Key Glock

Memphis recording artist <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/key-glock-speaks-out-on-young-dolph-murder-for-the-first-time">Key Glock</a> was arrested on felony gun and drug charges in Atlanta on March 28 and shared the detainment on Instagram Live.&nbsp;
https://x.com/Iam205entertain/status/1773630758877344002?s=20
The<a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/the-best-freaknik-documentary-reactions-are-in"> Atlanta</a> Police Department confirmed the rapper's arrest, real name Markeyvius Cathey, and issued the following statement:
&ldquo;Cathey was arrested on March 28th during a traffic stop at the location of 1960 Piedmont Rd NE regarding an out of jurisdiction arrest warrant and possession of marijuana,&rdquo; the statement reads. &ldquo;The report detailing the arrest is still in the process of completion at this time.&rdquo;
Mostly recorded in the back of the police car, the officer investigated the rapper&rsquo;s vehicle where he discovered a firearm and two open warrants while ticketing him on <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/young-dolph-key-glock-list-best-weed-in-us-address-airport-incident-talk-dum-dummer">weed possesion</a>. &ldquo;Just &lsquo;cause of the smell of weed,&rdquo; the cop said. &ldquo;There was a little bit of weed in the car in the little bag from wings. But that&rsquo;s just a ticket. Just a little like 3.5 [grams].&rdquo;
The cause of Key Glock&rsquo;s traffic was due to the dark tint on the artist&rsquo;s vehicle. Atlanta PD informed the rapper that the open warrant was within a 50 mile radius of traffic stop, which allowed him to be arrested. &ldquo;It says they&rsquo;ll pick you up within 50 miles of Sandy Springs,&rdquo; the cop said. &ldquo;And we&rsquo;re within 50 miles. So, they&rsquo;ll probably want you, man.&rdquo;
There has been no response to the arrest from Key Glock's team.

Key Glock Captures His Felony Arrest In Atlanta On Livestream

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 08: YNW Melly attends Murda Beatz 25th Birthday + GRAMMY Celebration on February 08, 2019 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for 2wenty 2wenty Music)

YNW Melly

While <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/ynw-melly-faces-death-penalty-following-first-degree-murder-charges">YNW Melly</a> awaits retrial for Capital Homicide, his hit song "Murder On My Mind," also known as &ldquo;Mischief On My Mind,&rdquo; has surpassed one billion streams on <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/living-wage-for-musicians-act-congress-reads-new-bill-forcing-streaming">Spotify</a>.
https://x.com/brysonboompaul/status/1769255560208142830?s=20
News of the feat received mixed reactions. One social media user commented, "Justice for Sakchaser and Juvy," while another wrote, "Them crackers are intentionally making Melly Music career fall off, its sad to see..them last few albums Melly put out did not do good because he&rsquo;s not out to promote it..it&rsquo;s unconstitutional how long this case has been going on."
The 2018 hit marks the first song by the Florida artist to achieve the milestone. &ldquo;Murder On My Mind&rdquo; appears on the artist&rsquo;s debut mixtape,&nbsp;I AM YOU. The track&rsquo;s music video has generated over 625 million views on his YouTube account.&nbsp;
Melly&rsquo;s hit song was initially distributed through 300 Entertainment/Atlantic Records, but the labels were removed from distribution credits in November 2023. Melly&rsquo;s name and image have also been removed from the 300 Ent and Atlantic Records website. He signed a joint deal with 300/Atlantic in May 2018.&nbsp;
100KTrack, Melly&rsquo;s manager, launched Remain Solid, his new label, last May through a deal with 300 Ent.&nbsp;
https://x.com/brysonboompaul/status/1727579907826610479?s=20
300 Ent CEO Kevin Liles appeared at Melly&rsquo;s original trial in June 2023. Liles has advocated for the ban on using rap lyrics in court with his <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/kevin-liles-on-takeoff-the-fight-to-protecting-black-art-ye">Petition To Protect Black Art</a>. The federal petition was lanched by Liles after the RICO indictments of <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/young-thug-gunna-indicted-roc-nation-taking-on-rico">Young Thug</a> and <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/gunna-to-be-released-after-pleading-guilty-to-racketeering">Gunna</a> in 2022.
YNW Melly's initial Capital Homicide case was declared a mistrial in July 2023 with Florida immediately moving forward with a retrial, which has been delayed due to a Notice of Appeal. He is charged with the October 2018 shooting deaths of Christopher "YNW Juvy" Thomas Jr. and Anthony Thomas Jr., two of his closest friends and fellow YNW members. &ldquo;YNW Sakchaser&rdquo; Williams. Moreover, he faces two wrongful death lawsuits and a witness tampering case.
After surrendering to authorities in 2019, Melly&rsquo;s popularity soared, earning the artist 10 platinum certifications from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/06/12/ynw-melly-murder-arrest-popularity-boost-10-platinum-plaques/">RIAA</a>. The prosecution has filed motions to request the use of Melly&rsquo;s song <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/ynw-mellys-lyrics-could-be-used-against-him-in-double-murder-retrial">lyrics</a> in the retrail.

