Illastr8Radio's Podcast

The ladies took a turn this week and discussed their feelings on the groundbreaking verdict that at one point set the world ablaze! It has taken almost a year and the collapse of a nation, but on Tuesday, April 20 around 5:05 pm EST, a jury has convicted former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all three charges related to the murder of George Floyd. Now the man that took the life of Floyd, the rapper known as “Big Floyd,” will possibly serve up to 75 years in prison. He received a guilty verdict on the following charges: second-degree, third-degree murder, as well as second-degree manslaughter. He is the first police officer to be convicted of killing a Black person in the state of Minnesota. The jury deliberated for about 11 hours before coming to this decision. For the "HOT TAKE" this week, singer/songwriter 'Chic Loren' stopped by. Check her everywhere @chiclorgen. Drop a comment on your thoughts!

We had to "give it up" to some folks that most certainly needed it this week. First off, DMX - R.I.P! The passing of DMX this past weekend left the Hip-Hop world in tatters even though we had been preparing for the worse since news of his condition was first reported last week. With all kinds of tributes and homage being paid to the Hip-Hop legend on social media, rumors are circulating that his hometown of Yonkers, NY is thinking of immortalizing the gruff-voiced rapper with a statue in the city he called home for most of his life. The city of Yonkers is also willing to let DMX’s family use the Yonkers Raceway track to host a memorial service. Yonkers Raceway has a seating capacity of 7,500, but under the state’s COVID guidelines they’d be limited to 20 percent of that number. We'll see what happens. Whatever it is, it needs to be BIG! Flavor Flav says that people are still calling him Boosie Badazz following the gag that he pulled earlier this month. At the beginning of the month, Boosie posted a video, sharing that a fan had confused him with Flav. He appeared to be distressed. Flav then also made a video, claiming that somebody had confused him with Boosie as a joke. They do look alike with those red glasses, lol! The Centers for Disease Control and the Food & Drug Administration has recommended a pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine (preferred by the Black community), citing concerning new studies which may link the vaccine to a rise in blood clots. Until recently, though, Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine had been the preferred vaccine delivered to African American communities, according to multiple reports. Health care providers viewed the J&J’s shot as a blessing, since it can be stored at refrigerator temperatures for months and takes just one dose — unlike Pfizer’s and Moderna’s. We'll see where this one goes? Nas, real name Nasir Jones, has stealthily become one of the most prolific investors in the world. And his early investment in Coinbase, the cryptocurrency exchange expected to reach over $100 billion in valuation when its COIN stock lists on Wednesday, will push him into billionaire status. Nas' investment firm has been an early stage investor in some of the biggest companies in the world, including Robinhood in 2013, Ring, Lyft and Dropbox. GET THAT BREAD! Usher trended on Twitter Monday after he allegedly threw fake dollar bills with his face on them at a strip club in Las Vegas. A woman called beel0ove on Instagram posted pics of the fake money to her private account Monday. A friend of hers then shared it, tagging the strip club, Sapphire Las Vegas. And the "Ush Busks" went viral. Find out more from the crew on this one, lol.  Rapper Styles P is calling for a Hip-Hop Union after seeing videos of former Bad Boy rapper Black Rob in poor health and homeless circle the net. This has been a long-overdue discussion that needs to happen now!  For the "HOT TAKE" this week, Attorney, Author and Actor - Tiffany Simmons, Esq. of the popular "Hood Court" on YouTube and IG stopped by. Check her everywhere @theplugslawyer. Drop a comment on your thoughts!

There were some priority situations that needed to be discussed this week! DMX was rushed to hospital on Friday after suffering an overdose. He has battled with drug addiction for most of his life. Since Friday, there have been false reports that the rapper has passed, but DMX is currently alive and on life support. Reports have additionally been given that DMX has also tested positive for COVID-19. Visitors of the rapper are being closely monitored with only a handful being approved to spend personal time with the rapper as he remains in a coma. BIG prayers up for X! Utah becomes the first state to make dad's pay prenatal child support. Utah passing a law that will require fathers to pay half of the bills when they get a woman pregnant? This directly dispels the myth of deadbeat fathers being Black. The women who are hurt most by the neglect of their children’s father, particularly during prenatal care, are those who have conceived with white men. Being trifling is not racial — it is a construct birthed out of being foul. Wow! Kanye West has been documenting his life ever since he entered the entertainment industry 20 years ago and luckily for his devoted legion of fans, all of the behind the scenes moments of the legendary rapper/producer/designer’s life will officially be available for all to see. @Billboard reports, Netflix recently agreed to pay $30 million for the rights to stream an official Kanye West documentary that is said to be 20 years in the making. As of now, there is no specific release date for the documentary, although reportedly it’s said to be dropping on Netflix sometime this year. an unnamed buyer scooped up the classic cartridge from Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas for the Super Mushroom price of $660,000 this past Friday. Get this. The original owner bought it as a Christmas gift almost 35 years ago back in 1986. Somehow, even during that era of insane Nintendo hype, he never gave it out. The $660,000 sale price obliterates any previous records for sales of Super Mario Bros. games. The biggest being a 1985 copy of the same game that went for $114,000 last July. For a video game, lol! As a way to help Black women prioritize their wellbeing, Orpha launches, "OWN Your Health." Oprah Winfrey’s latest venture "Own Your Health" is a campaign geared towards helping Black women gain agency and a greater sense of community when it comes to their health needs and the unique treatment disparities they face. Great thing to do! For the "HOT TAKE" topic this week the ladies discussed 'Things Men Got Away With In the Past…That Are Not OK In the Present?' Drop a comment on your thoughts! 

Above all else this week, the trending topics discussed didn't hold back! CBS says Sharon Osbourne will not receive $10 million to exit 'The Talk.' After sources claimed that Sharon Osbourne would be receiving up to $10 million to walk away from The Talk, CBS has released a statement shutting down the rumor. Sharon claimed that she had been "blindsided" by the network who asked her to weigh in on Piers Morgan's remarks about Meghan Markle. We'll see how this one turns out. Days after accusing Instagram owner Mark Zuckberg of being a racist, Boosie Badazz is back on the social media platform @HesBackAgain2021. Boosie has been booted off Instagram several times, most recently for sharing a video of him punching a man in the face. The clip was taken from his new music video. Boosie lost his original Instagram page for posting explicit content despite several warnings to stop. Boosie needs to get it together, lol. Nike has filed a lawsuit against MSCHF, the company that created Lil Nas X's "Satan Shoes." The shoes are unofficial designs of Nike's trademark Air Max 97 sneakers but Nike has claimed that they have nothing to do with the rapper's shoe line. Nike is asking the court to order MSCHF to "permanently stop" fulfilling orders for the "unauthorized" Lil Nas X Satan Shoes. They accuse the company of copyright infringement. The sneakers were released following the release of Lil Nas X's latest single "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)." In the video, he plays a fallen angel who rides a stripper pole to hell and gives the devil a lapdance. You can't play around like this bro!! According to the Fulton County Court Clerk, Jeezy and Mai signed off on paperwork on Monday (March 29th) – and now they have six months to tie the knot before the license expires. Jeezy became engaged to Jeannie Mai in April of 2020, after dating for a little more than two years. The Atlanta trap star decided to pop the question in 2019 during a house party in Los Angeles. This will be the second marriage for Jeannie, who divorced from her ex-husband Freddy Harteis before she met Jeezy on the set of “The Real,” where she served as a co-host. However, their wedding plans were postponed due to Jeannie Mai’s health crisis. All the best to the new hot couple on the block! Very few things in music history have made more sense than shimmery church sock-wearing Steve Harvey and his 27-button suits hosting the upcoming Easter Sunday Verzuz battle between Earth, Wind & Fire, and the Isley Brothers. Verzuz fans can also expect a 4/20 “How High” special featuring Redman & Method Man and a Battle of the ’90s Bops between legendary R&B groups SWV and Xscape. Another Verzuz BANGER!! The hubcap from the SUV that  Biggie was shot in hits auction block for $150,000. The seller received the memento from a family friend who owned the car rental company that owned the vehicle. Photos from the crime scene in 1997 show the GMC Suburban Biggie rode in with its hubcaps wearing the “THINK B.I.G. MARCH 25, 1997” stickers advertising the release of his final album, Life After Death.  Today, the 24-year old object is weathered with a partially peeled promotional sticker, as seen in updated photos on the auction site. Hey...it is a piece of Hip-Hop history after all, right?  For the "HOT TAKE" this week, Beyshan Tucker and Frances Hall from the DC based clothing store,"I'm SO DC" stopped by to give us the scoop on what's coming up on this very influential brand that is taking DC by storm! Check them out everywhere @imsodconline and www.imsodconline.com. Drop a comment on your thoughts!

Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield step into the ring for a rematch on May 29th after Tyson claimed that terms had been agreed between the two veteran prizefighters. The rematch comes months after Tyson stepped into the ring with Roy Jones Jr. in November. Recently, it was claimed by Holyfield's camp that Tyson turned down $25 million for a rematch. Let's see how this one turns out?? Jamie Foxx is set to play Mike Tyson in a new biopic series titled, "Tyson." According to the Hollywood Reporter, the limited series, which was originally pitched as a film, will follow the life of Mike Tyson, and will be executive produced by the boxing legend himself, alongside AntoineFuqua and MartinScorsese. Jamie Foxx has played in his fair share of o biopics films, but Mike Tyson is also accomplished on the entertainment front. Back in 2009, he played himself in Hangover and brought his one-man show to Broadway. He has also dabbled in a few animated series, including Adult Swim’s Mike Tyson Mysteries. We are excited for this! On March 14, Nas won the first Grammy Award of his career at the 63rd annual ceremony when the Recording Academy named King’s Disease as Best Rap Album. Plus, his first studio LP is being labeled an “audio treasure” worthy of preservation by the United States Library of Congress. Illmatic will now live in the LOC alongside other Hip Hop classics like Run-D.M.C.’s Raising Hell, N.W.A’s Straight Outta Compton, De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising, Public Enemy’s Fear of a Black Planet, Dr. Dre’s The Chronic, Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, and Jay-Z’s The Blueprint. Only eleven Hip Hop acts have been chosen for the honor. Congrats, Nas! Former President Trump is now launching his own social media platform to rival Twitter. When Twitter and Facebook bounced Donald Trump off of their social media platforms for spreading false information about the election, many suspected that the former president would lose his mind not being able to express himself to the public via the mediums. Despite inciting a national insurrection on January 6, for the most part, 45 didn’t. He sat in the cut quietly and plotted a way to push his propaganda to MAGA Maniacs all across the world. Now we know why. Wild ‘N Out was put on hiatus. That decision was the result of the show’s host/producer Nick Cannon dealing with significant backlash for making anti-Semitic comments on his Cannon’s Class podcast. He later publicly apologized. Following Cannon’s mea culpa, ViacomCBS announced last month that the entertainment conglomerate is bringing Wild ‘N Out back to VH1. New episodes of the program will be made in the future, but the pre-recorded second half of season 15 will start airing on April 6 at 8 pm ET/PT. The line-up of guest stars for the new installments of Wild ‘N Out includes Rapsody, Juvenile, Cuban Doll, Headkrack, Da Brat, MC Lyte, 24kGoldn, Big Tigger, Young Joc, Peter Gunz, Corey Gunz, Trinidad James, Queen Najia, FatBoy SSE, Donnell Rawlings, and more. Definitely excited about this one!  For the "HOT TAKE" this week, Ramona Harris of "Truth Marketing and Consulting." Check her out everywhere @truthmarketingandconsulting and www.truthmarketingandconsulting.com. Drop a comment on your thoughts!

There were some trending things that needed to be discussed this week that may have had you feeling mixed emotions. Kerrion Franklin, the son of Kirk Franklin, has threatened to release another tape if he is again called a liar by his father. He also accuses his father of battery. Last week, Kerrion released audio of a conversation with his father, where Franklin threatened to assault him. Crazy! Drizzy Drake once again etched his name in the music history books. This week, the Canadian recording artist became the first act to debut three songs at the #1, #2, and #3 positions on the Hot 100 chart. Drake joins a list with The Beatles and Ariana Grande as the only acts to sit at #1, #2, and #3 at the same time. Plus, Drizzy extended his record of most total weeks at #1 on the Hot 100 for solo males (51). He only trails Mariah Carey (84), Rihanna (60), and The Beatles (59). Drake continues to make things happen. There's a mix up on this guy! On Monday, Rap Snacks announced that it was expanding and will now feature a beverage line that Lil Baby will be rolling out. Coming in five different flavors–fruit punch, strawberry watermelon, mango pineapple, blueberry, and sweet tea, will quench your thirst this season. As you know, a few celebs already have their own brand of chips with Rap Snacks. Romeo, Lil Yachty, Boosie, Migos, Cardi B, and most recently Trina, have partnered with the brand as well. Rick Ross, Boosie, and Master P also have noodles named after them with the brand. The decision, which was approved by Pope Francis, came in the form of a two-page explanation published in seven languages answering a question about whether Catholic clergy have the authority to bless gay unions. The main takeaway was that such unions are not part of God’s plan and that God “cannot bless sin.” To be clear, the explanation made sure to note that the church welcomes and blesses gay people, just not their unions. The Vatican holds that gay people must be treated with dignity and respect, but the note said that gay sex is “intrinsically disordered.” In addition to being part of God’s plan, Catholic teaching says that marriage is a lifelong union between a man and woman and is intended for the sake of creating new life. This is a subject matter that is sensitive. However, we had to discuss it. Drop a comment on your thoughts!  

