David Blake Jr., son of Compton hip hop veteran Dj Quik, has been sentenced to 15 years to life in state prison for a fatal shooting. In May 2022, 31-year-old Julio Moises Cardoza, Jr was fatally shot by Blake Jr. According to reports, the incident occurred after a fight broke out between Cardoza and another man in Downey, CA. Blake, who was nearby, allegedly opened fire from a vehicle, striking Cardoza multiple times before driving off. Cardoza was taken to a hospital, but did not survive his wounds. Blake was arrested the next day. On Friday (Feb 27), Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Laura Walton sentenced Blake Jr. to 15 years to life, dismissing the gun allegations that could have resulted in an additional 25 years. Judge Walton called the case “an absolute tragedy,” per The Downey Patriot. She also noted that at the time of the offense, Blake Jr. was only 27 with “no prior record.” She told him that a “split- second decision that you made does not define your character or who you are.” She told him that “at some point you will be paroled.” Per the outlet, Blake Jr, admitted that he was “sorry for the role” he had in the death of Cardoza. “My heart aches for the Cardozas,” he said. “I was truly in fear for my life and believed I was going to die,” after he was asked to drive his boss, then- Compton City Councilman Isaac Galvan, to the Cardoza family home, where a fight broke out. Blake worked as a liaison Councilman Galvan. In 2022, Galvin was removed from office due to allegations of election fraud. In 2024, Galvan pleaded guilty to taking bribes in exchange for cannabis permits. The victim’s mother, Elida Cardoza, said through a Spanish interpreter that her son “lost his life because of the actions of a man that didn’t care that I was beside my son and grandson. “There is no greater pain than having your son die in your arms,” she said. “I yelled at him not to leave me … I realized that his soul was leaving his body, that I was losing him forever.” In a statement read on his behalf, the victim’s father said his family has been devastated by his son’s killing and that “our life has been a living hell.” DJ Quik also released a statement saying that he wishes he could share the sentencing with his son. “I’m disappointed that I didn’t get in front of that story and share the sentencing with my son,” he said. “The reality of all of this is that two families are irrevocably changed forever.” Prior to the arrest and sentencing, Blake Jr. had a budding rap career, performing under the name D. Blake. He appeared on Quik’s 2014 album The Midnight Life. Blake also released several solo records, including “Official,” “Rollin” (featuring Kinglife Herb) and “I Wanna Know (Remix)” featuring Dom Kennedy.

Mariah the Scientist’s profile has risen steadily in recent years, driven by strong streaming numbers and a growing fan base that has followed her from early releases to larger stages. Yet the Atlanta singer, known for her album Hearts Sold Separately, has also faced recurring criticism online. Some detractors have questioned her stage presence, while others have framed her success within broader debates about colorism in the music industry. The latest round of criticism began after public speaker and author Feminista Jones posted a short video from one of Mariah’s performances in Virginia Beach. In the post, Jones criticized the singer’s choreography and live vocals. “What the actual hell. No way she gets away with this if she’s dark skinned,” Jones wrote on X, formerly Twitter. The comment quickly circulated online, prompting debate among fans and observers. Supporters of the singer pushed back, arguing that linking an artist’s reception to complexion overlooked the work behind her career. Jones, however, stood by her criticism in follow-up posts. “I don’t argue with people who regularly use SnapChat. Grow up,” she wrote, dismissing the backlash. The exchange soon became another example of how quickly conversations about music can expand into larger cultural disputes on social media. Mariah the Scientist Lets Her Success Do the Talking Mariah did not address Jones directly. Instead, she used her platform to highlight the scale of her recent tour and the response from audiences. “125k tickets sold all on my own… Packed from the front to the back & not a single lyric goes unsung. It’s really something, u should see it in person,” she wrote. The singer also acknowledged the people behind the scenes who have supported her rise, including her sister Morgan, who manages her career, and a cousin who works as her assistant. “My fans (friends) have grown with me and related to me in ways that I never thought were possible,” she said. Reflecting on earlier criticism, she added, “I can’t believe I actually let your negative opinions bother me years ago when you all tried convincing me that what’s for me isn’t for me.” Mariah has also addressed a different strain of online criticism that dismisses her as superficial. “When in all actuality, it requires much intellect & creativity to take a small seed and grow it to what it has become. Very fruitful to say the least,” she wrote.

