U.S. District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall on Friday vacated the conviction of Karl Jordan Jr. in the 2002 killing of Run-DMC co-founder Jason William Mizell, known as DJ Jam Master Jay, concluding prosecutors failed to prove a key element of their case. View this post on Instagram Judge Hall granted Jordan’s motion for a judgment of acquittal, overturning his February 2024 conviction for murder while engaged in a narcotics trafficking conspiracy and a related firearm offense. The decision leaves intact the conviction of co-defendant Ronald Washington and sends a major jolt through a prosecution tied to one of hip-hop’s most notorious unsolved killings. Mizell was shot and killed inside his Queens recording studio on Oct. 30, 2002. The case remained cold for nearly two decades before federal charges were filed. Prosecutors alleged the killing stemmed from retaliation over a collapsed cocaine distribution scheme involving a planned Baltimore operation. Jordan, who is Mizell’s godson, was accused of participating in the conspiracy and firing the fatal shot. The government argued Mizell’s role as a middleman blocked profits and motivated violence. Judge Hall rejected that theory as unsupported by the trial record. Karl Jordan Jr.’s Jam Master Jay’s Murder Conviction Overturned by Federal Judge “The court is not convinced,” Hall wrote in a 29-page opinion. She said the government offered “no evidence suggesting that Jordan felt cheated by the failure of the Baltimore deal” or was motivated to kill Mizell over drugs. The court characterized the prosecution’s motive theories as “impermissibly speculative and just conjecture.” Hall acknowledged evidence showing Jordan participated in drug activity at the time. Still, she found prosecutors failed to connect that conduct to retaliatory intent. She ruled Jordan met the heavy burden required under Rule 29 for acquittal. The court conditionally denied Jordan’s request for a new trial, rendering it moot after vacating the conviction. Hall denied similar motions from Washington, finding sufficient evidence for a jury to infer he sought retaliation after being excluded from a potentially lucrative deal. Washington remains convicted. At trial, prosecutors relied on eyewitness testimony. Uriel “Tony” Rincon testified Jordan fired the fatal shot. Another witness, Lydia High, said a man with a neck tattoo greeted Mizell moments before gunfire. High also testified Washington held her at gunpoint as she tried to flee. Jordan, who was 18 at the time, has long maintained an alibi. His defense has pointed to Jay Bryant, whose DNA was found on a hat at the scene. Bryant has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for trial in May 2026. The U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York said it is reviewing the decision.

Sitting down together in a recent interview, Papoose and Claressa Shields addressed the public unraveling of Papoose’s marriage to Remy Ma. This relationship once stood as one of hip-hop’s most durable unions. Married for more than 15 years, the pair became the focus of intense attention last year as personal tensions spilled into public view. What followed was a cycle familiar in modern celebrity culture. It consisted of silence, speculation, and rapid-fire judgment online. The situation reached a turning point when divorce papers were filed in late July. Rumors moved faster than facts. Online chatter suggested Papoose had exchanged messages and gifts with Shields. Meanwhile, Remy Ma was linked to battle rapper Eazy The Block Captain. All parties have denied infidelity, though disbelief has lingered among fans. As the story evolved, private disagreements hardened into a public dispute. This dispute was fueled by commentary that blurred gossip and reality. Shields Speaks, Papoose Denies Cheating The strain was most visible in the growing tension between Remy Ma and Shields. After the divorce filing, Remy publicly asked Shields to stay quiet, a request Shields rejected. “I’m gonna say what the f**K I want to say! Yes, we’re going to have a family, and yes, we’re happy!” Shields said. She added that Remy would be welcome in her presence as long as the energy remained respectful. The remarks further polarized public opinion, keeping the story alive across social media. During the conversation, Papoose held firm that cheating was never part of the breakdown. This was even during the marriage’s most difficult moments. He and Shields both said they wished Remy well as she moves forward with Eazy The Block Captain. Still, speculation flared again after a video showed Shields wearing a ring on her left hand. She later shut down engagement rumors. She clarified, “PAPOOSE hasn’t proposed YET!”

