Source: Candice Ward / Getty

The NFL’s famed Super Bowl halftime show just became a ca n’t-miss event. On Sunday (Sept. 24), the NFL announced that Usher would be the headliner in LasVegas

Usher will perform at halftime of Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, the NFL announced. pic.twitter.com/uzJPH8siyK

— ESPN (@espn) September 24, 2023

This will be the second time Usher has performed at the NFL’s season-closing game (the first was back in 2011 when he was a guest of the Black Eyed Peas). The announcement was made via a virtual skit that included Kanye West’s ex-wife—no one else was available, respectfully?

USHER. LAS VEGAS. APPLE MUSIC HALFTIME SHOW. #SBLVIII

See you on February 11 on @NFLonCBS! @Usher @kimkardashian @applemusic @rocnation pic.twitter.com/mRshrB0LyE

— NFL (@NFL) September 24, 2023

Well actually, the announcement via the classic “Confessions” skits is coming in multiple flavors, including Deion Sanders and vintage Usher speaking to current Usher.

Deion Sanders recreating the classic “Confessions” skit for the announcement of Usher’s Super Bowl halftime performance pic.twitter.com/qvhwFoWoY7

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) September 24, 2023

“It’s an honor of a lifetime to finally check a Super Bowl performance off my bucket list,” said Usher in a statement. “I can’t wait to bring the world a show unlike anything else they’ve seen from me before. Thank you to the fans and everyone who made this opportunity happen. I’ll see you real soon.” The halftime show is being sponsored by Apple Music, of course.

For now, Usher is still holding down his Vegas Usher: My Way residency which is scheduled to be coming to a close in early December. The Super Bowl goes down Sunday, February 11 at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium

Now the question is, out of all his legion of hits, what’s not going to make the cut? Talk about an impossible task.

Check out reactions to Ursher holding down Super Bowl Halftime show duties in the gallery. Keke Palmer definitely gonna be there, right?

1.

Me, when Usher performs Bad Girl pic.twitter.com/WfIO9qEIeb

— America is a hot ass mess (@juhlissuhh) September 24, 2023

2. The homies called it.

Mannnnnnn, I love it when a plan comes together

Feel free to retweet, read, send to your group chats. This was published on Thursday FYI lol

Story here: https://t.co/OPMBVmimr4 https://t.co/8TUq0gG0Vy

— JustinTinsley (@JustinTinsley) September 24, 2023

3.

Usher and Mary stand alone in terms of longevity with consistent visibility & relevance. Their career spans with no REAL valleys, no having to launch "come backs" or resurgences, etc, are almost unheard of. https://t.co/cHriFdMa0O

— Naima Cochrane (@naima) September 24, 2023

4.

When Usher start that EDM set of the SB Show pic.twitter.com/5i0xLCUDiB

— ayeewill (@yourgirlayedub) September 24, 2023

5.

Me When Usher plays ‘OMG’ at the Super Bowl pic.twitter.com/Im4bpw2ure

— bria celest (@55mmbae) September 24, 2023

6.

Usher explains the “secret” to his longevity ahead of his Super Bowl halftime show performance: pic.twitter.com/gmmRklp1Tc

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) September 24, 2023

7.

Beyoncé and Usher literally being better than they've ever been in their 40s is so amazing to witness pic.twitter.com/PSKcAPa7ix

— Notorious DIRI (@Mahottie) September 24, 2023

8.

All that space in a WIDE OPEN football field? Man Usher bout to roller skate his ass off. Buddy gone kick-push one time and glide 40 yards.

— Roy Wood Jr- Ex Jedi (@roywoodjr) September 24, 2023

9.

usher’s vegas residency leading him to a vegas superbowl halftime >>>

— RK Jackson | Atlanta (@theerkj) September 24, 2023

10.

This is really good. Congrats to Usher. How he’s navigated this stage of his career is legend stuff. https://t.co/K8whCLh1uH

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 24, 2023

11.

Usher’s residency is so good the NFL asked if they could play a lil game at his concert and the ever benevolent performer agreed.

— CEO of Block-A-Fella Records (@ladyblovebytes) September 24, 2023

12.

LAS VEGAS. APPLE MUSIC HALFTIME SHOW. #SBLVIII⁰———⁰@Usher, @nfl, @rocnation, @nfloncbs pic.twitter.com/g3Za7zeHLS

— Usher Raymond IV (@Usher) September 24, 2023

13. Welp!

Sucks to be this lady this morning. As Usher prepares for his halftime show. pic.twitter.com/uDCbCn1CH3

— Reeta’s Groove (@theNFLchick) September 24, 2023

14. Lovers & Friends Music Festival

Source:Getty

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MAY 06: Usher performs during the Lovers & Friends music festival at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on May 06, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images) color image,photography,people,arts culture and entertainment,friendship,horizontal,usa,music,performance,two people,nevada,las vegas,music festival,usher – singer

Source: Alex Wong / Getty

A new explosive report finds that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas attended at least two high-profile summits held by the secretive Koch donor network.
According to reports, Thomas attended two events held by the network, formally known as Stand Together and overseen by Charles and David Koch. He didn’t disclose being at these events to a judicial ethics committee. Among the events the judge attended was a private dinner in Palm Springs, California, in 2018, which saw him arrive thanks to a private Gulfstream G200 jet. Thomas’ presence put him in the “extraordinary position” of acting as a “fundraising draw,” breaking numerous federal rules that prohibit judges from engaging in political activity such as fundraising.

