Latest news with #SouljaBoy
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Stand With Crypto Removes Soulja Boy From NJ Governor Rally After Discovering Sexual Assault Fine
Rapper Soulja Boy will no longer perform at Stand With Crypto's "get out the vote" event in Jersey City next week due to a court finding him liable for sexual battery and assault, a spokesperson told CoinDesk on Thursday. Soulja Boy, otherwise known as DeAndre Cortez Way, and 070 Shake, otherwise known as Danielle Balbuena, were slated to headline the event on June 5, which was intended to bring out crypto fans a few weeks before New Jersey residents go to the polls to choose their nominees for the Garden State's governor race, Stand With Crypto announced on Wednesday. Stand With Crypto New Jersey chapter president Carlos Merino said in a statement that "This GOTV rally is one more example of Stand With Crypto's commitment to mobilizing the crypto community ahead of New Jersey's critical gubernatorial primary election." However, Way will no longer perform after Politico reported Thursday morning that he was recently ordered to pay a former assistant $4 million after being found liable for sexual battery and assault. An external spokesperson for Stand With Crypto said in a statement that the organization was "not aware of the recent legal developments involving Soulja Boy." "Given this information, we have removed him from our event lineup. 070 Shake will still perform at our June 5th rally and we look forward to bringing together New Jersey's crypto community to demonstrate the political power of crypto voters ahead of the gubernatorial primary," according to the statement. "Our focus remains on mobilizing crypto supporters and ensuring candidates understand that clear, sensible crypto policy is a priority for New Jersey voters." The lawsuit against Way dates back to 2021, though the jury ruling only came last month. Way said he would appeal the ruling, according to Courthouse News Service. Way also performed at the "Crypto Ball," an inauguration event sponsored by MAGA Inc. and Bitcoin Inc., as well as Exodus, Anchorage Digital and Kraken back in January.
Politico
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Crypto wants in on the NJ primary
Good Thursday morning! We haven't talked much about crypto in the gubernatorial primary, one exception being Steve Fulop pledging to invest a portion of Jersey City's pension into an exchange-traded fund. But the advocacy group Stand with Crypto is trying to change that. The group helped sponsor the last Democratic and Republican debates, and on Wednesday it announced a June 5 rally at Jersey City's White Eagle Hall featuring rappers Soulja Boy and 070 Shake, a Hudson County native. 'We are fighting for clear, sensible crypto policy that fosters innovation and empowers New Jersey's crypto entrepreneurs. Our investment in turning out the crypto voter in this election has elevated cryptocurrency policy as a key election issue that candidates must address in order to win,' said Carlos Ivan Merino, president of the group's New Jersey chapter, said in a statement. The group said all candidates are invited. But it is interesting that it chose Jersey City for this location. Fulop told Bloomberg that he'd also expose the state's pension fund to crypto investments. Still, I'm not sure the group's choice of entertainment is the best way to get candidates to line up to speak at its rally. A jury last month ordered Soulja Boy to pay $4 million to an ex-assistant who accused him of assault and sexual battery. Just days before a primary, it's hard to imagine most candidates would want to be seen in the same room. FEEDBACK? Reach me at mfriedman@ WHERE'S MURPHY — QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'People in your group dressed up in freakish costumes with signs, and you are cursing at people. I got the video. 'You f------ this. You are an f------ traitor. You f------ that.' You are the one disrupting businesses and causing havoc in the township.' — Galloway Councilmember Tom Bassford to Atlantic County Indivisible founder Kim Grieser, whose group he said protested a fundraiser for Rep. Jeff Van Drew at the mayor's business. Grieser had wanted the council to denounce the far-right Proud Boys, who she said were harassing them at other protests. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Mila Jasey, Chapman Vai WHAT TRENTON MADE HAPPENING TODAY — It's a weed day in Trenton, where the Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote on or discuss several weed-related measures, including a fast-tracked bill designed to clean up the intoxicating hemp law Gov. Murphy signed in September that was partially overturned in federal court. Up for discussion only is this controversial proposal by Senate President Nick Scutari to crack down on illegal weed sales, including by making it a crime to buy from an unlicensed source and up penalties for selling a small amount. The fact that it's discussion only, though, suggests to me this bill will change quite a bit before it's passed, if it ever is. The Senate State Government