The New England Patriots plan to part ways with veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs when the 2026 league year begins next week. Patriots set to release WR Stefon Diggs after the start of the league year. (via @tompelissero) pic.twitter.com/63srpnVwT1 — NFL (@NFL) March 4, 2026 A league source said the move stems largely from financial considerations. Diggs’ salary cap hit was set to jump from $10.5 million to $26.5 million. His contract also included a clause guaranteeing an additional $6 million if he remained on the roster beyond next week. After the news surfaced, Diggs acknowledged the moment publicly. The 32-year-old posted a message on Instagram thanking the organization and supporters. “Thank you for a hell of a year,” he wrote. “We family forever.” Diggs joined the Patriots last March on a three-year, $69 million deal and quickly became the team’s top receiving option. He led the club during the regular season with 85 receptions for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns. His production helped stabilize the offense and gave quarterback Drake Maye a dependable target. NFL Star Stefon Diggs Will Be Cut By The New England Patriots The veteran receiver also contributed during the Patriots’ playoff run that ended at Super Bowl LX. Diggs recorded 14 catches for 110 yards and a touchdown across four postseason games while frequently drawing top defensive coverage. Away from the field, Diggs faces legal scrutiny tied to an alleged dispute with his personal chef. Authorities filed felony strangulation and related charges. Diggs has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for April 1. With Diggs expected to depart, New England must reshape its receiving group. Veterans Mack Hollins and Kayshon Boutte headline the returning unit alongside DeMario Douglas. Head coach Mike Vrabel addressed the challenge during the NFL Scouting Combine, noting that elite receivers rarely reach free agency. “You have to draft them,” Vrabel said. “You develop them.” The Patriots hold 11 selections in the upcoming draft, including the No. 31 overall pick. Finding a new primary target will be a priority this offseason.

The separation between Anderson .Paak and his estranged wife, Jae Lin, are moving further into the legal system. The couple is working through custody and financial matters. Lin has asked the court for primary physical custody of their two children. Meanwhile, she is proposing that the singer receive visitation and secondary parenting time. She has also requested spousal support as the divorce process unfolds. According to documents first reported by TMZ, Lin cited “irreconcilable differences” in her filing and left the date of separation listed as “TBD.” .Paak submitted a similar filing in 2024, using the same language. The couple married in 2010 and have two children together, now 9 and 13. Their case is still in progress. In time, a judge is expected to determine how custody and support will ultimately be arranged. The legal developments come amid reports that .Paak has recently spent time with television personality Jeannie Mai. The two were seen together last month at Andy’s in Los Angeles. There, footage showed them seated closely in a booth, with .Paak resting an arm around her. Mai finalized her own divorce from rapper Jeezy in 2024 after three years of marriage. The former couple share a daughter, Monaco, who is four. Jeannie Mai Prioritizes Her Daughter’s Peace During Divorce Mai has spoken openly about trying to protect her child from the emotional fallout that can accompany a separation. During a January appearance on the podcast Question Everything, she described her approach to parenting through a difficult period. “That’s not something I want her to ever have to think about,” she said. “My job is to define peace for her. So, she’s going to get that.” Reflecting on the experience of divorce more broadly, Mai described it in stark terms. “There’s no way to understand that feeling of space shared with somebody and all of a sudden it closing in, to where you even wonder if you can trust yourself in your thoughts because one day you had a plan and you had these thoughts and then suddenly it becomes something else,” she said. For now, the divorce between .Paak and Lin remain unresolved. Custody and financial support are likely to be settled through the courts in the months ahead.

An argument between NBA YoungBoy and his former partner Arcola unfolded across social media this week, turning a personal disagreement into a widely viewed exchange. The two share a child, and the dispute began after Arcola reposted criticism suggesting the rapper had not met his responsibilities as a father. The posts quickly circulated, drawing attention from fans and critics alike. The original comment accused YoungBoy of focusing more on relationships than parenting. “Boy shut up and get them kids,” the tweet read. “Talked all that shi about Sherhonda picking men over you & yo rich a**! literally doing the same.” Arcola amplified the message with her own response, writing, “Ahahahaaa this the one and not the 2.” YoungBoy answered in a series of blunt posts that intensified the exchange. “Girl fk yo baby! You a never try again! Tell the world knock on my door,” he wrote. “Tbh have y’all can go to court b* I’ll gladly pay it’s f** you. I don’t play or do no pretending idc idgaf fwm.” The remarks drew swift backlash online, particularly because they appeared to reference the child the pair share. YoungBoy Goes Offline Amid Arcola’s Explosive Claims Shortly after the argument spread, YoungBoy’s social media accounts appeared to go offline. It was not immediately clear whether the deactivation was temporary or permanent. The timing, however, followed a wave of criticism directed at the rapper after the posts circulated widely. Arcola continued posting messages describing what she said had been years of frustration. “You don’t even love yourself btch!” she wrote. “I know it’s fck my baby, it’s been fck my baby when you let his finger get burned and yo lying a* wife said he got bit bye a ‘dog’ fck you and everything you stand for btch, you gone rot in hell too.” In another message, she described raising their son largely on her own and accused YoungBoy of doing little to help. “I took care of KAELL BY MYSELF AND YOU KNOW THIS BE FR MY N***A.“

