From Puff Daddy to Prison Daddy



Sean “Diddy” Combs — mogul, producer, and architect of a billion-dollar brand — was sentenced Friday to more than four years in federal prison for his despicable crimes against women. The sentence won’t shatter the glossy mythology he’s sold for decades. The headlines will obsess over the punishment and whether justice was done. But the deeper story is the culture he built — and that millions of Americans continue to bankroll.

Let’s stop pretending: No other major American music genre has a criminal record like rap. This isn’t a bad apple. It’s a poisoned orchard.

No other genre has turned crime, misogyny, and hatred for order into cultural virtues.

Tay-K was convicted of murder in 2019 and again in 2020 for a separate shooting. He’s serving 55 years. South Park Mexican is doing 45 years for child sexual assault. C-Murder? Life for killing a teenager. Big Lurch is doing life for murder and cannibalism. B.G. just got out after 14 years for weapons and witness tampering. Chris Brown — who still charts — pled guilty to felony assault of Rihanna and keeps finding trouble. Shyne served nearly a decade for a nightclub shooting that Diddy himself may have committed. Kodak Black, Max B, Crip Mac, Flesh-N-Bone, Big Tray Deee — all convicted felons.

That’s not some obscure playlist. That’s the soundtrack.

Try compiling a similar rap sheet for classical violinists, country balladeers, or pop crooners. Even rock, infamous for its drug excesses, never reached this level of violence or degradation.

Still think this is just about “personal behavior”? Listen closer.

Even when not committing crimes, many hip-hop “artists” glorify them. Anti-police, anti-woman, anti-civilization — these aren’t exceptions but industry standards. “F**k the police” wasn’t a phase. It was a forecast. “Shoot a cop, that’s my solution” isn’t satire. It’s strategy.

You don’t have to dig to find chart-toppers dripping with misogyny, death threats, and celebrations of drug-dealing and street violence. This isn’t fringe content. They’re topping the Billboard charts.

In what other industry could someone openly brag about pimping women, selling narcotics, or “sliding on ops” and still land Super Bowl halftime shows, Sprite deals, and White House invitations?

RELATED: Bad Bunny gets the ball, football fans get the finger

Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Defenders call it “storytelling,” “street realism,” or “art.” But these aren’t neutral observations. They’re recruitment ads for a culture of moral rot. Many rappers don’t just depict criminality — they embody it, and their fans reward them for it.

Every stream, download, and ticket sale is a vote for decadence — a few more dollars for the next defense attorney, a little more validation for the notion that responsibility is oppression and chaos is authenticity.

Even academics have noticed. Law journals have dissected the way hip-hop glorifies violence while its corporate enablers polish the packaging. The same elites who decry “toxic masculinity” will nod along to lyrics calling women “bitches” and “hoes.” The same corporations that preach “inclusion” will bankroll artists who sneer at civilization. The same politicians pushing gun control will campaign beside men who made fortunes romanticizing drive-bys.

Yes, hip-hop has artistic power. It grew from hardship and gave voice to the voiceless. But no other genre has turned crime, misogyny, and hatred for order into cultural virtues.

There’s a difference between reflecting reality and selling it — between giving voice to pain and turning pain into product. Today’s rap industry isn’t holding up a mirror to society. It’s pointing a gun at it.

The Diddy sentencing should be a wake-up call. It isn’t just a reckoning for one man. It’s a moment of clarity for a culture that has lost its moral compass.

The question isn’t only who committed the crime. It’s who bought the album.

Rap mogul torches liberal host for claiming Trump is a 'con artist': 'You're just not that smart'



Record executive Damon Dash went scorched-earth on a radio show this week and defended President Trump over what he called "ridiculous" and "dumb" commentary.

Dash was the co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records with Jay-Z. The company launched their careers and was known as a pioneering independent label.

'Why you think they keep you here? They want y'all to make us dumb!'

Recent reports that claimed that Dash filed for bankruptcy and is strapped for cash sparked several contentious debates when he appeared on "The Breakfast Club" this week.

The Power 105.1 program is known predominantly for its flamboyant host Lenard McKelvey, aka Charlamagne tha God, who was not shy about repeatedly calling Dash "broke" and claiming he is lying about having his assets in order.

When the bankruptcy was brought up, Dash defended himself by saying, "Do you know how many times Donald Trump filed?"

