inmate As Jury Selection Stalls appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Kodak Black makes sure he does a good deed every now and then.  This past weekend, he surprised residents of West Palm Seashore Households by paying their rent in full for the rest of the year.  The Back for Everything rapper teamed up with the Zachariah McQueen Foundation to make the donation to 28 families.  Kodak felt the need to give back to his community because an increase of $1,000 in rent without any prior notice is unfair.

In a statement, he expressed his thoughts about what the residents are going through.

”When people get up and go to work daily, they should be able to come home and relax without worrying if they would have a roof over their head the next month.  But unfortunately,  we live in a society where people can barely get a raise at work, but can be told that their rent has increased by over $1,000 without any real warning.  That’s just not right.”

– Kodak Black

The 25-year-old has been known to give back to his community as he was honored by the Mayor of Broward County last year.  In 2021, he purchased over 50 air conditioners for families in the housing projects in Broward County.  Last year, he donated 500 turkeys.

It’s no secret the Florida rapper wants to do right by the people.  It showed when he showed up late to his show in Detroit this past weekend.  A video surfaced online showing Kodak pleading with arena officials to let him perform even though he was late.  He even told them he would pay to perform.  The “Walk” rapper didn’t want to disappoint the fans.

The post Kodak Black Pays Rent for West Palm Residents appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Motown Records star Barrett Strong has passed away at the age of 81. Strong was Motown’s primary hitmaker and songwriter as the label transitioned through the 1960s.

Born in West Point, Mississippi, Strong was one of the first acts to sign with the startup record label. His first hit, “Money (That’s What I Want)” reached the number two spot on the U.S. R&B chart. This led to Strong writing hits for many artists for years to come. Barrett had a hand in writing songs for The Temptations, such as “Cloud Nine”, “Papa Was A Rolling Stone”, and “Just my Imagination” to name a few. He helped write Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” and Edwin Starr’s “War.”

By the 70s, Strong’s time with Motown was up and he set out to resume his music career, this time behind the microphone. The “Money (That’s What I Want)” artist released albums with Epic Records as well as Capitol Records. His biggest song during that time was “Is It True”. Strong’s career started to dwindle in the 1980s as he started to make less music for himself. He still had the fire to write for other artists and just focused on that. But, in 2008, he decided to release Stronghold II, a sequel to his album, Stronghold.

Motown Records founder Berry Gordy made a statement regarding Strong’s death:

“I am saddened to hear the passing of Barrett Strong, one of my earliest artists, and the man who sang my first big hit.  Barrett was not only a great singer and piano player…Barrett is an original member of the Motown Family and will be missed by all of us.”

Barrett Strong received a Grammy in 1973 for his work on the song, “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004.

His cause of death has not yet been revealed.

The post Motown Records Star Barrett Strong Dead at 81 appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Jamaican rapper Shenseea still seems to be a fan of Ye.  Despite the headlines he’s made the past year, Shenseea wants to work with the legendary rapper/producer again. 

The duo worked with each other in 2021 on Donda, where Shenseea was featured on the songs, “OK OK” (Pt.2) and “Pure Souls” with Roddy Ricch.  These features led to her receiving a Grammy nomination as well as her first two songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.  “OK OK” (Pt. 2) reached the number 12 spot while “Pure Souls” came in at number 52.

Recently, the “Can’t Anymore” rapper did a “#AskShenseea” segment on Twitter, and one fan asked her about her experience working with The Life of Pablo artist.  She replied:

“I love him, such a mastermind and inspiration. Yes we’ll do something again, God’s willing.”

That’s not the first time she has said positive things about Ye.  Last year, in an interview with the L.A. Leakers, Shenseea mentions that the 45-year-old is an inspiration.

“I love Kanye.  Seeing him on social media and being around him is totally different.  He’s a true living inspiration.”

She also added that he showed her love and made her feel like family.  Ye noticed Shenseea after he heard her “Crocodile Teeth” freestyle in 2021 on HOT 97 with Funk Flex.  Also, on Twitter, the Alpha artist assured fans that more music is coming this year.

Last year, her debut album, Alpha, landed the number two spot on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart.  Alpha is the highest-selling reggae album in the first week of 2020. 

