(AllHipHop News) Common, Mary J. Blige, and Gael Garcia Bernal will perform at the 90th Academy Awards in March. The singer will perform Mighty River from her movie “Mudbound,” which she co-wrote with Raphael Saadiq and Taura Stinson. She is nominated for Best Original Song as well as Best Supporting Actress for her role in the drama, making her the first person to be nominated for both these categories in the same year. The four other Best Original Song nominees will be performed at the annual ceremony, which takes place at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on March 4. “We’re excited to have these talented artists showcase the powerful contribution music makes to filmmaking,” show producers Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd said in a statement. “It’s a privilege to welcome them to the 90th Oscars stage.” Common will team up with Andra Day to perform “Stand Up For Something” from “Marshall,” which he co-wrote with Diane Warren. He is no stranger to performing at the high-profile event – he and John Legend performed “Glory” from 2014 movie “Selma,” which won the Best Original Song prize in 2015.

(AllHipHop News) Tekashi 6ix9ine may be celebrating the release of his debut mixtape “Day69,” but performing his music live continues to be a challenge. Another show featuring the controversial Brooklyn artist has been canceled, this time on Staten Island. The owner of Eve Ultra Lounge said the rapper was booked to play on March 2nd, but the concert has been nixed over his criminal sex record for sexual misconduct. On April 10th, the 21-year-old Brooklyn rapper is scheduled to be sentenced, after pleading guilty to three counts of sexual misconduct with a minor, who was featured nude in one of the rapper’s videos from February of 2015. “What he did was disrespectful to women,” a representative for Eve Ultra Lounge said. “He’s upset because he’s out a lot of money.” Over the past month, venues around the country have canceled shows featuring Tekashi 6ix9ine either because of his criminal record or because of his blatant gang ties to the Bloods.

(AllHipHop News) Young Thug’s issues with the country of Australia continue, and it’s costing the rapper valuable business. Thugger, who now goes by the name SEX, had to scrap a series of shows in Australia, due to ongoing Visa Issues. Young Thug had a show lined up in Sydney to headline the inaugural Sydney City Limits music festival on Saturday, as well as a headlining slot alongside Future in Melbourne. “Sydney City Limits is devastated to announce Young Thug will no longer be making the journey to Australia to perform at the festival this Saturday. We know that many of our patrons will be just as disappointed as we are. “Unfortunately, Young Thug has been unable to comply with the requirements for processing his Australian entry visa application and this has now made it impossible to secure visa approval in time for Young Thug to travel from the USA in time to appear at Sydney City Limits,” said Live Nation Australia. According to reps for Live Nation in New Zealand, the rapper was granted a Visa into their country and will perform as scheduled at the Auckland City Limits spokeswoman as planned. “Regardless of the Australian situation, we are working to get Young Thug to come to play his NZ shows,” the representative said.

(AllHipHop News) Chicago rapper G Herbo is looking at a gun charge after he was arrested for being strapped in downtown Chicago. G Herbo and three other men were taken into custody after police stopped their car on the South Loop around 10:30 PM last night (February 22). After police searched the occupants of the vehicle, they found all three men to be armed with loaded guns. G Herbo and his two associates were each charged with a felony count of aggravated unlawful use of a loaded weapon in a vehicle without a FOID card, police said.

(AllHipHop News) Tekashi 6ix9ine can thank San Antonio police for helping him avoid any major altercations during his show in San Antonio last night. That’s because police arrested a trio of gang members in San Antonio, who warned the rapper not to show up for his show last night at Bar 23. The men were taken into custody at the San Antonio International Airport by police who had warned the public that they were on high alert and would be monitoring the situation. This proved to be true when undercover officers received a tip about the vehicle the three suspects when we traveling in. The police eventually encountered the suspect accused of making the threats to Tekashi 6ix9ine online and took him into custody. All of the men in question had warrants out for their arrest, for petty infractions like traffic violations. “As far as I know they did not have any weapons, but I do know they (police) were still searching the vehicle,” San Antonio International Airport spokesman Rich Stinson said. “We are all very proud of our police department that we have at the airport and their awareness of what’s going on.” One of the suspects fired up his Instagram Story and broadcasted the cops stopping him live. Take a look. https://www.google.com/sorry/index?continue=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPkxomTrQjk&q=EgQ0Gqq7GJiOg_kFIhkA8aeDS8DQnLNUhVUA5NbkZEigAwC9jzB6MgFy

