The year 2024 started with a bang and remained that way right up until the very end. Whether we were consumed with the revelations made by Katt Williams or the endless rap disses between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, 2024 was one for the books. As we prepare for 2025 and the re-introduction of Donald Trump into the White House, let’s reflect on the wild ride that was 2024.
January
Katt Williams’ viral interview – Katt Williams’ appearance on “Club Shay Shay” arguably set the tone for 2024. Now standing at over 86 million views on YouTube, Williams famously stated, “Diddy be wanting to party and you got to tell ‘em no,” a haunting revelation and prediction of what was to come.
Yo Gotti’s brother, Big Jook, killed – Rapper Yo Gotti suffered a devastating loss, when his brother, Anthony “Big Jook” Mims was killed on January 13th. The murder happened in Memphis moments after the men attended a funeral for one of their loved ones. The killing remains unsolved.
Nicki Minaj vs. Megan Thee Stallion – After years of saying just enough on tracks to raise eyebrows, the ladies took vicious shots at one another, starting with Megan Thee Stallion’s “Hiss.” She rapped “Aye, these h**s don’t be mad at Megan. These h**s mad at Megan’s Law,” referencing the statute which requires sex offender information to be made public. As we know, Minaj’s husband, Kenneth Petty, is a registered sex offender and while Meg didn’t say any names, this was enough to get a response out of Minaj. She fired back with “Big Foot,” taking nasty shots at the rapper being assaulted and even accusing her of sleeping with her mother’s partner after her death.
February
Trey Songz vs. Jacquees – As February kicked off, Jacquees let us know that he and Trey Songz had a nasty squabble in Dubai. Songz even snatched out a few of Jacquees locs as they fought inside a nightclub. While the root of the fight was never immediately clear, Jacquees went live after the fight and dubbed the singer a “rapist” and suggested Songz confronted him over a woman. Months later in October, Jacquees expressed regret for bringing their situation to the internet and called him his “big brother.”
— media archive (@omgmediaarchive) February 2, 2024
Jay-Z vs. the Grammys – The usually calm and collected Jay-Z went off on the Grammy stage in defense of his wife, Beyoncé. In a scathing speech that shook the Academy, Hov stated “I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than anyone and never won album of the year. So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work.” Bey currently holds 32 Grammys, the most of any artist.
Usher headlined the Super Bowl – Usher put on a stellar performance during the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show, with guest appearances from Alicia Keys, Jermaine Dupri, H.E.R., will.i.am, Lil Jon, and Ludacris.
Drake’s nude leaked – Drake went number one in a different way when his penis photo leaked online. It’s unclear who was responsible for the image hitting the internet, but Drake didn’t exactly deny the image was him. The timeline lusted over the NSFW photo, so it didn’t hurt his image in any way.
March
Akademiks vs. Meek Mill – Meek Mill and Akademiks have had a long and rocky disdain for one another, which came to a head in early March. Akademiks poked fun at Meek’s low sales and streaming numbers for his mixtape, “Heathenism.” This didn’t sit well with Meek, who let off a few threats toward the streamer. This led to Ak accusing Meek of being an “activist” by day and a “villain” by night. The beef ended with Meek blocking the podcaster, though their feud is likely far from over.
Ima show yall how you hurt computer geeks just the “block button” I’m still shooting a vid in front of your house im still coming I only wanna hear from you in person lol https://t.co/rvSlIbps8q
— MeekMill (@MeekMill) March 21, 2024
Diddy’s Homeland Security raids – Diddy’s legal drama hit a new terrifying height when his Los Angeles home was raided by Homeland Security agents in connection with his federal sex trafficking case. His sons, Justin and Christian, were placed in handcuffs during the raid. Additionally, his Miami home on Star Island was also searched during the massive operation. Guns, ammunition, and alleged “Freak-off” supplies were located. This included over 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant.
50 Cent accused of rape by Daphne Joy – Known for being a social media troll, 50 Cent relentlessly went after his son’s mother, Daphne Joy, after court documents alleged she was one of Diddy’s sex workers. He even threatened to seek full custody of their son. Daphne fired back with her own accusations, claiming the rapper had raped her years ago as their relationship was ending. The media mogul denied these allegations and filed a defamation suit against the model, which he dropped months later.
Future and Metro Boomin enlisted Kendrick Lamar – Future and Metro Boomin delivered a classic with their track, “Like That,” from their collaborative album, “We Don’t Trust You.” In the track, Lamar famously rapped, “Motherf**k the Big Three, n***a it’s just big me,” a jab at J. Cole referring to himself, Lamar, and Drake as the “Big Three.” This was the start of a nasty back-and-forth.
