Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance at <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/super-bowl">Super Bowl LIX</a> is still getting mixed reviews, with many viewers calling it confusing and others deeming it brilliant. But in either case, it has gone down in history as the most-watched halftime show ever, with a total of 133.5 million viewers.
The previous record-holder since 1993 was pop superstar Michael Jackson, who received 133.4 million views when he performed at Super Bowl XXVII at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
Lamar is the first solo <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/rap-music">rapper</a> to perform at the Super Bowl, per <a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/kendrick-lamar-performance-super-bowl-lix-most-watched-halftime-show">Sports Illustrated</a>. The recording artist performed a total of 12 songs, including his popular “diss track” against the Canadian rapper Drake, called “Not Like Us.”
Many viewers were pleased to see outwardly patriotic themes during the performance including dancers wearing red, white, and blue and positioning themselves to depict an American Flag. Samuel L. Jackson appeared as Uncle Sam, and there were no scantily clad dancers or sexualized moves, which is normally a big complaint for Super Bowl shows.
However, many football fans complained that Lamar’s songs were mostly unknown to the general public and that it was hard to understand the lyrics. Others noted that the rapper, who often uses his music to advocate progressive social themes, was actually criticizing the nation with the performance.
Tennis pro Serena Williams also made a guest appearance, doing the same “crip walk” dance that she was criticized for performing at Wimbledon 13 years ago. Her inclusion was meant to further antagonize Drake, who is rumored to have dated Williams decades ago.
Roc Nation, Apple Music, and the NFL announced that the viewership record was broken on Tuesday, writing on social media, “We’ve broken the record again! The most watched Apple Music Halftime show EVER, with 133.5 Million viewers.”
This number is surprising considering that Lamar’s performance had more viewers than the football game itself, which had an average viewership of 126 million, per <a href="https://x.com/FOXSportsPR/status/1889107300985512289">Fox Sports</a>.
Lamar, 37, is a Compton-born rapper was signed as an artist in 2005. He’s the recipient of multiple accolades, including 22 Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, a Brit Award, and several others.

Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar’s Controversial Halftime Show Was Most-Watched In Super Bowl History

Kendrick Lamar's Controversial Halftime Show Was Most-Watched In Super Bowl History

Music

New Orleans

Rap Music

Super Bowl

U.S.

Female rapper Doechii praised God numerous times during an emotional acceptance speech when she won her first ever Grammy Award for Best Rap Album during the 67th <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/grammys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grammy</a> Awards <a href="https://x.com/ComplexMusic/status/1886228660551884867">show</a> held in Los Angeles.
On Sunday night, the 26-year-old rapper &#8212; born Jaylah Ji&#8217;mya Hickmon &#8212; took the stage after rapper Cardi B called out her name for Best Rap Album for “Alligator Bites Never Heal.” She held back tears as she promised not to make her speech long before talking about the glory of God.
“But this category was introduced in 1989, and two women have won … three women have won — Lauryn Hill, Cardi B, and Doechii,” the rapper said. “I put my heart and my soul into this mixtape. I’ve bared my life.”
“I went through so much. I dedicated myself to sobriety and God told me that I would be rewarded and that he would show me just how good it can get,” she added as she got emotional. “And I have to thank God. I need to thank my beautiful mother for coaching me.”
She went on to thank her label, her fans, and she said &#8220;to the swamp,&#8221; before she explained that she’s the Swamp Princess, because it&#8217;s where she comes from.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Doechii’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Grammys?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Grammys</a> acceptance speech for winning Best Rap Album 🤎 <a href="https://t.co/N1Hy9Dhx1y">pic.twitter.com/N1Hy9Dhx1y</a>
— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) <a href="https://twitter.com/ComplexMusic/status/1886228660551884867?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
“There’s so many people out there who probably don’t know who I am. I call myself the Swamp Princess because I’m from Tampa, Florida,” the rapper said. “Tampa has so much talent … labels, go to Tampa, there’s talent there.”
“The last thing I want to say is … I know that there is some black girl out there, so many black women out there that are watching me right now and I want to tell you: You can do it. Anything is possible,” Doechii said. “Anything is possible.” 
“Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you, that tell you that you can’t be here, that you’re too dark or that you’re not smart enough or that you’re too dramatic or you’re too loud,” she added. “You are exactly who you need to be, to be right where you are, and I am a testimony. Praise God!”
The comments definitely moved the crowd as the stars and performers in the room cheered and gave the young rapper a standing ovation.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/country-music-star-talks-dark-days-before-career-exploded" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Country Music Star Talks ‘Dark Days’ Before Career Exploded</a>