The new reports comes after it was discovered that Thomas was the recipient of luxury vacations from real estate billionaire Harlan Crow and other rich corporate benefactors. In addition, Crow (who was also found to be a collector of Nazi memorabilia) was also found to have paid tuition for a child Thomas was raising as his son in addition to buying Thomas’ mother’s house. He also attended 25 years worth of the all-male retreats known as the Bohemian Grove, which includes all of the most important political and corporate figures in the world.

The news of Clarence Thomas attending the top-tier donor events is staggering considering how much the Koch brothers (David Koch died in 2019) and other conservative donors have impacted the decisions of cases that have come before the Supreme Court within the last 15 years – some at their behest. The habitual disregard for the ethics laws in place includes Thomas not having disclosed any of these vacations and other gifts as required.

“What we’re seeing emerge is someone who is living his professional life in a way that’s seeing these extrajudicial opportunities as a perk of the office,” said Charles Geyh, a judicial law expert at the University of Indiana’s law school, according to ProPublica. The news leaves the justice’s impartiality further in doubt. “Parties litigating in the court before Justice Thomas don’t know the extent of Thomas’ relationship with the parties on the other side,” said Hofstra University law professor James Sample. “You have to be pretty cynical to not think that’s a problem.”

Source: Dave J Hogan / Getty

It seems Lizzo will have to defend her name against more allegations. Another former tour employee has filed a lawsuit claiming that she experienced hostile work conditions.

TMZ is reporting that Asha Daniels has filed a formal legal grievance against the entertainer. On Thursday, September 21 the complaint was filed at Los Angeles County Superior Court. The Hill obtained the documentation which states that Daniels experienced “degradation, forced physical labor, denial of medical care, sexual harassment, and racial harassment” when she worked in wardrobe for Lizzo’s tour starting in February 2023.

The filing goes into further detail on Asha’s time on the road with the singer. “Almost immediately, Plaintiff was introduced to the culture of racism and bullying on Lizzo’s tour,” the lawsuit stated. It added that the her dance team was “forced to change in and out of their clothing in small, tight, changing areas during all the shows with little to no privacy whatsoever” while staff members, who were reported to be primarily white males, crew “would lewdly gawk, sneer, and giggle while watching the dancers rush through their outfit changes.”

Daniels also says that the executive who offered her the position, Amanda Nomura, was especially toxic. She says Nomura, a Black woman, would frequently mock Lizzo and other women of color calling them “dumb”, “fat” and “useless.” Additionally, she says that she was asked to tone down her clothing choices as Lizzo would allegedly get upset if her boyfriend was around attractive women.

Asha also states that management was aware of Nomura’s behavior including tour manager Carlina Gugliotta who suggested Asha secretly record Amanda. Eventually, the plaintiff decided not to fearing secretly recording Nomura would be unethical and or unlawful. Daniels is represented by Neama Rahmani, the same lawyer who represented the three former dancers who filed against the “Special” singer back in August. 

Lizzo’s spokesperson Stefan Friedman has responded to the new lawsuit saying the allegations are absurd. “As Lizzo receives a Humanitarian Award tonight from the Black Music Action Coalition for the incredible charitable work she has done to lift up all people, an ambulance-chasing lawyer tries to sully this honor by recruiting someone to file a bogus, absurd publicity-stunt lawsuit who, wait for it, never actually met or even spoke with Lizzo.”

He went on to add, “We will pay this as much attention as it deserves. None.”

Source: WWD / Getty

With his next project, Holy Water ready to release sometime soon, Millyz keeps his pen sharp to continuously prove he’s one of the illest lyricists in the game and though he’s often overlooked by Hip-Hoppers today, the man isn’t letting lack of recognition slow up his progress.

Coming through with some new visuals to “Passion,” Millyz hits the road with his peoples in tow and takes his talents from Canada to what looks like Colombia to style and profile while exceptionally thick exotic women shower him with affection and attention while probably not even knowing one of his records. No shots, just sayin.’

On the R&B tip, Jean Dawson links up with SZA but for their visuals to “NO SZNS,” the singing duo take a backseat and let two children shine under the spotlight as they draw out the different struggles they have to live such as feuding parents, street life, and ultimately, death. Pretty deep ish.

Check out the rest of today’s drops including work from Burna Boy, Money Man, and more.

