From Houston to High Fashion: Paul Wall and Paul Masson Celebrate ‘ICE’ with Exclusive Jewelry Drop

Paul Wall showcases the custom Paul Masson ICE chain and brandy, part of a giveaway tied to his upcoming birthday bash. The Houston rapper and jeweler Johnny Dang are offering one fan the chance to win the $15,000 pendant as the city prepares to celebrate Wall’s legacy.

Paul Wall, the Houston rapper known as "The Iceman," is giving one lucky fan the chance to experience his signature lifestyle, complete with a $15,000 custom chain designed by his longtime jeweler Johnny Dang and a VIP trip to his birthday concert in Dallas. The contest, backed by Paul Masson Brandy, promises the winner an exclusive backstage party where Wall will personally present the jewelry while bottles of Paul Masson ICE, the liquor brand’s latest flavored brandy, are poured.

At first glance, the collaboration seems like a natural fit. Wall, who helped make diamond-studded grillz a hip-hop staple, has built his image around jewelry, luxury, and Houston’s underground rap scene. His partnership with Dang is legendary, their influence cemented in hip-hop history. Owning a custom Johnny Dang chain isn’t just about flash — it’s a status symbol, making this contest feel like more than just a promotional stunt. But behind the glitz and exclusivity, there’s a familiar tension between hip-hop culture and corporate branding, raising the question of whether this is an authentic moment or just another attempt to sell more liquor.

The intersection of hip-hop and alcohol marketing is nothing new. Liquor brands have spent decades embedding themselves into rap culture, from the days when Cognac companies latched onto their unprompted shoutouts in lyrics, to modern deals where rappers become the face of a brand, collecting checks while pushing bottles.

The custom Paul Masson ICE chain, designed by famed jeweler Johnny Dang, features VS and VVS diamonds set in a frosty light blue medallion, mirroring the brand’s signature colors and cooling effect.

 Paul Masson has followed that formula, leveraging hip-hop’s love of luxury while maintaining a mass-market appeal. Its new Paul Masson ICE brandy was even designed with a gimmick tailored to Wall’s persona — the bottle’s thermochromic label shifts color when chilled, mimicking the way diamonds catch the light. Even its 59-proof alcohol content is a nod to Wall’s Houston roots, referencing the 5900 block of Southlea Street where he lived when he dropped "The People's Champ," his Billboard No. 1 album that turns 20 this year.

Wall’s influence, however, extends beyond marketing deals and jewelry. He has remained deeply connected to Houston’s rap scene and his community, organizing school supply drives, helping with Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, and maintaining his independence in an industry that often exploits artists. He built his brand from the ground up, and his partnership with Dang revolutionized custom jewelry in hip-hop. That legacy is part of what makes this contest appealing — this isn’t just a chain; it’s a symbol of the culture Wall helped shape.

But that authenticity is also what makes the campaign feel like a double-edged sword. For one lucky winner, it’s a chance to step into Wall’s world, draped in a Johnny Dang original while rubbing elbows backstage at a hip-hop event. For everyone else, it’s a well-executed advertisement disguised as a cultural moment. The contest runs through Feb. 28, with details available at PaulMassonIce.com, but as hip-hop continues to be one of the most powerful marketing tools in the world, the bigger conversation about how brands capitalize on the culture is far from over.

Ye and the Art of the Swastika Grift: Kanye Drops Super Bowl Ad for Nazi Merch, Then Disappears

A screengrab fromYe's Super Bowl commercial.

After a weekend of hateful posts on X — where he declared himself a Nazi, praised Adolf Hitler, and made a series of misogynistic and conspiracy-laden remarks — Ye’s account suddenly disappeared Sunday night. The move came hours after he aired a bizarre self-shot Super Bowl commercial, directing viewers to his website, yeezy.com, where the only item for sale was a $20 white T-shirt emblazoned with a black swastika.

The page featured no explanation, only the text "HH-01," a term widely interpreted as shorthand for “Heil Hitler.” The Anti-Defamation League quickly condemned the shirt, calling it “further proof of Ye’s dangerous, escalating antisemitism.” The organization, which combats anti-Jewish discrimination, pointed out that the swastika “continues to threaten and instill fear in those targeted by white supremacy.”

The Super Bowl ad, which aired in select markets including Los Angeles, showed Ye reclining in a dentist’s chair, telling viewers, “I spent all the money for the commercial on these new teeth. So once again, I had to shoot it on the iPhone. Um, um, um, go to yeezy.com.” There was no mention of the swastika shirts, but by Monday morning, they were the only item available for purchase.

In an ironic twist, Ye had explicitly stated days earlier that he would never sell such a shirt, posting: “I would never sell a swastika tee because people could be physically harmed wearing it … I love my fans and supporters.” His rapid reversal fueled speculation that his latest spiral is not just another episode of erratic behavior but a calculated attempt to provoke outrage and capitalize on controversy.

Before his abrupt departure from X, Ye expressed gratitude to Elon Musk for keeping his platform open to him. “I appreciate Elon for allowing me to vent,” he wrote. “It has been very cathartic to use the world as a sounding board.”

Musk, for his part, publicly distanced himself from Ye's content but allowed him to continue posting well beyond the point where most accounts would have been banned. He acknowledged that Ye had posted explicit content, replying to one X user, “Given what he has posted, his account is now classified as NSFW. You should not be seeing that anymore.”

Ye’s latest outburst also included a bizarre defense of jailed music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, whom he called his “idol” while criticizing celebrities for not speaking out on Combs’ behalf. He then claimed “dominion” over his wife, Bianca Censori, who has drawn attention in recent weeks for appearing nearly nude in public alongside Ye.

His antisemitic rhetoric is nothing new. In 2022, he infamously tweeted that he was going “death con 3 on Jewish people,” which led to his suspension from Twitter and Instagram, the loss of multi-billion-dollar deals with Adidas and other companies, and widespread condemnation. He later apologized in 2023, claiming he was committed to “learning from the experience.” But as his latest meltdown demonstrates, any notion of repentance was short-lived.

Now, Ye’s X account is gone, his swastika-laden shirts are the only remnant of his latest self destruction, and his Super Bowl stunt has left the world wondering: Will he finally face real consequences, or is this just another cycle in his endless spiral of controversy?

Gary Grier, Veteran Member of The Contours, Dies at 72

Gary Grier, bottom left, with The Contours in 2017. Grier, a longtime member of the Motown vocal group, died in February, the band announced.

Gary Grier, a veteran performer and staple of Motown’s legendary vocal group The Contours, has died at 72. The group announced his passing on Facebook.

"Today, we lost one of our own," the statement read. "We are profoundly saddened by the sudden death of Gary Grier. He was an integral part of our group, and he will be sorely missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of Gary’s family and friends."

Grier, who joined The Contours in 1993, spent more than three decades helping preserve and extend the legacy of one of Motown’s most beloved groups. Although he was not part of the original lineup, his voice and stage presence became a defining part of the band’s continued success. He took over after the departure of Darell Nunlee, joining a roster that had already been evolving since the group's early years.

The Contours first rose to fame in the early 1960s as one of Motown’s premier vocal acts. Their signature hit, “Do You Love Me,” written by Berry Gordy, was a massive success in 1962, topping the R&B charts and reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track, known for its raw, high-energy vocals, became one of the defining sounds of early Motown and sold more than a million copies.

The song experienced a second wave of success in 1988, when it was prominently featured in the box-office smash Dirty Dancing. The exposure propelled it back onto the Billboard Top 40 charts for another eight weeks, introducing a new generation to the group’s infectious sound.

Beyond “Do You Love Me,” The Contours recorded several other charting singles, including “Can You Do It,” “Shake Sherry,” “First I Look at the Purse” and “Just a Little Misunderstanding.” Though they never reached the same heights as their debut smash, The Contours’ impact on rhythm and blues — and their reputation as one of the most dynamic acts in early Motown history — remained intact.

Grier played a key role in keeping the group’s legacy alive, performing well into the 2000s alongside longtime members Joe Billingslea and Al Chisholm. SoulTracks.com described him as “a seasoned performer with a commanding stage presence”, a reputation he upheld in performances across the country.

The Contours remained active in the decades following Motown’s golden era, adapting to lineup changes while continuing to tour and perform for loyal fans. In 2015, they were inducted into the R&B Hall of Fame, followed by their 2016 induction into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.