Month: December 2025

Charlamagne Tha God extended his influential run in New York radio and podcasting as iHeartMedia announced a new multi-year agreement that keeps the outspoken media executive at the center of The Breakfast Club and The Black Effect Podcast Network.

The deal ensures Charlamagne Tha God remains a core voice on Power 105’s nationally syndicated The Breakfast Club, which reaches more than 7 million listeners monthly. He will also continue appearing on “Weekends with The Breakfast Club” alongside DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious and Loren LoRosa.

READ ALSO: Charlamagne Tha God: News, Rumors & More

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. But, recent reports say there is a multi-year $200 million agreement in place.

“I Put My Hustle Onto Forbes, Can you believe this guy?” I TRULY THANK GOD FOR IT ALL!!! https://t.co/TObwL8mBTQ pic.twitter.com/jnbviwsICf

— Charlamagne Tha God (@cthagod) December 19, 2025

“When it comes to iHeartMedia, gratitude will always be my attitude. They’ve created space for me to grow not just as talent, but as an executive and true partner through The Black Effect Podcast Network,” Charlamagne said.

“To say that I’m thankful is an understatement. iHeart is the biggest and best audio company on the planet and audio is the foundation on which the whole media conglomerate will be built. Podcasting, live events, TV/film and documentaries, the sky is the limit for where we are going; and radio will always be at the core of it. Here’s to a new era of growth, impact, and prosperity.”

READ ALSO: EXCLUSIVE: DJ Envy Reveals Why He Was First NY DJ To Play Tupac Shakur’s “Hit Em Up” Diss

“The Breakfast Club,” which marked its 15 year anniversary this month, has evolved into one of the most powerful platforms in modern Hip-Hop and R&B radio.

Known for interviews that regularly ripple across politics entertainment and social discourse, the show has hosted figures ranging from Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to Jay-Z, Cardi B, Kendrick Lamar and Will Smith. The program and hosts were inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2020.

iHeartMedia executives framed the extension as both a renewal and a forward looking investment.

“Charlamagne has been a transformative voice in audio, redefining what it means to create content that sparks dialogue and drives cultural change,” said Rich Bressler president and COO of iHeartMedia. “Through The Breakfast Club and his growing podcast network, he’s amplified diverse voices, tackled tough conversations, and built platforms that continue to resonate with audiences nationwide.”

The agreement also reaffirms iHeart’s joint venture with Charlamagne on The Black Effect Podcast Network, launched in 2020 as a destination for Black centered storytelling.

The network has rolled out more than 60 shows and generates roughly 11 million monthly downloads. Earlier this year “The Breakfast Club” replay podcast surpassed one billion downloads, cementing its place among the most consumed audio programs ever.

​AllHipHop

Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday directing federal agencies to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, a move that highlights the stark differences in global cannabis laws, just as Wiz Khalifa faces nine months in Romanian prison for smoking weed on stage.

The president’s directive calls on the attorney general to expedite the federal reclassification process that began under the Biden administration. Trump’s order aims to reduce barriers for medical marijuana research while maintaining federal prohibition on recreational use.

“This executive order will increase access to medical marijuana and cannabidiol research,” the White House stated. The reclassification would move cannabis from the most restrictive drug category to Schedule III, alongside medications like ketamine and testosterone.

Trump’s executive order reflects changing American attitudes toward marijuana. Twenty-four states have legalized recreational use, while 38 states allow medical marijuana. The federal reclassification would align with this state-level momentum without full legalization.

Cannabis stocks surged following Trump’s announcement, with companies like Tilray and Canopy Growth seeing significant gains. However, some Republican senators oppose the move.

They warned Donald Trump that reclassification could increase youth access and undermine public health efforts. The senators cited concerns about impaired driving and workplace safety.

The timing creates a striking contrast with Wiz Khalifa’s legal troubles overseas.

A Romanian court sentenced the Pittsburgh rapper to nine months in prison this week for lighting a joint during his July 2024 performance at the Beach Please! Festival. Romanian authorities arrested him immediately after the show for illegal drug possession.

Wiz’s case demonstrates how marijuana laws vary dramatically worldwide. Romania maintains some of Europe’s strictest cannabis policies, treating possession as a serious criminal offense.

The country’s zero-tolerance approach stands in sharp contrast to neighboring Germany, which legalized recreational marijuana in April 2024. Global cannabis laws create a patchwork of regulations that can trap travelers.

Countries like Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines impose death penalties for drug trafficking, including marijuana. Malaysia and Thailand also maintain harsh sentences, with Thailand only recently decriminalizing cannabis for medical use.

Meanwhile, countries such as Canada, Uruguay, and several European countries have legalized cannabis. Germany’s recent move made it the largest European nation to legalize recreational cannabis, allowing adults to possess up to 25 grams and grow three plants at home.

