Latest news with #VladTV
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' connection to a famous gangster is part of his family lore
As the federal criminal trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs continues, many parts of his past are being revisited. That includes his father's friendship with the late gangster, Frank Lucas. Melvin Combs was a drug dealer who was fatally shot in 1972, when his son Sean Combs was three years old. 'That's not something I glorify, but he was in Harlem and he was doing his thing, selling narcotics,' Combs told journalist Toure in an interview 13 years ago. 'And we all know what that gets you. That's only going to have you end up in jail or dead. It is the reason why I didn't follow in those footsteps.' In that interview, Combs was clear that his father did not work for either Lucas or another famed Harlem gangster, Nicky Barnes, but rather was 'as big as them' in the hustling game. The younger Combs didn't shy away from his father's history. 'I'm definitely like him,' Combs said. 'But I'm just doing it in a legal way.' Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges that include racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution in an ongoing federal criminal trial in Manhattan. His mother, Janice Combs, had initially told her son his father had died in a car crash. He told Toure he found out what his father had been involved with on his own. 'This was before the internet and I had looked up my father's name and I saw an article about my mother wearing a full length chinchilla [a fur coat] to a funeral and taking me and I was in a mink,' Combs recalled. 'And that was like the story of just the glamour and like the decadence of our family and just like he was the kingpin, you know, of Harlem and how he had got assassinated.' He said he understood why his mother hadn't initially been honest with him about his dad. Due to where they were living when he was growing up, Combs said he believes he would have become 'one of the biggest drug dealers out there because…the type of person I would have wanted to follow in my father's footsteps.' Melvin Combs had a connection to Frank Lucas, a famous drug lord in Harlem during his heyday in the 1960s and 1970s. Lucas was famously portrayed by Denzel Washington in the 2007 film 'American Gangster.' He was sentenced to 70 years in prison after being convicted of federal drug charges in New York and state charges in New Jersey, but only served seven before turning informant and going into the Witness Protection Program, according to the New York Times. Lucas emerged in later years to share his story and during an interview with Vlad TV said he and Melvin Combs were 'good friends.' 'We did a lot of business together,' Lucas said. 'Of course it was not legal business, but we did a lot of business together.' Lucas expressed sadness regarding the elder Combs' murder and said he met Sean Combs when he was a little boy. 'His daddy used to bring him over my house,' Lucas said. 'He used to come see me on various business and he would bring him over my house.' Lucas added that about a year prior to the Vlad TV interview, he had connected with Combs, who was seeking information about his late father. 'I told him something about his father, but I didn't give him the whole story because he didn't press me,' Lucas said. 'He just asked me casually and I told him casually. But if he had pressed me, I would have told him the whole story.' Combs told Toure that the world didn't know the whole story about him. 'People don't really know me,' the Bad Boy Record founder said at the time. 'And that's by design.' 'Who is this person, the Sean Combs that we don't know,' Toure pressed. 'We have yet to find out,' Combs responded. 'You have to come along for the ride.'
CNN
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' connection to a famous gangster is part of his family lore
As the federal criminal trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs continues, many parts of his past are being revisited. That includes his father's friendship with the late gangster, Frank Lucas. Melvin Combs was a drug dealer who was fatally shot in 1972, when his son Sean Combs was three years old. 'That's not something I glorify, but he was in Harlem and he was doing his thing, selling narcotics,' Combs told journalist Toure in an interview 13 years ago. 'And we all know what that gets you. That's only going to have you end up in jail or dead. It is the reason why I didn't follow in those footsteps.' In that interview, Combs was clear that his father did not work for either Lucas or another famed Harlem gangster, Nicky Barnes, but rather was 'as big as them' in the hustling game. The younger Combs didn't shy away from his father's history. 'I'm definitely like him,' Combs said. 'But I'm just doing it in a legal way.' Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges that include racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution in an ongoing federal criminal trial in Manhattan. His mother, Janice Combs, had initially told her son his father had died in a car crash. He told Toure he found out what his father had been involved with on his own. 'This was before the internet and I had looked up my father's name and I saw an article about my mother wearing a full length chinchilla [a fur coat] to a funeral and taking me and I was in a mink,' Combs recalled. 