We discussed some trending topics this week that 'changed the approach' on what we may have thought. Pop star Lizzo has been looking for a boyfriend - for years. News has learned that the pretty thick singer has finally found one. News has confirmed that Lizzo is currently dating Flint, Michigan rapper BFB DaPackman. He's an up and coming comedian and rapper. It's still early, but these two make the perfect couple. First off - they both have extremely outgoing personalities. And they both have that extra body that makes you warm and feel safe. Well see how this goes? Megan Thee Stallion is giving out grants and scholarships worth $1 million to women. The “Savage” sensation has teamed up with officials at Fashion Nova, with whom she has her own clothing line and encouraged interested applicants to sign up for the Women on Top initiative. Megan revealed the very first recipient of the fund will be the Houston, Texas branch of female empowerment nonprofit YWCA, formerly known as the Young Women’s Christian Association. It’s not the first time Megan has used her platform to provide financial aid to worthy causes. Last year, she teamed up with bosses at Rap Rotation, Amazon Music's flagship hip-hop brand, to launch the Don't Stop Scholarship Fund to help put two female students of color through college. Swizz Beatz and Timbaland have sold their massive brand Verzuz to Triller for an interest in the brand. The Triller network has acquired the powerhouse, virtual movement that was created in a pandemic. Swizz Beatz and Timbaland will now oversee music and company strategy. On top of it all, many of the 42 artists involved with Verzuz are now shareholders in Triller too. That's what it's about! Cardi B becomes 1st female rapper to earn a diamond single with 'Bodak Yellow.' The song went 9x-platinum in 2019 and reached the elusive diamond status less than two years later. The single powered Cardi into her Invasion of Privacy debut, where every song on the album is at least gold — making her the first woman to accomplish that feat as well. Cardi's crazy self continues to make moves! On Sunday, March 7, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a tell-all interview, which comes a little over a year after they decided to step back from some of their duties as a part of the Royal Family. British tabloids have been tearing Meghan down for years, ever since it was first revealed she was dating Prince Harry in 2016. Now that Harry and Meghan have moved on from their Royal duties and relocated to Southern California, they’re giving some insight into the hell they endured inside the palace walls about a Royal Family member expressing “concerns” about how dark Archie’s skin might be; How Meghan suffered from suicidal thoughts; How the family cut Harry off, financially, after they stepped down; and that their next child will be a girl. For the "HOT TAKE" this week, Judy England of "PS Bonafide Sauces." Check her out everywhere @bonafidesauces. Drop a comment on your thoughts!

The crew discussed some topics that 'freed' you some people and circumstances. Bobby Shmurda has been released from prison after spending more than six years behind bars. Six years y'all!!! Shmurda served time for conspiracy and weapons possession, authorities said. He pleaded guilty in connection to being a member of the GS9 gang of East Flatbush. During his 2014 arrest, cops say they found two guns and crack cocaine in the car he was in. Unlike Tekashi 6ix9ine, Shmurda did not snitch on his co-defendants and actually did more time to let his brothers off with lighter sentences. He was sentenced to seven years but was eligible for early release. He was picked up by Migos member, Quavo, who had stated that he would be picking up his longtime friend once he was freed. Music legend Stevie Wonder has revealed that he is moving to Ghana to protect his grandchildren from injustice. Oprah then asked him whether he would be moving to the continent permanently: "I am, because I don't want to see my children's children's children have to say, 'Oh, please like me. Please respect me. Please know that I am important. Please value me.' What kinda [life is that]?" Back in 1994, he said he wanted to move to Ghana because he felt there was "more of a sense of community" than in the US. He also stated in that 1974 interview that Ghana’s president at the time had offered him some land. Do you agree with Stevie Wonder's reasons for leaving the country? Would y'all be willing to move to the continent too? In the video, K Michelle dances to Cardi's new song Up. It starts off fine, until K Michelle starts twerking. That's when things go awry. It's not clear whether the singer will suffer any real injury to her body due to the booty - other than some hurt feelings and a little discomfort. Taco Bell is entering the #ChickenSandwichWars with a new chicken sandwich taco! The newest menu item will reportedly be initially tested in select markets starting on March 11th, with plans to expand if the sandwich is a hit. Participating locations in Nashville, Tennessee and Charlotte, North Carolina will be the testing markets. This may be pretty good? Safaree announces divorce with Eric Mena after 2 years and 2 OnlyFans accounts...she called him 'a little girl.' The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a sudden rise in divorce filings. By April 2020, the interest in divorce had already increased by 34 percent in the United States with newer couples being the most likely to file for divorce. In fact, a full 20 percent of couples who’d been married for five months or less sought divorce during this time period, compared with only 11 percent the year before. Naturally, it affects the celebrity world too. Dr. Dre’s wife Nicole Young filed for divorce in June 2020, Xzibit’s wife Krista Joiner filed on Monday (February 22) and now, Safaree has revealed he and Erica Mena are next in line after only two years of marriage and one child. Tiger Woods was "awake, responsive, and recovering" in the hospital from major surgery, according to a statement on his Twitter account on Tuesday, after a high-speed rollover car crash near Los Angeles. Prayers to Tiger. Drop a comment on your thoughts!

The ladies discussed how to make 'Boss' moves with some of the trending topics this week! Rihanna's "Savage X Fenty" Brands are not worth 1 Billion, wow! The Diamonds hitmaker, real name Robyn Rihanna Fenty, recently secured an additional $115 million in a second round of investment funding, with one financial supporter identified as private equity firm L Catterton, in which bosses at luxury goods group LVMH have a stake. Revenue figures have not been released, but in a press release, company chiefs claim sales increased 200% in 2020, while its subscription-based service grew by 150%. Rihanna launched the sexy label in 2018, adding to her growing business empire, which also includes Fenty Skin and Fenty Beauty, and the additional money is expected to support the expansion into retail sales and possibly a new athletic line. That's what it's about!! It appears Shad “Bow Wow” Moss is really serious about stepping into a World Wrestling Entertainment ring. Last week, the 33-year-old rapper got into a Twitter spat with some WWE superstars after claiming he wants to become a wrestler. Now, Bow Wow is letting his followers know that he has actually begun the process of one day going head-to-head with an opponent in the squared circle. He tweeted, “I have officially decided to train with my boy @TheREALRIKISHI at his gym in California to get ready for the @wwe. LOCKED IN.” Rikishi (born Solofa F. Fatu Jr.) is a member of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015. The former Intercontinental Champion is part of the famous Anoaʻi wrestling family and the father of current WWE wrestlers Jey and Jimmy Uso. Still no word on when Atlanta is coming back since its 3rd season has been delayed (for two years now), but it’s not like Donald Glover is just chilling at home. The multi-talented actor will be starring in a remake of Mr. and Mrs. Smith alongside actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge that’s set to drop next year via Amazon Prime. The OG Mr. and Mrs. Smith starred Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as secret assassins and dropped in 2005. Not sure about this one? Rapper, Ludacris who's real name is Chris Bridges has a new show, "Luda Can't Cook" alongside veteran Chef Meherwan Irani. Luda admitted during the event that cooking has never been his thing but will undergo the grueling process and pitfalls of learning how to cook under Chef Irani’s careful instruction. Luda Can’t Cook makes its debut on Discovery Plus on Feb. 25. This should be fun! For the "HOT TAKE" this week, the ladies of the "BOSS Mastermind" Group were in the building to discuss their upcoming seminar, March 1-5th. Check them out on how to register @thebossbootcamp. Drop a comment on your thoughts!

This week, the crew discussed some situations that were starting a new chapter. For instance, Shad “Bow Wow” Moss appears to be the latest rapper to turn his attention to wrestling. The entertainment veteran told his Twitter followers that he hopes to one day jump into the squared circle. 2021 has already seen several wrestling/rap crossovers. Cardi B playfully called out WWE CEO Vince McMahon, Snoop Dogg showed up on AEW’s Dynamite, and Bad Bunny recently became a regular on WWE programming. We're not too sure about this one?? Last June, Quaker Oats, a division of PepsiCo Inc., announced that it would be retiring the Aunt Jemima brand, which featured racist images of Black women. The pancake mix and syrup brand will now be known as the Pearl Milling Company, but the name change isn’t exactly sitting that well with some. The Aunt Jemima brand was first founded in 1889 and hired a former slave to become the product’s front-facing figure, wearing aprons and other stereotypical presentations. A Syracuse, N.Y. woman by the name of Anna Short Harrington played the role of Aunt Jemima from 1935 to 1934 after she was discovered cooking pancakes at the New York State Fair. As its brand ambassador, Harrington traveled the nation while in character, down to cooking pancakes and the whole bit. This should be interesting! Congratulations is in order as The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame released its nominee list for the 2021 induction ceremony and it’s loaded with familiar names for Hip-Hop heads. Some of the most notable nominees include Jay-Z, LL Cool J and Mary J. Blige as well Dionne Warwick and Chaka Khan. In order to be eligible, your first commercial album must have been released at least 25 years. First-time nominee Jay-Z’s debut, Reasonable Doubt, dropped in June 1996. This is a long-time coming! In very sad news, Mary Wilson, the co-founder of the legendary Supremes singing group and a Motown Records legend died at the age of 76. As one of the most talented vocalists of her era, Wilson reportedly passed away suddenly on Monday (Feb. 8) according to her publicist and friend, Jay Schwartz. Rest in Paradise! For Valentine’s Day weekend only, BET: Uncut will return to the late night airwaves on the channel for the first time since it went off the air in 2006. Along with a tweet announcing the show’s return, BET included a GIF of Cardi B sharing a three-way kiss with two women from her new "UP" video. BET: Uncut ran for six years and featured raunchy music videos that couldn’t necessarily get clearance to air during the daytime; Nelly’s “Tip Drill” may be the crown-holder. It’ll be interesting to see what BET does with the programming block, considering the fact that any music video and just about any raunchy content are available at the click of a button online. Black GOP candidate for governor wants to end Black History Month, huh!?! Austin Chenge, a U.S. Army veteran of Nigerian descent, is from Grand Rapids, Michigan. The next election for governor of Michigan is November 2022. DON'T VOTE FOR THIS GUY!! Drop a comment on your thoughts!

We switched it up slightly this week and dove straight into what's important these days in our society. Entrepreneurship is such an important asset of Black culture with dozens of independent businesses growing organically via social media and by grassroots efforts. We highlighted for this week's show, our "HOT TAKE" guest is Mr. Jeffery Billingsley. Mr. Billingsley is the CEO of Cobblestone Multimedia, LLC which is an award winning company that comprises music, film, television and video content creation. With partnerships that vary from Rutgers University to The Newark Office of Film & Television, Cobblestone Multimedia, LLC is on the verge to create and sustain wealth, specifically in the minority community to last a generation! Check him out everywhere on new initiatives @sospyda and @cobblestonemultimedia. Drop a comment on your thoughts!

Today was the day for the ages! First and foremost, Kamala Devi Harris was sworn in today as the nation’s first female, Black and South Asian American vice president. She took her oath moments before Joe Biden was set to be sworn in as the nation’s 46th president. As a side note, VP Harris will be wearing two black designers today: Christopher John Rogers and Sergio Hudson. Christopher is a young Black designer, from Baton Rouge, and lives in New York City. Sergio is Black designer from South Carolina. Sonia Sotomayor, America’s first Latina Supreme Court justice, administered the vice presidential oath of office to Harris. Congratulations, Madam Vice President! Finally. After four years, numerous scandals, a porn star, a race riot, an insurrection, two impeachments, and 400,000 dead Americans from COVID-19, Donald f**king Trump is finally just another powerless white man. We sincerely hope that he tumbles down a flight of stairs, disrespectfully. Donald Trump pardons Lil Wayne, Kodak Black, Kwame Kilpatrick, "Roc Nation’s" Desiree Perez along with 139 others. 73 people on the list received pardons and 70 others had their current prison sentences commuted. Additionally, Snoop Dogg helped Death Row Records co-founder, Michael' Harry O' Harris, receive a presidential pardon from Trump. Harry O was locked up at the Federal Correctional Facility in Lompoc, where he was supposed to remain until at least 2028. He reinvented himself as an activist during his time inside. Harry O was serving a sentence for attempted murder and cocaine trafficking He reportedly did not rally for Death Row founder Suge Knight to be free from prison. DMV social media star, Rolling Ray made headlines last week after it was revealed that he accidentally set himself on fire. Now he says that the incident occurred while he was trying to light a cigarette. In videos shared via his live stream last week, Rolling Ray said that the fire burnt his "whole skin," listing off the body parts that were affected, including his neck, legs, arms and feet. He cried saying that he was going to be "ugly" for the rest of his life. Let's hope he gets better soon! For the "HOT TAKE" this week, we had entertainer, social media star and recurring actor on STARZ "P-Valley" Shivonn "Spyda" Ross. Check her out everywhere for the latest and greatest @sospyda and @shivonnross. Drop a comment on your thoughts!  

