Tag: Jay-Z

Jay-Z, Joe Gibbs take in Cowboys-Commanders NFC East clash

Big-name celebs were at the Dallas Cowboys-Washington Commanders game

The Kansas City Chiefs have Taylor Swift at home games. The Washington Commanders had Jay-Z in attendance on Sunday when they played the Dallas Cowboys.

Former Washington coach Joe Gibbs was also on hand.

Shaq’s third rap album finally hits streaming platforms on Friday, featuring an unreleased collaboration between Jay-Z and Nas

Shaq’s third album hitting streaming services comes with a huge unreleased collaboration between two rap legends.

Former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal’s third rap album You Can’t Stop The Reign is finally coming to digital streaming platforms on Friday, and there’s a fascinating twist involved with the release.

Per Fake Shore Drive’s Andrew Barber, the streaming debut will feature the previously unreleased version of the song “No Love Lost” that features both Jay-Z and Nas on their first-ever collaboration together at the time.

The studio version of the 1996 rap song originally featured Jay-Z and Lord Tariq alongside Shaq instead of Jay-Z and Nas, as the highly publicized feud between Jay-Z and Nas would’ve prevented a collaboration between the two.

However, it’s been nearly two decades since the two rap legends called their beef off, making their original first collaboration a possibility for release.

While the 2024 NBA Draft is easily the marquee event of the week for basketball, the streaming debut of a Shaq album that features an unreleased collaboration of Nas and Jay-Z in their primes is pretty awesome.

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Fans turned the Brian Windhorst rant about Luka Doncic into a diss track with Kendrick Lamar beats

Meet the Dončićs.

The Celtics beat the Mavericks again in Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals and are now just one win away from winning a championship.

After the game, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst joined SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt to discuss what he saw from both teams. He efficiently tore about nearly everything about the way Luka Doncic has played in this series so far against Boston.

It was a memorable appearance from Windhorst that you can watch in its entirety below, but it is more than worth your time.

RELATED: Brian Windhorst’s brutally honest take on Luka Doncic defense and complaining is spot on

Windhorst delivered quite a few memorable lines, including:

“I’m standing here in the Mavericks tunnel. Over there is the Celtics tunnel. That’s where the winners are. If Luka is going to ever be a winner coming out of this tunnel here, he’s going to have to use what happened in this Finals as a learning experience.”

He also added:

“His defense performance is unacceptable. He is a whole on the court.”

But this one stood out:

“They have begged him. They have talked with him. They have pleaded with him. He is costing his team because of how he treats the officials.”

Perhaps the most brutal was this:

“Maybe over the summer, somebody will get to him and nobody with the Mavericks or anybody else in his life has.”

The whole delivery sounded like a diss track, so fans took the time to edit that with famous beats for Windhorst.

“Meet The Grahams” by Kendrick Lamar (produced by Alchemist)

 

“Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar (produced by Mustard)

“Ether” by Nas, produced by Ron Browz

What did Tom Brady say to Jayden Daniels and other top rookies?

Brady gives some terrific advice to Daniels and some of the other rookie QBs.

The National Football League Player’s Association invited 40 rookies to attend the 2024 Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles over the weekend. It was an opportunity for the rookies to learn about branding and endorsements and wear their team’s complete uniform for the first time.

The Washington Commanders had two rookies at the Premiere: Quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Luke McCaffrey.

Toward the end of the weekend, the rookie class was in for a surprise. Legendary quarterback Tom Brady and rapper and entrepreneur Jay-Z spoke to six of the rookies, including Daniels, giving them some valuable advice.

“When you have 53 guys on the team, you think it’s about you, it ain’t about you, it’s about us,” Brady said.

“And the biggest problem I see with a lot of the young players today, you guys are making it too much about I and me. Because of social media, because of branding, and all of that. It’s fine; you’re not going to win. There was a difference between being a star and being a champion. Every day of practice is important. You know why? Because when I was on the Patriots, and we had 20 years of winning, every day was a big day. I treated a preseason game, I treated a regular-season game like the Super Bowl. So, when I got to the Super Bowl, it was just another day for me.”

Excellent advice from the greatest to do ever do it.

Jay-Z also offered words of wisdom to the assembled rookies.

From all we’ve heard and been told about Daniels, he will not be outworked, which was a part of Brady’s message about practice.

