Jennifer Lopez Will Perform a Motown Tribute at the 2019 Grammys, and Folks Are Naturally Scratching Their Heads

dnigma-howard-video — The photo on the right shows a cut on Dnigma Howard's cheek she said she received when a Chicago police officer punched her in the face during an incident at Marshall High School as police tried to escort her off the school's grounds.

Three Chicago police officers seen on video punching and tasing a 16-year-old female student at a school in the city’s West Side have been barred from returning to the campus until an investigation is completed, a Chicago Schools spokesperson announced.

The disturbing video footage, taken at Marshall High School, shows three officers subduing Dnigma Howard, a black student, by repeatedly using a stun gun on her and striking her with a closed fist.

According to reports, Cook County prosecutors said the officers were called to escort Howard off the school’s premises after she was suspended the morning of Tuesday, January 29th, 2019 after she got into an argument with the assistant principal and apparently began flipping over desks in a classroom.

When Howard reportedly refused to leave the building, the officers said she kicked, bit and spit on them, and eventually caused the three of them to fall down a flight of stairs. The teen and the arresting officers were taken to two different hospitals following the confrontation to be treated for their injuries.

Dnigma’s account of what happened, however, is completely different from the story police told Cook County prosecutors.

The teen told the Chicago Sun-Times that she wasn’t asked to leave the building before officers grabbed her. And though she admitted to biting a female officer’s hand (the same officer she said struck her several times), Dnigma said she and an officer fell after she was pushed by one of the cops, and she grabbed the officer’s vest as she was tumbling down the stairs.

Dnigma’s father, Laurentio Howard, was called to the school and he recorded the end of the altercation.

“The police officer tried to push her down the stairs, so she grabbed the police officer by the vest,” Mr. Howard told ABC 7 Chicago. “She was basically defending herself.”

Howard said he wanted to protect his daughter, but feared he would be shot.

“It was devastating, I couldn’t believe what was going on,” Mr. Howard said. “I was thinking, ‘If I jump in they’re going to shoot me. And if I don’t jump in, they’re going to hurt my daughter really bad.'”

Mr. Howard acknowledged that his daughter has a history of behavioral problems, but he blamed the school for not following proper protocol.

“They’re supposed to allow her to talk to her counselor when she asks, but when she asked, they told her he was in a meeting and she couldn’t talk to him,” Howard told the Sun-Times. “Maybe she didn’t know, but the school should have made that known.”

The incident has rekindled the discussion over what role, if any, police should play on K-12 campuses.

“I think it really just shows that officers like that shouldn’t be in a school,” Dnigma’s father said. “It was embarrassing,” Mr. Howard said of the incident. “[Other students] were watching.”

As far as the use of the taser is concerned, Chicago Public Schools have “no specific policy on the use of stun guns” on students, the Sun-Times reported:

A general guideline on Taser use recommends de-escalation by the officer, but allows officers to use a stun gun against “an active resistor or assailant, and only for the purpose of gaining control of and restraining the subject.”

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) says they’re looking into the situation, but as of now, it isn’t clear if and how the officers have been disciplined.

“CPS strives to create safe and supportive learning environments for all students, and this disturbing incident has absolutely no place in our schools,” district spokesman Michael Passman said in a statement. “To ensure a thorough review of this situation is conducted, we are asking the district’s Office of the Inspector General to review the matter and we will fully support the ongoing investigation by the City’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability.”

As for Dnigma Howard, she’s been charged with two felony counts of aggravated battery to a peace officer and two misdemeanor counts of resisting and obstructing a peace officer.

The teen appeared in juvenile court on Friday, February 1st and she was sentenced to home confinement until her next court date on February 19th, her father said. She was also banned from the Marshall High School campus.

Cook County Juvenile Court Judge Linda Pauel declined to put Dnigma in juvenile detention, citing her lack of a criminal background.

Nicki Minaj and Cardi B Team Up to Take Down Tomi Lahren for 21 Savage Slander

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After initially claiming to have nothing but love and support between them, Cardi B and Nicki Minaj fell prey to the petty, pathetic bickering that stereotypically crops up between female rappers.

While their falling out, which culminated in a physical confrontation at a NYFW event last year, wasn’t entirely surprising, it was disappointing nonetheless.

Well, good news Barbs and Carbs: Nicki and Cardi have both teamed up against a common enemy: Tomi Lahren.

The conservative social media troll drew the ire of Cardi earlier in the year when she expressed her disapproval of Cardi’s unfiltered take on Trump’s government shutdown.