So many 'enterprising' activities happened this week that the crew talked about. William “Rick Ross” Roberts II is the latest rapper to have his own Rap Snacks bag. “The Official Snack of Hip Hop” introduced new Sweet Chilli Lemon Pepper-flavored potato chips as part of a multi-product brand cooperation between the self-described “biggest boss that you have seen thus far” and the food company. Previously, Rap Snacks produced packaging that features Cardi B, Migos, Lil Yachty, Boosie, and other Hip Hop stars. Rozay also owns several Wingstop and Checkers franchises, and he is said to have a vast real estate portfolio. After two delays, the Ashanti versus Keyshia Cole matchup is finally set to take place next week. The music event was originally scheduled for December 11, 2020. Ashanti revealed she tested positive for COVID-19 and the showcase was then postponed to January 9. Verzuz organizers once again shelved the faceoff due to COVID issues. They eventually settled on Thursday, January 21 as the day fans will get to watch Keyshia and Ashanti go hit-for-hit from remote locations. Though it might seem, in light of all that is going on currently in Washington, D.C., the least of the matter, on Sunday a leaked shot of Vice President-elect Kamala D. Harris’s Vogue cover set off an unexpected firestorm.February’s issue features Ms. Harris in a dark jacket by Donald Deal, skinny pants, Converse and her trademark pearls. She stands against a leaf green backdrop bisected by a spill of pink curtain, colors meant to evoke her Howard University sorority, caught in what seems like mid-laugh, hands clasped together at her waist. This was the print cover Ms. Harris’s team had expected, and that, like the internet opinionated, her people were unhappy with the more casual shot. What was your favorite shot? The Hollywood biopic train continues and this time it’s filled with the historical #BlackGirlMagic of Hattie McDaniel, the first Black person to ever win an Academy Award. It’s just been announced that Raven Goodwin, formerly of BET’s “Being Mary Jane,” has been cast to play Hattie McDaniel in a forthcoming biopic. Raven Goodwin was most recently seen as Denise Clark in the successful Lifetime biopic on the life of the legendary gospel group, The Clark Sisters. She’s known for her serve, but don’t sleep on Naomi Osaka’s style—or her rising empire. The Grand Slam champion is also the leader in earnings, becoming the highest-paid female athlete in 2020 with well over $30 million dollars in endorsements. Now, Osaka is also the new house ambassador of Louis Vuitton! Congrats to her!! For the "HOT TAKE" this week, we had entrepreneur Gabrielle Brown. Check her out everywhere for the latest and greatest @gabbysupreme_. Drop a comment on your thoughts!

Wow!! Today was a day for the history books! The crew unexpectedly had a great, in-depth conversation about the insurrection that happened here in DC at the Capitol! There was a bight spot though! For the "HOT TAKE" this week, we had Michael Mason, more commonly known as Iron Mike. A Texas native and original member of the Screwed Up Click (S.U.C.) has a long history in the music industry and making a bigger name for himself on the big screen. Check out his interview and keep up with him everywhere @OGIronMikeSUC. Drop a comment on your thoughts!

There were certainly some undeniable trending moments that occurred to let ya'll know for this week's show!  It looks like rappers, Too Short and E-40 will face off in the last ‘Verzuz’ of 2020. Fans were disappointed this weekend when Ashanti and Keyshia Cole’s battle was canceled due to Ashanti contracting COVID-19. She later got on IG Live with Cole to discuss the cancellation. Verzuz then officially announced that the R&B legends would face-to-face on Jan. 9. The final Verzuz of the year will go down on Saturday, December 19, at 5PM PT / 8PM ET. In related news, the Game is yet to step into the Verzuz arena... and now he says the only rapper he would be prepared to battle would be his former label boss and rival, 50 Cent. That would be interesting! K. Michelle says she is preparing to sue Maino next month for statements he made about her a while back. Maino claimed that K. Michelle's feminine parts were smelly -- but K. Michelle says it's a lie. She says he has no basis for his remarks. They never even slept together and "he could get this lawsuit." This looks like it may get ugly, lol! Youtuber Jake Paul is offering retired fighter Conor McGregor a massive $50 million to step into the ring with him. Jake went on to call Dana White, the President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship a "f*cking p*ssy" for saying the fight will never happen. "Conor, you're scared. Dana, you're scared. Sign the f*cking contract you idiots... Irish b*tch." Wow! JAY-Z’s Roc Nation and Random House are teaming up to launch a literary publishing partnership titled Roc Lit 101. The company’s first wave of releases are expected to arrive in the summer of 2021, as readers can expect Roc Lit 101 to deeply explore an array of subjects with a unique lens including in the areas of “music, sports, pop culture, activism and art.” One World books editor-in-chief Chris Jackson, who published JAYZ’s Decoded book in 2010, will oversee the Roc Lit 101 imprint’s operation. Rapper, 2 Chainz launches "Money Maker Fund" Youtube series and awards $55K to Black entrepreneurs. The Money Maker Fund consists of five episodes airing from Monday (December 14) through Friday (December 18), and features HBCU students and alumni pitching their business ideas to 2 Chainz, who put $55,000 into the best ones. This is definitely a great initiative! Giannis Antetokounmpo was already rich as hell but now he’s SUPER f***ing rich. The Milwaukee Bucks big man just signed a historic new contract according to ESPN with the biggest contract in NBA history for 5-years at $228 million! If you’re keeping score at home that means Giannis is clockin’ a tick under $46 million per season. Must be nice. Just nine months after the United States became a part of the global coronavirus pandemic, health workers across the nation have begun administering a vaccine to halt the spread of COVID-19. This morning, critical care nurse Sandra Lindsay became the first Black woman/person in the U.S. to receive the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech when she was injected at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York. For the "HOT TAKE" this week, we up and coming comedian from Philly in the building, "King Buhzzie!" Check him out everywhere for the latest and greatest @buhzztaylorcomedy. Drop a comment on your thoughts!

We touched this week on some things that only fans can appreciate, good and bad. In unfortunate updates, Juice Crew legend Biz Markie has reportedly been keeping a low profile after he suffered a stroke while in a coma. News confirms that the rapper was in hospital suffering from a diabetic episode. He slipped into a coma and then suffered a stroke. Months back, many assumed that the legendary rapper was in hospital due to COVID-19 -- but that was not the case. The source adds that Biz is now conscious and able to Facetime with his family. He is reportedly in a rehabilitation facility. All the best to the legend for a quick recovery! Tyga turned heads earlier this year after hopping on the OnlyFans train as many other celebrities have done in the past year, and now he’s investing in a related venture. The California rapper has launched a marketing and management company fashioned to boost the careers of models on the OnlyFans platform. Too Raww Entertainment is branded as a “lifestyle, entertainment, and management company” according to a small tagline on the website for Tyga’s venture. Thoughts? Additionally in unfortunate news, actress Natalie Desselle-Reid, most known for her role opposite Halle Berry in the 1997 film B.A.P.S., has passed away. She was 53. TMZ reports that Desselle-Reid passed away on Monday (Dec. 8) after a long and private battle with colon cancer. Reportedly she was diagnosed earlier this year and was in hospice care when she passed away. The news was also confirmed by her manager. Besides B.A.P.S., her other film credits include Madea’s Big Happy Family and Def Jam’s How to Be a Player. She also starred in Eve as Janie Egins for three years opposite rapper Eve. R.I.P! Floyd Mayweather Jr. is coming out of retirement yet again. This time he will face a YouTube star whose name is in high demand. Over the years Logan has quickly made himself a social media sensation via his popular YouTube channel and Impaulsive podcast. On Saturday, August 25 2018 he boxed internet personality Olajide Olayinka Williams “JJ” Olatunji, better known as KSI, in a white collar boxing match which ended in a draw. The two would duel again in a rematch on November 9, 2019 where Paul would lose via split decision. This would be Floyd’s first piece of action since his record breaking fight against Conor McGregor back in 2017. But the self proclaimed Pretty Boy hasn’t been fighting full time since 2015. The fight is scheduled for February 20, 2021. Floyd...WHY?? Only fans, love and prayer could have helped this situation. Jeremih is home recovering from his taxing battle with COVID-19 which left him hospitalized for nearly a month. The R&B singer left Chicago’s Northwestern Memorial Hospital over the weekend and made his return to social media on Wednesday (December 9) with a post thanking everyone for their thoughts and prayers. With Jeremih getting his health back and the holiday season being right around the corner, Chance and the R&B singer are teaming up to release another edition of the Merry Christmas Lil Mama: The Gift That Keeps on Giving compilation series. The album will feature a pair of new tracks titled “The Return” and “Who’s To Say” on streaming services and standouts from the first two volumes of their Merry Christmas: Lil Mama mixtapes. It looks like a "College Hill" reboot is coming to BET. For those who missed this moment, the show featured students enrolled at various HBCUs

This week was crazy busy with lots of trending, exclusive information! This one doesn't make any sense at all!! A formerly celebrated teacher in Greenup County, Kentucky - who was born without arms or legs - has been indicted on child sex crimes. Kentucky State Police Officer Shane Goodall confirmed to the media today that Mariah Scott, 29, was indicted in Greenup County for prohibited use of an electronic communication system to procure a minor for sex and two counts of unlawful transaction with a minor. Mariah was born with Tretra-amelia syndrome, a disease which meant that she was born without having no arms or legs. She was celebrated in the local and regional press in 2018 after becoming the first Kentuckian to receive a robotic arm. No justice...no PEACE. Mike Tyson has revealed that he smoked marijuana before his fight with Roy Jones Jr over the weekend. We doubt anybody was shocked. Tyson owns a 40-acre ranch in California and has been a public advocate for the weed and even has his own school -- Tyson Cultivation School -- to teach farmers how to grow and develop strains of cannabis, according to the publication. He still has it! Verzuz is coming off its most successful event to date. The Gucci Mane versus Jeezy hits-for-hits celebration reportedly drew over 9 million watchers which is a larger total than the respective viewership numbers for the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards and the 2020 Billboard Music Awards. Because of this, Swizz Beatz and Timbaland are talking about a possible Verzuz battle featuring Diddy & Dr. Dre. That would EPIC! Christmas is approaching and if you love some Champagne Papi, there may be a perfect gift about to drop! Drake recently shared some candid’s of himself in his Toronto mansion and has even teased his candle line on Instagram through his IG story where he reposted the candles he has gifted to his inner circle. Turns out, the line is reportedly set to release during the holiday season. The line consists of 5 different signature scents. All with very interesting names, ‘Sweeter Tings,’ ‘Williamsburg Sleepover,’ ‘Good Thoughts,’ ‘Muskoka’ and finally the Drake scented candle we’ve been waiting for… ‘Carby Musk.’ Erykah Badu now him, lol! We may be in a pandemic but that ain’t stopping Travis Scott from getting to the bag. Check out what he's worth and what the crew had to say about this! DAMN!! Marsai Martin Breaks The Guinness World Record For Youngest Hollywood Executive Producer. Is there anything Black girls and women can’t do? Like seriously. She was only 14 years old when she executive produced the 2019 film “Little,” in which she also starred alongside Regina Hall and Issa Rae. Although Marasi is now 16 years old, she technically broke the record in 2019 but she wasn’t presented with this award — and officially declared a record-breaker by Guinness — until now. Marsai reportedly pitched the idea for the film herself to “Black-ish” producer Kenya Barris, who also served as one of the producers on the film, when she was 10. As you all know, Marsai came to fame starring as Dianne on “Black-ish.” After the pitch was accepted, Martin signed a deal with Universal Pictures, developing scripted projects, last year. For the "HOT TAKE" this week, we had special guests, Comedian's "Cuzzin Paul" @cuzzinpaul and Doug Bennett 'Mr. Perspective.' Check them out here for more information and everywhere that they'll be at! Drop a comment on your thoughts!

There were a few, "are you serious" moments to discuss for this week's show! Rapper Lil Wayne was arrested and charged on Tuesday with one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon. The charge stems from a search of a private jet in Miami last December. If convicted the rapper faces up to 10 years in prison. Another one may bite the dust! Nippsey Hussle's "Marathon" Store was recently vandalized and looted. In a video circulating online, the store is seen, but all the windows are broken, and there is glass shattered everywhere. Hussle was gunned down outside of the South Los Angeles clothing store. His alleged shooter, Eric Holder Jr., is in a Los Angeles County jail awaiting a trial. The spring trial has been delayed due to COVID-19. A grand jury indicted Holder for murder for Hussle's killing and attempted murder after two men who were standing next to the rapper were injured. Holder has pleaded not guilty. Say it ain't so! Michael B. Jordan was named People's 'Sexiet Man Alive 2020.' I guess for the ladies, nothing more would need to be said about this. Jeezy vs. Gucci...who you got? The epic showdown will be this Thursday (Nov. 19th)!! The legendary director, Spike Lee is going to be at the helm of a musical movie about the origin story of the Viagra: the first drug to treat erectile dysfunction. While he seems quite excited by the project, Spike declined to draw a personal connection to the film’s subject matter. This should be very interesting from Spike Lee's perspective. In a Sunday Instagram and Twitter update, 50 Cent thanked his followers for “praying for my Boy” Jeremih, who was previously admitted to an intensive care unit in Chicago during his ongoing battle seemingly with COVID-19. Jeremih is one of several celebrities to have contracted the novel coronavirus this year. Among the survivors are Idris Elba, Sara Bareilles, Scarface, Pink, Daniel Dae Kim, Andy Cohen, Babyface and Tom Hanks — who, along with his wife, Rita Wilson, was one of the first entertainment figures to go public with a COVID-19 diagnosis in March. COVID has also taken the lives of a number of stars, including Adam Schlesinger, Patricia Bosworth, Ellis Marsalis Jr., Terrence McNally, Floyd Cardoz, John Prine, Fred the Godson and Broadway actor Nick Cordero, who died after a long battle in July. Blessings to Jeremih! For the "HOT TAKE" this week, we had special guest and entertainment manager, Erv Smith. Check him out @ervmgm everywhere for more information on the latest and greatest on him and his artists! Drop a comment on your thoughts!

