Ain’t this what they’ve been waiting for? JAY-Z turned the Philadelphia stop on his “4:44 Tour” into a “Free Meek Mill” rally.

After praising fans for wearing hoodies and holding signs reflecting #Justice4Meek’s purpose, Hov played the hometown hero’s beloved “Dreams and Nightmares (Intro).” As the song blared throughout Wells Fargo Center, Jigga encouraged the crowd to continue chanting the lyrics.

Prior to the show, Trey Songz and Yo Gotti held “Stand with Meek Mill” hoodies. Philadelphia 76ers stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons also held up the hoodies in support of the #Justice4Meek and #FreeMeekMill movement. According to TMZ, the hoodies came courtesy of 76ers owner, Michael Rubin.

Meek is currently serving 2-4 years in prison for probation violations. His legal team recently filed a motion to have his judge removed from the case for improper conduct and the Superior Court has ordered the judge to rule on a bail petition “without further delay.”

Last month, JAY spoke out about the need for prison reform in the wake of Meek’s sentencing. “What’s happening to Meek Mill is just one example of how our criminal justice system entraps and harasses hundreds of thousands of black people every day,” he wrote.

Drake, Rick Ross, Reverend Al Sharpton, and Colin Kaepernick are among others who’ve spoken out on Mill’s behalf since the incarceration. Rev. Sharpton called Meek “a symbol of the abuse of the system” and urged the judge in the case to “reconsider or at least step aside.”

Source: www.rap-up.com

Young Thug sparked outrage and concern over his apparent drug habits with a photo he posted on Friday (Dec. 1).

The Instagram Stories pic in question features a purple liquid, connected to an intravenous tube on his arm. The caption read: “Fuck a double cup I wanna feel it faster.”

It’s unclear whether the photo shows lean or a different liquid of a similar hue. It’s also unclear whether Thug actually used the IV. Nevertheless, the post sparked concerns over his apparent drug habits as well as the promotion of drug use on social media.

Lean has been criticized by many medical professionals, who say that it can have several negative effects. Some warn that it can also severely damage organs. While some rappers have glorified it, others have spoken out about its impact.

In 2008, UGK rapper Pimp C reportedly died at 33 due to “promethazine/codeine effects and other unestablished factors.” His UGK partner Bun B went on to refer to it as a “cough syrup epidemic” and established that it’s a “problem.” Last month, Wiz Khalifa also deemed lean “lame.”

Source: www.rap-up.com

Last month, Vogue Paris unveiled three separate Rihanna covers for the December 2017/January 2018 Christmas issue. Now, the artistic photo spreads inside the magazine are being revealed to rave reviews.

Jean-Paul Goude, the legendary photographer who’s captured the likes of Grace Jones, handled one of the shoots with artistic flare, using his collage-style artwork to accentuate images and elongate body parts with surreal effects. It’s a trademark that he’s used with various subjects throughout his career.

An entirely different collage experience can be found in Juergen Teller’s work. While she only dons black in Goude’s images, she wears vibrant, colorful outfits for Teller, including yellow fur, salmon ruffles, yellow sneakers, and a red sweatsuit.

Rihanna Stuns in ‘Vogue Paris’

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Rihanna Stuns in ‘Vogue Paris’

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Changing tones once again, Inez and Vinoodh deliver black-and-white only images of RiRi in a body-hugging outfit, inside of a beautiful home. The provocative and grainy portraits find Bad Gal in lingerie with a seductive come-hither glare in her eyes.

The magazine also provides an intimate look at a superstar who has shied away from interviews in the past. “I have a lot of trouble switching off,” she says (via WWD). “Even when I get home early, which means before 1 a.m., I start binge-watching shows or documentaries, which I love. I can’t go straight to bed. As a matter of fact, I only sleep three or four hours a night.”

Earlier this week, the cover girl officially had a street named after her in her native Barbados. Westbury New Road was renamed to Rihanna Drive in honor of the hometown hero.

Source: www.rap-up.com

Lil Uzi Vert and Playboi Carti roll with the “Squad.” After announcing and canceling a joint tour, the “16*19” boys are back with a new track.

Originally teased back in April, the song features an energetic hook and pulsating beat complete with money-machine sounds. “All of my ni**as are loyal,” brags Young Carti. “Walking around with the toolie / And my lil’ partner, she shoot.”

Armed with the sing-song flow that catapulted him to stardom, Uzi follows with money talk. “Yeah, I got rich,” boasts the Grammy-nominated rapper. “Came up off these shows / Playboi Carti, only VLONE thug I know / Dylan! Know I gotta keep my firearm.”

In April, the song was part of a series of snippets that were teased on social media. At the time, some believed it was called “Firearm.”

Next up, Uzi and Playboi are planning to release their joint mixtape 16*19. In October, they announced a joint tour, but canceled it only a day later. “Not going on tour wit carti,” tweeted Uzi. “need 2 focus.”

Source: www.rap-up.com