Source: Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
2025 was another hilariously messy mishmash of mayhem that peaked with Kendrick giving Drake one final WOP WOP WOPPING during his legendary performance at the Super Bowl.
In one of the buzziest Super Bowl shows ever, the Compton rapper diabolically demolished what’s left of Drake during his world-stopping performance at Super Bowl LIX.
As expected, Kendrick gave the people what they wanted and performed his Grammy-winning Drake diss ‘Not Like Us‘ that shattered the whole entire internet.
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At one point, he went full villain in a now-legendary Super Bowl moment, rapping “say Drake…I heard you like ’em young” while smiling deviously into the camera.
Overall, 2025 was a delicious mess fest that also gave us Diddy’s reckoning courtesy of his arch nemesis 50 Cent, Drake collecting one L after another after multiple failed lawsuits, Cardi gallivanting around with her baller boo thang Stefon Diggs, yappin’ Young Thug going viral for his now-infamous leaked chatty patty sessions in jail, and much more.
Back in September 2025, social media spiraled into chaos over countless jail calls where the “Lifestyle” rapper vented about various hot topics like his relationship with ex-BFF Gunna, his very unpopular view on serving life in prison (“If we go to life for prison, whoopty doo!”), and more in unintentionally hilarious soundbites currently making their rounds across the internet.
In the viral episode, Thug can be seen venting about various hot topics like his relationship with ex-BFF Gunna, his very unpopular view on serving life in prison (“If we go to life for prison, whoopty doo!”), and more in unintentionally hilarious soundbites currently making their rounds across the internet.
For once, 50 Cent backed down from beef when Claressa Shields shut down his “ugly” insults by exposing that he was an undercover “GWOAT lover” when he flew her out. The champ also put the perpetually petty performer and other haters on anti-Black blast for dissing her looks. Get ’em, GWOAT!
The king of social media savagery continued the long-standing static by using AI to put Papoose and Claressa’s faces over a scene from Black Sister’s Revenge, where a woman slaps a man about not loving her back. “Now you see, that’s assault! You can’t just go around putting your hands on PEOPLE. LOL Happy New Year!” 50 wrote in the caption.
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Papoose responded to the tired joke about his heavy-hitting boo abusing him and posted some AI-generated antics of his own. He shared a deepfake clip of 50 Cent twerking in a bikini. On New Year’s Day, the G-Unit star laughed it off with a repost that shaded Claressa and Remy as “handsome.”
“Look what Pap posted,” he wrote with laughing emojis. “Hahaha, that look like one of his joints all his hoe’s handsome. They tougher than him LOL.”
Claressa Claps Back After 50 Cent’s Diss
We know Claressa doesn’t back down either, and she wanted all the smoke! She wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that even though it’s a new year, men hating on her is old news.
“This generation of men have been weird to me for a long ass time. Bunch of men hating on hardworking, successful women. Gossiping, lying, and black balling. I got the millions now, but a lot of men in power tried to block me! The hate been real! This is not new to me,” the champ wrote on Saturday.
“These rappers don’t get they a** beat enough that’s the problem,” she warned. The fierce Flint fighter called him out directly, adding, “Mfs ain’t never been the best in their field no matter what era of their career! So 50 can stfu for real!”
Oop!
Check out 50 Cent’s backtracking response and Claressa Shields doubling down to put him on blast after the flip!
50 Cent Backs Down From Beef With Claressa Shields
Maybe the NYE bottles of Le Chemin du Roi wore off because eventually 50 Cent came to his senses about Claressa Shields. After a few days of social media dragging the Power producer for tearing down a Black woman, 50 came as close as he ever does to an apology and waved the white flag. He even admitted that he’s a fan of the fighter and that her upcoming world championship rematch against Franchón Crews-Dezurn.
“Ok the truth is I’m a claressashields fan, I think she is an amazing fighter and she got a Big fight coming up,so I’m gonna chill and let her focus let’s go champ !” he wrote on Sunday.
It wouldn’t be 50 Cent if he didn’t include something shady. In this case, it was a screenshot of an internet investigator calling out a tweet of Claressa celebrating her chance to meet 50 in 2024. “Ha I’m bout to meet 50 Cent life is crazy,” she wrote. “I love 50!”
Claress Doubles Down With Flyout Facts About “GWOAT Lover” 50, Cals Out “Anti-Black” Insults From Haters
If anyone can go round after round, it’s this boxing baddie, so she didn’t let him slide that easily. Claressa ran the receipts showing that 50 was just as fanned out when he flew her out. Spill the tea, sis!
“Hey @50Cent, GWOAT lover alert! 🤩 You hooked me up with a flight to Shreveport and a hotel room – talk about a VIP! 😅 You even invited me to help out with your nonprofit for the kids,” she clapped back with a clip of them onstage. It sounds like 50 knew how to treat a queen when he saw one, regardless of his “handsome” heckling.
Claressa took a petty page out of 50’s book and noted how hype he was to wave around her boxing belt as he performed.
“You’re still invited to the fight,” she continued with a wink. “I’m still honored you performed on stage holding my HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BELT!”
Now, that’s how you clear ’em!
Unfortunately, the hate Claressa faces is deeper than disses from her man’s opp. Like Serena Williams and Michelle Obama, she faces additional hate for not only being Black and a woman at the top of her game, but also colorist insults as a darker-skinned woman.
