Celeb Updates

The death of Nipsey Hussle shocked the world when he was gunned down in a fatal incident that left his wife and two kids grieving. Nipsey, born to the name Ermias Asghedom, worked tirelessly to better his community and the world around him. Over the years, his following and the admiration for his work had grown as he spread his message of positivity and hard work.

In the wake of his death, there have been a number of celebrity names in the headlines speaking out on their grief and how his loss has affected them. Everyone has different ways of dealing with grief and pain – one of those includes getting a tattoo.

Some notable names have gotten a tattoo inspired by or depicting Nipsey Hussle, ensuring that his legacy lives on for generations. Let’s discuss 5 celebrities that have been changed by the loss of Nipsey and paid homage to him via ink and needles.

Rick Ross

Rick Ross is first on the list as a long-time friend of Nipsey Hussle that has a fondness for tattoos. The rapper got a tattoo done by famous artist Tatu Baby, which shows Nipsey with an angel halo above his head. He went a step further and put the artists face on the elevator door of his home so that he can always be reminded of how Nipsey encouraged moving forward and up in the world.

Ross only has good things to say about the rapper, who worked on several songs with him. The two were actually working on a song and video at the time of Hussle’s untimely death, which features Teyana Taylor. Taylor has also dealt with grief, stating that the song made her feel angry after listening to it.

Lauren London

As the wife of Nipsey Hussle, Lauren London is sure to be having a tough time dealing with the loss of her best friend and lover. The couple began dating in 213 after meeting on Twitter to discuss sales of a limited edition mixtape that Nipsey had released and was selling for a high price. They met in person for the first time at his store, located in Los Angeles, California on Slauson Avenue, where he was fatally shot.

She paid tribute to her late husband by getting a depiction of him along her forearm along with “God will rise”. The couple shares a child together, a boy named Kross, that was born in 2016. London must now make her way through the world without her greatest love, but she will continue to spread his message and pass along Nipsey’s lessons and wisdom to their son.

The Game

Many artists get tattoos on their arms, legs, or back – especially when it represents someone else. However, the Game and Nipsey were so close that the rapper dedicated his entire chest to get a realistic depiction of the late rapper’s face etched into him. “Crenshaw” is written beneath the tattoo, calling attention to Nipsey’s roots. He also got the word “prolific” tattooed in the same fashion as the late artist.

They had become friends despite their affiliations with warring gangs. They paved the way to nonviolence, preaching about coming together to overcome obstacles and make the hood a better place. Nipsey constantly spoke about unity and encouraged peace, stepping into rap beefs and helping squash them.

Although the Game initially faced backlash over his friendship with Nip, he overcame it and instead used his platform to encourage others to do the same – make peace. They worked together to bring the community together and their efforts will have lasting consequences.

Roddy Ricch

Roddy Ricch is an up and comer in the music industry that made his debut in the song “Racks in the Middle”. His first single, which featured Nipsey Hussle, was finished shortly before the rapper’s death. They met only recently, with Nip discovering his talents and quickly attempting to sign him before anyone else could.

Rich paid his respects to Nip by getting “prolific” tattooed along his face, similar to the late rapper’s own tattoo. He credits his success to Nipsey and thanks to him for sharing his knowledge with the young up and comer. He has stated that he strives to put the lessons he learned from Nipsey during that short amount of time to work, putting his passion into becoming a great artist.

Nipsey Hussle may be gone, but he will certainly never be forgotten. The artist touched the lives of many, making a change and etching himself into history.

The music world can seem like a fantastic soap opera that you watch and enjoy, but it can be very real trouble for the celebrities that go through difficulties with the law. In the latest news, A$AP Rocky has been arrested and detained in Sweden.

What Happened in Sweden?

The rapper, whose name is Rakim Mayers, got into a fight when a group allegedly followed him several blocks while he was in Stockholm. Bystanders filmed the fight, but details about what happened came to light when A$AP posted two videos on his Instagram account. In one, you can see Rocky and his entourage asking two males to discontinue following them.

In the caption, the rapper stated that they were not his fans and that he did not know them. They continued to follow them, harassing girls and causing trouble when the rapper wasn’t seeking any. Another video shows several different interactions on the night in question, when the men were repeatedly asked to stop following Rocky and his group.

It’s not clear what eventually led up to the attack, but there is video footage of one of the males attacking s security guard in the group using a pair of headphones. In another video, you can hear the rapper stating that he wants to be left alone. At the end of the video, a female voice off-camera states that the men groped her and the woman she was with.