(AllHipHop News) Hip-Hop star T.I. fears the government will “enslave” Americans if citizens are banned from bearing arms. The rapper and producer spent several months in jail back in 2009 for federal weapons charges and he was also put on house arrest for a year and forced to perform 1,500 hours of community service following his 2007 bust for possession of three unregistered guns and two silencers. Although firearms landed him in big trouble in the past, T.I. is still convinced U.S. citizens should be allowed to own firearms, despite the outcry for harsher gun laws following the Valentine’s Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which cost 17 people their lives. “It’s a tough one,” he mused to TMZ on Thursday. “I think you should probably make it more difficult for people who aren’t mentally stable to have guns… (but) I just honestly feel like if you lose the right to bear arms as a citizen, then you know what I’m saying, it’s easy to enslave. It’s easy for the government to enslave people when they don’t have the right to bear arms.” T.I., real name Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr., was also indicted for carrying weapons as a convicted felon, but he doesn’t think to focus on former criminals is the solution to eradicating shooting deaths in the U.S. “I think mental stabilization needs to be a big part (of gun legislation)… Just not being a felon isn’t enough,” he noted. “We see that, that isn’t working. People think that (it’s) the felons that’s causing all the problems, but you know, it seems as though people who have been given a gun license, who bought guns legally… those are the ones causing all the mass hysteria, so I think that our system’s broken.”

(AllHipHop News) Rapper Cardi B is hitting back at President Donald Trump after he suggested arming teachers with guns as a way of making schools safer. The U.S. leader proposed the solution to combat gun violence on campuses following the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida last week. However, the “Bodak Yellow” hitmaker took to Instagram to share her disgust over Trump’s controversial idea. “Imagine a old ass female teacher bussing a burner (gun),” she wrote. “This man really out his mind. America must be entertainment to other countries.” The caption appeared alongside a meme of a confused looking LeBron James with a statement criticizing the low early salary educators are paid. “y’all want teachers to effectively prepare our youth, carry straps, and bust back at school shooters but at the same time only pay them $40,000 a year,” the post read. In another image, the Bronx native noted that metal detectors are only used at schools in low-income neighborhoods. “Ya wanna know what’s the problem?” the star asked in text across a white backdrop. “That the government only put metal detectors in schools in the HOOD!” “I remember getting search every morning in high school,” she added, recounting her own high school experience. “Even parents who picked up they kids got searched.” https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/p/Bfg6cl_Bum1/?hl=en%26taken-by=iamcardib

(AllHipHop News) Kodak Black scored a legal victory in court today after a judge tossed three very serious felony charges against the rap star. In January, police stormed Kodak’s Broward, Florida house and charged the rapper with two counts of possession of weapon or ammunition by a felon, grand theft of a firearm and child neglect. He was also charged with possession of more than 90 grams of marijuana and two counts of probation violation. Kodak’s lawyer Bradford Cohen has revealed a judge has dismissed a possession of a weapon or ammunition by a delinquent charge, a charge of grand theft of a firearm, and one count of child neglect. The rapper’s lawyers argued that guns and drugs that were depicted in an Instagram post which led to a raid on his house a week later, were fake. Kodak’s lawyers told a judge rappers “often produce music videos and other promotional videos, as is customary in the industry, using fake firearms and narcotics.” Kodak, born Dieuson Octave, is still facing some serious charges, including possession of more than 90 grams of marijuana and two counts of probation violation.