Kendrick Lamar, one of modern music’s most decorated figures, has quietly set the internet in motion with a brief but telling public moment. The Pulitzer Prize winner was spotted alongside Compton rapper Chef Boy at the TDE Christmas event, an appearance that immediately drew attention across hip-hop circles. Their exchange, casual on its surface, carried the weight of possibility. For fans accustomed to Lamar’s calculated silence, even a few words were enough to ignite curiosity. In footage shared by Kurrco on Twitter, Lamar offered open praise, telling Chef Boy, “You going crazy!” The moment quickly escalated when Lamar added, “We got one coming, it’s nothing. Say less.” The phrasing was deliberately vague, but unmistakably confident. As with most Lamar sightings, the ambiguity only intensified the reaction. Whether this signals a new Kendrick Lamar album or a focused collaboration remains unclear. Recent chatter has already linked Lamar to projects outside music, including work with the creators of South Park, along with unverified tour speculation. Still, the most immediate takeaway centers on Chef Boy. A feature, joint release, or creative mentorship all feel plausible within Lamar’s carefully paced career arc. “We got one coming, say less.” — Kendrick Lamar pic.twitter.com/rlaNzoIzCR — Kurrco (@Kurrco) December 19, 2025 Chef Boy’s Momentum Builds Chef Boy, a rising voice out of Compton, has steadily gained attention in recent months. His track “Gang Gang,” featuring YS, Hitta J3, Rosecrans HopOut, and PHOPHO8IGHT, has positioned him as part of a growing local wave. Lamar’s public acknowledgment alone carries weight in the industry. With that visibility, Chef Boy’s profile could rise sharply heading into 2026. Lamar’s recent low-key appearances, including a quiet stop at a USC basketball game, have only added fuel to ongoing theories about what comes next. Still, longtime fans know restraint is essential when tracking his moves. After all, Lamar once waited five years between DAMN. and Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. If history is any guide, patience will be part of the process.

Atlanta’s hip-hop scene is once again confronting questions of loyalty, forgiveness, and public accountability as familiar relationships come under renewed scrutiny. Signals from Young Thug and 21 Savage have reopened conversations about unity, even as Gunna’s position remains uncertain following his plea deal connected to the YSL RICO case. The mood across the city’s rap community is measured, balancing optimism with restraint. For many fans, this feels less like resolution and more like a pause before difficult decisions are made. That tension sharpened when Young Thug addressed 21 Savage directly on social media, writing, “Fk the streets @21savage.” The remark came after 21 Savage publicly urged reconciliation between Thug and Gunna, challenging the rigid codes that have long governed hip-hop disputes. In a separate post, 21 Savage made his stance unmistakable: “@gunna @youngthug Y’all n*as fix that s**t… you know he wasn’t tryna leave you to hang.” The exchange quickly rippled through the industry, drawing sharp reactions from supporters and skeptics alike. Despite the sharp language, Young Thug’s response to 21 Savage carried warmth, if not clarity. There has been no public indication that he has reached out to Gunna or that a broader reconciliation is underway. Instead, the silence between the two artists continues to fuel debate. In Atlanta hip-hop, absence often speaks as loudly as confrontation. View this post on Instagram Loyalty, Accountability, and a Public Divide Young Thug and 21 Savage now sit at the center of a wider argument about consistency and credibility in rap culture. Critics question whether calls for unity can hold weight without reckoning with past choices and alliances. Supporters counter that growth requires abandoning cycles of punishment and retaliation that have defined too many chapters of the genre. The divide reflects a culture wrestling with its own maturation. For many observers, any meaningful path forward hinges on whether Young Thug and Gunna can resolve their rift directly. Without that step, skepticism is likely to persist, regardless of gestures made elsewhere. Even reconciliation, should it arrive, may invite continued criticism in a genre trained to interrogate motive as much as outcome. Elsewhere, 21 Savage has modeled a different approach. After a brief online clash with Future, the two artists quickly diffused tensions with an apology and a FaceTime call. The moment offered a reminder that conflict in hip-hop does not have to calcify. Repair, when pursued earnestly, can still happen in real time.

Singer Ella Mai is publicly speaking about her baby boy since giving birth. Ella Mai sat down for a candid interview with KISS XTRA where she opened up about life since welcoming a child with Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum. Mai described him as the center of her world adding that she could not live life without him. Host, DJ Ace, asked if she sees her baby pursing basketball or following her path in music. “You know what, it’s giving a little bit of both right now,” Mai replied, “We might have a little singing hooper on our hands.” The ‘Boo’d Up’ singer also spoke about intentionally maintaining her privacy during her pregnancy.  “Yes, there’s cameras everywhere, but if you’re intentional with the way that you move, it’s not that hard to not be seen, honestly”, Mai shared. “I only really have to show people what I want them to see. While I was pregnant, I didn’t stay inside all the time. I didn’t not go outside. I went outside, I was intentional with where I went because I knew that I wanted to keep my peace.” In 2024, fans caught glimpses of Mai’s pregnancy status at various public appearances. She later appeared holding her newborn in behind-the-scenes footage following Team USA’s gold medal win at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Yet, both she and Tatum have kept their family life away from the media. The British songbird shared that when she initially pursued a music career, her only focus was to become an artist. But now as a new mother, she experienced a shift in perspective and hopes fans can hear her growth in her third album, Do You Still Love Me? The new project, releasing Feb 6, follows Mai’s six-city “Did You Miss Me?” Tour  Jayson Tatum is already a father to Jayson Christopher Tatum Jr., aka Deuce. In 2017, he found out his high school girlfriend, Toriah Lachell, was pregnant. “I wasn’t ecstatic,” Tatum said (via ABC). “I was a little selfish at that point because I knew that I was about to go chase my dream and be in the NBA. I felt like that was going to affect what people thought of me, affect where I went in the draft.”