The shady implications of 50 using an old photo of Claressa from before her recent glow-up didn’t go unnoticed, and neither did the flood of hateful backlash that followed. She posted a recent gorgeous and “glowed up” pic and slammed the “ugly narrative” about the throwback photo from her Olympic victory.
“Please…. Y’all wanna run with the ugly narrative so bad! I was 17 years old fighting for my entire country and had a OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL AROUND MY NECK! Of course I glowed up! And I’m going to always be focused No matter what! LIKE ALWAYS!” she announced.
Claressa connected the dots from the “hate train” to anti-Black hatred, even when it’s internalized by “my own people.” Clock it!
“Boy Y’all hate everything about blackness, being black, black women, black support, black unity, black noses, black a**es. It’s really sad. I’m never joining the hate train of my own people. I didn’t wear a full face of makeup til i was 24 years old,” she wrote Sunday night.
Welp, the GWOAT has spoken! She concluded that she’s “Still Beautiful & Blessed” as she prepares for a real opponent.
Papoose seems to be a man who’s well taken care of by his boxing belle Claressa Shields, but their latest viral couple-up clip has the internet wondering if he’s on the ropes.
Claressa uploaded a sample of the meal she made for her man, her man—spinach, protein, rice and white bread—before turning the camera onto Papoose to get his review of things. The New York rapper had nothing but high praises for her culinary skills, claiming that the meal was an “11/10.”
“This food is amazing. The way you seasoned it, it was cooked perfectly,” he said in the clip.
Despite their joy, the internet still had jokes for Papoose and Claressa, per usual. Commenters wondered whether the rapper was simply being nice to stave off any hard feelings and save her some embarrassment on camera.
“I would have edited the first 3 seconds when he looked like he was in despair,” one user said.
“She beats him 😩 I’m convinced,” said another.
Well, we all know that Claressa doesn’t care what the people have to say when it comes to her and her man because she’s never afraid to clap back. As Papoose continues his beef with the king of trolling, 50 Cent, the boxing champion has been throwing her hat in the ring on her man’s behalf.
After Papoose and his Let’s Rap About It cohosts—Dave East, Maino, Jim Jones and Fabolous—all had disses for 50, the “Many Men” rapper responded with a clip of Remy Ma talking about her ex-husband.
“My ex might be the least income-making person that I’ve ever been with,” she says in the clip. “Ever.”
In the meantime, Pap and 50 are busy trading AI-created videos of one another. The G-Unit CEO shared a clip from the film Black Sister’s Revenge, in which the main character slaps her man for being unfaithful. Claressa and Pap’s faces were added to the characters as the ongoing joke that the boxer is keeping her rapper beau on lock by using her Olympic gold medal-winning hands. Pap responded with his own AI-generated video of 50 dancing in a bikini.
50, who has never bowed out of an internet beef, took the jab in jest, responding,
“Look what Pap posted. Hahaha, that look like one of his joints all his hoe’s handsome. They tougher than him.”
Claressa made sure to jump back in and make it clear that she has no love for 50 or respect for him in any era of his career. Before the jabs were thrown from Pap, Shields alleged that she woke up to find 50 spreading lies about her online.
“Why this nut a** MF 50 come bothering me! And the answer is the algorithm,” she said in a Snapchat post. “It’s sad to say that I’ve been viral for 40 days and 40 nights by just being me! And people have started making fake AI videos, pictures and narratives. I’ll end on this note, 50 need therapy he go around mad at the world or anybody successful because he got his heart broke. It happens. Get over it.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ personal videographer has addressed how he alleges Netflix and 50 Cent obtained the behind-the-scenes footage of Combs for the docuseries Sean Combs: The Reckoning, which unpacks the allegations behind the rapper and his Bad Boy Entertainment empire.
The videographer, Michael Oberlies, is alleging that the footage was released by a freelancer who was hired to fill in for him while he was out of state for a few days.
“For over two years we have been working on a project profiling Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs,” Oberlies said in a statement to Rolling Stone. “The footage in question was not released by me or anyone authorized to handle Sean Combs’ materials; it was by a third party who covered for me for three days while I was out of state. This incident had nothing to do with any fee dispute or contract issue.
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“The actions of the parties involved reflect the lack of integrity every storyteller should uphold. Taking footage intended for our project to advance a narrative that was not our own is both unethical and unacceptable.”
The footage Oberlies is referencing features clips of Combs in his New York City hotel room days before his September 2024 arrest, when he was indicted on federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges that accused him of hitting and abusing women for over a decade and presiding over an empire of sexual crimes.
The footage featured in the Netflix docuseries, produced by 50 Cent, shares conversations with Combs’ legal team about how to navigate the case.
“We have to find somebody that’ll work with us. Whether they’re from this country or from another country, it could be somebody that has the dirtiest of dirtiest dirty business of media and propaganda,” Combs told his lawyer Marc Agnifilo on the phone, before adding, “We’re losing.”
In another scene, Combs meets fans in Harlem, where he later says he needs hand sanitizer because he was “out in the streets amongst the people.”
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“The amount of people that actually I’m coming in contact with, that’s what I have to do,” he said while asking the people around him for hand sanitizer. “It’s time to cleanse, I got to go under the water, water got to be boiling hot, put some peroxide in that.”
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Sean “Diddy” Combs claims new Netflix doc uses “stolen footage” depicting days leading up to his arrest
A day before the docuseries was released on Netflix, a representative for Combs issued a statement, calling it a “shameful hit piece.”