'And that was like the story of just the glamour and like the decadence of our family and just like he was the kingpin, you know, of Harlem and how he had got assassinated.' He said he understood why his mother hadn't initially been honest with him about his dad. Due to where they were living when he was growing up, Combs said he believes he would have become 'one of the biggest drug dealers out there because…the type of person I would have wanted to follow in my father's footsteps.' Melvin Combs had a connection to Frank Lucas, a famous drug lord in Harlem during his heyday in the 1960s and 1970s. Lucas was famously portrayed by Denzel Washington in the 2007 film 'American Gangster.' He was sentenced to 70 years in prison after being convicted of federal drug charges in New York and state charges in New Jersey, but only served seven before turning informant and going into the Witness Protection Program, according to the New York Times. Lucas emerged in later years to share his story and during an interview with Vlad TV said he and Melvin Combs were 'good friends.' 'We did a lot of business together,' Lucas said. 'Of course it was not legal business, but we did a lot of business together.' Lucas expressed sadness regarding the elder Combs' murder and said he met Sean Combs when he was a little boy. 'His daddy used to bring him over my house,' Lucas said. 'He used to come see me on various business and he would bring him over my house.' Lucas added that about a year prior to the Vlad TV interview, he had connected with Combs, who was seeking information about his late father. 'I told him something about his father, but I didn't give him the whole story because he didn't press me,' Lucas said. 'He just asked me casually and I told him casually. But if he had pressed me, I would have told him the whole story.' Combs told Toure that the world didn't know the whole story about him. 'People don't really know me,' the Bad Boy Record founder said at the time. 'And that's by design.' 'Who is this person, the Sean Combs that we don't know,' Toure pressed. 'We have yet to find out,' Combs responded. 'You have to come along for the ride.'
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Booker T offers proof he turned down DJ Vlad as their feud gets ugly
Photo byAs part of his response to Swerve Strickland's latest argument in their indirect debate about how Black people are treated at WWE, Booker T took aim at the man whose platform Strickland made his case on — DJ Vlad. Advertisement Pointing out Vlad's reputation for exploiting drama and bad blood in the hip-hop community, the WWE Hall of Famer said he'd turned down a past offer to go on VladTV. Vlad reacted to that by saying Booker was lying. He then posted screenshots of a text exchange he allegedly had with Booker in 2020 where Book seemed enthusiastic about scheduling an appearance on Vlad's channel. Last night (April 2), the five-time WCW World champion responded, and he had receipts of his own. They seem to be after the messages Vlad posted, and include Vlad apologizing to Booker and offering to pay him to appear on VladTV — an offer Book declines without comment. In response to that, Vlad wrote the following and re-attached his initial DM screenshot: 100% lying. You happily agreed to do the interview and even showed up to the studio. Here's our initial DMs again. I ran late, and you stormed out. I tried to reschedule, and you were in your feelings. Making a video saying you turned down VladTV because 'I get people locked up,' but forgetting to mention that you actually showed up to a VladTV interview is ridiculous. That was actually the second statement Booker made in response to a Vlad post last night, however. First, he commented on a picture Vlad shared that showed Booker smiling in a training ring with Chasyn Rance. Advertisement Despite being convicted of a sex crime with a minor back in 2011, Rance runs a wrestling school in Florida and maintains connections with some prominent names in the business (Kenny Omega apologized for using Rance for a dark match on the 2018 CEO x NJPW show he booked, and TNA's Moose shared a video of himself, Ricochet, and Kacy Catanzaro training with Rance in 2020). Booker reacted to that with the following: I've been a guest trainer at hundreds of wrestling schools over the years, helping to teach and mentor up-and-coming talent. I don't conduct background checks on every trainer or individual I've crossed paths with or taken photos with along the way. This feels like a clear attempt to falsely associate me with something I have 100% nothing to do with and absolutely no knowledge of! Any student who's trained with me can vouch for the kind of coach, mentor, and person I am. My record speaks for itself. As of publication of this article, Vlad hasn't said anything further about the Rance photo since Booker offered his explanation. More from
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas was paid $111M to 'sit around' for 5 years — but says he ‘earned every dollar'
Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas played his last game as part of the Washington Wizards in 2011, but his paychecks as part of his contract kept rolling in. I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Home prices in America could fly through the roof in 2025 — here's the big reason why and how to take full advantage (with as little as $10) Americans with upside-down car loans owe more money than ever before — and drivers can't keep up. Here are 3 ways to cut your monthly costs ASAP In a recent interview on VladTV, Arenas shared that he continued collecting payments until 2016. 'So for five years you got to just sit around on your couch,' DJ Vlad said with a laugh. 'Cause you were like one of the highest-paid players that wasn't actually even playing. That was wild!' Arenas believes the payouts weren't without reason or undeserved. Here's why. Arenas was a tremendous point guard for much of the early-2000s. In fact, Agent Zero was told his performance with the Washington Wizards during that period helped the team stay afloat after it lost NBA legend Michael Jordan. That's what convinced owner Abe Pollin to offer him a $111 million, six-year contract in 2008. "I get the call from Abe Pollin. And he says, 'Whatever you want, you did what you said you were gonna do. You got me out of my Jordan era, you turned this franchise around, and I owe you whatever you want,'" Arenas recalled on an episode of his own podcast, 'No Chill with Gilbert Arenas.' Although he only played for three years into that contract, which got extended, Arenas insisted he deserved the full payout. 'I earned every dollar of it,' he said. He compared athletes to employees and said the owners are paying for them based on their 'potential' and the hard work they're willing to do. "When we sit here and complain about people's money, remember someone's giving them that. It's a value to that person. You don't know what that person's done to get that ... It's not always about the numbers that you see." This perspective offers some key lessons for ordinary workers. Read more: An alarming 97% of older Americans are carrying debt into retirement — here's why and 4 simple things you can do if you're stuck in the same situation As an employee, you don't share in the upside potential of the company you work for. But, like Agent Zero, you should focus on minimizing risk, cementing long-term contracts and asking for what you're worth. Only 35% of women and 49% of men asked for a pay raise over the past year, according to a 2024 survey by LendingTree. That means most employees are simply too reluctant to ask for more money and better compensation. Given the rising cost of living, this could be an expensive mistake. Take the time to do research on your industry and don't be afraid to ask for a higher wage or switch careers. You might not get millions of dollars to sit around like Arenas, but you should get fair compensation and perhaps some perks or long-term benefits for the work you do and the potential you represent. Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Protect your retirement savings with these 5 essential money moves — most of which you can complete in just minutes This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Keefe D, 2Pac Murder Suspect, Charged With Battery For Jailhouse Brawl
Duane 'Keefe D' Davis, a suspect in the 1996 murder of Hip-Hop icon Tupac Shakur, has been hit with an additional charge stemming from a jailhouse fight with another inmate. According to TMZ, Davis, who is currently being held at Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas, has been charged with battery after getting into the physical altercation, which was caught on camera. Davis and the inmate's fight was described as 'mutual combat by grappling and throwing closed fist strikes,' and was broken up by prison guards, who used pepper spray to end the fracas. The Compton native has argued against the charge, countering that he was simply 'standing his ground' and acting in self-defense. The latest accusation against Davis pales in comparison to the murder rap he's currently facing for his alleged role in the 1996 drive-by shooting of Shakur, who died after succumbing to his injuries several days later. An admitted member of a notorious Compton Crips gang, Davis has claimed to have provided Orlando Anderson, his late nephew, the firearm used to gun down Shakur on numerous occassions, particularly during appearances on platforms such as VladTV. The 61-year-old also spoke of his role in Shakur's murder during interactions with detectives from a joint task force, allegedly under the belief that his statements were covered by a proffer agreement Davis claims he made, giving him immunity. However, when attempting to have the murder charge against him dismissed on those grounds, the prosecution claimed that there was no evidence of the alleged agreement, with the judge ruling in the state's favor. Now, Davis, who also detailed Shakur's murder in his biographical 2019 book Compton Street Legend, has claimed that there's no physical evidence linking him to the crime and that his statements were embellished in an attempt to profit off the controversy. 'There's no evidence that he was involved [in 'Pac's murder],' Davis' lawyer contends. 'He did what Detective [Greg] Kading did: He put out a book, and he made money. Even the state's main investigation that testified at the grand jury said this is all about making money.' Davis was arrested in September 2023 and charged with the murder of Tupac Shakur, who was fatally wounded during a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas in September 1996. He has plead not guilty and continues to maintain his innocence. See photos from Keefe D's jailhouse fight below. More from Da Band's Chopper Says Diddy "Hated" Tupac, Shares Theory On Feds Connecting Him To Keefe D Case Keefe D, Tupac Murder Suspect, Files Motion For Dismissal Of Charges Tupac Shakur-Signed 'Above The Rim' Script Up For Auction
