CBS News reports that the charge grew out of a January 2025 stop in Sterling Heights. Police initially encountered the rapper, whose legal name is Casada Sorrell, while checking a Dodge Ram near Mound Road and 18 Mile Road. Officers learned he had an outstanding warrant connected to an earlier driving-while-unlicensed case and took him into custody. Police said an officer then noticed suspected contraband inside the vehicle.

That discovery eventually became a separate criminal case. Prosecutors alleged that a bag found in the driver’s-side door contained pills with oxycodone hydrochloride and acetaminophen. They said Sorrell did not have a valid prescription for the medication. Authorities sought another arrest warrant in connection with the drug charge, and he was taken into custody again in April 2025.

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Read More: Sada Baby Alleges He’s Being “Targeted” And Drops Merch Featuring Viral Mugshot

Avoiding Jail Time

Sorrell entered his no-contest plea in Macomb County Circuit Court in March. Court records at the time showed that he had requested to resolve the case through the county’s drug court program. His sentencing ultimately resulted in the six-month probation term announced this week.

The case unfolded as Sada Baby continued to maintain the career he built in Detroit’s Rap scene. He broke through nationally with records including “Bloxk Party” and later “Whole Lotta Choppas,” the latter becoming his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 after its 2020 remix with Nicki Minaj.

With sentencing complete, Sorrell will serve six months under probation supervision in Macomb County. Prosecutors did not announce any additional jail sentence beyond the three days for which he received credit.

The post Sada Baby Sentenced To Six Months Probation In Drug Case appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

“The weird thing is how Rap’s fallen off the charts. It’s because USAID got defunded,” Rogan said. He claimed the agency had funded “radical, anti-government rappers overseas” as part of efforts aimed at political change. His comments arrive during a genuine shift in the charts, where country music has enjoyed an unusually strong crossover run and Hip Hop has not occupied the same space it did at its commercial peak.

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Read More: Hip-Hop Artists We Need On The Joe Rogan Experience

More About USAID

The agency Rogan referenced was dramatically reduced under President Donald Trump. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in March 2025 that more than 80 percent of USAID programs had been canceled after an administration review. The government later moved to fold much of the agency’s remaining work into the State Department. Those cuts affected foreign-assistance programs around the world, but no evidence has emerged linking them to Hip Hop’s performance on the Billboard charts.

However, Rap’s commercial position has been changing for reasons the industry has been tracking for several years. In October 2025, the Billboard Hot 100 went without a Rap song in its Top 40 for the first time since 1990. That milestone was partly affected by Billboard’s recurrent chart rules, but it also reflected a broader decline in the genre’s market share relative to its late-2010s and early-2020s dominance.

Country’s current Hot 100 strength has made that shift especially visible. Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” has spent much of 2026 at No. 1, while country and Western-influenced records have occupied an unusually large portion of the chart’s upper ranks. That success gives Rogan a real trend to point toward. What remains unsupported is his explanation for it—USAID’s documented involvement with foreign artists does not show that the agency was propping up American Hip Hop, much less that its dismantling caused Rap records to lose ground.

The post Joe Rogan Says Hip Hop Fell Off Because “USAID Got Defunded” appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

“I know the Tupac trial may be entertaining to some, but for the people who actually lived through it, it brings back a lot of trauma,” Knight Jr. wrote. “It changed a lot of families’ lives, and we all had things we had to overcome because of it.” He did not offer an opinion about Davis’ guilt or the prosecution’s case. Instead, he added, “I just pray for justice for everyone involved. God bless. Keep going.”

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Suge Knight Was The Only Person In The Vehicle With Tupac

His family’s connection to the case is direct. Suge Knight was driving the BMW when gunfire struck the vehicle near Flamingo Road and Koval Lane in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996. Knight survived, while Shakur died six days later. He remains one of the most important living witnesses to the attack, though he has repeatedly indicated that he has no interest in helping prosecutors secure a conviction against Davis. Knight has also publicly questioned parts of the state’s case as the trial has unfolded.

That history has taken on new weight as testimony revisits events that have been debated outside a courtroom for years. Jurors have heard accounts concerning the MGM Grand fight that preceded the shooting and the gang conflict prosecutors say followed. Witnesses have also been questioned about Death Row Records, Shakur’s final hours, and statements Davis made about the killing over the years. Davis has pleaded not guilty and maintains that stories he told publicly about the murder were exaggerated rather than truthful admissions.

