Latest news with #LastNight
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Judge Greg Mathis Breaks Down Diddy's Sex Trafficking Trial And 'Gangster' Persona
As Diddy's trafficking trial rages on, legal and non-legal opinions continue to flood the internet. Judge Greg Mathis and his son, Amir, recently shared their perspectives on what the result could be and the 55-year-old artist's perception. 'The prosecution needs to show more evidence that deliberately shows that he was intentionally sex trafficking for them to be successful,' Amir said in one clip from The Mathis Verdict, summarizing his father's opinion on the trial so far. 'That's correct,' Judge Mathis answered, adding that they needed to prove that the controversial mogul understood the gravity of what he was doing and chose to do it anyway. Amir posed a thought-provoking question for viewers and the attorneys: 'Where is the line between a criminal act of intent and where's the line for someone's lifestyle?' In another clip, Amir admitted he believed that the prosecution had yet to show that the Bad Boy co-founder was running a criminal enterprise because the 'freak-offs' had been presented as one-off incidents. Judge Mathis agreed, adding, 'I do believe, I trust that these prosecutors are astute enough to be able to lay a foundation, and I assume that's what they're doing. And they're gonna then connect everything that has come out thus far to demonstrate their charges of RICO. That's what I assume is going to happen, but it hasn't happened yet! And some of these things didn't require coordination.' In another clip, Judge Greg Mathis and Amir shared a laugh over Diddy being shown to be a 'toxic person.' Mathis quickly added, 'He's much worse than a toxic person, he's a monster from what they've been showing and what we've been hearing […] He's a state crime monster.' Judge Mathis took a quick second to flex that he was the youngest district court judge in Michigan's 36th District's history in another clip. He and Amir also quoted Jay-Z's 'Dirt Off Your Shoulder' lyrics before realizing the 'pimp' line may not be appropriate, given the subject matter they were discussing. They moved beyond the courtroom talk and began to talk about Puff trying to present himself as a gangster. 'He has a temper, and he's known for that, and people are in fear because of his temper,' Judge Mathis said. 'But street guys don't fear him cause they know he's never been in the street.' Mathis went on to remind viewers that he attended catholic school, was bullied, and attempted to join a gang that wasn't doing anything illegal; the real Diddy bravado came from the fact that his late father was a 'big gangster' connected to dangerous people and his mother had ran with some of those same individuals. Finally, they spoke about the 'Last Night' artist portraying himself as a gangster to earn the respect of the late Notorious B.I.G. and how he began to genuinely believe that about himself. 'They wouldn't want [Diddy] to hang out with them,' Judge Mathis said. 'They don't want no square hanging out with them. [He was] the president of the record company, so you definitely don't need to be down here with us.' Amir added how he showed up in all of the music videos and featured on all of the albums to immerse himself in their lifestyle. 'When you fully start embodying that, with more time, you become that person,' he said. 'Just like a person who tells a lie so many times, they start believing that lie. And so I no doubt believe that he believes that he is a gangster.' Judge Greg Mathis and son Amir's takes align with a lot of what has come up in the trafficking trial. Diddy took issue with his ex-girlfriend, Cassie, dating Kid Cudi and looked to strike fear into him by allegedly attempting to blow up his car. When Cudi asked him about it during a meeting, he pretended it never happened, much like a gangster sworn to discretion would do. He's also proven to have abused Cassie via footage from their stay at a hotel in Los Angeles in 2016; she claimed that it occurred several other times, including when they attended Drake's OVO Fest. More from Sean "Diddy" Combs And Harvey Weinstein Accused Of Sexual Assault By Same Woman 50 Cent Shares Clips Of Diddy Insulting Donald Trump Amid Talk Of Potential Pardon Diddy's Former Assistant Recalls Dream She Had About Diddy And R. Kelly While On The Stand
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
50 Cent Shares Clips Of Diddy Insulting Donald Trump Amid Talk Of Potential Pardon