Beyoncé introduced her country-inspired album – Beyoncé unveiled “Cowboy Carter” at the end of March, bringing along country stars, Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus, Shaboozey and Willie Nelson. The project was not exactly well-received by lifelong country fans, having been snubbed at the CMA’s, but for the loyal Bey Hive, “Cowboy Carter” was a hit, achieving platinum status.
April
City Girls aired each other out – After months of speculation and JT heavily pursuing her solo endeavors, things finally came to a head in April when Yung Miami and JT went head-to-head online. Miami accused her former group member of “sneak dissing” her after Miami was named in one of Diddy’s many lawsuits as being one of his “sex workers.” Miami even claimed JT was taking shots at her in the songs, “No Bars,” and “Sideways.” JT denied such allegations and thankfully, they would reconcile months later, though Miami admitted their relationship was not quite the same.
Cole responded to Kendrick Lamar – Before he bowed out of the beef, J. Cole delivered his “7 Minute Drill.” The track was a response to Kendrick Lamar’s “Like That.” However, he quickly disavowed the track and apologized to his brother.
Drake released “Push Ups” – In response to the viral “Like That” verse, Drake unveiled “Push Ups.” He rapped, “You ain’t in no Big Three, SZA got you wiped down, Travis got you wiped down, Savage got you wiped down. Like your label, boy, you in a scope right now.”
Drake released “Taylor Made” – Further poking the bear, Drake then released “Taylor Made Freestyle,” an AI-generated track that used the voices of Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg to diss Lamar, provoking the Compton rapper.
Kendrick Lamar released “Euphoria” – Kendrick Lamar fired back with “Euphoria,” a track that aimed at Drake’s parenting and alleged cosmetic surgery, rapping “Didn’t tell ’em where you get your abs from.”
Diddy was seen assaulting Cassie on video – Old surveillance footage was obtained by CNN and showed Diddy physically assaulting Cassie as she tried to escape him at a hotel. While wearing a towel, he was seen kicking the woman who desperately tried to flee on an elevator. Diddy issued an apology shortly after.
Sade calls out Ne-Yo online – Ne-Yo’s personal life has been on full display since his explosive divorce from Crystal Renay in 2023. She accused the singer of fathering a child outside their marriage, which was proven true. His newest baby mama, Sade Bagnerise, birthed their second child in 2023. While Ne-Yo never denied the children and the pair seemed to be in a relationship of some kind, Bagnerise aired him out on Instagram, accusing him of neglecting their children. Additionally, she accused Ne-Yo of abusing her and having random women around their young children.
May
Kendrick Lamar dropped “6:16 in LA” – Kendrick Lamar kicked off May with more heat for Drake in the form of another diss, “6:16 in LA.”
Drake released “Family Matters” – Drake and Kendrick Lamar continued their fight, with Drake slamming Lamar’s parenting and even accusing his fiance Whitney of cheating on him. Drizzy took things a step further by claiming their son was fathered by close Lamar associate, Dave Free.
Kendrick Lamar released “Meet the Grahams” and “Not Like Us” hours apart – In what seemed to be the beef’s finale, Lamar dropped two tracks, “Meet the Grahams” followed by his megahit, “Not Like Us.” In the latter, Lamar boldly stated “Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles.”
50 Cent vs. Meek Mill and Christian Combs – 50 Cent trolled Meek Mill to no end due to his past affiliations with Diddy. Unfortunately, the Philly star was pulled into the drama as well when he was mentioned in one of the lawsuits. In one tweet, Meek responded, “Your own son hate your guts lol I’m so grateful to be on a island with my son and his friends on his bday.” This didn’t stop 50 from using his Instagram account as a meme page of sorts. His actions also prompted a response from Christian Combs, who dropped a track, “Pick a Side.” In it, he rapped, “When all they had was 50 Cent who put this city on the map? Stop lying.”
June
Kendrick Lamar hosted “The Pop Out: Ken & Friends” concert – Kendrick Lamar concluded his beef with Drake at “The Pop Out” concert at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California. He brought along Ty Dolla Sign, Dom Kennedy, Steve Lacy, Tyler, the Creator, and Dr. Dre to name a few in an epic concert that was streamed on Amazon Prime. In one of the most talked about moments in the show, Lamar performed “Not Like Us” five times.
Usher received the BET Lifetime Achievement Award – During the 24th BET Awards, the legendary Usher received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his three-decades-long career.
July
Failed Hot Boys reunion – During the 2024 Essence Fest in New Orleans, hip-hop fans gathered to witness the Hot Boys grace the stage in what was slated to be an epic reunion. Unfortunately, professional differences prevented this. Hot Boy Turk was uninvited by Birdman and since he was not allowed on the stage, Lil Wayne reportedly refused to join his group mates without Turk. B.G., Birdman, Mannie Fresh, and Juvenile performed together, with Wayne having a solo set. Thankfully, Wayne took the reins on a separate reunion that went off without a hitch months later.