The trial against Davis remains underway in Clark County District Court. Prosecutors accuse him of helping organize the retaliatory attack that killed Shakur, while the defense is challenging the reliability of statements he made about the shooting years later.

The post Suge Knight’s Son Says Tupac Trial Is Reopening Old Trauma appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

According to alleged court documents reportedly obtained by RadarOnline, the Shakur family accused Keefe of ordering his crew to keep quiet after the murder and arranging the fallout from the Las Vegas attack in 1996. The allegations reportedly appear in the lawsuit, which comes from Mopreme as the administrator of Mutulu Shakur’s estate, ‘Pac’s late stepfather.

Per the report, the complaint cites grand jury testimony claiming Keefe D warned his nephew Orlando Anderson to refrain from telling anyone what happened that night. Also, it claims Keefe directed his crew regarding how to deal with a ten-day conflict between the Mob Piru Bloods and the South Side Compton Crips.

Read More: What Happened To Ailea Brown? Inside The Missing Case & New Legal Developments

Keefe D’s Tupac Allegations

In addition, the lawsuit reportedly claims Keefe D’s retellings of the Tupac murder over the past decades has also obfuscated the truth of what happened. It reportedly alleged he gave inconsistent versions of the shooting to shift blame and obscure the alleged roles of the alleged perpetrators. Also, it claims Keefe’s 2008 proffer with the Los Angeles Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation wasn’t available to the Shakur family and the public due to confidentiality.

The filing reportedly says he walked back his admissions after his arrest. Now, the Shakur family believes this alleged cover-up and silence is a big part of why no one has solved the murder in court.

We will see if any of this is relevant regarding Keefe D’s active Tupac case. The wrongful death lawsuit emerged earlier this year.

Tupac’s family is not confident in justice, and a huge reason why is how this became a myth in hip-hop and beyond. But this case has opened up a lot more that the court will not be able to address. As such, things could still be very complicated even after a verdict comes down.

Read More: Rapsody’s Growth As An Emcee, Told Through 10 Songs

The post Tupac’s Family Accuses Keefe D Of Ordering Crew To Keep Murder Quiet appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

DJ Akademiks shared a video from Trap Lore Ross on Instagram, who is on the ground at Los Angeles covering the Durk trial. He claimed Judge Fitzgerald scolded fans for passing out “Free Durk” postcards in the courtroom.

Ross said the judge was “furious” over this, speculating someone must have told the judge about the fans in the courtroom. He showed the postcards in question, and he himself recalled how he received them from Durk supporters in the courtroom. They also reportedly showed a “Free Durk” magazine around about the case, saying there would be more copies soon.

Judge Fitzgerald blasted these folks for disseminating public opinion inside the courtroom, which is not supposed to happen. He reportedly called this “grossly improper” regarding the jury selection process, warning supporters about potential prosecution for contempt of court.

Also, Judge Fitzgerald reportedly said he would do the same if it was Lul Pab’s family and supporters engaging in similar behavior. Lul Pab is the deceased victim of a 2022 Los Angeles shooting that injured his cousin Quando Rondo, and prosecutors are accusing the Chicago rapper of being the one responsible for the attack.

Read More: What Happened To Ailea Brown? Inside The Missing Case & New Legal Developments

How Much Time Is Lil Durk Facing?

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If convicted, Lil Durk faces life in prison for the murder-for-hire of Lul Pab and the alleged attempted hit on Quando Rondo. He and his codefendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

As for the aforementioned jury selection delay, this is because a prospective juror said Durk and his codefendants looked guilty. The search for an impartial jury has been more complex and lengthy than folks expected.

Meanwhile, debates over evidence in the case, such as music and other artistic material, continue to emerge. All these matters over supporters in court, jurors, and media conflicts are just building up to the trial itself.

Read More: Rapsody’s Growth As An Emcee, Told Through 10 Songs

The post Judge Scolds Lil Durk Fans For Giving “Free Durk” Postcards In Courtroom appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

According to Politico, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was asked yesterday (Thursday, August 20) whether or not Putin will meet Kanye for this tour visit. “This isn’t our topic,” Peskov reportedly stated to reporters. “This isn’t Mosconcert, this is the presidential administration.”

