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Kendrick Lamar Wants to Be the Best, Making Hip-Hop Fun – Andscape

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The 2002 NBA All-Star Game accommodates one in every of those Kobe Bryant moments that claims quite a bit about who he was on the court. The game is an exhibition and players generally don’t care much about who wins. Well, players not named Kobe Bryant. The Philadelphia native wanted to win MVP honors at home, in a city the 76ers had eliminated in the previous NBA Finals. Despite the crowd cheering, Bryant got here out and played prefer it was a playoff game, making 25 shots. He attempted 10 more shots than forward Kevin Garnett’s 15, and defended every possession as if the game was on the line – much to the annoyance of players on each teams.

Bryant didn’t care about anyone else. He wanted to win.

Kendrick Lamar has had the same energy since he became a participant in the Top Rap Dog competition. He brought that energy to his role Future and Metro Boomin “Like That” from their recent album. In the song, Lamar dropped bombs at Drake and J. Cole, two of rap’s biggest stars. While there’s loads of subliminal screaming and jabbing on this verse, lyrics like “” and “‘” – a comment on the value of artistry over chart-topping – are undoubtedly geared toward Drake, and J. Cole catches the shrapnel.

Although Lamar and Drake collaborated on songs like “Buried Alive Interlude” from Drake’s 2011 album, Lamar’s “Poetic Justice” and A$AP Rocky’s 2012 “F-in Problems,” things have modified , when Lamar took over his competitive streak. ON “Control” with Big Sean in 2013, Lamar took aim at almost every rapper in his class, from J. Cole and Big KRIT to Big Sean and, yes, Drake.

Lamar’s verse highlighted exactly what he was trying to accomplish: “.” This is a rapper offended by the audacity of anyone who’s on the same level as him. This is Bryant in Philadelphia. This is Michael Jordan dropping six 3s in Game 1 of the 1992 NBA Finals, ending all debate about whether famed guard Clyde Drexler would ever be at his level. This is Houston Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon gutting San Antonio Spurs center David Robinson in the 1995 playoffs and winning MVP honors. That’s what great greats do. They accept competition like a python accepts its prey.

Lamar’s “Control” verse sent shockwaves through the industry, and almost every rapper he mentioned reacted. Some dismissed it as friendly competition (Lamar later created songs with several other people mentioned, similar to Pusha T and Mac Miller). Others submitted their responses – namely Big KRIT, whose “Mt. “Olympus,” he replies is as underrated as it is devastating. And then there was Drake, who never actually addressed the song directly on wax, but seemed particularly concerned about it: says in 2013“I know well and good that Kendrick will not murder me at all, on any platform.”

Since then, every time Drake’s name comes up in discussions as the best in the world, Lamar shows up ready for war. He did it through dissing Drake w in 2013. He slyly addressed Drake’s ghostwriting allegations on 2015’s “King Kunta” before Meek Mill did. And he did some not-so-veiled diss tracks throughout the Dr. album. Dre.

But now it’s “Like That.” There isn’t any room for hesitation here. There’s no denying that Lamar recorded an album with two of the biggest names in rap. But let me repeat: Lamar has nothing against these guys. He doesn’t want to fight either of them for real, and in the event that they saw one another in public, I’m sure it could just end with slaps and hugs.

However, the better part of this competitive spirit could also be that these feuds make these battles exciting again. Rap is cool when artists don’t desire to hand over their first place to anyone. Jay-Z and Nas’ beef in the early 2000s was of the same vein. It’s exciting to see Lamar keeping this energy alive in hip-hop. Now he needs willing sparring partners who’re willing to return fire. Drake showed little interest in a full-scale battle. But J. Cole may prove to be less like those 2002 NBA stars, just here to have a great time, and more like Drexler and even Jordan himself – holding his own against someone who also wants to declare himself the best in the world.

Because otherwise, what’s the point of being great in the event you’re not willing to prove it once they call you on it?

DavidDennis Jr. is a senior author at Andscape and winner of the American Mosaic Journalism Prize. His book titled The Movement Made Us will likely be released in 2022. David is a graduate of Davidson College.

 

This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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Snoop Dogg Takes Over ‘Amazon Music Live’ in Season 3 Finale – Essence

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Snoop Dogg attends the Los Angeles Premiere of “Gladiator II” held on the TCL Chinese Theater on November 18, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)

When Snoop Dogg takes the stage at Amazon Music Live on November 29, it is the moment hip-hop fans have been waiting for. The West Coast legend ends Season 3 with a performance that guarantees to be nothing in need of legendary.

