Send a Message
|
Urban Radio Collective represents a dynamic network of over 15 stations offering an eclectic mix of music and insightful programming. From the infectious beats of lyrical Hiphop and rhythmic R&B/ Soul... Read More |
|
|
|
|
   Source: Getty Images / Giannis Antetokounmpo / John Haliburton
If this is the final time we see Giannis Antetokounmpo in a Milwaukee Bucks uniform, he went out fighting, both literally and figuratively.
Things got extremely chippy at Gainbridge Fieldhouse after final buzzer of the Indiana Pacers stunning 119-118 overtime victory over the Bucks, eliminating the Bucks from the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Giannis Antetokounmpo got into it with Pacers guard Ben Mathurin at center court first, which led to the hoopers having to be separated. It looked, at first, as if the players were exchanging pleasantries, as players always do at the end of the game, but. Mathurin pushes Giannis, who had his hand on the back of Mathurin's head.
GIANNIS VS. MATHURIN: Giannis Antetokounmpo hugged Bennedict Mathurin at the end of the game, then Mathurin shoved him off & Giannis went at him at the end of the series!
Then, both teams had some pushing & shoving!
Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/Rdj2T0dzFl
— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) April 30, 2025
Then Antetokounmpo got into it with Tyrese Haliburton's father, John Haliburton, after his son sealed the Pacers' win with a game-winning drive past the Greek Freak. Antetokounmpo shook hands with John Haliburton before two butted heads and began screaming at each other before they each had to be separated.
Giannis Antetokounmpo just went face-to-face with Tyrese Haliburton's father after the Bucks were eliminated in Game 5.
Giannis had to be pulled back by team staffers.pic.twitter.com/FeE6GgEwxS
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) April 30, 2025
Following the game, Tyrese Haliburton spoke about the incident, saying that his father was in the wrong, adding that a conversation would be had.
"I don't think that my pops was in the right at all there. ... We will have a conversation and I'll talk to Giannis, it's unfortunate we're all grown men," Haliburton said during the post-game press conference.
"I don't think that my pops was in the right at all there. ... We will have a conversation and I'll talk to Giannis it's unfortunate we're all grown men."
Tyrese Haliburton on the confrontation his dad had with Giannis following Pacers-Buckspic.twitter.com/NJfCnPEfUR
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod (@big_business_) April 30, 2025
Antetokounmpo was also asked about the incident, and he added during his post-game press conference that "I believe like being humble in victory, " and that he felt "disrespected," but noted that all parties involved talked, adding "I think we're in a good place."
GIANNIS FULL RESPONSE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH TYRESE HALIBURTON FATHER pic.twitter.com/p6r2ttwTJE
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod (@big_business_) April 30, 2025
Social Media Is Reacting To The Chippy End
As expected, the two incidents have social media talking, especially if this is Giannis' final game as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks franchise.
Many believe the NBA champion will be traded and sent to a contender because it's not looking suitable for the Bucks next season. The team has no first-round picks in the upcoming NBA Draft, and outside of Damian Lillard, who suffered a torn Achilles in his last game, putting an asterisk on his career, and whether he will play next season, there isn't much to lure Antetokounmpo back.
Damn.
If THAT is how i just watched Giannis Antetokounmpo's Bucks career end I demand to speak to a manager.
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) April 30, 2025
We won't find out any time soon, but until then, you can view more reactions in the gallery below.
window.addEventListener('interaction', function () {
setTimeout(function () {
var s = document.createElement('script'), el = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[ 0 ];
s.async = true;
s.src = 'https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';
el.parentNode.insertBefore(s, el);
}, 1000)
});
via: https://hiphopwired.com/playlist/giannis-antetokounmpo-john-haliburton-ben-mathurin-post-game-incidents  Share on Facebook ·  Bookmark on Delicious Source: Gilbert Carrasquillo / Getty / Terrence Howard
Terrence Howard isn't open to playing gay roles in films.
Howard is an accomplished actor, but he will never live down fumbling the Marvel Studios bag, and he might have fumbled another one due to what many people on social media are describing as homophobia.
Terrence Howard revealed he almost took a role in the forthcoming biopic about the late legendary singer Marvin Gaye while speaking with Bill Maher on the comedian and Real Time host's podcast, Club Random.
Howard told Maher that he believes he made the "biggest mistake" of his career, aside from fumbling the role of James Rhodes to Don Cheadle in the MCU, was passing up the starring role in the Smokey Robinson biopic.
But instead of taking on the role, he decided to entertain his longtime Empire collaborator Lee Daniels, revealing that he had a conversation with Daniels about playing Marvin Gaye in a different biopic.
