Music

2 Chainz Introduces His New Alter Ego In The Luxurious ‘Toni’ Video

Even when he’s adopting a new character, 2 Chainz’s charisma is unavoidable. …

Atlanta trap rap anchor artist 2 Chainz always seems to find a way to make even the most simple video concepts engaging in his execution. In the video for “Money Maker,” he highlighted HBCU marching bands, while in the one for “Quarantine Thick,” a sleepover evolves into a pizza party feeding frenzy. Most recently, he adopted the doppelganger approach for “Can’t Go For That,” playing off fellow ATLien Andre 3000’s video for “Hey Ya!” His latest video from So Help Me God, “Toni,” employs another simple treatment: Chainz lounges on a bed in an opulent mansion while two women twerk and pillow fight behind him.

As I said, it’s a simple concept — but something about it just works. Chainz knows his brand and sticks to it, even when he’s opening up political rallies with rambling speeches and performances of his biggest hits or popping up on a special Atlanta rap icon-themed episode of Celebrity Family Feud. That self-possession benefits him a lot; despite havng to push back the release of his latest album, So Help Me God, he still managed to complete a near-flawless rollout, previewing songs from the album early on NBA 2K21, trading hits with Rick Ross in a good-natured Verzuz battle, and using strategic guest appearances, such as his verse on the remix of Kanye’s “Nah Nah Nah” to keep 2 Chainz on the top of rap fans’ minds throughout 2020. Now that he’s introduced us to “Toni,” it’s almost guaranteed he’ll keep that momentum going thanks to his new alter ego.

Watch the “Toni” video above. Listen to So Help Me God, out now on Def Jam, here.

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Celebrity

Lil Durk Co Defendants OTF Dede and David Lindsey Seek Acquittal and New Trial

OTF Dede and David Lindsey are fighting their recent stalking convictions as the legal process in Lil Durk’s case continues to play out.

Lil Durk was facing five charges, two of them murder-for-hire related and three of them stalking related, while the two co-defendants were convicted on three counts of stalking in the same case. Durk was just cleared of all charges in that case a couple of weeks ago, but Dede and Lindsey didn’t get the same result.

The latest legal twist adds another chapter to a case that has remained tightly connected to Lil Durk’s ongoing legal troubles. Durk was acquitted in the initial murder-for-hire case, but his larger legal battle is far from over.

For Dede and Lindsey, the immediate issue is their stalking convictions and whether the court will grant either of the new requests filed. The couple’s pleas carry long prison sentences, and the pending motions are especially important for their attorneys.
The court has not ruled on the Rule 29 and Rule 33 motions, leaving the next phase of litigation uncertain.

Lil Durk, meanwhile, is set to appear in court on November 4 for a bond hearing. His trial in the VICAR case was scheduled for the next few weeks, but it is likely to be delayed.

Separate legal proceedings are now moving forward in the cases of Durk, Dede, and Lindsey, who remain active. Dede and Lindsey’s latest filings ensure that the group’s legal saga continues even after Durk’s acquittal in the original case.

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Celebrity

Meek Mill steps back from his ongoing feud with DJ Akademiks,

Meek Mill and DJ Akademiks’ ongoing social media beef has taken another turn, with Meek seemingly getting the last word.

The two have been feuding for around a decade, and their tensions have become closely tied to the fallout from Meek’s beef with Drake. Following Akademiks taking Drake’s side in the public feud, Meek clearly didn’t want to be featured on Akademiks’ page. Since then, they have exchanged occasional messages and renewed disagreements.

The latest chapter heated up around the Lil Durk trial. Meek Mill called out Akademiks for his coverage and commentary on the case, saying he had become a bad influence on the culture.

Akademiks fired back hard, and the beef snowballed into a back and forth of threats between the two. At one point, Meek asked for Akademiks’ address, while Akademiks showed off an arsenal of machine guns and rifles. The confrontation had been really serious before apparently cooling off in recent days.

The message is the latest chapter in a long-running feud that has flared up several times over the past decade. This latest back-and-forth could be Meek’s attempt to close the door on the feud, but given the history between the two, tensions can flare up fast.
So far, it looks like Meek is putting a line under his part of the conversation. Only time will tell whether Akademiks responds.

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