His Tour Has Been Interrupted

While fans along with several famous artists support the famous rap star, Rocky continues to claim his innocence and fight for release. He was on tour at the time, which has been disrupted as he is unable to attend shows while being detained. He was scheduled to tour in Dublin, Poland, London, and perform other shows across Italy, Germany, Ukraine, and more.

Arrested on the Spot

According to a reliable source, A$AP Rocky was arrested as soon as he arrived at the police station. This has caused significant controversy as the rapper went voluntarily in an attempt to speak with the authorities about the incident. They also failed to notify the American embassy located in Stockholm, which goes against protocol whenever an American citizen is arrested.

The rapper tried to appeal his arrest, but the Supreme Court of Sweden denied his appeal. Rocky and his lawyers pushed for his release, stating that he has already lost more than $1 million and will continue to lose even more, possibly his career, if he is detained longer. His living conditions have been described as inhumane, though Sweden’s government officials have denied these allegations.

A petition has been filed for his release, stating that Rocky and the members of his entourage were acting in self-defense on the night in question and does not deserve to be kept in solitary confinement. It has been alleged that he is being restricted from the most basic of amenities and the conditions are unsanitary. He was being held in solitary confinement, with no phone privileges and no visitation.

The petition also alleges that the Swedish government violated the law – Article 36 in the Vienna Convention on Consular relations to be exact. The petition has over 350,000 signatures and will likely continue to gain signatures, as support is steadily rising for the star. Several rappers have announced that they are boycotting tours in Sweden, including T.I., Lil Yachty, Tyler the Creator, and Schoolboy Q to name a few.

The President is Involved

Representatives of the American embassy were actually banned from speaking with the rapper, which apparently called the attention of the president. He turned to Twitter, using the hashtag #FreeRocky and expressing disappointment at Sweden for not treating Americans fairly.

He claims that the United States does a lot for the country but doesn’t seem to get much in return, as shown with the recent arrest of A$AP Rocky and their failure to follow protocol. The president appealed to the Prime Minister, Stefan Lofven, hoping that he would intervene in the case of the rapper.

However, the Swedish government replied with a statement saying that they treat every individual equally and would not interfere with the proceedings of the law. With Trump unable to intervene, there’s no telling how things will go.

What Will Happen Next?

A$AP Rocky and his lawyers are still fighting the case, bringing evidence to the table in order to prove his innocence. It’s up to the courts to determine his fate, as he is facing 2 years in jail.

Mo’Nique has been known for several TV shows and movie appearances, but her starring role seems to be in the headlines dragging other celebrities. Most recently, she has rekindled her feud with Oprah and made headlines once more. Let’s get into some of the details of the latest travesty that Oprah Winfrey has caused according to Mo’Nique.

Friends in the Past

The pair have not always been at odds. In the past, the two were good friends and shared history of sexual assault that brought them closer together. Their shared bond was powerful with Mo’Nique thanking Oprah for helping her talk about her issues and bringing them to light.

Mo’Nique was molested by her brother, Gerald Imes, which brought her unimaginable pain at a very young age. She spoke about this to Oprah, opening up about her past and how the experience affected her. The two bonded, but this doesn’t seem to have lasted long after Oprah offended Mo’Nique in several ways after their heartfelt interview.

Channeling Her Pain in Movies

The movie Precious, which starred Mo’Nique and got her an Oscar for her role as Mary Jones, addresses sexual assault. The movie’s plot centers around a young and impoverished girl that have trouble in school and is often molested by members of her family. She got pregnant from her father and went through a journey of self-discovery to escape the past that seemed to haunt her wherever she went.

Mo’Nique has spoken about the role she played in the movie, stating that she channeled her brother when she played the “monster” of Mary Jones. Her brave portrayal paved the way for women to speak out about a sexual assault and move forward in life, refusing to let the past determine their future.

Oprah’s Big Mistake

Mo’Nique has spoken about her sexual abuse on the Oprah Winfrey show, giving details on the horrific abuse she suffered while living in a foster home. She was sexually abused until she managed to leave the home, but this is not all that she has had to go through in life.

Mo’Nique’s brother sexually assaulted her several times when they were kids, starting at the age of 7 and continuing over the years. Oprah had the idea to bring him onto her show and discuss what happened, asking if Mo’Nique would like to join him on the stage and asking if it was okay to have her brother present on the show.

Mo’Nique refused to appear on the show but says she reluctantly agreed that it was fine for her brother to appear on the show. One thing Oprah didn’t mention, however, was that her mother and father would be appearing on the show as well.

The star said that if she had known her parents would be on the show, she would have never agreed due to how tenuous their relationship was at the time. She didn’t want to see her mother put through that shame and humiliation on national television just for money, but she didn’t have a choice. When the show aired, Oprah reached out to Mo.

