KANYE WEST EARNS HIS FIRST DIAMOND SINGLE: Kanye West has finally earned his first diamond song. According to chart data, his 2007 hit song “Stronger” has gone ten times platinum. Four months after its release, “Stronger” became the rapper’s third No. 1 single when it reached the top of the singles chart at the end of September in 2007.
PHARRELL'S SOMETHING IN THE WATER FESTIVAL WILL NO LONGER BE IN VIRGINIA BEACH DUE TO ITS 'TOXIC ENERGY': Pharrell's Something in the Water festival will not return to Virginia Beach in 2022, after Pharrell said that that the city is run by a “toxic energy” and hasn’t valued his proposed solutions. According to Uproxx, in a letter, Pharrell said, “When we did the festival, it was to ease racial tension, to unify the region, bring about economic development opportunities and broaden the horizons of the local business community. We achieved those things! I wish the same energy I’ve felt from Virginia Beach leadership upon losing the festival would have been similarly channeled following the loss of my relative’s life.” He continued, “I love my city, but for far too long it has been run by — and with toxic energy. The toxic energy that changed the narrative several times around the homicide of my cousin, Donovan Lynch, a citizen of Virginia, is the same toxic energy that changed the narrative around the mass murder and senseless loss of life at Building Number 2. I sang about a room without a roof, but I am tired of kindly and politely being shown the door. Until gatekeepers and the powers-that-be consider the citizens and the consumer base, and no longer view the idea of human rights for all as a controversial idea… I don’t have any problems with the city, but I realize the city hasn’t valued my proposed solutions, either.”
DABABY RESPONDS TO MARRIED WOMAN WHO CLAIMS HE TRIED HITTING ON HER: DaBaby has responded to social media influencer Briana Hampton aka Mrs. LaTruth, who claimed that the rapper tried to hit on her behind her husband's back. She wrote via social media, “The ultimate disrespect for me is to have someone who steps in your dm who 1) Not only knows your married , 2) was in the midst of doing business with my husband, 3) I ain’t nobody’s BIHHH and 4) disrespect my husband and my marriage !!!” DaBaby responded, “Whichever one of you graphic designer n*ggas took my name and that blue check and created that fake ass motherfckin' DM making it look like I'm out here tryin' to slide in some wife DM, you dead f*ckin' wrong.” He added, “Dead wrong n*gga. And I don't even talk like that. Pick up on my lingo a little better next time and maybe it will make some bigger blog sites… Make it sound a little bit more like me.”
JAYDA CHEAVES SPEAKS ON AWKWARD LL COOL J ENCOUNTER: Jayda Cheaves has opened up about a viral video that shows an awkward exchange with her and LL Cool J. The two posed for a photo and it appeared that Jayda was being shady to the hip hop legend. Jayda posted a video explaining the moment, saying, “I really do not want you guys to think that I was being disrespectful. 'Cause if you know me, everybody know I'm cool as f*ck to everybody I meet. So, I was backstage actually practicing for the announcement on BET, so we were in the room with the prompter or whatever and one of my PR friends reached out and was like, 'LL Cool J's out there, go take a picture.'” She continued, “I was already just nervous, so when I met him, *laughs* I love him but I instantly froze up! So when someone tapped me after I took the picture with him, I'm thinking it was the PR telling me to do something else, but it was freaking LL Cool J.” He added, “So sorry, no disrespect. I've been a fan of LL Cool J.”
J. COLE TO PERFORM AT SECRET LA VENUE FOR 'SMALL STAGE SERIES': J. Cole is partnering with SiriusXM and Pandora, for their Small Stage Series. According to Hot New Hip-Hop, Cole will be performing at a secret venue in Los Angeles and will showcase records from The Off-Season, as well as older fan favorites. Cole's performance will be broadcasted on SiriusXM's Hip Hop Nation station and the SiriusXM app on October 26th and both SiriusXM and Pandora listeners will have opportunities to win tickets beforehand.
