Latest news with #BigTigger
Axios
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Weekend events: Summer Beer Fest, Midnight Market
Round up a few friends and check out what's happening this weekend around Atlanta: 🛼 Grab your skates and head on over to Fire Maker Brewing Co. for skate night. (Fri.) 🥙 Midnight Market, a festival for foodies and anyone who just likes to eat, returns to Atlantic Station. (Fri.-Sat.) 🌻 Looking for something to do with the family? Check out the Sunflower Maze opening this week at Buford Corn Maze (Fri.) 🚲 DJ Big Tigger partners with the Atlanta Beltline to host the third annual BikeFest along the Southwest Trail at Lee + White. (Sat.) 🍺 Sip some brews, enjoy some bites and dance to some music at the Atlanta Summer Beer Fest. (Sat.)
Associated Press
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Entertainment Icon Big Tigger and Atlanta Beltline Team Up Again to Champion Health Equity at 3rd Annual BikeFest
Star-studded wellness celebration brings community and purpose to the nation's largest urban redevelopment project ATLANTA, June 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Entertainment legend Big Tigger is once again putting the pedal to the pavement for a cause that hits close to home. On Saturday, June 14, the third annual Big Tigger's Beltline BikeFest will roll onto the Atlanta Beltline's Southwest Trail, activating one of the country's most ambitious infrastructure projects as a platform for health, wellness and connection. The free, family-focused event, created by Tigger and powered in partnership with Atlanta Beltline, features a celebrity-led community ride, live musical performances, vendor market, wellness screenings and the giveaway of 200 bikes and helmets to local students through Tigger's nonprofit, the Big Tigger Foundation, which has become a tradition of the event. 'BikeFest is more than just a bike ride. It's a celebration of community and culture and a vehicle for youth empowerment,' said Tigger, host of The Big Tigger Morning Show on Atlanta radio station V-103 and in-arena host for the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. 'Each year, it's incredibly heartwarming to see the joy on kids' faces as they ride their bikes. I'm honored to pour into the next generation, especially right before summer break when they need safe, healthy ways to stay engaged.' A Ride with Purpose Taking place in the historic West End community, BikeFest reflects the Beltline's original vision: a civic project shaped by and for the people. The event uses cycling as a tool to address health disparities that still remain present in many communities, where rates of chronic illness and physical inactivity remain disproportionately high. Statistics also show that regular cycling supports memory, learning and mental wellness in children, yet access to bikes has steadily declined nationwide over the past decade. Beltline BikeFest exists to address that reality. 'It's important to me that our community stays physically active. We all need to live longer, healthier, more productive lives, not only for ourselves but for the generations following us. I also want Atlanta to see the Beltline as a resource towards those goals,' said Tigger, who pitched BikeFest to the Beltline in 2021 after rediscovering a love for biking during the pandemic. 'When Tigger introduced the idea for BikeFest, we knew we had to make it happen,' said Clyde Higgs, president and CEO of Atlanta Beltline, Inc. 'The Beltline was designed for this. It was created to be a connecting point of ideas, people and common goals. A conduit for collaboration. A living, breathing engine for accessibility and inclusivity. Activations like BikeFest allow us to deliver on that promise. Tigger's vision was brilliant in its ability to bring together all the elements that make our city great.' Event Highlights: WHEN: Saturday, June 14 | Ride begins at 11 a.m. (Check-in opens at 9:30 a.m.) WHERE: Lee + White, 1070 White St SW, Atlanta, GA 30310 REGISTER & FULL EVENT SCHEDULE, UPDATES: About Big Tigger A fixture in music and media, Big Tigger rose to prominence as host of Rap City: The Basement and currently energizes Atlanta as host of The Big Tigger Morning Show and in-arena DJ for the Atlanta Hawks. Through the Big Tigger Foundation, he leads initiatives that uplift underserved youth and promote long-term wellness in urban communities. About Atlanta Beltline, Inc. Atlanta Beltline, Inc. is the official implementation agency for the Atlanta Beltline. Its vision is to be the catalyst for making Atlanta a global beacon for equitable, inclusive and sustainable city life. As one of the largest, most wide-ranging urban redevelopment programs in the United States, the Atlanta Beltline is building a more socially and economically resilient Atlanta with our partner organizations and host communities through job creation, inclusive transportation systems, affordable housing and public spaces for all. For more information on the Atlanta Beltline, please visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Big Tigger Revives ‘Rap City' Freestyle Booth With Ludacris, Kevin Hart At 2025 BET Awards