“Today’s GMA (Good Morning America) teaser confirms that Netflix relied on stolen footage that was never authorized for release. As Netflix and CEO Ted Sarandos know, Mr. Combs has been amassing footage since he was 19 to tell his own story, in his own way. It is fundamentally unfair, and illegal, for Netflix to misappropriate that work,” the Dec. 1 statement read.
Combs’ rep said Netflix was “plainly desperate to sensationalize every minute of Mr. Combs’s life, without regard for truth, in order to capitalize on a never-ending media frenzy.”
“If Netflix cared about truth or about Mr. Combs’s legal rights, it would not be ripping private footage out of context – including conversations with his lawyers that were never intended for public viewing. No rights in that material were ever transferred to Netflix or any third party,” the statement said.
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“No rights in that material were ever transferred to Netflix or any third party,” the statement continued. “It is equally staggering that Netflix handed creative control to Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson — a longtime adversary with a personal vendetta who has spent too much time slandering Mr. Combs.”
“We obtained the footage legally and have the necessary rights. One thing about Sean Combs is that he’s always filming himself, and it’s been an obsession throughout the decades,” Stapleton said.
She also claimed that the docuseries team “reached out to Sean Combs’ legal team for an interview and comment multiple times, but did not hear back.”
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs not guilty of racketeering, sex trafficking in split verdict
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In a second statement to Deadline from a Netflix spokesperson, the streamer doubled down, saying, “The footage of Combs leading up to his indictment and arrest were legally obtained. This is not a hit piece or an act of retribution. Curtis Jackson is an executive producer but does not have creative control. No one was paid to participate.”
50 Cent insisted the docuseries isn’t part of a “personal vendetta” to take Combs down.
“I’m not doing this as some personal mission. I’m telling a story no one else is telling because I don’t have the fear that others feel towards him. I’m not afraid at all,” he told Us Weekly in an interview on Tuesday.
When asked how he acquired the footage filmed before Combs’ arrest, 50 Cent said, “A journalist would ask that, but a journalist would also say, ‘I’m going to keep my sources secure.’”
Combs is currently serving 50 months in prison after a New York jury found him guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution while acquitting him of the most serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking.
The 56-year-old disgraced hip-hop mogul was originally scheduled to get out of prison on May 8, 2028, but the date has now been changed to June 4, 2028, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ online database.
If you thought Sean Combs: The Reckoning was the final word, 50 Cent wants you to know he’s only just getting warmed up. During his recent appearance on Sherri, the mogul revealed that he still has unreleased footage of Sean “Diddy” Combs that didn’t make the final cut of his chart-topping Netflix docuseries. Read more about the news inside.
According to a press release from the show, Sherri, 50, told host Sherri Shepherd that the clips left on the cutting room floor are powerful enough to stand alone.
The documentary has taken over Netflix and is currently holding the No. 1 spot. Sherri opened the interview by congratulating 50 for “outperforming everything” on the streamer. When she asked whether he expected the docuseries to dominate like this, he said he actually expected it to go even bigger. He even compared it to Stranger Things, noting that The Reckoning is beating one of Netflix’s most successful franchises.
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But the moment viewers perked up was when Sherri asked the question the internet has been begging for: Is there more? According to Hot 97’sreport, 50 confirmed that not only does more footage exist, but he already knows where it’s going. 50 Cent told Sherri he might upload unreleased Diddy clips to YouTube so the public can see everything for themselves.
Source: Courtesy / Sherri
Diddy’s Documentarian, Michael Oberlie,s Says An Unauthorized Third Party Released BTS Clips Of Diddy
The mystery behind how the footage made it into the doc in the first place has also been raising eyebrows.
Deadlineshared that Combs’ documentarian, Michael Oberlies, claimed a third party released the behind-the-scenes clips without authorization. Netflix and director Alexandria Stapleton shut down claims that the footage was stolen or part of a corporate feud, saying it was obtained legally and with the necessary rights.
Combs’ team has hinted at possible legal action against the streamer, pointing to a cease-and-desist letter threatening that he “will not hesitate” to sue. Meanwhile, Diddy remains behind bars in New Jersey, serving a 30-month sentence connected to lesser counts following his highly publicized trial.
As for 50, he seems unfazed. While celebrating his win, he also shared with Sherri that he’s practicing celibacy and focusing on discipline. But if the YouTube drop he’s teasing actually happens, the internet will be anything but peaceful.
If anyone is happy about the sentencing of Sean “Diddy” Combs, it’s Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, and he will remind everyone that he’s Diddy’s biggest opp every chance he gets.
Source: John Lamparski/ Shareif Ziyadat
Following Judge Arun Subramanian’s ruling that the former music mogul would spend over three years in prison, 50 Cent took the time to head to X to do a little gloating. After it was revealed in court that Diddy and his team had booked the record producer for a speaking engagement in Miami prior to his sentencing, the “Many Men” rapper had a message for the event hosts.
“Hey to whoever booked Diddy for speaking engagement. I heard he won’t be able to make it, I’m available,” he said.
It’s no secret that 50 Cent has been one of the biggest supporters of Diddy being brought to justice for his alleged crimes against an innumerable amount of victims, including the “In Da Club” rapper’s own baby mother, Daphne Joy. Diddy and Daphne were said to be an item for some time, and she was even named as one of the alleged women he kept on a monthly retainer for sex work in a lawsuit filed by Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones against the former Bad Boy CEO. Daphne would vehemently deny the claims and filed her own lawsuit for defamation against Jones. She also hit back at 50 for igniting the rumors with his own controversial remarks about the situation.