Jay-Z called out the Grammys for never awarding Beyoncé the Best Album honor during speech

Jay-Z wasn’t afraid to call the Grammys out for never awarding Beyoncé the Best Album award.

One of the strangest snubs in Grammys history has been music sensation Beyoncé never winning Best Album at the awards show.

While accepting a special honor for Global Impact from the Grammys on Sunday night with his daughter Blue Ivy Carter at his side, rap legend Jay-Z called out the Recording Academy for never recognizing Beyoncé in its biggest category despite making some of the definitive albums of the past decade-plus.

Everyone with a rooting interest in the Grammys has openly wondered the same thing, and her husband Jay-Z made sure to make that question known while accepting this career honor during this year’s ceremony.

It’s a very fair thing to mention!

Award shows like the Grammys are fundamentally flawed when trying to parse through the breadth of music, and rarely does the Recording Academy ever “get it right” with its top honors. However, Beyoncé’s impact on the art form will always extend far, far past an awards show like this.

We’re hoping Beyoncé will take home the Best Album honor one of these days, and we’re very much with Jay-Z that it should’ve happened already.

Breanna Stewart wins WNBA MVP by a historically tight margin over A’ja Wilson, Alyssa Thomas

Breanna Stewart is a certified baller!

“Stew York City,” stand up. After the closest race in WNBA history, New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart is the 2023 Most Valuable Player.

The voting race for MVP was a gauntlet down the stretch, involving the upper echelon of league talent. Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson and Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas made outstanding cases for why they should win. Only 13 points separated Stewart and Wilson, and only seven votes separated Stewart and Thomas — the tightest three-way voting margin in league history, according to ESPN’s Alexa Philippou. Ultimately, voters chose “Stewie” for her ability to light up New York and the league.

Her quest for MVP started with the offensive prowess that landed her second-to-only Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd for the WNBA single-season scoring record.

This season, Stewart averaged 23 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. With the help of her leadership, the Liberty steamrolled their way to a franchise-best record of 32-8 and a Commissioner’s Cup win.

Stewart was also a defensive force to be reckoned with, as she averaged 1.57 blocks and 1.45 steals per game. Her disruption on the court earned her a WNBA All-Defensive team selection.

With efforts like that, the league couldn’t help but notice her magic.

Truthfully, Stewart is creating a resume that feels almost unreal.

In addition to the most 40-point games in a season and the most points scored in 30 minutes or less in league history, she is a two-time WNBA champion, a two-time WNBA Finals MVP, a five-time All-Star and now has two MVP trophies.

As the kids say, it’s lit. We have a lit-thuation happening! (That was probably too much, but I love a good pun.) Stewie is a hooper, and this award reflects that — hats off to you, Breanna, and the Liberty.

The celebration is flowing somewhere, and  Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” is blasting.

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Could Commanders’ fan Matthew McConaughey still be in the mix as a minority owner?

The longtime Washington fan said in November he wanted to join the bidding on the Commanders.

Jeff Bezos is likely out as a potential owner of the Washington Commanders. Teddy Schleifer of The Puck broke the original story Wednesday that Bezos was not expected to bid on the Commanders. Others, such as The Washington Post and ESPN, also confirmed those reports.

Before Schleifer’s report on Wednesday, he also confirmed that hip-hop mogul Jay-Z and iconic actor — and noted Washington superfan — Matthew McConaughey were not part of a prospective Bezos’ bid. In his Tuesday story on the Washington sale, Schleifer said the following regarding Jay-Z:

I’ve recently learned that Jay-Z was never a part of Bezos’s campaign, at least not in any formal capacity, despite earlier reporting that the two would “put in an official joint bid to purchase the team in January.” It’s possible that the general topic came up in conversation at their two-hour Los Angeles dinner, as chronicled by paparazzi last November, but the mini-mogul was at no point involved in any prospective bid, I’m informed.

On McConaughey:

I’m similarly told that McConaughey, a longtime friend of Snyder’s who had been reportedly “joining” the Bezos campaign, has been talking for months to potential Commanders buyers—including Bezos—but he has never been committed to Bezos, specifically.

McConaughey is a friend of Washington owner Dan Snyder and has been to games in the past as a special guest. He’s been outspoken about wanting to be part of the next ownership group of the Commanders. And, according to Schleifer, it’s not out of the question that McConaughey shows up as a part of Josh Harris or Steve Apostolopoulos’s bids before the team is sold.