Being 'over the top' can be characterized in different ways. The crew talked about some trending things that occured this week that may speak to this idea. This one was definitely over the top, lol! Blockboy JB states that the 'new Playstation is for the gays and Xbox is for the street n*ggas'...huh? BlocBoy went ahead and bought the Xbox Series X this week. The Playstation drop's November 12th. "If you really look into it Playstation, they got pride colors so Playstation supposed to be for the gays and Xbox supposed to be for the street n*ggas," he said says in the video clip. He then quickly tried to clear things up "Not saying that the gays can't play the Xbox but I'm just saying -- Xbox for the gangster n*ggas. That's my calculations…" Got to think sometimes before you speak! Ja Rule is not letting the Fyre Festival punctuate who he is as a businessman. Now, Ja Rule is set to launch his new tech media company, ICONN, through his I.C.E. Corp. umbrella. The new company will serve as a tool for creatives to do business directly with their fans. Sounds amazing! But what makes ICONN more interactive than platforms of the past like Myspace or current social media go-to’s like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter? The Murder Inc. rapper says, “ICONN is a monetization platform with a social feel. A powerful robust tool for creatives that connects them directly with their fans/consumers.” Only time will tell with this one. McDonald’s has just announced its plans to fully embrace plant-based menu items. The popular fast-food chain is set to debut its forthcoming McPlant burger sometime in 2021. According to reports, some restaurant markets will test the McPlant burger next year. Whether or not the vegan-friendly burger will arrive in the U.S. and a potential timeline was not immediately known. According to reports, some restaurant markets will test the McPlant burger next year. Whether or not the vegan-friendly burger will arrive in the U.S. and a potential timeline was not immediately known. Supreme Streetwear reportedly sold to Timberland for $2.1 billion. Founded in 1989, the Delaware-based brand reportedly generates more than $500 million in annual revenue, which more than 60% of Supreme’s revenue is from online orders. This allowed Supreme to enter into another top tier category with brands like Levis and Louis Vuitton. Season 2 of VERZUZ sounds like it’s going to blow season 1 away. We already learned that Jeezy and T.I. would be kicking off season 2 of the popular online battle series, and now VERZUZ co-creator Swizz Beatz accidentally revealed that a showdown between two of Hip-Hop’s iconic groups, Outkast and A Tribe Called Quest, is in the works. This definitely should be another good one!! For the "HOT TAKE" this week, we had speacial guests "Kick-n-Shit" Podcast with Gabby Rosenthal @gabbyrosenthal and Jarod Hector @jschector to talk about sneaker show culture. Check them out everywhere @kicksnshitshow. Drop a comment on your thoughts!

We touched on some sensitive situations for this week's show on different levels. While the Boseman family has been mourning the unfortunate passing of their loved one, Chadwick, they are also celebrating a win for his brother, Kevin Boseman. Earlier this month, Kevin took to Instagram, revealing that he too had been diagnosed with cancer, but is happy to be in remission. Similar to Chadwick, Kevin said he initially did not share the news publicly, but felt this time of remission is something “to smile about” in a year full of so much tragedy. Chadwick Boseman was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2016 and still went on to give us some of the biggest films in black history, including Black Panther and Marshall. Chadwick’s final appearance all be in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, which is set to debut on Netflix on December 18th. Blessings to their family! On another unfortunate note, Hollywood actor Jamie Foxx's younger sister DeOndra Dixon who was only 36 years old. Dixon was named the Ambassador for the Global Down Syndrome Foundation in 2011 who also suffered with the disease. Our condolences and prayers go out to Jamie! Wow...it just don't stop. Dancehall star Beenie Man is reportedly recovering in a hospital after he fainted during his mother's funeral. A video was shared online, showing Beenie Man fainting into the arms of several men during the ceremony. Beenie's mother, Lilieth Sewell, suffered a stroke back in July and was hospitalized at the University Hospital of the West Indies for approximately two months. After her discharge, she passed away a few weeks later. She was 63. More prayers for Beenie man! FINALLY...on a lighter note, last week, rapper Saweetie started a viral social media debate about the Birkin, and a few well known celebrities weighed in. Many social media users began arguing that not everyone can afford Birkin bags, hitting back at Saweetie for claiming that men should be able to buy their girlfriend or wife the $15,000 bag. Another debate began circling social media about race and the ability for black rappers to afford numerous luxury handbags. This is based on the person and really what that person means to you.  It's been a minute since music fans have settled in for a new Verzuz battle, but it's time to get ready for the next showdown: T.I. vs. Jeezy. The Atlanta rappers will face off on Thursday, Nov. 19, at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on Instagram and Apple Music. This will be a difficult one? For the "HOT TAKE" topic this week the crew discussed 'why is it easy to meet the one...but not tie the knot?' Drop a comment on your thoughts!

You never would guess what sorts of things the crew got into this week! The two ladies, seen as the top two female rappers in the world, have been locked in a bitter feud for years - that at one point even turned violent. But the beef is now officially over, according to a person close to Nicki Minaj.Now with the beef OVER, we should expect a collaboration between Nicki and Cardi any day now. A snippet of an alleged new song between the two, which is produced by Mike Will Made It leaked online. It's only a small clip, but it sounds AMAZING. The song apparently is called, “Lavish.” Let's see what happens?? Nipsey Hussle's estate is suing a Crips owned company for using the rapper's slogan, "The Maraton Continues." Samiel Asghedom, Nipsey's brother, filed the suit against Crips LLC. According to documents obtained by TMZ, the estate claims the Crips organization filed trademarks for the phrase last year. One was for various services and another for clothing. However, Nipsey's family owns several 'Marathon' trademarks of their own. The trademark filing date was December 28, 2014, and the registration date is March 15, 2016 -- years before Nipsey's passing. This could get very interesting! MTV is about to relaunch one of Hip-Hop’s favorite series, “MTV Cribs.” No one will ever forget Redman’s classic episode where he took the Viacom cameras on a trip through his crib in Newark. While the Funk Doctor Spock’s episode was ratchet, there were some Hip-Hop homes that took your breath away. Now that so many people are at home watching TV due to the coronavirus, the hope is to re-engage the interest of music culture loves like they did almost twenty years ago. The new reboot will hit the US next year, 2021. However, there will be an international version set to debut on select MTV stations on Oct. 26th at 8 pm BST. The original show first dropped in 2000 and stayed on for a whopping for 13 seasons. Which stars would you like to see when they start running here in The States? The long-awaited sequel to Eddie Murphy’s 1988 classic Coming To America officially has a release date. Amazon Studios has acquired Coming 2 America from Paramount Pictures in a deal reportedly worth $125 million. They’ve set the premiere for December 18. Amazon?? The Los Angeles Lakers won their 17th NBA Championship on Sunday night (October 11) after they beat the Miami Heat 106-93 in Game 6 of the finals. Florida-bred rapper Plies thinks the Lakers should hand over their trophy to Taylor’s family as a sign of good faith. Well, given all that's been going on this year that may be a good gesture? For the "HOT TAKE" topic this week the crew discussed 'should you let a man take care of you financially?' Drop a comment on your thoughts!

We had a few, 'can you believe' moments this week that the ladies touched on! Cardi B tells her fans whether she's in the "Illuminati"...do you believe her? Social media went wild with the Illuminati accusations after Cardi B posted an image of herself dressed as a red horned devil. Cardi B is flaunting her single status since it was revealed that she had filed for divorce from husband Offset. That's why, lol! Love & Hip Hop: Miami star and Pretty Ricky rapper Baby Blue, has been charged and accused of using his coronavirus relief money to buy a Ferrari. Baby Blue was arrested Monday and 28-year-old Tonye C. Johnson of Pennsylvania for their roles in a $24 million COVID-19 relief fraud scam. According to the government, the reality television star received money for a Ferrari by falsifying documents to get a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan worth nearly $427,000. Got's to be more careful! Taraji P. Henson will help us heal with the launch of her new Facebook Watch show “Peace of Mind with Taraji.” Taraji has always been an advocate for mental health, and in 2018 she launched the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation. The foundation also offers mental health services to young people in urban schools. As of now, there isn’t a set premiere date, however it will be coming soon. You got to be here for this one!  On October 3rd, rapper, Waka Flocka received an honorary doctorate degree in philanthropy and humanitarianism. While he can’t diagnose your medical issues the new title speaks to work out in the field. Waka Flocka has leveled up in a way that few of his Rap peers will ever have...good for him! It looks like "HBO Max" is developing a post-civil rights era drama series about Essence magazine origin story.  The show will tell the story of a Black startup before “startup” was a term and explores universal themes of love, loss and the pursuit of the American Dream. ECI was founded in 1968 by Lewis, Clarence O. Smith, Cecil Hollingsworth, and Jonathan Blount. Essence Magazine began publishing in May of 1970, marketed as a lifestyle magazine for upscale Black women. This year marked the 50th anniversary of the publication. We got to check this out! For the "HOT TAKE" topic this week the crew discussed 'why men cheat on their pregnant wives?' Drop a comment on your thoughts!

As our country continues to deal with and grow from the social injustice going on, we have to continue to provide you with the latest and greatest in our world and entertainment! The crew talked about some definite moments that have occurred and been trending. Michael Jordan And Denny Hamlin recruited Bubba Wallace to create the first Black 'owner-black' driver duo in NASCAR. Bubba Wallace has had quite a 2020. As we all remember, he became a national lightning rod during the days of the George Floyd protests when a noose was found in his garage and his NASCAR family rallied around him in an unprecedented show of support. Jordan and long-time friend and racing star Denny Hamlin have formed a racing team and Bubba Wallace will be their #1 driver. This is definitely big news for Michael Jordan and his alliance with NASCAR! Already Married? Fans think rapper Jeezy and Jeannie Mai secretly tied the knot. Jeannie Mai shared a clip of her in-home studio where she referred to her fiancé Jeezy as her “beautiful husband.” This had fans and even T.I. questioning whether or not the couple secretly got hitched. Listen to find out what actually happened! Giannis Antetokounmpo has made NBA history despite the fact that he and his Milwaukee Bucks teammates were ejected from “the bubble” unceremoniously by losing 4-1 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals to the Miami Heat. After being named the NBA MVP for the regular season, Giannis’ disappointing playoff performance has lead to some slander from NBA Twitter and even some questions about the process from second-place runner-up LeBron James. According to sources, Davis’ rookie card just sold for the historic price of $1.8 million. The highest that any NBA card has ever been valued. If you’re curious about where this card lands in the pantheon of expensive sports memorabilia across the board, Giannis still comes up as short as he did in this year’s playoffs. A Mike Trout rookie card sold for $3.93 million earlier this year. Wow! ‘Rolling Stone’ updates 500 greatest albums of all time, Lauryn Hill’s ‘Miseducation’ top Hip-Hop album. Rolling Stone‘s OG list was first published in 2003 and got tweaked in 2012. The remade list was created by compiling the Top 50 lists of over 300 critics, artists, producers, journalists, and “music-industry figures” (i.e. record and execs). Listen to find out what this looks like! Uncle Ben of Uncle Ben's rice is no more -- the parent company of the food brand ditched its logo, rooted in racism, and even whittled down the name as well to something much more kosher. Mars Inc. revealed the changes Wednesday after getting called out for its logo back in June -- like several other brands like Aunt Jemima syrup. So, ya ready for it??? Uncle Ben's is now ... Ben's Original. That's it, nice and simple. A lot of food brands committed to retiring their dated logos -- including Jemima and even Cream of Wheat, which features another Black man in a chef hat ... same issue as with Ben here. I'm definitel

Man, this week, we had lots to discuss where the rubber met the road! Your boy "Boosie Badazz" offered Mark Zuckerberg $100k for his IG account. Boosie needs his Instagram account again and has decided to go to the massive social media boss himself to get his rights again. Boosie apologized to social media mogul Mark Zuckerberg for the sexual content material on his web page, which is what allegedly obtained him kicked off the R-rated platform. Should he get his account back?? Travis Scott is loving it. In celebration of his Travis Scott Meal debuting at McDonald’s on Tuesday (September 8), the Houston native released a highly-anticipated merchandise collection to his website for his ragers to gobble up. The capsule connects the Golden Arches with Scott’s world of Cactus Jack. A wide range of garments found in the 48-item collection include an array of graphic t-shirts, shorts, boxers, action figures, rugs, body pillows in the shape of McNuggets, a basketball jersey, ties, lunch boxes and a few hats. The "Travis Scott meal" promotion ends October 4. Don't miss out!  The last Verzuz event featured two of the most celebrated female vocalists from the 1990s and 2000s. For the next Verzuz, viewers will get to see two of the all-time greats from the 1960s and 1970s. The record-breaking Brandy vs Monica on August 31 is being followed by Gladys Knight vs Patti Labelle on September 13. The Empress of Soul and the Godmother of Soul will run through their respective hits live from The Fillmore in Philadelphia.  This one should definitely be epic!! The Labor Day Weekend, Kanye West continued his Sunday Service series at a pond in Atlanta near Pinewood Studios. The latest installment of Kanye’s church showcase featured a sermon from Pastor Joel Osteen that preached about Jesus walking on water and giving Peter permission to do so in the New Testament. Following the sermon, Osteen, Kanye and his kids, along with the entire choir performed a reenactment of the story. The group dressed in grey outfits stepped into the shallow body of water and walked through it surrounded by doves for a divine effect. We can get with this from him. Master P is hoping to usurp Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben’s. After the long-running food lines promised to replace their racist branding, the rap star announced that he plans to launch his own rival products. His Uncle P company will offer grits, pancake mix, syrup, oatmeal, rice and beans — and dedicate some profits to supporting black communities. P been doing his thing for SO long and keeps on winning!! The Dr. Dre and Nicole Young divorce case just gets more bizarre at every turn. Young wants the court to mandate that Dre sit down for a 21-hour deposition to sift through their prenup and financial issues. That’s 13 hours for the prenup in limbo and eight hours to discuss their finances. Last week (September 3), a breakdown of what she wants was reported. Of the $2 million a month she’s looking for Dre to cough up, Young is seeking $10,000 for laundry, $135,000 for clothes, $60,000 for education, $900,000 for entertainment, $125,000 for charitable contributions, $100,000 to cover the mortgage, and $20,000 on a cell phone and other forms of technological communication. Wow. For the "HOT TAKE" topic this week the crew discussed 'what to do when your colleagues/associates offer backhanded racist