For those unaware, the Chicago artist is reportedly facing pressure to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ahead of his concerts in St. Petersburg. Politician Nikolay Novichkov warned the concerts could face cancelation if Ye doesn’t publicly show “moral support for Russia and the special military operation” in Ukraine.

Also, conservative lawmaker Vitaly Milonov asked for Kanye West to perform traditional Russian songs during his performances. Milonov posited Ye may refrain from his “disgusting antics” and become a “normal person” in the future if he does so.

Read More: What Happened To Ailea Brown? Inside The Missing Case & New Legal Developments

Kanye West’s Concerts

Previously, Kanye West’s concerts have faced similar controversy. Much like the backlash in Russia, authorities in the United Kingdom, Slovakia, France, Poland, Italy, and the Czech Republic canceled or prohibited Ye performances for various reasons. Much of it is his antisemitism and other forms of bigotry, although other cancelations have been for external factors apart from sociopolitical controversy.

Whether or not the Yeezy mogul meets with Vladimir Putin or the Kremlin, any association regarding the conflict with Ukraine will also cause debate in either direction. So things could get a lot more complicated for him.

Regardless, Kanye West is pressing on with new material and presumably hopes to treat as many fans worldwide as possible to performances. Now, all that’s left to see is whether any logistical or state-related issues hinder the path to the October shows’ execution.

If the shows go by as planned, Ye would become one of the biggest Western stars on the planet to perform in Russia since the Ukraine invasion began in 2022.

Read More: Rapsody’s Growth As An Emcee, Told Through 10 Songs

The post Kremlin Reveals If Kanye West Will Meet Vladimir Putin In Russia appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

According to an exclusive AllHipHop report from Grouchy Greg Watkins, a male prospective juror said Durk and his codefendants looked guilty, thus stating he could not view them fairly. This man, juror number 18, reportedly said just looking at the codefendants made him feel like they were guilty, despite not yet hearing either side’s arguments.

Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald reportedly removed juror number 18 from the pool, which includes roughly 80 prospective jurors. This jury selection process opened official court proceedings in this case yesterday (Thursday, August 20).

Reportedly, it’s been going slower than expected today, and only about 40 percent of prospective jurors have been evaluated by the court so far. As such, having opening statements today seems unlikely, unless things move much more rapidly as of writing this article.

In order for testimony and opening statements to begin, the federal court must seat 12 impartial jurors and four alternates. We will see when this process will end next week.

Read More: What Happened To Ailea Brown? Inside The Missing Case & New Legal Developments

Why Did Lil Durk Get Arrested?

For those unaware, Lil Durk faces several murder-for-hire-related charges, to which he and his codefendants have pleaded not guilty. Durk is at the center of prosecutors’ allegations, which are that he arranged for a hit on Quando Rondo’s life.

Rondo faced a shooting in Los Angeles in 2022 that took the life of his cousin, Lul Pab. Prosecutors also accused The Voice of another murder plot in Chicago, but the judge separated those allegations from this L.A. case.

Elsewhere, folks speaking out about the Lil Durk trial have brought up other criminal accusations tied to his name. For example, the mother of FBG Duck recently addressed the trial. She had accused him, OTF, and others of having something to do with the murder of her son.

But that has nothing to do with this federal case. For now, progress seems slow while the court finds its impartial jury.

Read More: Rapsody’s Growth As An Emcee, Told Through 10 Songs

The post Lil Durk Trial’s Jury Selection Hits A Snag Due To Juror Saying He Looks Guilty appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

According to TMZ, a Los Angeles judge ruled Avila can collect Breezy’s “R&B” tour money in order to satisfy the judgement in her favor. Per reported court documents, the judge granted a request for her to assign money he gets in royalties and tour income to her judgement.

Chris Brown previously objected to this move, with he and his legal team claiming this is an overwhelmingly broad push. Also, they alleged the $13 million judgement is well beyond what the law indicates as appropriate damages. Now, we will see if they choose to challenge this approval directly in court. Otherwise, their arguments could form part of their wider attempt to overturn this verdict and secure a new trial.

Read More: What Happened To Ailea Brown? Inside The Missing Case & New Legal Developments

Chris Brown’s Housekeeper

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For those unaware, Chris Brown’s opposition to his former housekeeper’s judgement stems from a few reasons. Firstly, he and his legal team accused Maria Avila’s lawyer of tainting the jury by making him answer questions about his abuse of Rihanna during a cross-examination in court. The singer’s lawyers called this question “inherently inflammatory” and scolded the court for not mitigating potential prejudicial impact.

