Latest news with #SummerSmash
Daily Mail
06-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ex-NBA star Meyers Leonard - who sparked controversy with anti-Semitic slur - announces major career change
Meyers Leonard, the ex-NBA star best known for his controversial anti-Semitic statement in 2021 on a video-game live stream, has announced a career pivot to performing country music. Leonard is performing in a show called 'Summer Smash' on Saturday in Robinson, Illinois, he shared on Instagram. In the official poster for the concert, Leonard is holding an acoustic guitar while wearing a camouflaged NBA tank top. For months, Leonard has been posting snippets of him performing country music on his Instagram page, including his single 'B.E.E.R'. Leonard officially announced his retirement from the NBA in March with his most recent stint in the league coming in the 2022-23 season when he played nine games for the Milwaukee Bucks. Before his brief return to the league with Bucks, he had been away from the NBA for almost two years after a video surfaced of him using an anti-Semitic slur while livestreaming a video game on the website, Twitch, surfaced in 2021. 'F***ing cowards,' Leonard is heard saying during the 'Call of Duty' live stream. 'Don't f***ing snipe me, you f***ing k*** b****.' Leonard had always hoped for another shot in the NBA after apologizing for his actions, getting that two years ago. 'There's not a hateful cell in my body,' Leonard told ESPN's 'Outside the Lines' in an interview that aired in January 2023. 'And I know that I made a huge, huge mistake.' Leonard claimed he was unaware of the meaning behind the word, telling anchor Jeremy Schaap that 'there's less than ideal language used in a large portion of video gaming.' He went on to say that he was unaware of what he'd actually said until it was too late: 'There are absolutely no excuses for what happened that day. And ignorance, sadly, is a very real thing. ... I am not running from this, but I did not know that it happened.' He apologized for the incident in 2021 after being roundly criticized by the Jewish groups and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who fined Leonard $50,000 and barred him from being around the Heat for one week. The team had previously said Leonard would be away indefinitely. Leonard was required by the league to participate in a cultural diversity program. He also met with representatives from the Anti-Defamation League, a prominent Jewish organization that works to stop extremism and delivers anti-bias education. Silver did say in 2021 that he believes Leonard 'is genuinely remorseful' for using the slur. Following the incident, Leonard, who was injured at the time, was traded in a salary dump to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was never activated by the Thunder and became a free agent after the season. Yet, Leonard's absence from the NBA was not strictly due to his use of the anti-Jewish slur. He was only cleared to return to playing in January 2023 following a series of ankle and shoulder surgeries, He reportedly worked out for the Los Angeles Lakers before signing his short-lived deal with the Bucks. That year, he averaged 4.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest while shooting 48.3% from the field and 38.9% from the three-point range. Leonard, the 11th overall pick in the 2012 draft, played 10 seasons for the Portland Trail Blazers, Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat. He made he NBA Finals with the Heat in the 2020 season. In October 2023, he filed a lawsuit against Dr. Martin O'Malley, Dr. David Kim, and the Hospital for Special Surgery and over what he claims was a botched ankle surgery that resulted in nerve damage, severe pain and mental anguish, as well as lost income.