YNW Melly’s “M***** On My Mind” Surpasses One Billion Streams On Spotify

Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images for OnlyFans

OnlyFans

Missouri high school teacher Brianna Coppage, who quit her job due to issues with her $1 Million <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/new-report-onlyfans-tops-doordash-instacart-as-the-most-profitable-side">OnlyFans</a> account, has now been <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/rachel-dolezal-responds-after-being-fired-for-onlyfans-account">fired</a> from her new healthcare job.
The 28-year-old content creator shared news of her termination on Tuesday (March 19) while joking with her followers. &ldquo;Making fun of myself for getting fired from another job is a coping mechanism,&rdquo; she tweeted on X.&nbsp;
https://x.com/bricoppage/status/1763756943934370209?s=20
https://x.com/bricoppage/status/1770170610695500171?s=20
Coppage originally suspected an issue at her new job on March 4. Sharing with followers, &ldquo;Funny story&hellip; I got a day job because I lack purpose and consistency in my day-to-day.. and my mental health sucks when I stay home every day.. Well.. I just got put on leave and am being investigated because of OF here we go again.&rdquo;
https://x.com/bricoppage/status/1764746057689288790?s=20
On March 18, she ranted about how personal lives should not matter at work following the termination, tweeting:
&ldquo;Honestly though. Fuck the dumb bitches who can&rsquo;t just mind their own business. Like why is everyone so worried about what other people are doing? Just stay in your own lane, and worry about yourself.&rdquo;
https://twitter.com/bricoppage/status/1769863502187962818
Coppage made headlines after she left her teaching job at St. Clair High School in Missouri due to reports about 'inappropriate media' surfaced online. Known as Brooklin Love online, Coppage earned $1 million from OnlyFans, before leaving teaching. She began a job at Compass Health as a community support specialist, in which she was shortly fired, despite disclosing her teaching history.
&ldquo;They admitted they didn't check my references or Google me before hiring me. They claim I violated their social media policy but won't say how,&rdquo; Coppage told the press.
Coppage launched an OnlyFans account to pay off student loans, as she earned only $42,000 yearly as an English teacher. Missouri offers low starting salaries for teachers, per the National Education Association.
While using an alias, she believes her Onlyfans account leaked because of her husband's appearance in a video, which sparked local controversy. OnlyFans require users to be 18+ and its age verification terms vary. Coppage claimed that her OnlyFans account was not related to her teaching career during questioning by school officials.
Despite her suspension making headlines, Coppage&rsquo;s OnlyFans account gained new subscribers, doubling her earnings. &ldquo;I don't regret joining OnlyFans. Sex work shouldn't be shameful,&rdquo; she stated.
After her new termination, Coppage updated fans on Wednesday (March 20) that she is using online referrals to search for a new job. She tweets, &ldquo;Me on Instagram asking for job recommendations in my underwear [cry laughing face emoji] sometimes I think I&rsquo;m funny,&rdquo; &ldquo;And people will still take it serious and make fun of me [two cry laughing face emojis].&rdquo;
https://twitter.com/bricoppage/status/1770175768225566801
&nbsp;

Missouri Teacher Who Quit After $1M Onlyfans Discovered, Fired At New Job

Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Bruno Mars

<a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/nick-cannon-says-bruno-mars-has-more-hits-than-beyonce">Bruno Mars</a> may be a safe bet on stage but a bad bet on the gambling tables during his <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/usher-honored-with-key-to-the-city-and-his-own-day-in-las-vegas">Las Vegas</a> residency, as multiple sources reported over the weekend that the award-winning singer/songwriter allegedly owes millions to the MGM Grand casino in gambling debts.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C0My2bAv2gu/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
On Thursday (March 14), <a href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/entertainment-news/bruno-mars-gambling-mgm/">News Nation</a> reported that a Las Vegas insider said Mars owes $50 million to the MGM casino from gambling. &ldquo;(MGM) basically own him,&rdquo; said insider.
The 38-year-old 12-time Grammy award winner previously declared himself a professional poker player. It is alleged that the megastar is working his debt off, literally, performing nightly.&nbsp;
The insider added, &ldquo;He makes $90 million a year off of the deal he did with the casino, but then he has to pay back his debt&hellip; after taxes (Mars makes $1.5 million per night).&rdquo;&nbsp;
Bruno Mars signed a <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grammy-award-winning-superstar-bruno-mars-announces-long-term-relationship-with-mgm-resorts-international-300341682.html">long-term contract</a> with the MGM in 2016. The deal is he&rsquo;ll perform at various MGM Resorts venues, like Park Theater at Monte Carlo in Las Vegas and The Theater at MGM National Harbor in Maryland.
Silk Sonic, consisting of Bruno Mars and <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/the-weeknd-ausdap-rocky-meek-mill-sza-more-new-music-you-might-have-missed">Anderson Paak</a>, started their Las Vegas residency at Dolby Live in February 2022, called An Evening with Silk Sonic. The insider alluded to the pair feuding over money, but no reports have emerged concerning it. The Pinky Ring by Bruno Mars is a new cocktail lounge in Bellagio Hotel and Casino launched by the entertainer.
Mars nor the MGM have commented on the news at this time.
&nbsp;

Bruno Mars Allegedly Owes Millions In Gambling Debt To MGM Casino

Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for Snap Inc.

Ryan Garcia

Ryan Garcia teases rap song ahead of his upcoming fight with Devin Haney at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on April 20. The 25-year-old boxing star shared a track snippet titled &ldquo;One Call Away&rdquo; with fans on X Wednesday evening (March 13).&nbsp;
&ldquo;Super rough draft but was going for a 90's vibe,' tweets Garcia. 'I don't know what do you think. Serious comments only please. Shoutout to Madelyn.&rdquo;
https://x.com/RyanGarcia/status/1768009352823161334?s=20
Garcia's lyrics warn off other men from his female companion. "Play with my baby, we scrap. The way that I punch is no cap," he says.
There have been frequent questions about King Ryan's actions leading up to his fight on April 20. Recent bizarre incidents have involved Ryan, including an awkward podcast interview with <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/bobbi-althoff-addresses-ai-generated-nudes-leaking-online">Bobbi Althoff</a>, X-Space arguments with <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/jake-paul-responds-to-the-game-calling-him-out-to-fight">Jake Paul</a>, revelations of sexual assault by a family member, and conspiracy theories.
Garcia and Haney will fight for the WBC super lightweight title. Garcia's record is 24-1, while Haney is undefeated at 31-0. Garcia is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Boxing Star Ryan Garcia Teases Rap Debut