In one of the most nostalgic and high-energy moments of the BET Awards 2025, Big Tigger resurrected the iconic Rap City: Tha Basement freestyle booth for a special tribute performance that brought the crowd to its feet and the culture full circle. Opening the set with his signature voice and presence, Big Tigger stepped back into the booth and kicked off the session with a stanza calling for the classic show's return. 'Holler at me when you ready to bring back the booth,' he rhymed atop an instrumental served up by the legendary DJ Kid Capri on the 1's and 2's. Tigga's stanza doubled as a rallying call that set the stage for a showcase of lyrical fire and hip-hop heritage. First up was Southern rap titan Ludacris, who reminded everyone of his lyrical dominance with crisp wordplay and charismatic delivery. He dropped bar after bar, with witty one-liners like 'Bow to the master punk, Luda Bruce Leroy,' amid nods to both New York and streaming star Kai Cenat. Luda also gave props to a former Leader of the New School, rhyming, 'Cuz I flip modes when I bust rhymes for my conglomerate.' The surprise of the night came when Kid Capri teased the audience with, 'Somebody special that's gonna come up from Philly.' That 'somebody' turned out to be none other than Kevin Hart's rapping alter ego, Chocolate Droppa, making a dramatic entrance in a hoodie and durag. Rhyming over the gritty beat, Droppa unleashed a playful and braggadocious set filled with punchlines. 'Eat my food whenever I want/ Smoking big boy blunts,' he rhymed, hilariously struggling to find his footing atop the beat. However, the moment was in good humor and served as one of the more memorable moments of the night. With the return of the booth, the BET Awards not only honored a golden era of hip-hop but proved that the mic still holds power in 2025. Watch Big Tigger, Ludacris, Kevin Hart freestyle at the BET Awards 2025 below. More from 'The Real Husbands Of Hollywood' Reunite At 2025 BET Awards 2025 BET Awards Delivers '106 & Park' Reunion With Original Hosts And Nostalgic Performances Lil Wayne To Perform At 2025 BET Awards
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs used to be incredibly influential. Many of the people he helped to make stars aren't talking about him
TV and radio personality Big Tigger remembers a moment he had years ago with Sean 'Diddy' Combs. The DJ had connected with Combs at the music mogul's restaurant, Justin's, and a photographer captured a moment of the two men talking about life. 'I still had the picture and I had given it to my grandmother before she passed. It was a really great picture, like me and him just had a conversation about family,' Big Tigger recalled to CNN. 'He had already had some of his kids and I had told him, you know, I hadn't had any yet, and he was just talking about family and how important family was to him. And I never forgot that personal conversation.' Combs is no longer in the position to easily offer such wisdom. His federal sex-trafficking trial in Manhattan is entering its third week. Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges that include racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. Cassie Ventura, an artist and former girlfriend of Combs whom he also produced, has spent more than 15 hours on the stand this week, detailing disturbing allegations of abuse she said she suffered at the hands of Combs. Dawn Richards, another artist who worked with Combs as both a solo singer and a member of the girl group Danity Kane, which Combs founded on his MTV reality series 'Making the Band,' is expected to testify next week. Ventura settled a civil claim with Combs in 2023. He admitted no wrongdoing. Richards filed a lawsuit in September 2024, accusing Combs of sexual battery, sexual harassment and false imprisonment. He has denied her allegations. It's not the trajectory many expected for the founder of Bad Boy Records, whose music and artists ruled the airwaves in the 1990s and early 2000s. Big Tigger likened him to Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown Records, for a younger generation. 'I lightweight grew up a little bit to Puff with the music, and then by the time I actually got into the business, he was already Puff,' Big Tigger said, referring to one of Combs' many nicknames. 'Puff from a business standpoint and a possibility standpoint was an inspiration.' The influence of Combs extended beyond the music industry, as he also had various businesses that included fashion, hospitality and spirits. But music - from being an intern at Uptown Records to founding his own label - is what opened the doors to those other industries for Combs. Many of the artists he helped introduce to the world have so far been silent about his legal issues. Here's what some of them have said - or not said - since Combs has been accused of running afoul of the law. The rapper was a frequent collaborator with Combs and signed to his label. And while they had joint success on songs like 1997's 'Can't Nobody Hold Me Down' and the late Christopher Wallace a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G's hit 'Mo Money Mo Problems' that same year, Mase and Combs fell out after he accused Combs of exploiting him and other Bad Boy artists, which Combs denied. Mase recently attended to the funeral service for Wallace's mother Vonetta Wallace which Comb's adult son Christian Combs also attended. Mase told Billboard he would be open to reconnecting with his former mentor. 'I mean, if my name was on the list I'd go visit Puff,' he said. 