The post Shenseea Still Loves Ye: ‘Such a Mastermind and Inspiration’ appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Bravo’s new TV series is almost here!  SWV & Xscape: Queens of R&B just released its trailer and fans will have plenty to digest.  Legendary R&B groups, SWV & Xscape, give fans access to the making of their joint-headlining concert spanning only one night.  Produced by Mona Scott-Young, the 6-part series will air on March 5^th.   All members from both groups will be involved: Tamika, LaTocha, Tiny, and Kandi of Xscape and Coko, Taj, and Lelee of SWV.

With two female supergroups, there are bound to be a few issues.  One issue is, who is going to be the headliner? Also, in the two-minute trailer, the ladies find out that one of their group members has signed a solo deal.  The TV network, Bravo, released a statement regarding their new series.

“The ladies will take viewers on the ultimate fan experience as they reveal the inner workings of putting on a live concert and expose the discord and complex dynamics of sisterhood within singing groups.”

Bravo is no stranger to having Xscape as part of its network.  Kandi Burruss has been on Real Housewives of Atlanta for years, and the group once had their own series Xscape: Still Kickin’ It as well.  The two groups have always been linked together since the 90s.  In 2021, they faced off against each other for a Mother’s Day Verzuz battle.

SWV was originally a gospel group but transitioned to R&B.  In the 90s, they had hits such as, “Weak”, “You’re the One”, and “Right Here”.  To this day, they are one of the best-selling female groups of all time, with over 25 million records sold.  Xscape was discovered by Jermaine Dupri as he signed them to his record label, So So Def.  Their debut album, Hummin’ Comin’ at ‘Cha, went platinum with some of their biggest hits, “Just Kickin’ It” and “Understanding”. 

The post SWV & Xscape Unite for 6-Part ‘Queens of R&B’ Series on Bravo appeared first on The Source.

The country of Belarus recently passed a law that allows the use of intellectual property without the consent of copyright holders from so-called “unfriendly” foreign nations.  This includes all copyrighted materials such as books, music, movies, TV shows, and computer software.  

Belarus borders Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west and Latvia and Lithuania to the northwest.  Belarus was a founding member of the USSR in 1922, and stayed as a member until 1991, when the USSR was formally dissolved.

The law was signed by president Alexander Lukashenko earlier this month, making it legal in Belarus to access pirated materials if the rights holders are from “unfriendly nations,” meaning “foreign states that commit unfriendly actions against Belarusian legal entities and (or) individuals.”  

Belarus, as an ally of Russia, has faced financial sanctions from the European Union, Canada, United Kingdom and United States, so it is quite likely each of those countries is on the “unfriendly” list.   In particular, the U.S. issued sanctions in July 2022 that cut Belarus off from most financial institutions, trade and technology imports, and cut Lukashenko off from his financial assets in the U.S.  The new law, passed in response to these sanctions, seeks to impose its own economic harm on the west. 

The law provides that people using unlicensed or pirated content must pay a fee to the state-owned National Patent Authority for such use.  These fees are to be held for three years, at which point they will be kept by the state if no rightsholder has made a claim.  The downside of this arrangement is that rightsholders will not be paid according to the price they set, but rather according to a price determined by the Belarusan government based on an undisclosed formula, which the government has stated will include deductions for management and accounting expenses of up to 20%.

Belarus is a signatory to several treaties regarding intellectual property rights as part of the World Intellectual Property Organization, and the new law would violate its obligations under those treaties.  In turn, this will likely isolate Belarus economically and prevent any investment in the country’s local creative industries.    It may also influence Russia, which has also been considering laws intended to legalize use of unlicensed copyrighted content from some western countries.

The most significant impact to copyright holders in “unfriendly” countries may arise if Belarus becomes a safe haven for organizations that promote online piracy, thereby encouraging copyright infringement on a global scale.

The post You Can Legally Steal Music In Belarus appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Last week, rapper Flo Rida won his lawsuit against Celsius, the energy drink company, awarding him $82 million in damages.  Many people around the industry congratulated the “Low” rapper.  One person, in particular, seemed to surface online after the news.  His ex-girlfriend, Melyssa Ford, was trending.

