Recently, the NFL, Apple Music, and Roc Nation announced Kendrick Lamar as the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime show headliner; an announcement that sparked mixed reactions on social media. While some fans rejoiced the “They Not Like Us” rapper’s appointment, others questioned the football conglomerate’s choice. 

Super Bowl LIX is scheduled to take place in New Orleans, Louisiana. The location of this year’s NFL championship led many fans to believe that the NFL and its partners would select New Orleans native Lil Wayne to perform at halftime. However, despite social media’s outrage, there is no long-standing precedent of the Halftime show headliner being from the city that’s hosting the Super Bowl on any given year. 

After fans and stars like Cam’ron, Nicki Minaj and Master P shared their disappointment at Lil Wayne’s halftime snub, the rapper broke his silence on the situation in an Instagram post. Sharing a video with his 19 million followers, Lil Wayne got vulnerable, claiming that the Super Bowl news “broke” him.

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“First of all, I want to say forgive me for the delay. I had to get strength enough to do this without breaking,” he said in the video. “I’mma say thank you to every voice, every opinion, all the care, all love and support out there. Your words turned into arms and held me up when I tried to fall back.” 

The rapper went on to explain that “it hurt a lot,” not to be tapped to perform at the Super Bowl in his hometown. 

“That hurt…I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a letdown. And for automatically mentally putting myself in that position like somebody told me that was my position,” he added. “So I blame myself for that. But I thought that was nothing better than that spot and that stage and that platform in my city, so it hurt. It hurt a whole lot.”

Earlier this year, the rapper expressed his interest in taking the Super Bowl Halftime stage on an episode of the “4HUNNID” podcast hosted by West Coast rapper YG. 

“I will not lie to you, I have not got a call,” Wayne told the podcast host. “But we all praying, we keeping our fingers crossed. I’m working hard. I’m going to make sure this next album and everything I do is killer, so I’m going make it very hard for them to…I want to just make it hard for them not to highlight the boy.”

Despite his disappointment in the decision, Wayne praised his loyal fanbase and industry colleagues for their outcries of support. 

“But y’all are f–king amazing. It made me feel like s–t not getting this opportunity and when I felt like s–t, you guys reminded me that I ain’t s–t without y’all… and that’s an amazing reality,” he concluded. “So, like I said, it broke me and I’m just trying to put me back together. But my God, have you all helped me. Thanks to all of my peers, my friends, my family, my homies on the sports television and everybody repping me. I really appreciate that, I really do. I feel like I let all of y’all down by not getting that opportunity, but I’m working on me and I’m working. So thank you.”

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Real Madrid extended their unbeaten streak in La Liga to six matches with a 2-0 victory over Real Sociedad at the Reale Arena on Saturday. The win solidified their position atop the league table.

Despite a spirited performance from the home side, Real Madrid’s clinical finishing proved to be the difference. The visitors broke the deadlock in the 58th minute when Vinicius Júnior converted a penalty awarded after a handball by Sergio Gómez. Kylian Mbappé sealed the victory in the 74th minute, scoring from another penalty spot kick.

The match was a tightly contested affair throughout, with both teams creating numerous scoring opportunities. Real Sociedad’s Alex Remiro made several impressive saves to keep his side in the game, but the visitors’ superior finishing ultimately proved decisive.

Real Madrid’s victory further cements their status as one of the favorites in retaining their La Liga title. Carlo Ancelotti’s side is well-positioned for a successful campaign with a strong defensive record and a potent attacking unit.

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The back-to-back defending World Champion Las Vegas Aces announced today a historic achievement: the team has sold out of season ticket memberships for the 2025 season. This marks the first time in WNBA history that a team has sold out season ticket allotments in consecutive seasons, and the first to do so before the conclusion of the previous year’s campaign.

Fans interested in adding their names to a waiting list for 2026 can visit the Las Vegas Aces website.   

The Aces’ continued success and dominance in the WNBA has fueled a surge in popularity, leading to unprecedented demand for season tickets. Despite a 92% renewal rate from existing 2024 season ticket members, the remaining memberships were quickly snapped up by those on the Aces’ season ticket waitlist.

Benefits of being on the waitlist include priority access to playoff presale tickets and regular season single-game tickets, discounts on the Aces online shop, and access to select Aces events.   

With four games remaining in the 2024 regular season, including tonight’s matchup against the Indiana Fever, the Aces have already clinched a playoff spot and are positioned for home-court advantage in the First Round. 2024 season ticket members have their playoff tickets secured, and early access to remaining First Round playoff tickets will be offered to fans on the current waitlist on Tuesday, September 17.

