Hollywood Unlocked Blog in Hot Water Over Claim Queen Elizabeth II is Dead

Queen Elizabeth II

With the world seemingly on the verge of World War III and the ongoing pandemic, one hip-hop-centric news source with millions of followers and credibility for breaking stories found a way to stand out from the crowd.

Unfortunately for Hollywood Unlocked, the scoop it posted has been debunked and denied by multiple media sources and Britain's Royal Family.

The pop culture blog with 2.8 million Instagram followers published a post to its Instagram page that claimed "sources close to the Royal Kingdom" had exclusively told the blog that the Queen had died Tuesday.

The story alleged the 95-year-old, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 Sunday, had been found dead shortly before she was expected at British Vogue editor Edward Enninful's wedding.

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The reaction to the story was swift and brutal from traditional media. Print publications, broadcast and electronic media across the world called out the story as a hoax. That, however, didn't stop site founder and former "Love & Hip Hop" cast member, Jason Lee, from standing behind his scoop.

We don’t post lies and I always stand by my sources. Waiting for an official statement from the palace.

— Jason Lee (@theonlyjasonlee) February 22, 2022

“We don’t post lies and I always stand by my sources. Waiting for an official statement from the palace,” the 44-year-old Lee wrote on Twitter on Tuedsay. On his personal Instagram account, he added, "I've never been wrong," in a shared note that also indicated he would be hanging with Kanye West later that day.

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Unfortunately for Lee, his claims are looking even more unfounded. US Weekly reported that the sovereign attended her weekly conversation with U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday. The site said the palace confirmed the news to royal reporter Omid Scobie. 

Jury Convicts Ahmaud Arbery's Killers of Federal Hate Crimes

From left to right, Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan

After deliberating for a little over three hours Tuesday, jurors in the federal trial of the three White men who chased and killed 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery as he jogged through their neighborhood in Glynn County Georgia in 2020 found them guilty on all counts.

Ahmaud Arbery

The jury determined that Travis McMichael (36), the man who fatally shot Arbery, targeted him because he was Black.

His father Greg McMichael (66), who pursued Arbery along with his son after seeing him running in their neighborhood outside, and neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan (52) — who joined the chase in his own pickup and recorded cellphone video of Travis McMichael firing the fatal shots — were also found guilty of violating Ahamud Arbery's civil rights.

Ahmaud Arbery’s killers have been found guilty of all counts in their federal hate crime trial. The three men are currently serving life sentences after being convicted of Arbery’s murder in a separate trial. For all live updates https://t.co/9ilsfjAVSa pic.twitter.com/TEWgSfcRSU

— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) February 22, 2022

The trio, which was convicted of murder in a Georgia state court and sentenced to life in prison, was also found guilty of attempted kidnapping. The McMichaels were also found guilty of one count each of brandishing or discharging a firearm during a violent crime.

They now face up to life in prison for the federal crimes on top of their previous life sentence. Only Bryan would be eligible for parole.

UK Rap Pioneer and Music Mogul, Jamal Edwards, Dead at 31

Brenda and Jamal Edwards on 'Loose Women'. Credit: ITV.

Jamal Edwards, a YouTube pioneer who built one of the platform's earliest successes in 2006 when he founded the online music channel SB.TV as a teen in his parent's west London neighborhood, died Sunday after what his mother described as a "sudden illness."

Edward's mother Brenda, a singer and actress that is currently a presenter and panelist on the British television talk show "Loose Women," confirmed his death at the age of 31 in an emotional tribute on the show's social media accounts.

"It is with the deepest heartache that I confirm that my beautiful son Jamal Edwards passed away yesterday morning after a sudden illness. Myself, his sister Tanisha and the rest of his family and friends are completely devastated. He was the center of our world," the statement read.

She continued: "As we come to terms with his passing we ask for privacy to grieve this unimaginable loss. I would like to thank everyone for their messages of love and support. Jamal was an inspiration to myself and so many. Our love for him lives on, his legacy lives on. Long live Jamal Edwards MBE, MBA and PHD."

After the devastating death of Jamal, our thoughts are with Brenda today. She’s sent us this message: pic.twitter.com/EZWH3b5tcX

— Loose Women (@loosewomen) February 21, 2022

According to reporting from "The Sun," Edwards suffered a heart attack at his home in Acton, West London. The newspaper talked to a friend of the entrepreneur that said, "The details are still not clear but we've been told that it was a heart attack."

That same pal, identified as Dwayne by the publication said Edwards, "was out DJing on Saturday night and eventually got home in the early hours of Sunday morning.

He added, "The family are still trying to come to terms with it all, but we've heard that his mum found him in his bedroom and called an ambulance."

Following the news, hundreds of fans attended a vigil in West London and scores of friends, musicians, celebrities and even the Prince of Wales took to the internet to share their grief at his passing.

Thinking of the family of Jamal Edwards today.

His work in music but also as an ambassador for a new generation, including his work for The Prince’s Trust, were an inspiration to so many. https://t.co/upNgux1mxU

— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) February 21, 2022

“Thinking of the family of Jamal Edwards today," Prince Charles’ Clarence House office tweeted. "His work in music but also as an ambassador for a new generation, including his work for The Prince’s Trust, were an inspiration to so many.”

Edwards was given a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), an honor from the queen, in 2014 for services to music and also served as an ambassador for Prince Charles’ charity, the Prince’s Trust.

Singer Rita Orr, who along with Ed Sheeran, Jessie J and Stormzy, owe much of their early success to Edwards posted a heartfelt tribute on Instagram.

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“My first ever interview was with you. Jamal,” she wrote. “Our endless talks on music and the belief you had in me and so many of us before we even believed in ourselves. I’m devastated.”

International superstar Drake also had Edwards in his thoughts. SB.TV was the first U.K. platform to interview the former child actor turned music monolith as he was making the transition between acting and rapping.

"Sending condolences and love to the friends and family of Jamal Edwards," he wrote alongside a throwback picture of the pair he shared on his Instagram stories.