There were most certainly some monumental moments that the crew talked about this week! This past Monday was the Kobe Bryant Memorial Service, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It was a moving event, where Kobe's wife and close friends got the chance to speak about the fallen NBA legend and his daughter Gigi. But two people were noticeably missing from the stage - Kobe's parents. Many fans are accusing Vanessa If not making a concerted effort to mend things and show her husband's parents some “respect.” But it wasn't just Kobe's parent's who didn't speak at the memorial service. Neither did Kobe's sisters. Crazy! Beyonce was also attended Kobe Bryant's Memorial Service, and she was amazing. Beyonce and Vanessa Bryant have been friends for many years. So Bey was not just there as a performer, she was there as a friend as she actually knew both Kobe and Gigi personally. And Beyonce gave an amazing and soul felt performance to close out the memorial. But some folks who were at the Kobe Bryant memorial, are saying that Beyonce was behaving like a "diva" the entire time. She is also being criticized for refusing to wear Black at the service. It gets deeper. Attorneys for Vanessa Bryant have reportedly filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company that operated the helicopter that crashed, killing her husband, daughter, and seven others. The suit alleges that pilot Ara Zobayan, who also died in the crash in Calabasas, failed “to use ordinary care in piloting the subject aircraft” and was negligent. I can understand, though. Remember when Lizzo made headlines after she attended a Lakers game in an outfit with the rear cut out, showing off her thong? Now she wants her own thong line with Tommy Hilfiger, really?!? Mikaela Spielberg recently announced that she would be venturing into the porn industry and that her father, famed Hollywood director Steven Spielberg is supportive -- but according to sources, that isn't the case. Mikaela has already launched an account on the OnlyFans app, on which viewers can pay a $15 monthly subscription fee to watch her -- and her father is embarrassed by it all. First Lawrence Fishburn, now this. The Illastr8 "HOT TAKE" for this week was, 'Moments  when you should bite your tongue in your relationship.' It got real in the studio for this one! Check back with us!!

The crew talked about some recent news that show some examples of people you may know of showcasing ways to further brand themselves...so to speak. Rapper, 'Lil Baby' is providing his cell number for fans to receive news about his music and shows. Mike Jones helped make sure as many people as possible knew his name by rapping (281) 330-8004 in his 2005 song "Back Then." Other artists, like Solange, have also offered seven digits as a way to directly interact with their fans. Lil Baby is preparing to drop his My Turn album. Tune-in to find out the number! Eric Adams, the first African-American to hold the office of BP, has partnered the Hip Hop is Green (HHIG) organization to put on the first-ever Brooklyn Healthy Rap Battle where Brooklyn youth will compose original rhymes about health and wellness as well as the benefits of living a plant-based lifestyle. Taking a page out of Forever First Lady Michelle Obama's 2010 Let's Move! campaign and a little bit from Dr. Oz and Doug E. Fresh's initiative celebrated through the song "Everybody," Adam is hoping the remixing his outreach with some a rap aesthetic will help shift eating habits for a community plagued with food deserts, Crown chicken spots, and cheap Chinese foods. Find out more about this event to get involved! T-Pain put his shrewd business skills to use when he defended his brand name from a troll trying to disparage his name. An unknown person bought the domain name FuckTpain.com to annoy the world-famous rapper, who also hosts the hit TV show "T-Pain's School of Business" on Fuse. Instead of trying to take it down and hurt the person that put time into making the site, he simply purchased it from them and now all the profit comes to him. Wow. What a way to extend your reach! Social media is on fire after Boosie voiced his opinions on Dwyane Wade’s 12-year-old transgender daughter, Zaya. If you know anything about Boosie, then you should already know that his comments were far from politically correct, as he spoke openly about being against gender reassignment as such a young age. You have to tune in to listen to this!  Check out what this week, "HOT TAKE" topic was as well!  We got you covered with the latest!

The crew talked about this week some trending topics that may or may not have required  you to 'remain standing.' Your guy from Love & Hip Hop NY is the new host of the show "Cheaters." Man, through it all he definitely seems to always remain standing, lol! The “Uptown (Deja Vu)” rapper made the announcement a couple of days ago. Allegedly, he’ll be the first African American host of the show, following in the footsteps of Tommy Habeeb, Joey Greco, and Clark James Gable. Last we heard from Gunz, he was getting dragged on Twitter for allegedly knocking up a 19-year-old. It wasn’t true, but y’all didn’t care, so he got slandered anyway. By our last count, Gunz is a father of 10, including rapper Cory Gunz. Azriel Clary is planning to launch her own foundation to support female abuse victims, specifically women of color. Since leaving R. Kelly’s Trump Tower residence and reuniting with her family last month, Clary has reportedly committed herself to helping others heal their trauma. Furthermore, the outlet reports that she will also work for her father’s nonprofit, Team Truth. The organization aims to educate minors and their families about the different types of abuse and supports them in escaping it. Besides the advocacy work, Clary has also returned to her musical pursuits. According to her Twitter, her “On the Run with Azriel” YouTube series will combine both her singing and nonprofit passions. Good for her! Video footage recently surfaced of Jay, Bey and Blue seating down as pop singer, Demi Lovato, belted out the anthem at Hard Rock Stadium, where the San Francisco 49ers were playing the Kansas City Chiefs. Jay-Z, who received backlash last year after he announced his partnership with the NFL, is also a co-producer of the halftime show, which featured Shakira and Jennifer Lopez. During a press conference with NFL officials, Jay-Z said that we were "beyond kneeling," but it appears that the Carters are not beyond seated protests. Wow! Next week we have something special, so you MUST tune in! Only on blis.fm!

