Killer Mike and T.I. delivered impassioned speeches last night during a press conference in Atlanta addressing the state of the city. With riots and protests going on across America, both T.I. and Killer Mike acknowledged the pain that they, as well as the Black community as a whole, are going through right now. However, for two men who grew up in Atlanta, they urged protesters and those in the streets to strategize the way they're going to make a change instead of burning and looting in the city of Atlanta.

Though many didn't entirely agree on the matter, Killer Mike and T.I.'s sentiment appears to get the backing of Tyler Perry and 2 Chainz. The latter took to Twitter at the wee hours of the morning to address the protests, as well as the coronavirus pandemic. "This is America?" He captioned the post. "What we doin'? PS> I rambled some but you feel me."

"I'mma get straight to it. If you didn't think a White cop killing a Black man is more serious than COVID-19, you can look at all the protests and you will realize that no one is practicing social distancing," Chainz said in the video. "If you're from out of town, and you comin' out here burnin' shit, take ya ass back home. We ain't asking you to do that. Third, you already know if you keep fuckin' up shit, Trump's going to say something about our Mayor and try to make her look incompetent which we all know, she way better than that. Let's think this out -- the city is ran by predominantly Black people."

View this post on Instagram

Atl what we doin ? PS. I rambled some but you feel me

A post shared by 2 Chainz Aka Tity Boi (@2chainz) on May 29, 2020 at 7:49pm PDT

Tyler Perry, who isn't currently in Atlanta, issued a statement with a stern warning to protesters to be careful about where they're getting information and who is trying to organize these protests.

"I’m not in Atlanta, but if I were I would have been standing with our Mayor! But there was nothing I could say better than what Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said last night! Please, please stop this violence!! Looting is NOT THE ANSWER!!!!" He wrote. "And listen to me, be careful where you are getting your information to JOIN protests!! There are people and other countries who are posting things pretending to be US, pretending to stand for peaceful protest, but they are trying to incite us into violence and chaos to try and do more harm!!"

Read his post below. 

2 Chainz was one of the first restaurant owners in Atlanta to re-open his space for dine-in service, announcing weeks ago that Escobar Restaurant and Tapas would be back in business after Governor Brian Kemp’s controversial decision to re-open non-essential businesses earlier than other states. On Memorial Day Weekend, a party was held at the location and, once police officers traveled by, they noticed that there was a blatant disrespect of COVID-19 social distancing guidelines. People were packed into the space and hookah was being shared, with bottle service also being offered. 

The restaurant was shut down and clients were asked to leave. Despite the closure for the night, 2 Chainz wants everybody to know that he is still in business, sending a driver to get him some grub just last night for dinner.

“Just sent my driver to @escobaratlanta to pick up a kale salad with grill shrimp and two broccolis for me,” said the rapper on Instagram. His post itself was less pleasant in tone though as he fought back against media outlets continuing to report the closure of his restaurant.

“Still reporting Escobar been closed,” he wrote. “That was on Sunday! Today is Wednesday can yall find something else to report and get off @2chainz nuttz!”

Hopefully, there are no further issues at the restaurant as they look to comply with federal rules and regulations for COVID-19.

Both of 2 Chainz‘s Escobar Restaurant and Tapas locations in Atlanta have officially reopened for dine-in service, and they’re taking extra precautions to ensure everyone’s safety. The decision to reopen his dining establishments to the public was a difficult and controversial one for the rapper. He initially planned to start up again a few weeks ago, when Governor Brian Kemp gave non-essential businesses the go-ahead to reopen despite the rampant coronavirus pandemic.

Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Revolt

However, Chainz had a change of heart a few days later, choosing instead to use his facilities to feed the homeless rather than open his doors to the general public. It looks like he’s got money on his mind again, though, because on Tuesday (May 5th), both Escobar locations were open and hoppin’.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Diamond Ball

While they may be offering dine-in service now, tons of new safety measures have been put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among staff and patrons. This includes limiting sections to parties of four or less, serving all food in to-go boxes, offering masks and gloves free of charge, and instructing customers to wash their hands immediately upon arrival. They’ve also opened their patio section, so that tables can be more spread out. The volume of staff has also been limited to keep capacity low. Perhaps the most controversial choice the Escobar team has made is to continue offering hookahs to patrons. All hookah users will be provided with a disposable hose, and all devices will be sanitized after each and every use. 

Despite all these safety efforts, though, many patrons don’t seem to be following the new guidelines too closely, according to TMZ. Some clips posted on social media at Escobar show folks dancing in very close quarters. Bentley Didier, a spokesperson for Escobar, says that employees, friends, and customers have admitted that they’ve been dealing with depression due to self-quarantining and social distancing, and just want to let loose. Regardless, there should still be respect for the safety measures in place.

