News

50 Cent Steps Into The Ring As Balrog In New “Street Fighter” Live-Action Film

Legendary Entertainment has dropped a casting bomb that has the worlds of gamers talking in equal measure, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has been confirmed to play Balrog in the “Street Fighter” cinematic universe. Yup, the rap producer turned actor is strapping on the gloves to play one of the franchise’s most iconic characters. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, this casting decision is yet another addition to the ever-changing mix of players involved in Legendary’s “Street Fighter” reboot.

Balrog, for the uninitiated, crashed the arcades in Street Fighter II as a boisterous, fallen boxer with a deadly set of fists and a seedy connection to Vega’s criminal organization. Based on real-life boxing sensation Mike Tyson (whose name, “Mike Bison,” was switched in early development), Balrog has always been popular among fans due to his brute strength and brutal disregard for his opponents. Recognizable for his successes in the music game while establishing himself as a sturdy on-screen presence, he’s now actually jumping headlong into this gritty role, albeit metaphorically.

The report also notes that 50 is already in heavy training and will be handling his own stunts for the movie. All of that passion, mixed with his inherent intensity, could turn him into the perfect choice to play Balrog with all of his anger and character background. So this addition finalizes a preposterous line-up that, ported straight from the games themselves, also includes Jason Momoa as wild maniac Blanka, Noah Centineo as stylish Ken, Orville Peck as sensual Toro-porter Vega, and WWE’s Roman Reigns as big-bad Akuma.

Out in front, Andrew Koji and Callina Liang will bring the franchise’s spirit, Ryu and Chun-Li, to life. The plot is still being kept under wraps, but the casting so far pays homage to weaving the fabric of a more stylized, nutty reinvention of the “Street Fighter” universe.. one with some serious muscle behind it. In stepping into the ring as Balrog, 50 Cent will undoubtedly deliver a performance that’s overwhelming and hard hitting with the level of raw energy telegraphed in the character.

Tweet LinkedIn PinShares0

Celebrity

Meek Mill Draws Mixed Reactions With Drill Take on Nico & Vinz’s “Am I Wrong”

Meek Mill has released a couple of songs that leaked online recently, giving fans a proper way to hear the tracks after they popped up over the weekend. “Philly Heathens” has been praised for its attention to street culture and youth affected by violence, but his other new album, “Am I Wrong,” has received a much more divided response.

“Philly Heathens” has been praised for its lyrics about street culture and the young people who get caught up in violence. “Am I Wrong,” however, takes a vastly different approach, remixing the song of the same name by Nico & Vinz as a drill centric interpolation.

“Am I Wrong” is now 12 years old, and its connection to the EDM sound of the time makes it especially recognizable to those who grew up with it. So Meek’s take is built on a familiar musical reference, but the response has been far from universally complimentary. A lot of the criticism has been directed at the hook. The production has also been called dated, but the track was leaked, which may explain its sound. But the strongest reactions have focused on Meek’s chorus vocals.

Some of the responses have been good, though. Some listeners felt the track was a throwback to the blog era, while others thought the criticism targeted almost entirely the hook, not the song as a whole. One Reddit commenter wrote that the track was good, but the chorus was bad, suggesting that Meek’s performance on the rest of the song was better than the reception to the hook may suggest.

The different reactions demonstrate the contrast between Meek’s two new leaks. “Philly Heathens” has resonated with audiences for its subject matter, while “Am I Wrong” has sparked discussion due to its interpolation and vocal approach.

Both songs are now officially available on YouTube so that fans can decide for themselves. The response to “Am I Wrong” shows how difficult it is to reinterpret a well known song, especially when a recognizable hook becomes the centerpiece of the new version

Tweet LinkedIn PinShares0

Celebrity

Drake Joins Karol G in Houston for First Live Performance of “Ahi”

Drake made a surprise appearance in Houston this weekend, joining Karol G on stage for the first-ever live performance of their collaboration, “Ahi.”
The surprise appearance took place during Karol G’s show in Houston, where Drake jumped out from the bottom of the stage to perform the song with her. “Ahi” is the latest from Karol G’s project No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto, and the Houston show marked the first time the pair had performed the collaboration together on stage.

Drake made his entrance to a loud reception from the crowd. The rapper popped out from under the stage, bowed to Karol G, hugged her, and launched into their collaboration. With “Ahi,” the performance was not over. Drake stayed on stage and carried on with the set, performing “Janice STFU” and “One Dance” and giving the Houston crowd a long set from the Canadian rapper.

The collaboration also sparked speculation about Drake’s upcoming music. A rumor started that Karol G was one of the collaborators on the project, along with Molly Santana and Future, days before ICEMAN is expected to drop. Future and Molly Santana were among the names on the rumored list, and Future ended up on “Run To Atlanta.”

Drake’s Houston appearance comes as he continues to promote music outside the traditional album release cycle. He released FOMO, a visual YouTube project featuring visuals for several songs from Habibti and Maid Of Honor nearly two weeks ago. The project also featured a couple of unreleased songs, including new material with Yeat and new unreleased music with Don Toliver.

Drake and Don Toliver have also dropped a remix of Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas.” The remix has recently sparked speculation about the artists after re uploaded visuals allegedly erased all footage of Langley.

But the Houston show shifted the focus back to Drake and Karol G. The surprise appearance turned the stop into the first live showcase of “Ahi” for the audience, while Drake’s renditions of “Janice STFU” and “One Dance” extended his surprise time onstage. It also gave fans their first chance to see the two artists perform their collaboration together, adding a live chapter to the release of “Ahi. “

Tweet LinkedIn PinShares0