Diddy has sought every way out of his potential doom within the last year, and a recent report suggested that he may go to President Donald Trump for a pardon if he is convicted in his current trafficking trial. 50 Cent, the constant thorn in the controversial mogul's side, has now reminded him why Trump may not be willing to help him out by sharing a few old clips. In October 2020, Puff sat down with Charlamagne Tha God for an interview ahead of the 2020 presidential election. He emphatically endorsed Joe Biden's candidacy and announced the launch of Our Black Party, a collective focused on advocacy for the African American community. Fif shared a portion of their conversation on his Instagram. 'If Trump gets elected, I really do believe in my heart there will be a race war,' the Bad Boy co-founder said in the clip. 'That's why this message is not just to Black people, you know what I'm saying? This message is to everybody. This man is really trying to turn us against each other and put us in a situation. America messed up.' In a second clip, the former REVOLT chairman took things even further and said, 'White men like Trump need to be banished.' Watch the clips below. Time and different circumstances have seemingly changed Diddy's tune on Donald Trump, as he is reportedly 'angling' for a presidential pardon if he is convicted. If found guilty, the 55-year-old artist could face life in prison. 'He's willing to do anything to get out of jail,' a source who has been close to the 'Last Night' artist for a decade told Rolling Stone. 'He's always been this way. He's always going to do what he has to do to get out of a situation.' 'Brother Love' couldn't have found himself in this situation at a better time. Just last week, Trump pardoned YoungBoy Never Broke Again, who had been recently reprimanded for gun-related charges. YB had been released from federal prison in March and sent to home confinement in Utah due to credit for time served, which ended in April. With this pardon, he won't have to follow any probation terms, the worst of which was drug testing. Trump also commuted Larry Hoover's federal life sentence for operating a criminal enterprise last week. The kingpin isn't completely off the hook, though; while he gets to leave the supermax facility in Colorado, he returns home to Illinois to continue serving his 150 to 200-year sentence for a murder he committed in Chicago in 1973. Nonetheless, Diddy may find himself needing Trump's help at the most opportune time. This past Friday (May 30), Donald Trump was asked about his willingness to help Diddy. 'I haven't spoken to him in years,' he told Fox News. 'He used to really like me a lot, but I think when I ran for politics, that relationship busted up, from what I read. I don't know, he didn't tell me that. But I'd read some … nasty statements in the paper all of a sudden.' The 78-year-old President admitted that he had to keep the United States in mind when considering what to do with Diddy's personal affairs. 'You know, it's different,' he said. 'You become a much different person when you run for politics, and you do what's right. I could do other things, and I'm sure he'd like me, and I'm sure other people would like me, but it wouldn't be as good for our country.' Ultimately, he didn't have a final answer on what he would do at the time. 'It's not a popularity contest, so I don't know,' he admitted. 'I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don't like me, it wouldn't have any impact on me.' More from Ray J Accuses "C*nt" Suge Knight Of Sexually Assaulting Men Behind Bars Bill Maher Talks Cassie's "Enthusiastic Consent" To Freak Offs, Staying With Diddy For Career Suge Knight Says Diddy Should Testify In His Own Trial To "Humanize" Himself
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
James Lowe, Singer in Psych-Rock Band the Electric Prunes, Dies at 82
James Lowe of the Electric Prunes, photo byJames Lowe, the lead singer in psych-rock band the Electric Prunes, has died. In a statement shared on Facebook, Lowe's family said he died of natural causes on Thursday (May 29). 'Dad leaves behind a legacy of sound, love, and boundless creativity,' his family wrote. 'At the center of it all was our amazing mom, Pamela – his guiding star, enduring muse, and wife of 62 years. We know how deeply he cherished this community, and we feel that love too.' Lowe was 82. The founding member the Electric Prunes, Lowe's vision for groovy, trippy psych-rock had a large influence on the direction and popularity of the genre—especially in America—during the 1960s. Their biggest hit, 'I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night),' scaled the Billboard Hot 100 to secure a spot in its upper tier. It also landed a critical spot on Nuggets, the 1972 psych and garage-rock compilation that garnered a cult following. The Electric Prunes's self-titled LP boasted what would become their final Top 40 single: 'Get Me to the World on Time.' Coasting over the tracks was Lowe's smoky, soulful voice, an embodiment of easygoing Californian cool – in part thanks to him being born in San Luis Obispo and growing up in Los Angeles. Surf rock-inspired garage band the Sanctions—founded by Lowe on vocals and guitar, bassist Mark Tulin, lead guitarist Ken Williams, and drummer Michael Weakley—eventually morphed into the Electric Prunes in 1965 when a real estate agent introduced them to Dave Hassinger, the sound engineer at RCA Studios who wanted to produce an album. During the band's recording session, Hassinger suggested they change their name, and Lowe tossed out the Electric Prunes as a joke. 'It's the one thing everyone will remember,' Lowe rationalized. 