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T he high-profile trial faces another interesting turn as the presiding judge finds himself dismissed from the case. Judge Ural Glanville, the presiding judge of the YSL trial, found himself no longer part of the highly publicized case. On July 15, Superior Court Judge Rachel Krause granted motions filed by Young Thug’s attorney Brian Steel who spoke out about a meeting between Glanville, the prosecution and a witness. The private meeting featured the prosecution questioning the witness, Kenneth “Lil Woody” Copeland, without the presence of the defense.  Glanville later wondered how Steele found out about the meeting, but Steel refused to give up details on his source. The judge held Steel in contempt and ordered him to report to the Fulton County Jail — Steel was sentenced to 20 days behind bars. The Georgia Supreme Court later reversed the decision and Steel never spent a day in jail. In her ruling, Judge Krause details her reasoning behind her decision: “While the meeting could have — and perhaps should have — taken place in open court, nothing about the fact of the meeting or the substance discussed was inherently improper,” Krause said. “However, in his order denying Defendant Kendrick’s motion…Judge Glanville added facts, provided context, questioned the veracity of allegations, and otherwise explained his decisions and actions and argued why those actions were proper.  While it ‘may be appropriate for the judge to disclose information relevant to potential recusal,’ such a ‘disclosure must be made in a way that is as objective, dispassionate, and non-argumentative as possible, so that the judge is not reasonably perceived as a hostile witness or advocate,” Krause explained in her ruling. The YSL trial has been ongoing for up to 18 months, including various head scratching moments. Rapper Young Thug, real name Jeffery Lamar Williams, faces charges for allegedly co-founding and leading an Atlanta-based gang, dubbed Young Slime Life. The street gang is responsible for violent acts dating back a decade. Williams was charged alongside 27 other people under Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Acts, commonly known as RICO. Many people took plea deals, notably fellow rapper Gunna and Williams’ older brother.  Following Judge Glanville’s recusal, a new judge will be appointed to the trial. It’s unclear how long that process will take.

The HBO hit show may take longer to come back to our screens as the show’s star and showrunner drift apart. HBO’s hit show “Euphoria” has been experiencing some delays in churning out its third season due to various reasons, one being the rumored rift between its lead actress and showrunner. Sam Levinson, the lead writer and producer of the show, has been experiencing troubles with the lead actress, Zendaya. The actress has allegedly pulled away from the filmmaker, which led Levinson to resent her. Zendaya’s frustrations with Levinson grew when he began to spend more time on “The Idol,” another HBO show that starred Abel Tesfaye — popularly known as The Weeknd. Levinson wasn’t meant to spend too much time with “The Idol” as he was meant to only write a spec script for the project — other writers and producers were supposed to do the heavy lifting. It pan out that way as Levinson began spending more time than expected with the project, leading to the breakdown of he and Zendaya’s relationship. Sources close to the situation tell The Hollywood Reporter  that Zendaya grew unhappy when Rolling Stone  published a scathing article about Levinson and “The Idol.” The article claimed that production of “The Idol '' had gone off the rails due to toxicity within the environment as well as being chaotic and over budget.  Zendaya was swept up in the fan backlash of the show even though she had nothing to do with it nor did she want Levinson to have much to do with it either. An executive who worked with the actress notes that her “image is pristine” and that fans are urging her to cut ties with Levinson.  In a meeting at HBO months after the fiasco of “The Idol,” meant to discuss creative issues, executives hoped the duo could iron things out. Executives left the meeting disappointed as the duo could not fix the issues at hand, according to a source involved with the show. Zendaya told HBO executives that she didn’t want Ashley Levinson, Sam’s wife, to be an executive producer on season three. Ashley had taken the spot of Kevin Turen, who had helped Sam with “Euphoria.” Sam and Turen were friends as well as partners in their Little Lamb Production company.  Their relationship turned sour when Sam cut ties with Turen earlier this year — the reason for such a move remains unknown. When their professional relationship ended, Turen ultimately lost his lucrative deal with HBO. A knowledgeable source notes that Levinson was able to get him a decent settlement. During his time working with Levinson, Turen often worked nonstop and neglected his health. The breakup only made things worse as he suffered from additional stress for several months. When Turen died from a cardiac arrest, Turen’s family made it known that they did not want either Sam or his wife at the funeral.  When Ashley Levinson replaced Turen as executive producer on “Euphoria,” people noted that she was “more sharp-elbowed than conciliatory and, above all, fiercely protective of her husband,” according to The Hollywood Reporter .  Featured in "49th Block News: July 29, 2024" A talent rep for a client in the show told the publication that Levinson needs someone other than his wife — a voice of reason.  “He needs boundaries, he needs deadlines,” an insider adds. “It’s hard for a spouse to set limits. You’re setting yourself up for failure.” A source close to Levinson blamed Zendaya for the woes of “Euphoria,” claiming that she was dragging her feet due to her blossoming film career. Another source said that everyone wanted to point the fingers at Levinson when in reality, it was Zendaya causing the tension.  Not only has the death of Turen and the rumored rift between Zendaya and Levinson contributed to the show’s delay, Angus Cloud’s death has not helped either.  Cloud, who played Fezco, died of an accidental overdose last year. His death was caused by the combined effects of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl and benzodiazepines. Cloud’s family announced the news in July 2023, saying: “Angus was special to us in so many ways. Last week he buried his father and intensely struggled with the loss. The only comfort we have is knowing Angus is now reunited with his dad, who was his best friend.”  As the third season of “Euphoria” hangs in the balance, at least one star of the show is eager to return. Sydney Sweeney, who plays Cassie Howard, not only looks forward to coming back, she feels strongly about Levinson and his work. HBO previously announced on July 12 that key cast members had signed on for the upcoming season. As they aim for a January start date, fans continue to wait for the third season as the last episode of season two aired in February 2022.