MILLYZ – “PASSION”

JEAN DAWSON & SZA – “NO SZNS”

BURNA BOY – “CITY BOYS”

MONEY MAN – “ACCESS GRANTED”

PHERBO – “SUNSHINE”

ICEWEAR VEZZO & YTB FATT – “COME OUTSIDE”

LOLA BROOKE FT. BRYSON TILLER – “YOU”

HBK & PAYROLL GIOVANNI – “BLACK & PLATINUMS”

Baes & Baddies, Hip-Hop Wired’s spotlight on beautiful women is back again and this time, we’re taking it to South America to feature the beautiful Gil aka @diasdegil. We don’t know much about Gil, but we can say she’s an absolute knockout.

All we know about Gil aka @diasdegil so far is that she hails from Rio de Janeiro and she’s active on both Instagram, where we discovered her, and also her TikTok page. From what we can determine, the lovely Gil appears to be Afro-Brazilian and stuns in any outfit she puts on. The curves are there along with a million-dollar smile that’ll light up any timeline.

@diasdegil

Quando eu vou naqueles pique pra academia kkkk #CapCut #academia #comedia

♬ som original – Gil

With much of her content delivered in her native tongue of Portuguese, we’re unable to determine what she’s sharing with her loving audience but it really shouldn’t matter when you have the visual power Gil commands.

@diasdegil

A gente nem se empolga né kkk #foryou

♬ DJ CL SANTOS – djclsantoss

Check out our latest Baes & Baddies entry, Gil aka @diasdegil in the gallery below.

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Photo: Instagram/@diasdegil

Source: denizunlusu / Getty / David Brooks

One Columnist is getting clowned on social media for playing himself and trying to talk about a popular Black-owned New Jersey Airport restaurant.

New York Times columnist David Brooks was feeling salty about the bill he got for a burger and fries and shared a photo of his meal on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday and didn’t get the response he was looking for.

In the caption for the post, he wrote, “This meal just cost me $78 at Newark Airport. This is why Americans think the economy is terrible.”

While he mentioned the burger and fries, he didn’t say anything about the alcoholic beverage in the photo. He was immediately called out for complaining about a meal he would expense so his employer, the New York Times, could reimburse him.

According to NewsOne, the meal wouldn’t even dent his wallet because his net worth is about $1 million. Brooks’ post immediately backfired on him when another writer, Joyce Carroll Oates, clowned him in repost.

“(bar bill: $66. food bill: $12. tip: $0 N Y Times  expense account)” Oates wrote in her post.

(bar bill: $66. food bill: $12. tip: $0 N Y Times expense account) https://t.co/ZcmHOKuPIi

— Joyce Carol Oates (@JoyceCarolOates) September 21, 2023

The Restaurant Fries David Brooks In Response To His Post

Brook’s post on X complaining about the food and his bill got picked up by NJ.com, and subsequently, that’s when the establishment caught wind of him hating and fried him like an onion ring on their Facebook page, confirming that Brook’s “high bill” was a result of his bar tab.

“Looks like someone was knocking back some serious drinks – Bar tab was almost 80%, and he’s complaining about the cost of his meal,” 1911 Smoke House Barbeque said in the post shared on Thursday, adding, “keep drinking buddy – we get paid off everything.”

To add insult to injury, Brooks’ post on X is still up and has been hit with the added context feature linking back to the restaurant’s Facebook post.

1911 Smoke House Barbeque, which also happens to be a favorite spot for New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, jokingly announced the “D Brooks Special,” slashing out the $78 price and replacing it with $17.78.

Update: this Newark Airport restaurant has added a David Brooks special to the menu. pic.twitter.com/33vRm4Y4ww

— Ryan Radia (@RyanRadia) September 22, 2023

X users are also getting in on the fun and clowning Brooks. You can see those reactions in the gallery below.

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Photo: denizunlusu / Getty

Source: Penske Media / Getty

The story of one of the most successful restaurateurs is about to be told. HBO is going to release a documentary on Mr. Chow. 

Hypebeast is reporting that the legendary chef will have his journey explored in a feature film this October, AKA Mr. Chow. Directed by Nick Hooker (AgnelIi) and produced by Academy Award-nominated Diane Quon (Minding The Gap), AKA Mr. Chow aims to detail the culinary icon’s early beginnings in Shanghai and making Chinese food global.

“In an intimate, spirited, and no-holds-barred interview, Michael Chow unveils the irrepressible spirit and personal philosophy that led him to counter the hardships of his early life” a press release states. “By single-handedly building a business empire in the 1960s and 1970s with his restaurants, he showcased the richness and opulence of Chinese food and culture and by capturing the cultural zeitgeist, they became dazzling hubs for the most celebrated artists, film stars, musicians, designers, and models of the times.”

Not only will AKA Mr. Chow feature an in depth interview with Michael Chow but it will also have contributions from Calvin Klein, Peter Blake, Julian Schnabel, and Ed Ruscha. According to the chain’s website “the first MR CHOW restaurant opened in London on Valentine’s Day in 1968 with top chefs serving authentic Beijing cuisine and with creative original recipes such as Chicken Satay and Ma Mignon.”