The Netherlands tolerates cannabis through its famous coffee shop system, while Portugal decriminalized all drugs in 2001. Spain permits private consumption and cultivation, creating cannabis social clubs throughout the country.

Trump’s order requires the Department of Justice to complete the pending reclassification process by May 2024.

​AllHipHop

Nearly two years after a jury delivered its verdict, U.S. District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall overturned the murder conviction of Karl Jordan Jr., one of two men found guilty in the 2002 killing of Run-DMC’s Jam Master Jay.

In her ruling, Hall concluded prosecutors failed to establish that Jordan had a motive to kill the legendary turntablist, born Jason Mizell. During the trial, an eyewitness testified that he saw Jordan shoot Mizell—his own godfather—inside a Queens recording studio on October 30, 2002.

Prosecutors argued the killing stemmed from a dispute over a failed drug deal, but Jordan’s defense maintained that the evidence did not support that claim.

“We are really happy for Mr. Jordan and his family that justice was served,” attorney John Diaz wrote in an email following the decision.

Jordan, who had not yet been sentenced, remains in custody awaiting a separate trial on drug charges that date back to years after Jam Master Jay’s death.

Judge Hall, however, denied a request from co-defendant Ronald Washington for either an acquittal or a new trial.

Mizell, the influential DJ behind Run-DMC’s rise, helped propel Hip-Hop into the 1980s pop mainstream with tracks like “It’s Tricky” and the group’s genre-blending remake of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.” His slaying has long stood as one of Hip-Hop’s most notorious unsolved cases.

Jordan Jr. and Washington were arrested and indicted for Jam Master Jay’s murder in August 2020.​ According to case histories, both men were taken into federal custody after a grand jury returned an indictment charging them in connection with the 2002 killing.

​AllHipHop

Stevie Wonder pulled the plug on his planned four-night House Full of Toys concert series in Los Angeles after realizing there simply wasn’t enough time to pull it off.

The Grammy-winning icon had hoped to expand his long-running holiday charity event into a multi-night celebration at the Fonda Theatre in Hollywood. The shows were scheduled for December 18 through 21 and were intended to mark the 26th year of his annual fundraiser, which supports children, families in need, and people with disabilities.

But in a message aired on his Los Angeles radio station KJLH, Wonder explained why the ambitious plan had to be shelved.

“A week and a half ago, I came up with the idea of doing four nights at the Fonda Theatre to raise money for House Full of Toys. Big idea. Little time,” he said. “So because of that little time, I’ve decided to cancel all four shows.”

Despite the cancellation, the 75-year-old music legend pledged to continue supporting the cause financially.

“Yet still, I will this year put my money where my heart is by giving a substantial donation for the children for House Full of Toys,” he said. “And next year, we will again do House Full of Toys with the big idea and enough time to put it together.”

The annual benefit, organized through Wonder’s nonprofit, We Are You Foundation, typically asks attendees to bring an “unwrapped toy or unwrapped gift of joy” as part of admission.

Over the years, the event has featured surprise performances from artists like Lionel Richie, Queen Latifah, Anderson .Paak and Jon Batiste.

Ticket holders will receive refund information via email, organizers said. Wonder’s statement aired the week of November 27, less than a month before the concerts were scheduled to begin.

​AllHipHop

Pras Michel is fighting to stay free while appealing his conviction, asking a federal judge to grant bail as he challenges what his lawyers call a deeply tainted trial.

The former Fugees rapper was sentenced on November 20 to 168 months in federal prison after a Washington jury convicted him in a sweeping political influence case.

His legal team filed a motion seeking bail pending appeal, arguing that his conviction is vulnerable on multiple fronts and that he poses no flight risk or danger to the public.

Michel was allowed to remain free following sentencing and is not scheduled to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons until January 27, 2026. His lawyers say forcing him into custody now would be premature given the scope of issues already headed to the appeals court.

Michel’s attorneys argue the trial was riddled with errors that improperly swayed the jury. They contend jurors repeatedly heard that federal judges and FBI agents believed Michel was guilty, a situation they describe as unprecedented and profoundly prejudicial.

“Rather than testify about the subject matter of the FBI’s investigation, Agent Heuchling testified about his conclusions after reviewing all of the evidence,” Pras’s lawyer Peter Zeidenberg said. “Agent Heuchling also expressed his opinions about then strength of the evidence, including based on hearsay, such as when he testified that he traced funds to entities associated with Michel.”

The motion claims that the trial judge allowed jurors to learn that a separate judge had found probable cause that Michel committed crimes, and then reinforced that message through repeated courtroom rulings labeling him a “co-conspirator” before the jury.

The defense argues that no meaningful instruction ever told jurors to disregard those impressions.