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A post shared by Cardi B (@iamcardib)

Looks like @iamcardib is the latest genius political mind to endorse the Democrats. HA! Keep it up, guys! #MAGA2020

— Tomi Lahren (@TomiLahren) January 17, 2019

Leave me alone I will dog walk you . https://t.co/FjqIzpUbvp

— iamcardib (@iamcardib) January 20, 2019

But guys, that was soooo long ago. That was January 20th, after all.

Tomi got on a new, fresh set of Cardi’s nerves as she set about posting mocking tweets about 21 Savage getting locked up by ICE and facing deportation.

Don’t make me get my leash https://t.co/ErQ2RhzDeg

— iamcardib (@iamcardib) February 4, 2019

After Cardi got her second set of jabs in comparing poor Tomi to a canine, Nicki Minaj tagged herself in to let Tomi know she looks stupid being so pressed for attention from the hip-hop community and culture.

Your obsession w/our culture is scary to say the least. I hate giving you the attention you so desperately crave. Laughing @ ppl getting deported as if your ancestors discovered America. Are you Native American? You fkn clown. https://t.co/7m0fYnubkq

— QUEEN (@NICKIMINAJ) February 4, 2019

When you’re in the country illegally, you get deported. I didn’t write the law and neither did ICE. They enforce it. I hope @21savage is able to get an entertainment visa or become a citizen one day.

P.S. My ancestors did discover America https://t.co/sXzQaD4Kd5

— Tomi Lahren (@TomiLahren) February 4, 2019

While Nicki and Cardi didn’t DIRECTLY address each other as they shot daggers at Tomi, the fact that they can both agree that Tomi Lahren is a piece of trash means the two femcees are still capable of finding common ground. Which is something worth celebrating, right?

21 Savage’s True Origin Story as a British Immigrant Leaves Trap Music Fans Stunned After ICE Arrest

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In 2019, it’s not completely shocking that a rapper’s real life doesn’t live up to the “thug” backstory he’s concocted for himself.

For example, Rick Ross, the tatted up gangsta rapper was, in fact, a correctional officer at one point.

Tekashi 6ix9ine, who claimed to be born and bred for the street life, is in fact just a goofy kid named Daniel Hernandez who ended up falling in with the wrong crowd. His true “street” colors shined through when he recently ratted on his former gang friends.

So when news broke that 21 Savage was being detained by ICE and headed for deportation, since he’d overstayed his visa as a UK citizen, we probably shouldn’t have been surprised that someone who only repped and claimed the ATL, was in fact merely just a really good imitator and not a native son.

While half the Internet was busy enjoying memes that poked fun at 21 Savage’s British background, the other half got their Scooby Doom on and started looking for facts about his birth and upbringing.

The Shade Room quickly unearthed an alleged birth certificate of 21 Savage’s (real name: Shéyaa Bin Abraham) which showed he was born in the UK to Kevin Cornelius Emmons and Heather Carmillia Joseph.

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The Heather mentioned on the birth certificate is easy to find. She’s on Instagram under that name and she has a very decidedly British accent.

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21’s father, however, is a slightly more complicated matter.

Angela Yee of The Breakfast Club asserted that 21 Savage’s father is, in fact, a man named Dr. Amsu Anpu.

Dr. Anpu is known for his enthusiastic endorsement of alternative medicine and he’s gained a small following for promoting full healing and reversal of things like diabetes and cervical cancer through unconventional methods like fasting and “electric health.”

Nonetheless, this Dr. Anpu has publicly claimed 21 Savage as his son:

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A post shared by Dr. Amsu Anpu (@dr.amsu)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjDNbxIBs9K/

It’s not clear if Dr. Anpu is the same Kevin Emmons listed on 21 Savage’s birth certificate. He could have changed his name to Dr. Anpu (the name sounds made up, tbh) or he could be a stepfather figure.

In addition to these two, the Daily Mail unearthed information about 21 Savage’s London-based twin sisters Kyra and Jayda.

All of this is too much, too soon. So many on the Internet merely couldn’t grasp how this whole chunk of 21 Savage’s backstory merely never came up.

@21savage been stunting this whole time bruh! Smh! & @OffsetYRN shut yo ass up! #21Savage #staycappin #stuntin #aintfromGA #21NOsavage

— L O H G A N ? (@Lohgxnn) February 5, 2019

? #21savagememes #21Savage pic.twitter.com/uhCvjAPiK6

— Jazzers (@JazerChris) February 5, 2019

#21Savage #ice #makeGreatBritainGreatAgain pic.twitter.com/2qgPqEuWLB

— Gordon Bombay (@CakeEaterBombay) February 5, 2019

While 21 Savage did indeed spend a good portion of his childhood in Atlanta and in the United States, why on earth did his British background never come up ONCE in any of the various interviews and feature stories written about him?

Take this article about him in Rolling Stone, which REPEATEDLY refers to him as an “Atlanta rapper.”

