Latest news with #LilBaby
7NEWS
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- 7NEWS
When stars sell addiction: The price of Drake's poisoned partnership
Drake's deep investment in gambling has become the subject of sobering social media posts from the Canadian rapper. Publishing a screenshot of his losses to his Instagram Stories this week, the Hotline Bling artist revealed he had gambled nearly $US125 million in the past month — and was down more than $US8 million. 'Losses are so fried right now … I hope I can post a big win for you all soon cause I am the only one who has never seen a max,' he wrote. 'These guys max once a week.' The post comes amid Drake's ongoing multi-million-dollar partnership with crypto betting platform Stake. The deal, inked in early 2022, reportedly earns him up to $100 million annually in promotional and ambassadorial fees. In an announcement post on the online casino said: 'Music sensation, Drake, has been a long-time member of the Stake community. A player storming the high ranks of the VIP program, Drake fell in love with both the platform and the perks associated with our VIP program. It was then that this partnership was formed, based on mutual appreciation between mega-star and product.' Just how front-of-mind is the Stake partnership to Drake? Stake's social handle is the first mention in his Instagram bio, before his own companies, including OVO and his Better World fragrance. What's more, during his most recent Australian tour in February, he staged an incident of him being bothered by a drone at his penthouse suite in Sydney. After clocking millions of views for the footage of him throwing a shoe at the drone, the choreographed placement of the camera in front of his laptop — with pride of place — made it clear it was an advertisement. Alarmingly, on the same day he posted about his losses, Drake also shared a clip of himself using AI platform ChatGPT to help decide which bets to place. In the 90-second video posted to social media, Drake asks: 'Should I try a $200,000 buy on [slot game] Puffer Stacks or a $100,000 buy on [wild-west slot game] Wanted?' ChatGPT recommended betting on Wanted. He followed the advice — and lost. 'OK Wanted didn't pay out at all,' he said in the clip. 'Do you think that I should give it another shot?' Later, he jokes: 'Imagine it's a Stake representative on the other line.' Loading Instagram Post Drake's posts raise a question: is he helping to highlight the dangers of addiction — or is he desensitising audiences to the real-world consequences, normalising multimillion-dollar losses and glamourising them as entertainment? Some fans were quick to criticise him in the comment sections. 'He really be losing millions like it's Monopoly money, meanwhile I cry when my card declines at McDonald's.' 'When you're down $8M and still chasing that one max win like it's destiny. The house always eats, even if you're Drake.' 'He should also share that it's almost certainly all house money from Stake that he bets.' Drake is far from the only celebrity making headlines for gambling Rapper Lil Baby has admitted to having a gambling problem, revealing on Lil Yachty's podcast that he lost about $8 million in a day — and quit gambling as a result. In January, Bruno Mars joked about his rumoured gambling debts, writing: 'I'll be out of debt in no time,' in a post about passing 150 million monthly Spotify listeners. In 2023, NBA icon Allen Iverson spoke candidly about blowing approximately $US200 million in career earnings on legal issues, alcohol and gambling. Back home, former AFL star Brendan Fevola lost millions to gambling — selling his Coleman Medal, declaring bankruptcy, and joining I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here in a bid to rebuild his image. And Bert Newton, the late Australian TV legend, faced a gambling addiction so serious it nearly bankrupted him and wife Patti. He was more than $1 million in debt and given repeated ultimatums to choose between his family and the TAB. Australia has one of the highest rates of gambling participation and loss globally, with a significant number of people suffering from addiction or related harm. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Australians lose more than $30 billion annually to legal gambling — the highest per capita loss rate in the world.