The site adds that “MR CHOW has since expanded to the USA opening the Beverly Hills location in 1974, then New York where the first location opened in 1979 on 57th Street, and the second location in New York TriBeCa in 2006. The fifth location opened in the summer of 2009 at the W Hotel in Miami Beach. The sixth location opened in 2016 at the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.”

AKA Mr. Chow will debut Sunday, Oct. 22 (9:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO and will be available to stream on Max.

Source: Variety / Getty

Kathy Griffin is once again heading back to cancel court after posting a video accusing Kanye West of abusing his wife, Bianca Censori.

In the lengthy clip, shared widely on social media, a pale-faced Griffin shares her thoughts on Kanye West, who has been the punchline for many of her jokes. According to the d-list comedian, Ye is allegedly abusing Censori based on her attire and recent actions since the two wed. In the unhinged video, Griffin asserts that West is abusing his wife, claiming that she has no voice, saying:

“While it’s easy to make fun of Kanye because he is crazy and nutty. We’ve all seen those photos of Kanye and his new wife Bianca Censori, right? I see those photos when she is in those pantyhose and like not even a bandeau top, it’s really all about being see-through. I’ve heard that she has a master’s degree in architecture from a university in Australia, she’s gorgeous and she seems to have no voice whatsoever,” she said, adding that while Censori had a “banging body,” she looked “almost identical” to Ye’s ex-wife, Kim Kardashian.

Despite having NO evidence to support her assertion, the 62-year-old continued her allegations stating that if Ye “wasn’t physically abusing [Censori] then he was ‘psychologically abusing’ her,” using the example of the couple’s recent visit to Italy that led to a viral video of them allegedly engaging in lewd behavior on a boat in Venice, while locals complained about the scantily clad Censori causing mayhem with an impromptu fashion shoot in Florence.

“When they were in Italy and he had her drop to her knees and give him a ‘service’ and we saw his bare butt — knowing there were paparazzi photographers all the way around and people with just phone cameras — that to me just reeks of abuse,” Griffin continued. “Like ‘get on your knees and do this now on a freaking water taxi.”

Griffin doubled down on the “Carolyn Bryant Donham” styled accusation, adding in her video: “I don’t know her, I’m never going to meet her, but I just want to know what you guys think, because it just looks like something a really controlling dude would do.”

After a clip of Griffin’s TikTok was shared to X, formerly Twitter, many people came to the defense of Kanye, calling for the half a chuckle-worthy comedian to be sued over the slanderous video.

“Ye and Bianca Censori need to sue Kathy Griffin for all she’s got after this libel and slander,” one person wrote on X.

With another writing: “As much i know she is probably worried. Throwing out allegations like this is NOT OKAY.”

As previously reported, Yeezy and Censori got married at a ceremony in Beverly Hills in January, just two months after his divorce from Kardashian was finalized.

Neither West nor Censori have responded to the allegations.

Check out the video below, and more reactions in the gallery.

Kathy Griffin believes Kanye West is abusing his wife Bianca Censori:

“When they were in Italy and he had her drop to her knees…and give him a ‘service’ and we saw his bare butt, knowing there were paparazzi photographers all the way around…that to me just reeks of abuse.” pic.twitter.com/bP88p60QeT

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) September 22, 2023

Source: Simone Joyner / Getty

Travis Scott is still in court dealing with civil lawsuits to the tragedy that unfolded at his Astroworld concert back in 2021. But it seems like a key piece of evidence that prosecutors want is MIA, and there’s a wild explanation behind it.

Consequence Sound is reporting that Scott’s lawyer, Steve Brody, told the judge that the rapper’s phone (which holds text messages prosecutors would like to comb through) was lost. They claim the “Highest In The Room” artist dropped his phone in the Gulf of Mexico back in 2022. Though that does seem fishy on the surface, it can happen, right?

News of the phone being lost at sea came after lawyers for the plaintiff filed an emergency motion to get “Documents and electronic devices such as phones and text messages from Scott, his entity XX Global Inc., and employees including Cactus Jack general manager David Stromberg.”

Consequence Sound reports:

When pressured by Judge Kristen Hawkins as to why the contents on Scott’s phone weren’t imaged sooner, Brody acknowledged the delay, but offered no real explanation. “Now, looking back, yeah, in an ideal world his phone would have been imaged on November 6th or November 7th or November 8th,” he said, referring to the days immediately after the Astroworld tragedy, which left 10 dead. “In an ideal situation that would have happened. It did not. And that’s the situation we’re facing right now.”

Judge Hawkins also asked why there was seemingly no attempt made by Scott or his legal team to “recover text messages from alternate sources.” In response, Brody explained that Scott’s iPhone was not backed-up to iCloud, and that neither Apple nor the cell phone carrier could assist in recovering data from it.

Attempting to still be compliant, though, Brody did state that information from Stromberg’s phone would become available to the court by September 27th. According to Brody, the newly-obtained info would “show the vast majority, if not all, relevant texts with Mr. Scott related to this event.” Though it’s unclear if any data will be missing from Stromberg’s phone, Brody hopes that “Mr. Stromberg’s agreement is going to remedy the situation.”