'I would visit him, make sure he was good.' He expressed his gratitude to Combs for helping to launch his career, adding that he has no idea as to whether Combs is innocent or not. 'He didn't do all bad, he did some good. I ain't talking about the tape stuff and all of that, I'm talking about the musical side,' Mase said, referencing a 2016 video showing Combs physically assaulting his then-girlfriend Ventura. 'Giving me an opportunity, I think as a person of class you definitely got to show up and sit somewhere in the court if they let you.' Blige was signed to Uptown Records, where Combs served as a producer on her debut album 'What's the 411?' The pair established a long-standing friendship, working on music together as well as supporting each other's projects. Combs often referred to the singer as his 'sister.' She returned the kinship in September 2023 when she presented Combs with the Global Icon Award at the MTV Video Music Awards. 'Congrats to my brother @diddy #GlobalIconAward #vma,' Blige captioned a series of photos of her celebrating the event. She has not publicly commented on the allegations against Combs. Moses 'Shyne' Barrow was an up-and-coming recording artist in 1999, when he was signed to Combs' Bad Boy Records. He was part of the producer's entourage at a New York City nightclub, along with Combs' then-girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, when the evening ended in a hail of gunfire. Three people were wounded. Barrow, Combs and bodyguard Anthony Jones were tried in the shooting in 2001. Combs and Jones were acquitted, while Barrow was convicted on assault and firearm possession charges. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and deported to his native Belize following his release in 2009. Barrow told CNN in an interview last year that he blames Combs in part for the events that derailed his life and career. 'You know, there's so many things that I said so long ago about Diddy. Nobody would listen, nobody would believe,' Barrow said. 'And it makes the wounds that I've, by the grace of God, been able to heal and the accomplishments that I've been able to achieve even much more significant.' The event is a pivotal part of the Hulu documentary about his life titled, 'The Honorable Shyne.' Barrow said he and Combs reconnected 20 years later, but he is clear that he didn't witness the events which resulted in the current allegations against Combs. 'I didn't have the opportunity to engage with him to see any of those things and when I didn't engage with him, I didn't see any of those things,' Barrow said. The female rapper was instrumental in the early success of Bad Boy. As a member of the group Junior Mafia along with her former love interest Wallace, Combs was a featured artist on her single 'No Time,' a hit from her 1996 debut album, 'Hard Core.' She returned the favor on his 1997 hit, 'All About the Benjamins.' That same year, they appeared together on 'The Keenan Ivory Wayans Show,' where she explained that they initially met through Wallace, who was Combs' best friend and one of the biggest stars on his label. 'It's funny cause when I first met [Combs] I thought he didn't like me cause he would lick his tongue at me or maybe make a funny face,' she said at the time. 'But then as the years went by I saw how much love he had for me, so I love you Puff and I'm so happy for you.' She also showed off the diamond earrings she said Combs has gifted her. Lil Kim has not commented publicly on the allegations against Combs. After auditioning for producer and label owner L.A. Reid Raymond, Usher was sent at the age of 15 to learn from Combs at 'Puffy Flavor Camp.' The now adult music star and actor talked to Howard Stern about it in 2016. He said it was a heady experience being a teen in the 1990s in the Bad Boy sphere, surrounded by so many famous and artists, not to mention the women. 'They weren't there for me,' Raymond said of the groupies. 'Howard, they were not my chicks. But I did recognize that, yo, one day this could be my lifestyle.' He has not spoken publicly about the allegations. Evans was not only an award-winning singer on the Bad Boy label, she was also married to Wallace, who was shot and killed in Los Angeles on March 9, 1997. Known as 'The First Lady of Bad Boy Records,' she and Combs worked together frequently. Their single 'I'll Be Missing You' honored Wallace after his death. She spoke with Billboard about Combs on the red carpet for Clive Davis' Pre-Grammy Gala in 2020. 'Puff has always been, way before Bad Boy saw the actual success in commercial sales and stuff like that, he was still a visionary,' she said. 'He still very much knew what was gonna make a hit record, he knew good talent, and he actually had ideas for all of us…He would tell me, 'You're gonna be this,' and 'I'm gonna make him into that'…and it happened.' Evans has not spoken out about the allegations against Combs. Big Tigger said he understands why some those who were part of Combs' inner circle may not currently be comfortable talking about him. 'Anytime you say anything about sexual assault or anything in that lane, no one wants to be attached to that,' he said. 'Our society is so quick to lump people together. If I just say, I went out there [to Diddy parties]…now all of a sudden I was probably there and I'm covering for him and this and that. I don't think people are running to sign up for that.'