Airing after Black Friday Football at 7pm EST on Prime Video and Twitchthe show will showcase his expansive musical journey, combining chart toppers with deep cuts that defined a complete generation.

Sponsored by the brand new 2025 Nissan Kicks, fans can expect an exclusive first hearken to songs from his upcoming album ‘Missionary’, which might be released next month. The announcement comes at a critical point in Snoop’s profession and marks the following evolution of an artist who moves seamlessly between music, acting and entrepreneurship.

(*3*)Snoop Dogg takes over

Amazon Music Live has change into a powerhouse of musical innovation, and Snoop’s final performance epitomizes what it’s all about. Throughout Season 3, the series featured standout moments from artists resembling Jelly Roll, who brought together country and rock stars for an epic performance, and Big Sean, who paid tribute to historically black colleges and universities together with his breathtaking tribute .

For those that wish to have fun in advance and luxuriate in the final word Snoop experience, Amazon Music has REDISCOVER Snoop Dogg playlist it’s the proper foundation. It’s a musical time capsule chronicling his journey from the Long Beach underground scene to world-famous superstardom. Each track tells the story of an artist who not only survived in the music industry, but fundamentally modified it.

With 16 Grammy nominations to his name, Snoop continues to prove that he’s greater than only a rapper – he’s a real entertainment icon. His influence extends far beyond music, touching on film, television, cannabis culture and entrepreneurship. The Black Friday performance might be the following chapter in a profession defined by constant reinvention.

The performance isn’t only about music – it’s also a presentation of, amongst others, recent nissan kicks 2025. As an official sponsor of Amazon Music Live, the compact crossover was integrated throughout the season, giving fans a glimpse of its modern style and advanced technologies through pre-show and in-person experiences on the show.

For those in the Los Angeles area, a limited variety of tickets can be found from DICE. But for everybody else, Prime Video and Twitch will bring the magic of Doggfather right to your screen. It’s a probability to see a living legend in top form, delivering a performance that guarantees to be as unpredictable and electrifying as Snoop himself.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Melania slammed Donald Trump with third prenup change, fueling rumors of marital drama after she dodged his kiss and claim resurfaced

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For years, there was speculation concerning the authenticity of the love between President-elect Donald Trump and his wife, Melania Trump. The theories intensified after Melania was caught repeatedly hiding from her husband’s public displays of affection for years.

Some imagine their relationship is solely business-related, a view that gained popularity when the New York Post reported in September 2023 that its alleged insider claimed that Melania had renegotiated her prenuptial agreement with the forty fifth president for the third time. The move followed Trump’s confirmation of his intention to hunt a second term as president after announcing his re-election campaign on November 15, 2022.

When the couple married in 2005, the initial prenuptial agreement reportedly significantly favored Donald Trump. However, since then the contract has been renegotiated not less than 3 times, with the primary renegotiation going down in 2017 and one other in 2020, when she served as apparently delayed moving to the White House – not less than that is what the New York Post claims in its unconfirmed reports. It is unclear why the thrice-married Trump would conform to loosen up his protections as part of such an arrangement.

In 2023, an alleged insider told the Post’s Page Six gossip column: “Over the past yr, Melania and her team have been quietly negotiating a brand new deal following the suspension of her contract with Donald Trump. This is not less than the third time Melania has renegotiated the terms of her marriage contract.

WASHINGTON – JULY 4: President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend an event on the South Lawn of the White House on July 4, 2020 in Washington, DC. President Trump hosts a "Salute to America" ​​celebration that includes a flyover of military planes and a large fireworks display. (Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON – JULY 4: President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend an event on the South Lawn of the White House on July 4, 2020 in Washington, DC. President Trump hosts a “Salute to America” ​​celebration that features a flyover of military planes and a big fireworks display. (Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

It continued to be claimed that Melania can be increasingly concerned about Trump’s mounting legal problems. Last yr, he was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with making secret payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. That same yr, Trump was also found liable in a civil suit for sexual abuse and defamation of author E. Jean Carroll. More than a yr ago, Trump was also charged in Atlanta with attempting to overturn the presidential vote within the 2020 elections in Georgia. Trump ultimately faced federal criminal charges related to his mishandling of classified documents after leaving office and the January 6 rebel.