Committee has a long agenda. Also for discussion only is state Sen. Andrew Zwicker's legislation that would speed up the process of filling U.S. House vacancies. It was introduced after U.S. Rep. Donald Payne Jr. died but before U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell died. And it's only taken a year to get to this point. AND THEY'RE PLANNING TO MAKE MORE PEOPLE WALK TO THE STATEHOUSE. COINCIDENCE? — 'After NJ's deadliest year for pedestrians in decades, state plans to cut safety money,' by The Record's Colleen Wilson: 'After New Jersey recorded the deadliest year for pedestrians in 36 years, Gov. Phil Murphy has proposed a budget for the 2026 fiscal year that reduces funding for local pedestrian safety projects. The decision to cut this funding comes after Murphy emphasized in his State of the State address earlier this year that he was making road and pedestrian safety a priority … Francis O'Connor, commissioner of the state Department of Transportation, acknowledged the cuts at the annual budget hearings in May when asked about them by Assemblyman Michael Venezia. 'Yes, the grants were reduced, but I don't think it's going to affect our way of helping the cities and helping the safety of the pedestrians and the cyclists,' O'Connor said … Money for local aid and economic development grants — which fund Transit Villages, Safe Streets to Transit and Bikeways grant programs — would get slashed to just $8 million. Last year, the budget was $16 million, and the year before that it was $20 million.' —'New Jersey State Police report seven traffic deaths during Memorial Day weekend' SHERRILL VS. EVERYONE — 'Congresswoman running for N.J. governor is target of escalating attacks on campaign trail,' by New Jersey Monitor's Dana DiFilippo: 'With less than two weeks to go before the June 10 primary, Democrats vying to become New Jersey's next governor have stepped up their attacks on Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who election observers and pollsters consider to be the race's front-runner. In new television ads and mailers, Sherrill's rivals have bashed her wealth, her establishment ties, and past campaign contributions she accepted from a PAC associated with SpaceX, the spaceflight company helmed by Elon Musk. The grievances aren't new, but they're escalating as the primary approaches. And they're coming from candidates like Steve Fulop and Ras Baraka, who are running as anti-establishment insurgents, as well as party darlings like Steve Sweeney as they look to erode Sherrill's support among voters, many of whom remain undecided.' ANTI-MAGA AG AT DAGA — 'AG Matt Platkin's testimony regarding Democratic fundraising group prompts scrutiny,' by HudPOst's Michael Shurin: 'Questions related to the veracity of Attorney General Matt Platkin's testimony regarding his involvement with a multimillion-dollar Democratic fundraising group have gone unanswered by the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. On April 3, 2025, state Sen. Doug Steinhardt (R-Warren) asked Platkin about his attendance at Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) events during a Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee hearing. 'No, I don't attend political events' Platkin testified. 'I attend conferences that are approved by the appropriate ethics officers.' … When questioned further by Steinhardt about DAGA conferences, Platkin stated 'there's multiple arms of that. I do not attend the political arm functions, if that makes sense.' … Sources that alerted HudPost to potential issues with Platkin's testimony allege the AG's statements about DAGA's activities were dishonest. … A government affairs professional that's attended numerous DAGA events, speaking under the condition of anonymity due to fear of retribution, told HudPost that Platkin attended political functions and meet-and-greets with the group's donors at separate events.' CASH INTO ME — How New Jersey's candidates for governor are raking in the cash, by POLITICO's Madison Fernandez and Jessica Piper: Money doesn't mean everything. But how much cash candidates rake in can be a sign of momentum — especially when it's anyone's game, like in the Democratic primary for governor of New Jersey. Although Rep. Mikie Sherrill has a lot of establishment support and a narrow lead in the polls, the six-way competition is tight in the final stretch of the election. Some of her opponents have outraised her in a handful of counties where she has been endorsed for the Democratic nomination, according to a POLITICO analysis of campaign finance reports. It's a sign that party boss support doesn't necessarily mean local major donors are. It's a clearer picture on the Republican side, where Jack Ciattarelli has plenty of establishment support and a fundraising advantage over his primary opponents in a majority of counties. The analysis tracked where the prominent candidates for governor are getting their cash based on campaign reports submitted to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission' HIT EM WHERE IT HURTS — Oregon used to be the only other state that banned its residents from pumping their own gas, but it recently changed that, leaving New Jersey all alone. So now New Jersey is going for Oregon's nuts. A new bill introduced by Assemblymember Sterley Stanley would designate the hazelnut New Jersey's state nut. Oregon grows 99 percent of the hazelnuts in the U.S. But that's because, until recently, you couldn't grow them in New Jersey and the region because of Eastern Filbert Blight. But a Rutgers program has been working for decades to overcome the blight, and in 2020 released the first resistant cultivars to growers. Read more about that here. 