(AllHipHop News) Will Smith and his son Jaden are expanding their eco-friendly water venture by introducing a new flavored beverage to the product line. The stars founded the JUST water company in 2015 with spring water bottled in paper-based cartons in a bid to help reduce the amount of plastic waste across the globe. Now company officials are preparing to add JUST Infused to their offerings, featuring three organic, unsweetened water flavors in Apple Cinnamon, Tangerine, and Lemon. “JUST is about upending bottled water, both in packaging and sourcing. We’ve created a product sourced according to an innovative, ethical system and bottled it in a carton made from 82 per cent renewable resources rather than plastic,” Ira Laufer, CEO of JUST, explained to bevnet.com. “JUST Infused gives us the opportunity to continue that mission in a broader and more flavourful way.” Musician/actor Jaden Smith, 19, notes the new beverages are just the start for the company, which he was inspired to create after noticing how littered the Pacific Ocean was with plastic trash as a kid. Jaden also hopes to one day churn out pieces of furniture made from the sustainable material he uses for JUST products and he is already using the idea to encourage other youths to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. “I go to schools and I bring them tables… that are made out of plant-based plastics, and I deliver to them to inspire them to read and I also talk to them about how it’s so important to learn about trash and learn about recycling,” he told breakfast show Today. “I just like to go to schools, give back, talk to kids about creativity, fashion, and sustainability.”

(AllHipHop News) Chance The Rapper will be honored with special prizes at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in March. The hip-hop star has been named as the recipient of the Innovator Award in recognition of his “groundbreaking accomplishments in the music industry and his unsurpassable contributions to social causes,” with his charitable enterprises including his non-profit organization SocialWorks. Rockers Bon Jovi will receive the Icon Award “for their global impact on pop culture, longevity, and continued relevance as a touring and radio force with a loyal fan base worldwide,” according to the announcement. The last honoree is “Havana” singer Camila, who will be presented with the inaugural Fangirls Award, which celebrates a female artist who pushes boundaries and inspires fans around the globe. Camila was previously announced as a performer alongside Cardi B, Ed Sheeran, Maroon 5, and Charlie Puth. The 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards, hosted by Hailey Baldwin and DJ Khaled, will take place at The Forum in Inglewood, California on March 11.

(AllHipHop News) Music producer Quincy Jones has apologized for shooting his mouth off about Michael Jackson and the Beatles in recent interviews, revealing his comments led to a family intervention. The legend stunned music fans when he took aim at the King of Pop in GQ and Vulture articles, suggesting he stole Donna Summer’s “State of Independence” for Billie Jean, and attacked the Beatles for being subpar musicians.The defiant hitmaker hasn’t taken back anything he said but suggests he should have kept some of his comments to himself, stating his interviews left members of his family concerned. Quincy reveals his six daughters pulled him aside for a surprise “family intervention” due to some “silly things” he said, but the sober star insists he wasn’t drunk, as has been suggested when he lashed out at his former music collaborators. The legendary producer called The Beatles “no-playing motherf##kers” and Paul McCartney “the worst bass player I ever heard.” He also suggested comedian Richard Pryor had been intimate with Marlon Brando, a claim that upset both Brando’s son and Pryor’s daughter. Both lashed out at Jones, while Michael Jackson’s father Joe insisted the 84-year-old should have “known better” than to attack the Thriller hitmaker’s songwriting credentials. Jones also claimed he dated President Donald Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, when she was 24 and he was 72, and criticized Taylor Swift and U2’s music. In a statement released via Twitter on Thursday, the music mogul, who turns 85 next month, appears to regret his “wordvomit” writing: “I am sorry to anyone whom my words offended, and I am especially sorry to my friends who are still here with me and those who aren’t.” He adds, “I am an imperfect human & I’m not afraid to say it. And I’m sorry & I’m not afraid to say it… I have LEARNED MY LESSON. Let me tell you, I’m so grateful for my daughters because they aren’t scared to stand up to their daddy.”