'It's not attractive, and there's nothing sexy about it, but people won't forget it.' Despite their early singles failing to gain traction, Reprise Records signed the Electric Prunes to a contract overseen by Hassinger. Although a few lineup changes and songwriter sub-ins took place, they settled into the studio and churned out 'I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night).' Building off its success, they recorded the albums The Electric Prunes and Underground, both released in 1967, and went on a successful tour of Europe. Hassinger pitched the Electric Prunes on the idea of a concept album that utilized Gregorian music and psych-pop, and nabbed the late David Axelrod to compose the songs – launching a new, slowly lauded era for the band. The resulting Mass in F Minor was an ambitious, unwieldy record, and one of its spaced-out tracks, 'Kyrie Eleison,' gained a belated popularity bump when it was synced for the cult 1969 film Easy Rider. Years later, it became coveted fodder for rap producers like MF DOOM and Madlib, who worked samples from Mass in F Minor into their songs. After playing that new material just once live in concert, though, Lowe and Weakley decided to leave the band in early 1968, disenchanted with the Electric Prunes' financial difficulties and musical roadbumps. Tulin and Williams followed suit several months later. Lowe pivoted to a life behind the board, becoming a recording engineer and working with artists like Todd Rundgren and Sparks instead. Later on, Lowe also ran a TV production company. With the reins in Hassinger's hands, the Electric Prunes continued on with a different lineup until 1970, releasing two additional albums: 1968's Release of an Oath, as composed by Axelrod and belatedly heralded in experimental and hip-hop circles for its hallucinatory grooves, and 1969's Just Good Old Rock and Roll. However, come 1999, the original lineup of Lowe, Tulin, Williams, and Weakley reunited to record new music and perform live again. In 2001, they released their first comeback album, Artifact, which uncorked the psych-rock sound they originally courted in their earliest days. They went on to record three additional studio LPs: 2004's California, 2006's Feedback, and 2014's WaS. During that later run, the Electric Prunes were one of several notable bands who signed to Billy Corgan and Smashing Pumpkins producer Kerry Brown's new record label. In a 2011 interview, Lowe reflected on his past experiences in the Electric Prunes and stressed the importance of supporting bands you enjoy in real time. 'I have mentioned 'We felt like failures' many times in this process. It sounds corny, but later in life you learn you were not as bad as you thought. I have decided not to beat myself up so much,' he said. 'I encourage people to support their favorite bands by buying something from them on their websites or showing up when they play live in your town. For some, this is the only way they can continue to record and play live. If you don't want to order something, at least give encouragement and support for what they have done for you. It means a lot to get a nice email and this is all most musicians really want for their efforts: a little 'YES!!!!' when it works.' Originally Appeared on Pitchfork
NDTV
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Ex-Girlfriend Needed Stiches After He Beat Her Up
Cassie Ventura required medical treatment, including stitches, after Sean "Diddy" Combs assaulted her, a celebrity stylist told the Manhattan court on Wednesday. Deonte Nash, a close friend of Ms Ventura, told the jury that he often saw the hip-hop mogul abusing his former partner. Mr Nash said that Combs once went to Ms Ventura's Los Angeles home where she was asleep on the sofa. He alleged that the rapper yelled at her, pulled her by her hair and began hitting her. When Mr Nash and Ms Ventura tried to run into a bedroom and close the door, Combs managed to enter, he said, according to BBC. The stylist alleged that the 55-year-old beat her until she hit her head on the bedframe and started bleeding badly. He added that when he attempted to contact emergency services, Combs said one of his security personnel would take her to a plastic surgeon for treatment. The following day, Mr Nash claimed to have seen her on a video call with stitches in her eyebrow. In 2013, Combs threatened to release videos of Ms Ventura engaging in sexual acts with male prostitutes, whom he allegedly forced her to sleep with and claimed that the Last Night singer would often call her names like "sl*t" and "h*e", Mr Nash further told the jury. Ms Ventura didn't want to be involved in the sex parties, the stylist's friend added. Last week, Ms Ventura's mother, Regina Ventura, shared a 2011 email in which her daughter detailed the violence she faced. She said Combs would often threaten her daughter to release explicit videos after he learned about her relationship with rapper Kid Cudi. She alleged that Combs demanded $20,000 to prevent the release of the sex tapes. The music mogul was arrested in September 2024 and faces racketeering, trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution charges. He has not pleaded guilty.