We know that literally everyone was on the live stream for Brandy and Monica's "Verzuz" battle! This battle specifically was trending for a while to make happen and it finally did and didn't disappoint. Two of the most successful R&B singers of the last 30 years proved they still have drawing power in 2020. Over 6 million people tuned in to watch Brandy Norwood and Monica Arnold's Verzuz battle at some point this past Monday night. According to the Verzuz organizers, the Brandy/Monica faceoff reached a peak of 1,243,000 concurrent viewers on Instagram Live with over 4,200,000 viewers in total on the platform. They added another 1,600,000 total viewers on Apple Music. But the real question is - who won?? In related news, Monica wore a head to toe outfit, purportedly created by the Italian fashion house of FENDI. However, sources say that people suspect that the outfit was counterfeit. One popular IG fashionista actually reached out to Fendi, and was told (allegedly) that they did not create Monica's outfit. It is confirmed that according to the United States Department of Justice, it’s not illegal to buy a counterfeit product for your personal use—even if you know it’s a fake. But the issue is that Monica wore the allegedly fake goods on a live video show that she got paid for. And so that could bring a host of legal issues - if Fendi chooses to go after her. Interesting? Tyler Perry is now a billionaire, according to Forbes. Forbes estimates Perry's net worth at $1 billion and says he's earned more than $1.4 billion in pretax income since 2005. Perry owns the entirety of his creative output, which includes more than 1,200 television episodes, 22 films, at least two dozen plays, and a 330-acre studio lot in Atlanta - BLACK EXCELLENCE!! Over 17,000 people sign a petition to replace People Sign Petition To Replace the Anderson, South Carolina confederate memorial with a statue of Chadwick Boseman. The organizers of the petition hope that the Confederate statue will be moved to the Anderson County Museum, to preserve its history without honoring its racist ideals. Chadwick Boseman sadly passed away at the age of 43 following a 4-year battle with colon cancer, RIP!! On Tuesday, Cardi B announced her new business relationship with Balenciaga. As part of the brand's winter 2020 ad campaign, the 103-year-old luxury fashion house displayed the rapper on a billboard outside the famous Louvre museum in Paris. Cardi B has experienced win after win for the last month. Her record-breaking "WAP" single with Megan Thee Stallion spent two weeks at #1 on the Hot 100 chart. Plus, Invasion of Privacy became the longest-charting female rap album on the Billboard 200. We always got you covered!! Until next time...

The crew talked about some new revelations in the trending news for this week.  One thing about LisaRaye is if you ask, she will answer and keep it all the way real! In a recent episode of Garcelle Beauvais’ podcast ‘Going To Bed With Garcelle’, LisaRaye explains why Will Smith is her type. “He’s so charming, he’s rich, he’s poetic, he’s a philanthropist, he’s a humanitarian,” she said. Thoughts? Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion's "WAP" breaks YouTube record for biggest first week U.S. debut. "WAP" already holds the record for most YouTube views for a female collaboration in its first 24 hours on the platform. The song's music video broke the record for the biggest first-week debut on YouTube in the United States by collecting 56.4 million views in its first 7 days. "WAP" surpassed 6ix9ine's "GOOBA" (51.5 million) and Eminem's "Killshot" (50.1 million). The ladies are definitely taking over! Rapper, “Common” has unveiled the series "Com&Well" on his YouTube channel in order to offer fans self-care and mental health wellness advice. The six-episode series, which is filmed in his home using conferencing sites like Skype and Zoom, features conversations with his personal health and wellness teams. The star will also detail his own wellness practices, including his work-outs and hobbies. The show will debut today (August 18th). Warner Bros. is set to release a sequel to the classic 1996 live-action/animated film Space Jam. The original movie starred NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan. Space Jam: A New Legacy will be led by fellow basketball legend LeBron James. James will play himself in the movie which is tentatively scheduled to be released in July 2021. Tip "T.I." Harris took it upon himself to address Lloyd's of London's historical ties to the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. The entertainer/businessman wrote a two-page open letter to the 334-year-old insurance market in July. T.I. listed four demands in his letter. He called on Lloyd's to give 10% of its ownership to descendants of African slaves, ensure at least one member of its board be an African-American, conduct accurate annual tracking of reparations, and provide $1 million cash loan with 1% interest to every adult African-American in their lifetime for the next 200 years. I completely agree!! “The Breakfast Club” is finally receiving the honor of being inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame just a few months shy of their 10-year anniversary on-air. The Breakfast Club also joins fellow 2020 Radio Hall Of Fame inductees Angie Martinez and Sway Calloway.  For the "HOT TAKE" topic this week the crew discussed 'have you dated men who wouldn't give you compliments?' Drop a comment on your thoughts!

This week, we had some instances where things occurred that make you feel emotions and/or question what just happened. Joseph R. Biden Jr. selected Senator Kamala Harris of California as his vice-presidential running mate on Tuesday, embracing a former rival who sharply criticized him in the Democratic primaries but emerged after ending her campaign as a vocal supporter of Mr. Biden’s and a prominent advocate of racial-justice legislation after the killing of George Floyd in late May. Ms. Harris, 55, is the first Black woman and the first person of Indian descent to be nominated for national office by a major party, and only the fourth woman in U.S. history to be chosen for a presidential ticket. Let's win this thing now!! The 'Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air' is set to be rebooted as a drama series. "Bel-Air is described as a dramatic take on the beloved '90s comedy that catapulted Smith to stardom over six seasons starring as the street-smart kid who moved from West Philly to the tony Los Angeles neighborhood. With a reimagined vision, Bel-Air will dive deeper into the inherent conflicts, emotions and biases of what it means to be a Black man in America today, while still delivering the swagger and fun nods to the original show." Ya'll excited for the reboot? Beenie Man blasts Billboard for leaving him and Bounty Killer off of magazine cover. Anyone who actually followed the Verzuz battle knows that the Beenie Verzuz Bounty Killer battle is pivotal in redefining the viewing experience. The pair were the first to battle face to face -- the first real good quality match sonically and had the most vibes. Loon revealed he has yet to speak to Diddy. Loon added that his friendship with Diddy was "tarnished" because they "did business first." Despite the fallout, Loon shocked many when he revealed that he owns his publishing rights that Diddy paid him what he was owed. He denied there is any animosity between him and Diddy but added that he is not rushing to sit down with the Bad Boy Mogul. Loon was officially released from prison last week. In 2013, Loon pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and was sentenced to 14 years in prison. A young Scottish woman from Bridge of Don, Aberdeen is a real stan. No. She really is. Unlike the kid in the 2002 song by Eminem, where Dido eerie sang an enchantment of a chorus about a crazy fan that wanted to be just like Slim Shady, this woman has tatted up her body with the art of the emcee...that could set a world record. Ironically (or maybe creepily), she says that she fell in love with him after hearing the song “Stan.” For the "HOT TAKE" topic this week the crew discussed 'things you should never post about your relationship?' Drop a comment on your thoughts!

The popular word these days for situations is "entanglements." The crew talked about some entertainment and life entanglements that may make you wonder. Rapper Biz Markie has reportedly been hospitalized in Maryland for weeks. His manager later confirmed the 56-year-old was hospitalized for complications from Type II Diabetes and not due to the coronavirus. His condition is not clear, but his manager said Markie's team is "positive about the outcome." We wish Biz all the best! NBA Lou Williams is now serving a 10-day quarantine after leaving his NBA bubble to head to Magic City strip club to buy some wings. Williams faced criticism after he confirmed that he visited Atlanta's Magic City after attending his grandfather's funeral. This is the sort of entanglement I like!! Swizz Beatz and Timbaland have announced that Atlanta rapper 2Chainz and Miami's Rick Ross are the next to go head to head in a Verzuz battle online. The pair's names have been floating around for some time. 2 Chainz initially wanted to battle Philly rapper Meek Mill. According to sources, rapper Loon, one of Diddy’s celebrated Bad Boy Records crew, is about to be a free man. In fact, my sources say that the rapper has already been released! This is a long journey for Loon, now known as Amir Junaid Muhadith. The rapper went to jail in 2013, sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute one or more kilos of heroin. It did not take long before August Alsina flipped the newly coined term for a complicated relationship into a song. "Entanglements" with Rick Ross arrived on July 18. The track debuted at #7 on Billboard's most recent Hot R&B Songs chart. According to Chart Data, "Entanglements" gave Alsina his highest-debuting record on the Hot R&B tally. For the "HOT TAKE" topic this week the crew discussed 'first date conversations you shouldn't be ashamed to have?' Drop a comment on your thoughts!

Some surprising things happened this week that we had to discuss. Tamar Braxton has reportedly been transferred to a mental health facility just days after she was hospitalized for an alleged attempted suicide. It was initially reported that David immediately called 911 after finding Braxton unresponsive on Thursday night and told the cops that she had been drinking and had ingested an unknown amount of prescription pills. Tamar's boyfriend, David Adefeso, does not believe that she was trying to kill herself. All the best to her! Apple Music becomes exclusive music partner for Swizz Beata & Timbaland's 'Verzuz' series. The battles will be broadcast live on Apple Music and Beats 1 for free while simultaneously streaming on Instagram Live. The events will also be available on-demand following the live streams. The lastest Verzuz matchup featured two of the most iconic figures in Hip Hop and pop culture. California's Snoop Dogg faced off against New York's DMX that went live last night. Check that one out!! A huge congrats are in order to Nicki Minaj and her husband Kenneth Petty! This will be Nicki and Kenneth’s first child together. Last October Nicki confirmed that they officially tied the knot and that she is Mrs. Petty. Kanye West made headlines for all the wrong reasons following his first presidential campaign rally in Charleston, South Carolina on Sunday. While the star discussed his anti-abortion stance, revealing his mom Donda - the namesake of his forthcoming album - "saved his life" after his dad pressured her for an abortion, and admitting he asked wife Kim Kardashian to do the same with daughter North, it was his views about activist Harriet Tubman that riled fans. During the rally, Kanye claimed the activist, who fled a slave plantation before returning 19 times, helping at least 300 others to freedom via the “Underground Railroad” - the network of secret routes that enabled their escape - did not free slaves, insisting, "She just had them work for other white people!" Leave it to Kanye. The US loses two icons of the civil rights movement in one day! John Robert Lewis died at age 80 after a battle with cancer. Rev. Cordy Tindell "C.T." Vivian died at age 95 of natural causes. They died a day before the birthday of the late Nelson Mandela -- another renown champion of racial equality. After years of arrests, confrontations and unyielding demands for justice, they received the highest civilian honor from the nation's first Black President. For the "HOT TAKE" topic this week the crew discussed "common reasons female friends grow apart ?" Drop a comment on your thoughts!

As we continue to deal with COVID-19, the news and bullsh%$! don't stop, lol! In very unfortunate news, Megan Thee Stallion was shot multiple times Sunday morning in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, July 12, and presently is recovering from her wounds. The rapper detailed the ordeal on Instagram. The alleged incident occurred the same weekend that Tory Lanez was arrested on gun charges. Snoop Dogg and DMX are the two latest artists to face off in Swizz Beatz and Timbaland's Verzuz battle on social media. DMX had been angling for a battle with Jay Z, whom he has a long history in rap with, but Jay has remained silent. Snoop has also revealed that he wanted to battle Jay. July 22nd it's about to go down!! In 2017, it was revealed that Kanye West trademarked the name and idea for Yezzy Sound - a new streaming service. Over the weekend, Kanye shared what appeared to be a roster of artists that would initially be featured on Yeezy Sound, if it ever really launches. G.O.O.D. Music’s CyHi The Prince, his cousin Tony Williams, Pusha-T, No Malice’s Clipse, Abstract Mindstate (a Hip-Hop duo out of Mississippi), and of course, ‘Ye, himself. It’s reportedly a fusion of exclusive video content, music, and a TV streaming platform, one that would rival some of the big dogs, including TIDAL, Apple Music, and Spotify. There have been no confirmed plans of the platform's launch. Could be interesting? The search for Glee actress and former girlfriend to rapper “Big Sean” Naya Rivera is over, now that the police have recovered the actress's body. Naya went missing last Wednesday (July 8th) after she took her son Josey on a pontoon boat ride on Lake Piru. A massive search began when the four-year-old was found on the pontoon boat by himself in a life preserver, asleep. R.I.P. On Tuesday, Vanity Fair released their July/ August cover, which features none other than Viola Davis. The cover was shot by Dario Calmese, who has become the first black photographer to shoot a Vanity Fair cover. The photo of Viola shows her wearing a gorgeous blue dress that shows her bare back. According to The Hill, the image is meant to channel the slave portraits taken by Louis Agassiz in the 1880s, in which they were photographed with their backs towards the camera showing off their scars. For the "HOT TAKE" topic this week the crew discussed 'the 5 commandments of being a good friend and/or lover?" Drop a comment on your thoughts!   

