Hip-Hop Lives Here
Hip-Hop Lives Here
LaRussell recently posted a five minute video responding to the controversy surrounding his latest song, where he referred to Adolf Hitler, Jeffrey Epstein, and other polarizing figures as "heaven-sent." He explained that he believes many listeners misunderstood the message he was trying to communicate through the lyrics.
"The homies briefed me yesterday on all the outrage," he begins. "My first thought was, 'ns ain't that slow.' But I go and look, and ns that slow. Just listen to the music. It's no way n****s hear to that clip, and they like, 'You support Epstein.'"
When LaRussell originally uploaded the song online, he mentioned that his engineer actually advised him not to release it, something he pointed out in the caption. “MY ENGINEER TOLD ME I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T PUT THIS OUT… THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I PUT THIS OUT,” he wrote, adding three laughing emojis.
In the song itself, he delivers the following lyrics: “I'm not perfect, and neither is the president / What’s guiltier than a n***a hiding evidence? / You can't be mad that they heated if you don't let them vent / Even the devil was heaven-sent / Even Malcolm [X] was heaven-sent, even Martin [Luther King Jr.] was heaven-sent. Even Kanye was heaven-sent / We all have been sent / Donald too. We all heaven-sent / Epstein too / We all heaven-sent / Adolph too. We all heaven-sent / Even you, we all heaven-sent.”
The reaction online was swift, with many users criticizing the song in the comments. "You and hobo johnson working together would fully usher in the end times," one user wrote. Another added: "I’m an actual fan but this isn’t it. Not because you’re wrong but because you’re not actually expressing anything other than a very surface level observation. Yes we are all humans, but right now the world doesn’t need to hear that the people literally killing us are heaven sent."
This is also not the first time LaRussell has responded to the negative reactions. While replying to someone on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, he again clarified his viewpoint. “[laughing emojis] what do y'all think I'm saying in this song? Is it the truth that's bothersome or is it what YOU think I'm saying? I'm saying every human was made by God. Even the evil ones. Even the n****s going to hell alongside some of yall uncles, daddies, and favorite rappers.”
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Police video recorded during Justin Timberlake’s 2024 DWI arrest in Sag Harbor, New York, has now been made public.
On Friday March 20, authorities in Sag Harbor released an edited version of the footage to media organizations that had filed public information requests. The 45 year old artist had previously taken legal action in an attempt to prevent the video from being shared, but eventually accepted the edited version being released as part of a legal agreement.
Timberlake was taken into custody in June 2024 after being suspected of driving under the influence. He later admitted guilt to a reduced charge related to impaired driving and received a sentence that included 25 hours of community service. He also participated in a public safety message warning about the risks of drinking and driving, saying, “Even if you’ve had one drink, don’t get behind the wheel of a car.”
TMZ was one of the first publications to share the footage, which shows the pop star having difficulty completing several sobriety checks after police stopped his BMW SUV along the roadside.
“Guys, I’m just following my friends back to my house,” he’s heard saying in slowed down speech. “I’m not doing anything. I’m just following my friends back to my house.”
At one point officers ask him to walk in a straight line using nine heel to toe steps. “Sorry, I’m a little nervous,” the singer says as he takes more steps than instructed. In another test, where he is told to raise one foot about six inches and count out loud, Timberlake responds, “Sorry, my heart is racing,” before adding, “These are, like, really hard tests.” Officers later place him in handcuffs before taking him into custody.
Court documents submitted on March 2 show Timberlake’s legal team argued that the footage showed him in what they described as an “acutely vulnerable state” and claimed releasing it would “serve no legitimate public interest.” A judge on Long Island temporarily instructed police to hold off on releasing the recordings while the court reviewed the matter.
In comments provided to Billboard on March 20, the Village of Sag Harbor said, “We are pleased that this matter has now been resolved and the village will be able to comply with its statutory obligation to release the material that is subject to disclosure.”
“From the beginning of this matter, after Mr. Timberlake’s arrest, the village has attempted to comply with the mandates of the Freedom of Information Law,” the statement reads. “As would be true in any case involving records or video footage from our police department, such material is reviewed and redacted to address public and officer safety concerns as well as personal privacy considerations.”
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