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The Notorious B.I.G. passed away on March 9, 1997 weeks before his sophomore album Life After Death was set to be released.
It was an event that stopped the ever-growing East vs West beef which was sparked by two friends, 2Pac and Biggie, and spun out of control.In the height of their careers, two mid-20-year-old Black men gunned down due to senseless violence in the midst of a growing regional rap war.
While we knew things would change, who knew that hip hop would change like this?The year was 1997. Hip hop was going through sort of a transition at the time. With the death of 2Pac, and Dr. Dre deciding to leave the label he co-owned, Death Row Records the west coast was losing the dominance it which was partially sparked by the popularity of Dr. Dre's debut album The Chronic in 1992.
Back on the East Coast, it was time where artists were beginning to stop being so gritty, and raw, and exchange their Champion sweatshirts, and into shiny suits.The death of Biggie left a gaping hole in New York City. He was the biggest artist in hip hop at the time, and was holding the torch for New York City. Who was going to carry the torch for the Big Apple in his absence?
We would not have to answer this question for another year. March 25, 1997, Notorious B.I.G.&rsquo;s anticipated sophomore album Life After Death was released. An instant classic, the new version of Biggie had songs for the radio and for the hood in a double-disc album that had little-to-no skips.
We did not know at the time, but this would be the beginning of Bad Boy&rsquo;s explosion. Biggie was there to see the beginning of that very success as Puff Daddy released his first single, &ldquo;Can&rsquo;t Nobody Hold Me Down&rdquo; after debuting at 32 on the Billboard Hot 100, the track featuring Mase reached number one.
That was later taken over by Biggie&rsquo;s hit single, &ldquo;Hypnotize&rdquo; before the tribute track &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll Be Missing You&rdquo; was released and dominated the charts in Biggie's passing.
While bittersweet, Puff Daddy continued to grow the Bad Boy Records brand following the release of No Way Out in July of that year. It has a few songs you may have heard such as &ldquo;All About The Benjamins,&rdquo; &ldquo;Been Around The World,&rdquo; &ldquo;Victory,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Mo Money, Mo Problems.&rdquo;
In case you thought he was done. Mase decided to come out with his debut album that October as well. An amazing 3-peat of success for Bad Boy Records.
<a href="https://youtu.be/gUhRKVIjJtw">https://youtu.be/gUhRKVIjJtw</a>
Following the deaths of both 2Pac and Biggie we were starting to see a trend of hip hop that was straying away from its authentic rawness, and going into a style that was more mainstream and cartoonish.
It was no longer trending towards the Mafioso style we began to see from Big, Jay Z, and even Nas in 1996. The suits were being traded in for bubble jackets and ski goggles, raise the roofs and bank head bounces.
Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes were helping to transform the art of music videos in 1997. Missy&rsquo;s exaggerated visuals in &ldquo;The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly),&rdquo; and Busta Rhymes' iconic characters in &ldquo;Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See&rdquo; helped bring the genre to a lighter place, thanks to Williams' vision.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHcyJPTTn9w">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHcyJPTTn9w</a>
Speaking of Hype Williams, nothing would showcase the new trend more than Jay-Z&rsquo;s video for his single &ldquo;(Always Be My) Sunshine.&rdquo; Following the release of Reasonable Doubt, it was his time to come up out of the shadows of BIG and show that he can be the next best Brooklyn rapper with In My Lifetime, Vol. 1.
With help of The Hitmen, the album displayed a formula similar to Biggie&rsquo;s sophomore project. It mixed some of his more personal lyrics and mixed in some sounds that were popular at the time including singles with features from Babyface, Blackstreet, Puff Daddy himself and Lil&rsquo; Kim.
But it wasn&rsquo;t all fun and games. Wu-Tang Clan left street hip hop fans excited once again as they all returned with their double album,&nbsp;Wu-Tang Forever. The project was eventually nominated for a Grammy at the <a href="http://href=">40th Annual Grammy Awards</a> for "Best Rap Album" but ended up losing to Puff Daddy &amp; The Family's album No Way Out.
This led for a moment in hip hop history as Ol' Dirty Bastard to storm the stage to express his displeasure of losing the "Song of the Year" award for "Sunny Came Home".&nbsp;
The time laid the groundwork for what was going to become a boom in hip hop in terms of music and business. It was time to have fun again.
Things got so serious and tense that it needed a new breath of fresh air. As the calendar turned to 1998 the year the business changed for better or for worse depending on who you ask.
The formula of street tracks mixed in with commercial favorites helped bring career-changing albums from DMX, Jay Z, and Ja Rule and anchored the Def Jam era.
What was your favorite single from 1997?