“Everything is a joke to you until our safety is compromised, which is happening now. You are wreaking real havoc, frenzy, and chaos onto people’s lives. How would u feel if Sire was the one in handcuffs? For nothing,” she wrote at the time. “I wouldn’t wish this on any woman. God hears me, and that’s all that matters.”
50 Cent also made sure to make his voice heard by writing his own “letter to the judge” presiding over Diddy’s case and sharing it to social media, Page Six reports.
“I have had an ongoing dispute with Puffy for 20 years,” 50 said. “He is very dangerous. Multiple times I have feared for my life. I think you should consider the safety of the general public, your honor, before unleashing him upon them. There hasn’t been enough time for him to learn or make adjustments despite teaching a class in there.”
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — The countdown to Dreamville Festival is just a day away.
Raleigh’s Dorthea Dix Park is closed on Friday as the final touches are being put together, gearing up for the weekend’s festival.
But, the excitement starts today.
All week-long crews at the park have worked to assemble each stage, the Ferris wheel and other attractions on the big field.
Local businesses have also been preparing.
Earlier in the week, ABC11 learned last year’s festival brought in $145 million. Tourism officials are expecting another 100,000 people all over the world to come back to the Oak City.
They’re one of the vendors participating in a free public block party outside of CAM Raleigh Museum in the Warehouse District the Friday before Dreamville.
WATCH | Businesses brace for surge of customers during Dreamville Festival in Raleigh: ‘Biggest Party’
Raleigh businesses, restaurants and hotels are bracing for a surge of visitors for the 2-day Dreamville Festival in Dix Park.
“People were getting last-minute (out)fits for Dreamville here,” Manager Iyana Thompson said.
The free events in downtown Raleigh start at 11 a.m. and last all day.
Dates for the 2024 Dream Festival are Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, 7 at Dorthea Dix Park. Some of the festival’s biggest performers include SZA, Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj and festival co-founder and Fayetteville native J Cole.
“Put your lights up” yelled Tony Yayo as 50 Cent stood center stage in an Astros Jersey. “I want to see the whole stadium lit up!”
As the audience began lighting up the darkness with the camera phones, the keys from “Many Men” off 50’s debut album began playing in the background. The song’s signature gunshots rang throughout NRG stadium with the first one triggering the Astros jersey to be ripped from Jackson’s body revealing a Space Cowboys Jersey. With each firing a new Houston sports team was revealed. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson wants to make sure Houston knows he’s here and is doing everything in his power to be a part of the city’s culture.
Curtis Jackson has built an empire under his moniker 50 Cent, leaving his imprint on everything from film to fashion to sports to alcohol and more. In 2021, the entrepreneur moved to Houston and quickly began making headway with the city’s business community.
In between trolling celebrities online, like his recent shots at Ja Rule and Diddy, the rapper has used his Sire Spirts brand to partner with the Houston Rockets and the Toyota Center, created Tycoon Weekend revolving around its own Comedy Festival, creative and entrepreneurship program giving out $500,000 in investment to student-founded companies, made his cognac and champagne official brands of the Houston Texans, signed a multi-year partnership for his Sire brand with the Houston Astros, expanded his G-Unity Foundation to partner with school districts like Houston ISD, and made significant steps to partner with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
The Queens, New York rapper sold a winning bottle of wine for a record setting $325,000 at the Rodeo’s International wine competition while taking pics for Instagram in a suit and cowboy hat alongside prominent Houston political figures like Harris County DA Kim Ogg. Jackson captioned the picture of him selling the record-breaking bottle saying “Look, Houston is different. The important people around here go to the Rodeo. If you don’t go, you’re not important!”
Joined alongside by G-Unit the MC ran through songs from his 20 year career.
Photo by Darrin Clifton
It’s safe to say that 50 Cent plans to make Houston his home for a while. That’s why it should not have been a surprise when the MC was announced as the performer for Black Heritage Day. While the “Many Men” rapper has performed in Houston before, most notably at the Toyota Center this past August for the anniversary tour of his debut album Get Rich or Die Trying, this was Jackson’s first time performing on the rodeo stage.
Bun B has helmed Black Heritage Day for the past two years, with his stadium filling H-Town Takeover and Southern Takeover, but this year his All-American Takeover was moved to the 11th leaving 50 Cent with some big shoes to fill. It’s fitting as Bun B is quoted in a 2013 interview with Hip-Hop DX saying that 50 was one of the first New York artists that called and wanted UGK to be on a project. This was before the duo’s feature on Jay-Z’s “Big Pimpin.”
In those days 50 was a young upstart and UGK were well on their way to becoming southern legends. Now Bun B and 50 Cent sit as moguls in their respective industries, with Jackson keeping his hands in all his previously mentioned businesses and Freeman helming his ever-expanding Trill Burgers brand. While Bun has helped open the doors of the rodeo even wider for Hip Hop artists like 50 are helping to bring even more fans into the rodeo fold.
It’s paying off with more than 74,000 making their way to the stadium to see the New York transplant. Whether working through hits like “Hustler’s Ambition” or “Disco Inferno,” 50 and his G-Unit counterparts rocked the crowd as they performed hits from his 20 plus year career. The show, however, wasn’t just focused on Jackson.
“You know this wouldn’t be a show without some surprises,” exclaimed Yayo while looking at a smiling 50. As the two laughed, Da Baby ran out onto stage, performing his hit Rockstar. He wouldn’t be the only guest.