More ironically, the story ends with this quote about 21 Savage’s supposed authenticity.

“Even if nobody keeps it real with me,” he declares, “just as long as I know in my heart I done kept it real with everybody, I can live with that. Even if I ain’t the famous-est, the richest, the best: As long as I know I kept it real and didn’t backstab nobody, I sleep good at night.”

You livin’ a whole ass lie but out here talkin’ bout you done kept it real with everybody, Shéyaa?

FX Says “Atlanta” Season 3 May Not Be Released Until 2020

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More via The Hollywood Reporter:

Donald Glover has been doing so much lately that FX has announced that the upcoming third season of Atlanta has been delayed and may not arrive until sometime in 2020.

John Landgraf, the network’s CEO, revealed at the Television Critics Association winter press tour Monday morning that Glover’s popular series is behind schedule.

When Atlanta was renewed it for a third season last June, it was expected to return in 2019, but it has recently become clear that that’s no longer a possibility.

“I don’t know whether we’ll have Atlanta or not. The writers are back working right now, thank God,” said Landgraf, before PR boss John Solberg confirmed that “it won’t be for this Emmy cycle.” Joked Landgraf to the reporters in the Langham Hotel ballroom: “If you wanna see me cry, you can just come backstage.”

With Atlanta out of Emmy contention this year, it clears a path for other strong contenders including Barry, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and the final season of Veep. The Georgia-based series, which Glover has described as a passion project of his, has previously won FX two Emmys, two Golden Globes and a Peabody Award, on top of being a steady performer for the network.

“As you might imagine, Donald Glover is sort of the king of all media, and he just has had an incredibly complicated life. He’s had personal things he’s had to deal with, from injuries to other things I’d rather not say publicly that just have to do not with his personal life but his extended family,” Landgraf further explained of the delay.

“So I think one of the things that is just a reality of television today is you have to wait. We have so many things now that don’t cycle back on a regular basis. … From my standpoint, I wish for the fans as well as for us that we could get everything back on an annual basis but, again, you just have to make a decision about quantity over quality at a certain point — and we’re just erring on the side of quality.”

Atlanta castmember Zazie Beetz had hinted at the delay while promoting her new movie Wounds at Sundance last week. “Ideally we would be shooting now; that’s not happening,” she told IndieWire with a laugh. “Everybody’s schedules are sort of all over the place — they’re hoping for spring sometime, but no dates.” She added: “Everybody’s busy, and Donald [Glover] had his tour in the fall, and that doesn’t lend itself to time for scriptwriting. I know that they have a couple of episodes together, but I don’t have any real information.”

Atlanta’s production delays aren’t new territory for those of us who have been following the show over the years.

Despite its critical acclaim, following its season premiere in 2016, the show’s second season didn’t debut until 2018 due to showrunner Donald Glover’s busy schedule (which, at the time, included his rap career and his role in “Solo: A Star Wars Story”).

Bow Wow & Kiyomi Leslie’s Fight Sparked by Argument Over Her Talking to Another Man at a Party (Report)

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The fight that resulted in both Bow Wow and his on-and-off girlfriend Kiyomi Leslie getting arrested and spending some hours in jail was reportedly the result of an argument that started because he caught her talking to another man at a party.

This past weekend, Super Bowl LIII was hosted in Atlanta, and, needless to say, the party scene was pretty heavy. Bow and Leslie attended a number of events together, but after one particular event, hosted Friday night (Feb. 1), the pair got into a huge argument.

Leslie, who appears on Growing Up Hip Hop Atlanta along with Bow Wow (a starring cast member on the show), claims the rapper/actor wasn’t too pleased with her talking to another man at the party, and went off on her about it when they got home early Saturday morning.

TMZ obtained a copy of the police report, which stated that Leslie claimed Bow Wow hit her in the head, pulled her by her hair, dragged her from her bedroom and told her to get out of his house.

Bow Wow, for his part, admitted to being pissed about “the other guy” and told cops that she “disrespected him” by hanging “all over another man’s body.” He also claimed Leslie called him a “b**ch a** n***a” at one point during their altercation.

As far as him telling Kiyomi to leave his home, Bow also admitted to that, but says he didn’t do any of the physical violence she’s accusing him of. He said he simply placed her bags by the door, and that’s when she attacked him.

Bow said Leslie “grabbed a nightstand lamp and threw it at him,” but she missed.” She then proceeded to scratch his face, TMZ reported, the results of which can be seen in his viral mugshot.

A responding officer said he noticed a lamp on the ground when he walked into the bedroom, and cops observed marks on Leslie’s fingers and broken fingernails, which is nothing compared to Bow Wow’s injuries.

