Tay-K is Facing More Time Behind Bars

Giant billboards are hinting that Young Thug is dropping his new album soon. In other news: 

• Billboard Hot 100 📈 

• Tay-K was sentenced for murder a second time 😬 

• Ye has new conspiracies about K. Dot 😒

• Industry Insights 🔎 

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Billboard Hot 100

The above chart shows Billboard’s Hot 100 ranking for this week. The Hot 100 ranks songs based on streaming activity, radio airplay audience impressions, and sales data—all measured by Luminate.

Kendrick and SZA’s collab “luther” is still the top dawg, with Drake’s “NOKIA” sitting in second place despite its own recent music video. Meanwhile, BigXThaPlug going country with Bailey Zimmerman paid off, earning a top five spot this week as Doechii’s “Anxiety” and K. Dot’s other GNX hits like “tv off” take a tumble down.

Tay-K Found Guilty of Murder For a Second Time

Nearly a decade ago, rapper Tay-K (born Taymor Travon McIntyre) went viral with his breakout track “The Race,” which dropped on SoundCloud on June 16, 2017. He recorded both the song and its music video while on the run from authorities, awaiting trial. Just two weeks after its release, Tay-K was arrested at the age of 17.

In 2019, he was convicted of murder in the 2016 killing of 21-year-old Ethan Walker during a home invasion involving Tay-K and six others. He also pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated robbery. For his role in the crime, he was sentenced to 55 years in prison.

Now, eight years later, he’s been found guilty of a murder that occurred in 2017 and was sentenced to an additional 80 years in prison. Find out everything about the recent trial below.  

Tay-K sentenced to 80 years in prison

In 2017, while still on the run, an arrest warrant was issued for Tay-K in connection to the death of 21-year-old photographer Mark Anthony Saldivar in San Antonio. According to the warrant, Tay-K and his group had arranged a photoshoot with Saldivar, but instead allegedly robbed him at gunpoint for his equipment before fatally shooting him.

The case had been on the docket since 2019, with delays attributed to the defense receiving new evidence from the state earlier this year and awaiting a ballistics report on a firearm allegedly linked to the crime.

“If it could not be ruled out as the firearm, that would be a material aspect of Mr. McIntyre’s defense…An essential one,” defense attorney John Hunter said. 

One of the witnesses called to testify in the case was Tay-K’s ex-girlfriend, Joanna Reyes, who claimed that she didn’t report the 2017 incident after the rapper threatened her and her family.

Nevertheless, the rapper’s legal team defended him until the end. They argued the case relied heavily on self-serving witness testimony from individuals who were in the car at the time of the shooting.

“Taymor McIntyre is not guilty of capital murder, murder, or manslaughter, and the reason for that is very simple…You have to do it right. You have to do the work. And this case clearly demonstrates the work wasn’t done,” Hunter said during closing arguments last week. 

Despite the efforts of his defense, Tay-K was ultimately found guilty of murder. However, he was acquitted of the more severe charge of capital murder, which would have carried a mandatory life sentence. On Tuesday, April 16, he was sentenced to 80 years in prison. Combined with his 55-year sentence from 2019, Tay-K faces 100+ years in jail. 

Ye’s Latest Conspiracy Theory About Kendrick Lamar

Despite allegedly being banned from X (formerly known as Twitter, now known as Ye's personal crashout diary), Ye has returned to the app to gift us another round of his signature word vomit. His latest target? Kendrick Lamar (again). Last month, the Chicago chaos conductor criticized K. Dot's guest verses on Playboi Carti’s MUSIC and shaded his 2022 Louis Vuitton performance. 

However, in a twist worthy of a soap opera, Ye later told DJ Akademiks he was actually just jealous Kendrick made the features list on Carti’s album while he got cut like an out-of-place ad-lib. Of course, this brief moment of vulnerable, “honest Ye” only shows up about as often as a solar eclipse. Now he’s back to doing what he does best: setting the music industry ablaze on social media, and dragging Kendrick along with him in the passenger seat. 

Ye thinks he’s being erased

The newest drama stems from a video accusing K. Dot and SZA of getting a helping hand from (you guessed it) bots, allegedly inflating the YouTube views on the visuals for “luther.” 

In a since-deleted rant (shocker), Ye shared his extremely calm and rational take on the situation. 

"Look man when I was dropping Graduation I had the whole building behind me too. That’s the way this profession is…He got 24 Grammies. They are strategically trying to erase what I did and earned with n***** that won’t even be remembered 100 years from now. I’m by faaaarrr the most important artist of our lifetime. Everyone that works with the Super Bowl and Grammies can suck my d*** forewvvveeeerrr n****," Ye said. 

If Kendrick’s 2024 run taught us all that we’re not hating hard enough, then Ye’s latest conspiracy theory is a masterclass in delusional confidence. Lesson number one: Ye is never the problem. Lesson number two: no one can be more successful than Ye. Lesson number three: Ye is, objectively and eternally, the “most important artist of our lifetime.”

As for Kendrick? The Compton native has remained silent. There’s been no official statement or cryptic IG Story (that’s really more Drake’s style). However, the internet has been loud, reminding Ye that just because he has an X account doesn’t mean he should use it.

• Jay-Z and Beyoncé were dropped from a new Diddy lawsuit. In a complaint filed earlier this month by Manzaro Joseph, they were previously named as witnesses to a sexual assault that happened at one of Diddy’s parties.

• Nelly has nothing to worry about now. The $50 million lawsuit filed against him by the St. Lunatics has been dropped.

• Essence Festival just dropped its first wave of performers. GloRilla, Summer Walker, Muni Long, and more will hit the stage in New Orleans this Fourth of July weekend. 

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