Doechii Rapper At GRammys

Female Rapper Praises God For Sobriety After Winning First Ever Grammy Award

Awards

Celebrities

Entertainment

Faith

Grammys

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/charlamagne-tha-god" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charlamagne tha God</a> torched those upset about the rappers who performed during the various <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/inauguration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inauguration</a> events for President Donald Trump.
During “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrcyvZdINdo&amp;t=288s">The Breakfast Club</a>” on Tuesday, the radio host blasted people who slammed rappers like <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-isnt-politics-rapper-nelly-defends-decision-to-perform-at-trumps-inaugural-ball" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nelly</a> and Snoop Dogg for being part of the inauguration celebrations ahead of Trump&#8217;s swearing-in — but made no comment about the Democrats who were there for the festivities as well.
“The hypocrisy that people display in regards to who they like and don’t like is mind-blowing to me,” Charlamagne said. 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Snoop Dogg &amp; Nelly Face Backlash For Performing At Inauguration Events" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JrcyvZdINdo?start=288&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“Like, there is no way you are more mad at rappers for performing at these inauguration events than you are at the elected officials who told us Trump was a ‘fascist,’ a ‘threat to democracy,’ a ‘danger to our country and the Constitution,’” he added. “They likened him to Hitler, but then folks like [Joe Biden] just welcomed him back in the White House.”
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl=1*1lail3r*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzIyMDEyNDkuQ2owS0NRaUEwZnU1QmhEUUFSSXNBTVhVQk9JSkM0VnNsMFVreURxYXUxVWVEVWdOdjZkNzR2Y1pEeEZQeHVBcGl2R3BLaTdBMjVzT1p5TWFBdG1nRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*NDUxNDQ0NzYwLjE3MzY3ODI2NDY.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczNjk1NzYwMy4zNDAuMS4xNzM2OTU3NzE2LjYwLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl=1*1lail3r*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzIyMDEyNDkuQ2owS0NRaUEwZnU1QmhEUUFSSXNBTVhVQk9JSkM0VnNsMFVreURxYXUxVWVEVWdOdjZkNzR2Y1pEeEZQeHVBcGl2R3BLaTdBMjVzT1p5TWFBdG1nRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*NDUxNDQ0NzYwLjE3MzY3ODI2NDY.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczNjk1NzYwMy4zNDAuMS4xNzM2OTU3NzE2LjYwLjAuMA.." data-sk="tooltip_parent">CELEBRATE #47 WITH 47% OFF DAILYWIRE+ MEMBERSHIPS + A FREE $20 GIFT</a>
“[Barack Obama] was sharing a good laugh with him at the funeral of President [Jimmy] Carter,” the host continued. “We know why the rappers did what they did. We know why they’re doing it. They got paid. What’s the politicians’ excuse for normalizing Trump?”
The host said if you are going to blast the rappers, those same people should be blowing up on Biden, Obama, and “all the other elected officials who got us all riled up and scared only to turn around and have tea with a man they likened to Hitler.”
<a href="https://store.dailywire.com/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-862665 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/INAUG_MERCHBANNER-6-2-1024x391.png" alt="" width="1024" height="391" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/INAUG_MERCHBANNER-6-2-1024x391.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/INAUG_MERCHBANNER-6-2-300x115.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/INAUG_MERCHBANNER-6-2-768x293.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/INAUG_MERCHBANNER-6-2-1536x587.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/INAUG_MERCHBANNER-6-2-2048x782.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
Charlamagne tha God said any attacks on Snoop and Nelly were “inconsequential” compared to Biden and Obama, who he said “played in our faces. That’s just my personal opinion.”
The host recently made headlines when he slammed liberals who he said were celebrating the sentencing of Trump in his hush money trial, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/charlamagne-tha-god-slams-liberals-for-celebrating-trump-sentencing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
During his radio <a href="https://x.com/charliekirk11/status/1878841065807184015">show</a>, the host said that liberals were being ridiculous for making more out of the sentencing by Judge Juan Merchan in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-sentenced-to-an-unconditional-discharge-in-hush-money-trial">New York case</a> — related to hush money paid to Stephanie Clifford, a porn actress who goes by the name Stormy Daniels — than they should.
“What a waste of time. I mean, what a waste of time. Pure political theater,” he said. “They was never, ever going to convict a former or sitting president of nothing.”
“And what was even more ridiculous was watching liberals celebrate this,” he added. “Like, this is not a win. Who cares if you can call him a convicted felon when you still got to call him president for the next four years? Who cares?”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/charlamagne-tha-god-slams-liberals-for-celebrating-trump-sentencing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charlamagne Tha God Slams Liberals For Celebrating Trump Sentencing</a>

2023 Black Effect Podcast Festival

Charlamagne Tha God Torches Those Upset About Rappers Performing At Inauguration Events