Because officers couldn’t determine who was the aggressor (though Bow Wow’s people say Kiyomi started the fight and was the aggressor), they were both arrested and booked on battery charges. They both eventually bonded out on $8,000 bond.

For what it’s worth, Leslie said she broke three ribs during the brawl, according to TMZ.

Meanwhile, Bow Wow’s team says that the rapper wasn’t the instigator in the fight. On Saturday, his lawyer released the following statement to the media calling Kyimo (real name: Leslie Holden) an “out of control intoxicated female.”

“Shad Bow Wow Moss was wrongfully arrested for the first time after being beaten by an out of control intoxicated female, Ms. Leslie Holden, in an Atlanta condominium,” the statement from the rapper’s lawyer. “The only two independent witnesses both corroborated his version of events indicating that Ms. Holden was simply out of control and was without a doubt the primary aggressor.”

The statement continued: “For no logical reason officers arrested both parties despite having clear-cut evidence that Bow Wow was the victim in the case. Ms. Holden beat him with a lamp, bit him on his side, and spit on him while Bow Wow continually made efforts to avoid her. Bow Wow suffered multiple injuries, some of which are visible in his mugshot. Ms. Holden’s mugshot on the other hand speaks for itself, despite her allegation to police that she broke a fingernail.”

Creator of “SpongeBob Meme” Wants Credit for Travis Scott’s Super Bowl Performance Intro

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A college student behind a viral tweet featuring a mashup of a popular SpongeBob Squarepants episode and Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode” song would like credit for basically creating the intro to Scott’s Super Bowl LIII halftime show performance.

No credit. No payment. No nothing. Everyone please RT until @NFL @NFLonCBS @CBS @nflnetwork addresses me. Thank you. https://t.co/1q0NNOfYHl

— Anthony Trucco (@anthonytrucco) February 4, 2019

Via The A.V. Club:

See, a very similar mashup of SpongeBob and “Sicko Mode” was shared back in September by Twitter user Anthony Trucco.

That tweet went viral after getting a nod of approval from the official SpongeBob Twitter account, and, following last night’s performance, Trucco reposted his version of the clip, tagging the NFL and CBS while declaring, “No credit. No payment. No nothing.”

While there are plenty of similarities between the two clips, nobody would say they’re exactly the same. The question, then, becomes: What credit, if any, does CBS owe to this SpongeBob meme creator?

In a pre-game report, CBS Sports alluded to the “Sicko Mode” meme and cheekily implied that Scott’s appearance at the halftime show was a good indication that SpongeBob would be getting a shout out. Still, they made no direct reference or acknowledgment of Trucco.

So, what does Anthony Trucco want? He didn’t create SpongeBob Squarepants. He didn’t write or record “Sicko Mode.” He was, however, the first person to place them side-by-side and, hey, that’s got to be worth something.

With the recent backlash against meme and joke aggregator accounts like F**k Jerry, the conversation around the value of internet content seems more important than ever.

In a statement to The Daily Dot, Trucco walked back some of the grievances in his original tweet but maintains he deserves some sort of acknowledgement:

“I am not seeking legal credit or reparations for the use of my creation…It wouldn’t have taken a lot of work for one of the parties that I mentioned [in my tweet] to acknowledge the inspiration for the Super Bowl set. I want to make it very clear that I am in no way upset or angry at anyone…One thing I can say with 100% certainty is that those two creations would have never existed together at today’s halftime show had I not brought the two together in my mashup video.”

Do you think this guy deserves the credit he’s asking for?

Mo’Nique Reportedly Threatened to Slap Steve Harvey On His Own Talk Show

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As we all know by now, Mo’Nique isn’t one to mince words or sugarcoat how she feels about a particular situation.

Just last week, she referred to Whoopi Goldberg as “the help,” and now, reports suggest she almost got physical with Steve Harvey on his talk show.

RELATED: Mo’Nique Slams Whoopi Golderg, Says She “Has Always Been the Help” in Hollywood

According to an exclusive report from The Jasmine Brand, Mo’Nique was recently a guest on Harvey’s daytime talk show Steve to promote her upcoming residency in Las Vegas, but things quickly went left when their discussion turned to her recent Hollywood spats with folks like Whoopi Goldberg, Tyler Perry and Lee Daniels.

Steve reportedly told the Oscar winner that she needed to apologize to Whoopi and others she has publicly slammed, and Mo’Nique is said to have let him know that wasn’t going to happen, and allegedly threatened to slap him.

“She threatened to hit Steve in the face,” a source told The Jasmine Brand. “He told her if she hit him, her husband would have to come out and square off.”

Cameras were reportedly rolling during Steve and Mo’Nique’s alleged heated conversation, but sources weren’t able to confirm whether or not the spat will ever see the light of day publicly.

