Shortly after Pete Golding and Ole Miss finished an upset of Georgia on Thursday, a source told ESPN’s Mark Schlabach to expect some “fireworks,” as LSU coach Lane Kiffin decides how many of his assistants can remain with the Rebels for the CFP semifinal.
www.espn.com – TOP
In his second game as Ole Miss’ head coach, Pete Golding led the Rebels to a 39-34 win over Georgia in Thursday’s Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, a back-and-forth College Football Playoff contest that sent his squad to the semifinal round.
www.espn.com – TOP
Hangovers will be common on Jan. 1, but thankfully, some of country music’s biggest stars have some proven cures! Continue reading…
Country Music News – Taste of Country
NBA YoungBoy walked away without charges after Utah Highway Patrol discovered illegal drugs during a traffic stop on Interstate 15. The 26-year-old rapper was riding as a passenger when troopers pulled over the vehicle in American Fork on New Year’s Eve.
YoungBoy avoided arrest because other occupants in the car took responsibility for the contraband. Utah Highway Patrol Sergeant Mike Alexander confirmed that a male driver and female passenger claimed ownership of the drugs found inside the vehicle.
“In consultation with the Utah County Attorney’s Office, it was decided that charges would be screened against those two individuals for the possession of those illicit drugs,” Alexander told reporters. The sergeant declined to release the names of the driver and passenger who accepted responsibility.
Troopers had probable cause to search the vehicle during the Interstate 15 stop. Alexander confirmed that money was also discovered in the car, but investigators found no connection between the cash and the illegal substances.
The incident marks another brush with law enforcement for NBA YoungBoy, who has made Utah his home base in recent years. The Louisiana-born rapper has faced multiple legal challenges in the state since relocating there.
In 2024, he pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a prescription drug fraud scheme that prosecutors described as large-scale. He paid a $25,000 fine after admitting to identity fraud and forgery charges related to illegally obtaining prescription medications from Utah pharmacies.
The rapper also served federal prison time for possession of a firearm as a felon before receiving a presidential pardon from Donald Trump earlier this year. The pardon allowed him to resume his music career and tour schedule.
Alexander said he was not aware of any charges being considered against YoungBoy in connection with this latest incident. The rapper’s criminal history did not appear to factor into the decision, despite his presence in a vehicle where illegal drugs were seized.
The rapper has been open about his past struggles with substance abuse and legal troubles. He spent time in rehabilitation and has spoken publicly about misconceptions regarding his drug use.
The Utah County Attorney’s Office will now review the case against the driver and passenger who claimed ownership of the drugs. No timeline has been provided for when charges might be filed.
AllHipHop
Drake faced a federal RICO lawsuit in New York alleging an illicit scheme to inflate music streams through crypto gambling ties
Drake is at the center of a sweeping federal class action lawsuit that accuses the global rap star and several high profile collaborators of orchestrating an artificial streaming operation designed to boost his music across major digital platforms. Court documents filed on New Year’s Eve outline a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act case that names the Toronto artist alongside crypto gambling company Stake and popular livestream personality Adin Ross, among others.
According to the complaint two plaintiffs allege that Stake’s tipping feature was used as a financial pipeline allowing defendants to send large sums of money to one another. That money was then allegedly used to fund automated streaming activity commonly referred to as botting in order to inflate the popularity of Drake’s catalog. The lawsuit claims this strategy fabricated demand manipulated charts and distorted recommendation algorithms on platforms such as Spotifywhile suppressing organic artists and misleading consumers.
The filing states that the tipping system allowed defendants to disguise transfers as giveaways while concealing the true flow of funds. Plaintiffs argue these transactions were encrypted and not easily visible to the public which allegedly helped mask the operation. One example cited in the complaint references a $100,000 tip described as a transfer between Drake and Ross in 2023.
The lawsuit further alleges that the operation extended beyond isolated transfers.
Court documents point to December 2024 when Drake partnered with Ross and Stake for what was promoted publicly as the Drizzmas Giveaway. Plaintiffs contend that these high value giveaways were part of a broader pattern of financial coordination tied to artificial streaming efforts rather than simple promotional generosity.
In one of the more eye catching allegations the filing also references a vehicle valued at roughly $220,000 that Stake allegedly gifted to Ross just days before the lawsuit was filed. Plaintiffs argue this gift fits the same pattern of concealed compensation tied to the alleged scheme.
At the heart of the complaint plaintiffs claim Drake acted knowingly and with intent while working alongside willing co-conspirators. The lawsuit alleges that automated bots and streaming farms were deployed across interstate digital pathways to inject inauthentic streams into royalty and recommendation systems. Those inflated numbers plaintiffs argue manufactured popularity diverted revenue and attention and undermined trust in curated music experiences.