Charlamagne Tha God

Democrats

Donald Trump

Inauguration

Singer <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/unfollow-me-doja-cat-has-a-meltdown-quits-music-and-returns-in-24-hours-after-south-american-fan-criticizes-her">Doja Cat</a> did not beat around the bush when she told her followers not to bring their kids to her concerts because they contain profanity-laced lyrics and adult-themed music.
In a recent post on X, the 28-year-old singer <a href="https://x.com/DojaCat/status/1783755694153576725">wrote</a>, “[I don’t know] what the f**k you think this is but I don’t make music for children so leave your kids at home motherf**ker,” without explaining what led her to discuss the issue on social media.
Several follow-up posts from the &#8220;Scarlet&#8221; hitmaker included lyrics to some of her raunchy songs as she expanded on the earlier comments about how her music and shows not being for little kids, <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/doja-cat-tells-fans-do-not-bring-kids-to-shows-1235667583/">Billboard magazine</a> noted.
“I’m rapping about c*m why are you bringing your offspring to my show,” the rapper &#8211; born Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini &#8211; <a href="https://x.com/DojaCat/status/1783756299286794618">replied</a> to one person.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Doja Cat discusses the explicit nature of her music while pointing out that the lyrics she writes aren’t necessarily for children’s ears. 👀 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BillboardNews?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BillboardNews</a> <a href="https://t.co/Z4arp7dJNS">pic.twitter.com/Z4arp7dJNS</a>
— billboard (@billboard) <a href="https://twitter.com/billboard/status/1783946753101955399?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
To another person she <a href="https://x.com/DojaCat/status/1783757349020455198">wrote</a>, “Rappin about eatin d**k &#8230; leave your mistake at home.”
In one of her songs “F**K the Girls (FTG),” the lyrics seem to address this same issue as she rapped, “Since when was y’all my bastard children/ Go ahead and raise y’all self/ Come get ya bada**kids, no need to mention.&#8221;
The “Say So” hitmaker — with 24 million followers on Instagram and 5.6 million on X (formerly Twitter) — previously lost a quarter million followers on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/instagram">Instagram</a> following a huge backlash from some posts she shared.
Last year, the rapper made waves after calling some of her fanbase “creepy” for reportedly being obsessed with her.
“Seeing all these people unfollow me makes me feel like I’ve defeated a large beast that’s been holding me down for so long,” Doja Cat <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dojacat/?hl=en">posted</a> in her Instagram stories.      
“It feels like I can reconnect with the people who really matter and love me for who I am and not for who I was. I feel free.”
The controversy stems from a series of now-deleted tweets the singer posted earlier this month. Dlamini specifically took issue with fans who dubbed themselves “Kittenz” as a way of distinguishing themselves as being devoted to her.
“My fans don’t get to name themselves s***. If you call yourself a ‘kitten’ or f***ing ‘kittenz’ that means you need to get off your phone and get a job and help your parents with the house,” the Grammy award winner wrote.
Amanda Harding contributed to this piece.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/singer-doja-cat-says-she-feels-free-following-loss-of-250k-instagram-followers-defeated-a-large-beast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Singer Doja Cat Says She Feels ‘Free’ Following Loss Of 250K Instagram Followers: ‘Defeated A Large Beast’</a>

ACL Music Festival 2021 – Weekend 1

Singer Doja Cat Says Don’t Bring Your Kids To My Show

Singer Doja Cat Says Don't Bring Your Kids To My Show

kids

Music Industry

singer

Daily Wire Editor Emeritus <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiro-makes-huge-announcement-about-rap-future-after-dominating-the-charts">Ben Shapiro</a> has scored his first song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/they-dont-want-this-song-at-no-1-tom-macdonald-ben-shapiro-discuss-suppression-of-rap-song-facts">Facts&#8221;</a> with rapper Tom MacDonald.
The host of &#8220;The Ben Shapiro Show&#8221; and MacDonald&#8217;s rap collaboration hit the 16th spot on the Billboard chart, a first for Shapiro. The Canadian rapper MacDonald has now made the Billboard Hot 100 chart four times, but &#8220;Facts&#8221; marks his first top 40 hit, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2024/02/06/ben-shapiro-scores-his-first-billboard-chart-hit/?sh=31b193f462f8">Forbes</a> reported. Shapiro&#8217;s No. 16 spot is higher than the Billboard Hot 100 debuts of music stars including <a href="https://www.billboard.com/artist/taylor-swift/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Taylor Swift</a> who peaked at No. 40 with her debut song &#8220;Tim McGraw&#8221; in 2006, and <a href="https://www.billboard.com/artist/megan-thee-stallion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Megan Thee Stallion</a> whose single &#8220;Big Ole Freak&#8221; topped out at No. 65 in 2019.
Shapiro and MacDonald worked together on the track that takes a swipe at the insanity of things in our culture like gender identity and defunding the police. The music video &#8220;Facts&#8221; debuted on January 26, and within a very short amount of time, the song landed in the No. 1 spot on the hip-hop/rap chart and then soared to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiros-rap-debut-facts-with-tom-macdonald-becomes-1-song-in-the-country">the top</a> of the U.S. iTunes chart.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING
&#8220;FACTS&#8221; by <a href="https://twitter.com/IAMTOMMACDONALD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IAMTOMMACDONALD</a> (ft. me) has now finally dropped from the top slot on iTunes, after 10 days of pure magic.
Rap Hannukah is over.
And so, with tears in my eyes, I have another announcement to make.
To all the little homies, who have been lifting me up… <a href="https://t.co/7TpPLwtDo5">pic.twitter.com/7TpPLwtDo5</a>
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1754596765431468278?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
It remained in the No. 1 spot on iTunes for more than a week, beating out the likes of Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion, and Justin Timberlake.
&#8220;Facts&#8221; sold more than 76,000 copies in its first week, according to Luminate. As of Sunday, &#8220;Facts&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/benshapiro/status/1754116551580467270?s=20">remained</a> the top song in the U.S. 
On Monday, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiro-rap-facts-competing-for-top-spot-on-billboard-charts-tom-macdonald-suggests-music-industry-shenanigans">Shapiro</a> made headlines when he announced his retirement from the rap game after dominating the charts.
&#8220;BREAKING. &#8216;FACTS&#8217; by [Tom MacDonald]] (ft. me) has now finally dropped from the top slot on iTunes, after 10 days of pure magic,&#8221; Shapiro wrote on <a href="https://x.com/benshapiro/status/1754596765431468278?s=20">X.</a>
&#8220;Rap Hannukah is over,&#8221; he added. &#8220;And so, with tears in my eyes, I have another announcement to make. To all the little homies, who have been lifting me up since I began this journey.&#8221;
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1707325224006000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3X6FYL4CCmcFeTqKsOxXjV">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
&#8220;It was an inspiring moment,&#8221; Shapiro continued. &#8220;A musical supernova. But now the time has come for me to walk away from my art. And so today, I announce that I am retiring from rap to spend more time with my family.  It’s been real, dawgs.  And never forget: the music never dies so long as the beat is in your heart.&#8221;
At the time of publication, the music video has been viewed more than 13.5 million times on YouTube and is still the #3 top <a href="https://www.youtube.com/feed/trending?bp=4gINGgt5dG1hX2NoYXJ0cw%3D%3D" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trending song</a> on the site.
On Feb. 1, Shapiro shared a screenshot that showed his rap collab was in the top spot on iTunes music and wrote, &#8220;Day 7 of Rap Hannukah. The flame is still lit. Buy now<a href="https://music.apple.com/us/album/facts-feat-ben-shapiro-single/1727146399"> at</a> …Billboard #1, we are coming for you.&#8221;
In a press release from MacDonald, after their rap dropped, Shapiro said, &#8220;As a longtime devotee of rap, becoming a rapper was the natural next step in my career trajectory. So, when Tom asked if I wanted to collaborate on a song, I leapt at the chance.&#8221;
&#8220;This was the moment I spent 20 years of classical violin training preparing for,&#8221; he added. &#8220;For those who don’t appreciate my artistic stylings, all I can say is that they didn’t appreciate Bach properly in his own time, either.&#8221;