Speculation about a past romance between Wale and Solange Knowles has circulated quietly for years, fueled more by curiosity than confirmation. During a recent appearance on Club Shay Shay, the rapper addressed the rumors directly, leaving little room for ambiguity. “No, we were really good friends,” he said, describing a relationship grounded in trust and creative alignment rather than romance. The remark brought a definitive close to a narrative that had long existed without his voice. Wale spoke warmly about Solange’s influence during a formative period of his career, particularly outside the studio. He credited her with expanding his worldview, including an introduction to fashion circles like Givenchy. “If anyone knows Solo, they understand that she’s always ahead of the curve. She recognized my potential before many others did,” he said, framing her as an early believer rather than a romantic partner. Wale noted that he is currently single, while Solange was previously married to director Alan Ferguson before their separation in 2019. Wale on the Kai Cenat Moment That Went Viral The interview also touched on a more recent moment that drew intense online attention. Wale revisited his brief exchange with streamer Kai Cenat at the BET Awards, a clip that went viral after Cenat appeared not to recognize him. “That sh*t made me look crazy now, just so you know. They’re running with it, but we’ll talk later,” Wale said, acknowledging how quickly the moment took on a life of its own. Cenat later addressed the incident, insisting it was unintentional. “To Wale, I hope he didn’t take my interaction personally. Honestly, how could I not be oblivious?” he wrote. Even so, Wale admitted the episode lingered with him. “Kai Cenat discussing mental health is relevant now,” he said. “After dedicating 13 years to this industry to support the culture, to see online the narrative of ‘@KaiCenat didn’t know who you were’ is disheartening.”

21 Savage turned to X to advocate for unity between Young Thug and Gunna, invoking their shared history and the value of loyalty. “Y’all need to work this out. You’ve shared love, and Gunna never aimed to betray you,” he wrote, framing the dispute as a personal rift rather than a public spectacle. He highlighted the emotional toll of prolonging conflict and stressed that loyalty should guide their choices, even amid disagreement. Addressing Lil Baby, he broadened the conversation to emphasize responsibility within their community. He suggested that acknowledging missteps is part of sustaining trust. “Admitting our brother was swayed is part of loyalty,” he said, reinforcing accountability as an act of care. The post resonated widely, drawing attention from both fans and fellow artists invested in Atlanta’s hip-hop scene. The following day, Young Thug responded in a manner that was personal but indirect. While he did not explicitly reference the call for reconciliation, his words carried warmth and openness. “I love you, my brother, you’ve always been there for me,” he tweeted, signaling a willingness to engage rather than close the door. As of now, 21 Savage has not replied publicly. @21savage I love u my brada, u always been with me. — Young Thug ひ (@youngthug) December 18, 2025 Young Thug’s Subtle Response Prior to this exchange, Young Thug had made remarks perceived by some as critical of Gunna, suggesting feelings of betrayal and tension. Gunna responded thoughtfully via Instagram, reflecting on integrity and resilience. “The true measure of strength lies in maintaining a compassionate spirit when life tests you,” he wrote, choosing reflection over confrontation. The timing of the post suggested it was aimed at addressing the ongoing dynamics. The dialogue between these artists highlights the complex interplay of loyalty, growth, and accountability in Atlanta hip-hop. Fans and peers continue to watch closely, hoping that reflection may lead to reconciliation. For now, the story remains unresolved, with the conversation shaped as much by careful silence as by the statements themselves.

The long-simmering dispute between 50 Cent and Jim Jones flared again after Jones dismissed 50’s Netflix series, Sean Combs: The Reckoning, as a “mockumentary.” The comment was made during a podcast appearance and quickly prompted a sharp response from 50 Cent. He took to social media to air his grievances. What began as a critique of a documentary soon widened into a public argument over money, credibility, and control. The exchange drew in fellow rapper Maino. It shifted the focus from creative differences to personal accusations. In a series of posts, 50 Cent accused Jones and Maino of failing to meet financial obligations connected to their podcast operation. “These individuals are squatters; they owe $250,000 for the space where they record their podcast,” he wrote. He framed the dispute as a matter of unpaid rent. He followed with another jab: “These bums are vying for the best-dressed title but can’t settle their bills.” The remarks cast the conflict as one rooted in accountability rather than artistic rivalry. The situation escalated further when 50 Cent shared an audio recording he said featured the landlord of the building where Jones records. In the clip, the speaker describes difficulties working with Jones. He claims unpaid rent ranging from $80,000 to $180,000. The recording spread quickly online, though its assertions have not been publicly addressed by Jones. No official response has been issued disputing or confirming the claims. 50 Cent shares phone call with owner of Jim Jones’ podcast building; Landlord says Dipset member owes $80K to $180K in back rent pic.twitter.com/ODNsiTp4v1 — Kollege Kidd (@KollegeKidd) December 18, 2025 How the Exchange Expanded Maino soon responded with humor, posting a digitally altered image of 50 Cent that poked fun at his appearance and persona. The post referenced their shared history while sidestepping the substance of the accusations. Its light tone appeared intended to defuse the moment. However, it instead drew another pointed reply. 50 Cent answered directly, writing, “I understand Diddy was your hero; stick by him,” linking Jones and Maino to Sean Combs amid heightened scrutiny. He went on to suggest he could purchase the studio where their podcast is produced. “This wasn’t on my agenda; however, if you insist I’ll make time,” he added. This signaled that the dispute had moved beyond words into a broader contest over leverage and influence.