Maher responded, saying that he believed that Howard made the right decision because Gaye's life story was "much more interesting," adding that he "would've been perfect as Marvin Gaye, and that is a story that needs to be told."
Terrence Howard Passed On Marvin Gaye Role After Hearing Story About His Alleged Sexuality
Howard decided to go full Lucious Lyon and pass on the role because of a story he heard from the late Quincy Jones regarding Gaye's alleged sexuality, and that he couldn't kiss a man, saying he would cut his lips off.
Per Variety:
"I was over at Quincy Jones' house and I'm asking Quincy, 'I'm hearing rumors that Marvin was gay' and I'm like, 'Was he gay?'" Howard explained. "And Quincy's like, 'Yes.'"
After that revelation, Howard decided he "could not" star in the movie.
"They would've wanted to do that, and I wouldn't have been able to do that," he said of portraying a gay man in a movie.
Maher went on to ask, "You mean you couldn't kiss a guy on screen in a movie?" Howard responded, "No. Because I don't fake it."
"That would fuck me," Howard added. "I would cut my lips off. If I kissed some man, I would cut my lips off."
Maher responded by saying he wouldn't go that far, but understands why Howard felt the way he did about the role. Howard further explained, "It does not make me homophobic to not want to kiss a man."
The actor says it was more of a matter of him committing to the role.
"I can't play that character 100 percent," Howard told Maher. "I can't surrender myself to a place that I don't understand."
Social Media Isn't Buying What Howard Is Selling
Maher might understand where Howard is coming from, but social media, on the other hand, is not feeling what the Best Man star said about passing the role.
"Learning that Terrance Howard is a woman abuser, is homophobic & supports trump all in the same sitting... oh my.... Hustle & flow was NO ACT!," one user on X, formerly Twitter, wrote.
Another user added, "Terrence Howard is a man with a criminal record and history of beating women. You lost your "man card" a long time ago."
Well damn.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
via: https://hiphopwired.com/playlist/terrence-howard-turned-down-gay-role-marvin-gaye-biopic   
Getty Images / Elon Musk / Diablo IV
Elon Musk has once again been trolled for video gaming skills, or lack thereof.
Musk, who recently claimed he was cutting back his time with DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) because his company, Tesla, is flopping due to his involvement in ruining people's lives, decided to share another video of himself playing Diablo IV.
The billionaire is still desperate to prove that he is the ultimate gamer, but in the process, he only invited trolls to clown him once again. Musk's skills came under scrutiny when he was accused by gamers, including the popular problematic streamer Asmongold, of paying someone to play Path of Exile 2 for him or "fraudmaxing."
Being the petulant manchild he is, Musk unfollowed Asmongold, stripped him of his verified status, and shared the DMs they exchanged with each other.
Elon Musk removed Asmongold's check mark and leaked private DMs after POE criticism pic.twitter.com/upC4M0jWuD
— yeet (@Awk20000) January 16, 2025
Musk would eventually admit to cheating in both Diablo IV and Path of Exile 2, but his lame behavior hasn't stopped. He shared another stream of himself playing Diablo IV on his X account, but this time he disabled his comments, only allowing his closest friends to reply to the post, because people were once again clowning his skills.
This latest moment also follows Musk's "rage quitting" when trolls took over his comment section during a test of his Starling service on his private plane, which United Airlines allegedly wants to use on its fleet of commercial aircraft.
Elon Musk rage quit his livestream playing a video game while getting mercilessly trolled in the comments.
He says "connection lost" yet he's still live streaming.
Is he trying to say he's soft, that he can't play video games, or that Starlink service isn't so good?
pic.twitter.com/OxTFXeE0Wm
— Art Candee (@ArtCandee) April 9, 2025
Elon Musk's Gaming History
Musk takes his gaming very seriously; he is so into it that he had a gaming rig installed in his DOGE office to get in some gaming time between laying off hard-working Americans.
It doesn't sound very efficient, if you ask us; in fact, that sounds like a complete waste of government time and money.
Well, we hope Musk continues to get trolled; he deserves every bit of it.
window.addEventListener('interaction', function () {
setTimeout(function () {
var s = document.createElement('script'), el = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[ 0 ];
s.async = true;
s.src = 'https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';
el.parentNode.insertBefore(s, el);
}, 1000)
});
via: https://hiphopwired.com/2692765/elon-musk-trolled-during-diablo-iv-stream
 Source: ANDREW THOMAS/Kathryn Riley / ANDREW THOMAS/Kathryn Riley
After winning the Super Bowl, key Eagles players like Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown skipped the White House visit with President Trump. If standing on business were a person, it would be Jalen Hurts.