Chicago Tribune
09-07-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Southland crime: Shooting in Matteson, child pornography in Tinley Park, and more
GUN POSSESSION: David M. Almaraz, 19, Highland, Indiana, was arrested June 21 after officers recovered two loaded magazines from his pocket and a loaded 19 mm handgun, loaded magazine and box of 19 mm ammunition from his vehicle as he was leaving the Summer Smash event and determined he didn't have an Illinois gun permit, police said. Almaraz was subsequently charged with aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon by a minor, police said. THREE ARRESTED: Officers arrested three juveniles June 23 who fled a stolen motor vehicle that crashed into a light pole near a restaurant at Chicago Ridge Mall, police said. The officers, responding to an alert from Oak Lawn police, actively looked for the vehicle during early evening rush-hour traffic, but backed off when the driver accelerated, police said. BATTERY: Richard L. Scott, 30, 3600 block of 120th Place, Alsip, was arrested June 18 and accused of battery after threatening and chest-bumping a security guard at a grocery store in the 3700 block of 95th Street when told he had to leave because the store was closing, police said. GUN POSSESSION: John Fletcher, 63, 16700 block of Merrill Avenue, South Holland, was arrested June 16 and accused of unlawful possession of a weapon after officers recovered a handgun in his trunk during a drunken driving investigation at 183rd Street and Center Avenue, police said. Fletcher was also accused of disobeying a stop sign, improper lane use, driving without proof of insurance, expired registration and possessing unsecured cannabis, police said. GUN POSSESSION: Abraham Garcia Jr., 31, 800 block of Mackinaw Avenue, was arrested June 16 and subsequently charged with aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon after an officer recovered a loaded 19 mm pistol reported stolen from Oak Forest during a vehicle search in the 17400 block of Burnham Avenue, and determined he lacked a gun permit, police said. AGGRAVATED BATTERY: Allen Joe Grooms, 60, Lockport, was scheduled to appear in Will County court July 14, charged with aggravated battery to a person 60 or older, unlawful restraint and domestic battery July 2, according to police and court records online. SHOOTING: Investigators are seeking an arrest warrant for the offender in the June 27 shooting in a residential neighborhood northwest of Interstate 57 and Village Commons, police said July 9. Officers responding to the 400 block of Providence Drive stabilized the victim, who was shot in the arm, police said. THEFT CHARGED: Dariontae D. Sims, 19, Dolton, appeared in Will County court June 30, charged with felony theft, according to court records online. Sims took merchandise collectively selling for $4,596 from the Amazon warehouse at 6605 Monee-Manhattan Road June 3, police said. STORE BURGLARY: Two males fled the JBD White Horse Inn, 348 Maple St., with cash drawers containing money after using crowbars to break in at 3:50 a.m. July 4, police said. Investigators linked the break-in to a commercial burglary in a nearby town, police said. AGGRAVATED ASSAULT: Javon J. McDaniel, 23, 000 block of Deblin Lane, Oak Lawn, was arrested June 11 and charged with aggravated assault in that block after threatening people with a handgun, police said. GUN POSSESSION: Allan C. Wallace, 19, Chicago, was charged with aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon after officers recovered a loaded 9 mm handgun and loaded magazine June 22 during a traffic stop at 94th Street and Kenton Avenue, police said. AGGRAVATED ASSAULT: A motorist said he was threatened with a handgun June 24 at 87th Street and 49th Court when he interrupted two people attempting to remove a catalytic converter from a parked car. Police linked the two to June 20 and 21 catalytic converter thefts, police said. DUI CRASH: Ryann R. Scanlan, 26, 16200 block of Justin Court, Tinley Park, was arrested June 19th and accused of drunken driving, failing to reduce speed to avoid a collision and driving without proof of insurance during a two-vehicle crash investigation at 159th Street and 108th Avenue, police said. DUI CRASH: Andrew J. Rodriguez, 33, Chicago, was arrested June 23 and accused of drunken driving and failing to reduce speed to avoid a collision during a two-vehicle crash investigation, police said. RETAIL THEFT: John W. Givens, 45, 400 block of Sterling Street, Justice, was arrested June 24 and subsequently charged with felony retail theft and resisting arrest after taking merchandise selling for $1,366 from JCPenny at Orland Square mall, police said. AGGRAVATED SPEEDING: Gordon Oliver, 38, 12500 block of 100th Avenue, Palos Park, is scheduled to appear in Cook County court at Bridgeview July 21, charged with aggravated speeding, police said. Oliver was driving 94 mph in a 40-mph zone June 6 on Ridgeland Avenue at Westgate Valley Drive, police said. AGGRAVATED DUI: Ryan N. Tran, 28, Aurora, was arrested June 7 and accused of aggravated drunken driving after crashing into a vehicle signal in the 12300 block of Harlem Avenue, police said. GUN POSSESSION: Ajani T. Irby, 25, Chicago, was arrested June 19 and subsequently charged with being a paroled felon in possession of a firearm after officers recovered two handguns at Sauk Trail and Shabbona Drive, police said. Irby is serving a 5-year sentence on a Cook County conviction for aggravated discharge of a firearm/occupied vehicle, according to Illinois Department of Corrections records online. DUI SPEEDING: Armani D. Jones, 29, 22100 Ridgeway Drive, Richton Park, was charged June 20 with drunken driving, speeding more than 35 mph over the limit, running a red light, improper lane use and failing to signal after an officer observed him driving 85 mph in a 35-mph zone, police said. GUN STOLEN: A loaded .45 caliber handgun with an attached loaded magazine was reported stolen from the floorboard of a locked car June 23 in the post office parking lot. Entry was made by smashing a window, police said. CHILD PORNOGRAPHY: Amir Abedrabo, 26, of the 18100 block of Bramlett Drive, Tinley Park, is scheduled to appear in Cook County court at Bridgeview July 25, charged with disseminating child pornography and possessing pornographic images of a child younger than 13, according to police and Cook County sheriff's records online. Tinley Park police investigators assigned to the Cook County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force arrested Abedrabo July 1, police said.