How The Notorious B.I.G.'s Death Changed Hip Hop Forever

YwvZJR9g

t has been 25 years since the passing of Christopher Wallace better known to the world as The Notorious B.I.G.
Nearly a quarter century following the passing of the hip hop legend, we have seen many changes to the hip hop landscape. Some of the biggest artists today were not yet born that infamous day in 1997. Throughout all of the changes in hip hop during its time, one thing has stayed consistent. Whether it is a party, a movie, a passing car, or even on the radio on HOT 97, the sounds of Biggie Smalls&rsquo; music blaring through the speakers is just as impactful now as it was when were first introduced to him in 1994.
His words, rhyme pattern, and overall legend status still relates to a new generation of artists and fans during a time lyricism is not as celebrated as it was during the golden era of the mid-to-late 1990&rsquo;s.
It was DJ Mister Cee that helped introduce the world to Biggie. Back in 1992, a demo tape was recorded, and ended up in the hands of Sean &ldquo;Puff Daddy&rdquo; Combs who at the time was looking for an artist as an A&amp;R for Uptown Records, and came across The Notorious B.I.G. The rest you can say is history.
Here is what <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230604163015/http://thesource.com/2014/08/06/unsigned-hype-revisited-the-notorious-b-i-g-march-1992/" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Source</a> had to say about that very demo tape back in 1992.
&ldquo;If you&rsquo;re an aspiring rapper and you know you have the flavor and potential to make dope records, you don&rsquo;t need to go into the studio and spend crazy cash to make a fly demo. You don&rsquo;t even need a 4-track; just two turntables and a microphone, press record on the tape deck and you&rsquo;re good to go.
B-I-G is living proof of this fact. His DJ, Hitman 50 Grand, threw a couple classic breaks and instrumentals and let B-I-G do what he had to do: he ripped shit. Straight outta Brooklyn, New York, the heavy-set brother B-I-G has mad skills. His rhymes are fatter then he is.
All four of his jams were basically a freestyle exhibition. Obviously, to come out as an MC takes a lot more than hype rhymes, but rhyme skills are the main ingredient to true success in hip-hop, and when it comes to those, B-I-G&rsquo;s got plenty.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Look up in the sky it&rsquo;s a bird it&rsquo;s a plane!&rdquo; It was the remix to Mary J. Blige&rsquo;s single &ldquo;Real Love&rdquo; that allowed mainstream fans to learn about the rapper for the first time with his catchy line. Before releasing his successful debut album, Ready To Die, he built up the hype with classic features such as &ldquo;Dolly My Baby,&rdquo; &ldquo;What&rsquo;s the 411?&rdquo; and &ldquo;Flava In Ya Ear.&rdquo;
After the success of his single &ldquo;Party &amp; Bulls***&rdquo; in 1993, it was time for fans to get a full project from the Brooklyn MC. It was released on September 13, 1994. In 19 tracks, Biggie helped bring the balance of power in hip hop back to the east coast following the dominance of the west brought by the success of Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Death Row Records.
It is Biggie&rsquo;s strength of storytelling mixed with great production, and with the help of Puff Daddy, exploded onto the scene with a unique blend of street raps with the melodic sounds of classic rhythm and blues. &ldquo;Big Poppa,&rdquo; &ldquo;One More Chance,&rdquo; and the timeless classic &ldquo;Juicy&rdquo; which sampled Mtume&rsquo;s classic hit &ldquo;Juicy Fruit,&rdquo; helped carry the album to popular success.
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At the time, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230604163015/http://www.capitalxtra.com/xplore/lists/notorious-big-ready-to-die-facts/rolling-stones-original-review/" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rolling Stone</a> wrote &ldquo;Ready to Die is the strongest solo rap debut since Ice Cube&rsquo;s Amerikkka&rsquo;s Most Wanted. From the breathtakingly visual moments of his birth to his Cobainesque end in &ldquo;Suicidal Thoughts.&rdquo;
<h4>Going Back To Cali!</h4>
Ready to Die was a huge success. He single-handedly brought the East Coast back to its dominance in hip hop. Yet he wasn&rsquo;t going to slow down. While he went three years between albums, Biggie was still busy. On August 25, 1995, he helped his childhood friends turned rappers, Junior M.A.F.I.A. release their debut album Conspiracy which held classics such as &ldquo;Players Anthem&rdquo; and &ldquo;Get Money.&rdquo; It was soon after that he began work on his sophomore album. Little did we know the controversy that would surround him.
It was during that time, Biggie got caught up in the infamous beef with himself and his former friend 2Pac. At one time Pac was a mentor to the Brooklyn native, allowing him to stay in his apartment while he began his journey through hip hop. By 1996, following 2Pac&rsquo;s signing to Death Row Records, the two had become bitter enemies entrenched in a growing media narrative that became the East vs West beef.
On the way of recording his sophomore album, Life After Death,&nbsp;Biggie was involved in a car accident which shattered his left leg, where he was forced to stay in a hospital for three months. He wasn&rsquo;t going to let the injuries keep him down though. It was time to finish the album.&nbsp;
After recovering, The Notorious B.I.G. left to go to Los Angeles where he began promotion of his sophomore album. Big and Puff had released their first single &ldquo;Hypnotize,&rdquo; a song which sampled Herb Alpert&rsquo;s late 70&rsquo;s hit &ldquo;Rise.&rdquo; The song was gaining success quickly.
Donned in an all-black tuxedo, Biggie&rsquo;s presence dominated the stage as he performed at the 11th annual Soul Train Awards where he performed &ldquo;One More Chance&rdquo; then &ldquo;Get Money.&rdquo;
The next day he attended a Vibe Magazine party. It would end up being the last time anyone would see him alive as Biggie&rsquo;s GMC Suburban was shot up minutes after leaving the party. Much in the way of his biggest foe 2Pac. At 4:15 a.m. EST on March 9, 1997, Christopher Wallace was pronounced dead.
One can only wonder what The Notorious B.I.G. would have done if he were alive today.
Would we have ever heard The Commission with Jay Z and Charli Baltimore? How about that secret project between himself and Fat Joe? Will he still be the king of hip hop? I guess we&rsquo;ll never know.
Remember the life of The Notorious B.I.G. below.
https://youtu.be/Z5LveNSfB2Y

Life After Death: Remembering The Legacy Of The Notorious B.I.G.