Michel’s attorneys also take aim at the testimony of an FBI case agent, arguing he was improperly allowed to act as an overview witness while repeatedly offering opinions that Michel committed crimes. The filing claims the agent described alleged conspiracies and illegal conduct dozens of times, crossing lines the D.C. Circuit has already warned against.

Beyond courtroom conduct, the appeal attacks the evidence itself. The defense argues prosecutors stretched federal statutes beyond their limits, including bank fraud and campaign finance laws.

One key argument says no court has ever upheld convictions for false statements to banks when no funds were at risk and no loans were involved, yet Michel was convicted under that theory.

Other challenges target counts tied to political donations, foreign agent laws and alleged lobbying.

Michel’s lawyers argue that prosecutors failed to prove essential elements, such as intent, direction or control by a foreign government, and actual causation of the false filings. They claim several counts should never have reached a jury.

The motion also levels harsh criticism at Michel’s trial representation. It alleges his former lawyer, David Kenner, of Death Row Records fame, was unprepared for a complex white-collar case, failed to object to damaging testimony and even made statements during closing arguments that effectively conceded core allegations.

The defense argues that ineffective assistance alone warrants a new trial.

“Michel’s trial counsel, David Kenner, was ineffective and incompetent. He failed to object when the Government used Agent Heuchling as an overview witness, or to Heuchling’s repeated testimony that Michel was guilty of the offenses charged, betraying a lack of familiarity with the rules of evidence,” Zeidenberg said.

Under federal law, a defendant must be released pending appeal if he is not a flight risk, poses no danger and raises substantial questions likely to result in reversal or a new trial.

Michel’s lawyers say he meets all requirements, noting that he has remained on release without incident since his 2019 arrest. If bail is denied, the defense is asking the court to at least delay surrender until the appeals court weighs in.

They argue that rushing Michel into prison before that review would serve no purpose and could not be undone.

Michel was convicted in a case tied to Malaysian financier Jho Low and international lobbying efforts that prosecutors said crossed legal lines. His appeal is now pending before the D.C. Circuit, with the bail decision expected before his January surrender date.

​AllHipHop

Lil Zay Osama released his new project, YN TAPE, on December 19, bringing together Chicago’s emerging drill artists for a 15-track collection that showcases the city’s next generation.

The Chicago rapper explained his vision for the project to AllHipHop.

“The YN tape is really a tape of me just going back to my younger self, bringing the drill style back: hard beats, dark sounds, and rapping about street stuff,” he told AllHipHop. “But it’s also to shine the light on the younger artists, the new generation coming up in Chicago for those who don’t know em. I just wanna see Chicago win over all and sticking together, and hopefully this tape can do that!”

The album features collaborations with rising Chicago talents, including Pretty Liyah, Fastmoney Ant and Star Bandz. Lil Zay Osama also brought in artists from other cities, such as OT7 Quanny and YTB Fatt, to round out the project.

When discussing his collaborator selection process, the rapper was direct about his choices.

“I chose these specific people because artists like Pretty Liyah, Fastmoney Ant, Star Bandz — they all from Chicago. They the new up and coming who music I f### with,” he explained.

He noted plans for additional features in a deluxe version, saying he wanted to spotlight young artists with whom he has genuine relationships.

The release comes during a period of increased visibility for Lil Zay Osama, who recently made headlines for showing support to a Chicago mother and child who were attacked by a group of students.

The rapper offered to fly them to Los Angeles for dinner and Christmas shopping.

The YN TAPE tracklist includes standout collaborations like “YN’S” with YTB Fatt, “Turnt” featuring Star Bandz, and “Hood B****es” with Fastmoney Ant.

The project closes with both the original and remix versions of “Dog S**t Records,” with the remix featuring OT7 Quanny.

​AllHipHop

Young Buck dropped a scathing diss track aimed at Fat Joe after the Bronx rapper claimed his crew beat up the Tennessee artist years ago during their G-Unit feud.

The beef reignited when Joe told the story on his “Joe and Jada” podcast. “I never told nobody this story before,” Joe said during the podcast episode.

He claimed his crew caught Buck after a Chicago festival performance during the height of the G-Unit versus Terror Squad rivalry.

The two-minute response track samples G Herbo’s “Went Legit” and directly challenges Joe’s recent podcast story. Buck wasted no time calling out both Joe and Jadakiss for their podcast antics.

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“These rappers need to stop teaming up on these podcasts and making these lil skits,” Buck rapped on the track. Buck flat-out denied that Joe’s version of events ever happened.

“No hands was put on anybody, even though I attempted/I don’t know if this is you Fat Joe, or the Ozempic,” he fired back, taking a shot at Joe’s recent weight loss

The former Terror Squad leader claimed he threw a water bottle at Buck and dared him to step up before his crew allegedly jumped the Nashville rapper

Buck initially responded with humor, posting an AI-generated news report on Instagram.