On Sunday, 41-year-old Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna "Gigi" Bryant, and seven other people passed away in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. May GOD rest their souls! We paid homage to him. Fans of Kobe are also finding different ways to memorialize the late icon. Over 1 million people have begun to sign a petition to make Kobe the new NBA logo. As of press time, more than 1.5 million individuals have signed the Change.org petition. The current goal is to get 3 million signatures, so the petition is halfway to reaching its objective. Presently, the NBA's logo includes a silhouette of fellow Lakers legend and the team's former general manager Jerry West who ironically drafted a 17-year old Kobe Bryant in 1996. I think this is only right! Unfortunately, in related news, an animated sitcom on the Comedy Central Network 3 years ago called  Legends of Chamberlain Heights was predicted. The show - which aired in 2016 - depicted Kobe going down in a helicopter crash. A distressed Kobe is seen crawling out of the helicopter, and the character says to Kobe - "pass us the trophies, and we'll help you." Kobe refuses, and the helicopter explodes. The early reports of the crash are surprisingly similar. This is strange!! On a positive note, as people are still coming to grips with the sudden and untimely deaths the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the University of Connecticut will honor them in the wake of tragedy. It was announced back in December that Bryant was one of the 2020 Hall of Fame nominees. Now Kobe has been confirmed as a first-ballot enshrinement to be inducted. The ceremony will be held in August in Springfield, Mass. This is only right!! Taraji P. Henson could be set to channel late diva Whitney Houston on the big screen if the singer’s sister-in-law Pat gets her way. Pat is working closely with record executive Clive Davis, who played a key role in the "I Have Nothing" star’s rise to success, on the upcoming project. Whitney passed away at the age of 48 after she was found unconscious in a bathtub on February 11th, 2012. I can see this. The 'Illastr8 HOT TAKE' this week was, "what are some ‘red flags’ to look for when a loved one is in trouble or having issues?" Let us know what you think about this and tune in next week!

We talked this week about trending topics that involved 'timing', whether good or bad. The Atlanta Hip Hop industry came out to the Trap Music Museum to take part in the unveiling of a new exhibit celebrating the musical and cultural impact of two rap superstars. Both Cardi B and Nicki Minaj were honored with permanent installations at Tip "T.I." Harris' gallery. T.I. had to respond to critics that took issue with the two New York City-raised rivals being presented on an equal level. Let's see if the timing for this is a good one? The timing of this is definitely needed. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are reportedly poised to return to the "Bad Boys" franchise for another sequel following the projected box office success of the new "Bad Boys For Life." "Bad Boys for Life" opened in theaters this weekend, and Sony Pictures bosses are so thrilled with the early box office figures, they are close to green-lighting "Bad Boys 4." CAN'T WAIT! Former NBA star and DC native, Delonte West was videoed shirtless and in handcuffs on the side of a road in Prince George’s County, just outside of DC. In the video, which was posted on Twitter, an unidentified man asks West why he had just been attacked and if he had been acting in self-defense. West said he was walking down the street when a man approached him with a gun; he then says a number of unintelligible things. West has long struggled with bipolar disorder. In February 2016, he was spotted wandering around a Jack in the Box in Houston without any shoes on. Last September, West was photographed on a street in Dallas, allegedly homeless. Let's get this man some help ASAP! Monique FINALLY gets her own tv special with Showtime. Mo’Nique & Friends: Live from Atlanta, which will air on Friday, February 7 at 10 p.m. ET. The special features several guests, including Donnell Rawlings from Chapelle’s Show and new comics, Prince T-Dub, Tone-X, Correy Bell and Just Nesh. She's definitely proving that Netflix made the wrong mistake. We also had back in studio, Tyra Paylor (International Hair Educator). She offered more great information about the industry. Check her out everywhere @magnificentproducts or TyraPaylorHair on Facebook. Don't go far because we'll be RIGHT BACK!!!