Megan Thee Stallion’s lawyers are returning to court with a request for stronger restrictions against Milagro Gramz, arguing that a recent jury win was not enough to stop the ongoing online harassment they say the commentator has directed at the rapper. In a newly submitted 23-page motion, her legal team is asking for a permanent injunction that would prevent Gramz from continuing to post or speak about Megan in a way they describe as harmful, whether through livestreams, social media updates, or other forms of digital communication. The motion states that the need for this order became clear soon after the jury ruled in Megan’s favor and a gag order was lifted. Instead of easing up, her team claims Gramz immediately resumed disparaging commentary. One of the examples cited is a December 1st Instagram Live where Gramz downplayed the verdict and suggested she would shift her content to music, labeling it “artistic expression.” Megan’s attorneys say that framing signals her intention to continue while trying to hide behind First Amendment protections. They also call out remarks Gramz made when viewers referenced the lawsuit’s outcome. In the livestream, Gramz said she does not “get on the internet and cry,” which the motion describes as belittling Megan’s emotional trauma. The next day, Gramz posted images of herself alongside Gayle King on X, a post Megan’s team says could reasonably be interpreted as referencing the rapper’s past interview with King, which Gramz used during trial to question Megan’s credibility regarding the Tory Lanez shooting. Another incident cited occurred on December 15th, when Gramz joined another blogger’s livestream and allegedly made new accusations, including claiming witness Amiel Holland-Briggs committed perjury and referring to Megan as “the Black Regina George,” language described as defamatory and racially charged. She also suggested Megan’s manager should be blamed for emotional distress because he shared screenshots of Gramz’s posts — a tactic the filing says she masks as “just questions.” The motion argues that Gramz’s crowdfunding efforts to offset damages show she has faced little consequence and continues to portray her behavior as free speech. According to Megan’s attorneys, the pattern reflects retaliation for the rapper’s cooperation with law enforcement and for surviving a shooting tied to someone close to Gramz. They conclude that “all factors weigh in favor” of granting a permanent injunction.

Diddy’s son King Combs, real name Christian Combs, went viral on Thursday with a since-deleted threat directed towards his father’s longtime rival, 50 Cent, which 50 immediately responded to. The cause of Diddy’s son’s tweet remains unknown. On Dec. 18, King Combs posted on X, formerly Twitter, “On my dad, if I ever see 50 Cent, I’ll slap the f*** outta him.” Tensions escalated on social media after King Combs, son of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, appeared to issue a thre@tening message toward rapper and entrepreneur 50 Cent on X (formerly Twitter). pic.twitter.com/I69Mwinvpo — parrotmouthblog (@ParrotmouthBlog) December 18, 2025 The post quickly circulated before being deleted. It marked the second time King Combs publicly addressed 50 Cent following his 2024 diss track, “Pick A Side,” a record that framed him as Diddy’s heir amid months of pointed criticism from 50. The wording of the post carried weight in hip-hop terms. By opening with “On my dad,” King Combs rooted the message in family loyalty and lineage, signaling that the friction with 50 Cent had crossed from industry commentary into something more personal. 50 Cent responded within hours, choosing ridicule over restraint. “ Lil bro, first, close your damn mouth when you take pictures,” he wrote, immediately treating the threat with humor. He then turned the exchange into a flex-heavy résumé check. 50 continued: “I been rich 3 different times, sold records, sold shows, sold liquor, sold power.” His closing line landed as the knockout. “You still living off Wi-Fi and legacy. Relax.” 50 Cent dismissed King Combs as an industry beneficiary rather than a peer, drawing a sharp line between earned success and inherited status. The response reframed the moment entirely. Combs’ deleted tweet could mean a variety of speculations. Outside of King Combs, 50 is feuding with Jim Jones, Maino, and Diddy-himself at the moment. By refusing to meet aggression with aggression, 50 positioned himself as untouchable in the exchange. It remains unknown if King Combs will continue to feud with his father’s arch-nemesis.