'The Assemblyman has an incredible amount of pride that this truly groundbreaking and revolutionary work was achieved not only here in NJ, but here in the 18th Legislative district in East Brunswick, which is he so proud to call home,' Stanley Chief of Staff Alexander P. Krasutsky IV wrote in an email. 'Additionally, we believe that these new blight resistant hazelnut trees could be one of the most potent economic development tools for rural communities in decades.' —'In 35th District race, photos pop up showing Sen. Benjie Wimberly with every candidate' —'N.J. to pay siblings $19.5M for years of sexual abuse by foster parents decades ago' —'Ever-growing NJ budget draws scrutiny' —'How would N.J. governor candidates work with Trump? Here's what all 11 told us' —'NJ primary 2025: Dems dominate mail-in voting for governor' —'Stack asks AG's Office for election monitors in LD-33, which Hector welcomes' —McKeon: 'Trump's budget will gut healthcare in New Jersey. What's Ciattarelli's plan?' TRUMP ERA NO ADEEL — 'Trump says he'll nominate Bove to federal appeals court,' by The New York Times' Glenn Thrush and Charlie Savage: 'President Trump announced Wednesday that he would nominate Emil Bove III, the polarizing and widely feared top Justice Department official responsible for strong-arm tactics in enacting Mr. Trump's immigration agenda, to be a federal appeals judge. Mr. Bove, 44, is a former criminal defense lawyer for Mr. Trump. He would fill a vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, which covers Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. The lifetime appointment requires confirmation in the Senate, where he is expected to face the unanimous opposition of Democrats … A defining episode of his tenure so far was the battle he waged against his former colleagues in the U.S. attorney's office for the Southern District of New York over the administration's request to drop bribery charges against the New York mayor, Mr. Adams … There are two vacancies in the Third Circuit — one based in New Jersey and one in Delaware. It is not clear which seat Mr. Bove is nominated for. He has a property in Pennsylvania, and some conservatives have called for moving the Delaware-based seat to Pennsylvania.' DON'T WORRY, BBB HAPPY — 'In New Jersey, the political battle over the 'Big Beautiful Bill' is just beginning,' by New Jersey Globe's Joey Fox: 'When Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield) voted last week for his party's enormous tax and health care bill, he said he'd delivered 'a huge win for New Jersey – and his Democratic opponents crowed that he had cast the vote that would cost him his seat. The 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' as the GOP's legislative agenda has been dubbed, covers an extraordinarily large amount of different policy issues, ranging from Medicaid funding to tax deductions to border security funding to green energy to the debt ceiling. And as New Jersey gears up for a competitive 2026 election cycle – at least two districts, one of them Kean's, are likely to be heavily contested – both parties see major political upsides to the bill, which may still change quite a bit in the Senate before it becomes law. In other words, New Jersey Democrats and Republicans alike seem to think they've found a winning issue in the battle for control of Congress. They just have to make sure voters get the message' —'Dem group polling in NJ-2 as party looks to expand playing field' —'NJ disability rights watchdog gets federal funding reprieve after weeks of uncertainty' —'N.Y. Congress members visit Elizabeth detention center. No one was arrested' —'Five Amtrak employees plead guilty in health care fraud scheme' LOCAL THE SWAMP IN WASHINGTON — 'Washington Township school superintendent who was placed on leave files lawsuit against district,' by The Philadelphia Inquirer's Melanie Burney: 'Washington Township school Superintendent Eric Hibbs has filed a whistleblower lawsuit alleging his suspension was in retaliation for raising questions about a district insurance contract. The lawsuit contends Hibbs was unlawfully placed on administrative leave by the school board in March following his objections to 'conduct that he believed to be both unlawful and unethical' by the board in awarding a contract in 2021, before he was hired by the district … The 35-page civil lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Superior Court in Gloucester County, names school board President Julie Kozempel, unnamed board members, and the district as defendants. Kozempel said she had not seen the lawsuit, but called the allegations ridiculous. '' SEASIDE LOWS — 'Jersey Shore town overrun by brawling teens has backup ready for next melee,' by NJ Advance Media's Eric Conklin: 'After a Memorial Day weekend that saw stabbings, arrests and the closing down of the boardwalk, Seaside Heights Mayor Anthony Vaz said he has spoken with Gov. Phil Murphy about having the State Police assist with violent crowds. 