The two dated in 2011 for over a year before calling it quits.  In an interview with Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club in 2014, she told the hosts that her relationship with the “Whistle” rapper was “doomed” from the start.

”I got into that doomed relationship.  We have nothing in common and uh, our conversation was pretty limited.”

– Melyssa Ford

She also added that money was not the reason she was with him.

”Whatever he had in his bank account had no baring on why he was there.”

Ford is a new co-host on The Joe Budden’s Podcast and she had to endure a few jokes before explaining how she really felt about her ex being awarded that much money. Joe Budden joked that she must be sick.

”The internet started to be like, ‘Damn, I’d hate to be his ex right now,” Budden said. “Couple of them was like, ‘Damn, Melyssa Ford gotta be sick’.  And I was like, ‘Not my co-host!’ I didn’t know nothing about that, which made this story all the funnier for me because, damn, you gotta be sick to your stomach.”

Though Budden and Queenz Flip continually teased her about it, the former video vixen remained that she was happy for her former beau.

”No, I’m happy for him, I am.  I can’t stand you guys.”

Flo Rida has also been linked to Brandy as well as Eva Marcile.  According to Marcile, Ford dated Flo Rida because she saw he had money, but she denies that.  Ford’s relationship with Flo Rida began as he was ending things with Marcile.  

You can see the moment from the JBP in the episode below.

The post Joe Budden Teases Melyssa Ford Over Her Ex Flo Rida Winning $82 Million in Court appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Last week in South Fulton, Georgia, a 17-year-old boy was a victim of a shooting that put him in the ICU.  This is just another instance of the ongoing gun culture amongst the youth in South Fulton.  Leaders of the community are still trying to find a solution to this devastating issue.  The Mayor of South Fulton is combining with important figures to help the youth get on the right path.  One important person that is looking to help is rapper Young Dro, who is a resident of South Fulton.

In a statement with Fox 5 in Atlanta, the “We In Da City” rapper states he wants the kids to be able to communicate with the older generation.

“Its solutions involved in the conversation, and I do want to give the kids a chance to speak to us, being the OG’s and the big homies, and I feel like we should give them a voice.”

– Young Dro

There have been a lot of incidents in the South Fulton area as of late.  After the 17-year-old boy was shot taking out the trash at his apartment, another teen, 13-year-old Deshon Dubose, was shot and killed near Cascade Skating Rink.  Mayor Khalid believes that getting young people jobs can help the problems in South Fulton.

“We’re going to have an opportunity fair where a lot of local nonprofits and jobs that are hiring young people will be here.”

On Jan. 26^th, there will be a town hall meeting regarding youth gun violence.  Young Dro will be present and is set to perform a new song dedicated to the people who have lost their lives due to gun violence.  Just last year, fellow Atlanta rappers Trouble and Takeoff lost their lives at the hands of gun violence.

In an interview with Vlad TV, since Takeoff’s death, the former Grand Hustle artist feels the need to step up in his community to battle gun violence and drug addiction.  He will tackle issues such as these and more on his upcoming project with Zaytoven.  His most recent project, D.P.W.H., was released in February of last year.

The post Young Dro Connects with South Fulton Leaders to Combat Gun Violence in Community appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Legendary producer Pharrell Williams has stepped outside the world of music into a new realm.  Recently, the “Blurred Lines” producer met with France’s president Emmanuel Macron in France at the Elysee Palace.  He met with President Macron to speak about cultural matters such as safe practices on the Internet for children.  President Macron’s spokesperson says Macron and Williams got along just fine.

“…got on really well.  Pharrell Williams is very involved in the issues of the harmful effects of the internet and [smart] telephones on young people…It’s good because he [Pharrell] really reaches a big audience and he is very fine in his analysis.”

– according to Billboard

President Macron cites that the Internet should be a safe place for everyone, especially children, as it remains one of the battles that the country and the world face today.  The “Happy” singer is still in France, set to attend another event tonight, the Yellow Pieces gala, this time with Brigitte Macron, France’s First Lady.  She, too, just like her husband, has been outspoken regarding internet safety, especially cyberbullying.  Earlier this month, a 13-year-old boy committed suicide in eastern France.  He was subjected to bullying by his classmates due to his homosexuality.