“I got more surprises for you!” yelled 50 before bringing out Flo Rida to perform “Low” and “My House”. He would later bring our Jeremih to perform their collab “Down on Me.” 50’s rodeo performance was similar to his Toyota Center show which may or may not fly with the Rodeo officials. While the crowd ate it up there were a couple of moments where the cameras panned away from the dancers as to keep the family friendly atmosphere, particularly as Jeremih went through his solo performance of “Birthday Sex.” The cuts, however, were minimal and didn’t stop the pace of 50’s show.
Overall, 50 Cent was able to add the Rodeo as another accomplishment in his already storied career. The pair up between the two is most certainly not the last.
Setlist: P.I.M.P I Get Money Hate It or Love It If I Can’t Magic Stick Hustler Ambition This Is How We Do What Up Gangsta Candy Shop Disco Inferno Rockstar (DaBaby) Suge (DaBaby) Shake Sumn (DaBaby) Window Shopper Best Friend 21 Questions Just a lil bit Theme song to Power The Woo (Pop Smoke) Low (Flo Rida) My House (Flo Rida) Ago Technology Down on Me (Jeremih) Birthday Sex (Jeremih) Baby By Me Many Men I’m the Man (Remix) In Da Club
We’re back with another roundup of extravagant Christmas gifts that lit up social media while serving as yet another reminder that money can, indeed, buy happiness.
This year, Yo Gotti made the biggest splash by gifting his boo Angela Simmons multiple rare Hermès Birkin bags, including a 25 Noir Crocodile Niloticus Lisse Gold Hardware GHW ($62,000), Faubourg 20 Midnight Matte ($250,000), and Limited Edition Rock Birkin 25 ($62,000), according to Fashion Bomb Daily.
He also gifted Mama Gotti a life-sized game show check for $100,000. Whew, son of the year!
The Memphis rapper-turned-mogul continues to apply pressure on his dream girl after professing his love for her on 2016 hit “Down In The DM.”
Earlier this year, Simmons matched Gotti’s energy with an Instagram post praising the rapper for being the “best man” without providing any further context.
“Pretty sure I have the best man in the world,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories alongside multiple heart emojis. “Big smile.”
The pair confirmed their coupledom with a flashy New Year’s Eve photoshoot and have been inseparable ever since.
Last year, Gotti and Simmons were spotted partying together for her 35th birthday and made their first public appearance together in January at a Grizzlies and Cavaliers game where they sat courtside in Gotti’s hometown of Memphis.
Which cash-blowing celeb won Christmas 2023? Tell us down below and peep the most extravagant gifts of the year on the flip.
DDG gifts girlfriend Halle Bailey her “dream” Birkin and a $12,700 Tiffany HardWear Small Wrap bracelet. Halle, being the catch she is, gifts him $30,000 diamond earrings.
NOTE: The following article contains disturbing content. Please read at your own discretion.
Rapper 50 Cent has announced that his production company will be creating a documentary about Sean “Diddy” Combs, who in recent weeks has been accused of rape and sexual assault by four separate women.
On Wednesday, a representative for 50 Cent (real name Curtis James Jackson III) confirmed to TMZ that the 48-year-old rapper’s production company G-Unit Films and Television is developing a documentary about the allegations against Combs. The rep said proceeds from the documentary will benefit victims of sexual assault and rape.
Jackson teased a snippet of the documentary on Instagram on Wednesday. In the clip, former Bad Boy Records rapper Mark Curry said Combs would spike bottles of Moët with a substance that would make women at nightclubs “slippery.” Curry alleged that Combs would tell his friends and associates not to drink from certain bottles.
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Curry continued, claiming once women who drank from the bottles were presumably under the influence of something, Combs would put pills into their mouths.
Jackson will be an executive producer of the documentary. His company, G-Unit Films and Television, has produced myriad true crime TV shows and podcasts.
Combs, 54, has denied all allegations against him, including ones from a lawsuit filed on Wednesday that claim the rapper “sex trafficked and gang raped” a 17-year-old girl.
As news of the lawsuit involving a minor was circulating, Combs posted a statement to Instagram and wrote, “enough is enough.”
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“For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy,” he continued. “Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”
Also on Wednesday, while promoting the documentary, Jackson took aim at rapper Rick Ross, as well as Combs.
He shared lyrics from Ross’s verse on the Rocko song U.O.E.N.O. where Ross raps, “Put molly all in her champagne, she ain’t even know it / I took her home and I enjoyed that, she ain’t even know it.”
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“Molly” is the common street name for the drug MDMA, also called ecstasy.
Jackson shared a photo of Combs and Ross together. It is unclear if Ross will also be a subject in the new documentary.
Jackson has teased the film under several different working titles, one being Diddy Do It? As of now, it is unclear what the documentary will be called, or when it will be released.
The allegations against Diddy
In November, Combs’ former longtime partner R&B singer Cassie Ventura accused the music mogul of repeated rape and physical assault spanning nearly a decade. In her lawsuit, Ventura, who was signed to Combs’ record label, said she was “trapped by Mr. Combs in a cycle of abuse, violence and sex trafficking.” Ventura cited numerous instances of graphic abuse in her lawsuit, including alleged instances where Combs “punched, beat, kicked and stomped” her.
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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs sued for rape, sex trafficking by singer Cassie
As news of Ventura’s suit was breaking, Jackson took to Instagram to upload a scowling selfie. In the caption, he appeared to mock Combs’ moniker “Brother Love.”
