This is the sixth installment of “Entertainment winners and losers of the week,” covering September 8-14.

It has been another wild week in the world of entertainment with many highs and lows. With so much going on in music, movies and television on a day to day basis, it’s easy to miss a few things. That’s why we’re here. Here are the Amherst Wire Entertainment staff picks for winners and losers of the week:

Jonathan Kermah

Winner: Kenan Thompson

I’m not big on award shows. Ever since I witnessed Macklemore take home Kendrick Lamar’s Grammys in 2014, I’ve realized award shows aren’t really for us (the black community). So no, I did not watch as Kenan Thompson was awarded his first Creative Arts Emmy alongside fellow Saturday Night Live writers and cast members Eli Brueggemann, Chris Redd and Will Stephen for creating the sketch “Come Back, Barack.”

Thompson steals the show in this 90s R&B inspired Barack Obama tribute featuring Chance the Rapper. It’s about time SNL’s longest-running cast member gets the credit he deserves.

Loser:  SmokePurpp and Russ

In an interview with Hot 97, Atlanta rapper Russ let it be known that he has some dirt on one of his haters. That hater was Florida rapper SmokePurpp. Purpp, like many hip-hop fans and artists alike, made his disdain for the very brash Russ known and even went as far as making Russ’s sister his profile picture a few months back.

Within a day of Russ’s interview, a video of SmokePurpp getting attacked by Russ’s security team surfaced. I’m not really sure who looks worse here: the rapper who got jumped for internet trolling or the rapper who sent his security guards to defend his honor. This is just Ls all around.

Trevor Wilson

Winner: Jay-Z

Jay-Z is no stranger to wealth, but after three years of falling behind Diddy as hip-hop’s highest paid artist, Hov returns to the number one spot after hauling in $76.5 million so far in 2018. It’s been a busy year for the Brooklyn rapper — he comes off of his very successful 4:44 tour and dropped his first joint project “Everything is Love” with singer and wife Beyonce. Diddy pulls up in second place after earning nearly $64 million, and Compton superstar Kendrick Lamar reeled in $58 million to lock up third place.

Jay-Z’s incredible accumulation of wealth is just a glimpse of how involved the hip-hop world is with business. Other notable names on the list include Drake, Future, Nas and Kanye West. All of them made it into the top ten. If one thing is for certain, it’s that Hov has cemented himself as one of the most influential moguls and artists in all of hip-hop.

Loser: Young Thug

Ouch. Thugger should have thought about putting that brack in his brack. On Tuesday, Atlanta-born rapper Young Thug was slapped with eight felonies from an arrest made last year. The charges included a plethora of weapon and drug charges, one of which was the possession of and intent to sell meth.

Thugger was arrested on Tuesday, September 11 in the midst of his tour with J. Cole. The outcome is uncertain right now, but Young Thug may have left his fans a parting gift. Just days before the arrest, Young Thug announced he would be dropping an album titled “On The Run.” While the album was set to release the day of his arrest, there has been no fruition to Thug’s suspected release.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bnl7quUhUHO/?hl=en&taken-by=thuggerthugger1

Tiffany Chasse

Winner: Patriots fans

Like many of you, I couldn’t care less about the football season — that is, until the Superbowl party invites with mention of food start rolling in. My friends, however, like football much more than I do. To avoid the lonely abyss of a homework-free Sunday afternoon, I strolled over to the AC of the Commonwealth Honors College and watched the game with my girls. To no one’s surprise, the Patriots beat the Texans with a final score of 27-20. After all, this is New England and if you’re not a Pats fan, you’re wrong. The Super Bowl is only a few measly months away — what’s the harm of keeping up until we get there?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnhOMC-DEMS/?hl=en&taken-by=patriots

Loser: Colton Underwood

This hunky star of season 14 of “The Bachelorette” crashed and burned yet again at paradise. Coming in at fourth place in Becca’s heart, Underwood was sent home the night of the fantasy suite, before experiencing any fantasy. His dismissal wasn’t the only drama the couple faced throughout the season, however. Before his time on the show, Colton had entertained a relationship with one of Becca Kufrin’s close friends, Tia Booth. While this caused tension throughout the season, Becca and Colton ultimately broke up for other reasons. However, fourth place got a second try in this summer’s season of “Bachelor in Paradise.” Sparks flew yet again between Colton and Tia, but in this week’s season finale, those sparks quite frankly went out. This 26-year-old virgin can not catch a break. Will the odds be in his favor when he stars in the upcoming season of “The Bachelor”? I’m skeptical.

