Story
Pretty Ricky’s Baby Blue Faces Federal Charges For $24Mil PPP Loan Scam
The pandemic has placed a strain on thousands of businesses throughout the United States and to help themselves stay afloat, many owners took out Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans. Over the last few months, there have been rising reports regarding business owners or professionals being charged with various counts of fraud for their use of the millions of dollars they’ve requested from the government, including former NFL star Josh Bellamy. He stands accused of receiving PPP Loans and using the funds on luxury items and lavish vacations, and it’s reported by the Department of Justice that Pretty Ricky singer Baby Blue has also misused PPP finances.
Scott Gries / Staff / Getty Images
The Department of Justice published a lengthy statement about Diamond Blue Smith, also known as Baby Blue, and the allegations set before him including wire fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. “Smith was arrested and appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Regina D. Cannon of the Northern District of Georgia,” wrote the DOJ.
They further claim that Baby Blue “obtained a PPP loan of $426,717 for his company, Throwbackjersey.com LLC, using falsified documents” before seeking another for “$708,065 for his other company, Blue Star Records LLC, using falsified documents.” The DOJ claimed that Blue then purchased a $96K Ferrari as well as other luxury items.
Twelve others have been named as co-conspirators with Baby Blue as the DOJ asserts that they worked together to obtain $24 million in funds. Blue has yet to publicly respond to the allegations but his social media pages are now private.
[via]
Artist Spotlight
PLAN-A-EMCEE unveils a call to see clearly with latest release “Lyrically Reclaim Your Brain”
PLAN-A-EMCEE‘s latest release, “Lyrically Reclaim Your Brain,” is a lo-fi hip hop and cloud rap album with a waking-up theme. This one is for those stuck in an NPC-like life, moving toward awakening and ready to challenge their environment. The infectious hook is hard to miss, and delivers the song’s main message, “unmask the blindfold, that you might see!”
The track concept is simple and focused, produced by and rapped by Emcee PLAN-A-EMCEE, aka Anwar. The combination creates a direct relationship between the beat and the vocals, keeping the message front and center. The busy musical approach lets the words do the heavy lifting over the cold lo-fi base.
“Lyrically Reclaim Your Brain” is a musical reminder to pause, look closer, and be more aware of your surroundings. PLAN-A-EMCEE turns that idea into a memorable hip-hop statement, with an infectious refrain and an undeniably purposeful edge.
Connect with PLAN-A-EMCEE on Spotify || Soundcloud || Facebook || Youtube
Entertainment
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Just Swept The Emmys
Bad Bunny is officially an Emmy winner — and not just once. At Saturday’s Creative Arts Emmys, his Super Bowl LX Halftime Show swept every single category it was nominated in, all seven of them, making it the most-decorated nominee of the night.
The headline win was Outstanding Variety Special (Live), a category the show became only the third halftime show ever to claim. From there it just kept going: music direction, choreography, sound mixing, lighting design, technical direction and camerawork, and directing all went home with the Puerto Rican star’s team. There’s technically an eighth trophy with his name attached, too, though it won’t land in his hands — the “Saturday Night Live” episode he hosted last season separately won Outstanding Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Program.
The sweep is good news for Jay-Z as well. As an executive producer on the halftime show, he now has two Emmys to his name, having previously won for producing Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX performance in 2025 — the show that, until Saturday, held the record for most Emmys won by a Super Bowl performance.
Bad Bunny wasn’t the only one having a night. Sabrina Carpenter picked up her first Emmy as a performer and executive producer on “The Muppet Show,” edging out Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour | The Final Show” for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded). The Billy Joel HBO miniseries “And So It Goes” won for sound mixing on a nonfiction program, and 50 Cent’s Diddy documentary “Sean Combs: The Reckoning” took home picture editing honors. A big weekend for live spectacle, all around.
-
Artist Spotlight7 days agoSunniboy brings high-energy rap attitude with latest release “Exotic”
-
Artist Spotlight7 days agoBrannen captures life’s fleeting moments on “Keep Dancing With Me”
-
Artist Spotlight6 days agoLittle Quirks expose perfectly timed romance on “Game Boy”
-
Artist Spotlight7 days agoZachary Mason blends psychedelic rock and sci-fi adventure on “Man Of The Universe”
-
Artist Spotlight5 days agoShadowspell invites listeners into a world of fear and defiance on latest release “CYANIDE”
-
Artist Spotlight7 days agoBig Jon celebrates growth and self-belief on latest release “Level Up”
-
Artist Spotlight6 days agoEylsia explores courage, identity and the unknown on latest release “What Will Become of Me”
-
Album Review7 days agoWith “Island Poetry” album, Mad Painter turns classic rock influences into its own musical world