“Damn brother love, brother love, brother love, you out here looking CRAZY AS A MF. LMAO,” he wrote.
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Combs and Ventura settled the lawsuit one day after she filed. The terms of the settlement are not publicly known.
Since Ventura’s suit, Combs has been hit with three more.
Dickerson-Neal accused him of slipping an unknown substance into her drink and then raping her. In her lawsuit, she claimed he shared a recording of the rape with other men in the music industry as a form of “revenge porn.”
A third woman accused Combs and R&B singer Aaron Hall of sexually assaulting her and a friend at an apartment in the early 1990s. The woman, identified only as Jane Doe, said she and her friend were “coerced” into having sex.
The fourth lawsuit against Combs — one claiming he raped and trafficked a 17-year-old girl in 2003 — included allegations that he invited the girl, known only as Jane Doe, to his recording studio, where he “plied” her with drugs and alcohol. Jane Doe said she was unable to consent to sex. The lawsuit claims she was “gang raped” by Combs, Harve Pierre, the former president of Bad Boy Entertainment, and another unnamed person.
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As more women have come forward to accuse Combs of rape and sexual assault, Jackson has continued to post online, slamming the Mo Money Mo Problems rapper. Despite backing Combs’ accusers, Jackson has openly fretted that Combs would be “fine” because he has “so much money.”
Combs and Jackson have had bad blood on and off since the 2000s, when Jackson claimed Combs may have been involved in the death of rapper Biggie Smalls, a.k.a. Notorious B.I.G.
Why now?
Combs, like several other influential people, has been sued under the New York Adult Survivors Act, which in May 2022 created a one-year window for adult survivors of sexual assault to file a legal claim, even if the statute of limitations has expired. The window to file a lawsuit against an alleged abuser began on Nov. 24, 2022, and expired exactly one year later.
If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse or is involved in an abusive situation, please visit the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime for help. They are also reachable toll-free at 1-877-232-2610.
Wax Motif and Camden Cox’s new single “In My Hands” is a perfect representation of house music blending with strong vocals, creating a track that people both enjoy listening to…and want to hear again.
The track was special, which everyone involved in its creation seemed to know because Wax Motif performed it two days after making the song at EDC Las Vegas. It’s a signal of Wax Motif’s newer sound, after attending a writing camp and honing in on his skills, he’s definitely got a darker tone to his signature bass-line emphasis. About EDC Vegas, Wax Motif says,
“During EDC Vegas I got asked to attend a session with Camden Cox who I had been meaning to work with for a while, and also these two awesome writers Emma Rosen and Sophie Cates. We didn’t really have an idea to start with so we started from scratch. Thought it would be cool to do something pretty dark beat-wise which could make a cool contrast to Camden’s vocals. We finished most of it off that day and I dropped it in my sets a few days later to a really good response. Some final tweaks and here we are with the end result.”
After releasing a meteoric debut album full of house hits, House of Wax, fans have been waiting to hear what comes next. He has a unique way of spinning house music into a refreshing beat that sounds unlike anything we’ve heard before. But with this new style, we can tell Wax Motif is ever-evolving. You can listen to “In My Hands” here:
With a promising new era ahead, you can’t help but be excited for the Australian producer whose had support from the likes of Dom Dolla and John Summit…and for good reason, Wax Motif has a special way of taking notes from R&B, disco, and UK bass that makes sense in any song.
We spoke with Wax Motif on how he’s developed his sound to create “In My Hands”, and what’s next below!
PD: Your 2022 debut album, House Of Wax, showed your skills at blending a bunch of different genres together. What kind of music and artists influenced you when starting your career?
It’s a pretty mixed bag but the most influential were probably Daft Punk, The Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Artful Dodger and a lot of rap like Notorious BIG, 50 Cent / G-Unit, Dr Dre & Snoop, Three 6 Mafia & Lil Wayne
PD: You’ve been performing a record-setting amount of sold-out shows, which is a testament to your fanbase and talent. Can you tell us what fans can expect from your live performances such as your upcoming Shrine show in Los Angeles?
I usually try to change up my sets a lot (especially in LA) cos I know I have fans that will come to multiple shows. The core of my set is comprised of my own music and the favorites from my discography that people want to hear and outside of that I try to sprinkle in new music I think is interesting, forward thinking or will resonate with my crowd.
PD: Your latest single, “In My Hands” with Camden Cox, is out now! It’s debuting a new sound for you…how has your production style evolved since last year?
I’d say it’s always evolving but lately I’m into darker, harder, faster stuff. I think the best part about producing is constantly doing and trying new things and I also get bored pretty easily which is probably why I never rinsed and repeated a previous sound. In the studio I’m usually on the hunt for sounds and ideas that keep me locked in and I try to not overthink the direction too much. Once I’ve finished a song it goes into either the “maybe” folder or the “for someone else” folder.
PD: It’s also signaling more collaborations to come. Who would you love to collaborate with most?
That list is long! For vocalists probably Weeknd, Drake, Lil Wayne, Alina Baraz, Ellie Goulding & more with Camden. Electronic producer wise probably Skrillex, Rufus Du Sol, Tchami, MK & Camelphat.
PD: You performed the song two days after creating it at EDC Las Vegas’ writing camp. Can you tell us about that experience and were you nervous at all to show it off so quickly?