No court has ruled on the claims and none of the defendants have been found liable.
As with all civil litigation, the allegations remain unproven and will be tested through motions and potential discovery. Still, the case adds another layer to ongoing conversations around streaming integrity transparency and the influence of money in the digital music economy.
Drake has not commented publicly on the case.
AllHipHop
Dallas rapper BIGXthaPlug narrowly avoided injury during a violent incident that erupted at a strip club appearance in his hometown, according to accounts circulating online. New Years is off to a crazy start.
The incident unfolded during the grand opening of the Pink House strip club in Dallas, where Big X the Plug was inside the venue for a performance appearance. While the rapper was inside the club, a shooting broke out that left one member of his group critically injured after being shot in the head. Reports say a total of four people were shot.
Reports indicate that BIGXthaplug was not struck by gunfire and was able to leave the scene safely. However, the situation quickly escalated as gunshots rang out inside or near the club, creating panic among attendees. The injured individual was described as someone who arrived at the venue with the rapper, raising concerns that the group may have been specifically targeted.
There has been no confirmation from law enforcement regarding a motive, suspects, or whether the shooting was directed at BigX. At this time, authorities have not released official details about arrests or the condition of the victim beyond initial claims of a head wound.
The shooting has reignited ongoing conversations within Hip-Hop about the risks surrounding nightclub and strip club appearances, particularly for high-profile artists who often attract attention simply by showing up. Artists frequently perform or make appearances at such venues without being direct owners or operators, despite public perception suggesting otherwise.
Big X has not publicly addressed the incident as of this writing. No official statement has been released from his team regarding the shooting or the status of the injured associate.
Stay safe, big fella!
AllHipHop
On New Years Day, Papoose decided to walk into 50 Cent’s house of trolling.
50 Cent rang in the New Year with AI, old beef and poor Claressa Shields caught a stray as Hip-Hop’s Mega Troll shook things up. The G-Unit boss posted an AI manipulated clip that dropped Papoose and Claressa Shields into a dramatic scene from the cult film Black Sister’s Revenge. Pap played a reluctant love interest who gets slapped across the face. “Now you see, that’s assault!” followed by “You can’t just go around putting your hands on PEOPLE. LOL Happy New Year!”
If 50 Cent throws a rock, he knows which window will crack. And Pap’s window shattered.
Papoose did the unthinkable and responded with his own AI, not bars. He portrayed 50 Cent in hoop earrings, a bra, tight shorts and twerking in a strip club. The visual is crazy. Click here to see it, because he has denied us the ability to embed it. You will see it below since 50 responded.
“No NO No stop deflecting Curtis,” he wrote. “The world is STILL waiting for ya response to Fab & them. You from southside do something? Fight or flight? Holla if you need a ghostwriter Champ… I mean Chump!”
That line refers to the Let’s Rap About It tension situation with Fabolous, Maino, Dave East and Jim Jones. Fab dropped the bomb and Jim stomped on his foot.
There are a number of theories about how this started. Some say 50 openly thirsted for Remy Ma back in the day when she was married to Papoose. She’s still technically married to him. Then there was the matter of Claressa having Rick Ross walk her out in her last fight. He’s still beefing with Rozay.
Now AI has entered the chat…there will be no diss records I recon. 50 fired back…the ill uno reverse.
Can you believe all this started with some furs and family time? Allegedly…..
Pap spent Christmas with his mother and family. Not his EX wife! You are misinformed for sure
— Claressa Gwoat Shields (@Claressashields) December 30, 2025
AllHipHop
Will Smith was hit with a bombshell lawsuit from his tour violinist, who says the actor groomed him for sex and then fired him when things went wrong.
Brian King Joseph dropped the legal papers on New Year’s Eve, claiming Smith set him up for “sexual exploitation” during his Based on a True Story tour, according to USA Today.
The violinist says someone broke into his Vegas hotel room in March and left a creepy note signed “Stone F.” along with sex wipes, a beer bottle, and HIV medication.
The note said “Brian, I’ll be back no later 5:30, just us” with a heart drawn on it. Joseph told hotel security and tour management, but they called him a liar and blamed him for the whole thing.
Days later, they fired him and quickly hired another violinist. Joseph claims Smith had been grooming him since they met in November 2024. He says Smith told him, “You and I have such a special connection, that I don’t have with anyone else.”
The violinist is suing for sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and retaliation. He wants money for the financial investments he made preparing for the tour and says he now has PTSD from the whole ordeal.