Hypebeast
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Catching Up With Chuckyy
WhenXXLdroppedits 2025 Freshman Class of emerging hip-hop talent earlier this week, the comments section seemed divided over this year's selection of rappers. However, the consensus among many seemed to be one key notable missing face, ascendant Chicago rapper Chuckyy. At just 19 years old, the Lil Durk protégé is pioneering his own distinct drill sound. With hints of horror-core and a refreshing nonchalance, the rising young rapper represents the new era of Chicago rap, also working closely with the city's local legendLUCKI. Fresh off hisI Live, I Die, I Live Againrelease and a recent performance atLyrical Lemonade's Summer Smash, the rapper is already ready for his new move: a tour, a deluxe edition, and, hopefully, becoming the richest rapper in the world. But first, Chuckyy pulled up to Chinatown for a quick chat about his Chi-town come-up. Your latest project has been very well-received. Do you pay attention to the reviews and ratings? I feel very blessed about that. I try not to read the reviews too much, but I appreciate every single person who has poured one out to the album or supported it in any way. Where did the album title come from? It's one of my favorite lines, and I think it really emulates the journey of this album and the different stages of life I've been going through. You go up, you go down, but you keep going. What about the cover art? The poses are inspired byChuckyon the cover art. What were some of the biggest sources of inspiration for you on this album? For this album especially, the fans have been the inspiration. I've been really active with them lately and have been trying to actually listen to what they want from my music. What does it mean to work with a legend in your city like LUCKI? I've been listening to LUCKI forever, long before I was even rapping. It's so crazy to get to call him a peer of mine and get to rap together on one of my own tracks. That was the last thing on my checklist, for real. Now I'm done. Now I can really have fun. Shoutout Luck. Lil Durk is another mentor of yours. Tell me more about his influence on you. He's such an inspiration to me. To see someone from the same place as me be able to achieve such big things – it's so motivational. It's helped me so much. You're just 19 – do you ever feel like you're moving too fast? No sir. I don't think I'm missing out on being a 19-year-old. I don't think I'm growing up too fast. I don't think I'm living too fast. How do you approach writing songs? All my tracks come together from scratch. My engineer and I are locked in, and he'll make a beat, send it over, and I'll just hop on it. I'm going to record a song after this interview. I actually sat down and wrote it before. That's crazy. I haven't done that in so long. What's next for you? A tour is definitely on my mind. Also, a lot of music. I'm not about cliffhangers. Everything they see is going to drop. If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be? Lil Uzi Vert. What's your most underrated song? It's called 'King Tut.' It's from when I just started rapping. It still doesn't have a million views. You've debuted on Billboard, broken millions of streams – what's your 'I made it' moment? When I'm the richest rapper alive.