The Canadian musician wants a new trial which would include the testimony of the driver on the fateful night. Rapper Tory Lanez, real name Daystar Peterson, and his legal team are calling for a new trial relating to his conviction for shooting Megan Thee Stallion.  Peterson’s legal team filed a motion for a new trial back in December, stemming from Jauquan Smith’s testimony that wasn’t included in the original trial. Smith was the driver on the fateful night when Megan Thee Stallion, real name Megan Pete, was shot. In his affidavit, Smith alleged that he saw Pete’s former friend, Kelsey Harris, holding a gun during a fight between the pair. Though, he did not see who fired the gun, noting that Peterson attempted to disarm Harris.  “Ms. Pete and Ms. Harris began fighting. I pulled over to stop them. Ms. Pete and Ms. Harris both got out of the vehicle and continued to fight,” Smith wrote. “I broke up this fight and was pulling Ms. Pete toward the back of the car. I saw Ms. Harris with a gun in her hand.” Smith alleged that Peterson ran towards Harris in an attempt to disarm her, and Smith continued to lead Pete towards the car. Due to this, Smith wasn’t able to see who fired the gun.  According to Meghann Cunniff via her Legal Affairs and Trials newsletter , Peterson knew Smith would testify in the original trial. Peterson and his legal team did not call Smith to the stand during the original trial, telling the judge that Smith’s testimony was not necessary.  In a petition filed in December 2023, Peterson’s legal team claimed they were unaware of what Smith witnessed that night. Deputy Attorney Michael C. Keller wrote a brief in response to this petition, claiming that Peterson’s legal team, specifically his lawyer George Mgdesyan, knew about Smith’s account of events and his potential testimony. “Defense counsel acknowledged that he had spoken with Smith regarding his observation and determined that SMith would not be a helpful witness,” Keller wrote.  Keller notes that Smith did not directly contradict Pete’s account on who shot her as he did not see who fired the gun. According to Keller’s 38-page brief, Harris also failed to identify the shooter during her testimony, and consistently denied being the shooter herself.  Not only did Harris and Smith both fail to identify the shooter, Peterson “implicated himself as the shooter twice  in recorded admissions made within 24 hours of the shooting” — once in a text message to Pete and during a recorded call he made to Harris from jail. Also, the gun was found under the front passenger seat where Peterson was sitting when the SUV was stopped by police. On top of wanting his felonies to be overturned, Peterson seeks a resentencing based on four claims.  One is based on Assembly Bill 518, which ended a requirement that crime eligible for different punishments receive the longest possible. The law went into effect before Peterson’s August 2023 sentencing. According to Keller’s brief, Peterson’s petitions suggest otherwise and that the bill retroactively applies to Peterson’s case.  The argument may be irrelevant as the bill allows for the judge to still choose the longest possible sentence, it just won’t be mandatory. Another claim cites Assembly Bill 124, which allows a judge to impose the lowest possible sentence if the person suffered any type of trauma, specifically psychological, physical or childhood trauma.  During the sentencing, later repeated in the petition, Peterson’s lawyers claimed that he had post-traumatic stress disorder from his mother’s death when he was 11 years old. Judge Herriford asked the defense to prove or address how Peterson’s childhood trauma contributed to the shooting. Peterson’s petition also cited Senate Bill 620, which ended mandatory gun enhancements in 2017. The court gave Peterson’s legal team the opportunity to discuss the factors related to Peterson's gun enhancement charge, though the court later ruled that it would not take away the charge. Lastly, Peterson cited firearm enhancement in relation to the California Racial Justice Act, saying that firearm enhancements are imposed on African Americans at a higher rate than the rest of the Los Angeles population. According to Keller, Peterson failed to give any examples of anyone that suffered a similar fate as himself.  “Petitioner has not alleged facts necessary to state a claim under the RJA because he fails to provide even one example of a similarly situated defendant, and he fails to cite any statistical evidence,” Keller wrote in his brief.  Keller urges the appellate court to deny the petition with prejudice, which would prevent Peterson from raising the claims again. His brief notes that the court could also deny the petition without prejudice, allowing Peterson to bring the claims up again in court.  Peterson currently serves his 10-year sentence at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi, with eligibility for his first parole meeting in September 2023. He was convicted in December 2022 of first-degree assault with a firearm, negligent discharge of a firearm and possession of a concealed and unregistered firearm in a vehicle.