No, I wasn’t nervous at all. It is usually how I test most of my unreleased music and the good part about DJing is if something is tanking you can get out of it pretty quickly. If I’m keen to test it out it’s usually a good sign too.
PD: You’re very into fashion. How do you incorporate that into your music career and what’s one piece of advice you can give to readers?
I didn’t grow up with a lot of luxuries so in school I was always looking at kids with new Nikes or whatever. It kinda just led to me wanting my own cool stuff when I could afford it. I guess it’s not really a conscious thing to incorporate it into music but I definitely subscribe to the mentality of “looking good equals feeling good”. Advise wise I’d definitely say “save your money” cos music careers come and go quickly but at a certain point you need to start enjoying yourself too so treat yourself once in a while.
PD: What’s up next for you this year?
We’re about to finish up the US tour which has been awesome & then finishing the year traveling with some shows in Colombia, The Bahamas, Mexico, Vegas for F1 weekend and Aspen as well as hopefully a lot more studio time.
Curtis Jackson has expanded his liquor empire onto the ice!
The prominent television producer and hip-hop entrepreneur has signed his first multi-year partnership with an NHL team. Jackson, known professionally as 50 Cent, has agreed to bring his Sire Spirits to the Vegas Golden Knights. 50 already has partnership deals with NBA teams, the Houston Rockets, and the Minnesota Timberwolves for his liquor products. He also has one with an NFL team, the Houston Texans.
“I’m excited for Sire Spirits to close its first NHL partnership deal with the Vegas Golden Knights,” said 50 in a written statement. “Branson Cognac and Le Chemin du Roi Champagne are championship brands for winning teams. Bill Foley and his entire team know how to win and are the perfect partners for my brands and for me to extend my charitable efforts in the Las Vegas community through the G-Unity Foundation. Hockey is an exciting sport and Las Vegas is a top market for entertainment. I look forward to working closely with the entire Golden Knights Organization.”
Branson Cognac and Le Chemin du Roi Champagne will be sold at the arena for this year’s Stanley Cup champions for the next several seasons. The two spirits will be labeled as The Official Champagne and The Official Cognac of the Vegas Golden Knights.
“We are excited to welcome Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Sire Spirits into the VGK Family,” said Kerry Bubolz, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the Golden Knights. “Our hope is that through this partnership we continue to diversify the hockey fan base in efforts to grow the game for everyone.”
As is customary with similar deals by 50, his G-Unity Foundation plans to team with the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation to serve the Las Vegas community.
This news comes right after the announcement of 50 and Rémy Martin agreeing to an undisclosed settlement between Branson Cognac and the French cognac brand. There was a dispute regarding the bottle design brought by E. Rémy Martin & Co., citing copyright infringement.
Welcome to Look Back At It, a monthly column where some of the most iconic Black actresses in Hollywood reminisce and reflect on the roles that made them stars. For this month’s installment, Mary J. Blige breaks down her career—from Mudbound and How to Get Away With Murder to her current Starz series, Power Book II: Ghost.
In 2018, the musician and actress Mary J. Blige became the first Black woman to be nominated in multiple categories in the same year at the Academy Awards. She earned two nominations for her work in Dee Rees’s Mudbound—one for Best Original Song and the other for Best Supporting Actress. “Those were complete surprises,” says Blige as she reflects on the moment. “I wasn’t even confident about my acting [at that time], but that let me know, ‘You can act.’”
Throughout her career, Blige has honed her skill while playing an array of iconic women like Dr. Betty Shabazz in Betty & Coretta and Dinah Washington in Respect. She’s also guest-starred on the popular television shows Black-ish, Empire, and How to Get Away With Murder. Now, she’s Monet Tejada, the fierce matriarch at the heart of Power Book II: Ghost.
“One thing that threads through all of my characters is that they’re all no-nonsense,” she says. “They’re all strong women. I have to play characters like that to be able to pull from a real place. Can I play a weak woman? Probably. But right now, this is what it is.”
Now, she’s setting her sights behind the camera. Her production company, Blue Butterfly, already has two movies with Lifetime, and she says there’s more to come. “Maybe I’ll direct one day, but I don’t know if I have the patience to deal with people,” Blige adds with a laugh.
Below, Blige takes us through her most iconic roles to share the deep friendships she’s made on set, the joys of acting with people she admires, and the ways she’s evolved onscreen.
Tanya in I Can Do Bad All By Myself (2009)
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Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself – trailer
“This was the first time that I officially met Taraji [P. Henson]. We acted together and then became friends. I Can Do Bad All By Myself reminds me of her and our friendship.”
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“I got to work with one of the most amazing actresses in the business and an amazing woman. I felt so proud and grateful to stand beside Angela Bassett while working on Betty & Coretta. She’s one of the best. I mean, she’s right there with Meryl Streep for me. I watched Angela transform her face and everything on this film. It was the most unbelievable thing to watch. I still go to her for inspiration.”
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Annalise Goes to the Hair Salon – How To Get Away With Murder
“It was an honor to do Viola Davis’s hair in How To Get Away With Murder, which was one of the biggest shows at the time. Being her hairstylist was crazy, but also amazing.”
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“Wow, what a historical moment. This was amazing on every level. I was completely caught off guard and surprised by how much the critics and the audience loved this film. And the Oscar nominations were a big surprise. Mudbound was challenging because I was going through so much in my life and was so insecure. And for the film, I had to peel back the things that were making me feel secure. You couldn’t wear weaves and you couldn’t wear lashes and you couldn’t wear nails. You had to have on old-timey clothes. I had be that person. That was a challenge because it kind of hurt my feelings a little bit, but it also gave me confidence in just looking like that. That’s who I am.”