The invite was technically optional, but once fans found out who skipped, the internet lit up fast. Jalen Hurts went viral quick after he gave a weird response when asked about the visit, then his people came out saying he had "scheduling conflicts." But once NBC and BBC dropped the full list, it was obvious this wasn't just a calendar mix-up - it was a message.
A lot of folks online saw it as a quiet protest and showed love to the players who stood on their beliefs. "You dropped your crown, kings," one fan tweeted. Another said, "Huge props to them for standing up for themselves and their beliefs, go Eagles!" At the same time, people weren't shy about calling out the players who did show up. Some fans were disappointed that none of the white teammates stood in solidarity. And Saquon Barkley caught some heat too - he's Black and still went, which had people confused and even a little hurt. "Disappointing," one person wrote, "but proud of the ones who took a stand regardless."
What was supposed to be a simple celebration turned into a bigger conversation. It wasn't just about football anymore - it was about who's really riding for what they believe in. The whole situation put a spotlight on race, unity, and the role athletes play in standing up - or not - when it really counts.
via: https://hiphopwired.com/playlist/no-show-big-statement-jalen-hurts-a-j-brown-ghost-trump
Baes & Baddies, Hip-Hop Wired's curated space for some of the most beautiful women making moves online, is back with a new update with someone we're sure readers will want to follow. Meet curvy IT tech, gamer, and all-around baddie @badgirl_tami AKA Tami LaReina, who delivers head-turning looks with ease.
We don't know much about @badgirl_tami AKA Tami LaReina, but her bio says she works in IT and likes to stream her gaming sessions, as evidenced by her shared Twitch links. She also runs her own Discord server, posts heavily on Facebook and X, and has a YouTube page in development where she shares some of her gaming activities.
Below in the gallery section, we'll share a variety of images across all of the spaces you can find @badgirl_tami AKA Tami LaReina, and be sure to hit that follow when you do.
-
Photo: @badgirl_tami/Instagram
via: https://hiphopwired.com/playlist/baes-baddies-curvy-gamer-baddie-badgirl_tami-tami-lareina
Source: Paras Griffin / Getty
Yung L.A. had fans holding their breath this past weekend after he passed out mid-performance at a club in South Carolina.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by RPD (@rapplaylistdaily)
The Atlanta rapper, known for his 2008 hit "Ain't I," which is currently having a viral comeback thanks to TikTok, was in the middle of his set when things took a wild turn. In video footage that quickly made the rounds online, Yung L.A. is seen handing off his mic to a woman on stage, then suddenly collapsing face-first onto the floor.
Two of his homies rushed in to help, trying to lift him up, but he slipped right through their arms and hit the ground again. Instead of panic, the men were caught laughing, which helped calm fans down and sparked rumors that it wasn't anything serious, just too much liquor and not enough water. Sources close to the rapper say he's doing fine and recovering, and fans are relieved to hear it's not a medical emergency. It's clear Yung L.A. is back on the scene, riding the wave of his classic track's resurgence, and the momentum's only picking up.
He's even been announced as part of Hot 107.9's Birthday Bash ATL this year, where he'll be repping during the Salute to Atlanta set. Despite the scare, fans are hyped to see him hit that stage, hopefully this time with a little less turn-up and a lot more balance.
via: https://hiphopwired.com/2692519/aint-ijust-passed-out-yung-l-a-faceplants-mid-performance
 Source: Anadolu / Getty
The Liberal Party won Canada's general election in a stunning turnaround, seen also as a rebuke of the actions of President Donald Trump, celebrated on social media.
On Monday (April 28), Canada held its federal election, which resulted in the Liberal Party pulling off what is considered a surprising victory after trailing in polling by as much as 25 points for months. The victory is also considered a sharp rebuke by the nation towards American President Donald Trump, who has antagonized the nation through erratic tariffs and declaring that it should be America's "51st state."
The win gives the center-left party a strong edge to claiming the majority in Canada's parliament with 168 seats - it needs 172 seats, otherwise it would mean working with rivals to form a coalition government. The Conservative Party, while holding 144 seats in Parliament, was rocked as leader Pierre Poilievre lost his riding seat in Ontario to a Liberal opponent. Poilievre had been seen as someone who would be more conciliatory towards Trump and his MAGA principles. He will still be considered the Conservative Party's de facto leader.