The “Enough (Miami)” rapper has both devastating and wonderful news regarding her personal life. Cardi B filed for divorce from Migos rapper Offset after six years of marriage and two children together. A day after filing, the Bronx rapper announced her pregnancy with her third child.  A representative for the “Bodak Yellow” rapper confirmed the divorce news to PEOPLE Magazine, stating that it had nothing to do with cheating rumors. As Page Six puts it, the latest rumors of Offset cheating “were not the straw that broke the camel’s back.”  Cardi seeks primary custody of their children, Page Six reports . “They’ve grown apart. That’s what drove her to this decision more than anything else,” the insider said. “This is something she wants to do.” Cheating rumors come as recently as this week as Offset was spotted publicly with a woman he allegedly dated in the past. The Migos rapper ultimately denied the latest cheating rumors during an Instagram Live session on Tuesday, stating “shawty ain’t my shawty.” “People really need to do the research… I’m at a public place gambling at a casino with a married eight month pregnant woman. [What the f-k] I look like being outside publicly cheating,” Offset said during the Instagram Live. The “shawty” in question was PrettyRedz, a woman he previously dated. She also made it clear that they had nothing going on. “It’s completely crazy that I even have to do this! PLEASE! If not for me…PLEASE RESPECT MY LATE HUSBAND,” she said via her Instagram Story on Tuesday. The latter half refers to the death of Kyng Rocky, her husband who tragically passed in June. Cardi shares two children with the Migos rapper, Kulture Kiari and Wave Set. She announced the pregnancy of her third child on Instagram early on Thursday. “With every ending comes a new beginning! I am so grateful to have shared this season with you, you have brought more love, more life and most of all renewed my power,” the caption read. “Remind me that I can have it all! You’ve reminded me that I have to choose between life, love, and my passion!” The divorce filing has yet to be made public.

The trial surrounding the rapper’s death comes to an end with a guilty verdict. A jury convicted a man on all counts relating to the 2022 murder of PnB Rock, who was eating lunch with his girlfriend.  Freddie Trone, a 42-year-old man, was charged with sending his armed 17-year-old son into a Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles to rob the rapper, which ultimately resulted in his death. Trone not only orchestrated the deadly robbery, he also acted as his son’s getaway driver. He was later found guilty of felony murder, two counts of robbery and one count of conspiracy Tremont Jones, Trone’s co-defendant, was found guilty of two counts of robbery and one count of conspiracy. Jones allegedly told Trone about PnB Rock, real name Rakin Allen, entering Roscoe’s with his fiance and wearing $500K worth of jewelry. Allen’s mom, Deannea Allen, spoke with Rolling Stone  after the verdict. Not only did she want to jump up and scream in celebration, she was happy about the quickness of the deliberation and verdict reading.  “We got justice for Rakim. I feel better knowing they’ll be in jail for a long time,” she told Rolling Stone . The jury focused on the surveillance video of the Buick Enclave that delivered the alleged teen shooter to the scene, according to the jury foreperson. Trone testified that he was not in the car at that point. The jury proceeded to zoom in on the vehicle fleeing from the scene, and they were able to identify Trone based on his clothing.  During closing arguments, Deputy District Attorney Timothy Richardson said Trone knew his son was “dangerous” when he plotted the robbery. Trone’s defense lawyer, Winston McKesson, argued that Trone was at Roscoe’s minutes before the shooting to promote his beauty supply shop and buy marijuana. McKesson said Trone’s son took his car keys from the beauty supply shop and later arrived at the restaurant without his knowledge. A six-minute timespan in which Trone left the restaurant’s parking lot and his Buick Enclave was seen returning to the restaurant was a major focus of the trial. Richardson argued that during those six minutes, Trone armed his son with a semi-automatic gun, a ski mask, and a robbery plot. McKesson wanted jurors to look at the surveillance footage and question the prosecution's version of events. The surveillance footage shows Trone’s son entering and exiting the restaurant and heading to the backseat door before circling around to the backseat door on the driver’s side. McKesson sees this as proof to more people in the car, but the jury rejected this argument. Richardson notes that six minutes weren’t enough for Trone’s version of events. He argued that the surveillance footage shows where the vehicle went, noting that a round trip to Trone’s shop would have been impossible. As for Trone’s son, he was charged with murder and currently sits in a juvenile center as a judge determined he is not competent to be put on trial. The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office noted that he will undergo “mental competency proceedings” on August 28. Two weeks after the fatal robbery went wrong, Trone fled to Las Vegas alongside his wife Shauntel and his son. The trio was charged two weeks after the shooting, with Shauntel later pleading no contest to accessory. Her sentencing will come in January 2025, with Trone and Jones’ sentencing scheduled for August 27.