With all this happening against Trump, Melania obviously desired to be certain she can be secure.

“This agreement was necessary due to ongoing legal disputes that (…) (Donald) has suffered,” the source said.

However, the insider also told Page Six that the postnuptial agreement doesn’t mean Melania plans to depart Trump.

They said the revised deal would also provide money for his or her 18-year-old son, Barron Trump.

“Melania is most concerned with maintaining and increasing the considerable trust she has in her son, Barron.”

Another source backed up this statement, saying, “I know she wanted this to provide her with more money, and also – from what I understand – there is at least a set amount that Barron is expected to get.”

Fans shared their thoughts on Melania renegotiating her prenup with The Daily Beast’s. side.

One person said: “Thanks to her we managed to save him. After filing for bankruptcy five times, he will be living on Melany’s benefits.”

The second wrote: “He must secure Barron’s future before the non-existent money disappears.”

A third commenter advised: “Honey, take the money and run.”

CNN is preparing for Trump’s second visit to the White House reported that his wife doesn’t plan to live in Washington full time. Sources told the news outlet that while Melania plans to attend essential events, she will spend loads of time living between New York City – as her son Barron attends NYU there – and Palm Beach, Florida, where many of her friends live.

Her reported impending absence from the White House has sparked whispers about whether Melania is serious about her responsibilities and priorities as first lady, but that is not all. It also sparked more speculation about whether she and Trump have a blissful marriage.

Even during Trump’s victory speech, a smiling Melania avoided being kissed by her husband as he sang her praises on stage. After thanking her and expressing his appreciation for her “best-selling book in the country,” Trump moves to hug and kiss his wife, then places her hand on her cheek as she turns her head barely.

Still, Melania assures doubters that every little thing is effective in her marriage to Trump. In September, she even tried to disclaim the rumors during an interview on “Fox & Friends.”

When asked what she liked about her husband, she replied: “His essence. His humor. His personality. His kindness,” he added later. “It’s very special. His positivity. His energy. It’s unbelievable. Yes, so we’ve got a fantastic relationship.

This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Jussie Smollett’s 2019 Self-Attack Conviction Overturned – Andscape

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday overturned the choice to fireside an actor Jussie Smollett conviction on charges of organizing a racist and anti-gay attack on himself in downtown Chicago in 2019 and lying to police.

The the state’s highest court ruled that the special prosecutor shouldn’t have been allowed to intervene after the Cook County state’s attorney initially dropped charges against Smollett in exchange for waiving $10,000 bail and performing community service. The ruling and appeal didn’t address Smollett’s continued claim of innocence.

Smollett, who’s black and gay, claims two men attacked him, hurled racist and anti-gay slurs and placed a noose around his neck, resulting in an enormous seek for suspects by Chicago police and sparking a world uproar. Smollett was starring in a television drama that was filmed in Chicago, and prosecutors alleged that he organized the attack because he was unhappy with the studio’s response to hate mail he received.

“We are aware that this case has generated significant public interest and that many people were dissatisfied with the resolution of the original case and considered it unfair,” Justice Elizabeth Rochford wrote in a 5-0 decision. “Nevertheless, more unfair than the resolution of any single criminal case would be for this court to find that the state is not obliged to honor agreements on which people have relied to their detriment.”

Smollett’s attorneys argued that the case ended with Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office dropped initially 16 counts of disorderly conduct. A grand jury reinstated the fees after a special prosecutor took over the case. The jury convicted Smollett of five counts of disorderly conduct in 2021

Emails searching for comment were sent Thursday to Foxx’s office and Smollett’s attorney, who argued that Smollett was the victim of a racist and politicized justice system.

Testimony at trial showed that Smollett paid $3,500 to 2 men he knew to perform the attack. Prosecutors said he told them what insults to shout and shout that Smollett was in “MAGA country,” an apparent reference to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign slogan.

Smollett testified that “there was no fraud” and that he was the victim of a hate crime in his downtown Chicago neighborhood.

He was sentenced to 150 days in prison, six of which he had already served released pending further notice — 30 ​​months probation and ordered to pay roughly $130,000 in restitution.

The state appeals court’s ruling upheld Smollett’s conviction, declaring that nobody promised Smollett that he would not face a brand new charge after accepting the unique deal.

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary Jane Theis and Justice Joy Cunningham didn’t take part in Thursday’s decision.

This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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