Mo’Nique’s appearance on “Steve” will air on TV in the coming weeks, TJB reported.

Bow Wow’s Team Says Kiyomi Leslie Started the Fight That Landed Them Both in Jail, and SHE Was the Aggressor

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A representative for Bow Wow is claiming that his ex, Kiyomi Leslie, is the one who started the fight early Saturday morning (Feb. 2) that got them both arrested, and she was the main aggressor throughout the physical altercation.

The pair—who chronicled their relationship last season on We TV’s Growing Up Hip Hop Atlanta—had apparently rekindled things recently, but were keeping it on the low, according to The Shade Room.

The day after the incident that made headlines and saw them both behind bars temporarily, Bow Wow’s rep said that Kiyomi was upset with Bow Wow because he was attending Super Bowl-related events without her, and she reacted by physically attacking him.

PREVIOUSLY: Bow Wow & Girlfriend Kiyomi Leslie Arrested for Battery After Getting Into Physical Fight

Bow’s rep said Kiyomi allegedly picked up a lamp and hit him across the face, which caused him to suffer multiple injuries, including a gash in his neck and side and bruised ribs. His mugshot also speaks for itself as he can be seen with a number of visible scratches on his forehead and under his eye.

Bow Wow and Kiyomi Leslie were both arrested on battery charges and released on $8,000 bond on Saturday.

Soulja Boy Accused of Kidnapping Woman, Breaking Her Ribs & Tying Her Up for Several Hours

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A woman is hurling some pretty serious accusations at Soulja Boy.

According to a report from TMZ, a woman told police that Young Draco assaulted and kidnapped her over the weekend.

Sources close to the situation say that a woman Soulja Boy was dating named Kayla was at his house in Agoura Hills (near Los Angeles) Friday night (Feb. 1). Around 2:30 a.m. early Saturday morning, they got into an argument and she was told to leave the residence.

As Kayla tried to back out of the driveway, she accidentally hit a curb, sources said, and Soulja’s assistant, who was outside at the time, saw it and became “agitated,” which led to a fight between Kayla and the assistant.

Soulja reportedly came out and tried to break up the fight, but while Kayla was on the ground, she claims Soulja punched and kicked her before taking her inside his garage and tying her to a chair with an extension cord.

Kayla’s sources say she was tied up in Soulja Boy’s garage for at least six hours. Once she was released, she called the police and went to the hospital where she was treated for injuries including three fractured ribs and a concussion.

Someone filed a report and authorities are reportedly investigating the accusations, though they wouldn’t confirm with TMZ if the kidnapping report that was filed Saturday morning was related to this particular incident.

If true, this would be bad news for Soulja because he’s currently on 5-years probation for a conviction related to weapons’ charges … which means that he isn’t supposed to be getting into any trouble, or, as TMZ put it, “he is not allowed to threaten anyone or possess any deadly weapon.”

Soulja Boy didn’t respond to any requests for comment regarding this incident, but his manager told TMZ that the Kayla woman is lying because Soulja “always calls me if there’s any problem, and he did not call.”

“Young and the Restless” Star Kristoff St. John Found Dead at 52

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“Young and the Restless” star Kristoff St. John has died at the age of 52, TMZ reports.

Law enforcement sources said one of Kristoff’s friends did a welfare check on the actor at his home in San Fernando Valley, California where they discovered his lifeless body.

911 was called and police and paramedics rushed to the home. Kristoff was reportedly pronounced dead on the scene.

The actor’s cause of death wasn’t immediately revealed, however, there was no sign of foul play and sources believe alcohol may have played a factor.

Kristoff has played Neil Winters on “Y&R” since 1991. The role has earned him 10 NAACP Image Awards and earned 9 Daytime Emmy nominations.

More via TMZ:

Kristoff has a tragic and troubled history with suicide. He and his ex-wife, boxer Mia St. John, lost their son, Julian, when he took his own life in 2014, while getting treatment at a mental health facility. Mia and Kristoff sued the facility for negligence. The suit was eventually settled.

In 2017, around the anniversary of Julian’s suicide, Kristoff threatened to kill himself with a gun. Cops placed him under a 72-hour hold for psychiatric evaluation.

After their son’s death by suicide, Kristoff and Mia founded the El Sabor es Poder (Knowledge is Power) Foundation to battle mental illness.

Mia St. John reacted to Kristoff’s death with an emotional post on Twitter.

“THAT HOSPITAL KILLED OUR SON @TheArtofJulian THEN MY HUSBAND @kristoffstjohn1 THATS WHAT HAPPENED! THEY KILLED MY FAMILY,” she tweeted and then deleted.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates…

WATCH: Chloe x Halle Perform Stunning Rendition of “America the Beautiful” During Super Bowl LIII

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GOT Music

After Gladys Knight wowed the crowd with her soulful rendition of the national anthem, Beyoncé’s Grammy-nominated protegees Chloe x Halle hit the center field to perform “America the Beautiful” as part of the pre-game festivities for Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta.