The father of the “After Hours” singer’s daughter has something to get off his chest about their co-parenting relationship. The relationship and custody battle between Kehlani and their ex, Javaughn Young-White, continues to unravel in the public eye. It all began with Young-White’s filing for custody becoming public. What’s Happened with Young-White’s Initial Filing for Custody? Last week, Young-White sought full custody of their five-year-old daughter, alleging that the “After Hours” singer held membership in a cult. In court documents obtained by Entertainment Weekly , Young-White alleged that the cult controlled “her actions and her behavior, including when it comes to the upbringing of our daughter.”  An example of said behavior was when the cult’s leader, Neto, convinced Kehlani that he had a vision about Young-White. The alleged vision noted that Young-White was a danger to the couple’s daughter and that he would kill her. Due to this vision, Kehlani did not allow Young-White to see their daughter.  That filing ends with Young-White seeking a name change for his daughter to Adeya Parrish Young-White as well as a copy of her birth certificate and social security card. Kehlani later broke their silence on the original filing and its subsequent coverage. They released a statement to their Instagram story on Aug. 6, stating that the media’s coverage of the situation was not accurate or appropriate. They then directly respond to the allegations within Young-White’s filing,’ “I wanted to take the time to ensure that I responded to these accusations from a calm and considered space rather than a reactive one,” they said in their post. “I strongly deny any claims that I have put my child in harm’s way or left my child alone with anyone deemed dangerous or unsafe. I also do not align with any of the allegations made against my former religious community that have been stated in the media.” It appears that for a moment, Young-White and the “Did I” singer agreed on the inaccurate media coverage of the filing. Young-White released a statement on his own within the same hour of Kehlani’s, demanding an apology and retraction from TMZ. The publication’s headline notes that the cult in question, Santeria, was a sex cult — which Young-White later denied. “I never said that I think Santeria is a sex cult. Nor did I say that my daughter is in a sex cult. That’s factually incorrect and I think it’s disgusting that TMZ would exploit a child’s image like that,” Young-White wrote. “Further, I have not been made aware of any court-ordered mediation as of writing per the account of TMZ. Personally, I would love for TMZ to justify me, the father, how they came up with this narrative,” Young-White continued. “The TMZ article sensationalized aspects of what was said while simultaneously breaching my confidentiality.” He noted that the filing was incomplete and was sent off without his authorization due to an error with his legal team. Not only did he drop his initial legal team, but he also aims to have an amended filing that will “illustrate the full range” of his concerns.  Things continue to get interesting as Kehlani was awarded temporary sole custody a couple of months ago and a restraining order against Young-White. The Allegations of Abuse Come to the Forefront, Resulting in Kehlani Getting Sole Custody Kehlani would take legal action against the father of their daughter after he allegedly smashed through a locked bedroom door. According to court documents, Young-White had smashed through the locked door during a heated argument — one that stemmed from Kehlani allegedly questioning him about applying for public assistance. At the time, Young-White was living in the singer’s back house. Things escalated when Young-White allegedly broke into Kehlani’s room and began verbally assaulting them. He would allegedly blame them for their daughter’s birth and claimed that he was “trapped” and that his life was “ruined.”  Kehlani alleged that his behavior and lifestyle posed a risk to their daughter’s life as their daughter often spent time in the back house with Young-White. The singer notes that Young-White would often spend his days smoking weed, using magic mushrooms and isolated himself in a room that they described as a “pigsty.”  According to The Source Magazine , Kehlani reportedly asked Young-White to leave following the incident, which happened in June. They later checked the back house after his departure and found it littered with weed, food, trash and debris. He allegedly blocked and disappeared after the fight. Sometimes, he would allegedly pick up their daughter from school and leave the singer in the dark about their whereabouts. The alleged incident in June was not the start of the alleged abuse as it dated back five years. The two-time Grammy nominee noted that whenever Young-White was agitated, he would wave his arms in the air and throw things while calling Kehlani horrible names. Due to Kehlani’s allegations, a judge granted them a restraining order as well as temporary sole custody over the couple's daughter. Due to this, Young-White was not allowed within 100 yards of Kehlani and their daughter.  Young-White Posts “Receipts” to Clear His Name and Pushes Back Against Kehlani’s Abuse Allegations Following Young-White’s call for TMZ to retract their article about his initial filing, he posted screenshots of alleged text messages between himself and Kehlani. He alleged that Kehlani “busted through her own door,” and that the abuse they alleged in their own filing was the abuse they inflicted on Young-White.  “I BEGGED YOU to leave me alone. I BEGGED YOU that I didn’t want to speak. I RAN from your room into the backhouse. You followed me and barged through the door,” the text message read. “I said PLEASE leave me alone. Cause I knew what you were about to do. I said I AM PACKING. You KEPT COMING. YOU wanted us to be homeless in the morning.” Another screenshot shows Young-White vowing to never speak privately with Kehlani again. He noted that any direct communication with the singer would be a liability due to their alleged “lying ability.” “I’m asking to go no contact with you specifically because I’ve recognized a real pattern of different forms of abuse since I was 20 years old, freshly homeless, fleeing another dangerous situation to your couch at Sycamore Avenue,” the text read.  Young-White also included his exchange with Kehlani’s ex-girlfriend, Kiara, alleging they cheated on her. He also alleged Kehlani falsely accused the person they cheated with of rape.  The smoking gun of it all came when Young-White posted a screenshot of Kehlani allegedly saying they would retract their abuse allegations. This comes after Young-White offered Kehlani a chance to retract their statement before posted everything.  “I’m calling you — I was in rehearsal. I can retract,” Kehlant allegedly wrote in the test messages. Where are Things Now? Kehlani’s temporary restraining order, which they filed for on Aug. 9, will last until the upcoming hearing in September. On top of not being able to go within 100 yards of Kehlani and the duo’s daughter, Young-White cannot travel outside of the state of California with their daughter. He cannot apply for passports or any travel-related documents nor can he have or buy firearms and ammunition. Kehlani has not publicly spoken about the text messages, yet, as the Sept. 3 hearing for the temporary restraining order looms around the corner.