It’s the latest legal troubles for the Smith’s. His wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, is facing a $3 million lawsuit from Will’s former best friend, Bilaal Salaam. Salaam claims Jada threatened to kill him at Will’s birthday party in September 2021.
According to Salaam’s lawsuit, Jada rolled up with seven people and told him he’d “end up missing or catch a bullet” if he kept talking about her personal business. She also demanded he sign an NDA “or else.”
Salaam Jada was also furious because he refused to help with damage control after Will slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars.
The Smith family hasn’t responded to either lawsuit yet. But with two separate legal battles involving sexual misconduct allegations and death threats, 2026 is already looking rough for Hollywood’s former golden couple.
AllHipHop
Franky Venegas kicked off 2026 in a Collier County jail cell after getting busted for drug paraphernalia on New Year’s Eve. The Island Boys rapper can’t catch a break from legal troubles.
The 25-year-old rapper got arrested Wednesday night in Naples on drug paraphernalia charges. Cops booked him into Collier County Jail with no bond because he’s already out on bail from a February gun case.
This latest arrest caps off a rough year for both Island Boys. Franky’s twin brother Alex also had major problems in 2025. Police detained Alex under Florida’s Baker Act for a mental health evaluation during a livestream.
The Baker Act lets cops hold someone for 72 hours if they think the person might hurt themselves or others. Franky’s February arrest happened during a traffic stop in a yellow Corvette.
Cops said they found Oxycodone pills and a gun with no serial numbers. They also discovered drug straws and credit cards with Franky’s name on them. The drug charges got dropped but the gun case is still pending.
The brothers became famous in 2021 with their viral hit “I’m an Island Boy.”
But fame brought more problems than success. Franky has previous arrests for domestic battery and driving without a license. Alex has also been arrested multiple times.
The year 2025 was especially bad for the duo. They officially broke up as a group after months of fighting. Alex moved out and said they were done working together. Then came Alex’s mental health crisis that led to his Baker Act detention.
Now Franky starts 2026 locked up again. He’s being held on a 24-hour hold because of his pending gun case. The judge won’t let him post bond until they figure out what to do about his February charges.
Franky’s next court date hasn’t been set yet. His lawyer didn’t respond to requests for comment about the latest charges.
AllHipHop
Happy New Year.
As we step into a new year, the phrase “new year, new me” always makes its rounds. People hit the gym. They change their diets. They adjust their habits. They set goals. Essentially, they prepare themselves for a better life.
Words like manifestation and focus start to surface. At their core, these ideas are about taking control of your destiny, your actions and your hopes for the future. My hope is that we take these same principles and apply them to our culture of Hip-Hop.
Why?
Hip-Hop is like a living, breathing human being. Unlike many other art forms, it is not rooted in capitalism, even if it sometimes appears that way. It is rooted in people, struggle, hope and dreams. It is rooted in change. It is rooted in a collective decision to make things better.
The intentionality of the pioneers and founders was boldly fearless and rebellious. When those individuals and groups pushed back against the system, they were not thinking about money. They were thinking about pride, creativity, change, positivity and confronting reality head-on and saying “no.”
That is where we are now, culturally. Ironically, the loudest voices declaring that Hip-Hop is dead often come from within the culture itself. You do not hear that same sentiment echoed nearly as loudly from the outside.
Yes, there are forces that help fuel this narrative. There are people who bankroll, promote, and ensure that the most destructive elements of our culture become commercially successful and highly visible. That part is real. But there is another side.
That other side is what we want.
What we want is collective control over what we create, ownership of the financial upside, and control of the platforms that carry our voices. We need platforms. Constantly staring at Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and similar spaces is no longer sustainable. We must invest in and build platforms that respect our lives, our young people, our elders, and our artistry and that reflect the world we actually want to see.
So this New Year, I challenge us to apply to Hip-Hop what we apply to our own lives. Manifest greatness. Set goals. Treat the culture like something you truly care about. And if you do not care, then be honest about that. You do not have to perform concern or posture as a savior. The constant negativity, contrarian takes, and outrage-for-attention only undermine the work of those operating with genuine intention.
2025 was a strong year for the art. Some will point to chart positions, or the lack of them, as proof of decline. I disagree. I see it as a return to culture. A return to substance. A reminder that we do not need mainstream validation to recognize greatness. The continued emergence and consistency of artists across the spectrum shows that Hip-Hop is still in a creative renaissance.
Here is to another year of growth, ownership, creativity and forward movement for Hip-Hop. Less complaining. More action.
Peace,
Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur, CEO AllHipHop
Drop your thoughts in the comments and let the conversation continue.
AllHipHop