Ben Shapiro/Tom MacDonald

Ben Shapiro Rap Lands In Top 20 Spot On Billboard Hot 100 Chart

Ben Shapiro

Billboard

Daily Wire Editor Emeritus <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiro-rap-facts-competing-for-top-spot-on-billboard-charts-tom-macdonald-suggests-music-industry-shenanigans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Shapiro</a> definitely got everyone&#8217;s attention on Monday when he announced his retirement from the rap game after dominating the charts for more than a week.
The host of &#8220;The Ben Shapiro Show&#8221; collaborated on the music video &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/they-dont-want-this-song-at-no-1-tom-macdonald-ben-shapiro-discuss-suppression-of-rap-song-facts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facts</a>&#8221; with Canadian wrestler-turned-rapper Tom MacDonald in a song that takes a swipe at the insanity of things in our culture like gender identity and defunding the police.
It ended up rocketing up the charts. quickly becoming the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiros-rap-debut-facts-with-tom-macdonald-becomes-1-song-in-the-country">number one song</a> in the country and topping the hip-hop/rap category on the iTunes charts. As of Sunday, &#8220;Facts&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/benshapiro/status/1754116551580467270?s=20">remained</a> the top song in the U.S.
&#8220;BREAKING. &#8216;FACTS&#8217; by [Tom MacDonald]] (ft. me) has now finally dropped from the top slot on iTunes, after 10 days of pure magic,&#8221; Shapiro wrote on <a href="https://x.com/benshapiro/status/1754596765431468278?s=20">X.</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING
&#8220;FACTS&#8221; by <a href="https://twitter.com/IAMTOMMACDONALD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IAMTOMMACDONALD</a> (ft. me) has now finally dropped from the top slot on iTunes, after 10 days of pure magic.
Rap Hannukah is over.
And so, with tears in my eyes, I have another announcement to make.
To all the little homies, who have been lifting me up… <a href="https://t.co/7TpPLwtDo5">pic.twitter.com/7TpPLwtDo5</a>
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1754596765431468278?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
&#8220;Rap Hannukah is over,&#8221; he added. &#8220;And so, with tears in my eyes, I have another announcement to make. To all the little homies, who have been lifting me up since I began this journey.&#8221;
&#8220;It was an inspiring moment,&#8221; Shapiro continued. &#8220;A musical supernova. But now the time has come for me to walk away from my art. And so today, I announce that I am retiring from rap to spend more time with my family.  It&#8217;s been real, dawgs.  And never forget: the music never dies so long as the beat is in your heart.&#8221;
Shapiro and MacDonald blew up the music industry after topping the charts with their<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiro-debuts-rap-video-with-tom-macdonald"> rap collaboration</a>.  The music video dropped on the morning of Jan. 26 and by mid-day, &#8220;Facts&#8221; was generating headlines, not only for topping the hip-hop/rap chart, beating out the likes of Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion, but because it soon became the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiros-rap-debut-facts-with-tom-macdonald-becomes-1-song-in-the-country">number one song</a> in the country on the iTunes chart.
At the time of this piece, the music video has been viewed more than 13 million times on YouTube and is still #3 top trending song on the site.
On Feb. 1, Shapiro shared a screenshot that showed his rap collab was in the top spot on iTunes music and wrote, &#8220;Day 7 of Rap Hannukah. The flame is still lit. Buy now<a href="https://music.apple.com/us/album/facts-feat-ben-shapiro-single/1727146399"> at</a> …Billboard #1, we are coming for you.&#8221;
In a press release from MacDonald after their rap dropped Shapiro said, &#8220;As a longtime devotee of rap, becoming a rapper was the natural next step in my career trajectory. So, when Tom asked if I wanted to collaborate on a song, I leapt at the chance.&#8221;
&#8220;This was the moment I spent 20 years of classical violin training preparing for,&#8221; he added. &#8220;For those who don&#8217;t appreciate my artistic stylings, all I can say is that they didn&#8217;t appreciate Bach properly in his own time, either.&#8221;