The "Jessie" star was arrested in California following her time at an amusement park. Skai Jackson, former star on Disney’s Jessie  and Bunk’d , was arrested last week due to a domestic incident with her boyfriend. Jackson’s day at Universal Studios Hollywood ended in cuffs as police responded to the amusement park as its security personnel detained the actress. Deputies reviewed the surveillance footage, which allegedly captured Jackson pushing her boyfriend.  “While inside the Universal Studios Theme Park, a domestic incident occurred involving Skai Jackson,” a Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department told the Los Angeles Times. “Based on the initial investigation, it was determined Ms. Jackson was the primary aggressor and was arrested for misdemeanor spousal battery.” The actress was taken to West Hollywood’s Sheriff’s Station, though she was released hours later. An LASD spokesperson noted that no injuries were reported following the altercation. The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office has yet to determine whether to charge Jackson for the incident. Even though the altercation was captured on surveillance footage, both Jackson and her boyfriend denied any physical fight taking place. At the time of the incident, the actress was supposedly pregnant. She has yet to confirm either her pregnancy or engagement, as she keeps her private life and relationship off of social media. Jackson recently went live on TikTok, though she didn’t speak on her arrest. Many social media users asked about the arrest via the live’s comment section. The actress appeared to ignore the questions, opting to speak about an upcoming project she recently finished filming.  “I have a TV show that I just filmed, but I can’t say what it is yet,” Jackson said. Social media users pointed out the fact that Jackson was tight-lipped about her arrest, one noting that she answered any other question besides the ones about her arrest. The 22-year-old actress was last on our television screens when she competed on the 29th season of Dancing with the Stars  in 2020.

The largest independent film festival is back for another year! This year’s Chicago Underground Film Festival will begin Sept. 11, lasting until Sept. 15 with a slew of almost 40 independent films.  Opening night features an 8 p.m. screening of No One Asked You  at the Gene Siskel Film Center in the Loop. The festival will also end at the Gene Siskel Film Center with a 7:30 p.m. screening of Just Above the Surface of the Earth . Unlike last year, there won’t be artistic afterparties, though, there will be plenty of films focusing on artists and their respective art forms. For one, To Make Our People Dance & The Bastard Child: Exploring the Origins of Chicago House Music  highlights the history of house music as well as the experience of DJs of color within the community. Instead of the Gene Siskel Film Center or the Harper Theater, this screening will take place at the First Presbyterian Church of Chicago. The film will explore “the beauty in the queer club scene that has always been there but has often been overlooked by prejudices of party culture,” according to the Chicago Underground Film Festival website. With a runtime of less than 20 minutes, the film features three DJs: Blesstonio, Miss Twink USA and Nanoos. No Asked You , the inaugural film of the festival, follows comedian and The Daily Show  co-creator Lizz Winstead and her team of activists as they traverse the nation to support abortion clinic staff. The film covers six years of on-the-road action and exposes “wrongdoer politicians, domestic terrorists and media neglect,” according to the Chicago Underground Film Festival website. The schedule, screening tickets and festival passes are available on the festival’s website .