There were some good signs this week on the entertainment and philanthropy front. Akon has finalized an agreement for 'Akon City, ' which will reportedly be completed in 2025. Akon claims the city will be built on a 2,000-acre land gifted to him by the President of Senegal, Macky Sall. The new city would also trade exclusively in his own digital cash currency called AKoin, he said. Since he's stepped away from music, he has been doing some BIG things behind the scenes! Fox television announces new streaming service ‘Fox Soul’ which will be aimed at Black viewers. Fox Soul will ”aim to celebrate black culture and highlight the real topics that affect the everyday lives of the African American community through frank and insightful dialogue with local and national influencers. The free streaming channel will be a combination of original new programs and existing shows from local Fox stations. Fox Soul currently hosts live original programming Monday through Friday, with prerecorded content from existing shows on Fox stations available on demand. Some of the channel’s original programs include “One on One with Keyshia Cole,” “On the 7 with Dr. Sean,” “The Tammi Mac Late Show,” “Out Loud with Claudia Jordan,” “The Mike and Donny Show,” and “Fit and Fab with Elise Neal.” Wow! Former R. Kelly associate Azriel Clary has been reunited with her family! In a photo posted on Monday (Jan. 13), Clary, her parents, and other family members all donned white t-shirts and sky blue jeans for a fun-loving photoshoot that clearly shows that the connection was an important one for her. Taking control of her narrative since leaving Kelly’s Trump Tower Chicago home, Clary has been transparent about her evolution. Good for her and her family, FINALLY!!! On Monday (January 13), the D-O-Double-G, Snoop Dogg unveiled the signature sandwich, which is appropriately called the Beyond D-O-Double-G. The catch? It will only be available until January 19. In addition to the sandwich, Snoop and Dunkin’ Donuts are also launching an exclusive pop-up merch store called The Beyond Collection by Dunkin’ x Snoop. It will feature limited-edition apparel such as a green tracksuit inspired by Snoop’s outfit in the latest Dunkin’ commercials. The "Illastr8 HOT TAKE" this week is a good one, 'annoying tactics men/women use to get out of arguments?' We do this like non other...until next Wednesday!

The crew discussed some great things this week that maybe just what you're looking for or forward too. Our boy, Master P launches his own brand of Ramen Noodles - 'Rap Noodles.' Rap Snacks is already a successful brand, with Master P's potato chips and popcorn being sold in retailers across the country. This maybe something to look into, LOL. You must give it up to him though for always being innovative! The three-time Grammy winner, Jill Scott is celebrating the 20-year anniversary of Who Is Jill Scott? in 2020 by heading out on tour. Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 was released on July 18, 2000, via Hidden Beach. The 18-track LP includes the singles "Gettin' In the Way," "A Long Walk," and "The Way." For the folks in the DMV, she'll be here in Hanover, MD at Maryland LIVE on 2/14/20! Lil Wayne unveils a new cannabis brand "GKUA Ultra Premium." Apparently, the strain will feature the "highest natural levels of THC available," with every product being officially tasted and tested by Weezy himself. The first of which is deemed the limited-edition "Hollygrove flower strain," which is set to hit stores in the near future. Can't wait for this one!! Your girl Rihanna can REALLY "take a bow" as the first Black woman whose album spend 200 weeks on the Billboard 200 list. Released in January 2016, ANTI represented a marked left-turn for Rihanna, featuring a woozy, low-key sound not usually showcased by the prolific pop star; it featured the No. 1-charting Drake collaboration “Work,” as well as a cover of Tame Impala’s “New Person, Same Old Mistakes.” Additionally, she was ranked the seventh most-streamed female artist on Spotify for the month of November even though she hasn’t dropped an album in almost four years. She never ceases to amaze. Also this week, in studio we had DMV rap artist "BIG-O." Check him out everywhere @35big_o for music and show updates. Don't move to much because we definitely will be back!!

The pot was full this week with plenty of news. Now, the luck part is something left to be seen. Drake's dad to start in his own reality series. Either Vice or WeTV are expected to finalize a deal with him this coming week. Keep it 'pimpin.' Omarion announces the "Millennium Tour 2020" — without B2K — on Lil Fizz's birthday. Stay tuned for more on this one!! Doctors are reportedly scrambling to figure out what has sidelined French Montana in a San Fernando Valley hospital. Medical personnel still haven’t pinpointed a reason for French’s stomach pain, nausea and elevated heart rate. The Los Angeles-based rapper was rushed to the hospital by ambulance last Thursday (November 21) after police investigating an alleged robbery at his Calabasas home noticed he wasn’t acting right. The robbery at his home turned out to be a false alarm. All the best to French! The Wu-Tang Clan has been having a major year celebrating the 25th anniversary of their iconic debut album Enter The Wu-Tang (36th Chamber). To go along with the string of concerts and the Hulu series Wu-Tang: An American Saga, the legendary collective is making even bigger moves with a proposed Wu-Tang Clan theme park possibly on the way. Wow...Wu-Tany Forever! Three teenage boys were wrongfully convicted for murdering another teen over a jacket, 36 years later. They're Finally Free!! Baltimore police arrested Chestnut, Stewart, and Watkins in November 1983 for the murder of Dewitt Duckett, a junior high student who was on his way to class when he was shot in the neck over a Georgetown University jacket. Dewitt’s murder generated national attention at the time: he was the first student to be fatally shot at a Baltimore public school. 'Signs your partner is romantically interested in your friend?' What do you think of this "Illastr8 HOT TAKE??" Until next Wednesday...