In a victory speech, Prime Minister Mark Carney delineated the new climate of global affairs, aiming at the United States under Trump as no longer being a trusted ally of Canada. "The system of open global trade anchored by the United States, a system that Canada has relied on since the second World War, a system that, while not perfect, has helped deliver prosperity to our country for decades, is over," he said, adding: "These are tragedies, but it's also our new reality. We are over the shock of the American betrayal, but we should never forget the lessons. We have to look out for ourselves and, above all, we have to take care of each other."
Trump has maintained his stance on Canada, adding more fuel to the fire in an interview with The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg and acknowledging his impact on the election: "I don't even know if it's a close call. But the conservative, they didn't like Governor Trudeau too much, and I would call him Governor Trudeau, but he wasn't fond of that," he said. Social media also pointed out Trump's impact as they congratulated Canada on the Liberal Party's win. "The only thing Trump did in his first 100 days was unite Canada," wrote Alex Cole in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
via: https://hiphopwired.com/playlist/canadas-liberal-party-stuns-with-win-social-media-rejoices 
Amazon was thought to be one of the major companies aligned with the policies and practices of President Donald Trump. However, the major online retailer is now in the crosshairs of the White House after Amazon decided to highlight new pricing plans based on Trump tariffs, which angered White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Punchbowl News first broke the news that Amazon is going ahead with a plan to show tariff pricing on a portion of items sold on its platform, as it was largely expected that prices would rise under Trump's economic plan. Experts have long warned that tariffs, which are a normal part of global trade, eventually pass on costs to consumers.
Leavitt framed the pricing listing as "a hostile and political act" and then questioned why company leadership never listed the pricing jump in previous years.
"Why didn't Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?" Leavitt said during a press briefing with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. According to the report, Amazon will share how much the tariffs will add to the cost of the items. However, it isn't meant to be used across the entire site.
While remaining on the attack, Leavitt cited a Reuters article that said the company Jeff Bezos founded had "partnered with a Chinese propaganda arm," doing so while holding up a printed page of the article referenced that was first published in December 2021. The Reuters report pointed out that Amazon removed public reviews and ratings from President Xi Jinping's book of speeches.
On X, many are reacting to Amazon's tariff price listing announcement, noting that the company is already releasing statements countering the original slate of reports that pricing would be shown on all goods affected by tariffs. Those responses can be viewed below.
-
Photo: MANDEL NGAN / Getty
via: https://hiphopwired.com/playlist/white-house-turns-on-amazon-press-secretary-slams-tariff-pricing-listing
 
Source: Anthony Steverson/The Apollo / Anthony Steverson/The Apollo
On Saturday (April 26), Lyricist Lounge, the vaunted rap showcase from the '90s-hosted one of its legendary shows at the world-famous Apollo Theater-headlined by Ghostface Killah. As per the name, Lyricist Lounge set it off in Harlem with some good ole-fashioned emceeing, deft wordplay and cool freestyling. All of that.
As a '70s baby, I'm not new to this thing called Hip-Hop. It's in my bones; my heart beats that ole boom-bap, and just so you know, my first gig in journalism was at The Source when it was still the Bible of Hip-Hop (and yes, I was at that infamous '95 Source Awards when Suge Knight kicked a hornet's nest, André 3000 snapped back at the crowd, and, according to Questlove, the underground died-an amazing show by the way). In short, I am a Hip-Hop concert connoisseur.
Decades in, I still (mostly) love H.E.R. (not the singer, but Hip-Hop.) And so, when I had the chance to see a few folks from my favorite crew (Wu-Tang, Wu-Tang), in my neighborhood no less, I was all in.
The brainchild of Danny Castro and Ant Marshall, Lyricist Lounge is one of those New York Hip-Hop institutions like The Stretch and Bobbito Show, Video Music Box or real-time Funk Flex on the wheels of steel. Throughout the night Marshall and Castro took to the stage to introduce the lineup and noted that they will "finally" be putting out a documentary about the legendary showcase, created in 1991. They also said that night's show would be one of the last in the old Apollo, which is apparently being renovated. According to Time Out NY, the new fixings include "restored seating, updates to the iconic marquee, upgrades to backstage areas, and an expanded lobby with a cafe and bar."
Source: Anthony Steverson/The Apollo / Anthony Steverson/The Apollo
And onto the show. First and foremost the system in the Apollo was booming. As an ole head, this is revolutionary. I can't count the number of Hip-Hop shows where the sound system was annoyingly garbled and distorted. Yet on Saturday, the top dawg of the Theodore Unit took to the Apollo Stage with his fellow Wu brethren-Cappadonna, Inspectah Deck-and a slew of MCs who take that moniker seriously: Math Hoffa, Grafh, Kyah Baby and Noah-O.