Pharrell has been making his rounds throughout France the past week.  Last week, he saw the Chicago Bulls face off against the Detroit Pistons at the Accor Arena.  The producer of Ed Sheeran’s hit record, “Sing,” sat courtside right next to NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson.  Pharrell has been endorsed by Paris and has furthered his relationship with the famous German sportswear brand Adidas through his label, Humanrace.  At the end of this month, they will debut a new color scheme for the NMD S1 MAHBS sneakers.  They will be available online and at select retailers.

The post Pharrell Williams Meets with President of France to Advocate for Internet Safety appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

In a few months, the family of the late Nipsey Hussle will be going to trial against Hussle’s ex-girlfriend Tanisha Foster. Hussle fathered 14-year-old Emani with Foster. It’s been three years since the “Last Time That I Checc’d” rapper’s untimely death, and both sides have yet to come up with a solution of who will get custody of Emani.

In November of last year, Nipsey’s mom, brother, and sister met with Foster for mediation but failed to reach an agreement. Shortly after Nipsey was murdered, the family was granted custody of Emani due to claims that Foster has a history of alcohol addiction, substance abuse, and volatile actions. Foster agreed with the family at the time but now insists that the ruling be reversed, citing she agreed to relinquish custody of Emani because she could not take care of her financially.

Foster stated the case.

“There are no circumstances or events in my life that would disqualify me for regaining my exclusive role as Emani’s parent.  There is no longer any need for guardianship.  Emani routinely asks me when are she and I going to be able to live together.  She longs to be with me as her mother.  I am begging the court to terminate the existing guardianship.”

The trial is set for April 27 in Los Angeles. Hussle’s family still believes that Foster is unfit to be the guardian of Emani as she will have access to her daughter’s two-million-dollar inheritance if she is granted custody.

via

The post Nipsey Hussle’s Family Prepping for Custody Trial Over 14-Year-Old Daughter appeared first on The Source.

Even though the jury has not yet been selected, there has been no shortage of drama in the trial of Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Lamar Williams, and his YSL associates. 

Last week one of Williams’ associates, Kahlieff Adams, was caught on camera walking up to Williams, where he sat in court, and handing him a package of Percocet in what prosecutors describe in their motion as a “hand-to-hand drug transaction.” Prosecutors further claim that Williams closed his hand around the package and moved it beneath the table to conceal it.  

Deputies from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office observed these actions, took the Percocet from Williams and confronted Adams.   The prosecutors say that Adam was searched and found to be carrying Percocet, marijuana, tobacco, and other contraband “wrapped in plastic and food seasonings to mask the odor of the marijuana.” 

Adams was later taken to Grady Memorial Hospital.  Prosecutors claim that he had swallowed some of his contraband to hide it.  The defendants’ lawyers have argued this was because courtroom deputies used a taser on him.  

The prosecutors then filed a motion seeking that the record reflects that Williams’ and Adams’ conduct caused a delay in the trial – in other words, asking the judge to make a finding of fact that these events had occurred and that Williams and Adams were responsible.   One of the defendant’s attorneys filed a response, which said that after Adams had been taken back to the holding cells, those in the courtroom could hear “loud banging and yelling” coming from that area. Two officers had removed their belts and firearms and rushed back to the holding area.   The defendants’ attorneys claim that Adams had to go to the hospital because he had been tased several times. They have urged the judge to deny the prosecution’s motion containing its version of the events and appoint an independent law enforcement agency to investigate.

Adams is currently serving a life sentence without parole for a 2019 murder and is being charged with attempted murder in the current case.

Williams was not charged for this incident, after his lawyers argued that he didn’t know what Adams was giving him and that he had immediately handed it over to the authorities.  However, Adams faces additional charges for possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, willful obstruction of law enforcement, possession of marijuana, and possession of an alcoholic beverage by an inmate. 

This is the third instance of contraband smuggling into the courtroom during this trial.  Last week, the mother of defendant Deamonte Kendrick, known as Yak Gotti, was arrested for trying to smuggle in rolling papers and tobacco for her son.   Additionally, Judge Ural Granville has reportedly said in court that someone else had tried to smuggle in marijuana for one of the defendants, hidden in a pair of shoes.