Sometimes, new revelations are revealed that show you what needs to be done. This week, the crew discussed just this. For instance, Akon ponders presidential run with Kanye West in 2024. When asked about going up against Kanye West, who has also expressed his interest in a presidential run in 2024, Akon said it wouldn’t be a competition.“I honestly need him to run, I want him to run,” he explained. “Working together we could now both fulfill the overall play of what the American people is looking for and I think that would be a great compromise,” he said of their different perspectives. “The combination could be something, you just never know. We just have to wait for that time to come and see. [...] I can’t predict it.” In related news, Kanye West has vowed to use his "arrogance" as the "greatest artist God ever created" to help spread the teachings of Christianity to a wider audience. Even the iconic producer, Dr. Dre is is getting the holy ghost by working with Kanye West for the new album, "Jesus Is King II." The pair offered no information on the follow-up to the rapper's faith-based album, which topped the Christian Albums and Top Gospel Albums charts. This guy definitely has the magic touch. Another person that has had the magic touch this year, Lil Nas makes history as the first openly gay Black man to win at the CMA Awards. In 2014, country singers Shane McAnally and Brandy Clark, both of whom are gay, shared the Song of the Year Award with Kacey Musgraves for “Follow Your Arrow.” Nick Cannon also shows his revelations has he continues to rise as a great entrepreneur as he prepares to launch his new talk show to premiere on FOX in the fall of 2020. The show will be carried in all the major markets including New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and San Francisco. This is the second big Fox win for Cannon, who is also the host for the network’s show “The Masked Singer.” The programming vision for Cannon’s show will “take on the latest in trending pop culture stories and other water-cooler topics, celebrity interviews and other surprises,” the Debmar-Mercury production team described. We had in studio of this week's "Illastr8 HOT TAKE", we had rapper 'Pop Legendary' in studio to discuss what he's doing. His dad 'Shorty Pop' was once a member of the renowned go-go band, "Junk Yard" who was once signed to Def Jam. Shorty Pop was also affiliated with DC legends Wayne Perry & Alpo. Check him out everywhere at @popleg3ndary. Keep us locked it because we'll keep bringing you the hottest news and interviews with high energy entertainment! 

This week, we started the show on a somber note; to commemorate a show partner and supporter, TRUST - R.I.P.! He passed suddenly and he will surely be missed! This week, we also mentioned some 'hidden' figures in trending news. Coincidentally, 

Instagram is about to hide likes for some US users. For years, likes have been central to how celebrities, brands, politicians and everyday users experience Instagram, and Facebook. It's a way of measuring popularity and success. But in recent months, Instagram has been rethinking how likes contribute to making its platform more toxic. Now it's contemplating a change. We'll tell you what to expect! The Queen Of Hip Hop, Soul Mary J. Blige is set to release box set ‘HERstory Vol. 1.’ The collection will be released in three physical forms: eight standard-weight black 7-inch vinyl that will feature tracks and remixes from her smash triple-platinum debut albums. Mary J. Blige’s HERstory Vol. 1 will be released to the public on December 6. Kanye West is set to bring his "Sunday Service" to  Pastor, Joel Osteens Houston church. The plan is for Kanye to show up at Joel’s 11 AM service in Houston this coming Sunday at the Lakewood Church. Kanye will walk up to the pulpit and have a conversation with Joel that will last between 20 and 30 minutes. Sources say Joel wants his congregation — which stands 45,000 strong — and his TV audience — which stands at 10 million in the U.S. alone — to hear how Kanye has overcome significant adversity in his life. This should be interesting! This story has been hidden for decades, but no longer. After 200 years, Steven Reed will be sworn in as the first Black Mayor of Montgomery, Alabama. Montgomery was the site of the Rosa Parks-inspired bus boycott in 1955 and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, as well as the destination of the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery protest marches that were met with brutal police violence and led to the Voting Rights Act. Congrats brotha!! Alicia Keys disheartened over her son being worried about being judged for having  a rainbow manicure. Have any of you witnessed a child being worried about being judged for being masculine or feminine at a young age? The "Illastr8 HOT TAKE" for this week was, 'times men think we’re (women) flirting…but we aren’t.' The ladies of Illastr8 had some choice things to say about this one, lol. Check us out and stay tuned in!!