This isn’t a good look for Scott, who’s been maintaining his innocence in the tragedy since day one. Don’t be surprised if those conspiracy theories that this was somehow a satanic ritual make a roaring comeback now with people claiming Lucifer was part of the group chat or something.

To make matters worse for Scott, lawyers for the plaintiff say that Scott’s legal team have been difficult to deal with throughout the process. “As frustrating as the conduct of many of the defendants have been, they have at least produced some documents comprising text messages, photos, and videos retrieved from images of their clients’, employees’, and agents’ phones,” the attorneys wrote. “Travis Scott and his team stand apart as having not produced a single text, WeChat communication, video, or photo from their phones — not because they don’t exist — but because his attorneys chose not to image or search their phones the order to do so by the court.”

Should be interesting to see what course of action is taken next now that we know Travis Scott’s phone won’t be found and his team continues to give the plaintiffs in the case the runaround.

What do y’all think of this latest twist in the Travis Scott court case? Let us know in the comments section below.

Source: Mike Coppola / Getty

Peso Pluma needs to move tactfully whenever he’s in his hometown. He recently had to cancel a concert in Tijuana due to death threats from cartels.

Vulture is reporting that the Mexican singer songwriter is facing some safety concerns. He was supposed to perform at Caliente Stadium on Saturday (Oct. 14), but is no longer taking the stage at the multi-use facility in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. On Wednesday (Sept. 20), his record label Double P Records took to its Instagram Stories to make the announcement. “Our goal is to protect the fans and our team. For the safety of everyone involved we will cancel our show in Tijuana” the post read. “Thank you very much to all of our fans for understanding. We love you. Sincerely: La Doble P.”

In the past, Peso Pluma has referenced or directly named Sinaloa cartel kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera throughout his music. Local news site Punto Norte reports that Mexican police found three banners with messages for Peso Pluma written in Spanish. “Refrain from appearing this October 14. Because it will be your last presentation,” one of the banners read. All the messages were signed Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación, or Jalisco New Generation Cartel; the direct rivals of the Sinaloa cartel.

This is not the first time a Peso Pluma concert had to be canceled in Mexico. Back in February, a show with Eden Muñoz, Roberto Tapia and El Fantasma was nixed by the promoter due to “insecurity and threats towards other events.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by La Doble P (@pesopluma)

Currently, Peso Pluma is on the American portion of his 2023 tour.

Source: Jordan Brand / Jordan Brand

If we’ve learned nothing else about Nike it’s that they’re all about their bottom line, so when they decided they’d begin selling refurbished sneakers on a new website, we weren’t really too surprised.

As part of their “Move To Zero” initiative to curb global warming, this week Nike launched a new program on their website dubbed “Nike Refurbished” where they began selling “new” sneakers that have been returned, exchanged or simply didn’t hit the shelves due to small imperfections. The best part is that lots of these sneakers are being sold at a discount of up to 50% off original retail price. Of course sneakerheads are hoping to stumble upon some grails, but chances are you won’t as real heads will hold onto some exclusive kicks or wear them until the sole falls off.

Do expect to see lots of Air Jordan 1’s, 2’s, and 5’s that bricked upon arrival or that were returned when resellers saw that there wasn’t a market for them. Just sayin.’

Per Nike:

What shoes are eligible for Nike refurbished?

Nike footwear that cannot be sold as brand new is eligible for Nike Refurbished. This could include a pair that a consumer returned or exchanged from a recent purchase because it wasn’t quite right for them, or shoes with a small imperfection. All product is then inspected, graded and refurbished by hand by a team of experts.

Well, at least you know you’ll be getting an authentic pair of Nike sneakers if they have their own experts inspecting them. Don’t expect find any Off-White’s, Travis Scott’s or any other top tier collaboration on Nike’s Refurbished site though. Y’all already know sneaker aficionados  would rather hold those for the rest of their lives before handing them back to Nike regardless of how it might help slow climate change. Heads will keep that heat for the feet until they disintegrate even if it means earth’s temperature continues to rise to unsustainable levels.

That’s just the sneaker game.

What do y’all think of Nike’s Refurbished sneakers program? Let us know in the comment section below.

Rudy Acosta III, a former Chicago drug boss and record label chief, helped the authorities take down several key figures in a massive drug case. Because of his federal cooperation, Rudy Acosta III, known on the streets as King Rudy is essentially a free man after being given a yearlong prison sentence that will see him go free after time served.

Rudy Acosta III and his case were profiled by the Chicago Sun-Times, highlighting that Acosta was once the focus of a DEA investigation for moving large amounts of cocaine through the Chicago area via a connection with a Mexican cartel.

Acosta appeared at the Everett M. Dirksen U.S. Courthouse this past Tuesday (September 19) with Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Erskine speaking on his behalf and noting that Acosta was “one of the most prolific and successful cooperators with our office.”