The actor’s assistant and doctors provided the actor with ketamine, resulting in a fatal overdose. Friends star Matthew Perry died of “acute effects of ketamine” last year, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. As the one-year anniversary of the actor’s death approaches, there appears to be foul play involved. Perry’s assistant worked with an acquaintance, the two doctors and a drug dealer to obtain ketamine for the actor — especially knowing his struggles with substance abuse and addiction. Perry himself noted that he spent up to half of his life in and out of treatment facilities. An indictment filed in federal court on Wednesday detailed charges against Jasveen Sangha, dubbed “the Ketamine Queen,” and Dr. Salvador Plasencia. According to the indictment, Sangha had a “stash house” in North Hollywood and Dr. Plasencia was amongst a group who would get the ketamine to Perry, all while knowing about the actor’s history with substances and addiction. According to the New York Times , court documents say Pe3rry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, injected him with at least 27 shots of ketamine in the five days leading up to his death. The indictment also notes that defendants used coded language to discuss drug deals, referring to bottles of ketamine as “Dr Pepper,” “cans” and “bots.” Three of the five people charged have already pleaded guilty, the New York Times reports — one being Iwamasa, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death.  Dr. Mark Chavez, the other doctor named in the indictment, admitted to selling ketamine to Dr. Plasencia — Chavez also pleaded guilty to one count conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Chavez made false representations to a wholesale ketamine distributor and submitted a fraudulent prescription using the name of a former patient, the New York Times reports. Erik Fleming, Perry’s acquaintance, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and a count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Officials said he admitted to obtaining the drug from Sangha and distributing 50 vials to Iwamasa. According to the New York Times , Sangha and Dr. Plasencia face several charges: Conspiracy to distribute ketamine Distribution of ketamine resulting in death Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine Altering and falsifying records related to a federal investigation If convicted, Sangha faces between 10 years and life in prison while Dr. Plasencia faces up to 10 years for each ketamine-related count and up to 20 years for each count of falsifying records. Iwamasa faces up to 15 years in prison and Fleming faces up to 25 years. Dr. Chavez has been charged in an information pursuant to a plea agreement will be arraigned at the end of the month — he faces up to a decade in federal prison At the press conference, head of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration Anne Milgram said Perry sought treatment for depression and anxiety. This led the actor to become addicted to intravenous ketamine. “When clinic doctors refused to increase his dosage, he turned to unscrupulous doctors who saw Perry as a way to make quick money,” Milgram said about the actor. “Dr. Plasencia adn Dr. Chavez violated the oath they took to care for their patient.”  It’s unclear how Perry started his ketamine treatment nor is it clear how he began his relationship with Dr. Plasencia and Dr. Chavez began. According to the autopsy report, Perry’s ketamine infusion treatment involved a level of ketamine that would equate to the amount used in general anesthesia. The New York Times  highlights the financial aspect, noting that the doctors once charged Perry $2,000 for a vial of ketamine that cost only $12. Not only that, Sangha also sold about 50 vials of the drug to the actor for $11,000. The drug dealer had been caught in a similar situation back in March when she was arrested on narcotics charges, and she later posted a $100,000 bond in another case. During a March 19 raid on Sangha’s home, authorities found almost 2,000 grams of methamphetamine pills and 79 bottles of liquid ketamine as well as pills suspected to be Xanax and substances suspected to be cocaine and psilocybin mushrooms. Authorities found a journal that detailed her drug transactions, totaling up to thousands of dollars.  The LA Times  notes that Perry isn’t the first to overdose on Sangha’s product. She sold ketamine to Cody McLaury hours before his death, resulting in his sister texting the drug dealer. A 1997 jet ski accident helped set in motion Perry’s addiction to painkillers, and he would take 55 pills per day over a year later. His addiction led to what the New York Times  described as a “medical odyssey,” which included an exploded colon, life support, two weeks in a coma, nine months with a colostomy bag and more than a dozen stomach injuries.

The "U Ain't Bout That Life" artist dies, leaving fans and social media users to look back on his career. BeatKing, also known as ClubGodzilla by fans, has passed away. Real name Justin Riley, the Houston-based rapper and producer was only 39 years old at the time of his passing. The rapper's manager, Tasha Felder, confirmed the news on Instagram, which included a slideshow of the rapper. “Today, August 15, 2024, we have lost [BeatKing]. BeatKing has been the best part of the club for over a decade. He has produced and worked with so many artists that his sound will forever live. He loved his daughters @clubgodparenting, his music and his fans. We will love him forever,” the post read. Felder would later confirm the cause of death to PEOPLE Magazine. In a statement to the publication, Felder said the rapper died of pulmonary embolism — a blood clot in your lung that causes a blockage. He was at a Houston hospital when he suffered from the condition. "He was at an Urban One (Radio One) station doing a morning takeover when he suddenly fainted," the statement read. "He was taken to a nearby hospital where he later passed away. His daughters were with him the entire time." BeatKing served as a club staple throughout the 2010s, gaining notoriety with his 2010 album Kings of the Club . His lengthy career included more recent hits like DJ Chose’s “Thick” and “Toot That” with DreamDoll and Erica Banks. Many celebrities and fans alike took to social media to voice their grief over the rapper's passing. "It's always the good ones. Damn, this s--t hurt," fellow Houston rapper Bun B wrote in an Instagram post. "Just a spirited person. We lost a talented artist and father." In the comment section of Felder's Instagram post, Three 6 Mafia wrote: "RIP MANE!!!! GREAT BROTHER!!"