Daily Mail
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Central Cee lifts the lid off Spark Arena in Auckland as rapper kicks off Down Under leg of world tour
British rap phenomenon Central Cee has officially kicked off the final leg of his mammoth three month world tour Down Under. Kicking things off in Auckland on Friday night, the tracksuit-clad star had thousands of attendees shaking off their winter blues and belting out every word to his TikTok viral lyrics. Fresh off the back of his highly anticipated debut album Can't Rush Greatness, the London-born hitmaker is concluding his most ambitious run of arena shows yet. After scoring a cracking #91 spot in the Hottest 100 of 2024 with his undeniable banger 'BAND4BAND' alongside Lil Baby, there is no doubt these shows are going to be nothing short of insane. ' New Zealand what the hell,' the rapper captioned a fan-made video of the crowds at Spark Arena creating a sea of phone lights to 'Now We're Strangers.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Fresh off the back of his highly anticipated debut album Can't Rush Greatness , the London-born hitmaker is embarking on his most ambitious run of arena shows yet Earlier in the day, Cee went incognito at an Auckland café, where he stepped out with a black bucket hat pulled down over his head. He posted a short clip with a location tag to his Instagram Stories, as he leaned down to pat the dog of an unsuspecting customer who paid him no mind. Cee took to the stage wearing a Pounamu, also known as New Zealand jade or greenstone, in a small gesture of appreciation to Māori customs (Tikanga). The rapper, real name Oakley Neil Caesar-Su, will make his grand entrance on Australian soil on Sunday at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. He will then travel to Sydney for another one-night-only concert at Quodos Bank Arena on Wednesday June 25, followed by Melbourne on June 28, before wrapping up in Perth on July 2. The 25-year-old caused chaos and confusion in the Harbour City during his last visit in January, when a surprise visit to Oxford Street saw thousands of fans swarm the area. The London-born artist visited the suburb of Paddington to promote his streetwear clothing label Syna World. However, pandemonium filled the streets as a throng of fans lined up from 4am around the block hoping to see him in the flesh. Kicking things off in Auckland on Friday night, the tracksuit-clad star had thousands of attendees shaking off their winter blues and belting out every word to his TikTok viral lyrics Crowds at the Central Cee concert at Spark Arena in Auckland on Friday He rose to fame in 2021 with his hit single Obsessed With You and in 2023 he scored his first number one in Australia with his song Sprinter In the afternoon, they were finally rewarded when Cee arrived in his limo and was escorted into a store by his security team. Cee looked to be in good spirits as he waved to his adoring fans, who were heard loudly chanting his name and fighting to catch sight of the adored rapper. Fortunately, Cee was thrilled to oblige and looked every inch the rap star in stylish branded streetwear as he posed for photos and entertained the crowd. The rapper had the roaring crowd in the palm of his hands as many forked out hundreds of dollars to purchase one of his streetwear hoodies and jackets. His brief appearance thrilled his legion of supporters and left them screaming for more. Cee waved to them goodbye as he was driven away by his entourage. He rose to fame in 2021 with his hit single Obsessed With You and in 2023 he scored his first number one in Australia with his song Sprinter. His unique hip hop style has seen him work with a host of other popular artists, including Australian rapper The Kid Laroi and South Korean star Jungkook.
Black America Web
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
Young Thug Tug's Mariah The Scientist At BET, Fans Drag Thugger Online
Source: Allen Berezovsky / Getty A clip of Young Thug and his boo Mariah The Scientist at the 2025 BET Awards is going viral, and not in a good way. The couple, who have been together since 2021, skipped posing for red carpet photos, and fans are now calling out Young Thug for how he treated Mariah during the moment. In the video, Thug is seen holding Mariah's hand tightly and pulling her past photographers without stopping. He's wearing a black suit and a creepy Leatherface-style mask, while Mariah looked stunning in a short, backless green dress. At one point, a photographer calls out to Mariah, but Thug quickly shuts it down, saying, 'We're not doing that, c'mon,' and flips someone off before dragging her along. Mariah looked back a few times, almost like she wasn't sure if she should go. Fans online didn't hold back. 'He's literally dragging her along as if people wouldn't want pictures of her too,' one user wrote. Many pointed out that Mariah stood by Thug while he was in jail, and now that he's out, she deserves her own spotlight too. Young Thug has been making headlines recently for popping up on other rappers' tracks, showing that he's still active in music despite his legal issues. He's been featured on songs with his ATL fam, Future and Lil Baby. Thugger fans were excited to see him back, but this video has shifted the conversation. Meanwhile, Mariah the Scientist has been doing her thing too. She just dropped a new single called 'Burning Blue', which has been getting love for its emotional lyrics and smooth vibe. Neither of them has said anything about the viral video yet, but it's clear people are paying attention. While some think it was just a stressful moment, others believe it showed a bigger issue. Either way, fans are hoping Mariah gets the respect and recognition she deserves. Young Thug Tug's Mariah The Scientist At BET, Fans Drag Thugger Online was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