IMG-3823

March 9 is a day the hip hop world stops and remembers the life and legacy of Christopher Wallace, known to the world as The Notorious B.I.G.
For years, Ernie Paniccioli helped document the growth of hip hop as it rose from a new genre in music, to the world&rsquo;s biggest phenomenon. His photos through the years showcase legends such as LL Cool J, Public Enemy, DMX, Foxy Brown, Lil&rsquo; Kim, Nas, Jay-Z, 2Pac, and the list goes on.
His passion was to showcase who these artists were to the world.
&ldquo;My work shows them as larger than life but also as part of life,&rdquo; he said to <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230606141237/https://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/public-enemys-private-photographer/">New York Times</a> back in 2013. &ldquo;My work has a pulse. It three-dimensionalized a lot of these people. And the artists themselves have always let me be up close and personal. There never been dichotomy between the photographer and the artist. It&rsquo;s a circle.&rdquo;
One of his favorite artists was The Notorious B.I.G., who he was able to document throughout the rise of his career.
&ldquo;The first time we met he was preparing to do his part in a New York Undercover TV show,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;He was standing with Eric Sermon and Ice Cube. I went up to introduce myself and shake his hand and said hi, &lsquo;I&rsquo;m Ernie.&rsquo; He loudly replied by saying I don&rsquo;t give a f***, and then said &lsquo;step off!&rsquo; I was like &lsquo;what?'&rdquo;
<img class=" wp-image-108927" src="https://images.ctfassets.net/bjeljlcmmjko/1t3f0JBlA8o5uSD5L8gp2h/0336416e409d369dff2a76abd71d77c8/Biggie-and-Big-Ernie-bbb.jpg" alt="Notorious B.I.G. &amp; Ernie Paniccioli P" width="486" height="386">
He later continued, showcasing at the tense moment at the time.
&ldquo;I started to put down my two heavy cameras and camera bag I was holding Cube, and Eric from EPMD and a few others tried to calm him down.&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;Biggie, Ernie is Cool and Ernie is family. He cursed some more as I got closer and said, &lsquo;I don&rsquo;t care who he is!&rsquo; All of the crew that were around him were shook! Then all of a sudden he broke into his biggest grin and said to all of us &ldquo;gotcha&rdquo; and shook my hand laughing like crazy.&rdquo;
&ldquo;He often said he went from &ldquo;ashy to classy,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;That night he took us all from scary to funny. He then reminded me we had met before on the set of a Mary J. Blige&rsquo;s video and had pizza together at a local store. We became friends and he shared many things with me over the next two years. He is one of the greats, I miss him and cried when he was taken from us.&rdquo;
Over the years, he was able to accompany the Notorious B.I.G. in various places, resulting in some of the most iconic photos of his life and career. Paniccioli shared a couple of his favorite photos with HOT 97 to help celebrate the life of the greatest rapper of all time.
<img class="wp-image-108925 " src="https://images.ctfassets.net/bjeljlcmmjko/5Ig8IXP8hrehyLnXgYN0NL/f49d26459a9a287d18111d6457ef382c/B.I.g.-in-Palladium-NYC.-1-1024x689.jpg" alt="Biggie Smalls In The Palladium" width="882" height="593"> Gold background Party at the Platinum Night Club, 1994 Photo Credit: Ernie Paniccioli<img id="longdesc-return-108928" class="wp-image-108928 size-large" tabindex="-1" src="https://images.ctfassets.net/bjeljlcmmjko/6QMGTlDZP3xZBVeRffthyy/f1600904e6c615a67c7fea0bddd547f5/IMG-3823-710x1024.jpg" alt="RIP The Notorious B.I.G." width="710" height="1024" longdesc="https://www.hot97.com?longdesc=108928&amp;referrer=108924"> "Freezing night in late October 1994. A man in an SUV was beeping his horn at me in Times Square. When I recognized Biggie, he said 'Get in here, motherf***er, it&rsquo;s cold as s*** out there.&rsquo;" Photo Credit: Ernie Paniccioli<img class="wp-image-108926 size-large" src="https://images.ctfassets.net/bjeljlcmmjko/5q6GxWuHRXT3SnKwDmMFjC/6d1eb20efe720cfacae244bc7e244131/Big-Hawiaan-shirt-1996-1024x661.jpg" alt="Notorious B.I.G. 1996" width="1024" height="661"> "This was the last time, I saw Biggie. It was at The Copa, in NYC on the night of a Mary J. Blige event." Photo Credit: Ernie Paniccioli

The Story Behind Some Of The Notorious B.I.G.'s Most Iconic Photos

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The year was 1997. Hip Hop was still in a state of mourning as the genre&rsquo;s biggest artist at the time was gunned down in Los Angeles.
We were all exhausted. But if there was one thing we knew was going to live on. It would be the music and his legacy.
On March 25, 1997, The Notorious B.I.G. posthumously released his long-awaited sophomore album ironically titled Life After Death. After three years of waiting, it was the album he was excited about, as he was ready to show his growth as an artist. Is he not still here? Is this even real?
Starting where Ready To Die left off three years earlier, it only took one track to raise the goosebumps on your arms. The sounds of the sirens began to ring in your ears, the heart monitor starts beeping, the intense keys begin to roar. All while Puff Daddy pleads with Biggie, &ldquo;you have too much living to do. Too much unfinished business. It ain&rsquo;t over.&rdquo; The sound of the raindrops hitting the pavement kept our emotions in check before we heard the sound of Biggie Smalls for the first time on this album. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m sittin&rsquo; in the crib dreamin&rsquo; about Leer jets and coupes, the way Salt shoops and how they sell records like Snoop. Oops! I&rsquo;m interrupted by a doorbell&hellip;&rdquo;
He was bigger than life. His storytelling skills shined throughout the project as we got to see the progression of someone who is considered the best rapper of all time by many. He gave us a range of all kinds of different tracks. Between his signature hard raps in &ldquo;Last Day,&rdquo; &ldquo;What&rsquo;s Beef, &ldquo;Ten Crack Commandments,&rdquo; to fun tracks like &ldquo;Another,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Back To Cali&rdquo; to reminencient tracks like &ldquo;Miss U.&rdquo; This album not only told an album, but had it all.
Not many artists can deliver a double album. Even less can do so without you wanting to skip a single track. He outdid himself on this one.
After having one feature on his debut project, Biggie brought out the big guns for this one. And not one of those features were wasted. The fast paced rap from Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, back-and-forth between himself and Lil&rsquo; Kim, the hard bars from the LOX, slick talk with Jay-Z, freakiness from R. Kelly, or the smooth sounds of 112. If you were featured on this album it was with good reason.
Biggie&rsquo;s right hand man Puff Daddy was ruling the charts with his hit single &ldquo;Can&rsquo;t Nobody Hold Me Down&rdquo; at the time of his death. Following his passing, the first single of the album &ldquo;Hypnotize&rdquo; which was released on the first of March began taking over as the weather began to warm up showing the dominance of Bad Boy during this time. His singles weren&rsquo;t only hits. They became classics. 20 years later, &ldquo;Mo Money, Mo Problems&rdquo; is still a favorite in the party. No matter what age you are.
His third single &ldquo;Sky&rsquo;s The Limit&rdquo; can&rsquo;t do anything but put a tear in your eye as Biggie speaks about his growth as not only an artist, but as a man, his success, and where he was headed next.
Track 11 on disc two helps close a script no one could have even think of writing only weeks earlier. The echoing sounds of Puffy saying &ldquo;baby&rdquo; repeatedly as the cold lonely wind blows in the background. First the keys come. Then the drums. The beat builds as Puff continues to speak in the background. Then Biggie comes in: &ldquo;Ni***s in my faction don&rsquo;t like asking questions. Strictly gun-testing, coke-measuring, giving pleasure in the Benz-ito, hitting fanny, spending chips at Manny&rsquo;s, hope you creeps got receipts, my peeps get dirty like cleats.&rdquo;
A fitting end to a classic album, and a legendary career. By the end of this album, Christopher Wallace became a prophet to his own life. At only 24-years-old, he was gunned down in Los Angeles effectively ending the senseless east coast vs west coast wars of the early 1990&rsquo;s. Watching television late one night gave Biggie the idea of the album&rsquo;s last track. Hearing Dean Martin sing &ldquo;you&rsquo;re nobody until somebody loves you,&rdquo; sparked motivation in the hook. A hook which became an underlying, and unfortionate fact. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re Nobody &lsquo;Til Somebody Kills You.&rdquo;
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hot97.com/BIG20Years" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">See more about the life and legacy of The Notorious B.I.G.</a></h3>
Listen to Life After Death below.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-iOfFAx--BI" width="100{3e3d86eb3766f319799c71adff93b8058caf601c96167e3afbbee7641716e7b6}" height="347" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Kills You: The Legacy Of 'Life After Death'

