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A begrudging review of LiAngelo Ball's follow-up track to 'Tweaker'

A begrudging review of LiAngelo Ball's follow-up track to 'Tweaker'

USA Today04-04-2025

A begrudging review of LiAngelo Ball's follow-up track to 'Tweaker'
It's still taking a second for me to get used to talking about LiAngelo Ball, well, really at all, let alone talking about him as a rapper and not a basketball player.
But he's done it, folks! He's made the transition. The dude has a hit single, a record deal and an album on the way. Gelo Ball is a full-fledged rap artist. On Friday, he debuted a new single called "Law N Order."
This is a big moment for Gelo. It's one thing to nail a single. But it's another thing to nail your follow-ups. This isn't the first single that followed "Tweaker." He dropped "Can you Please" with GloRilla earlier this month. The reaction was solid, but it didn't quite land like "Tweaker" did.
So where does Law N Order land? Probably in about the same space.
The beat is fantastic. Shoutout to ThomasM, who produced this banger. Similar to Tweaker, it sounds like a modern take on something you'd hear the Hot Boyz rapping on in the late 1990s and early aughts. You can't help but give it a foot tap when you hear it.
What's unfortunate about it is Gelo is kind of dragging the beat down. His flow? Not great. The cadence is weird. It's also a very monotonous song. The energy isn't quite there. It's certainly not matching the ferocity of the beat.
It's also hard to hear what he's saying on the hook. It's almost like he's putting on his best Brian Kelly impression with a fake southern accent. It's just not really working for me. Maybe it's the beat itself. Maybe it's because I know he's a kid from Chino Hills and he doesn't really sound like that. Who's to say? Regardless, I just don't think this works that well. This beat deserves so much better.
Ultimately, the beat probably saves this song. Put it on some speakers and it almost doesn't matter what Ball is saying or what he sounds like — the people will get it popping. In the end, that's probably what matters.

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Ms. Shirley, 4, is a TikTok sensation. Some fans are worried, and her mom is speaking out.
Ms. Shirley, 4, is a TikTok sensation. Some fans are worried, and her mom is speaking out.

Yahoo

time8 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Ms. Shirley, 4, is a TikTok sensation. Some fans are worried, and her mom is speaking out.

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The attention crossed a line after TikTokers posted videos stating they were calling Child Protective Services on Tucker. It's the latest instance of a parent receiving flak over posting their children online. When parents put their child on social media, they open themselves up for reactions that may be out of their control, says Leah Plunkett, author of 'Sharenthood: Why We Should Think Before We Talk About Our Kids Online' and a faculty member at Harvard Law School. Watch: Tips to prevent oversharing information about your kids online The earliest videos on the TikTok account feature hairstyles done by Tucker, who works as a hairstylist, and videos of LaR'iyah as a baby. LaR'iyah started teaching herself line dances by propping up Tucker's phone. By 2 years old, she was dancing to Megan Thee Stallion, the Wop dance club remix and GloRilla. The nickname 'Ms. Shirley' is one she's had since birth and has no correlation with actress Shirley Temple. Tucker says she knows haters come with the territory of being an online creator. She says those making response videos are looking to monetize discussion of LaR'iyah for their own platform, given her name recognition. 'A lot of them just joined the bandwagon of what somebody is saying,' Tucker says. Since going viral, LaR'iyah has taken part in more than 10 in-person events as a celebrity guest, including rodeo days, parades and family events. Her critics say these appearances give adults too much access to a small child. As her fame has grown, so has misinformation. Some posts criticizing Tucker that included videos showing adult men holding LaR'iyah turned out to be adults Tucker already knew. 'People just pick and choose and point out and place it in the timeline where it'll fit their narrative,' Tucker says, adding that she is always right beside LaR'iyah. 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Red Carpet Rundown: Fashion Is Front & Center At The 2025 BET Awards – See Looks We Love
Red Carpet Rundown: Fashion Is Front & Center At The 2025 BET Awards – See Looks We Love

Black America Web

time10 hours ago

  • Black America Web

Red Carpet Rundown: Fashion Is Front & Center At The 2025 BET Awards – See Looks We Love

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GloRilla Goes Home With Best Gospel/Inspirational Award At 2025 BET Awards
GloRilla Goes Home With Best Gospel/Inspirational Award At 2025 BET Awards

Yahoo

time19 hours ago

  • Yahoo

GloRilla Goes Home With Best Gospel/Inspirational Award At 2025 BET Awards

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