Watch the performance up top.

WATCH: Maroon 5 Performs With Travis Scott & Big Boi During Super Bowl LIII Halftime Show

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Following a ton of controversy, Maroon 5 rocked the Super Bowl LIII halftime show with a huge performance featuring appearances from Travis Scott and Big Boi.

Watch the star-studded performance above.

WATCH: Gladys Knight Belts Soulful Rendition of the National Anthem at Super Bowl LIII

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Gladys Knight wowed the Super Bowl LIII crowd with a soulful rendition of the United States National Anthem Sunday night (Feb. 3) in Atlanta.

The 74-year-old seven-time Grammy winner, who was born and raised in Atlanta, wore an all-white dress and silver shoes as she belted the “Star Spangled Banner”

Knight’s performance was a hit on social media, with many on Twitter praising the legendary singer:

Gladys Knight anthem was awesome.

— Myles Simmons (@MylesASimmons) February 3, 2019

Gladys Knight looked great and just straight crushed it.

— Donna Ditota (@DonnaDitota1) February 3, 2019

Gladys Knight did that. Classic. Iconic. Legend

— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) February 3, 2019

Gladys Knight looked and sounded like she actually descended from heaven to midfield to sing the anthem. #Lordhavemercy #SuperBowl

— T.J. Holmes (@tjholmes) February 3, 2019

Ahead of her performance, Knight received criticism from fans who felt as though she shouldn’t have taken the gig considering the racially-motivated controversies surrounding the whole Colin Kaepernick kneeling situation.

“I understand that Mr. Kaepernick is protesting two things, and they are police violence and injustice,” she wrote in a statement. “It is unfortunate that our National Anthem has been dragged into this debate when the distinctive senses of the National Anthem and fighting for justice should each stand alone.

She continued: “I am here today and on Sunday, Feb. 3 to give the Anthem back its voice, to stand for that historic choice of words, the way it unites us when we hear it and to free it from the same prejudices and struggles I have fought long and hard for all my life, from walking back hallways, from marching with our social leaders, from using my voice for good — I have been in the forefront of this battle longer than most of those voicing their opinions to win the right to sing our country’s Anthem on a stage as large as the Super Bowl LIII.”

She concluded her statement with this: “No matter who chooses to deflect with this narrative and continue to mix these two in the same message, it is not so and cannot be made so by anyone speaking it. I pray that this National Anthem will bring us all together in a way never before witnessed and we can move forward and untangle these truths which mean so much to all of us.”

Gladys Knight joins a notable list of artists who have performed the anthem over the years, including Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, Carrie Underwood, and, more recently, Pin, who performed last year while battling the flu.

Watch the performance up top.

“Avengers: Endgame” Teaser Trailer Airs During Super Bowl LIII (VIDEO)

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Though a brand new “Avengers: Endgame” trailer probably won’t arrive until a few weeks from now, new teaser footage debuted during Super Bowl LIII Sunday night (Feb. 3).

The quick 30-second TV spot shows the devastation of the world after Thanos’ snap—empty houses, empty stadiums, a poster about missing people, etc. Long story short: EVERYTHING IS GONE.

But our heroes won’t let this get them down. The surviving Avengers team up and train to prepare themselves to save the world from Thanos’ destruction.

“Avengers: End Game”—the fourth installment in Marvel’s “Avengers” film series and the 22nd film in the entire Marvel cinematic universe—hits theaters on April 26th, following “Captain Marvel” on March 8th and before “Spider-Man: Far from Home” on July 5th.

21 Savage Arrested By ICE in Atlanta, Could Be Deported Back to the U.K.

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21 Savage was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (also known as “ICE”) in Atlanta early Sunday morning (Feb. 3) on claims that he is in the country illegally.

According to ICE officials, 21 (real name: real name Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph) is actually from the United Kingdom and overstayed his visa. He could possibly be deported back to his home country.

TMZ reports:

21 Savage was picked up by ICE early Sunday morning. He apparently entered the U.S. legally in 2005 but his visa expired and he reportedly is here illegally.

He reportedly is being held for removal proceedings … this for being in the country illegally and for being a felon. He was convicted of drug charges in 2014.

His attorney, Dina LaPolt, tells TMZ, “We are working diligently to get Mr. Abraham-Joseph out of detention while we work with authorities to clear up any misunderstanding. Mr. Abraham-Joseph is a role model to the young people in the country — especially in Atlanta, Georgia and is actively working in the community leading programs to help underprivileged youths in financial literacy.”