The death of Lil Poppa, born Janarious Wheeler, continues to send shockwaves through his family and fans. On March 3, Toie Roberts — the mother of his child and daughter of rap heavyweight Rick Ross — delivered a raw and unfiltered tribute that doubled as a warning to critics. In her first Instagram post, Roberts addressed Wheeler by his middle name, writing, “MYKEL..what’s understood don’t ever have to explained especially to the internet.” View this post on Instagram The message unfolded like an open letter to the Jacksonville rapper, who passed away on Feb. 18. “Nothing could EVER describe the pain,” she continued, describing their “reality changing before my eyes.” She questioned why he seemed “in a rush to leave us,” before acknowledging, “deep down, I know you didn’t mean to.” Her grief centered on their young son. “ESPECIALLY NOT KOFI,” she wrote. “23 what I’m supposed to tell our bayboy?” Toie Roberts, Lil Poppa’s BM & Rick Ross’s Daughter, Shares Emotional Instagram Posts To The Late Rapper Calling them “2 peas in a pod that turned into the BIGGG 3,” Roberts reflected on their evolution from young parents to a tight-knit family. “What’s the big 3 without you P???” she asked. Though their relationship faced public turbulence, she stressed that “the ‘beef’ was never bigger than what we shared.” She closed with faith and resolve: “Janarious, I got J’nar. You go on & get your rest… we’ll be fine.” Her Instagram Stories struck a sharper tone. Acknowledging Wheeler’s stance that “it’s the internet, you can’t beat it,” Roberts still confronted online critics. “Y’ALL DON’T KNOW SHIT,” she wrote, blasting those who blamed her for his death as “psychotic & insensitive.” Referencing a 2023 diss track, she claimed she was “lied on” and that Wheeler “apologized… right after he dropped it,” adding, “we BEEN moved on from that.” In a final post, over a black-and-white photo of Lil Poppa with their son, Roberts returned to heartbreak. “My baby lost his daddy, protector & bestfriend,” she wrote. Their son wants to show his father a new puppy and still talks about homework help from “3 damn weeks ago.” Through it all, Roberts made one point clear: Lil Poppa’s legacy is personal, and grief isn’t up for public debate.

West Coast rapper Kurupt is finally home. In an exclusive update from TMZ, Kurupt was discharged from the hospital after several weeks of battling a condition that was not revealed to the public. According to Kurupt’s wife and manager Lisa “LeeLee” Brown, the rapper is in better spirits. Brown posted a picture of herself alongside her husband with the caption “Home is where the heart is… Life is not about the rough roads…it’s about the resilience.” View this post on Instagram When Kurupt was severely ill,  producer and rapper Daz Dillinger sent well wishes to the “We Can Freak It” artist in an Instagram carousel on Monday (Jan. 12). “GOD SAID WE SHALL LIVE & NOT DIE … Want to send a big shout out to my big brother @official_kurupt,” Daz captioned the post. “Get well speedy recovery need all FANZ to send kurupt a get well message flood his Instagram tell him how much we love him.” “Rest in peace to my cousin Joe, cool Nate Dogg and others that we lost so I need everybody to hit kurupt and let them know that we love HIM from his little brother Daz life is serious shout out to @leelee_calinanita for holding it down, Dogg Pound gangstaZ 4 LIFE GOD 1st.” “We all have an addiction to something” Kurupt has had battles with his health in recent years. In 2019, he was rushed to the hospital following an alcohol relapse on the set of the reality TV series Marriage Boot Camp. In a 2022 interview with DJ VLAD. he revealed that his alcoholism issues began in the 90s when he was introduced to Hennessy. “[I would drink] every day, all year. I’d wake up and have a shot or a beer and watch me some TV … [That was] my breakfast,” he admitted. “I’m talking about since I was 24. I used to drink before but when ‘Pac brought that Hennessy to the table it was over! … Hennessy was my thing and that was every day, all day.” Kurupt added: “My pancreas, my liver and my kidneys were just all messed up. I had this sharp pain in my abdomen, I could barely walk. I had to hunch over and I still had to perform and do shows … [I had two seizures] back to back, and that was when I went to my doctor in Utah.” “We all have an addiction to something, whether it’s alchohol or drugs. These are demons that you have to fight, and hopefully you can do it before you [die],” he reflected