Fox Sports
6 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Tarik Skubal wants to be an inning-eating workhorse, even if MLB has changed
Tarik Skubal enjoyed his first taste of throwing a complete game as a professional and the Detroit Tigers ace is hoping to be a rare starting pitcher who is regularly on the mound late in games. In this era, teams usually depend on relievers to pitch at least a few innings and the reigning AL Cy Young and league Triple Crown winner would love to buck the trend for manager A.J. Hinch and the AL-leading Tigers. "The game's changed a little bit because these guys that come in are the best they've ever been, but my goal is to make it as difficult as I can on A.J. to take me out of a game," Skubal said Wednesday before Detroit wrapped up a series at home against San Francisco. "I want him thinking a lot about it. I don't want it to be an easy decision. "That's kind of that's what starting pitching is — you take the ball and you eat innings. There's probably been a little bit of less value in that in today's game as it was five, 10 years ago." Justin Verlander laments that fact. "Most guys are getting pulled in the fifth or sixth inning," he said. Verlander, a three-time AL Cy Young Award in his first season with the Giants, understands clubs try to limit innings starters pitch in part to avoid injuries. The 42-year-old right-hander, though, is grateful Jim Leyland was his manager early in his career with the Tigers and allowed him to have 120-pitch outings and 200-inning seasons. "Even at that time, that was a little old school," Verlander said. "Had he not been my manager, I might not have had the opportunity to show what I can do. I think what separated me from a lot of guys was my ability to throw that many pitches and get stronger as game went on, and do it every five days." When Skubal makes his next start on Saturday at Kansas City, the hard-throwing lefty wants Hinch to see plenty of reasons to keep him in the game longer than usual. "I want to be out there for the sixth, seventh and eighth inning," he said. "There's going to be five-inning outings. Those are grinder games. I'm not too proud of those ones. I'm proud of ones I'm in the seventh, eighth and handing the ball off to the back end of our guys." [Related: Last Night in Baseball: Tarik Skubal goes Maddux, historically so] In Skubal's last start, he gave up two hits and matched a career high with 13 strikeouts in a 94-pitch performance that included just 22 balls and no walks. It was just the fifth individual shutout this season in the majors, and a complete-game shutout thrown in under 100 pitches is nicknamed a "Maddux," in honor of Greg Maddux, a leader in efficiency in an era of inflated pitch counts. That kind of efficiency is also what allowed Skubal to throw a record 102.6 mph, per Statcast's measurement, on his final pitch of the game. Which was also the fastest recorded velocity of any pitch 75+ pitches into a start. Skubal has yet to surpass 96 pitches in a start in 2025, and exceeded the 100-pitch mark just four times in 31 starts a year ago, while averaging over six innings per start – Skubal made it to the seventh inning throwing between 74 and 91 pitches on nine occasions in 2024. He's averaging nearly 6.1 innings per start in 2025, with the same level of pitch efficiency. If he or any other Detroit starter is as efficient as Skubal was on Sunday, then Hinch plans to keep them in for the final inning. "If guys want to enter the ninth inning with 85 pitches, I promise you I will leave guys in," Hinch said. Hinch said it's not an indictment on starters when they don't last deep in games, adding it's not a "healthy badge of honor," to just leave pitchers on the mound because they're having a good day. Simply put, he said the stuff a fresh reliever has to throw at teams is going to be better than one of the last pitches from any starter. "As starters fatigue, is their 120th pitch better than Will Vest's first pitch? Or, Tommy Kahnle's first pitch? Or, Brant Hurter's first pitch?" Hinch asked. "The answer is no." The Associated Press contributed to this report. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience Tarik Skubal Major League Baseball Detroit Tigers recommended Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