Ben Shapiro Makes Huge Announcement About Rap Future After Dominating The Charts

Daily Wire

The Ben Shapiro Show

81st Annual Golden Globe Awards – Press Room

Our Favorite Entertainment Stories Of January 2024

Jason Kelce

Jeremy Renner

Marvel

Readers Pass

Ricky Gervais

Sound of freedom

Taylor Swift

The Chosen

Travis Kelce

Major players in the music industry are suppressing independent artist Tom MacDonald and his new song “Facts” featuring Daily Wire editor emeritus Ben Shapiro, according to MacDonald.
The rapper posted a video to his social media on Sunday accusing the music distribution company TuneCore as well as YouTube of suppressing “Facts,” described by MacDonald as a takedown of establishment and mainstream media “sacred cows.”
“This is how the music industry screws independent artists. Whether you like me or hate me or think my music is awesome or think it’s trash, I don’t care,” began MacDonald. “I just dropped a new video and a new song called ‘Facts’ with Ben Shapiro. TuneCore, a distribution company for independent artists, refused to release the song because of ‘lyrical content.’ Now, YouTube is screwing with us on the trending charts,”
MacDonald showed a screenshot of rapper Megan Thee Stallion in the top trending spot on YouTube, with “Facts” behind at number two.
“Our video has over a million more views than hers in the same time frame. Our video also has over 30,000 more comments in the same time frame,” explained MacDonald. “How is Megan Thee Stallion still number one? Because the industry wants you to listen to manufactured bulls*** and they don’t want you listening to ‘controversial music.’ That’s the music industry.”
“So, if you want to help us beat the machine, again, <a href="https://t.co/4wNCC4iEtH" target="_blank" rel="noopener">head to iTunes</a>, head to Amazon, download our new song ‘Facts’ by Tom MacDonald and Ben Shapiro and maybe go drop a bunch of comments on our music video. Love y’all, appreciate the help. Get those downloads in, let’s go,” he added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
MAKE IT MAKE SENSE. To the folks who decide to help us out &#8211; thank you. 
iTunes: <a href="https://t.co/4wNCC4iEtH">https://t.co/4wNCC4iEtH</a>
Amazon: <a href="https://t.co/iD4Cfb8joB">https://t.co/iD4Cfb8joB</a>
Video: <a href="https://t.co/5AAG3NI0rs">https://t.co/5AAG3NI0rs</a> <a href="https://t.co/6sFs98ySle">pic.twitter.com/6sFs98ySle</a>
&mdash; Tom MacDonald (@IAMTOMMACDONALD) <a href="https://twitter.com/IAMTOMMACDONALD/status/1751676537865421020?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
MacDonald and Shapiro, a longtime critic of rap as a genre of music, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiro-debuts-rap-video-with-tom-macdonald" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released</a> the new single on Friday. Hours after the release, “Facts” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiros-rap-debut-facts-with-tom-macdonald-becomes-1-song-in-the-country" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climbed</a> the charts on iTunes to become the top song in the United States.
“I just want to thank God, [Tom MacDonald], and my parents, who paid for 15 years of classical violin lessons so I could become the #1 rapper in America,” Shapiro posted on X after “Facts” hit number one.
“As a longtime devotee of rap, becoming a rapper was the natural next step in my career trajectory,” Shapiro said. “So, when Tom asked if I wanted to collaborate on a song, I leapt at the chance. This was the moment I spent 20 years of classical violin training preparing for. For those who don’t appreciate my artistic stylings, all I can say is that they didn’t appreciate Bach properly in his own time, either.”
“I like to do things nobody else can do,” MacDonald said after releasing “Facts.” “Not everybody can get Ben Shapiro on a track. For someone who had never recorded a rap song before, he got in the studio and nailed it. We’ve both criticized the status quo of hip-hop, so it made sense. There is a good intention at the heart of ‘Facts.’ There is light.”

Tom MacDonald Says Big Tech Suppressing New Rap With Ben Shapiro: ‘The Industry Wants You To Listen To Manufactured Bulls***’