Although jury selection has been ongoing for nearly three weeks, no jurors have been seated.  This trial will likely keep making sensational headlines for months to come. 

The post The YSL Case: Perc Passing Points to Rocky Start for Young Thug appeared first on The Source.

This week a Broward County jury awarded Flo Rida $82.6 million in damages in his lawsuit against Celsius, an energy drink manufacturer. 

In 2014, Flo Rida, whose real name is Tramar Dillard, signed an endorsement deal with Celsius and served as a brand ambassador from 2014 to 2018. Although Celsius was a relatively small company at the time, it grew substantially in the following years and made an initial public offering in September 2019, meaning that it is now a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ exchange.  

Flo Rida filed his lawsuit in 2021, claiming that Celsius owed him millions in additional stock options and other bonuses under the terms of his agreement. Flo Rida and Celsius disagree, of course, as to the influence that Flo Rida’s endorsement had on the company’s eventual success.

The bonuses in Flo Rida’s contract were conditioned on Celsius achieving certain sales goals, which the company had met, but did not pay out the bonuses – which included 250,000 shares of Celsius and 1% ownership stake in the company. Flo Rida argued that he had been unaware that he was even eligible for the bonuses because the contract was vague as to how they worked, he did not have access to Celsius’s financial information, nor did they notify him when the goals were met.  

Celsius argued that Flo Rida had waited too long – more than five years – to file his lawsuit and that the statute of limitations had expired, meaning that his claims were barred. However, the jury ultimately rejected this defense, finding that the time limit had not expired because Celsius had been fraudulently concealing the relevant information from Flo Rida concerning his additional compensation  The jury also found that Celsius had breached the 2014 agreement by not paying out the bonuses.

Celsius can appeal the verdict. Flo Rida has stated that he would like to move past the dispute and would work with Celsius again in the future. He says he would take the 1% ownership he was promised in place of the $82.6 million award.   

“I’m still a owner in the company,” he told the Associated Press. “And when you basically planted the seed for something that is successful, you can’t help but have unconditional love.”

The post Flo Rida Still Has “Unconditional Love,” Even After Celsius Tried To Screw Him Out of $82 Million appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Bow Wow believes Hip Hop needs to make changes.  The 35-year-old rapper feels the music industry is like the NBA and should form a union.  He took to Twitter to express his thoughts.

”Hip Hop needs a board! No different than the NBA w/ the players association. A committee.  That can set rules and keep things in control and protect this thing we call hip hop!  And have a retirement plan for the OG rappers…”

LL COOL J’s brand, Rock the Bells, agreed with Bow Wow on Twitter as they stated they have ensured that veteran rappers are being taken care of.  This isn’t a new message in hip-hop, as other artists such as Public Enemy have spoken up.

Chuck D, KRS-One, and Kurtis Blow formed the Hip Hop Alliance union last year.  KRS-One spoke about the new union on his Instagram page.

”Managers, Artists, Agents, Engineers and Producers, what is the retirement plan, healthcare plan, and fare commission standards for us? What is a fare wage for what we do within ‘hip-hop’ as an industry?…Answer: The Hip Hop Alliance!”

Bow Wow was just in Sydney, Australia, for the Juicy Fest performing with other legendary artists such as Ne-Yo, JA Rule, and Mya.  The “Fresh Azimiz” rapper has been hitting the road as of late.  He was on The Millenium Tour that ended late last year.

The post Bow Wow Calls for a Hip-Hop Union: ‘Hip Hop Needs a Board!’ appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

T.I. and Tiny are set to go to court against MGA Entertainment, Inc. They are suing the toy company over the inspiration for the OMG LOL Surprise Dolls. The Harris family believes the company used their group, the OMG Girlz, as the inspiration for their dolls.

MGA Entertainment, Inc contends that T.I. and Tiny have no proof of having the OMG Girlz intellectual property. They also claim that T.I. and Tiny lied about having a deal to make a doll modeled after the OMG Girlz. T.I. spoke about this matter in a post on Instagram.

”Preventing our daughter’s image and likeness from being exploited is not about money, its about protecting art and the creator of that art from blatant theft. This is more principled than it is financially motivated. However, if there are finances that have been attained & withheld unfairly that our families are entitled to…WE WANT IT!!!”