Harris, who is co-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, is viewed as the frontrunner to be Washington’s next owner. Billionaire Mitchell Rales, a businessman and philanthropist, along with NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, are part of Harris’ bid. Could McConaughey join the Harris group next?

McConaughey isn’t the only celebrity Washington fan who has mentioned an interest in owning part of the Commanders. NBA superstar Kevin Durant, a Maryland native, has also mentioned the possibility.

With Bezos now out of the running [by his own choosing], could this be coming to a close soon?

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Lil Wayne teases track collaboration with LSU basketball’s Flau’jae Johnson

Lil Wayne and LSU basketball standout Flau’jae Johnson might collaborate on a track soon??

While talking with women’s basketball greats Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, rap legend Lil Wayne hinted that he’s going to be collaborating with an LSU star soon.

On ESPN’s The Bird & Taurasi Show, women’s basketball fan Lil Wayne shared that, thanks to LSU head coach Kim Mulkey, that he will be collaborating on a track with Tigers freshman guard Flau’jae Johnson.

Johnson just goes by “Flau’jae” for her aspiring rap career, one that Lil Wayne seems very interested in helping out in the studio.

“We’re about to connect musically soon,” Lil Wayne told the two on the alternate broadcast of Friday night’s LSU-Virginia Tech 2023 women’s NCAA tournament Final Four game. “Be looking out for that.”

Johnson actually signed a music deal with Jay Z’s Roc Nation label, so more collaborations could be on the horizon for the basketball player/musician.

She has also performed for her home crowd at LSU in the past.

The LSU women’s basketball team also practiced to one of Johnson’s freestyles ahead of Friday night’s Final Four win over Virginia Tech.

Johnson’s future certainly looks bright on the court and in the booth, and it seems like she’ll have plenty of opportunities to pursue both in the days ahead.

Report: Magic Johnson joins Josh Harris’ bid for the Commanders

Could the NBA legend become part owner of the Commanders?

The Washington Commanders could have a celebrity part owner, after all. Eben Novy-Williams of Sportico reported Monday that NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson has joined Josh Harris’ bid for the Commanders.

Johnson isn’t the first celebrity name attached to the Commanders. Last week, Thom Loverro of the Washington Times noted how he’d heard Michael Jordan’s name connected to a New York investment firm that was interested in the Commanders.

Before Johnson and Jordan, there was Jay-Z, who had been linked as a partner to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. However, Bezos was shut out of the early bidding for the Commanders due to owner Dan Snyder’s disdain for The Washington Post. Bezos owns the Post.

Also, actor and Washington fan Matthew McConaughey and NBA star Kevin Durant were also interested in becoming minority partners of the Commanders.

Johnson was a part of Harris’ failed bid for the Denver Broncos last year. Johnson has ownership experience as a part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Sparks and the Los Angeles FC of the MLS.

In addition to his sports ownership, Johnson has invested in multiple other business ventures, including Starbucks stores, gyms and movie theaters. He owns Magic Johnson Enterprises, an investment company.

Harris, who owns the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, is the co-founder of Apollo Global Management. Mitchell Rales, the billionaire co-founder of Danaher Corporation, also recently joined Harris’ bid for the Commanders.

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First round of bidding process for the Commanders closes this week

The first round of bids for a potential sale of the Commanders closes this week.

Will Daniel Snyder sell the Washington Commanders? Well, we do know he is exploring the possibility of selling the entire team or looking to add a minority partner.

Last week, The Washington Post reported that Bank of America — the bank hired by Snyder — is moving forward with the process for a potential sale, whether it be for a minority stake or the complete team.

Now, we have more news regarding a potential Washington sale. CBS Sports reported this week, citing two sources, that the first round of bidding for the Commanders closes at the end of the week.

What does this actually mean?

That’s unclear, but the interested parties likely have made their first offer and now Bank of America and Snyder will review each one.

Jeff Bezos of Amazon is among the interested prospective buyers. Rapper/businessman Jay-Z is expected to be a minority partner in a potential Bezos’ bid.

If sold, the Commanders are expected to be sold for as much as $7 billion. Any number between $5-7 billion has been rumored. The Denver Broncos were sold earlier this year for $4.65 billion and Washington is expected to go much higher.

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