An ICE spokesperson says 21 Sav — real name Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph — is a U.K. national who is unlawfully in the country, and has been since 2006 when his visa expired. They say he came to the States a year earlier at the age of 12.

The spox goes on to say that Sav is currently in ICE custody in Georgia and that he’s been placed into removal proceedings before the federal immigration courts. They add that ICE will await the outcome of his case before a judge to determine future actions.

It isn’t clear what country or territory in the United Kingdom 21 Savage is from, but some reports say he’s from the Caribbean island of Dominica, which is an associated state of the U.K.

Mugshot Madness: Bow Wow & Girlfriend Kiyomi Leslie Arrested for Battery After Getting Into Physical Fight

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Bow Wow and his girlfriend Kiyomi Leslie were BOTH arrested in Atlanta early Saturday morning after allegedly getting into a physical altercation, TMZ reports.

Atlanta police said there was some sort of dispute between Bow Wow and Kiyomi (real name: Leslie Holden) around 4:15 a.m. Saturday. Cops were called, and when they arrived, Leslie claimed Bow Wow had assaulted her, and Bow Wow said she had assaulted him.

Both Bow Wow and Leslie sustained visible, minor injuries, police told TMZ.

Cops couldn’t determine who was the aggressor out of the two, so they were both arrested and charged with Battery Substantial Physical Harm, a misdemeanor.

In Bow Wow’s mugshot, he can be seen with huge, visible scratches on his forehead and a cut under his eye, while Kiyomi looks virtually untouched in her boiling photo.

The 31-year-old rapper/actor, whose real name is Shad Moss, has since been released on $8,000 bond, while Kyomi, 27, remains in the Fulton County Jail on $8K bond.

Bow Wow and Kiyomi Leslie’s off-and-on relationship was a major storyline on the latest season Growing Up Hip Hop Atlanta.

Though the pair reportedly broke up months ago, Bow and Kiyomi were spotted a few days ago at the same pop-up event in ATL, as evidenced by posts on their respective Instagram accounts.

Friday on Twitter, Bow Wow promoted an event hosted by his mom.

Ladies in town for the Super Bowl don’t forget… My mother is having her @shoptasteonline “SIP & SHOP” today!!! 1pm-7pm Fri & Sat. #shopping #food #drinks pic.twitter.com/KA4G15nLEV

— Bow Wow (@smoss) February 1, 2019

Bow Wow was also spotted at Shaquille O’Neal’s Super Bowl event (called Shaq’s Fun House) not long before his arrest.

This is a big weekend in Atlanta as Super Bowl 53 will be hosted in the city at the Mercedes Benz Stadium Sunday (Feb. 3).

Joshua Meeks: Quick Facts About High School Honor Student Shot & Killed in Drug Deal Gone Bad

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BaRock Odrama

The murder of a high school football player and honor roll student in Greenville, South Carolina is making headlines as police investigate the series of events that led to the young man’s untimely death.

16-year-old Joshua Meeks, an 11th-grade student at Mauldin High School, was found dead by authorities over an apparent drug deal that went bad.

Here are some things you need to know about Joshua Meeks and his murder:

1Joshua Meeks was found dead along a dirt road in Laurens County less than a day after being reported missing by his mother.

Joshua Meeks’ mother told police the last time she saw her son was on Tuesday night (Jan. 29) when he left out to go with friends to Cook Out, a fast food restaurant.

On Wednesday, police pinged Meek’s cellphone which led them to his car, a Toyota Corolla, parked at Rocky Creek Apartments on Woodruff Road. Inside Meeks’ car, police found “copious amounts” of blood covering the passenger seat.

Early Thursday morning, authorities found Meeks’ body near Deer Wood Circle and N. Deerwood Lane in Laurens County—about 26 miles away from where his car was found. The coroner said that he died from a gunshot wound.

2Three suspects, all teens, have been arrested in connection with Meeks’ murder.

18-year-old Sosa Mandiez Croft was arrested on Thursday (Jan. 31) in connection with Joshua Meeks’ murder. Croft was charged with murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, armed robbery, and grand larceny.

“During the course of investigation, investigators learned that Croft and the victim had engaged in some sort of drug deal prior to Croft stealing the victim’s car and ultimately shooting him,” Lt. Ryan Flood said in a news release.

In addition to Croft being arrested, 18-year-old Lyric Mone Lawson was arrested and charged with accessory after the fact to murder.

According to Fox Carolina, Lawson is accused of helping one of the two other suspects conceal and transport Meeks’ body after the killing. If convicted, Lawson faces up to 15 years in prison. She was granted a cash bond of $50,000, and if she makes bond, she must be monitored via GPS.