In addition, Brown and his legal team pointed to other alleged factors that hindered his right to a fair trial. These include allegedly insufficient findings proving innocence, alleged procedural irregularities, and alleged jury misconduct.

As for this wider appeal, the court still has to rule on these motions. But when it comes to the Usher tour money, it seems like Maria Avila has the green light to collect it in the meantime.

We will see what the next step in this legal saga is, whether an appeals court sides against or in favor of Breezy. In any case, the “R&B” tour will keep running for a long time.

Read More: Rapsody’s Growth As An Emcee, Told Through 10 Songs

The post Chris Brown’s Dog Attack Victim Allowed To Collect Usher Tour’s Profits appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Game referenced K.Dot multiple times throughout his new album The Documentary 3, which includes a Drake feature and a lot of Los Angeles love. Some fans took these references as just that, whereas others think the Compton MC is lyrically going at his Compton counterpart.

As for the music executive, Wack spoke to DJ Akademiks during Ak’s livestream, as caught by Cousin Tino on Twitter. During their conversation, Akademiks refused to believe Wack 100’s claims about the two L.A. MCs having plans to meet in the studio just a few days from now.

“Game don’t do no sneak-dissing. When he say something, he gon’ say it,” Wack expressed. “Top Dawg killed that s**t two weeks ago. [A beef] ain’t gon’ happen… Kendrick is gon’ be in the studio with Game in three days.”

DJ Akademiks didn’t believe this and even wanted to bet against it, but Wack 100 pressed on. The only way to know for sure is to wait a few days and see if we get any footage or releases…

Read More: What Happened To Ailea Brown? Inside The Missing Case & New Legal Developments

The Game Responds To Kendrick Lamar Rumors

The most important thing to note about all of this is The Game responding to this Kendrick Lamar speculation. He reacted via Instagram to a social media user calling him out for allegedly dissing the pgLang creative and calling for more L.A. unity. “Ain’t diss nobody on that song loud fa nuthin ahhhh [ninja emoji],” the West Coast lyricist wrote.

Kendrick Lamar’s affiliates have also denied beef with The Game, whether it’s by claiming he didn’t diss Lamar on this new material or downplaying any serious tension between him and TDE. Still, there are a lot of mixed signals, and many fans still aren’t convinced.

At this point, we don’t know what it would take for this to die down. But a studio session between Game and Kendrick seems like the best bet.

Read More: Rapsody’s Growth As An Emcee, Told Through 10 Songs

The post Wack 100 Claims Kendrick Lamar Will Hit The Studio With The Game Soon appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Now, Weekly is commenting on Smurk’s legal process. In an Instagram livestream caught by DJ Akademiks on IG, she spoke about religion and potential cooperation in the case.

“For any God-fearing person: what God got for you, he got for you,” FBG Duck’s mother expressed. “You gon’ get them bad things too for playing with Him… Motherf***ers ain’t prayed this much in they life, because now they need God… But where was all that when the other families was going through what they was going through behind the s**t this man was doing? […] It’s not right… They say [OTF] Jam gon’ get on that motherf***ing and gon’ tell every goddamn thing.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Duck s**t don’t get brought up…” she continued. “We gon’ see when Jam testify… All that was over music. It’s just senseless… There is no way that [Duck] would’ve gotten in that position and fumbled it like that… His family wouldn’t have let him or his friends. F**k how the clout is… I was a part of this destruction… Whatever the outcome with this man’s life is, it’s God’s decision.”

Read More: What Happened To Ailea Brown? Inside The Missing Case & New Legal Developments

Lil Durk Trial Update

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For those unaware, Lil Durk’s trial recently began with jury selection. To be clear, the murder-for-hire charges he pleaded not guilty to do not include any accusations of his involvement in FBG Duck’s murder. Rather, these accusations are only in Weekly’s civil lawsuit when it comes to court proceedings.

Evidence in the Durk case includes interviews about his alleged OTF dealings, as well as some of his music. While the specific charges relate to Lul Pab’s murder, other accusations continue to become relevant for public discussion. As such, FBG Duck’s mother believes her son’s story will be a part of proceedings.

Read More: Rapsody’s Growth As An Emcee, Told Through 10 Songs

The post FBG Duck’s Mother Speaks Out About Lil Durk’s Trial appeared first on HotNewHipHop.