U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman handed down a sentence to Acosta of a year and one day, which would be wiped away due to time already served. The judge also told Acosta that he may be relocated to a halfway house.

Some might recall Acosta’s King Rudy nickname from his time in establishing The Legion recording label, which found its footing in the mid-2000s.

Acosta’s cooperation led to 36 people being slapped with drug and public corruption charges. One of the most notable names was the late Illinois Sen. Martin Sandoval, who died in December 2020 after pleading guilty to corruption.

Acosta entered into a plea agreement, admitting to the fact that he distributed drugs across the city of Chicago while stating that he worked alongside drug suppliers out of Mexico. Over seven years, Acosta provided investigators with inside information to take down the three dozen individuals in the case.

DEA Special Agent Tom Asselborn spoke on behalf of Rudy Acosta III, saying that the former drug lord is completely rehabilitated and that he’s turned his life around.

Read the full breakdown here.

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Photo:

Source: Gotham / Getty / Dwyane Wade / Gabrielle Union

Basketball Hall-of-Famer and NBA Champion Dwyane Wade is opening up about that “break baby” situation.

Wade was the latest visitor to ESPN’s newest star, Shannon Sharpe’s podcast, Club Shay Shay, and the two former athletes touched on a myriad of topics during their 2-hour long conversation.

One particular moment catching people’s attention is the Miami Heat legend’s comments about his “break baby” and how difficult it was to break the news to his now wife, Gabrielle Union, saying telling Union about the child was more challenging than winning an NBA championship.

D-Wade admitted to fathering a child with Aja Metoyer. Word on the gossip streets was that Wade cheated, but in a statement, he revealed that he and Union, who have been dating since 2008, were on a break.

Still, telling her about his youngest son, Xavier Zechariah Wade, was difficult.

Wade told Sharpe that he was terrified, and the birth of his son deeply affected his relationship with Union. Sharpe then asked which was more difficult, competing in the NBA Finals that year, which Wade’s Heat went on to win, or telling Union about the baby, with Wade revealing it was “way harder to have a conversation with my now-wife.”

Per Today:

“I mean, you’re thinking about it. All right. It’s all scary. The whole situation is scary enough,” Wade continued, noting that up until that point, he and Union had been building a relationship and a life. “And no matter what people say outside or what people think, it’s like, ultimately, like you got to sit with you. You got to sit with this person, this woman you’re gonna be with, right? And I had to sit with my wife about this. Well, my now-wife about this.”

Sharpe expressed his doubts that Union would have stayed with him had the news of his pregnancy become public before he told her.

“I couldn’t have gotten through that moment without her sitting with me,” Wade replied. “I tried to pussyfoot around it. I tried to break up with her: ‘Hey, you know things has been bad lately. We’ve been having a look at this relationship.’ Anyway, I tried all that. She kept showing up.”

Wade notes the couple continues to work on their relationship and regularly attends therapy: “It hasn’t been perfect. It will never be perfect. But that was nine years ago, and we still go to therapy. We’ve had shouts about it. We’ve had regular conversations about it. And so it’s been something that is going to continue to be something that I have to work at, and it doesn’t go away because years come or because ‘I say sorry.”

Time ultimately heals all wounds. The couple would go on to have a daughter, Kaavia James, via a surrogate.

Wade and Union co-parent five children, including Wade’s eldest children, Zaire and Zaya Wade, from his first wife.

He is also the legal guardian of Dahveon Morris.

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Photo: Gotham / Getty

Kanye West first teased the follow-up to his massive DONDA project back in 2020, titled Donda: With Child, and now a visual album with that title has been leaked. In a new report, the album features varying versions of previously released tracks and some material that went on to appear on other albums.

HipHopDX broke down the details of Donda: With Child, comparing the project to the previous release from Kanye West, and found some similarities and deviations from the final product that was released to the masses in 2021.

As the outlet discovered, the tracklist for the visual album was posted on the Reddit platform, and Ye previously teased its release over the summer of 2020. We should state that this information is unofficial but the same Reddit thread notes that the track “God’s Country” ended up on Travis Scott’s latest album, UTOPIA.

The tracklist:

Pray For Me (feat. Saint JHN)

12,000 Acres (feat. Victory Boyd)

Wolves (Interlude)

Follow The Light

Off The Grid (feat. Pusha T)

24 (feat. KayCyy, The Sunday Service Choir)

Hurricane (feat. Big Sean, Ant Clemons)

Alien (Space-X)

Keep My Spriit Alive (feat. Griselda, KayCyy & Dem Jointz)

God’s Country (feat. Travis Scott)

Future Sounds (feat. Travis Scott, Victory Boyd)

I Know God Breathed On This (feat. Victory Boyd)

With Child (feat. James Blake)*

??? (Interlude)

Crash Landing (feat. KayCyy, Sheck Wes)

On “Off The Grid,” Pusha T is on the hook and delivers a guest verse. On “Hurricane,” Big Sean and Ant Clemons were in place of Lil Baby and The Weeknd. There is also a different version of “24” featuring The Sunday Service Choir and KayCyy. Saint JHN, James Blake, Sheck Wes, and the previously mentioned Scott also show up.