A 16-year-old male suspect was also arrested and charged with murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, armed robbery and grand larceny. The 16-year-old’s name has not been released due to his age.

3Sosa Mandiez Croft claims that he wasn’t the one who murdered Joshua Meeks.

During his bond hearing on Thursday (Jan. 31), Sosa Mandiez Croft told Joshua Meeks’ family that he was not his killer and was going to cooperate with authorities to help them find the real shooter.

“To the victim’s family I understand that nothing I say can ever bring Joshua back but I’m going to let you know this now, I’m working with my lawyer and I’m real-life telling who the killer is, who the person, the monster is, who took your son away from you, the person who pulled the trigger that night,” Croft said to Meeks’ family.

He went on to add, “I’m going to come clean, and put it all out there; and tell my involvement of the whole situation so y’all can have closure even though it can’t bring him back.”

Croft also said that he “never had an issue with Josh” and that he “wouldn’t personally do this.”

Lt. Ryan Flood said the investigation into Meeks’ death remains active as investigators determine whether there were any additional suspects.

“There are conflicting reports on who the shooter was. That is still under investigation,” Flood said. “We don’t know exactly when or where he was shot, but whenever we located that car, the body was not there.”

Sosa Croft is currently being held without bond at the Greenville County Detention Center. An investigation is still ongoing and police are asking anyone with any additional information to call Crime Stoppers of Greenville at 23-CRIME (or 864-232-7463).

4Joshua Meeks played football for Mauldin High School and was said to be a good kid who was loved by all.

Lynn Mccraw Caroleo often volunteered at Mauldin High School and personally knew Joshua Meeks, who she says was an innocent kid that bothered no one.

“He was a quiet child. When you volunteer for five years at a school, you get to know so many children and their behaviors. Josh was always good. I’m just sick about this,” Caroleo told the Greenville News.

Not only was Meeks an honor student, but he also played for the school’s football team. He was an offensive lineman and his jersey number was 71.

Joshua’s football coach Harry Cabaniss tweeted a statement in response to his murder.

“Thank you to everyone today who has reached out in support for our players, school and community,” he wrote on January 31st. “Today and the coming days will not be easy. Please continue to pray for the family of Josh Meeks. He was loved by all who knew him and will always be loved.”

Thank you to everyone today who has reached out in support for our players, school and community. Today and the coming days will not be easy. Please continue to pray for the family of Josh Meeks. He was loved by all who knew him and will always be loved.

— Harry Cabaniss (@CoachCab17) January 31, 2019

A GoFundMe was created to support the Meeks family in this difficult time. The online fundraiser, which was started Thursday night, has raised nearly $4,000 as of Saturday afternoon. It has a goal of $7,500.

According to the fundraiser, Meeks dreamed of going to Clemson University after high school.

“He was loved by so many, and will be missed dearly,” the fundraiser read. “This purpose of this fundraiser is to help the family in the midst of all of this chaos and tragedy Please consider a gift to assist this family.”

Stop Holding Your Breath for That Destiny’s Child Reunion, Kelly Said They Ain’t On That

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When Beyoncé tore up the stage at Coachella last year, she made it a point to bring out her former Destiny’s Child group mates, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, for a nice DC3 mini-reunion.

Many people thought the Coachella appearances might have been an appetizer for a full-fledged Destiny’s Child reunion, but in the months (nearly a year) since, there’s been little to no conversation about Bey, Kelly and Michelle joining forces again.

At the red carpet premiere of Taraji P. Henson’s movie What Men Want, a reporter for The Shade Room was brave enough to ask Kelly Rowland if a reunion tour was in the works.

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Poor Kelly Rowland had to say no three different ways.

“I don’t know. It’s not anything we really talk about,” said Kelly.

“No, we haven’t really started talking about it. We don’t talk about that at all,” she said again.

“Not talking about that right now, yeah,” Kelly said as she stabbed people’s hopes and dreams with a steak knife.

Here’s the thing though: Even IF Destiny’s Child were working on a reunion, any member approached about it would deny, deny and deny because Lord knows Beyoncé lives for the element of surprise, so she ain’t giving nothing away.

But on the other hand, Beyoncé is living her best life out here posting outfits of the day on Instagram and wishing Oprah Winfrey a happy birthday, and I don’t see her rushing to help Kelly and Michelle earn a paycheck.

Michelle, in particular, is in no position to be entertaining any kind of reunion as her personal life is in shambles after her engagement and reality show with pastor Chad Johnson imploded on the national stage.

So yeah, keep those Coachella performances on repeat because that’s all the Destiny’s Child you’re likely to get for a while.

DreamDoll Demolishes Tory Lanez in “On Ya Head” Diss Track, Claims the Toronto Rapper Wanted Threesomes With Men

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