Artists have dropped new albums, collaborations and singles! As the summer dwindles, various artists come through with more summer hits with their new projects. From YG's latest album to Lady Gaga's collaboration with Bruno Mars, many artists are still hitting their summer stride. Lady Gaga and Bruno Come Through a New Collaboration The duo releases a love song, titled “Die With A Smile,” though it won’t appear on Gaga’s upcoming album. The collaboration serves as Gaga’s first song since appearing on The Rolling Stones track “Sweet Sounds of Heaven” last year.  Mars’ last single came with Silk Sonic’s “After Last Night,” which peaked at no. 68 on Billboard’s Hot 100. The singer currently has a residency at the Dolby Live at Park MGM in Las Vegas. Mars has been performing in Las Vegas for more than a decade with his first residency at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan from 2013 until 2015.  Interestingly enough, Mars faced interesting rumors earlier this year in relation to his partnership with MGM Resorts. NewsNation released a report that claimed that Mars racked up more than $50 million in gambling debt at the casino. The report cited an anonymous source close to the situation, who claimed that the “24K Magic” singer made $90 million in profit and a large chunk of that profit was allegedly used to pay off the supposed debt. A spokesperson for MGM Resorts International told Variety  that the allegations were untrue and that the singer had no debt with the casino. “Die With A Smile” serves as a classic love song with Mars singing about wanting to be next to someone, even if the world is ending or that he will love someone every night like it’s the last night. Gaga’s verse highlights that their love is the only one worth fighting for. The music video features the duo in matching country-inspired outfits with Mars sporting a cowboy hat and Gaga in a curly, half up half down, beehive-inspired hairstyle. Tinashe Releases Quantum Baby Following the Success of “Nasty” “Nasty” peaked at no. 61 on Billboard Hot 100 while going no. 15 on Billboard’s U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart and no. 4 on Billboard’s U.S. Hot R&B chart. Following the success of “Nasty,” the singer also released “Getting No Sleep,” both of which served as singles from Quantum Baby .  The project serves as Tinashe’s seventh studio album, which was released through her independent label Tinashe Music and Nice Life Recording Company. Quantum Baby  is the second installment of a planned album trilogy, the first being BB/Ang3l , which was released September 2023. The singer signed to RCA as a solo artist in 2012, and her debut album ( Aquarius ) came out two years later with breakout single, “2 On.” From there, Tinashe toured with mainstream artists, such as Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry, and collaborated with major superstars, like Britney Spears on 2016’s “Slumber Party.”  Fans began to speculate that RCA was mishandling her career as it appeared that she was treated as a supporting act. Tinashe finally left the label in 2019 after seven years as she felt her “career was coasting,” according to Marie Claire . For the past five years, Tinashe has been releasing music independently through her own record label. Since leaving RCA and going independent, she’s tapped into producing, mixing, and engineering her own music. She’s also creative directed, especially her music videos and live performances. Sean Paul’s Triumphant Return Comes in the Form of “Bring It” The dancehall superstar released his latest track through his Dutty Rock Productions label with permission from producer Dave Kelly, according to The Jamaica Star .  “Dave Kelly reached out and said I could use one of his rhythms. And I immediately said, ‘Showtime!’” Sean Pail said. “I was thrilled when he gave me the nod. This year, many artists are revamping classic [rhythms], but we can all agree that this one is timeless.” “Bring It” pays homage to the golden era of ‘90s dancehall, specifically through the popular “Showtime” rhythm. Back in 2022, during an interview with Vibe Magazine , Paul expressed his admiration for the rhythm. “Showtime, to me, is one of the most prolific dancehall riddims. He has probably produced the most number ones in the country,” Paul said.  Paul rose to popularity in the early 2000s, especially with his 2002 sophomore album Dutty Rock . “Get Busy” served as its single, topping the Billboard  Hot 100 chart. “Temperature” from his third album, The Trinity , had the same feat in 2005.  The dancehall legend has a long string of features, including “Baby Boy” with Beyoncé and “Cheap Thrills” with Sia. Quando Rondo Releases New EP Amidst Federal Drug Trafficking Case Here for a Reason: In The Darkest  serves as the follow up to the rapper’s sophomore album, Recovery , which was released in March 2023. The Georgia-born rapper also collaborated with NBA Youngboy on their 3860  mixtape. Quando Rondo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances. The substances in question were cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl and marijuana, according to the Savannah Morning News . As part of the plea deal, the government agreed to drop part of that count, specifically that the “I Remember” rapper conspired to possess and distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine, reports the Savannah Morning News . The government will return property it seized from the rapper as part of the charges, including jewelry.  Rondo’s plea is the latest update in the federal case against the rapper, which began when the federal court publicized the indictment in December 2023. The case avoided trial due to the rapper’s plea, and the United States Probation Office is preparing a presentence investigation report ahead of the sentencing. Rondo faces up to five years in prison. As far as the rapper’s latest EP, he released “Gotta Do Better & Pray” as the lead single. The five-song project also features “Give Me A Sign,” a song with long-time collaborator with NBA Youngboy.  YG Releases Just Re’D Up 3 with Various Artists, Including Saweetie and Ty Dolla $ign The Compton-born rapper’s latest album comes as the third installment of two mixtapes, Just Re’d Up and Just Re’d Up 2 , which were released in May 2011 and January 2013 respectively.  Just Re’d Up 3  comes almost two years after his last studio album, I Got Issues , which was released through 4Hunnid and Def Jam records. 4Hunnid Records came about after YG previously attempted to start a label with DJ Mustard and their group of rap collaborators. The duo would later beef about royalties, though they reconciled over dinner in Los Angeles’ House of Macau, Billboard reported. In 2016, rumors of the rapper launching 4Hunnid ran rampant in 2016 as he released a fashion line with the 4Hunnid logo. The rumors were confirmed when YG exclusively told Billboard  that he and longtime friend and partner Brandon Moore signed a joint venture with Interscope Records.  Just Re’d Up 3  serves as a double-disc project with 19 tracks with features from Lil Yachty, Larry June, Ty Dolla $ign, Saweetie, Babyface Ray and DJ Mustard. YG has been on the road for the Just Re’d Up  Tour, which began on June 28 and will end on Aug. 17 in Hawai’i. The tour visited major cities, such as Chicago, New York City and Houston. The tour was the rapper’s first headlining tour since 2019’s Stay Dangerous  Tour, which was in support of his 2018 LP of the same name. The west coast rapper’s latest album comes after 10 mixtapes and six other studio albums.