– T.I.

This isn’t the first time the prominent toy company has been sued over using someone else’s likeness. In 2020, social media influencer Amina Mucciolo accused MGA of copying her image for one of their dolls. This matter is still ongoing. The toymakers of the OMG LOL Surprise Dolls have documented that they are not modeled after the OMG Girlz. This includes a survey of people who did not associate the dolls with the OMG Girlz.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TIP (@troubleman31)

The post T.I. and Tiny Sue Toy Company MGA Entertainment, Inc. for Likeness Associated with OMG LOL Surprise Dolls appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

First, John Legend welcomes a new baby, and now he has launched a skincare line.  The R&B crooner has introduced his new line, Loved01.  The line is meant to treat “melanin-rich skin,” according to their website. 

The EGOT winner collaborated with Dr. Naana Boakye, a well-known dermatologist, on the products.  He leaned on Dr. Boakye’s experience with melanated skin.

Loved01 consists of products for both the face and body.  As the line kicks off, consumers can purchase face and body wash, shave cream, exfoliating cleanser, face, and body moisturizer, and toning mist.  The new beauty line utilizes natural ingredients often a staple within the community.  Coconut oil, Shea butter, and Jojoba oil are some of the used elements. 

One of the best things about the line is its pricing, as the “Ordinary People” singer wanted to deliver a high-quality product at a reasonable price.

“We hope to help democratize the beauty space by offering high-quality products at an accessible price point.  Everyone deserves to be seen, represented, and provided with the tools to love themselves, starting with healthy skin”, Legend said in a statement.

The line will be available on its website, in Walmart, and in CVS at the start of February, with prices ranging from $10 to $15.  The father of three further discussed the pricing of his line with Cosmopolitan.

“There’s a wealth gap.  We couldn’t price the products in a way that a lot of Black and Brown people couldn’t’ afford knowing that there’s an income gap-we didn’t want to do that.”

– John Legend

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by LOVEDº1 (@loved01skin)

The post John Legend Set to Launch New ‘Loved01’ Skincare Line appeared first on The Source.

A Los Angeles court has ruled that the family of deceased hip hop artist Drakeo The Ruler may proceed with its wrongful death lawsuit against concert promotion giant Live Nation. The ruling comes as a blow to Live Nation, who had sought to have the case dismissed in its early stages.

Darrell Wayne Caldwell, also known as Drakeo The Ruler, was murdered at the Live Nation-promoted Once Upon A Time in L.A. Festival in December 2021, when a mob of many dozens of assailants stormed the event’s VIP area in an apparent planned attack on Drakeo and his crew, stabbing him to death.  

 A wrongful death lawsuit is a civil claim brought to impose liability on a defendant for negligently causing the death of the plaintiff’s relative. The case was filed by Drakeo’s brother in February 2021, accusing Live Nation of negligence by failing to have proper security measures in place for the concert, especially given the show’s proximity to South Central Los Angeles, a center of heavy gang activity. There may also be criminal claims brought in this matter, although as of now, no charges have been filed, and no suspects have been named in the attack.

Live Nation sought immediately to dismiss the case, arguing that it could not have foreseen the attack and, therefore, as a matter of law, could not be held responsible for failing to provide sufficient security. Live Nation argued that the plaintiffs were required to point to a previous attack that would have made this event foreseeable.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Yolanda Orozco rejected this argument, writing that “[t]he fact that defendants knew security would be needed for the event supports the finding that the performing artists’ safety was a concern for defendants and foreseeable to defendants.”  Judge Orozco further held that even if a mob attack occurred for the first time, it might still be foreseeable to Live Nation.

This ruling does not resolve the case in favor of Drakeo’s family. Instead, it means that the lawsuit will not be dismissed at the preliminary stage, and the parties will now be able to make discoveries and collect evidence supporting their respective positions. It also increases the chances that the case will eventually settle, as most patients do.

This is not the first time Live Nation has faced negligence claims in running its concerts. The company faces numerous lawsuits from the family and victims of the November 2021 Astroworld disaster, where a deadly surging crowd during a Travis Scott performance causes the deaths of ten people and injuries to hundreds of others.