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“I had a blast. The word fun comes to mind when I think about The Umbrella Academy. We lived in Canada for five months and I met some great people. And, of course, I learned how to shoot guns and do martial arts.”
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Power Book II: Ghost | Official Trailer | Season 3
“Now, I’m comfortable with just falling into [acting]. Monet has given me so much confidence and she’s one of my favorite roles that I’ve played. For this character, I have to visit dark places in my real life. I have to go back to those places and grab that stuff to get those emotions to Monet. But this show is so much fun. The cast is amazing. The writing is amazing. It’s a blessing. I’m just so grateful to Courtney [A. Kemp, the show’s creator] and 50 [Cent, the show’s producer].”
50 Cent, whose transition from multiplatinum rapper to successful television producer continues to impress, revealed Friday that he is working on an “8 Mile” TV show. The 47-year-old said Eminem, who starred in the semi-autobiographical 2002 film, is on board.
“I’m gonna bring his ‘8 Mile’ to television,” 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, told Power 106 radio host Big Boy in an interview published Friday.
The Curtis Hanson film — which followed an impoverished battle rapper in the slums of Detroit — and its soundtrack single “Lose Yourself” strongly mirrored the life of its star Eminem (whose real name is Marshall Mathers) and earned him an Oscar for Best Original Song.
“It’s gonna be big,” added 50 Cent after being asked about the project. “I’m working. I ain’t got no duds. I’m batting 100. I think it should be there for his legacy because it’s important to me that they understand it.”
The New Yorker said the series will offer a backstory to the film and follow Eminem’s character in his younger years. 50 Cent told Big Boy he was excited to share that story with newer generations who might not recognize Eminem’s invaluable impact on hip-hop.
“I’m here today because this is not only a business partner to me, it’s one of my best friends I’ve ever known in the world,” Eminem said at 50 Cent’s Hollywood Walk of Fame induction in 2020. “It’s much more fun to be his friend than it is to be his enemy, ’cause this guy is fucking relentless.”
50 Cent, meanwhile, has proved himself to be a powerful television producer in recent years. His crime drama “Power,” for instance, palpably renewed interest in the Starz network and was turned into a franchise that now spans four different series.
Whether an “8 Mile” series will similarly grab hold of audiences 20 years after it hit theaters remains to be seen.
From big events like the Super Bowl and the Oscars to big stars from Nicole Kidman to Jack Harlow, there were plenty of moments worthy of the meme treatment this year. Here, we look back at some of our faves.
Back on Feb. 13 at the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, and Eminem, 50 Cent treated the crowd to his 2003 hit “In Da Club” and recreated the video’s opening by hanging upside down. Cue the kick-off for many a meme:
Lot of people asking why 50 Cent was upside down during the Super Bowl half-time show. Thought I’d explain: His breakout track was In Da Club it was a great song that made him popular. And since that day he’s been looking for someone to do the upside down Spider-Man kiss with. pic.twitter.com/wz1XqWj6Ve
The hip-hop mogul also got in on the game with a few memes of his own:
In a now-deleted Instagram post from November, Vin Diesel called for WNBA athlete Brittney Griner’s release from Russian prison, writing “I need Brittney Griner home before Christmas,” alongside a photo of himself at a basketball match. Following Griner’s release in a prisoner exchange for arms dealer on Dec. 8, social media users jokingly thanked the actor for his part.
Thank you, Vin Diesel. The most important thing in life will always be family. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/RUZES5MwDT
Spider-Man was hot meme fodder beyond the triple-point pose, too:
The Acade-meme Awards
The Oscars is a perennial feast of memes, and this year was no different. While reliable meme star Nicole Kidman pulled her weight, there was obviously a new source of inspiration for meme-makers at the 2022 ceremony.
This reaction shot was initially thought to be in response to The Slap, but it was later revealed that it was shot before the show got underway. It makes you wonder what her slap reaction looked like.
Cameras caught a catty chat between Caitlyn Jenner and Lady Gaga outside the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 30th annual Academy Awards Viewing Party.
Jenner: “Are you spending time around Malibu anymore?” Gaga: “Yes.” Jenner: “I haven’t seen you at the Starbucks in a while.” Gaga: “I’ve switched baristas.” Gaga abruptly exits stage right.
After the nearly-finished, $90-million “Batgirl” movie was suddenly cancelled, fans used the meme medium and the hashtag #HBOMaxJustCanceled to theorize what else might be on the chopping block:
— Penguin Pete 🐧| writer elite 📰🎙️🎥🎨 (@Penguin_Pete) August 12, 2022
Martha Stewart, 81, maintains that Davidson is like a son to her, but that didn’t stop creators from speculating about her relationship with the BDE originator.
On the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, Julia Fox was asked if she was then-boyfriend Kanye “Ye” West’s muse.
She replied, “Yeah. A little. I mean, I was Josh Safdie’s muse when he wrote ‘Uncut Gems’, you know?” But her elaborate pronunciation of “Uncut Gems” was catnip to TikTok users, who garnered millions of views with their imitations of “Unka Jhaaaams.”
Here’s hoping that 2023 brings an equally mind-blowing meme harvest. That’s our one Christmas wish. It’s the toast we’ll be making on New Year’s Eve. It’s our biggest hope for the holidays. Feel free to meme it.