When you’re a celebrity, you often find yourself regularly engaged in some sort of legal dispute. Rapper 2 Chainz knows just about that, considering that he’s been hit with a few lawsuits over the years. In 2019, he was sued over allegedly stealing a song sample, and in February of this year, he was accused of the same thing by another artist. A woman also sued him for $5 million for calling her a “thot,” but a judge recently threw out her case. Now, Bossip reports that a former employee is taking 2 Chainz and the rapper’s business partner Mychel “Snoop” Dillard to court.

Jamie McCarthy / Staff / Getty Images

According to the outlet, Leon Wiggins worked for the two business owners and struck a deal to help bring in more clientele to Escobar Restaurant and Tapas, as well as Hookah MRD Kings back in 2018. It was reportedly agreed that Wiggins would work as an assistant manager to both establishments, and if he made a certain amount of sales, he would also collect a commission. 

Leon Wiggins reportedly states in his lawsuit that after he sold a number of items at both restaurants, he was supposed to receive a commission of $24,713. In April 2019, Wiggin left his positions at both establishments, but he claims he was never paid what he says he’s due. Wiggins also states that 2 Chainz nor his business partner ever responded to the lawsuit, so he wants to move forward with receiving a default judgment. Yet, the rapper and Dillard aren’t giving up that easily, and they replied they never received the proper paperwork to give to their lawyers. As far as the commission deal is concerned, the business partners say they weren’t aware of any deal. The case is ongoing.

[]

Not many people were happy after the governor of Georgia announced that non-essential businesses could reopen their doors. Sure, it’s good for the economy but the current pandemic is claiming thousands of lives across America. Still, 2 Chainz announced last week that the doors to his restaurants Escobar Restaurant and Tapas would open up once again.

Since then, it appears that 2 Chainz and his business partner Snoop Dillard ultimately decided against it for the greater good of their community and their well-being. They did technically open their doors but it was only so they could feed the homeless in the community. TMZ reports that 2 Chainz and Snoop Dillard distributed free meals to the homeless in downtown Atlanta outside of their store. They did also enforce social distancing measures to whoever was trying to grab a plate of butter garlic chicken pasta. 

Shortly after they announced their decision to open up the shop last week, many people within their community made it clear they weren’t pleased. “After careful consideration, we are not going to open our restaurants on Monday. It has not officially been decided when we will start having dine-in service,” Dillard explained. 

“Doin my part to make a difference ! What you doin besides holding ya nuts on a young black entrepreneurs ???? What happen to the media today ??? Feeding the homeless ain’t that interesting huh ?? SPIN CYCLE TONI,” 2 Chainz wrote in a post. 

2 Chainz is making the very controversial decision to re-open all of his Atlanta restaurants for dine-in service, following Governor Brian Kemp’s decision to allow non-essential businesses to get back to work.

Everything has been shut down for the last month and a bit as we have been flattening the curve by social distancing and remaining at home. Governor Brian Kemp of Georgia made the very shocking decision to allow non-essential businesses to re-open the economy, which Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is against. Still, 2 Chainz has decided to side with Kemp, opening up the doors to his ATL restaurants next week.

Starting Monday, 2 Chainz’s Escobar Restaurant and Tapas locations in Atlanta will be offering dine-in service. Safety precautions will reportedly be at the top of management’s concerns. In the report by TMZ, it says that employees will have their temperature taken before each shift, with single-use paper menus being given to clients, gloves for all employees, and masks for the cooks. 

Bennett Raglin/Getty Images

If an employee is showing coronavirus symptoms, they will be asked to stay home and self-isolate for fourteen days.

The restaurants will also reportedly be bringing back hookahs, which clearly causes a safety concern.

Sales at both locations of 2 Chainz’ restaurants have been down 95% during the pandemic, and the majority of the staff had to be furloughed. During the COVID-19 quarantine, Escobar locations were doing only take-out orders.

[]

2 Chainz‘s mama ain’t raised no hoe!!! After a recent court battle against an artist who claimed that 2 Chainz, Offset, and YGstole his song, the three rappers are celebrating their win after the case was dismissed.

At the beginning of the year, it was reported that the trio would be going to court to battle a rapper named Slugga, real name Solomon Clanton, who claims they infringed on his copyright by releasing “Proud.” 

“Plaintiffs discovered that since at least March 2018 Defendants have continuously and repeatedly infringed, and are presently infringing, Slugga’s copyright in the Subject Composition, in a song publicly performed by 2Chainz as part of his highly successful album The Play Don’t Care Who Makes It,” state the legal documents.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Slugga’s song was released three years prior to 2 Chainz’s record. The tracks share a common theme, as well as a similar hook and lyrics.