The post Live Nation Must Face the Music in Drakeo the Ruler Lawsuit appeared first on The Source.

Words by: Brandon Simmons

Waka Flocka’s mom, Deb Antney, has been making her rounds lately.  From Ugly Money TV to Math Hoffa’s My Expert Opinion Podcast, she’s been spilling the tea!  The former manager has been talking about everything but had specific comments about Gucci Mane.

When speaking about Gucci Mane, she is adamant that he is not responsible for killing Pookie Loc, Jeezy’s late friend.  While watching their VERZUZ battle, Antney was happy the event happened, and amends were made but did not appreciate Gucci’s remarks towards Jeezy.  The “Both” rapper hit the stage that night and took no mercy toward his rival.  His most memorable line of the night was when he said, “I’m smoking on Pookie Loc tonight.”

Being Gucci Mane’s former manager, Antney said Gucci’s persona was just all rap.

“Technically, you really didn’t kill anybody; all these kids think that you’re the number one killer…Think about your kids looking at something, and these are looking at you a certain kind of way of, something that’s fictitious.  It was done for rap.”

Now, on the other hand, there was another artist that was really in the streets.  Antney claims OJ Da Juiceman was the gangster, not Gucci Mane.  She and OJ Da Juiceman have had issues in the past.  OJ Da Juiceman claims he signed a bad deal with Antney and never saw money from his album, The Otha Side of the Trap.  Antney refutes this claim but does admit that she neglected him.

“Every interview I ever did, I tell people I neglected him.  And I’ll sit here and say that right now, to this day, still, I neglected him because he didn’t give me no fever.  Juice was good.  He was quiet, no matter what he did”.

The post [WATCH] Deb Antney Says Gucci Mane Did Not Murder Jeezy’s Friend Pookie Loc: ‘It Was Done for Rap’ appeared first on The Source.

An unlikely legal showdown occurred over the past week between rapper/producer/mogul Dr. Dre and Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor-Greene.  

On January 9, a video was posted on Greene’s social media accounts that showed footage of her strutting through the hallways of the Capitol Building set to the instantly recognizable beat and piano loop from Dr. Dre’s song “Still D.R.E.”

Dre quickly issued a statement to TMZ, stating “I don’t license my music to politicians, especially someone as hateful and divisive as this one.”   This was followed by a scathing letter from Dre’s lawyer accusing Greene of violating the Copyright Act by using Dre’s song in a political advertisement without obtaining a license.  “One might expect,” wrote Dre’s attorney, “that, as a member of Congress, you would have a passing familiarity with the laws of our country.  It’s possible, though, that laws governing intellectual property are a little too arcane and insufficiently populist for you to really have really spent too much time on. We’re writing because we think an actual lawmaker should be making laws not breaking laws, specially those embodied in the constitution by the founding fathers.”

In a subsequent statement to TMZ, Greene took her own shot, responding that “while I appreciate the creative chord progression, I would never play your words of violence against women and police officers, and your glorification of thug life and drugs.” 

However, two days later, Greene’s attorneys wrote back, confirming that “no further use of [Dre’s[ copyright will be made by a political committee or via social media outlet [Greene] controls.”

Artists have frequently objected to the use of their songs in political settings.  Recently, Neil Young, Guns N’ Roses, Pharrell, Rihanna and the Tom Petty Estate have all publicly objected to the use of their songs in Donald Trump’s rallies and campaign events.  Many of those complaints have not been resolved as decisively as this one because the laws that govern the public performance of music are different.  Performance rights are subject to various blanket licenses that raise the possibility that even if Trump does not hold a license to perform the song, the venue in which the event is being held might.

These complications do not apply here, where Dre’s song was used to accompany video footage.  Absent a license, this suggests a more straight-forward instance of copyright infringement.   This is likely why, unlike Trump, Greene was quick to write back and acquiesce to Dre’s demand to cease and desist.  To ignore the issue, or keep pushing back on it, would likely have resulted in a high-profile copyright infringement lawsuit that Green apparently had no taste for.

The post Producer vs. Politician: Dr. Dre and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor-Greene Face Off in Copyright Showdown appeared first on The Source.