Mike Tyson

<a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/mike-tyson-speaks-on-biopic-starring-jamie-foxx-reveals-actor-suffered-a-stroke">Iron Mike Tyson</a> (50-6-44KOs) is set to face off against <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/jake-paul-responds-to-the-game-calling-him-out-to-fight">Jake Paul</a> (9-1-6KOs) in a highly anticipated boxing match on <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/wwe-signs-10-year-netflix-agreement-worth-usd5-billion">Netflix</a> this summer. Announced on Thursday morning (March 7), the boxing event on July 20 at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas will be live-streamed on a streaming platform for all subscribers.&nbsp;
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4Ny52GutrD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
&nbsp;Tyson, 57, will face Paul, 27, an opponent 30 years younger than him. Paul secured a first-round knockout victory last weekend against Ryan Bourland in Puerto Rico. Bourland adds to Paul&rsquo;s knockout resume, which includes Tyrone Woodley, Ben Askren, and Andre August.
Best known as &ldquo;The Baddest Man On The Planet,&rdquo; Tyson's history includes becoming the youngest heavyweight champion ever in boxing. He is known for his devastating knockouts in the 80s and 90s. Tyson retired in 2005; however, he has participated in several exhibition bouts, with his last being against boxing legend Roy Jones Jr. in 2023.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m very much looking forward to stepping into the ring with Jake Paul at the AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas,&rdquo; Tyson said in a press release. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s grown significantly as a boxer over the years, so it will be a lot of fun to see what the will and ambition of a &lsquo;kid&rsquo; can do with the experience and aptitude of a GOAT. It&rsquo;s a full circle moment that will be beyond thrilling to watch; as I started him off on his boxing journey on the undercard of my fight with Roy Jones and now I plan to finish him.&rdquo;
Paul made his boxing debut in 2020. Four years later, he believes his upcoming fight is one of a lifetime.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Now, less than four years later, I&rsquo;m stepping up to face Tyson myself to see if I have what it takes to beat one of boxing&rsquo;s most notorious fighters and biggest icons,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Within just two and a half years of founding MVP, we&rsquo;re about to produce the biggest fight in history, a fight in the biggest NFL stadium in the US, broadcast live, on the biggest streaming platform in the world &ndash; a testament to all we&rsquo;ve accomplished in such a short amount of time. Whether you&rsquo;re tuning in on Netflix or showing out in person, whether you&rsquo;re team Paul or team Tyson, or whether you&rsquo;re a lifelong boxing fan or watching your first fight, you&rsquo;re not going to want to miss this event.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I could not be more excited to make this amazing fight available to all Netflix subscribers alongside the hardest hitter of all time, Mike Tyson, on Saturday, July 20th. My sights are set on becoming a world champion, and now I have a chance to prove myself against the greatest heavyweight champion ever, the baddest man on the planet and the most dangerous boxer of all time. This will be the fight of a lifetime.&rdquo;
The event will be co-presented by Netflix and Paul&rsquo;s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP). The undercard will be announced at a later date.
&nbsp;