August
Yung Miami breaks her silence on Diddy – After months of people wanting to know Yung Miami’s take on Diddy and his many sexual assault lawsuits, she sat down for a special edition of “Caresha Please.” Hosted by Saucy Santana, Miami opened up about her relationship with Diddy and admitted she was not aware of the violent side displayed in the viral video of Diddy assaulting Cassie. Instead, Miami shared that their relationship was filled with love and motivation. However, she revealed that she was forced to cut ties with Diddy after his court cases heated up.
September
President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race – After months of talks about his mental fitness, President Joe Biden removed himself from the election race. He passed the baton to Vice President Kamala Harris, who fought a tough battle against Donald Trump. This move helped Biden garner support from Democrats, many of whom had begun to question his ability to be successful in a second term at age 82.
Diddy was arrested – Diddy was finally arrested on September 16th, charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation for purposes of prostitution. Much of his illicit activity was outlined in countless lawsuits, with many accusers stating they were drugged and sexually assaulted by the Bad Boy founder. Diddy has denied these allegations but has been denied bond numerous times. His trial date is scheduled for May 2025.
Young Dolph murder trial began – The murder trial of Young Dolph began on September 23rd and shocking revelations were uncovered. In court, it was disclosed that Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith were promised payment by Yo Gotti’s brother, Anthony “Big Jook” Mims, for the murder of Dolph. They were only delivered a small portion of the money, with Jook covering their lawyer fees instead. Jook was killed back in January, so he cannot be held accountable for his part in the murder. Johnson has been sentenced to life in prison. Smith is still awaiting his fate.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams indicted – As if the year couldn’t get even more shocking, New York City Mayor Eric Adams was indicted for bribery. The feds alleged Adams accepted freebies and illegal campaign contributions from wealthy foreigners, including Turkish officials. The scheme went as far back as 2014. In exchange, Adams allegedly urged the Fire Department of New York to approve the opening of a new Turkish consular building in the city without a proper fire inspection. In total, Adams was charged with five counts: bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy, and two counts of soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals. He has maintained his innocence.
October
Lil Durk arrested – Rapper Lil Durk was arrested for being the leader in an elaborate murder-for-hire plot. Investigators claim the Chicago star hired multiple people to help carry out the murder of Quando Rondo in retaliation for the killing of King Von in November 2020. Unfortunately, while the men were following Quando in Los Angeles, they murdered his cousin Lul Pab, in August 2022. Additionally, prosecutors now believe Durk may have been involved in another murder as revenge for the shooting death of his brother, D-Thang, in June 2021.
GloRilla unveiled her debut album – Following a string of successful singles and two mixtapes, GloRilla revealed her debut album “Glorious.” The instant classic featured numerous bangers, including “Hollon,” “Whatchu Kno About Me” featuring Sexyy Red, and “How I Look” featuring Megan Thee Stallion. The album has since been certified gold, further solidifying Glo’s reign as the Queen of Memphis.
LeBron and Bronny James made history – In late October, LeBron James and son Bronny James became the first father-son duo to play on the NBA court together. Bronny made his Los Angeles Lakers debut after years of training to be in the league. He now splits his time between the G-League and professional squad.
November
Donald Trump won the presidential election – Despite his controversial first term from 2017 to 2021, Donald Trump beat out Kamala Harris to become the 47th president of the United States. Though he has not yet stepped foot into the White House, he is already promising contentious moves. One of these actions is his desire to dismantle the Department of Education.
Drake files legal action against United Music Group over the success of “Not Like Us” – Drake wasn’t ready to take his loss to Kendrick Lamar lying down. The rapper filed a claim against United Music Group, arguing the company along with Spotify used illicit means, such as bots, to inflate the record. Additionally, he filed a defamation claim, asserting that UMG was aware that Lamar called him a sex offender but still promoted the record.
December
Beyoncé performed at the NFL Christmas Day game – As always, Beyoncé showed up and showed out during her Christmas Day NFL halftime show. The performance was not a usual concert, as it served as the first time she performed songs from “Cowboy Carter” live. Bey also brought along Shaboozey, Post Malone, Blue Ivy, Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, and Brittney Spencer.
OG Maco died – Former QC rapper, arguably the one who put the label on the map, died on December 26th. He’d been in the hospital since December 12th after shooting himself in the head at his home. Sadly, he succumbed to these injuries. It’s unclear if the shooting was an intentional attempt to end his life or an accident.
President Jimmy Carter died – After spending some time in hospice care, President Jimmy Carter died at age 100 on December 29th. The adored president will be remembered for his work with Habitat of Humanity and other charitable endeavors since leaving the White House. He served from January 1977 to January 1981.
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