SO many things have happened lately world and industry-wide letting you know that FINALLY someone is paying attention to what's goin' on! Quaker Oats are moving forward to remove the name and image of 'Aunt Jemima.' The image is of a former slave, Nancy Green, who worked for the company. The company has profited from her image for more than a century. Quaker removed the "mammy" kerchief from the character years ago but now they have stated that removing the image and name is part of an effort by the company "to make progress toward racial equality." Aunt Jemima is owned by PepsiCo. Super producer Pharell Williams stood alongside Virginia governor Ralph Northam this week to declare Juneteenth as an official state holiday. "From this moment on, when you look at the vastness of the night sky, and you see those stars moving up there, know that those stars are our African ancestors dancing," Williams said. "They're dancing in celebration because their lives are finally being acknowledged." Juneteenth is a celebration of the end of slavery in America. Many are snubbing July 4th and are gearing up to celebrate their first Juneteenth this year. Rappers Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj are preparing to hit the studio to work on a joint album. The stars confirmed the news during the latest episode of Wayne's Young Money Radio when he invited his protegee on-air as a guest to promote "Trollz," her new single with fellow MC Tekashi 6ix9ine. This has been a LONGTIME coming! It indeed is what the Hip-Hop community felt when they not only saw that former G-Unit rapper Young Buck filed for bankruptcy claiming that he only had about $100 to his name. Last month, it was reported that the rapper had filed for bankruptcy for the second time in January getting locked up in a Cheatham County Jail in December for child abandonment. You can't make this up! He allegedly made about $100,000 over the last three years. Still, Uncle Sam is scratching at his door for $415,892.04 for back texas accumulated over half a decade (2014 – 2019). One of Buck’s for “G-Unit” members, “The Game” has since revealed he’s donated $1,000 to Buck’s Cash App. For the "HOT TAKE" topic this week the crew discussed 'relationship moments that change big time 1 to 5 years in?" Drop a comment on your thoughts!

Amidst everything going on today, we had some great things to discuss. However, some things were just tragic on a personal and professional level. Let's start with some of the positives! George Floyd was laid to rest in Texas this past Tuesday afternoon. However, later that day, Texas Southern University announced that they would be giving his daughter a full ride scholarship to attend their school! In addition to TSU’s admirable offer, Kanye West also took steps to ensure Gianna’s education was taken care of as he reportedly set up a college fund for her along with donating to her family’s legal team. This is a great thing to share given all the commotion going on!! Basketball legend, Allen Iverson is in for a very cozy retirement thanks to Reebok. Former Georgetown Hoya is set to receive a $32 million dollar trust fund payment due to his lifetime contract with the Boston based company. The paperwork in question has specific clauses that speak to a vesting option that both parties mutually agreed to back when AI originally signed the agreement in 2001. Allen Iverson turned 45 June 7th. Ten years this day, on his 55th birthday, he receives a $32 million trust fund as part of the lifetime Reebok deal. The deal pays Iverson $800,000 a year. Man...AI continues to when WAY after his iconic basketball career ended. Now for the BS. Apparently, Tekashi is linking up with Akon for "Locked Up, Part 2!" The rapper posted a video of himself with none other than Akon, and it looks like the 2 of them laid down a new track, only refreshed with T69's own verse. Yes, we're talking Akon's iconic tune, "Locked Up," which now features Tekashi. WOW, not Akon! Not only that but he's also coming back with Nicki for a new song announced called, "Trollz." Actually, they definitely are back together, because the pair posted pictures of their upcoming song on Instagram. They plan to donate a portion of the proceeds directly to The Bail Project for those unfortunately being locked up due to Geoge Floyd. The tragedy of the week was in Chicago, which had the most violent day in 60 yrs - 18 gunned down in 24hrs! The University of Chicago Crime Lab just released a new report stating that the 18 people killed on May 31, while the city experienced looting and George Floyd protests, was the most violent day in the city since 1961. The record for deadliest day was August 4, 1991, when JUST 13 people were killed. 65,000 calls were made to the city's 911 line when on a typical day, 15,000 calls are made - for all services, not just shootings. DAMN! For those that loved the show, COPS...well, the Paramount Network has announced that they have canceled the television show, Cops -- a show that has been on the air for twenty years. Cops was nominated for the Outstanding Informational Series Emmy four times: in 1989, 1990, 1993, and 1994. We used to look at that show too. For the "HOT TAKE" topic this week the crew discussed 'how do you handle friends and relatives who take more than they give?" Drop a comment on your thoughts!

There were some trends established for this weeks show that we wanted to share with you. These trends are from an entertainment, social and street perspective to say the least. In the streets, Black Mafia Family (BMF) co-founder Big Meech is taking another shot at getting his freedom; possibly this week. The street legend is serving out a 30-year sentence, after pleading guilty to running a continuing criminal enterprise and conspiring to launder money, in 2007. Infamous rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, as well as President Donald Trump's cohorts Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen, and Detroit's Hip-Hop Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick have all been also granted early releases due to the pandemic. Internationally, while Def Jam is not the first rap label to exist — it is the first one to become an international portal of Hip-Hop culture. According to a statement from the label, Def Jam Africa is a new division on the continent dedicated to representing the best Hip-Hop, Afrobeats and trap talent in Africa. Based out of Johannesburg, South Africa and Lagos, Nigeria, DJA will identify and sign artist talent from every corner of the Motherland. What are your thoughts on this move? Echoes of Eric Garner could be heard in Minneapolis over the weekend, when the local city police basically crushed a Black man to near death as he cried out, “I can’t breathe.” Here we go again!! The Minneapolis Police Department contends in a statement that they were called to handle a situation where a suspect, George Floyd, was committing a “forgery.” Upon arrival, the authorities insist that the man was not complying and resisting arrest. Unlike the Garner murder, this cop does not use an arm-intensive chokehold but locks in with his kneed almost crushing his esophagus. DAMN! Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship offered Mike a whopping $20 million to compete in a single fight for the organization earlier this month. The MMA company is now doubling down on that offer, and is planning on increasing that figure by offering Mike new incentives to step in the ring. Mike has yet to agree. We think Mike can still do it! At 22, Naomi racked up $37 million in earnings in the past year, more than any other female athlete in history, according to Forbes. That hefty bag from the past 12 months comes from prize money and endorsements, $1.4 million more than Serena earned, setting an all-time earnings record for a female athlete in a single year. Another tennis player, Maria Sharapova, previously held the record with $29.7 million in 2015. The highest-paid female athlete every year since Forbes started tracking the data in 1990 has been a tennis player. For the "HOT TAKE" topic this week the crew discussed 'how to deal when you want to leave but your partner wants to work it out?' Drop a comment on your thoughts!

During this quarantine, we have seen different facets of peoples personalities. A good example are these "Verzuz" battles. Apparently, singer Monica has turned down a Verzuz battle with Brandy. Brandi and Monica were pit against each other in the 90's. Find out what the crew things about this situation! In related news, Swizz Beatz calls on Jermaine Dupri to help set up a battle featuring 112 and Jagged Edge. Both Jagged Edge and 112 rose to national prominence in the mid-1990s. Who do you think will take this one?? Bow Wow is considering retiring after next album. Apparently, he wants to focus more on his daughter, Shai and create a daddy/daughter entertainment duo. Shai is the daughter of the Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta star shares with Joie Chavez -- who also has a son with rapper Future. Will y'all miss Bow's music? Political observers have long noted that President Donald Trump and his rise to power came on the heels of his freewheeling and often contentious stances against his political opposition. In recent weeks, the divide has grown as chatter is brewing that Trump may elect not to unveil his predecessor President Barack Obama‘s presidential portrait, which would disrupt a decades-log tradition. Leave it up to your President! TV One celebrates Black Music month and the sound of DC with a Go-Go documentary, "The Beat Don't Stop." Airing, Sunday, June 21st at 8 pm ET, The Beat Don’t Stop pays homage to the unique contribution of Go-go music to the musical landscape. It features a host of celebrities, artists, music historians, and community leaders including rapper Doug E. Fresh; band members from Junk Yard Band, Trouble Funk, E.U., Backyard Band, TOB, TCB and Maiesha and the Hip Huggers; the dance crew Beat Ya Feet Finest; music historians Dr. Natalie Hopkinson and Kato Hammond; music journalists Ericka Blount and Alona Wartofsky; Don’t Mute DC organizer Ron Moten; talent promoter and former MCA Records executive Bo Sampson; music producer Tone P; Radio One Personality Angie Ange; DJ Flexx; hip hop artist DJ Kool; and many others. This is exciting, as it has been long overdue. For the "HOT TAKE" topic this week the crew discussed 'bad quarantine habits couples may develop.' We expanded on what we discussed last week. Drop a comment on your thoughts.

The crew touched some things that happened this week that may touch you in a good way and in a bad way. This epidemic that we are dealing with is bringing out the most that has changed all of us moving forward. Dipset rapper Cam' ron has revealed that he is currently in talks to bring a Paid In Full 2 to fruition -- almost two decades after the release of the original movie. The movie takes place in Harlem in the 1980s and is based on three friends Azie "AZ" Faison, Rich Porter, and Alpo Martinez and their professional criminal exploits. This could be something good but I don't know what they would do exactly? Don’t do it! Evander Holyfield recently appeared on TMZ and was asked about the potential for some kind of exhibition match against Mike Tyson. Just the thought of that happening brings a nervous chill up our spine. Even in a 3-round “exhibition” Evander might f**k around and die messing with Mike. What do you think? You wanna see this fight happen? Erykah Badu and Jill Scott finally had their highly-anticipated Verzuz battle (May 9), but it was all love. The living legends spent the time chatting it up like old girlfriends while playing some of their greatest songs. We all won with this one! Louisiana rapper Boosie may soon be in trouble with the law. While talking to fans on social media, the popular rapper admitted to having an adult woman perform oral relations on his 12 year old son. Boosie told fans, "I'm training those boys, ask my nephews or any of my sons. When they were 12-13, they got h*ad." The rapper then explained how he got a grown woman to perform oral acts on the children. He added, "Hell yeah I got my f**king son's d**k sucked." Under Louisiana law, a person can be guilty of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile if they promote “sexual intercourse with consent” between and a child between the ages of 13 and 16. The punishment for felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile can be a fine of up to $5,000, a prison term of up to 10 years, or both. Oh...no!! Lastly, R&B lost three legends this weekend in Little Richard, Andre Harrell and Betty Wright - Rest in Power. For the "HOT TAKE" topic this week, we got heated when the question came up on 'why quarantine may break up a new couples and/or relationships?' Let us know what's up...

During this quarantine season, celebrities have been keeping fans entertained with challenging each other, hit for hit on Instagram live. We’ve seen T-Pain Vs. Lil Jon, Teddy Riley Vs. Babyface, and now may just be the time for some women emcees to enter the ring! Philadelphia emcee, Khia, most notorious for her hit singles, “My Neck My Back,” “K-Wang,” and “Snatch The Cat Back” has called Trina out for a hit for hit battle after a suggestion on her Instagram live. This will be very interesting, lol! Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine has been fairly quiet since his early release from prison thanks to the coronavirus outbreak -- the rapper announced that he would be hosting his first Instagram Live session this Friday (May 8th.). Tekashi cooperated with the government against Anthony' Harv' Ellison and other Nine Trey members. Last month, the judge ordered Tekashi's release to home confinement earlier this month due to the risk the virus posed to the rapper. He reportedly suffers from asthma. The spread of the coronavirus has taken away many special moments for all of us, including the class of 2020. Those graduating this year are finding unique ways to celebrate their accomplishments, and our Forever President and First Lady have just announced that they have something special for the graduates! Whether you are graduating from high school or college Barack and Michelle Obama want to celebrate all you have accomplished by hosting a virtual graduation ceremony on June 6th! This is what I'm talking about! FOREVER OBAMA!!! The man who penned and produced five glorious seasons The Wire, David Simon is planning on reuniting the cast of his classic gritty crime drama for a new series revolving around Baltimore’s police force. But don’t get your hopes up, it will not be a direct continuation of the city life that introduced us to “Hamsterdam.” We can't WAIT to see what this new drama would be about!! The Illastr8 "HOT TAKE" this week, the crew talked about being patient with your partners lack of funding while dating during this pandemic. Continue to stay safe and stay tuned.