Legendary underground hip-hop architect Roc Marciano sits down with Mornings with Mero for an in-depth conversation about his journey from Hempstead, Long Island to becoming one of the most influential producers and MCs in modern hip-hop. In This Interview: The rich hip-hop legacy of Long Island (Rakim, EPMD, Prodigy, Method Man & more)Creating his signature sound and producing his new album “656” from front to backLessons learned from working with Busta Rhymes and Flipmode SquadHow he survived the music industry collapse by going direct-to-consumerBuilding an ecosystem that inspired a new generation of artistsWorking with legendary producers like The Alchemist, DJ Premier, and Pete RockThe blueprint for independent success in hip-hop Key Topics:✓ Long Island’s underrated hip-hop history✓ Production techniques and influences (Pete Rock, Large Professor, Q-Tip)✓ The evolution from Marcberg to 656✓ Creating the “Roc Marciano sound” that shaped underground hip-hop✓ Work ethic lessons from Busta Rhymes✓ Cutting out the middleman and building direct fan relationships✓ Inspiring the next generation of MCs and producers Roc Marciano’s influence on modern hip-hop cannot be overstated. From his soulful production to his intricate wordplay, he’s created a blueprint that countless artists follow today. Representing: Hempstead, Long Island Latest Project: 656

On a stretch of South Los Angeles pavement long associated with Nipsey Hussle’s life and work, the city unveiled a new name: Nipsey Hussle Square. The renaming of Slauson Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard formalizes what many residents have felt for years—that the intersection already carried his imprint. Family members, city officials, and supporters gathered for the dedication, turning a familiar corner into a site of reflection. For Lauren London, the moment was both public and deeply personal. Speaking with The Fader, she described the ceremony as a milestone for her children. “This is a proud moment for me,” she said. “This is also an important and proud moment for the kids, as they now fully understand their father’s legacy. Nip continues to inspire and motivate his community, which is a true realization of his dreams.” Her words suggested that the renaming offered something steady and visible for a family still living with absence. Hussle’s son, Kameron Carter, and his mother, Angelique Smith, addressed the crowd, recalling his commitment to the neighborhood. City Council member Heather Hutt framed that commitment as deliberate. “His love for Los Angeles was insurmountable,” she said. “He could have invested his money anywhere. Somewhere that cost less, somewhere with less issues, but he determined that L.A. is where he wanted to be.” The intersection, in that sense, reflects a choice he made repeatedly. View this post on Instagram A Legacy Lives On The weekend also included the opening of a new Marathon Burger restaurant in Long Beach, led by Hussle’s brother, Blacc Sam. Musicians and community members attended, treating it as both a business launch and a continuation of Hussle’s local investments. Later, a separate shooting occurred nearby, leaving one person dead and others injured. Representatives for Marathon Burger told CBS News, “The opening was a huge success with strong community support. There was an incident nearby, but it was not connected to the event. The opening itself proceeded safely and without issue.” Street signs rarely settle grief, but they can anchor memory. At Slauson and Crenshaw, the city has fixed Hussle’s name to the landscape he sought to uplift, ensuring that his presence remains part of the neighborhood’s daily rhythm.

Will Smith and Chris Rock are quietly exploring the possibility of sitting down together for a televised conversation with ABC News, according to people familiar with the discussions. If it comes together, the interview would be their first shared public appearance since the confrontation at the Academy Awards that unsettled Hollywood and rippled far beyond it. Representatives for both men have declined to comment, and the network has not announced details. Still, the prospect of seeing them across from each other again has stirred immediate interest. The 2022 Oscars broadcast veered off script when Smith walked onto the stage and struck Rock after a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith. The moment landed with a thud inside the Dolby Theatre and traveled instantly across television screens and smartphones. Not long after, Smith returned to his seat and later accepted the Academy Award for Best Actor for “King Richard,” delivering remarks that competed with the shock still hanging in the room. View this post on Instagram A First Direct Conversation Since the Oscars Incident In the hours and days that followed, Smith issued a public apology to Rock and the Academy, describing his actions as “unacceptable and inexcusable.” The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences subsequently barred him from its events for 10 years. Rock addressed the episode sparingly during stand-up performances, including a 2023 Netflix special, where he offered his perspective without speaking directly to Smith. A joint interview, if finalized, would offer something neither man has yet attempted: a direct exchange in real time. It could provide clarity about how they have processed a moment that became cultural shorthand for the volatility of live television. ABC News has not announced an air date.