June is 'concert season' in Nashville. Festivals, rock shows and Willie Nelson are among our top picks
The month of June in Nashville could be considered "concert season." Between the amphitheaters being open for the summer season and two of the area's biggest festivals happening this month, it's easy to check dozens of performers, from newcomers to legends, off the bucket list — in some cases with one ticket. Here are our top picks for June's live music scene: Wanna see Tigirlily Gold, Shaboozey, Kameron Marlowe, Parker McCollum, Cody Johnson, Kelsea Ballerini and Keith Urban? You don't have to pick one. You can see them all during CMA Fest. This lineup is just from one of the show-packed days of the fest which takes place all across downtown Nashville and features both up-and-coming country acts as well as some of the genre's biggest names on big and more intimate stages. The fest ends each night with a massive lineup inside Nissan Stadium. Tickets: Grammy Award-winner rapper Lil Baby brings his WHAM World Tour to Nashville's Bridgestone Arena with BigXthaPlug and Loe Shimmy. Lil Baby has sold 30 million albums and has 47 RIAA-certified platinum records, 45 RIAA-certified gold records, and over 75 billion global streams. Expect the night to be full of energy with moments of on-stage collabs and maybe even a surprise guest or two. Tickets: Rock review: AC/DC rocks Nashville with sold out Nissan Stadium concert after weather postponement: 'Thank you for sticking with us' Counting Crows burst onto the rock scene in the early '90s with their multi-platinum hit album "August and Everything After," which spawned massive hits such as "Round Here," and "Mr. Jones." The band went on to record seven more studio albums and received Grammy and Academy Award nominations for their song "Accidentally in Love" which the band recorded for the movie "Shrek 2." With The Gaslight Anthem opening, the night promises to be an excellent live rock show. Tickets: Pop-up show: All-American Rejects play rowdy house party in East Nashville and it almost didn't happen: 'This is where rock 'n' roll is born' If CMA Fest wasn't enough of a multi-day live music experience, or you just want to get your festival on, then Manchester's Bonnaroo is a must-see. With four days of music ranging from Olivia Rodrigo to Luke Combs, Goose, Avril Levigne, Red Clay Strays and Glorilla, there's something for everyone who loves live music. The festival offers single-day and multi-day tickets with varying ranges of VIP experiences available. Tickets: Riley Green and Ella Langley emerged with one of the songs you can't get out of your head in 2025: "You Look Like You Love Me," which took home Single and Music Event of the Year at this year's ACM Awards. Green is headlining the show along with Langley, Lauren Watkins and Preston Cooper, which should make for a fun show at a great outdoor venue. Tickets: Good deal: Nashville area concerts by Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss, Nelly among Live Nation's $30 summer tickets promotion Arguably two of the biggest names in music; Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan, will both take the FirstBank Amphitheater stage as part of the 10th anniversary Outlaw Music Festival. Joining these legends are members of the Nelson family along with Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Trampled By Turtles and Tami Neilson. Tickets: This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville's June concert calendar includes festivals and Willie Nelson
CTV News
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Drake says OVO Fest is returning this summer
Drake performs during Lil Baby's Birthday Party at State Farm Arena on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2022, in Atlanta. OVO Fest will be back this summer, according to Drake. The Toronto superstar made the announcement during a surprise guest appearance at British rapper Central Cee's concert on May 24. Central Cee was performing at History—a live music venue in the Beaches neighbourhood, part-owned by Drake—and the Toronto rapper was sitting in a VIP section on one of the balconies when he surprised the crowd. In videos posted to social media, Drake can be seen with a mic in hand before he starts performing his song 'Nokia.' After the performance, he spoke to the crowd for several minutes. 'Thank you for having me, you know I love you all and I'll see you this summer, by the way,' Drake can be heard saying on video. 'I haven't had a chance to say this yet, but OVO Fest is back this year, so we'll need [Central Cee] there for that.' Typically held in August to coincide with Toronto's Caribbean Carnival and featuring a star-studded lineup usually filled with surprise guests, Drake hasn't held OVO Fest since 2022. That edition saw rappers Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj hit the stage, as well as a number of Canadian artists including Kardinal Offishall, Shawn Desman, and Nelly Furtado. No other details about this summer's OVO Fest have been released.