"Oh, a lot," Charlamagne replied. "He's known as a terrible businessman."

Shocked, Dash responded, "He's the president!"

Still, Charlamagne asserted, "He still is known as a terrible businessman. Actually, a con man."

Dash then asked the host, "Do you know how confidently dumb you sound?"

Dumbfounded, the mogul continued. "You're saying it's bad — he went bankrupt six times. He's a billionaire, and he's the president."

RELATED: Charlamagne shocks audience with admission about 'that damn COVID shot'

The host pushed forward with the notion that the president is indeed a "terrible businessman and con artist," but Dash was not having it.

Adamant about clearing his and the president's name on the matter, Dash said he wanted to "go back to how ridiculous" he felt the host was being.

"The president filed for bankruptcy eight times, still a billionaire. He's saying he's a bad businessman. You're just not that smart."

Charlamagne and Dash battled for control of the interview's narrative throughout, with the radio personality continuously calling into question the businessman's claims, which were predominantly about how he has protected unseen wealth and assets by putting them under other names and businesses.

Some of Dash's most pointed comments were aimed at Charlamagne's job, which has kept him cooped up in a radio studio most days for years.

"You've missed the whole world," Dash claimed.

RELATED: The market fired Jimmy Kimmel

Damon Dash and Jay-Z at the Grammys in 2002. Photo by Ray Mickshaw/WireImage

"You don't know what you're talking about. And you're saying it confidently," Dash said. "And you're in an algorithm where people actually believe you."

Dash then put the nail in the coffin, calling the team of broadcasters a tool for the establishment.

"Why you think they keep you here? They want y'all to make us dumb!"

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Serena Williams and ‘The View' DEFINE ‘crip walking’ as black culture



When Serena Williams won the gold medal during the 2012 Olympics, the tennis star celebrated with the crip walk — a dance move that was popularized by California gangsters.

Thirteen years later, Williams took the stage during the Super Bowl halftime show alongside rapper Kendrick Lama and performed the crip walk again. While Jason Whitlock of “Fearless” is far from amused by the display, the hosts of "The View" are lauding the performance as a celebration of “black culture.”

“When she did the same crip walk after she beat Sharapova in the 2012 Olympics, she did that walk then, and it was on Wimbledon grass, and everyone said that it was disrespectful,” Sunny Hostin began.

“What she was doing was being her authentic self, an homage to her roots from Compton, and it was black joy and black excellence. You’ve got the greatest female athlete of all time coming out and enjoying it,” Hostin continued, adding, “This was about Serena being her authentic self and being the essence of black culture.”


“I don't know Sunny Hostin’s background, it’s probably similar to Serena in terms of probably a disconnect from the hood culture that she’s trying to attach herself to,” Whitlock says.

When Whitlock initially saw the clip from "The View," he was “stunned” that everyone “seemed to be in agreement” that crip walking was representative of black culture.

“Can they honestly believe this? Or is this just what they have to say to survive on television?” he asks guest Delano Squires.

“I think it depends on who you ask and in what context you ask it. I’ll say it this way. When a black artist is winning awards, let’s say Beyonce winning a Grammy for her country album or a black athlete is winning an award or a Super Bowl or whatever the case may be, then I think black folks are like, ‘Yes, this is for the culture, this is a win,'” Squires tells Whitlock.

“But when a hip-hop artist is being criticized for the content that they put out there, for the guns, the murder, the ops, the drugs, the degradation and disrespect for women, then that same person will say, ‘Oh no, that’s not black culture, that’s hip-hop, that’s that particular individual,'” he continues.

“I think that dichotomy lives in almost all of us and certainly in the people who are talking heads and have the platforms on TV and mainstream media,” he adds.

Want more from Jason Whitlock?

To enjoy more fearless conversations at the crossroads of culture, faith, sports, and comedy with Jason Whitlock, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Harris Campaign Paid $100K to Obama for ‘Travel’ and $58K to Rapper Cardi B, Who Claimed She ‘Didn’t Get a Dollar’ From Campaign

Kamala Harris’s campaign paid nearly $100,000 to a shell company for former president Barack Obama to travel to events and roughly $60,000 to rapper Cardi B, who said she "didn’t get a dollar" to appear alongside the failed presidential candidate.

The post Harris Campaign Paid $100K to Obama for ‘Travel’ and $58K to Rapper Cardi B, Who Claimed She ‘Didn’t Get a Dollar’ From Campaign appeared first on .