Mike Tyson To Fight Jake Paul Set For July 20 On Netflix

JuiceWrld

<a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/juice-wrlds-album-fighting-demons-posthumously-released">JuiceWrld</a>'s girlfriend, Ally Lotti, is accused of selling the late rapper&rsquo;s clothes on OnlyFans after allegedly leaking a sextape.
<a href="https://x.com/XXL/status/1765484558659604601?s=20">https://x.com/XXL/status/1765484558659604601?s=20</a>
Lotti, 30, is facing backlash after allegedly agreeing to sell Juice WRLD's Supreme Louis Vuitton hoodie to a fan for $3K. The apparent sale has caused outrage on X, with many calling it cold and inappropriate.
A screenshot of the potential purchase was circled on social media on Wednesday (March 6). A recent accusation came from Chicago recording artist 600 Breezy, who claimed Lotti had given Carter Jamison Juice WRLD's clothing and jewelry.&nbsp;
"I be seeing what's going on with his ex," said 600 Breezy in 2023. "They claiming she giving up his watches and coats and jackets and sh*t. I'm not just gon' sit here and say she doin' that, because I don't really know what's going on. Maybe she just buying [her new boyfriend] the same type of sh*t."
Lotti allegedly leaked a sextape on her OnlyFans account after she alleged someone was planning to release it for financial gain in January.
JuiceWrld and Lotti began dating in 2018. They were together when the artist <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/rip-friends-and-family-gather-to-celebrate-the-life-of-juice-wrld-at-his-funeral">passed away</a> in 2019. His fourth album, <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/juice-wrlds-album-fighting-demons-posthumously-released">Fighting Demons</a>, was released posthumously in 2021 via Grade A/Interscope.

JuiceWrld’s Girlfriend Accused Of Selling Late-Rapper’s Clothes On OnlyFans

Tareasa &ldquo;Reesa Teesa&rdquo; Johnson, the creator of the viral 50-part TikTok story &ldquo;Who&nbsp; TF Did I Marry,&rdquo; signs with <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/nelly-responds-to-woman-who-claims-she-returned-his-bag-w-300k-in-it-got-100-as-a-reward">CAA</a> for representation &ndash; according to <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/03/caa-signs-tareasa-johnson-creator-who-tf-did-i-marry-tiktok-series-1235845778/">Deadline</a>.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4Ewyg9rGh_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
In over 50 parts and eight hours, the Atlanta native told the story of her marriage to ex-husband. Johnson&rsquo;s tiktok playlist has accumulated 400 million impressions. She was recently profiled in The Cut where she explained storytelling.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It was actually hard to do the entire series,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re putting yourself out there in a very vulnerable way. There are a lot of people who are really not sure who the heck they are with,&rdquo; Johnson told the outlet. &ldquo;And they are afraid to look deeper.&rdquo;
The CAA opens doors for trendsetting storytellers. The agency represents the biggest names in pop culture including <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/gabrielle-union-seemingly-throws-shade-at-vivica-a-fox-following-taraji-p">Gabrielle Union</a>, <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/zendaya-responds-to-pregnancy-rumors-after-ultrasound-picture-goes-viral">Zendaya</a>, and <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/asap-rocky-stand-trial-on-charges-for-allegedly-shooting-asap-relli">A$AP Rocky</a>.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I am excited to join the CAA family in what has become an extraordinary and life-changing opportunity,&rdquo; Johnson said in a press release. &ldquo;I hope to bring this story and personal experiences to an even bigger platform with the hope of helping those in similar circumstances know they are not alone.&rdquo;
Johnson&rsquo;s viral success has landed her on talk shows such as GMA and The Tamron Hall Show.
&nbsp;

“Who TF Did I Marry” TikTok Star Signs With Major Agency!

Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

Reason

Last summer&rsquo;s public argument between Top Dawg Entertainment&rsquo;s Reason and co-president Anthony &ldquo;Moosa&rdquo; Tiffith Jr. continues trending. Reason clarified his position with the label afterward when asked by host Gina Views on the new episode of the Hoefessions podcast.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m still signed to the label,&rdquo; he answered at 34:31. &ldquo;I just think shit just &lsquo;delicate.&rsquo; Like, I don&rsquo;t really know what the f*ck it is, right. To me, it&rsquo;s just all weird. I don&rsquo;t really know what the situation is. I&rsquo;m still signed to the label right now. That&rsquo;s not a knock on none of the other artists. Like, I don&rsquo;t know exactly what it really is &hellip; I&rsquo;m just in a space where I&rsquo;m just focused on whoever f*ck with me, f*ck with me. And the people that, not saying they don&rsquo;t, but if they don&rsquo;t, if they&rsquo;re one of the people that don&rsquo;t, then f*ck&rsquo;em. Like, that&rsquo;s kinda where I&rsquo;m at. Whoever don&rsquo;t f*ck with me, f*ck&rsquo;em and whoever f*ck with me, f*ck with me.&rdquo;
https://youtu.be/2_RIJ326Tdk?si=a2lG8kfTXsvbg9mk
<a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/president-of-tde-supports-kendrick-lamar-leaving-its-time-to-move-on-try-new-things">Kendrick Lamar</a> left the label in 2023, TDE&rsquo;s current roster includes Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/schoolboy-q-stands-with-kanye-west-thats-the-homie-i-dont-give-a-f-k">Schoolboy Q</a>, <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/sza-sends-heartfelt-message-to-beyonce-thanks-for-seeing-me">SZA</a>, <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/doechii-reacts-to-beyonce-request-meeting-dj-khaled-working-with-tde">Doechii</a>, SiR, <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/rappers-and-fans-show-isaiah-rashad-after-he-was-allegedly-outed-after-his-sex-tape-leaked-online">Isaiah Rashad</a>, Zacarii, Lance Skiiiwalker, Ray Vaughn, and, of course, Reason. The Carson, California native signed with Top Dawg Entertainment in 2017 and released three albums. His new album, Porches, features SiR, Zacari, Ray Vaughn, Doechii, and Kalan.Frfr.
Occasionally, Reason has expressed his frustration with the label on public forms. The TDE president's viral moment on BaccOnFigg in August 2023 brought Reason to the forefront with the inquiry about whether the host knew the artist's music and revelations that Kendrick Lamar's manager and former co-president Dave Free didn't want Reason signed.&nbsp;
The Hoefession&rsquo;s comment was made during the release of Blue Lips, a new TDE album by Schoolboy Q, who said he's never leaving the label on <a href="https://www.xxlmag.com/schoolboy-q-blue-lips-album-details/#:~:text=ScHoolboy%20Q%20Confirms%20He's%20Never,his%20last%20release%20with%20TDE.">February 18</a>.&nbsp;
The new interview with Views follows her and the rapper starring in a series of <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/tdes-reason-and-gina-views-stars-in-5-part-short-love-story-for-new">Valentine&rsquo;s Day-inspired short-filmed freestyle</a>s that he showcased on social media last week. Reason tells Views that the outpour of positive feedback on social media reassured a new strategy he intends to implicate into his next album campaign.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C38_RIbOu4N/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
&ldquo;It opened up a new door for me, like, in my artistry,&rdquo; he said at 17:34. &ldquo;I always be kinda weary about the skits and acting, and shit like that. Because TDE never really wanted me to dive into that. And it was something I always wanted to do, but they pushed me away from it so much that I was always nervous. Over thinking it. What if people think this is &lsquo;corny.&rsquo; So the reaction I got, I&rsquo;m like, okay, now I&rsquo;m even implementing shit like that into my next album.&rdquo;
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not going to be as much comedy &ndash; it&rsquo;s going to be more serious &ndash; a little bit of comedy.&nbsp; But it gives me the confidence that we can pull off full-blown, like, little short movies or documentaries or shit like that. And it just makes the music better because my music is a lot of storytelling anyway. So I&rsquo;m like, I want to be able to dive into the storytelling aspect of it even outside of the music. So it gave me a little gateway to that.&rdquo;
After the TDE discussion, Reason and Gina Views exchanged stories about crazy exes, intimate encounters, love language, and more. You may watch the full hour-long interview above.
&nbsp;