CNN
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs used to be incredibly influential. Most of the people he helped to make stars aren't talking about him
TV and radio personality Big Tigger remembers a moment he had years ago with Sean 'Diddy' Combs. The DJ had connected with Combs at the music mogul's restaurant, Justin's, and a photographer captured a moment of the two men talking about life. 'I still had the picture and I had given it to my grandmother before she passed. It was a really great picture, like me and him just had a conversation about family,' Big Tigger recalled to CNN. 'He had already had some of his kids and I had told him, you know, I hadn't had any yet, and he was just talking about family and how important family was to him. And I never forgot that personal conversation.' Combs is no longer in the position to easily offer such wisdom. His federal sex-trafficking trial in Manhattan is entering its third week. Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges that include racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. Cassie Ventura, an artist and former girlfriend of Combs whom he also produced, has spent more than 15 hours on the stand this week, detailing disturbing allegations of abuse she said she suffered at the hands of Combs. Dawn Richards, another artist who worked with Combs as both a solo singer and a member of the girl group Danity Kane, which Combs founded on his MTV reality series 'Making the Band,' is expected to testify next week. Ventura settled a civil claim with Combs in 2023. He admitted no wrongdoing. Richards filed a lawsuit in September 2024, accusing Combs of sexual battery, sexual harassment and false imprisonment. He has denied her allegations. It's not the trajectory many expected for the founder of Bad Boy Records, whose music and artists ruled the airwaves in the 1990s and early 2000s. Big Tigger likened him to Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown Records, for a younger generation. 'I lightweight grew up a little bit to Puff with the music, and then by the time I actually got into the business, he was already Puff,' Big Tigger said, referring to one of Combs' many nicknames. 'Puff from a business standpoint and a possibility standpoint was an inspiration.' The influence of Combs extended beyond the music industry, as he also had various businesses that included fashion, hospitality and spirits. But music - from being an intern at Uptown Records to founding his own label - is what opened the doors to those other industries for Combs. Many of the artists he helped introduce to the world have so far been silent about his legal issues. Here's what some of them have said - or not said - since Combs has been accused of running afoul of the law. The rapper was a frequent collaborator with Combs and signed to his label. And while they had joint success on songs like 1997's 'Can't Nobody Hold Me Down' and the late Christopher Wallace a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G's hit 'Mo Money Mo Problems' that same year, Mase and Combs fell out after he accused Combs of exploiting him and other Bad Boy artists, which Combs denied. Mase recently attended to the funeral service for Wallace's mother Vonetta Wallace which Comb's adult son Christian Combs also attended. Mase told Billboard he would be open to reconnecting with his former mentor. 'I mean, if my name was on the list I'd go visit Puff,' he said. 'I would visit him, make sure he was good.' He expressed his gratitude to Combs for helping to launch his career, adding that he has no idea as to whether Combs is innocent or not. 'He didn't do all bad, he did some good. I ain't talking about the tape stuff and all of that, I'm talking about the musical side,' Mase said, referencing a 2016 video showing Combs physically assaulting his then-girlfriend Ventura. 'Giving me an opportunity, I think as a person of class you definitely got to show up and sit somewhere in the court if they let you.' Blige was signed to Uptown Records, where Combs served as a producer on her debut album 'What's the 411?' The pair established a long-standing friendship, working on music together as well as supporting each other's projects. Combs often referred to the singer as his 'sister.' She returned the kinship in September 2023 when she presented Combs with the Global Icon Award at the MTV Video Music Awards. 