Check out the Donda: With Child visual album below.

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Photo: MEGA / Getty

Source: picture alliance / Getty

As hospitalizations related to COVID-19 are back up in the United States, the government is reviving the program that gave people free at-home test kits.
At an event at a Washington D.C. CVS on Wednesday (September 20th) promoting the updated COVID-19 booster shot, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra announced that every household in the country could request four free at-home COVID test kits beginning on Monday, September 25th. Those seeking tests can request them through COVID.gov, the department’s website.

In addition to restarting the program, the HHS also announced that it would invest $600 million to purchase test kits from a dozen domestic manufacturers. The amount of purchased kits estimated would be 200 million. “These critical investments will strengthen our nation’s production levels of domestic at-home COVID-19 rapid tests and help mitigate the spread of the virus,” Becerra said in a statement afterward.

The revival of the program comes as there has been a noticeable spike in the number of hospital admissions and deaths related to a new variant of COVID-19 known as EG.5 that has been on the rise over the last few weeks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released data that said that admissions rose by 7.7 in the week of September 3rd to the 9th to 20,358. Deaths over that same period increased up to 2.3 percent.

The program had been halted in May as the Biden administration declared an end to the public health emergency that was in place. There was a previous stoppage last summer as the Omicron variant was prevalent, with the government citing a lack of funding at the time. More than 600 million test kits were distributed before the first stoppage.

Tests that citizens will receive once the program starts again will be good for use until the end of 2023. The HHS also has instructed those curious about the expiration dates to check a website detailing which test kits had extended expiration
dates.

Source: Netflix / Netflix

Pablo Escobar is arguably the most famous cocaine drug lord the world has ever known, but unbeknownst to many, the man was rumored to be the protégés of one Griselda Blanco aka the “Godmother,” who ran a cocaine operation every bit as lucrative and deadly as that of “El Patron.”

Source: Netflix / Netflix

Years after many became familiar with the name Griselda Blanco thanks to the DVD series Cocaine Cowboys, Netflix is now releasing a six-part miniseries based on the notorious Queen of narcotics starring everyone’s favorite Modern Family housewife, Sofia Vergara. According to Variety, the series will center around Blanco’s reign in the drug game that stretched from the 1970s to the 1980s. And if y’all know anything about Blanco’s history, it was a violent and bloody one that was bound to become must-see TV at some point.

Variety reports:

From writer-producer Eric Newman and director Andrés Baiz, both “Narcos” alums, the series follows Blanco as she builds one of the most profitable drug cartels in history while simultaneously parenting her three sons. She ran a notoriously ruthless and violent cocaine trade in New York and Miami in the 1970s and ‘80s after immigrating from Colombia, before she was arrested in 1985. Blanco was the first-ever woman criminal to become a billionaire before being murdered in Colombia at the age of 69, in 2012.

In addition to Vergara, who also serves as an executive producer, the cast includes Alberto Guerra (“Narcos: Mexico”), Vanessa Ferlito (“NCIS: New Orleans”), Alberto Ammann (“Narcos”), Christian Tappan (“The Great Heist”), Diego Trujillo (“Metastasis”), Paulina Davila (“Luis Miguel”), Gabriel Sloyer (“Narcos”), Juliana Aidén Martinez (“The Blacklist”), Martin Rodriguez (“Detrás de la Verdad”) and José Zúñiga (“American Crime Story: Versace”).

You really have to wonder if the producers of the show (and Vergara) went through backchannels and got permission from anyone related to the Blanco family just to avoid any potential smoke with the OGs in Colombia for doing this series. Just sayin’.

Griselda premiers on Netflix Jan. 25, 2024. Peep the teaser trailer below, and let us know if you’ll be checking for the series come next year.

Source: Jason Koerner / Getty

Earlier this month Chrisean Rock gave birth to Blueface’s seed, Chrisean Malone, and while Blueface doubted the baby was his early in her pregnancy, he seems to have come around to the notion that he is in fact the baby’s daddy.

Embracing fatherhood as only he can, Blueface comes through with some new visuals to “Baby Momma Drama” in which he and Chrisean Rock groove together from the kitchen to the gas station before Blue takes a bathroom break to drop some of his “other kids” off at the pool. That wasn’t necessary, b.

Out in St. Louis, Sexyy Red rolls out the red carpet for her Chiraq fam and in her clip to “Hellcats SRTs 2,” she and Lil Durk roll around town while flossing stacks of blue paper like bosses with money to burn. They balling out there.

Check out the rest of today’s drops including work from Torae and Marco Polo, Jay Critch, and more.