Reason Says His Situation With TDE Is “Delicate” & “Weird” Right Now In New Interview

Donald Trump

In Columbia, South Carolina, <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/donald-trump-reportedly-raised-usd7-million-in-2024-champaign-funds-off-his">Donald Trump</a> stated that his four criminal indictments have increased his support among Black Americans. He compared his legal situation to the historical legacy of anti-Black prejudice in the U.S. legal system.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3wf8mzs7G0/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
&ldquo;I got indicted for nothing, for something that is nothing,&rdquo; the former President told a formal event for Black conservatives. &ldquo;And a lot of people said that&rsquo;s why the Black people like me, because they have been hurt so badly and discriminated against, and they actually viewed me as I&rsquo;m being discriminated against. It&rsquo;s been pretty amazing but possibly, maybe, there&rsquo;s something there.&rdquo;
Donald Trump is the 45th President of the United States, currently campaigning for his second term. He served his first term from 2017 to 2021.&nbsp;
Trump continued with relation to many Black people because his properties were built by Black construction workers. He made campaign remarks that included appeals to the Black community and jokes about race.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The lights are so bright in my eyes I can&rsquo;t see too many people out there. But I can only see the Black ones. I can&rsquo;t see any white ones. That&rsquo;s how far I&rsquo;ve come,&rdquo; Trump told the crowd.
Trump campaign targets Biden as he faces charges surrounding the 2020 election, keeping classified documents in Florida, and alleged payments to an adult actress. The Republican front-runner is expected to win big in Nikki Haley's home state due to his popularity among GOP voters.
In October, popular recording artist <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/social-media-reacts-to-sexyy-red-saying-she-supports-donald-trump-the-hood">Sexyy Red</a> showed her support for the former president when she said, &ldquo;The hood loves him.&rdquo; Other rap stars to support Donald Trump and his perspective recently include <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/snoop-dogg-announces-death-row-cannabis-brand">Snoop Dogg</a>, <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/kodak-black-broward-judge-reinstates-bond-remains-in-federal-custody-hearing">Kodak Black</a>, and <a href="https://hot97.com/hot-news/50-cent-turns-criticism-to-ny-gov-kathy-hochul-after-mayor-eric-adams-talk">50 Cent</a>.

Donald Trump Says Indictments Boosted His Appeal To Black Voters

John Cena

WWE superstar and actor John Cena takes his talents to OnlyFans, according to an announcement on his X account Thursday (Feb.22).
The 13-time champion shared an image of two fans behind a powder blue background with the intriguing tweet, &ldquo;&hellip;like you&rsquo;ve never seen me before. Subscribe at the link in bio. @onlyfans.&rdquo;
https://x.com/JohnCena/status/1760666458634191345?s=20
The content-curated account is in promotion of his upcoming R-rated Prime Video film, Ricky Stanicky. Upon curiously clicking the link, the account bio reads: &ldquo;You&rsquo;ve found the verified OnlyFans account for Ricky Stanicky; renowned impersonator, philanthropist, investment banker, socialite, cancer survivor and method actor,&rdquo; the account&rsquo;s bio reads. &ldquo;Subscribe to get SPICY pics and vids!&rdquo;
Cena plays the film&rsquo;s title character, which co-stars Zac Efron (The Iron Claw). In the film, three friends create a fake character to prank people, but after years of lies, they hire an actor to cover their tracks.
While free to subscribe to Cena&rsquo;s account, it requires users must be 18, create an OnlyFans account, and provide a credit card. In the Ricky Stanicky account are two images. A three-second clip from the film of Cena dressed as Britney Spears in her iconic &ldquo;..Baby One More Time&rdquo; schoolgirl outfit, licking the ground. The second image is a two-second clip showing a sweaty Cena with a wallet in his mouth, as an off-camera character says, &ldquo;We&rsquo;ll calm him down, relax.&rdquo;
Ricky Stanicky hits Prime Video on March 7.
Last September, Hot 97's Peter Rosenberg and WWE Grayson Waller discussed carrying John Cena and The Rock via Zoom. Check out the full conversation below.&nbsp;
https://youtu.be/rSnQ_MHFJew?si=9MxbrK9woc_J_Q9U
&nbsp;

celebrity

Key Glock Captures His Felony Arrest In Atlanta On Livestream