A limited number of First Round playoff tickets will go on sale to the public on Wednesday, September 18, at 10 am PT. Semifinals presales and public sales will be announced at a later date.

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Two police officers were sentenced on Thursday to several years in prison for their roles in a deadly chase of a man on a moped and subsequent cover-up — a case that ignited protests in the nation’s capital.

Metropolitan Police Department officer Terence Sutton, 40, was sentenced to five years and six months behind bars for a murder conviction in the October 2020 death of 20-year-old Karon Hylton-Brown. Andrew Zabavsky, a former MPD lieutenant who supervised Sutton, was sentenced to four years of incarceration for conspiring with Sutton to hide the reckless pursuit.

U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman handed down both prison sentences following a three-day hearing. The judge allowed both officers to remain free pending their appeals, according to a Justice Department spokesperson.

Prosecutors had recommended prison sentences of 18 years and just over 10 years, respectively, for Sutton and Zabavsky.

Matthew Graves, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, said in a statement after the verdict that “public safety requires public trust.”

“Crimes like this erode that trust and are a disservice to the community and the thousands of officers who work incredibly hard, within the bounds of the Constitution, to keep us safe,” Graves said.

In a prepared statement to the court, Sutton said he had known Hylton-Brown for years and would see him nearly every day.

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“Never in my wildest nightmare would I have thought this incident would end like this,” he wrote. “As a police officer, my intentions have always been pure and genuine — to serve and protect the people who live and work in the community.”

Hundreds of demonstrators protested outside a police station in Washington after Hylton-Brown’s death.

In December 2022, after a nine-week trial, a jury found Sutton guilty of second-degree murder and convicted both officers of conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges.

On the night of Oct. 23, 2020, Sutton drove an undercover police car to chase Hylton-Brown, who was riding an electric moped on a sidewalk without a helmet. Three other officers were passengers in Sutton’s car. Zabavsky was riding in a marked police vehicle.

The chase lasted nearly three minutes and spanned 10 city blocks, running through stop signs and going the wrong way up a one-way street. Sutton turned off his vehicle’s emergency lights and sirens and accelerated just before an oncoming car struck Hylton-Brown, tossing his body into the air. He never regained consciousness before he died.

The driver whose car struck Hylton-Brown testified that he would have slowed down or pulled over if he had seen police lights or heard a siren. Prolonging the chase ignored risks to public safety and violated the police department’s training and policy for pursuits, according to prosecutors.

“Hylton-Brown was not a fleeing felon, and trial evidence established the officers had no reason to believe that he was,” prosecutors wrote. “There was also no evidence that he presented any immediate risk of harm to anyone else or that he had a weapon.”

Prosecutors say Sutton and Zabavsky immediately embarked on a cover-up: They waved off an eyewitness to the crash without interviewing that person. They allowed the driver whose car struck Hylton-Brown to leave the scene within 20 minutes. Sutton drove over crash debris instead of preserving evidence. They misled a commanding officer about the severity of the crash. Sutton later drafted a false police report on the incident.

“A police officer covering up the circumstances of an on-duty death he caused is a grave offense and a shocking breach of public trust,” prosecutors wrote.

More than 40 current and former law-enforcement officers submitted letters to the court in support of Sutton, a 13-year department veteran.

“Officer Sutton had no intent to cause harm to Hylton-Brown that evening,” Sutton’s attorneys wrote. “His only motive was to conduct an investigatory stop to make sure that Hylton-Brown was not armed so as to prevent any further violence.”

Zabavsky’s lawyers asked the judge to sentence the 18-year department veteran to probation instead of prison. They said that Sutton, 56, was the first MPD officer to be charged with murder and that the case against Zababasky is “similarly unique.”

“The mere prosecution of this case, combined with the media attention surrounding it, serves as a form of general deterrence for other police officers who may be in a similar situation as Lt. Zabavsky,” defense attorneys wrote.

Amaala Jones Bey, the mother of Hylton-Brown’s daughter, described him as a loving father and supportive boyfriend.

“All of this was cut short because of the reckless police officers who unlawfully chased my lover to his death,” she wrote in a letter to the court.

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The Targaryen dynasty is famed for its deep and often mystical bond with dragons, creatures as integral to their power as their own bloodlines. Here are the top ten notable relationships between Targaryens and their dragons, highlighting the unique connections that defined both dragon and rider.