They tore the place up proper like.
I'mma start with the femcee, Kyah Baby, straight outta Queens. Homegirl had a masterful command of the stage, and lyrics, too. As everyone knows, the Apollo/New York crowd can be rough if not apathetic, but Kyah rose to the occasion. One of her songs was about her father being incarcerated, and she exhorted the crowd to put two fingers up if they knew anyone in the belly of it. Soon, she had the crowd rocking over some hard beats.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Johnny Nunez (@johnnynunez)
Math Hoffa kicked a fierce freestyle when the system went bad (what can you say, it's Hip-Hop), and then, as older Black folk tend to do, got kinda churchy...not my cup of tea unless it's Sunday Service, but whatever. Grafh did his thing, but was conspicuously booed throughout his set, which he deftly ignored (what was that all about?) We also got some nice rhymes from Noah O from Richmond, Va., and Shooter from Harlem came through with that slick uptown gangsta ilk. Weather Park, Ol' Dirty Bastard's son, did a rendition of "Brooklyn Zoo."
And then the real show began. Introducing Ghostface Killlaaaaaaahhhhhh!
Thirty-odd years in, Ghost knows how to rock a crowd-and not just because he got hits. Starks came through with a hoodie and red leather pants-light work for a man known for outrageous furs and thick bathrobes flanked by gold ropes. His presence? Pure Wu magic: Voice command, breath technique, literally moving the crowd. I am a Hip-Hop concert fanatic; I have probably seen Wu-Tang seven or eight times through the years, and this intimate Apollo show was just as special.
Back story: My spine-tinglin' love affair with the Wu began with a raved about 12-inch, "Protect Your Neck" (B-side "Method Man"), and was cemented with Enter The Wu-Tan: 36 Chambers, which I played incessantly on my yellow Sony Walkman. It lives to this day. See, the appeal of Wu-Tang (RZA, GZA, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, U-God, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa and Ol' Dirty Bastard) is that not only are they top notch MCs who have taken the genre and smacked it up, flipped it and rubbed it down in their own likeness, it is the sheer mastery, elevation and adoration of the art form that deserves a salute. And it stay fonky. The beauty-the enigma-of Wu-Tang is that they exist as a paradox, seeming opposites that go well together, like Rae and Ghost on a track.
Okay, for one: Wu is some singing-warbling ass R&B/soul n*ggas till the end, but they also appeal to that hardcore ish. And in true form, Ghost serenaded the Apollo crowd with classics like "I'm Dreaming" by Christopher Williams cut up by his DJ Scram Jones (Ghost: "this on some mixtape sh*t"); "Outstanding" by the Gap Band, you know, some "slow dragging" music, and even the theme from "Cheers" (and he was really checking if the crowd knew the words), and yet, the Wu is so thugged out they're a little intimidating (especially back in the day.)
Finally, Wu is crossover AF (how many white guys have a Wu tattoo?). But they are like the Blackest ever-their very love of Blackness, calling the Blackman God, keeping a foot in the dirt, but have penned and rapped some of the most intimate, vulnerable stories ever put on disc ("All I Need" and "All That I Got Is You"-both duets with Mary J. Blige). It's that whimsical wordplay and creativity. Oh, and they ride that f*ckin' beat like Beyoncé on a magical silver horse. They are indeed special. No one else could pull it off.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tony Starks - Wu Tang - (@ghostfacekillah)
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Apollo Djjess (@apollo_djjess)
And so Ghost and Deck and Cappadonna ran through quite a few Wu joints, each of them taking their fellow members' parts/lyrics. When Dek and Ghost both did RZA's intro on "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing ta F' Wit" I was geeked! Of course, Cappadona dropped bars. And then Ghost had the crowd in the aisles rocking to sundry hits from the years, from the squad- "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" by ODB; "Da Mystery of Chessboxin'"; "Ice Cream"; himself-"Cherchez LaGhost," and "Apollo Kids" (how apropos) or mixes and snippets like his verse from "Freek'n You" (remix) by Jodeci, a foreverrrrrrr bop.
Also, lyrics for days. There was a moment during the show when he took a few moments to thank the crowd for its support over all these years. "N*gga we brothers, we cousins, all that shit-I'mma f*cking godfather to your f*ckin' children," said Pretty Toney. Ghost looked good. In all the ways. My Wu-Gambino booskis did it up, as per usual, and I'm so glad I got to experience it at a legendary Harlem venue, with Lyricist Lounge, a Hip-Hop institution.
via: https://hiphopwired.com/2691813/ghostface-killah-at-the-apollo
|
|
| |
|