'We discussed the challenges of the last weekend and how, in my opinion, it was terrible,' Vaz said. 'I've never seen anything like this. 'I'm confident enough to know that if I request police reinforcement from the state police, I know they'll be there.' Vaz said the Borough Council is going to discuss additional enforcement measures to address unruly crowds.' —'Councilman charged with harassment, forgery for anonymous letters' —'The last time Clifton council members had a raise was 1962. Is it time for another?' R.I.P. — 'He loved his community': Former Lyndhurst mayor, teacher, coach dies at 94' R.I.P. — 'Jackson Councilman Scott Sargent dies after 'extremely risky' surgery' —'Racing to save Stone Harbor's Scotch Bonnet Island before it's swallowed by rising seas' —'Park Ridge man charged over election offenses, including attempted illegal vote' —'Bynum's girlfriend links him to weapon in Dwumfour murder case' EVERYTHING ELSE WATCH FOR FALLING EMPLOYMENT — 'Walmart to lay off 187 in North Jersey this summer after 481 in June cuts,' by The Record's Daniel Munoz: 'Walmart is laying off 187 corporate employees at its Hoboken offices this August, part of much broader cuts of 1,500 staffers nationwide that come as the retail giant grapples with price hikes from President Donald Trump's tariffs. The layoffs go into effect on Aug. 22, according to a May public notice filed with the New Jersey Department of Labor … The layoffs set for August will come on the heels of 481 employees in Hoboken being laid off or relocated by June 13 after the company began asking workers to move to the Arkansas headquarters or its offices in Sunnyvale, California.' SOUTH JERSEY GOP SENATOR TO CHANGE NAME TO MIKE TESLA — 'Oh Tesla, my Tesla! Elon Musk has N.J. drivers fearing for their safety — and their image,' by NJ Advance Media's Steven Rodas: 'The cultural in-fighting plaguing Democrats on the national and statewide stage is now playing out in parking lots and at charging ports up and down the Turnpike. And it's not just an identity crisis — it's turned violent and threatening. Own a now backward-minded Tesla? Watch out, your headlights or windows could be at risk, or worse. And all of the escalated (sometimes physical) feuding over Teslas between factions of liberals is seemingly at odds with the party's progressive values. For Jill — who dropped about $60,000 on a brand new Tesla in 2014, when it was cool to do so — she's left with an internal conflict, and a pricey investment sitting in her driveway every night.' —'Building boom: NJ hospitals plan $6.5B in expansion projects as care and costs rise'
Black America Web
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
Soulja Boy Threatens DDG With A Fade For Allegedly Abusing Halle Bailey, X Says Right Message, Definitely Wrong Messenger
Source: Getty Images / Soulja Boy / DDG / Halle Bailey Soulja Boy calling out DDG for allegedly putting his hands on Halle Bailey was definitely not on our 2025 bingo card. In a stunning twist of events, Soulja Boy took to X, formerly Twitter, to invite DDG to a well-deserved fade after news broke of the singer requesting a restraining order against the rapper/streamer and father of her child. On Wednesday, May 14, Big Draco said in a post that planned on 'beating the f*k out' of DDG in the wake of details and photo evidence hitting social media when news of Bailey's restraining order hit timelines where she also alleges the former couple 'fought each other' during an incident in January. 'You a b**ch a** n**ga for putting yo' hands on Halle,' the 'Crank Dat' rapper wrote on X. Well, right message, wrong messenger. That's what many people on X are saying because Soulja Boy isn't exactly a champion of women's rights, mainly because he was just found liable for sexual assault of a former assistant who had to pay $4 million to. 'you ain't even the n***a to be talkin , you hit women too . Right message wrong messenger,' one reply to Soulja Boy's tweet read. Another reply read, 'Congrats on being the first rapper to defend a female while whooping another female ass.' 'Didn't you sexually assault your assistant?' another user wrote on X. Rapper Freddie Gibbs got in on the fun, replying with a simple laughing emoji. We are definitely in the upside-down, or maybe Soulja Boy was high when he let that post off because there is no way he sent that without being aware that he is definitely in the same boat as DDG. SMH. You can see more reactions below. Soulja Boy Threatens DDG With A Fade For Allegedly Abusing Halle Bailey, X Says Right Message, Definitely Wrong Messenger was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Soulja Boy to perform in Springfield on Easter