The Daily Wire

Daily Wire host <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michael-knowles-praises-enduring-boycott-of-bud-light-says-message-has-been-sent-to-woke-corporations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Knowles</a> hilariously reacted to Daily Wire Editor Emeritus <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiro-debuts-rap-video-with-tom-macdonald" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Shapiro&#8217;</a>s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kGpohEpuTE">video</a> with Canadian rapper Tom MacDonald.
In a YouTube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A-ElSH8svg">video</a> posted shortly after Shapiro&#8217;s music video &#8220;<a href="https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/facts-feat-ben-shapiro-single/1727146399?ls=1&amp;app=itunes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facts</a>&#8221; dropped, Knowles told his audience he was seeing it for the first time.
At first, he didn&#8217;t seem to notice Shapiro, who was wearing a gray hoodie and standing right next to MacDonald, but Knowles got a big laugh after MacDonald said &#8220;I ask myself what would Ben do,&#8221; and Shapiro&#8217;s image then appeared on several TV screens.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Blind REACTION To &quot;FACTS&quot; By Tom MacDonald &amp; Ben Shapiro" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1A-ElSH8svg?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&#8220;Stop it. No. Get out!&#8221; Knowles said once Shapiro started to rap lines like, &#8220;Let&#8217;s look at the stats. I&#8217;ve got the facts. My money&#8217;s like Lizzo, my pockets are fat&#8221; and &#8220;It&#8217;s a yarmulke homie, no cap.&#8221;
<a href="https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/facts-feat-ben-shapiro-single/1727146399?ls=1&amp;app=itunes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DOWNLOAD &#8216;FACTS&#8217; ON iTUNES</a>
&#8220;Was this AI (Artificial Intelligence) or is this real? Ben Shapiro is not rapping. This is real?&#8221; Knowles asked in apparent disbelief.
&#8220;Man, they kept this a secret, including to me? That&#8217;s amazing. Keep going,&#8221; he added, as he continued to laugh and enjoy the video.
&#8220;It&#8217;s pretty good,&#8221; Knowles continued, calling it a &#8220;very convincing rap performance&#8221; by Shapiro. &#8220;I guess Ben naturally has an inclination to be a rapper because he talks so fast. I can barely understand him half the time we&#8217;re having a conversation.&#8221;
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1706370777182000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1rZs278QeRErxuxwtCwcq8">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
The host of &#8220;The Michael Knowles Show&#8221; then wondered out loud who wrote it and called the rap the &#8220;punchline to the&#8221; <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiro-thug-life-reaches-halls-congress-hank-berrien" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Shapiro Thug Life</a> arc, a persona that started eight years ago.
&#8220;It took eight years but we finally got the punchline,&#8221; Knowles said. &#8220;This is really good. This is really, really funny.&#8221;
At the end of the reaction clip, Knowles took a call from MacDonald, who called on followers to help give Shapiro his first number one rap song on the Billboard charts by heading over to <a href="https://music.apple.com/us/album/facts-feat-ben-shapiro-single/1727146399" target="_blank" rel="noopener">iTunes</a> and Amazon to download the song. Later in the day, &#8220;Facts&#8221; <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiros-rap-debut-facts-with-tom-macdonald-becomes-1-song-in-the-country" target="_blank" rel="noopener">became the #1 song in America</a>, passing top artists on the iTunes charts such as Megan Thee Stallion, Nikki Minaj, Eminem, Justin Timberlake, and Taylor Swift.

MixCollage-29-Nov-2023-04-02-PM-8528

‘Is This Real?’: Michael Knowles Reacts To Ben Shapiro Rap Video With Tom MacDonald

Michael Knowles

music video

The Michael Knowles Show

Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro and rapper Tom MacDonald hit the #1 overall spot on the iTunes charts just hours after releasing their song &#8220;<a href="https://music.apple.com/us/album/facts-feat-ben-shapiro-single/1727146399?ls=1&amp;app=itunes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facts</a>&#8221; on Friday.
&#8220;<a href="https://music.apple.com/us/album/facts-feat-ben-shapiro-single/1727146399?ls=1&amp;app=itunes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facts</a>&#8221; climbed the iTunes charts quickly after its release as Shapiro and MacDonald also started trending on X. The song, which goes after the establishment and mainstream media “sacred cows,” also hit the #1 spot on the hip-hop/rap chart, passing up top artists such as Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, and Eminem. Shapiro and MacDonald&#8217;s &#8220;Facts&#8221; is “quotable verbal crossfire,” according to a press release from MacDonald.
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/1727146399?ls=1&amp;app=itunes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DOWNLOAD ‘FACTS’ ON iTUNES</a>
&#8220;We&#8217;re now #1 overall on iTunes, too,&#8221; Shapiro <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1750979829472665974" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a>. &#8220;On the way, we knocked off, among others, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, Eminem, and Taylor Swift.&#8221; <a class="css-1qaijid r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0 r-poiln3 r-1loqt21" dir="ltr" role="link" href="https://twitter.com/IAMTOMMACDONALD">@IAMTOMMACDONALD</a> and I have officially made hip-hop great again, as was always my lifelong dream.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<a href="https://t.co/fBf4LE1I9N">pic.twitter.com/fBf4LE1I9N</a>
&mdash; Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1750979876029624476?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
After becoming the #1 hip-hop/rap song in the U.S., Shapiro posted on X, &#8220;I just want to thank God, [Tom MacDonald], and my parents, who paid for 15 years of classical violin lessons so I could become the #1 rapper in America.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I just want to thank God, <a href="https://twitter.com/IAMTOMMACDONALD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IAMTOMMACDONALD</a>, and my parents, who paid for 15 years of classical violin lessons so I could become the #1 rapper in America. <a href="https://t.co/rrMGzh5N7h">pic.twitter.com/rrMGzh5N7h</a>
&mdash; Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1750977386676711740?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“As a longtime devotee of rap, becoming a rapper was the natural next step in my career trajectory,” Shapiro said. “So, when Tom asked if I wanted to collaborate on a song, I leapt at the chance. This was the moment I spent 20 years of classical violin training preparing for. For those who don’t appreciate my artistic stylings, all I can say is that they didn’t appreciate Bach properly in his own time, either.”
“I like to do things nobody else can do,” MacDonald said after releasing “Facts.” “Not everybody can get Ben Shapiro on a track. For someone who had never recorded a rap song before, he got in the studio and nailed it. We’ve both criticized the status quo of hip-hop, so it made sense. There is a good intention at the heart of ‘Facts.’ There is light.”
The collaborative effort between Shapiro and MacDonald came as a shock to many who had just watched Shapiro’s recent interview with podcaster Lex Fridman, during which he argued that rap was not really music — but that he could potentially be convinced otherwise.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/lexfridman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lexfridman</a> asks <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@benshapiro</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOmniLiberal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheOmniLiberal</a> if rap music is bad
Ben: Absolutely. <a href="https://t.co/n22FbYiT8I">pic.twitter.com/n22FbYiT8I</a>
&mdash; Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1749856779427631535?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Virginia Kruta contributed to this report.