'Congrats to my brother @diddy #GlobalIconAward #vma,' Blige captioned a series of photos of her celebrating the event. She has not publicly commented on the allegations against Combs. Moses 'Shyne' Barrow was an up-and-coming recording artist in 1999, when he was signed to Combs' Bad Boy Records. He was part of the producer's entourage at a New York City nightclub, along with Combs' then-girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, when the evening ended in a hail of gunfire. Three people were wounded. Barrow, Combs and bodyguard Anthony Jones were tried in the shooting in 2001. Combs and Jones were acquitted, while Barrow was convicted on assault and firearm possession charges. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and deported to his native Belize following his release in 2009. Barrow told CNN in an interview last year that he blames Combs in part for the events that derailed his life and career. 'You know, there's so many things that I said so long ago about Diddy. Nobody would listen, nobody would believe,' Barrow said. 'And it makes the wounds that I've, by the grace of God, been able to heal and the accomplishments that I've been able to achieve even much more significant.' The event is a pivotal part of the Hulu documentary about his life titled, 'The Honorable Shyne.' Barrow said he and Combs reconnected 20 years later, but he is clear that he didn't witness the events which resulted in the current allegations against Combs. 'I didn't have the opportunity to engage with him to see any of those things and when I didn't engage with him, I didn't see any of those things,' Barrow said. The female rapper was instrumental in the early success of Bad Boy. As a member of the group Junior Mafia along with her former love interest Wallace, Combs was a featured artist on her single 'No Time,' a hit from her 1996 debut album, 'Hard Core.' She returned the favor on his 1997 hit, 'All About the Benjamins.' That same year, they appeared together on 'The Keenan Ivory Wayans Show,' where she explained that they initially met through Wallace, who was Combs' best friend and one of the biggest stars on his label. 'It's funny cause when I first met [Combs] I thought he didn't like me cause he would lick his tongue at me or maybe make a funny face,' she said at the time. 'But then as the years went by I saw how much love he had for me, so I love you Puff and I'm so happy for you.' She also showed off the diamond earrings she said Combs has gifted her. Lil Kim has not commented publicly on the allegations against Combs. After auditioning for producer and label owner L.A. Reid Raymond, Usher was sent at the age of 15 to learn from Combs at 'Puffy Flavor Camp.' The now adult music star and actor talked to Howard Stern about it in 2016. He said it was a heady experience being a teen in the 1990s in the Bad Boy sphere, surrounded by so many famous and artists, not to mention the women. 'They weren't there for me,' Raymond said of the groupies. 'Howard, they were not my chicks. But I did recognize that, yo, one day this could be my lifestyle.' He has not spoken publicly about the allegations. Evans was not only an award-winning singer on the Bad Boy label, she was also married to Wallace, who was shot and killed in Los Angeles on March 9, 1997. Known as 'The First Lady of Bad Boy Records,' she and Combs worked together frequently. Their single 'I'll Be Missing You' honored Wallace after his death. She spoke with Billboard about Combs on the red carpet for Clive Davis' Pre-Grammy Gala in 2020. 'Puff has always been, way before Bad Boy saw the actual success in commercial sales and stuff like that, he was still a visionary,' she said. 'He still very much knew what was gonna make a hit record, he knew good talent, and he actually had ideas for all of us…He would tell me, 'You're gonna be this,' and 'I'm gonna make him into that'…and it happened.' Evans has not spoken out about the allegations against Combs. Big Tigger said he understands why some those who were part of Combs' inner circle may not currently be comfortable talking about him. 'Anytime you say anything about sexual assault or anything in that lane, no one wants to be attached to that,' he said. 'Our society is so quick to lump people together. If I just say, I went out there [to Diddy parties]…now all of a sudden I was probably there and I'm covering for him and this and that. I don't think people are running to sign up for that.'