With everything going on in the world today, we have to be innovative to continue with a normal way of living. Diddy confirmed he is in talks with Dr. Dre about a "Versus" battle! Diddy chopped it up with Fat Joe on his Instagram show, where he asked him if the battle could be heading our way. Unlike the last few Verzuz, Swizz and Timbaland say that a Diddy/Dre face-off would be pay-per-view, which means it may not happen on Instagram Live. In related news, DJ Paul of the iconic group, "Three 6 Mafia" and Krazy Bone of legendary group "Bone Thugs-N-Harmony" are slated to do a "Versus" face-off battle, April 30th. "This Is Not A Battle. This Is A Celebration Between Homies of Over 50 yrs Combined Dropping Slap!!!" wrote DJ Paul on Instagram. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's catalog includes several Top 20 hits like "Thuggish Ruggish Bone," "1st of tha Month," and "Tha Crossroads." Throughout their career, Memphis-based rappers Three 6 Mafia released platinum-certified records like "Stay Fly," "Poppin' My Collar," and "Lolli Lolli (Pop That Body)." Both of these should definitely be on some next level sh*%t!! After his Verzuz battle with fellow producer Teddy Riley, all the technical difficulties they faced and the time that was “wasted” people assumed that it would be the last time we saw Babyface on Instagram Live. Not so! Babyface is now set to host a "Waiting to Exhale" Soundtrack special on Monther's Day, May 10th. Can't wait for this one either! A lot of recording artists have been financially affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Clubs, concerts, festivals, and other live events have been shut down which has cut off a source of revenue for musicians. Facebook is now set to provide a new way for performers to earn money on the platform. The social networking service is adding more features for Facebook Live real-time videos, including a way to charge for access to content. Innovation at it's best! On Tuesday (Apr 28) Netflix announced today that the Michelle Obama book Becoming will be available on the streaming service starting Wednesday, May 6th. The documentary will cover some history of Obama’s life from the memoir and give a behind-the-scenes look at experiences from her 34-city book tour. Staying in Chicago, Kanye West is returning to his roots once again. The Chicago-bred billionaire recently bought his childhood home in the city’s South Shore neighborhood for an estimated $225,000. The house has a complicated history. Kanye’s mother Donda West originally bought the property in the 1980s. In 2004, she sold it and the house fell into dilapidation amidst foreclosure. The news comes on the heels of Forbes Magazine announcing Kanye is officially a billionaire. The business magazine estimated his net worth at $1.3 billion, while Kanye himself is adamant he’s worth $3.3 billion. This is how your supposed to do it!! For this week's "Illastr8 HOT TAKE" we dove into mental health tips during the Coronavirus Pandemic. Check this out because you may discover something that may be helpful for yourself or family members! Everyone continue to stay safe and stay tuned.

As of lately, everyone is in an uproar about the recent scare that has been going on around the world. A good example of what's been happening in the sports world, as Kevin Durant among four Brooklyn Nets players tested positive for COVID-19 virus. All four Nets players, including Durant, are in quarantine. Only one of the four is experiencing symptoms. Durant has not exhibited symptoms from the virus. There are now seven NBA players that have tested positive for COVID-19. Rudy Gobert was the first, followed by his Utah Jazz teammate Donovan Mitchell and Detroit Pistons forward Christian Wood. Because of Gobert's positive test and due to concerns over the global outbreak, the NBA suspended the 2019-20 season last week. The league remains hopeful of resuming operations in mid-to-late June. In other news, subsequently, Atlanta's most popular strip clubs are now closed - after a Georgia man allegedly contracted the coronavirus inside a club! That man's story may have scared the strip club owners in Atlanta, because within hours, most of the city's gentlemen clubs announced that they were shutting down. This thing really is that serious! Charlamange Tha God is reportedly considering walking away from The Breakfast Club, as his current contract is nearing its end. His contract does not expire until the end of the year, but a source says that he already has “a lot of other potential deals in the air. He loves working for [Power 105.1 parent company] I Heart Radio, but he is contemplating his next move.” There was some speculation last year, after Charlamagne and Angela Yee allegedly fell out over his interview with Gucci Mane. Gucci was highly disrespectful about his interactions with Yee, and social media slammed him for not defending her. All seems well in the camp at the moment, but if he left the show they would have to replace him -- and who could fill those shoes? One of the father’s of Trap music is offering $1 million to his next label signee, and it could be you! His first artist is a kid name Foogiano, and already he has a hit song with Lil Baby blowing up across social media. Seems like the La Flare might be on to the next guy. You never know! The Illastr8 "HOT TAKE" for this week was, "Do looks dictate if you want or don't want to be in a relationship?" This can go all over the place...let us know and stay tuned!

There were some instances this week that made you ask yourself, 'is this really happening?' Last week, Nicki Minaj's husband Kenneth Petty was arrested in California for allegedly failing to register as a sex offender in the State. Under Megan's Law, every person that has been criminally convicted of a sex crime is required to "register" online and disclose their current address to protect would be victims. What's disturbing to many Nicki fans, however, is that the address that Kenneth was forced to disclose - is also Nicki Minaj's Beverly Hills address. Come on now Nicki! Azriel Clary is realling coming out against R. Kelly these days. "R. Kelly made me eat my own feces! He has a video of me -- he made me do this video, actually—doing a number two in a cup and then eating it out of a cup,” Clary is seen in the clip telling a federal agent. Check out the audio to this only on Illastr8!! Fourteen songs from Lil Baby's new album, My Turn, made it onto the Hot 100 this week. The Atlanta rapper now has 19 total entries in 2020 pushing him passed Eminem (12) on the list of most Hot 100 hits for the year. Definitely, don't call this a comeback! Nas is arguably one of the greatest rappers to ever touch the mic. And so… Raja Kumari, the first female rapper to sign with his label, Mass Appeal India should be honored to get under his lyrical wing. Or should she? An accomplished songwriter, Kumari is a Grammy-nominated artist, who worked on Iggy Azalea’s hit song "Change Your Life" ft. T.I., Fall Out Boy’s the 4x-Platinum “Centuries,” Fifth Harmony, and Gwen Stefani. Last year, she released a doc about her life entitled, "Raja Kumari: So Far." Stay tuned for this one! Is rapper 'Nelly' really trying to relaunch "Apple Bottom" Jeans?? Nelly, Yomi Martin, Nick Loftis, and Ian Kelly introduced the denim-focused line in 2003. Eventually, Apple Bottoms offered other items such as perfume and accessories. Apple Bottoms was famously mentioned in Flo Rida's #1 single "Low." On the track, T-Pain sings, "Shawty had them Apple Bottom jeans, boots with the fur. The whole club was lookin' at her." I know I used to like to see them :)!!! The Illastr8 "HOT TAKE" for this week is, "Is it a good or bad idea for couples to split the bills 50/50?" There was some commotion over this but it worked itself out.

Some folks got called out this week! Flavor Flav calls out Chuck D for kicking him out of "Public Enemy!" On Monday, Hip Hop fans were shocked to hear the news that Flavor Flav had been kicked out of the legendary group, Public Enemy -- and Flav took to social media to check Chuck D for the controversial move. Last week, Chuck D gave Flav a year to get his act together before he made a decision about his future with the group, but judging by his tweets, he is tired of getting sued by the group's clock-wearing hype man. Find out what he said! In politcal news, heads turn as Joe Biden targets Kamala Harris and Stacey Abrams as primary Vice President prospects. It goes without saying that in order for a largely progressive Democratic party, there needs to be some diversity on the ticket. That means a person of color, specifically a Black person, even more specifically, a Black woman. Let’s be clear, there is NO path to presidential victory without the Black vote! Lil Boosie has been going viral for different antics recently and it finally paid off. Lil Boosie is getting his own TV show, and revealed it in a funny trailer serenading Rihanna, LOL! You got to hear this!! Jude Judy is finally ending her show after 25 years! However, it looks like this won't be the last time fans see Sheindlin on their TV screens. "But I'm not tired," she continued, "so Judy Justice will be coming out a year later." "The following couple of years you should be able to catch all the reruns that CBS has sold to the stations that are currently carrying Judy, and Judy Justice will be going elsewhere," she said. "Isn't that fun?" Judge Judy debuted in 1996. Good for her! The Illastr8 "HOT TAKE" for this week was, "What To Do If Your Cheating Suspicions Are Confirmed??" We go you covered.

There were most certainly some monumental moments that the crew talked about this week! This past Monday was the Kobe Bryant Memorial Service, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It was a moving event, where Kobe's wife and close friends got the chance to speak about the fallen NBA legend and his daughter Gigi. But two people were noticeably missing from the stage - Kobe's parents. Many fans are accusing Vanessa If not making a concerted effort to mend things and show her husband's parents some “respect.” But it wasn't just Kobe's parent's who didn't speak at the memorial service. Neither did Kobe's sisters. Crazy! Beyonce was also attended Kobe Bryant's Memorial Service, and she was amazing. Beyonce and Vanessa Bryant have been friends for many years. So Bey was not just there as a performer, she was there as a friend as she actually knew both Kobe and Gigi personally. And Beyonce gave an amazing and soul felt performance to close out the memorial. But some folks who were at the Kobe Bryant memorial, are saying that Beyonce was behaving like a "diva" the entire time. She is also being criticized for refusing to wear Black at the service. It gets deeper. Attorneys for Vanessa Bryant have reportedly filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company that operated the helicopter that crashed, killing her husband, daughter, and seven others. The suit alleges that pilot Ara Zobayan, who also died in the crash in Calabasas, failed “to use ordinary care in piloting the subject aircraft” and was negligent. I can understand, though. Remember when Lizzo made headlines after she attended a Lakers game in an outfit with the rear cut out, showing off her thong? Now she wants her own thong line with Tommy Hilfiger, really?!? Mikaela Spielberg recently announced that she would be venturing into the porn industry and that her father, famed Hollywood director Steven Spielberg is supportive -- but according to sources, that isn't the case. Mikaela has already launched an account on the OnlyFans app, on which viewers can pay a $15 monthly subscription fee to watch her -- and her father is embarrassed by it all. First Lawrence Fishburn, now this. The Illastr8 "HOT TAKE" for this week was, 'Moments when you should bite your tongue in your relationship.' It got real in the studio for this one! Check back with us!!

The crew talked about some recent news that show some examples of people you may know of showcasing ways to further brand themselves...so to speak. Rapper, 'Lil Baby' is providing his cell number for fans to receive news about his music and shows. Mike Jones helped make sure as many people as possible knew his name by rapping (281) 330-8004 in his 2005 song "Back Then." Other artists, like Solange, have also offered seven digits as a way to directly interact with their fans. Lil Baby is preparing to drop his My Turn album. Tune-in to find out the number! Eric Adams, the first African-American to hold the office of BP, has partnered the Hip Hop is Green (HHIG) organization to put on the first-ever Brooklyn Healthy Rap Battle where Brooklyn youth will compose original rhymes about health and wellness as well as the benefits of living a plant-based lifestyle. Taking a page out of Forever First Lady Michelle Obama's 2010 Let's Move! campaign and a little bit from Dr. Oz and Doug E. Fresh's initiative celebrated through the song "Everybody," Adam is hoping the remixing his outreach with some a rap aesthetic will help shift eating habits for a community plagued with food deserts, Crown chicken spots, and cheap Chinese foods. Find out more about this event to get involved! T-Pain put his shrewd business skills to use when he defended his brand name from a troll trying to disparage his name. An unknown person bought the domain name FuckTpain.com to annoy the world-famous rapper, who also hosts the hit TV show "T-Pain's School of Business" on Fuse. Instead of trying to take it down and hurt the person that put time into making the site, he simply purchased it from them and now all the profit comes to him. Wow. What a way to extend your reach! Social media is on fire after Boosie voiced his opinions on Dwyane Wade’s 12-year-old transgender daughter, Zaya. If you know anything about Boosie, then you should already know that his comments were far from politically correct, as he spoke openly about being against gender reassignment as such a young age. You have to tune in to listen to this! Check out what this week, "HOT TAKE" topic was as well! We got you covered with the latest!

The crew talked about this week some trending topics that may or may not have required you to 'remain standing.' Your guy from Love & Hip Hop NY is the new host of the show "Cheaters." Man, through it all he definitely seems to always remain standing, lol! The “Uptown (Deja Vu)” rapper made the announcement a couple of days ago. Allegedly, he’ll be the first African American host of the show, following in the footsteps of Tommy Habeeb, Joey Greco, and Clark James Gable. Last we heard from Gunz, he was getting dragged on Twitter for allegedly knocking up a 19-year-old. It wasn’t true, but y’all didn’t care, so he got slandered anyway. By our last count, Gunz is a father of 10, including rapper Cory Gunz. Azriel Clary is planning to launch her own foundation to support female abuse victims, specifically women of color. Since leaving R. Kelly’s Trump Tower residence and reuniting with her family last month, Clary has reportedly committed herself to helping others heal their trauma. Furthermore, the outlet reports that she will also work for her father’s nonprofit, Team Truth. The organization aims to educate minors and their families about the different types of abuse and supports them in escaping it. Besides the advocacy work, Clary has also returned to her musical pursuits. According to her Twitter, her “On the Run with Azriel” YouTube series will combine both her singing and nonprofit passions. Good for her! Video footage recently surfaced of Jay, Bey and Blue seating down as pop singer, Demi Lovato, belted out the anthem at Hard Rock Stadium, where the San Francisco 49ers were playing the Kansas City Chiefs. Jay-Z, who received backlash last year after he announced his partnership with the NFL, is also a co-producer of the halftime show, which featured Shakira and Jennifer Lopez. During a press conference with NFL officials, Jay-Z said that we were "beyond kneeling," but it appears that the Carters are not beyond seated protests. Wow! Next week we have something special, so you MUST tune in! Only on blis.fm!

On Sunday, 41-year-old Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna "Gigi" Bryant, and seven other people passed away in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. May GOD rest their souls! We paid homage to him. Fans of Kobe are also finding different ways to memorialize the late icon. Over 1 million people have begun to sign a petition to make Kobe the new NBA logo. As of press time, more than 1.5 million individuals have signed the Change.org petition. The current goal is to get 3 million signatures, so the petition is halfway to reaching its objective. Presently, the NBA's logo includes a silhouette of fellow Lakers legend and the team's former general manager Jerry West who ironically drafted a 17-year old Kobe Bryant in 1996. I think this is only right! Unfortunately, in related news, an animated sitcom on the Comedy Central Network 3 years ago called Legends of Chamberlain Heights was predicted. The show - which aired in 2016 - depicted Kobe going down in a helicopter crash. A distressed Kobe is seen crawling out of the helicopter, and the character says to Kobe - "pass us the trophies, and we'll help you." Kobe refuses, and the helicopter explodes. The early reports of the crash are surprisingly similar. This is strange!! On a positive note, as people are still coming to grips with the sudden and untimely deaths the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the University of Connecticut will honor them in the wake of tragedy. It was announced back in December that Bryant was one of the 2020 Hall of Fame nominees. Now Kobe has been confirmed as a first-ballot enshrinement to be inducted. The ceremony will be held in August in Springfield, Mass. This is only right!! Taraji P. Henson could be set to channel late diva Whitney Houston on the big screen if the singer’s sister-in-law Pat gets her way. Pat is working closely with record executive Clive Davis, who played a key role in the "I Have Nothing" star’s rise to success, on the upcoming project. Whitney passed away at the age of 48 after she was found unconscious in a bathtub on February 11th, 2012. I can see this. The 'Illastr8 HOT TAKE' this week was, "what are some ‘red flags’ to look for when a loved one is in trouble or having issues?" Let us know what you think about this and tune in next week!