According to The Blast, the case has officially been dismissed by Slugga, who is voluntarily dropping his suit against all defendants. However, he has the chance to re-file if he chooses to in the future.

The video for “Proud” shows all three of 2 Chainz, Offset, and YG’s moms rapping their hit song. Re-visit it below.

Unfortunately, this does not mean that all legal difficulties have vanished for the trio of rappers. As we reported earlier today, Offset’s baby mama is looking to take him to court over child support. You can’t win ’em all.

[]

A week after 2 Chainz made claims that he had the best verse on “Mercy,” Big Sean has entered the chat. The Atlanta rapper shared an image on Instagram that posed the question of who dominated on Kanye West‘s “Mercy” featuring Big Sean, Pusha T, and 2 Chainz. “No disrespect but I kilt all dem boys,” 2 Chainz wrote. Sean was made aware of the comment and said he didn’t hesitate to confront his friend.

Jason Merritt / Staff / Getty Images

“I immediately called him ’cause I was about to—I called him like, ‘Yo, what the f*ck you talkin’ ’bout, bro? And he was like, ‘Nah, nah, I wasn’t talkin’ ’bout you, bro. I was talking about the whole game. Obviously everybody on there was going crazy.’ I’m like, ‘Well, that’s not how it seemed.’ And he was like, ‘Nah, bro.'”

“I told him like, n*gga, as far as ‘Mercy’ goes, I was the first one who did my verse on the song,” Big Sean continued. “It was just the beat and I freestyled my verse. I did it without trying and Kanye was the one who loved it so much. I just remember always being in the studio and him telling n*ggas, everybody was on the song, ‘That n*gga Sean went crazy. We all gotta come crazy.'”

Sean Don said that he “set the tone on that song” so he was surprised to hear about 2 Chainz’s boastful remarks. He added that 2 Chainz didn’t have a problem with the confrontation, but if he did, Big Sean was ready to say that he bodied him on their collaborations “K.O” and “All Me.” Check out Big Sean’s interview along with the music video for “Mercy” below.

Despite being quarantined at home in the midst of a pandemic with no true end in sight, hip hop culture is blessing fans with Instagram Live Battles. They’re meant to be light-hearted fun as two artists or producers stream snippets of 20 of their greatest hits. So far, there hasn’t been a disappointing battle yet, and rap fans believe it’s time for Fabolous to step up to the challenge.

Dave Kotinsky / Stringer / Getty Images

The rapper appeared on The Breakfast Club‘s recent social distancing episode and chatted about the Instagram Live Battles that have stormed social media. When asked if he would participate, he said he would be open to it. “In a fun way, I think it would be cool,” he said. “I ain’t see my name come up that much. I seen my name come up with 2 Chainz where 2 Chainz was I guess kinda like—I didn’t like the 2 Chainz sh*t ’cause he was picking his battle a little bit. You can’t pick your fights. I don’t know who makes the Verzuz.”

Angela Yee added that 2 Chainz has the right to issue a challenge and Fabolous can accept it. Fab replied that he wasn’t aware that the other battles were people calling out one another. The rapper also noted that 2 Chainz “excluded himself” from battling other artists from Atlanta. “Why wouldn’t you go against Jeezy or Future or whoever? They’re the trap rappers. They’re your genre and kinda era. I just don’t like the ‘pick the fight’ type of thing.” 

Watch Fabolous chop it up with The Breakfast Club and let us know who you’d like to see him go head-to-head with in an Instagram Live Battle.

With the ongoing coronavirus spread causing what feels like a global quarantine state, celebratory gatherings of loved ones have temporarily become a thing of the past. Given that this past weekend was the Easter holiday, many moved to retain some semblance of tradition. That includes the hip-hop community, who took to Instagram to share family pictures and inspirational words.

“Happy Easter and keep the faith,” writes 2 Chainz, sharing a photo of his three children. “Remain optimistic and Pray.” Fresh off holding it down in a legendary producer battle against DJ Premier, the RZA chimed in with some motivational wisdom befitting of the Wu-Tang cause. “Have a Blessed Resurrection Day. Today we celebrate the resurrection of knowledge of self,” he writes. “Love of self, family, community, planet and most importantly the love of the Father of All.”

Ever the mama’s boy, Death Row’s Daz Dillinger showed some love to his mom with a heartfelt post. Even 50 Cent took a moment to showcase his softer side, teaching his young son Sire how to bake. In turn, Sire offered his father some acting tips. “This guy is so much fun, he be saying some shit,” jokes Fif. “He told me he saw my show For Life I asked if he liked it, he said it was cool but if you practice you could do better.” Cardi B also took to Instagram to share a picture of her daughter Kulture, and her husband’s cousin Quavo flooded his own driveway with a dose of Easter flair.

How did you spend your Easter holidays?