10. Syrax & Rhaenyra
At the tender age of seven, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen became a dragon rider, bonding with the young she-dragon Syrax. Named after an ancient Valyrian goddess, Syrax and Rhaenyra’s relationship was one of mutual respect and affection. Their flights together became legendary, with Syrax eventually laying several clutches of eggs, securing their bond for generations.

9. Morning & Rhaena
Princess Rhaena’s dragon, Morning, was often seen coiled around her like a living stole. The close physical proximity between the two signified their deep connection, as Morning was seldom apart from his rider, demonstrating an extraordinary level of companionship and trust.

8. Silverwing & Alysanne
Queen Alysanne’s bond with Silverwing was marked by poignant moments. Silverwing’s final flight with Alysanne in 93 AC was an emotional farewell. The queen’s tears as she dismounted reflected the deep and heartfelt connection between the two, a testament to their years together in the skies.

7. Meleys & Alyssa
Alyssa Targaryen’s defiant love for her dragon Meleys was evident when, against all advice, she took her infant son Viserys aloft on the dragon. Alyssa claimed Viserys giggled throughout the flight, illustrating the deep bond she shared with both her dragon and her child.

6. Meraxes & Rhaenys
Rhaenys Targaryen’s relationship with Meraxes was characterized by ambition and adventure. Rhaenys famously expressed a desire to fly Meraxes across the Sunset Sea, a testament to her unfulfilled longing for exploration and the profound connection she felt with her dragon.

5. Dreamfyre & Rhaena
Dreamfyre’s connection with Rhaena Targaryen was as tempestuous as the dragon’s own moods. On one memorable day, Dreamfyre descended in a fury, reflecting the emotional turbulence of Rhaena. Their bond was strong and unwavering, enduring through both stormy and calm times.

4. Balerion & Daenys
The bond between Daenys Targaryen and Balerion the Black Dread is legendary. Though Daenys claimed Balerion when he was no larger than a horse, their relationship remained pivotal throughout his life. An intriguing story reveals that Balerion, in his old age, mistook Aerea for Daenys, illustrating the deep imprint Daenys left on her dragon.

3. Rhaegal & Daenerys
Rhaegal’s bond with Daenerys Targaryen was evident in their playful interactions. A simple scratch from Daenerys would cause Rhaegal’s wings to stir, showcasing the mutual affection between them. Even as Rhaegal grew, their connection remained strong, with Daenerys often expressing her frustration and fondness for her dragon.

2. Viserion & Daenerys
Viserion’s relationship with Daenerys was marked by an endearing struggle for space. As Viserion grew larger, he tried to perch on Daenerys’ shoulder as he once did when he was smaller. Despite her gentle reprimands, Viserion’s affectionate gestures highlighted their enduring bond.

1. Drogon & Daenerys
At the top of the list is Drogon, whose bond with Daenerys Targaryen was both fierce and tender. Their interactions, such as Drogon’s playful nips and the way he would lash his tail, exemplify a deep and dynamic relationship. Their connection was the most vivid and emotionally charged, symbolizing the powerful bond between dragon and rider in Targaryen history.

These relationships illustrate the profound and often complex connections between Targaryens and their dragons, each bond unique and integral to the legacy of House Targaryen.

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If there was ever a year to sojourn to the nation’s capital for Howard University’s Homecoming, this may be the time.

This year’s festivities will occur not only as one of the school’s distinguished alumni is running for President of the United States but also after Forbes magazine ranked the school as number one among historically Black colleges and universities.

Six HBCUs, including Howard, made the annual list of 500, which is curated from the more than 5,000 colleges and universities in the United States. The list highlights the top 500 schools that routinely “produce successful, high-earning and influential graduates from all economic backgrounds, with less student debt.”

Howard is ranked 273rd, ahead of Spelman and its brother school Morehouse in Atlanta, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (also known as FAMU), North Carolina A&T, and Hampton University in Virginia.

“Howard University’s top ranking among HBCUs adds momentum to our march into the upper tier of the nation’s research institutions,” Howard University President Ben Vinson III, Ph.D said in a release responding to the ranking. “Howard’s singular influence at the nexus of intellectual discovery and global culture cannot be overstated, and we will continue to push the boundaries of knowledge to help the world solve its most pressing challenges.”

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Notably, the inclusion of HBCUs has doubled from last year’s three. This list also arrives as high school seniors are beginning to prepare college applications under the new realities of an admissions process devoid of affirmative action. Consequently, more and more predominately white institutions, including Harvard, report significant decreases in Black student enrollment. At the very least, this year’s list attempted to highlight schools with less exclusive admission rates.