Macklemore leads 'F*** America!' chant at pro-Palestinian concert



“F*** America!”

So went the chant led by rapper Macklemore at a pro-Palestinian Seattle concert on Saturday night. While the audience responded with glee, others, including Elon Musk, later condemned the "Thrift Store" artist's anti-American rhetoric.

The jarring moment occurred as Macklemore — whose legal name is Ben Haggerty — performed at the Palestine Will Live Forever Festival at the Seward Park Amphitheater in Seattle, Washington.

'It's a genocide, absolutely, and it has been since 1948, and don't get it twisted.'

According to the official Instagram page for the festival: "We resist when we fight, we resist when we educate, we resist when we organize. Our people living under the brutal occupation of the settler colonial project resist in every breath they take. Despite the pain and suffering, our people in Falasteen find a way to LIVE."

Proceeds from the Palestine Will Live Forever Festival went to various groups providing aid to Palestinians, including the controversial United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

Welcome to the terrordome

Last month, the United Nations admitted that 19 United Nations Relief and Works Agency staff have been accused of being involved in the Hamas terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, when roughly 1,200 people were killed and another 250 were taken to Gaza as hostages.

Nine of the accused were fired while the U.N. stated that "appropriate measures will be taken" for the remaining 10 employees.

During the Palestine Will Live Forever Festival, Macklemore admitted that he "didn't know" much about the decades-long hostilities between Palestine and Israel until the terrorist attacks on Oct. 7.

Apt pupil

Regarding how he got involved in "the movement," Macklemore told the audience at the festival, "October 7 happens, and I started paying attention. I started learning. I started listening. I start going back and learning the history."

The rapper — who is best known for his 2012 song about shopping at a thrift store — proclaimed that the Israel-Hamas conflict "is actually not that complicated." Macklemore then accused Israel of committing genocide.

"It's a genocide, absolutely, and it has been since 1948, and don't get it twisted," Macklemore told the crowd.

Video shows Macklemore saying, "Straight up. Say it. I’m not gonna stop you. I’m not gonna stop you. Um, yeah, f*** America." The crowd thunderously cheered the anti-American remark.

'What a tool'

There were hundreds of online commentators slamming Macklemore for the disrespectful jibe, including Elon Musk, who said of the rapper, "What a tool."

Others called for boycotts of Adidas and TaylorMade Golf — which have sponsorship deals with Haggerty.

The rapper performed his “Hind’s Hall” song at the festival.

The song praises anti-Israel protests that took place on college campuses. The song is named for the actions of pro-Palestinian activists who occupied Hamilton Hall at Columbia University and renamed the building "Hind's Hall," in honor of Hind Rajab, a young Palestinian girl who was killed in Gaza City during the Israel-Hamas War.

In the song, Haggerty pushes leftist tropes such as: "f*** the police" and a "system that was designed by white supremacy."

The entertainer said all proceeds from the song go to the UNRWA.

Haggerty recently released "Hind's Hall 2," which is another anti-Israel anthem.

The chorus of the song states: "From the river to the sea. Palestine will be free."

The "from the river to the sea" anti-Semitic phrase calls for the establishment of a Palestine state from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea while completely eliminating the state of Israel.

The rapper warns Vice President Kamala Harris that she won't win Michigan in the 2024 presidential election if she doesn't "stop sending money and weapons" to Israel.

The song's lyrics include: "Capitalism killing us that's something we can't afford."

The 41-year-old rapper's net worth is reportedly $25 million.

In August, Macklemore canceled an October concert in Dubai over the United Arab Emirates' alleged role "in the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis" in Sudan.

Macklemoron

In 2014, Macklemore wore a costume at a Seattle concert that some deemed anti-Semitic and "deeply offensive" because it appeared to be a caricature of a Jewish man.

Haggerty apologized by saying, “I wasn’t attempting to mimic any culture, nor resemble one. A ‘Jewish stereotype’ never crossed my mind.”

“There is no worse feeling than being misunderstood, especially when people are hurt or offended,” the "Same Love" rapper said at the time.

Macklemore claimed it was “surprising and disappointing” that photos of his “disguise were sensationalized leading to the immediate assertion that my costume was anti-Semitic.”