(AllHipHop News) Sean Kingston must pay $301,500 to jewelry company bosses at Aqua Master after he failed to appear in court following a dispute over stolen items. A judge ruled that the “Beautiful Girls” hitmaker is responsible for the cost of nine pieces, including two diamond necklaces and two watches after he was sued by executives at the New York-based brand for failing to pay for them. The suit was filed in 2016 after the star collected the items, promising his business manager would pay for them, but the balance was reportedly never settled. While two checks were apparently sent to the jewelry company, they are said to have bounced. Aqua Master also accused Kingston of flaunting the bling on his Instagram page.

(AllHipHop News) Rappers Big Boi and Andre 3000 have reignited fans’ hopes for a new Outkast album after reuniting for a rare public appearance in Atlanta, Georgia earlier this week. The stars attended a private screening of the USA network’s new true crime drama series, “Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G.,” and they were all smiles as they posed for a snap at the event. Big Boi later shared the photo on his Instagram account, and poked fun at his longtime collaborator for his lack of social media presence, writing, “#UnsolvedUSA wit #NoIG3000.’ The public reunion emerged five months after Andre 3000 admitted he has lost “the pulse” for contemporary hip-hop. “I don’t have the pulse anymore. Rhythms change every generation. The intensity and the drums change. And I’m not on the pulse,” the Hey Ya! hitmaker told GQ magazine last year. “I can’t pretend. It’s kinda like watching your uncle dance.” However, Big Boi is refusing to give up hope of the Grammy-winning pair hitting the studio again, insisting fans should give Andre all the time he needs. “I’ve always said, whenever ‘Dre is ready, I’m always ready,” he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Right now, he’s focusing on different things, and we respect that as a brotherhood. We text each other every other day. That’s my brother. We’ve done everything there is to do in music. We won the highest prize, we sold the most records. We started when we were 17 years old – let the man breathe a little bit.” Outkast’s last album of new material was Idlewild, which was released in 2006. ​ ​

(AllHipHop News) Rapper Nicki Minaj’s brother has asked a judge to dismiss the guilty verdict in his child rape case. Jelani Maraj was found guilty of predatory sexual assault against a child and endangering the welfare of a child in November of 2017 and now faces 25 years to life in prison. He was set to be sentenced on Tuesday (February 20th), but his attorney, David Schwartz, has asked Nassau County Supreme Court Judge Robert McDonald to toss the conviction. According to reports, the judge has yet to rule on the request. During the trial, his defense lawyers claimed Jelani’s estranged wife, Jacqueline Robinson – the mother of the girl at the center of the drama, set him up as part of a $25 million extortion plot just four months after they tied the knot in a lavish wedding, which “Anaconda” hitmaker Nicki paid for. Robinson, who filed for divorce in 2016, denied the allegations during her testimony, while the court also heard evidence from the victim and her younger brother, who claimed he walked in on Maraj assaulting his sister. Nicki has never commented on the case publicly, but she previously helped to secure her brother’s freedom following his arrest by putting up two of her homes for collateral as she covered his $100,000 bail.

(AllHipHop News) Compton, California rapper Game is heading to Europe to pay tribute to his deceased father. The rapper announced the “45 Tour” of Europe, to celebrate the life of his late father George Taylor. Game’s dad died in January,, at the age of 65. “I personally apologize to my fans for being late with the tour dates etc…. but after losing my father a few weeks ago I was going to cancel tour, album, everything because I was lost & in a lot of pain,” Game explained. “I couldn’t focus on anything but my family & getting myself out of the dark place I was in…… after talking to my mother & thinking about what my father would want me to do for my fans, career & family…. I’m proud to give my European fans the tour as promised with the dates… thank all my fans in Europe & around the world for the countless DM’s, support & love through this rough patch I’m going through.” “The 45 Tour,” which launches on February 28th, will take Game to cities like London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Dublin and more. Take a look: