Da Brat Reveals She's Pregnant at 48

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Da Brat, the legendary rapper behind the hit song "Funkdafied," is pregnant at the age of 48.

The hip-hop icon revealed the news in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE magazine published today.

Da Brat, whose real name is Shawntae Harris, and her wife, Jesseca "Judy" Harris-Dupart, CEO of Kaleidoscope Hair Products, said they were inspired to have a baby after their marketing campaign for a new hair product line featured the tagline "extending our family."

"It started as a joke, but then we got a huge response. It was like, 'Oh my God, do we want to actually have kids, and if we do, girl, we better hurry up!'" Harris-Dupart told PEOPLE.

Da Brat reveals pregnancy at 48: 'I thought it wasn't in the cards for me' https://t.co/tny1yHwf96 pic.twitter.com/m6gqoSo43a

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 21, 2023

The couple tied the knot in February 2022, and Da Brat said she thought having a baby was "not in the cards" for her at this stage in her life.

"It's been quite a journey," she said, adding that they had to learn a lot about pregnancy and childbirth for women over 40.

Da Brat has been in the music industry for over three decades, with hits such as "Funkdafied" and "Give It 2 You," and has also appeared in films and television shows.

She became the first female solo artist to go platinum with her debut album, "Funkdafied," in 1994.

The rapper recently made headlines after receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in January 2023.

Her induction ceremony was attended by several of her peers in the music and entertainment industries, including Mariah Carey, Queen Latifah, and Jermaine Dupri.

Ice-T Honored With Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

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Rap icon and actor Ice-T, a pioneering force in hip-hop and acclaimed performer in film and television, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, one day after his 65th birthday.

Ice-T, whose real name is Tracy Lauren Marrow, was joined by his wife Coco Austin and their daughter Chanel for the celebration, attended by family, friends, co-stars and contemporaries on the world-famous stretch of sidewalk in Los Angeles.

One of the creators of gangster rap in the nineties, he was recognized for his contributions to the music and entertainment industries with the Walk's 2,747th star, located at 7065 Hollywood Blvd.

Speaking at the ceremony, Law & Order franchise producer Dick Wolf, who counts Ice-T among the stars in his long-running crime drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, praised the rapper's talent and character.

"Ice has appeared in more of my shows than anyone else on Earth. It goes back now 25 years," Wolf said. "I’m now gonna show how old I am by saying, ‘Ice is the coolest guy I have ever met,’ and I’ve said that to him. I don’t know what the term for it is — ‘the bomb’? I don’t know."

Law & Order: SVU co-star Mariska Hargitay called Ice-T the O.G. of friendship, emphasizing the rapper's deep impact on the music industry and the world at large.

"Your whole story runs so deep. It runs deep particularly here in L.A., and it runs deep around the world," Hargitay said. "You are a rapper and an actor and an artist. And at a time when people overuse words without thinking and wearing out the meanings, you are indeed the real O.G."

Fellow hip-hop legend Chuck D of Public Enemy revealed he calls Ice-T Berg as a nickname "‘cause he’s so cool that he could sink the Titanic and raise it again," and praised the rapper's influence and power with words.

"He brought theater to hip-hop and rap, and you got frozen in the moment like he’s the Black rap Alice Cooper, without biting off the bird’s head," Chuck D said. "And he would hold you in the palm of his hand with words, wisdom, and wit."

When it was Ice-T's turn to take to the podium, the star expressed disbelief at the honor, saying, "I never thought I would get a star — really? I mean, the way my life was going, it was what can we come up in Hollywood and steal. We were really out here causing real problems. And this was just out of the question. Show business was just out of the question."

He also thanked his detractors for fueling his motivation to succeed.

"Last but not least," Ice-T said, "I want to thank the motherf— haters, ‘cause you really make me get up in the morning and be the best that I can be. All the naysayers, all the people that wanted to end my career, now I’m on the Walk of Fame ... and that’s the motivation! You’ve got to let the haters motivate you."

Motown Hit With Layoffs as it Loses Standalone Label Status

Motown Records, the iconic American record label founded by Berry Gordy in 1958, has laid off an unknown number of employees as it re-integrates under the Capitol Music Group umbrella.

The label, known for its chart-topping hip-hop and R&B artists, recently underwent a restructuring after becoming a standalone entity in March 2021.

A spokesperson confirmed the layoffs, stating that some positions had become duplicative as Motown returned to CMG.

"These employees are leaving the company, and our People, Inclusion, and Culture department is helping them find new opportunities - either within or outside of UMG," the statement read.

The future of the label was thrown into uncertainty after ex-chairwoman and CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam departed from Motown in November. Habtemariam oversaw Motown's move from New York to Los Angeles in 2014 when UMG dissolved the Island Def Jam Music Group and moved Motown to the Capitol Tower.

In 2015, Habtemariam signed Motown's partnership with Atlanta-based Quality Control, which brought top artists like Migos, Lil Baby, Lil Yachty and City Girls to the label. This partnership led to Motown becoming a standalone label before returning to the CMG umbrella.

The layoffs at Motown are similar to those made by other music companies in response to the uncertain global economy. Quality Control, Motown's partner, was recently acquired by HYBE America in a deal worth over $300 million, although its recordings remain within the UMG family.