Like Blaze News? Circumvent the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Michelle Obama's Get-Out-the-Vote Drive Targets Fans of Infamous Domestic Abusers

Michelle Obama's voter participation organization is spending big on Facebook ads to ensure that fans of several high-profile domestic abusers have the information they need to vote in the upcoming elections.

The post Michelle Obama's Get-Out-the-Vote Drive Targets Fans of Infamous Domestic Abusers appeared first on .

Whitlock called it: Diddy is the Jeffrey Epstein of the music industry



It gives a whole new meaning to "Bad Boy for Life."

Sean “Diddy” Combs may be adding a new moniker to his lengthy roster of aliases: the eight-digit number assigned to inmates in the federal prison system.

The rap impresario's recent indictment on sex trafficking and racketeering charges has sent shockwaves through the industry, lending credence to Blaze Media commentator Jason Whitlock's speculation that Diddy is the Jeffrey Epstein of the music biz.

After leaving office, Barack Obama was spotted hanging out with Diddy. What were the two men up to — and did it have anything to do with the 1,000 bottles of baby oil the feds seized from the latter's mansion?

Arrested on serious federal charges, the 54-year-old has been denied bail and is currently in solitary confinement at the Special Housing Unit of the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. This high-security unit is known for housing dangerous and high-profile inmates like R. Kelly, a man Diddy knows very well, disgraced crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried, and Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein’s right-hand woman.

The indictment accuses the once-untouchable mogul of running a “criminal enterprise” through his vast business empire, with allegations spanning sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice.

Prosecutors argue that Diddy’s continued freedom jeopardizes the integrity of the case, pointing to his previous attempts to contact victims and witnesses as evidence. His legal team will appeal the bail denial before U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Carter. If the appeal fails, Diddy will remain behind bars.

And, many would argue, this is probably where he deserves to be.

Diddy’s dudes

Diddy’s ties to powerful figures in Hollywood and politics are strikingly similar to Jeffrey Epstein’s network. Whereas Epstein had a "thing" for young girls, Diddy appears to have one for young boys — specifically, up-and-coming young talent in the music industry.

www.youtube.com

For example, the resurfacing of disturbing videos showing a 15-year-old Justin Bieber speaking with Diddy raises some very serious questions. In the footage, Diddy can be heard stating, "Where we hanging out and what we’re doing we really can’t disclose. But it’s definitely a 15-year-old’s dream."

Or nightmare.

The 2016 Howard Stern interview with Usher revealed unsettling details about his experience living with Diddy at just 14 years old. Why, one wonders, was a 14-year-old boy residing with a grown man with no ties to his family?

Diddy’s vast network includes high-profile names like Will Smith and Ashton Kutcher, both of whom have also faced controversy in recent times. As you no doubt recall, Smith’s public image was severely damaged when he assaulted Chris Rock at the Oscars. As for Kutcher, his extremely close friendship with Danny Masterson, a Scientology nut and convicted rapist, has drawn widespread criticism and damaged his own reputation.

Then there’s Cuba Gooding Jr. Remember him? Once a Hollywood powerhouse, the actor is best known for his performances in films like "A Few Good Men" and "Jerry Maguire," where he delivered the iconic, "Show me the money!" line. Subsequent roles in "Men of Honor" and "Pearl Harbor" further solidified his status as a leading man — on screen and, it seems, in Mr. Diddy’s life.

In a recent interview with Patrick Bet-David, Gooding Jr. appeared visibly uncomfortable and evasive when questioned about the allegations surrounding the music man. His response was a jittery mess of mumbling and evasion, leading YouTube commenters to speculate that Gooding Jr. might be hiding more about the alleged criminal activities than he’s letting on. His reluctance to offer clear answers has sparked rumors about possible connections to Diddy and whether fear or complicity is driving his silence.

Diddy's diary

Much like Epstein’s infamous black book, Diddy’s Rolodex was supposedly packed with high-profile names. As the New York Post reported, he forged partnerships with billionaire investor Ron Burkle and hedge fund titan Ray Dalio. Diddy’s fashion line hit Macy’s and Dillard’s, and he took major business strides with stakes in Revolt TV and beverage giant Diageo, a collaboration with Estée Lauder heir William Lauder, and he made deals with Zac Posen and Liz Claiborne. He also launched a water brand with Mark Wahlberg and partnered with Marc Benioff of Salesforce to build a marketplace for black-owned businesses.

