Source: Ezra Shaw – FIFA / Getty
We all love a good reality TV series. Whether it’s Love Island, Baddies, Survivor, Big Brother, The Traitors or whatever show has the group chat yelling at the screen, the appeal is usually the same: drama, chaos, plot twists, people saying things they absolutely should not have said and moments so random they feel like they were cooked up in a writers’ room.
Well, this past week, Hip-Hop apparently decided it wanted in on the action. From political figures awkwardly trying to flex rap knowledge, to Drake throwing apology parties to women named Janice, to old street stories turning into courtroom exhibits, the rap game had enough wild storylines to fill an entire season. Here are the wildest things that happened in Hip-Hop this week:
JD Vance Name-Dropped Diddy While Trying To Flex His Hip-Hop Knowledge
JD Vance somehow found himself in Hip-Hop headlines this week after trying to make a joke during a June 25 book-tour stop at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, California. While discussing a chapter in his memoir titled “More Money, More Problems,” Vance called it “the wisdom of the great Christian theologian P. Diddy,” before adding that Diddy is “very much not a Christian or a theologian.” The room laughed, but the internet immediately got to work, especially because Vance appeared to fumble the reference: “Mo Money Mo Problems” is famously tied to The Notorious B.I.G., with Diddy and Mase appearing on the 1997 hit. So not only did Diddy catch a random stray during a political book tour, but Vance’s attempt at showing off his rap fluency ended up sounding like somebody’s dad trying to explain Bad Boy Records after reading one headline.
Drake Announced “Janice” Only Apology Parties
Drake turned one of the funniest running jokes from his Iceman era into an actual rollout. After his song “Janice STFU” became a major hit, Drizzy announced that he would be throwing apology parties for women actually named Janice in cities like Toronto, New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Houston. The catch? At least for the Toronto event, guests reportedly needed a government-issued ID proving their legal first name is Janice to get in. It’s ridiculous, extremely Drake and very on-brand for an artist who can turn a meme, a diss, a lyric and a party into one marketing moment. Between the Joe Budden theories, the Jay-Z speculation and the fact that actual Janices are now part of the album cycle, this might be one of the most unserious-but-genius rollouts of the year.
Big30 Was Allegedly The One Filming During The Gucci Mane Robbery Situation
One of the more serious and shocking stories of the week came from the ongoing case involving Pooh Shiesty, Big30 and the alleged robbery and kidnapping of Gucci Mane. Prosecutors shared photos they say came from a video taken inside a Dallas recording studio, where Gucci was allegedly held at gunpoint and forced to sign a release form tied to Pooh Shiesty’s recording contract. According to XXL, prosecutors claim Big30 recorded the scene on his phone, with one photo allegedly showing a man holding an assault rifle near Gucci and another showing Pooh Shiesty standing next to Guwop. Pooh, his father, Big30 and several others are set to stand trial next February, while Pooh remains in custody and the defendants face extremely serious consequences if convicted. It’s one of those stories that sounds like a rap rumor until court documents, photos and federal filings make it very real.
Real Boston Richey Said He Quit Rap & Would Rather Trap
Real Boston Richey had fans confused this week after hopping on X and seemingly announcing that he was done with music. On June 23, the Florida rapper posted, “I quit rap. I rather trap,” before following up the next day by saying he had already accomplished things other people never would, including having a solo platinum record. The comments came a little over a month after his ex-girlfriend Tatiana Chanell made serious public allegations against him, which Richey denied, so naturally, fans tried to figure out whether the posts were frustration, trolling, a real retirement announcement or just a heat-of-the-moment rant. Either way, for an artist with real momentum, telling the world you would rather leave rap for the streets is exactly the type of chaotic update that lands you on a list like this.
JAŸ-Z’s “JAŸ-Z30” Anniversary Activations Took Over New York
JAŸ-Z also made noise this week, but in a much more calculated and legendary way. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Reasonable Doubt, Roc Nation rolled out immersive JAŸ-Z30 pop-up experiences across New York City, including activations in Brooklyn’s Dumbo neighborhood and Manhattan. The events were built as a public celebration of Hov’s debut album, complete with culture-archive-style displays, time-capsule elements, limited-edition merchandise and nods to both Reasonable Doubt and The Blueprint. For most artists, an album anniversary might mean a deluxe reissue or a social media post. For JAŸ-Z, it became a full citywide museum-level flex, reminding everybody that three decades after his debut, he can still make New York stop and pay attention.