“Young Buck finally released from Nashville ER — 20 YEARS after a Fat Joe whooping! Witnesses say @buckshotz rolled out the hospital confused, iced up, and ready to hit the studio after what doctors are calling “the longest hospital stay in rap history.”

He followed up by mocking Joe’s story, saying he expected to “make a full recovery in 4-6 more decades.”

Buck’s diss track marks his most direct response to Joe’s claims.

​AllHipHop

Drake watched his $200,000 bet crumble Saturday night as Jake Paul fell short against Anthony Joshua in a widely anticipated boxing match that once again breathed life into the infamous “Drake curse.”

The Canadian rapper had posted a screenshot of his wager on Instagram ahead of the fight, captioning it, “Jakeyyyyy boy. Lock tf in.”

But the gamble didn’t pay off. Joshua overwhelmed Paul in a lopsided contest, adding another name to the growing list of athletes who’ve stumbled after receiving Drake’s public backing.

Anthony Joshua edged the early rounds on the scorecards, but the fight unfolded as a slow, awkward mess with little clean action. Jake Paul relied on movement, light jabs and occasional right hands to survive, repeatedly circling and keeping distance while avoiding major damage.

“THE FANS DIDN’T PAY TO SEE THIS CRAP.”

THE REF TO JAKE PAUL AND ANTHONY JOSHUA

LIVE NOW ONLY ON NETFLIX! #JakeJoshua pic.twitter.com/T56lwxTuEh

— Netflix Sports (@netflixsports) December 20, 2025

Joshua applied pressure and landed sporadic body shots, an uppercut and a few glancing blows, mostly in the clinch, but struggled to track Paul or assert control. Both fighters missed frequently, slipped to the canvas multiple times and spent long stretches tied up. A brief stoppage followed when Paul claimed a low blow, with the replay showing

Joshua’s knee made contact during a fall. Despite holding a points lead, Joshua’s inability to dominate or produce meaningful offense left the bout difficult to score and aesthetically ugly, with Paul’s survival through the rounds already feeling like a moral setback for Joshua.

Jake Paul was knocked down twice in a brutal 5th round, but he managed to survive. However, round 6 brought the end for Jake Paul, who was TKO’d.

THE REF HAS SEEN ENOUGH!!!

ANTHONY JOSHUA GETS THE KO AGAINST JAKE PAUL IN ROUND 6! #JakeJoshua pic.twitter.com/m5Y2VJ8to3

— Netflix Sports (@netflixsports) December 20, 2025

Drake’s betting history has become something of a running joke in sports circles, with many pointing to his track record of high-profile losses.

The rapper’s hometown team, the Toronto Blue Jays, was a recent victim of the curse. After Drake publicly backed them during the 2025 World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers came back to win Game 7.

The Toronto Sun bluntly noted, “The dreaded Drake Curse is being partly blamed for the Toronto Blue Jays’ loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series.”

The so-called curse gained traction after Drake backed Conor McGregor in his 2018 UFC bout against Khabib Nurmagomedov.

McGregor was submitted in the fourth round, despite being one of the sport’s top draws at the time.

Since then, Drake’s support has coincided with a string of defeats across sports. From Alabama football to the Golden State Warriors and even Serena Williams, the rapper’s endorsements have often preceded unexpected losses.

JAKE PAUL TAKES THE RING TO FIGHT ANTHONY JOSHUA.

WE ARE UNDERWAY. LIVE NOW ONLY ON NETFLIX. #JakeJoshua pic.twitter.com/J0iEOAKlUA

— Netflix Sports (@netflixsports) December 20, 2025

The trend has become so consistent that some gamblers now use Drake’s bets as a reverse indicator.

Paul himself has felt the sting before. After losing a split decision to Tommy Fury in February 2023, he learned Drake had put $400,000 on him to win. His reaction was blunt.

“F**k. This is Drake’s fault,” Paul said at the post-fight press conference. “Drake, bro, why did you do this to me? It’s my fault. $400,000 is nothing to him. He has won a lot more money betting on me before. He’s probably about even now.”

Paul later joked that he owed Drake an apology for the loss. But with Saturday’s defeat, the curse appears to have struck again.

The odds were stacked against Paul from the start. Joshua, a former two-time heavyweight champion, entered the ring with 25 knockouts in 32 wins and a towering 6-foot-6 frame.

Paul, at 6-foot-1, was a massive underdog at +800, while Joshua sat comfortably at -1200.

Paul entered Saturday’s fight with a 12-1 record. Both of his losses now share one thing in common: Drake’s money riding on his shoulders.

​AllHipHop