BLUEFACE – “BABY MOMMA DRAMA”

SEXYY RED FT. LIL DURK – “HELLCATS SRTS 2”

TORAE & MARCO POLO – “THE RETURN”

JAY CRITCH – “CLUTCH”

2FEETBINO & BABYDRILL – “STARSTRUCK”

DABOII – “DROP PIN”

264 QUEZ – “MY TIME”

KIRKO BANGZ – “FORGET ME NOT”

Doja Cat is without doubt a style icon of her generation with dazzling and over-the-top looks coming from every angle in the superstar’s usual defiant style. StockX announced Thursday (September 21) that it will exclusively pre-release the Skechers X Doja Cat Doja’Lite sneakers ahead of the worldwide drop.

Doja Cat and her new Doja’Lite sneaker line is a play on Skechers’ D’Lites style, updated of course to match the “Paint The Town Red” artist’s sense of fashion know-how.

“Starting September 21 at 12 PM, you can grab a pair of my new Skechers Doja’Lite sneakers on StockX while listening to my new album Scarlet. I am excited to share part of my world with my fans,” Doja shared in a statement.

With a retail price tag of $125 USD, the chunky silhouette comes in either Black or white with five colorways to come when the sneaker is released to the wider public. The tongue of the sneakers features Doja Cat’s name along with Skechers branding, and the shoe is at all times rugged, classic, and stylish all at once.

“As the marketplace for current culture, StockX is committed to providing access to of-the-moment products, artists, and trends,” Deena Bahri, CMO at StockX,” shared in a statement. “Today’s consumer continues to lean into the nostalgia trend and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with Skechers — a brand with a rich history of conversation-driving collaborations — to help release a product that not only draws inspiration from the recently revived Y2K aesthetic, but also pulls at the heartstrings of those of us who grew up wearing the Skechers D’Lites of the early aughts.”

Just to inform readers, the exclusive StockX drop will only feature the Black or white style in women’s sizing and will be available until supplies run out. The campaign is also launching in StockX Drop-Off locations around the world.

All of this leads up to the release of Doja Cat’s upcoming album, Scarlet, which drops on Friday (September 22).

Hurry over to StockX now and cop your Doja’Lites before they run out. Click here for more.

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Photo: StockX/Skechers

Chris Kaba, a known UK Drill rapper, was shot and killed by a Metropolitan Police officer in September 2022 after a high-speed chase in South West London. Reports are now coming forth that the Met Police officer responsible for the death of Chris Kaba has been granted bail after they were initially charged.

We first learned of the Chris Kaba case via a report from The Sun, which shared in its reporting that the rapper was shot dead in Streatham Hill while driving an Audi Q8 that local police connected to an earlier gun incident. Kaba was followed by an unmarked police vehicle before officers boxed the car in. With Kaba trapped by the cars, one officer fired a shot into the front windshield, striking Kaba.

The unnamed officer, known only as NX121 according to a BBC report, was charged formally after an investigation from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) concluded. The officer was held at Westminster Magistrates’ Court but appeared at the Central Criminal Court, known widely in London as the Old Bailey, and was granted bail.

Via a court order, officer NX121 was granted bail release but must alert the court of his living address, surrender his passport, and not apply to travel beyond the nation’s borders. Officer NX121 will appear again in court on December 1 of this year with a possible trial date of September 9 next year.

Kaba, also known as Itch, Madix, or Mad Itch, was a member of the 67 Hip-Hop collective and also worked as a construction worker. The crew has been framed as a criminal gang by Met Police and has faced criticism in the press due to the nature of their lyrics and beef with rival crews.

Chris Kaba was 24.

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Photo: @dimzy6ix7even / Instagram

Source: Doug Peters – PA Images / Getty / Megan Thee Stallion / Cardi B

A Megan Thee Stallion/Cardi B tour and joint album? It could happen.

Spotted on Complex, the head of Flamin’ Hot University teased the idea of a collaboration album and tour with her “WAP” collaborator following the success of their newest joint effort, “Bongos.”

In the interview, the Houston rapper said that she and her buddy Cardi are slowly building an EP together as they continue to deliver bops for the ladies to shake their booties to.

Per Complex:

“I literally think that’s the route that we’re going. So I’ve done two songs for her. And now I feel like I’m in a space where I know exactly what songs I want her to do for me. So we’re really building a little EP already. We’re gonna have enough music that we need to go on tour together. Me and [Cardi] going out together will be so amazing. We are already so cool. And I feel like we got similar fans. So if she wanted to do a little EP, I would definitely be so down to do that, but we are making enough music to already have that.”

Megan Thee Stallion Is Working On New Solo Music

In the same breath, the “Big Ole Freak” crafter also revealed that she is working on new music for a forthcoming album, telling the website she is “getting to the meat” of her next solo project.

She also seems to be in a much better space mentally, adding, “I’m making music that I really, really love,” and that she is “making music that I’m not about to have to fight with anybody about.”

Thee Stallion could be alluding to her ugly public battles with her label 1501 Certified Entertainment, which are ongoing.

The rapper is also coming off a massive legal victory after Tory Lanez was convicted of shooting her three years ago. He is currently beginning his 10-year prison stint, and his struggle mugshot is making its rounds on social media.

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Photo: Doug Peters – PA Images / Getty