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Caleb Williams dances with Hollywood actress Madelyn Cline as breakup whispers with Alina Thyregod grow louder
Caleb Williams was seen dancing with Hollywood actress Madelyn Cline (Getty Images) Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was recently captured dancing with actress Madelyn Cline at a music festival, igniting further conjecture about his relationship with Alina Thyregod. Rumors gained traction after Williams participated in the F1 Miami Grand Prix without Thyregod and was spotted with models. Despite these gossips, he still follows Thyregod on Instagram, and past photos featuring her remain on his profile. Chicago QB's love life under fire as Caleb Williams parties with Madelyn Cline A momentous sighting of Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams enjoying himself at the Summer Smash music concert in Chicago has triggered considerable arguments, particularly concerning his relationship. Williams, the former No.1 NFL draft pick, was observed dancing in close proximity to Hollywood actress Madelyn Cline, as per the New York Post. — PolymarketBlitz (@PolymarketBlitz) A video of their interaction at the Saturday event quickly got around online, showing Cline in a black crop top and grey jeans, while Williams wore a casual white T-shirt, both apparently immersed in the festive aroma. This public display comes with swirling rumors concerning Williams' relationship with his high school sweetheart, Alina Thyregod. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Sharp Design, Smoother Drives. Toyota Glanza Learn More Undo Gossips of a potential breakup began to emerge on social media in May, apparently after Williams attended the F1 Miami Grand Prix race without her. A clip posted on X further fueled these conjectures, portraying him arriving at the event and stepping out of his car with three models. Despite the constant rumors, it's worth noting that Williams maintains his Instagram following of Thyregod, and past posts featuring her, including those from November 22, 2023, are still on his account. The couple had announced their first anniversary in October, a milestone Williams publicly admitted with a heartfelt Instagram post. Williams also recently uploaded glimpses from the Summer Smash on his Instagram, captioning his post "FWU #summersmash." This follows his appearance at the Coachella Music Festival in April, for which he also uploaded snaps, writing "Yeatchella movie." As in the meantime his Coachella photos included friends and solo has been conspicuously absent from his recent social media updates and public outings, contributing to the ongoing breakup conjecture. Also Read: 'I race real athletes, not YouTubers': Tyreek Hill accuses IShowSpeed of clout-chasing as Olympic race crumbles in public meltdown Nevertheless, Williams himself has not made any official statements about his relationship status. As these personal narratives unfold, Williams is simultaneously preparing for his second season with the Chicago Bears, aiming to improve his rookie year performance of 3,541 passing yards and 20 touchdowns. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
New York Post
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Caleb Williams spotted with Madelyn Cline after Bears QB's breakup rumors
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and actress Madelyn Cline made waves on social media after they were spotted together at Summer Smash music festival in Illinois this weekend. Williams — who was at the center of breakup rumors with his high school sweetheart Alina Thyregod last month — and Cline were dancing in the same circle during Sexy Redd's set Saturday at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, as seen in a social media video. The former first overall pick by Chicago in the 2024 NFL Draft and the 'Outer Banks' star, who appeared to be with a group of mutual friends, didn't display any PDA together in the video. Advertisement Last month, Williams made headlines after he attended the star-studded F1 Miami Grand Prix weekend without Thyregod, which stirred buzz that the couple had split. Advertisement Around that time, Williams was in the news for an excerpt in Seth Wickersham's new book, 'American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback,' which claims his father, Carl Williams 'went to great lengths to try to circumvent' the [2024] NFL draft in order to give his son the freedom to choose where he wanted to begin his pro career. 4 Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and actress Madeline Cline were spotted in the same circle at Summer Smash music festival in Illinois on June 21, 2025. TikTok/Masianbro 4 Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and actress Madeline Cline were spotted in the same circle at Summer Smash music festival in Illinois on June 21, 2025. TikTok/gavbingen The younger Williams later addressed the book and emphasized his commitment to the organization, saying 'I love being here.' Advertisement Thyregod seemingly removed any trace of Williams from her social media. Williams has yet to address the rumors about their relationship. The former USC quarterback commemorated the couple's one-year anniversary last October — six months after their red carpet debut at the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit. Advertisement 4 Caleb Williams and Alina Thyregod before the 2024 NFL Draft. TikTok/Alina Thyregod It was their first public appearance together, despite Williams posting her on his social media in late 2023. Williams enjoyed his first NFL offseason before Ben Johnson's inaugural season as head coach. Rookies reported to Halas Hall for training camp last Friday, while veterans arrived on Sunday. 4 Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams throws a pass during NFL football practice at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, Ill., Wednesday, June 4, 2025. AP Williams showed flashes last season, despite being sacked a league-high 68 times and the team finishing 5-12. In 2024, he completed 62.5 percent of his passes with 20 touchdown passes and six interceptions. The Bears open the 2025 season against the Vikings in Chicago on Sept. 8.