Mo’Nique admits that she didn’t tell Oprah her true feelings about the episode at the time because she was a bit star-struck and regretted her mistake. She vowed to have another conversation with Oprah, but Oprah stated that she didn’t know Mo’s parents would be on the show and then said she would call back.

Oprah never called back, so Mo took their conversation to the stage at the Oscars when she was called to give advice to rising star Lupita Nyong’o. Oprah apologized for offending her, but Mo believed it wasn’t genuine and hasn’t looked at Oprah the same since.

Are They Still Beefing?

It seems that the feud is still going strong, with Mo claiming that Oprah interviewed Michael Jackson’s accusers in order to get ratings on the show. Mo’Nique and her husband took to YouTube, where they blasted Oprah in regard to her interviews with James Safechuck and Wade Robson. These two individuals have accused MJ of sexual abuse that took place when they were children.

The interview comes after the HBO documentary about the star’s alleged transgressions at Neverland. Although Michael Jackson was found not guilty, Oprah interviewed his accusers – which Mo’Nique found disheartening and disrespectful to Jackson.

This is just the latest saga in the battle of Mo’Nique versus Oprah. There’s sure to be more in the future, as Mo continuously finds things to take offense to, so keep an eye out for these two.

The rapper that blew the charts with his single ”Old Town Road” has landed in hot water just as he makes waves in the music world and the culture. The 20-year-old rapper was born on April 9 in 1999 as Montero Lamar Hill, hailing from Atlanta, Georgia. He moved around a lot throughout his childhood, but remaining within the state and playing around with rap.

His famous moniker was developed out of playfulness, as the rapper says he started out joking around rapping and didn’t take it seriously. The name stuck, but as his career took off, he wanted a name that would carry his status when he became a legend – so he added the X after a few years.

He Claimed the Top Spot on the Billboard Hot 100

The rap star has already built his net worth to a cool $2 million, but he may have to pay more than $25 million if the court sides with a publisher from Culver City that claims the song “Carry On” may infringe upon the rights of a different song with the same name. These claims come after the song topped the charts for several weeks in a row, keeping Taylor Swift from getting to the #1 spot, and raked in more than 4 million views on YouTube.

The song, by Bobby Caldwell, was released in 1982 and is also called “Carry On”. In the complaint made, The Music Force LLC states that Lil Nas X used various aspects of the song without getting permission from the publisher, using it to gain revenue and claiming that the rap star and his producers had “malicious intent”. His record label, Sony Music, has also been named in the suit and may face the consequences of failing to properly vet the rapper’s music before releasing it.

The lawsuit alleges that Sony Music didn’t take any actions to stop the unauthorized use of other’s music, infringing upon their rights as they enjoy the millions in revenue that they receive from their artists. The plaintiff has appealed to the court for $25 million in damages – $10 million and then an additional $15 million for punitive damages due to increased confusion that may occur in the market as the song carries the name of their own.

According to the company, Lil Nas X has made the value of the original song by Caldwell decrease, which is why they request payment for punitive damages as well. However, the court will have to decide how this case goes as the rapper awaits news on what will happen in his career next.

Lil Nas X Isn’t Slowing Down

Until then, his single “Old Town Road” shows no signs of slowing down and remixes are continuously being made. It made history when it threatened to break the record for the longest number of weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The rapper knows how to keep the momentum going, releasing a remix of the song featuring the popular K-pop group known as BTS.

The song quickly spread, gaining more than 2 million views in a matter of hours. The remix, titled “Seoul Town Road” instantly started trending on Twitter and may have solidified his spot in the top for the 17^th week in a row. Only two other artists have gotten this far – “One Sweet Day” by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men and “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi featuring Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee.

An LGBTQ Icon for the Culture

The rapper has made waves, catching the attention of Lil Wayne. The veteran gave him some valuable advice, encouraging Lil Nas X to continue to go for the top and break his own records instead of focusing on fame. He has made his mark, becoming an LGBTQ icon when he came out as gay during pride month in June of 2019. This reveals made “Old Town Road” the longest hit song by a queer artist in the 61-year history of the Billboard Hot 100.

He sees his success as w in for the LGBTQ community and other artists in the music industry that refuse to be put into a box and fit into a certain narrative. He says that his focus remains on creating an open space and giving the opportunity to diverse artists in country and hip-hop – two genres of music that have notoriously shunned the LGBTQ community.

In the wake of his lawsuit, the rapper continues to hold onto his values and make hits that spread like fire. Only time will tell how far his career goes and what effects the lawsuit will have on his career.