In the early 2000s, Diddy made a bold move by cold-emailing then-Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, pitching his idea to design the team’s uniforms. Diddy's gamble paid off, linking his Sean John line with a major sports team. Cuban, known for his nonstop, left-leaning diatribes, has been unusually tight-lipped about this Diddy connection.

But, as always, there’s more.

Diddy's danger?

After leaving office, Barack Obama was spotted hanging out with Diddy. What were the two men up to — and did it have anything to do with the 1,000 bottles of baby oil the feds seized from the latter's mansion?

What we do know, however, is that Diddy didn’t act alone. He was, up until very recently, actively engaged with a network of influential figures. Like Epstein, Diddy built connections with high-profile individuals to protect his own nefarious activities. The multimillionaire's annual White Party, a magnet for the elite of American culture over the past 20-something years, only reinforced his image of invincibility.

Now, it remains to be seen whether Diddy will reveal his accomplices or follow in Epstein’s footsteps, conveniently suiciding himself before he can incriminate anyone truly powerful.

To quote Diddy's one-time protégé Shyne, who recently claimed he was his boss' "fall guy" in the 1999 nightclub shooting that landed him 10 years in lock-up: "Whatcha gonna do when s**t hits the fan, take it like a man or snitch like a b***h?"

Formerly Electrifying Eminem Is Now Sad, Stale, And Wildly Out Of Sync

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://thefederalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Screenshot-2024-06-06-at-7.13.41 AM-1200x675.png crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//thefederalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Screenshot-2024-06-06-at-7.13.41%5Cu202fAM-1200x675.png%22%7D" expand=1]Eminem's decline is a reminder that the hip-hop landscape is littered with the remnants of once-great artists who failed to evolve.

No, Beyoncé’s New Album Is Not Country Music

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://thefederalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-17-at-2.59.39 PM-1200x675.png crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//thefederalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-17-at-2.59.39%5Cu202fPM-1200x675.png%22%7D" expand=1]The labeling of an album, and thus the restraining of an artist’s musical freedom, was the exact idea Beyoncé wanted to fight.

Diddy posts 'Victory' — a music video consisting entirely of him running from police — implying he's falsely accused



Rapper and entrepreneur Sean "Diddy" Combs made a peculiar social media post amid his legal troubles and accusations of sex trafficking, which he has denied.

Combs, 54, has faced multiple civil lawsuits alleging sex trafficking, sexual abuse, and rape. Diddy has denied all allegations, calling them "sickening." The culmination of the accusations was a federal raid on the music producer's properties in Los Angeles and Miami, Florida.

On social media, Diddy took a break from his recent posting of family photos to showcase the 1998 music video for the song "Victory," which featured his late best friend, Christopher Wallace (Notorious B.I.G.), and Busta Rhymes.

With a caption, "Bad Boy for Life," Diddy shared the $2.7 million music video in its entirety.

The video is a gritty parody of sorts, referencing "The Running Man," a 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The movie is about a falsely convicted cop who has a chance to regain his freedom by participating in a deadly TV show.

The music video featured actors Dennis Hopper and Danny DeVito and is known to be the most expensive hip-hop video of all time.

Diddy's mention of being a "Bad Boy for Life" is a reference to his own hit song of the same name. That 2001 music video was even more star-studded, featuring the likes of Ben Stiller and Shaquille O'Neal.

Diddy's most recent lawsuit, which was filed in February 2024 by producer Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones, cited many of the same claims as Combs' former partner Casandra Ventura.

Jones alleged that Combs sexually harassed him and was engaged in a "widespread and dangerous criminal sex trafficking organization."

Since the property raids, various stories have emerged from individuals close to the rapper.

Ex-girlfriend Misa Hylton shared security footage of one of the raids and alleged a racial bias was at play.

"If these were the sons of a non-Black celebrity, they would not have been handled with the same aggression. The attempt to humiliate and terrorize these innocent young BLACK MEN is despicable!" she wrote.

A former bodyguard of Combs, Gene Deal, suggested that the rapper has secret tapes of celebrities and politicians.

"He had politicians in there, he had princes in there, he also had a couple of preachers in there," Deal said.

Other accusations have fallen flat, such as a model who was alleged to have been on retainer by Diddy for sex work. The woman, Jade Ramey, denied these allegations.

Diddy stated in December 2023 that all the allegations against him were "individuals looking for a quick payday."

"Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged," he wrote.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!