‘Facts’ #1 Song in America

Ben Shapiro’s Rap Debut ‘Facts’ With Tom MacDonald Becomes #1 Song In The Country

Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro dropped a rap music video on Friday morning, a joint effort with Canadian wrestler-turned-rapper Tom MacDonald.
Yes, you read that right — but it bears repeating: Ben Shapiro released a rap video with Tom MacDonald. The song, called <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/1727146399?ls=1&amp;app=itunes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Facts,”</a> goes after the establishment and mainstream media “sacred cows,” which get taken down by Shapiro and MacDonald in a “quotable verbal crossfire,” according to a press release from MacDonald. 
“As a longtime devotee of rap, becoming a rapper was the natural next step in my career trajectory,” Shapiro said. “So, when Tom asked if I wanted to collaborate on a song, I leapt at the chance. This was the moment I spent 20 years of classical violin training preparing for. For those who don’t appreciate my artistic stylings, all I can say is that they didn’t appreciate Bach properly in his own time, either.” 
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/1727146399?ls=1&amp;app=itunes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DOWNLOAD &#8216;FACTS&#8217; ON iTUNES</a>
Shortly after its release, the Shapiro/MacDonald song was charting at #5 overall, above hits from top artists such as Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/tommacdonald?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TomMacDonald</a> has now brought the magic of my flow to the world. And the iTunes store now properly has us charting above Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa. <a href="https://t.co/GLCEamHanf">pic.twitter.com/GLCEamHanf</a>
&mdash; Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1750933859057782880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/1727146399?ls=1&amp;app=itunes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Facts”</a> also reached #2 on the iTunes rap chart ahead of Nikki Minaj and Doja Cat. “Hey, @NICKIMINAJ, it&#8217;s great to join you atop the iTunes rap charts,” Shapiro posted. “Sorry, correction, you&#8217;re a few slots lower.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Hey, <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NICKIMINAJ</a>, it&#39;s great to join you atop the iTunes rap charts. Sorry, correction, you&#39;re a few slots lower. <a href="https://t.co/6XXou5Znge">pic.twitter.com/6XXou5Znge</a>
&mdash; Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1750937601433813289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I like to do things nobody else can do,&#8221; MacDonald said after releasing &#8220;Facts.&#8221; &#8220;Not everybody can get Ben Shapiro on a track. For someone who had never recorded a rap song before, he got in the studio and nailed it. We&#8217;ve both criticized the status quo of hip-hop, so it made sense. There is a good intention at the heart of &#8216;Facts.&#8217; There is light.&#8221;
MacDonald teased the unlikely pairing in a video posted to X on Wednesday, captioning the brief video, &#8220;Who&#8217;s ready for something absolutely INSANE?! Friday 9 AM! Let&#8217;s go!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Who’s ready for something absolutely INSANE?! Friday 9 AM! Lets go! <a href="https://t.co/5zES9s7LQe">pic.twitter.com/5zES9s7LQe</a>
&mdash; Tom MacDonald (@IAMTOMMACDONALD) <a href="https://twitter.com/IAMTOMMACDONALD/status/1750205006849171530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
While a number accused MacDonald of &#8220;selling out&#8221; in the comments, some joked about how Shapiro&#8217;s notoriously fast style of speaking would actually work in his favor in the rap genre.
&#8220;Can you imagine Ben Shapiro pulling a Rap God? He could probably spit 200 bars in 12 seconds,&#8221; one joked.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Lots of people seem to be REALLY mad that I’m dropping a song with Ben Shapiro on Friday.
To those who I’ve upset, I’d just like to say…
There isn’t a metric small enough to measure how little I care ❤️ 
To the folks who are excited…2 sleeps till Friday!!
&mdash; Tom MacDonald (@IAMTOMMACDONALD) <a href="https://twitter.com/IAMTOMMACDONALD/status/1750341025326084117?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
MacDonald followed the initial announcement with a nod to the haters, saying, &#8220;Lots of people seem to be REALLY mad that I’m dropping a song with Ben Shapiro on Friday. To those who I’ve upset, I’d just like to say … There isn’t a metric small enough to measure how little I care. To the folks who are excited … 2 sleeps till Friday!!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Lots of people seem to be REALLY mad that I’m dropping a song with Ben Shapiro on Friday.
To those who I’ve upset, I’d just like to say…
There isn’t a metric small enough to measure how little I care ❤️ 
To the folks who are excited…2 sleeps till Friday!!
&mdash; Tom MacDonald (@IAMTOMMACDONALD) <a href="https://twitter.com/IAMTOMMACDONALD/status/1750341025326084117?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
For good measure, MacDonald added a promotional graphic. &#8220;Tomorrow at 9 AM! Who’s ready for a crazy music video?!&#8221;
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Tomorrow at 9 AM! Who’s ready for a crazy music video?! 👀 <a href="https://t.co/eWpap4Zs5b">pic.twitter.com/eWpap4Zs5b</a>
&mdash; Tom MacDonald (@IAMTOMMACDONALD) <a href="https://twitter.com/IAMTOMMACDONALD/status/1750565134236307963?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The collaborative effort came as a shock to many who had just watched Shapiro&#8217;s recent interview with podcaster Lex Fridman, during which he argued that rap was not really music — but that he could potentially be convinced otherwise.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/lexfridman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lexfridman</a> asks <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@benshapiro</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOmniLiberal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheOmniLiberal</a> if rap music is bad
Ben: Absolutely. <a href="https://t.co/n22FbYiT8I">pic.twitter.com/n22FbYiT8I</a>
&mdash; Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1749856779427631535?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Shapiro&#8217;s argument was that music — at least, classically speaking — has three key components: rhythm, melody, and harmony. And by his assessment, rap typically only had maybe one of the three.