We talked this week about trending topics that involved 'timing', whether good or bad. The Atlanta Hip Hop industry came out to the Trap Music Museum to take part in the unveiling of a new exhibit celebrating the musical and cultural impact of two rap superstars. Both Cardi B and Nicki Minaj were honored with permanent installations at Tip "T.I." Harris' gallery. T.I. had to respond to critics that took issue with the two New York City-raised rivals being presented on an equal level. Let's see if the timing for this is a good one? The timing of this is definitely needed. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are reportedly poised to return to the "Bad Boys" franchise for another sequel following the projected box office success of the new "Bad Boys For Life." "Bad Boys for Life" opened in theaters this weekend, and Sony Pictures bosses are so thrilled with the early box office figures, they are close to green-lighting "Bad Boys 4." CAN'T WAIT! Former NBA star and DC native, Delonte West was videoed shirtless and in handcuffs on the side of a road in Prince George’s County, just outside of DC. In the video, which was posted on Twitter, an unidentified man asks West why he had just been attacked and if he had been acting in self-defense. West said he was walking down the street when a man approached him with a gun; he then says a number of unintelligible things. West has long struggled with bipolar disorder. In February 2016, he was spotted wandering around a Jack in the Box in Houston without any shoes on. Last September, West was photographed on a street in Dallas, allegedly homeless. Let's get this man some help ASAP! Monique FINALLY gets her own tv special with Showtime. Mo’Nique & Friends: Live from Atlanta, which will air on Friday, February 7 at 10 p.m. ET. The special features several guests, including Donnell Rawlings from Chapelle’s Show and new comics, Prince T-Dub, Tone-X, Correy Bell and Just Nesh. She's definitely proving that Netflix made the wrong mistake. We also had back in studio, Tyra Paylor (International Hair Educator). She offered more great information about the industry. Check her out everywhere @magnificentproducts or TyraPaylorHair on Facebook. Don't go far because we'll be RIGHT BACK!!!

There were some good signs this week on the entertainment and philanthropy front. Akon has finalized an agreement for 'Akon City, ' which will reportedly be completed in 2025. Akon claims the city will be built on a 2,000-acre land gifted to him by the President of Senegal, Macky Sall. The new city would also trade exclusively in his own digital cash currency called AKoin, he said. Since he's stepped away from music, he has been doing some BIG things behind the scenes! Fox television announces new streaming service ‘Fox Soul’ which will be aimed at Black viewers. Fox Soul will ”aim to celebrate black culture and highlight the real topics that affect the everyday lives of the African American community through frank and insightful dialogue with local and national influencers. The free streaming channel will be a combination of original new programs and existing shows from local Fox stations. Fox Soul currently hosts live original programming Monday through Friday, with prerecorded content from existing shows on Fox stations available on demand. Some of the channel’s original programs include “One on One with Keyshia Cole,” “On the 7 with Dr. Sean,” “The Tammi Mac Late Show,” “Out Loud with Claudia Jordan,” “The Mike and Donny Show,” and “Fit and Fab with Elise Neal.” Wow! Former R. Kelly associate Azriel Clary has been reunited with her family! In a photo posted on Monday (Jan. 13), Clary, her parents, and other family members all donned white t-shirts and sky blue jeans for a fun-loving photoshoot that clearly shows that the connection was an important one for her. Taking control of her narrative since leaving Kelly’s Trump Tower Chicago home, Clary has been transparent about her evolution. Good for her and her family, FINALLY!!! On Monday (January 13), the D-O-Double-G, Snoop Dogg unveiled the signature sandwich, which is appropriately called the Beyond D-O-Double-G. The catch? It will only be available until January 19. In addition to the sandwich, Snoop and Dunkin’ Donuts are also launching an exclusive pop-up merch store called The Beyond Collection by Dunkin’ x Snoop. It will feature limited-edition apparel such as a green tracksuit inspired by Snoop’s outfit in the latest Dunkin’ commercials. The "Illastr8 HOT TAKE" this week is a good one, 'annoying tactics men/women use to get out of arguments?' We do this like non other...until next Wednesday!

Have you ever been caught in the act of something before? Well this week we got some things to discuss about getting caught. Surviving R Kelly Part II: what can we learn from the horrifying update? According to multiple people in the know, the Starz network and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson are preparing to launch a lawsuit against French, for copyright infringement. French leaked an entire scene from the latest episode of Power. French and 50's latest squabble started when French posted about a used 2008 Bugatti that he bought. 50 Cent, who recently bought the 2020 version of the same car for $4 million, started flowing French over his second-hand purchase. Here we go again! Cardi took to Twitter last weekend and announced that she would be filing for her citizenship in Nigeria. She tweeted, “Naaaaa these memes are fuckin [crying emojis] but shit ain’t no joke! Especially being from New York. Its sad this man is putting Americans live in danger. Dumbest move Trump did to date ...I’m filing for my Nigerian citizenship.” Cardi was last in Nigeria when she performed at the Livespot X Festival on Saturday (Dec. 7). During the same trip, she also performed in Ghana at the Accra Sports Stadium in the capital city. Speaking of Cardi, Invasion Of Privacy just spent its 91st week on the Billboard 200 chart at #56. That total puts Cardi's album in a tie with Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) as the longest-charting debut album by a female rapper. We also had in studio, Ms. Tyra Paylor, an award-winning international hair educator. Check her and her products out at www.johnamico.com/magnificentproducts. We got you ALL DAY, only on Illastr8 Radio!

The limit was definitely pushed for this weeks show. Rap star Pusha T is getting into the restaurant business with a brand new establishment in Washington, D.C. The rapper's new eatery Kitsuen will serve up delicious ramen noodle bowls along with craft cocktails. Kitsuen - which means "smoke" in Japanese, will feature food created by head chef Munehiro Mori of Tokyo, Japan, who happens to be an expert in making traditional ramen. Pusha T and his partners Wayne & Tony will launch the event on December 31st, just in time to ring in the New Year. Kanye West and Joel Osteen know a good thing when they see it, and after a massive success at Joel’s Sunday Service in Houston, they’ve talked about a possible national tour. Kanye and Joel will appear at Yankee Stadium on May 2nd. Kanye will be responsible for the music … Joel will perform the sermon. the next venue will be Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago … Kanye’s hometown. The next venue will be Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago … Kanye’s hometown. We’re told that event will go down in September. There have been widespread reports floating on the internet that the government had dropped all charges against Tekashi 6ix9ine, and that he would be released in 72 hours. As an update, 69 did receive 2 years and is set to be released at the end of 2020, when he'll also be sentenced to 300 hours of community service and will be required to pay a $35,000 fine. That's better than 47 years!!! Mariah Carey has broken a lot of records throughout her long-standing career since she debuted on the music scene in the early 1990s, but this new accolade takes the cake. Carey’s beloved holiday song, “All I Want For Christmas,” hit number one on the Billboard charts for the first time in 25 years. This is the 19th number 1 song for Mariah, who is poised to tie the Beatles’ for most number one records of all-time. “All I Want For Christmas” is also the first Christmas song to top the charts since The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) in 1958. We also had in studio, Mr. Kwasi Johnson, 1 of 2 Black owned marijuna dispensaries in the Washington, DC area. Check him and "Jova Wellness" everywhere at www.jovawellness.com and on all social media platforms @jovawellness. We got you ALL DAY!

This is the season of giving and family. This week, we had some trending topics touched on some of these ideals. "Juice" songstress Lizzo stole the show at the Lake Show on Sunday. The Grammy-nominated performer made waves when she began twerking in a thong during the Lakers-Timberwolves game in Los Angeles. Lizzo's asset-showing outfit quickly spread across social media. Some Twitter users began pointing out the similarities between her black shirt-dress with a whole in the back to the ring attire of professional wrestler Solofa Fatu Jr. (aka Rikishi). You have to love her expressiveness though! Kanye is trippin' once again! The rapper's most recent venture took place on Sunday (December 8th) at the Miami Marine Stadium and was accessible only via motorboat, where he was covered head-to-toe in silver for his latest opera, "Mary." Staged on a floating barge at the Key Biscayne waterfront, the chorus stood between sand-colored mounds and reenacted excerpts from the biblical books of Matthew and Luke. Hey...Kanye is Kanye, lol. "Daughters of Africa, today the queen of the universe looks like you." South Africa's 'Zozibini Tunzi' wins Miss Universe title. The newly-minted Miss Universe beat 89 other contestants to nab the coveted title at a ceremony held at the recently opened Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta on Sunday. And now, in a historic first, the crowns for four major pageants are worn by black women. Zozibini Tunzi joins Miss America Nia Franklin, Miss USA Cheslie Kryst and Miss Teen USA Kaliegh Garris in the history-making group. Earlier this year, Franklin, Kryst and Garris made history together as the first three black women to wear those crowns at the same time. Black Girl Magic!! Santa Claus doing lines of coke on your holiday sweater is NOT what Walmart's all about -- according to the big-box store, which is blaming Canada ... for the fashion blunder. A sweater depicting a crazed Claus gripping a straw, getting ready to dive into 3 lines of cocaine was being peddled on Walmart's website. Wow, this is what Christmas has now come too! The "Illastr8 HOT TAKE" for this week was a good one as usual. "When your partner quits his high-paying job to chase his dreams." We had some callers that gave some good points of view and the ladies of couse had to say their piece, lol. Wednesday's from 9-10 pm, we got you ALL DAY!!!

The crew discussed some great things this week that maybe just what you're looking for or forward too. Our boy, Master P launches his own brand of Ramen Noodles - 'Rap Noodles.' Rap Snacks is already a successful brand, with Master P's potato chips and popcorn being sold in retailers across the country. This maybe something to look into, LOL. You must give it up to him though for always being innovative! The three-time Grammy winner, Jill Scott is celebrating the 20-year anniversary of Who Is Jill Scott? in 2020 by heading out on tour. Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 was released on July 18, 2000, via Hidden Beach. The 18-track LP includes the singles "Gettin' In the Way," "A Long Walk," and "The Way." For the folks in the DMV, she'll be here in Hanover, MD at Maryland LIVE on 2/14/20! Lil Wayne unveils a new cannabis brand "GKUA Ultra Premium." Apparently, the strain will feature the "highest natural levels of THC available," with every product being officially tasted and tested by Weezy himself. The first of which is deemed the limited-edition "Hollygrove flower strain," which is set to hit stores in the near future. Can't wait for this one!! Your girl Rihanna can REALLY "take a bow" as the first Black woman whose album spend 200 weeks on the Billboard 200 list. Released in January 2016, ANTI represented a marked left-turn for Rihanna, featuring a woozy, low-key sound not usually showcased by the prolific pop star; it featured the No. 1-charting Drake collaboration “Work,” as well as a cover of Tame Impala’s “New Person, Same Old Mistakes.” Additionally, she was ranked the seventh most-streamed female artist on Spotify for the month of November even though she hasn’t dropped an album in almost four years. She never ceases to amaze. Also this week, in studio we had DMV rap artist "BIG-O." Check him out everywhere @35big_o for music and show updates. Don't move to much because we definitely will be back!!

The pot was full this week with plenty of news. Now, the luck part is something left to be seen. Drake's dad to start in his own reality series. Either Vice or WeTV are expected to finalize a deal with him this coming week. Keep it 'pimpin.' Omarion announces the "Millennium Tour 2020" — without B2K — on Lil Fizz's birthday. Stay tuned for more on this one!! Doctors are reportedly scrambling to figure out what has sidelined French Montana in a San Fernando Valley hospital. Medical personnel still haven’t pinpointed a reason for French’s stomach pain, nausea and elevated heart rate. The Los Angeles-based rapper was rushed to the hospital by ambulance last Thursday (November 21) after police investigating an alleged robbery at his Calabasas home noticed he wasn’t acting right. The robbery at his home turned out to be a false alarm. All the best to French! The Wu-Tang Clan has been having a major year celebrating the 25th anniversary of their iconic debut album Enter The Wu-Tang (36th Chamber). To go along with the string of concerts and the Hulu series Wu-Tang: An American Saga, the legendary collective is making even bigger moves with a proposed Wu-Tang Clan theme park possibly on the way. Wow...Wu-Tany Forever! Three teenage boys were wrongfully convicted for murdering another teen over a jacket, 36 years later. They're Finally Free!! Baltimore police arrested Chestnut, Stewart, and Watkins in November 1983 for the murder of Dewitt Duckett, a junior high student who was on his way to class when he was shot in the neck over a Georgetown University jacket. Dewitt’s murder generated national attention at the time: he was the first student to be fatally shot at a Baltimore public school. 'Signs your partner is romantically interested in your friend?' What do you think of this "Illastr8 HOT TAKE??" Until next Wednesday...