The younger brother of the reality star was caught with several pounds of marijuana, resulting in his arrest. Though, their sibling relationship may still be on the rocks. Jeremy Madix, the younger brother of Vanderpump Rules  star Ariana Madix, was caught with suitcases full of marijuana when attempting to fly out of Orlando International Airport, according to court records obtained by Page Six . Back in February, Jeremy allegedly traveled with two black suitcases as he went through Orlando’s airport on his way to Germany. Before he was able to board his flight to Europe, an agent searched the bags due to a “large amount of green leafy substance in vacuum sealed bags.” The agent reportedly recognized the substance as weed due to “training and experience.”  According to police, they discovered that 64 bags belonged to Jeremy and weighed about 76 pounds. Jeremy was traveling with a friend, Jonah Ahad, who allegedly had 31 bags, which weighed about 37 pounds. The court documents stated that Jeremy and his friend refused to speak with investigators without an attorney present. TMZ reports that the duo was not immediately arrested as Ahad was arrested in May and Jeremy was not arrested until last month. The bartender’s arrest took place in California and was extradited back to Florida. The Bravo  star has been charged with felony trafficking in marijuana, which can carry a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison with a $200,000 fine.  With his sentencing still looming, his loved ones wrote letters in favor of his “good character” as part of his motion to set bond. One of those loved ones was his and Ariana’s mother, Tanya Madix. “He is a wonderful loving son. When he visits, he always takes care of any thing I want done at my house. He is a kind person. He is always sure to check in on me,” Tanya wrote in the letter. Tanya added that her son has thrived throughout the last decade while living in California. She lists the various aspects of his thriving life, including the fact that his employee likes him and he shares a home with his fiancé and two dogs.  Jeremy’s motion shares a similar sentiment, noting his work at a vodka distillery and his personal relationships. The motion calls for his release so that he can get back to his community as well as his job while including that he is registered for classes at Mira Costa College.  “Mr. Madix’s job is waiting for him in California, assuming he is able to return to it within a reasonable time period. Mr. MAdix enrolled in college classes at Mira Costa College in Oceanside, California. He is enrolled for classes that start the week of August 19, 2024,” the motion read. As family members and close friends send in letters of support, a letter from his sister was notably missing. The two have not been on speaking terms for a good amount of the year, due to an alleged rift between Ariana and his fiancée. “There’s been some small micro-aggressive gestures toward my fiancée, and that’s what’s led to me not talking to my sister. It’s been going on for quite some time,” Jeremy exclusively told E! News. Jeremy clarified that it’s unclear why the two do not get along, though it may be little things that not everyone would notice. He last texted Ariana in December, saying that he loved her and that he would want to talk to her soon. Ariana has not responded to his text. His supposed reconciliation with Ariana’s ex-boyfriend, Vanderpump Rules  co-star Tom Sandoval, surely did not help the brother-sister relationship. Jeremy was seen having a friendly interaction — a hug — with Sandoval during the premiere party of Bravo’s The Valley . Ariana broke up with Sandoval after almost a decade together due to his affair with former Vanderpump Rules  star Rachel “Raquel” Leviss During the March 22 episode of the Pump Rules  Podcast, Jeremy stated that he still needs to speak with Sandoval. Even though he wants a conversation with his sister’s ex-boyfriend, he vows to stand by her.  Soon after the story became publicized, Jeremy was seen doing housework for fellow Vanderpump Rules stars Scheana Shay and her husband Brock. The newly engaged couple celebrated by popping champagne when they visited Shay in West Hollywood.  Social media users questioning the timing of Shay’s posts caused the reality star to clear things on her podcast, Scheananigans with Scheana Shay .  “I’ve always been close with Jeremy. They’re both family to me. He is like a little brother, and has been for over a decade,” Shay explained. “We’ve done holidays together. I also posted with him on Christmas.” Court records show that bond was set to $80,000 after a recent hearing, according to In Touch . It remains unclear whether the bartender has been released on the newly set bond.