Ben Shapiro Debuts Rap Video With Tom MacDonald

Sean &#8220;Diddy&#8221; Combs has been named in a fourth lawsuit on Wednesday that accuses the hip-hop billionaire mogul of sex trafficking and gang-raping a teenage girl with two other men in a New York City recording studio 20 years ago.
In the latest complaint filed in Federal District Court in Manhattan, an unidentified woman <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/06/arts/music/sean-combs-diddy-rape-lawsuit.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> alleges two associates of Combs — Harve Pierre, a former longtime president of his record label, and an unnamed individual — met her when she was only 17 years old at a lounge in the Detroit area before flying her on a private plane to New York in 2003.
&#8220;Mr. Combs convinced Ms. Doe, who was half his age at the time, to accompany Mr. Pierre and the Third Assailant on a private jet to come to his studio in New York City,&#8221; the suit alleges.
After arriving, the lawsuit <a href="https://ew.com/sean-diddy-combs-accused-rape-fourth-lawsuit-8411486" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> Combs and the two associates &#8220;plied&#8221; her with copious amounts of drugs and alcohol and took turns raping her as she drifted &#8220;in and out of consciousness.&#8221; Following the alleged assaults, the complaint states she &#8220;fell into the fetal position and lay on the floor&#8221; before the group of men sent her on a plane back to Michigan.
&#8220;As alleged in the complaint, defendants preyed on a vulnerable high school teenager as part of a sex trafficking scheme that involved plying her with drugs and alcohol and transporting her by private jet to New York City where she was gang raped by the three individual defendants at Mr. Combs&#8217; studio,&#8221; Douglas H. Wigdor, an attorney for the woman, said in a statement. &#8220;The depravity of these abhorrent acts has, not surprisingly, scarred our client for life.&#8221;
The suit also names Daddy&#8217;s House Recordings, a studio owned and operated by Combs, and Bad Boy Entertainment, the record label Combs founded in 1993, as defendants.
The plaintiff is reportedly seeking injunctive, declaratory, and monetary relief in the lawsuit, which she filed under the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law that gives adults of alleged sexual assault to seek civil damages for sexual battery until March 1, 2025.
Combs, who began his career as an intern at Uptown Records in the early 1990s before starting his own label that produced big-name acts such as The Notorious B.I.G., became one of the most successful entrepreneurs and cultural icons of all time.
But after decades of influence and innovation, the struggle to preserve his name and legacy continues to spiral downward as rumors swirl about Combs, who now has four lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault stacked up against him.
&#8220;Enough is enough,&#8221; Combs said in a statement on social media. &#8220;For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy. Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<a href="https://t.co/GpxzhBDWMw">pic.twitter.com/GpxzhBDWMw</a>
&mdash; LOVE (@Diddy) <a href="https://twitter.com/Diddy/status/1732457807255847165?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The explosive allegations were first unveiled in November by R&amp;B singer Cassie — real name Casandra Ventura.
Ventura, who was previously romantically involved with Combs and recorded under his label, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sean-diddy-combs-accused-of-rape" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accused</a> him of rape and abuse that spanned more than ten years in a lawsuit filed in Manhattan&#8217;s Federal District Court.
Ventura alleged that Combs had used &#8220;copious amounts of drugs&#8221; — naming ecstasy and ketamine, among others — to control, beat, and film her performing sex acts with male prostitutes against her will. She said that she had refrained from involving police because she worried it &#8220;would merely give Mr. Combs another excuse to hurt her.&#8221;
Combs and Ventura settled the lawsuit approximately 24 hours after it was filed. The details of the settlement were not publicly shared.
Ben Brafman, a lawyer for Combs, said the settlement was &#8220;in no way an admission of wrongdoing.&#8221;
But Cassie&#8217;s lawsuit signaled what appeared to be the tip of the iceberg of more accusations to follow.
Days later, two more lawsuits were <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/sean-diddy-combs-accused-gang-rape-sex-trafficking-new-lawsuit-rcna128361" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> filed by Liza Gardner and Joie Dickerson-Nea, who also alleged in their complaints that Combs sexually assaulted them.
Combs has denied all of the allegations in each lawsuit.
Virginia Kruta contributed to this report.

NEW YORK, NY –  MARCH 30, 2016: Sean Combs in the Sean Combs En

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Accused Of Sex Trafficking, Raping Teenage Girl In Fourth Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Sean 'Diddy' Combs Accused Of Raping Teenage Girl In Fourth Sexual Assault Lawsuit 

Hip Hop

New York

Sexual Assault

Menu

Rap