“While we don’t consider schools’ acceptance rates in our rankings, this year we decided to allay some high schoolers’ admissions angst by highlighting excellent schools that don’t have the sub-10% admission rates of a Princeton, Stanford, or MIT,” the list’s authors wrote. “Thirty-eight of our top 100 schools admit more than 30% of applicants, and 16 of them admit 50% or more—in other words, these are great schools with less admissions stress.”

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A shocking exposé reveals a string of infidelity scandals involving prominent footballers and their wives.

In an industry often associated with glamour and success, the private lives of athletes have sometimes been marred by betrayal. Here are some of the most high-profile cases of footballers whose wives have been caught cheating:

• Francesco Totti: The legendary Roma captain’s 17-year marriage to Ilary Blasi ended after she was revealed to be having an affair with her personal trainer. The scandal sent shockwaves through the Italian football world, as Totti had been a beloved figure for decades. The revelation of his wife’s infidelity was a devastating blow to Totti, who had always been known for his loyalty and dedication to his family.






• Josip Ilicic: The Slovenian striker reportedly discovered his wife’s infidelity when he arrived home unexpectedly to surprise her. The revelation was devastating for Ilicic, who had been deeply committed to his marriage. The betrayal caused Ilicic to suffer from severe depression and anxiety, which forced him to take a break from football.






• Odartey Lamptey: The Ghanaian football icon was shocked to learn that the three children he had fathered over 21 years of marriage were not biologically his. A DNA test confirmed his suspicions, leading to a public divorce that was highly publicized in Ghana. The scandal tarnished Lamptey’s reputation and left him heartbroken. The revelation of the paternity fraud also caused a significant financial burden for Lamptey, who had been paying child support for years.






• Ronaldo Nazario: The Brazilian legend’s wife was allegedly involved in a romantic relationship with former teammate Clarence Seedorf. The affair caused a significant rift between the two players and led to speculation about the future of their friendship. The scandal also damaged Ronaldo’s reputation, as it was seen as a betrayal of his long-standing relationship with Seedorf.






• Afriyie Acquah: The Ghanaian midfielder was caught in a scandal when his wife was caught on tape admitting to an affair with national team teammate Jordan Ayew. She made derogatory comments about Acquah’s appearance and abilities, which were widely circulated online. The scandal damaged Acquah’s reputation and led to a public divorce. The affair also caused a major rift between Acquah and Ayew, who had previously been close friends.






• Kayode Olarenwaju: A DNA test revealed that the Nigerian striker was not the biological father of his three children. The children’s biological father was allegedly a pastor. The scandal caused a media frenzy in Nigeria and led to a public outcry against the pastor. The revelation also caused significant emotional distress for Olarenwaju,who had always believed that he was the children’s biological father.






• Geremi Njitap: The Cameroonian footballer was stunned to learn that the two children he had believed to be his were actually fathered by his wife’s ex-partner. The revelation was a devastating blow to Njitap, who had been deeply attached to his children. The scandal also caused a significant financial burden for Njitap, who had been paying child support for years.






• Rhodri Giggs: The former Manchester United defender’s wife, Natasha, had a long-term affair with his brother,Ryan Giggs, that lasted for eight years. The affair was kept secret for many years, but eventually came to light,causing a major rift between the two brothers. The scandal also damaged Giggs’ reputation as a family man, as he had always been known for his commitment to his wife and children.






• Dejan Lovren: The Croatian defender’s wife was caught having an affair with an old friend who worked as a forestry worker. The scandal was a major embarrassment for Lovren, who had always been known for his family-oriented lifestyle. The affair also caused significant financial strain on Lovren, who had to pay a large settlement to his ex-wife.






• Lee Makel: The Scottish footballer’s 10-year marriage was shattered when his wife was caught having sex with a Chief Superintendent of Police in a car. The affair was widely reported in the British media and led to a public divorce. The scandal also damaged Makel’s reputation as a respected member of the Scottish football community.






• Kevin Philips: The former Sunderland and Aston Villa striker’s wife cheated on him with a mobile phone salesman. The scandal caused a significant amount of stress for Philips, who had been struggling with personal issues at the time. The affair also led to the breakdown of Philips’ marriage, which had been considered one of the most stable in English football.

These stories highlight the challenges faced by athletes who often find themselves in the public eye, where their personal lives can be subject to intense scrutiny. The scandals have had a devastating impact on the lives of the footballers involved, as well as their families and friends. The revelations of infidelity have forced these athletes to confront their own vulnerabilities and rebuild their lives in the face of public humiliation.

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