SPRINGFIELD — The rapper, who rose to fame in the late 2000's and early 2010's, will be in town on April 20th for a show. This Sunday, Soulja Boy is scheduled to perform at The Regency Live in downtown Springfield at 307 Park Central East. With hits like 'Crank That' and 'Kiss Me Thru The Phone', the rapper will take the stage on Easter, according to the downtown Springfield website. It is part of the rappers' 'The Swag Tour '25'. The show is scheduled for doors to open at 8:00 p.m. with a show start time listed at 9:00 p.m. It is listed as an all ages show. Tickets are listed at $30 for general admission in advance or $40 the day of the show. The Regency Live has several other shows planned throughout this spring and summer with acts such as rappers, metal bands, country artists, and other genres. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
11-04-2025
- New York Times
Soulja Boy Is Ordered to Pay $4 Million in Sexual Assault Case
A jury in Los Angeles found the rapper Soulja Boy liable for sexual battery and assault, ordering him to pay $4 million to a woman who said that he became violent toward her as their once-professional relationship turned romantic, the woman's lawyer said. The decision on Thursday, which was also reported by The Associated Press, came after a nearly monthlong trial, in which the woman said that she had started as the rapper's assistant. She accused him of physically and sexually assaulting her over two years. Soulja Boy — known for songs like 'Crank That (Soulja Boy),' 'Kiss Me Thru the Phone' and 'Pretty Boy Swag' — denied the claims during the trial. 'Our client is pleased with and vindicated by the verdict,' Neama Rahmani, a lawyer for the woman, whose name was not revealed in the proceedings, said in a statement. 'Yesterday's verdict is just the beginning of justice for Soulja's Boy's victims and a reckoning for the entire music industry.' Reading a statement on his phone, Soulja Boy, whose real name is DeAndre Cortez Way, criticized the verdict outside the Superior Court in Los Angeles County after the verdict. 'I believe this entire process has been tainted by a system that is not designed to protect the rights of the accused,' Mr. Way said. 'I want to make it clear that I am innocent.' The woman who brought the case said that she began working for Mr. Way in 2018 as his personal assistant, according to court documents. He had agreed to pay her $500 a week to live with him, she said, and provide services that included cleaning, cooking, handling his travel itinerary and doing his hair — but she said she was never paid. Shortly after she began working for Mr. Way, 34, she said she began a relationship with him that quickly became violent. In court documents, she detailed multiple instances when she said he subjected her to sexual and physical violence. She accused him of raping her, sometimes multiple times a day, and attacking her so brutally that she lost consciousness. She also said in court documents that he threatened to have her killed and that at times she was kept in a locked room, sometimes for days at a time. During her trial testimony, she said that she was barely fed, and that she lost more than half her body weight, according to Courthouse News Service. 'I didn't even feel human anymore,' she said. 'I felt like an animal.' At the trial, Mr. Way denied being violent with her, and said he never agreed to hire her as his assistant. In his closing statement, Mr. Way's lawyer, Rickey Ivie, said that the woman was offered to stay at Mr. Way's house in exchange for rolling marijuana blunts, but that pay wasn't discussed. 'She was rolling blunts,' Mr. Ivie said, according to Courthouse News Service. 'She got room and board. That's the industry standard.' The jury found Mr. Way liable for assault, sexual battery, gender violence, intentional infliction of emotional distress and nonpayment of wages, in addition to other claims. It did not find him liable for false imprisonment. The jury also awarded the woman $250,000 in punitive damages. In a statement on Friday, Mr. Ivie said that his client was preparing to challenge the verdict. 'We maintain that the evidence does not support the verdict,' Mr. Ivie said. 'It is unfortunate that aspersions and misperceptions of a culture were allowed to influence the trial. Mr. Way fully intends to pursue his post-trial remedies and to fight for a just result in this case.' The decision came five years after Mr. Way's ex-girlfriend, Kayla Myers, accused him in a lawsuit of attacking her during a party at his home in Malibu, Calif., stomping on her stomach and hitting her in the head with a gun, according to court documents. In 2023, a jury found that he assaulted her, and ordered him to pay her $471,800. Mr. Way is also being sued for physical and sexual assault by Nia Riley, an ex-girlfriend who had appeared with him on the reality show 'Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood.' In 2021, she told the comedian Tasha K that Mr. Way kicked her in the stomach when she was pregnant, and that she later had a miscarriage.