Hayley Solomon

Winner: Noah Centineo

This rising star from the hit Freeform show “The Fosters” — he also makes an appearance in Camila Cabello’s Havana music video — is having a great few weeks. With two films released on Netflix just weeks apart, he has become the new star everyone can’t stop talking about. He was ranked one of the top actors in the Hollywood Reporter’s social media rankings. People just can’t wait to see what he is going to do next.

Loser: David Henrie

The “Wizards of Waverly Place” actor was arrested this week in LAX for attempting to bring a loaded gun through security. He later posted an apology on twitter stating “I unintentionally brought my legally owned gun which is registered in my name to the airport.” I’m not exactly sure how someone accidentally carries a loaded gun when traveling, but Henrie did apologize for any trouble it may have caused.

Nami Yamaguchi

Winner: Lil Pump and Kanye West

Lil Pump and Kanye West collaborated on a new single “I Love It,” and in less than a week, the music video has generated 69 million views. The two rappers appear in meme-worthy, ridiculously captivating shoulder pads, bopping around an empty hallway with actress Adele Givens.

Kanye’s various facial expressions throughout the video show the mark of a true troll. West knows that at this point in his career — one that survived a Twitter storm in which he praised President Donald Trump — he can spit out meaningless, catchy lyrics, and still be successful.

There’s already an “I Love It” challenge, which has people all over the world wearing giant box costumes and mimicking the two rappers. Kanye West has become a master of achieving viral status and views, and at minute 1:15  of the “I Love It” music video, the rapper references his widely roasted ill-fitting sandals he wore to 2 Chainz’s wedding.

Loser: Machine Gun Kelly and Eminem

This is unequivocally the whitest and blondest rap beef I’ve ever had to hear about. Eminem, who turns 46 this October, is trading diss tracks with lesser known Machine Gun Kelly over . . . what exactly? Apparently, the two have been on shaky terms since 2012, when MGK tweeted that Eminem’s daughter was “hot as f**k, in the most respectful way possible cuz Em is king.”

Fast forward to 2018, when Eminem released “Not Alike” dissing MGK. In response, MGK releases “Rap Devil” which contains some of the weakest lyrics I’ve heard since the infamous “poop-di-scoopty” verse on Kanye’s “Lift Yourself.” MGK raps, “Your last four albums is as bad as your selfie/Now tell me, what do you stand for? (what?).”

Unfortunately for Eminem and MGK’s publicists, this beef is already old news, and with neither artist bringing memorable or interesting diss tracks to the table, the internet has moved on.

Barbara Talagan

Winner: Shawn Mendes

Shawn Mendes is in the midst of his sold-out tour and thriving while doing it. Mendes regularly posts tour photos on his Instagram, and it looks like he’s having the time of his life sharing his music live. After taking Hailey Baldwin as a date to the Met Gala, Shawn has gotten some press after she and Justin Bieber announced their engagement, especially after she deleted all posts on Instagram with her and Shawn together. Mendes politely responded to the situation and said that he “thinks Justin Bieber And Hailey Baldwin complement one another like ‘Yin And Yang'” according to The Inquisitr. Finally, Mendes has recently been working on new music and has worked with the Zac Brown Band. Their project will be coming out in October.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnnXxsoAfGJ/?hl=en&taken-by=shawnmendes

Loser: Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber has recently come back from the dead and resurfaced with photos with himself and Hailey Baldwin together. However, these photos have not been the most flattering, as most people describe Bieber in these photos as a drug dealer or someone who had moved to the depths of West Virginia. Bieber has also hinted that he is not planning on making any music and instead he is focusing on the ‘big day.’ Baldwin is also ready to do the same.

Email Jonathan at [email protected], or follow him on Twitter @JKermah98.

Email Trevor at [email protected], or follow him on Twitter @TrevorWilsonOG. 

Email Tiffany at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter @tchasse7. 

Email Hayley at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter @hayley_solomon. 

Email Nami at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter @tsunamiumami.

Email Barbara at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter @xoxbarbara8