Music

The Aaliyah estate is quietly steering the narrative around one of her most iconic moments, and this time it’s about what people see on the cover, not just the music. As a reissue of her classic album Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number circulates again, the estate has appeared to suggest fans digitally cover R. Kelly’s face on the artwork — a subtle but pointed move that reflects the ongoing tension between the art and the artist. For a long time, that album cover was a snapshot of the industry’s t

Chance the Rapper and his collaborators are looking back on Coloring Book a decade later, unpacking how the project came together and what it meant for their lives. In a new oral history, they describe the mixtape’s creation as a chaotic, faith‑driven leap at a time when none of them fully understood the industry they were shaking up. Chance recalls recording in makeshift spaces, juggling label pressure and trusting a vision that blended gospel, rap and Chicago energy in ways that felt risky in

Drake’s recent burst of releases has already shifted the pace of conversation around his catalog. Three albums have arrived in close succession, and there is little sign, at least publicly, of a pause. Still, industry watchers and fans alike have begun looking ahead. This is prompted in part by a social media post from OVO Sound president Mr. Morgan that hinted at what might come next. Morgan used Instagram to acknowledge the scale of Drake’s latest rollout and pointed to strong early performan

KATSEYE are taking their debut era on the road with the announcement of their WILDWORLD Tour. The global girl group, formed through HYBE x Geffen’s The Debut: Dream Academy, is set to headline shows across North America and Europe later this year. @itsluvyos.yas °+♡:. 𝘒𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘺𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘛𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟼 𝘪𝘯 𝘜𝘚𝘈 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘶𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘰

Cardi B leads the 2026 BET Awards nominations, securing six noms including Album of the Year and Best Female Hip Hop Artist.  The nominations, announced Tuesday, position the “I Like It” artist ahead of a highly competitive field of musicians and actors set to be honored at next month’s ceremony. The 2026 BET Awards will air live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on June 28.  Following closely behind Cardi B are Kendrick Lamar and Mariah the Scientist, who both earned five nominations ea

Fetty Wap is leaning all the way into mid‑2010s memories with his newly announced 2026 “Nostalgia Tour.” The run marks his first major US tour since being released from prison to home confinement earlier this year and is billed as a celebration of “10 years of hits.” Hypebeast reports that the tour kicks off June 6 in Atlantic City and will hit cities including Brooklyn, Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles before wrapping in Denver in December. Fans can expect sets full of era‑defining tracks like

Drake is back to his record-setting ways. On Friday (May 15), Spotify announced that Drake has set the single-day records for most-streamed artist, album and song on the platform in 2026, thanks to his first new solo project since 2023. The single-day 2026 album honor goes to Iceman — one of three albums the rapper dropped first thing Friday, in addition to surprise releases Maid of Honour and Habibti — and the single-day 2026 song honor is for “Make Them Cry,” the opening track on Iceman. “O

Drake’s ICEMAN rollout concludes with the surprise release of three new albums. The biggest name in hip-hop drops 43 new songs across three albums, titled ICEMAN, Habibti, and Maid of Honour. All three are released under OVO Sounds, with an exclusive license to Republic Records, an imprint of Universal Music Group. Fans had spent months waiting for ICEMAN, a project Drake began teasing as far back as 2024. But during the closing moments of his “Iceman Episode 4” livestream, the Toronto supersta

Few contemporary artists draw attention across streaming platforms the way Kendrick Lamar does. That pattern surfaced again this week when parts of his catalog briefly went missing from major services. On Monday, listeners reported that GNX and the track “Euphoria” had disappeared from Apple Music. At roughly the same time, YouTube users noticed that “Not Like Us” and “Luther” were also unavailable. However, those videos were later restored. The removals proved short-lived. GNX and “Euphoria” e

The latest VERZUZ matchup delivered the kind of spirited argument the platform was built for. On Thursday night, Rick Ross and French Montana stepped into a head-to-head battle. The battle quickly turned into a broader conversation about longevity, hit records, and rap-era dominance. By the close of the event, many fans online narrowly scored the contest in French Montana’s favor. Several unofficial tallies landed at 10-9. Even so, the outcome felt less definitive than the reaction it sparked ac

The Jackson 5’s music is having a major moment again, thanks to the buzz surrounding the Michael Jackson biopic, Michael.  The film’s release has sparked a surge in streams, pushing the legendary group back into daily rotation across platforms. On May 4, their catalog pulled in 3.7 million streams on Spotify, marking their biggest streaming day of the year. That number reflects a 400 percent jump from the same point last month. The Jackson 5 earned their biggest streaming day of the year on Sp

M.I.A. fired back at critics and tour organizers on Monday following her reported removal from Kid Cudi’s “Rebel Ragers Tour” after a string of controversial on-stage political statements.  The 50-year-old rapper and singer, born Maya Arulpragasam, took to social media to defend her actions during a performance in Dallas, where audience members alleged she made divisive comments regarding immigration and political affiliations.  The controversy began Sunday night when concertgoers shared video

Speculation around a Migos reunion has surged after Quavo and Offset were spotted inside a recording studio together. The brief sighting spread quickly across hip-hop social platforms. It has reignited hope for new music tied to their shared legacy. Quavo & Offset spotted back in the studio together working on new music🎧 pic.twitter.com/yPheVxIEyK — ًWave Checkers (@wavecheckers) May 3, 2026 Both artists rose to global prominence as members of Migos, the Atlanta trio that reshaped trap’s so

In a recent interview with The New York Times, Jaÿ-Z offered measured guidance to aspiring songwriters. He emphasized the importance of perspective and lived experience in shaping creative work. Speaking about the pressures artists face to remain relevant, he suggested that authenticity cannot be manufactured. “If you’re trying to make young music and you’re not young, it’s gonna be inauthentic, and people can feel that,” he said. “You can smell it. So, the best thing anyone can do going through

DaBaby is making it clear that he views himself as a heavyweight in the music industry, asserting that his lyrical skills place him on the same level as rap icons Drake, J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar.  In a recent candid interview with media personality Nadeska Alexis, the Charlotte-based rapper addressed long-standing comparisons to the genre’s “Big Three.” When asked if he truly believes he belongs in that elite tier of performers, the artist formerly known as Jonathan Kirk did not hesitate to d

Drake has officially kicked off the rollout for his upcoming album ICEMAN, turning Downtown Toronto into the center of a viral moment. After months of cryptic hints, the rapper revealed the project’s release date through a bold public stunt that quickly pulled in crowds and online attention. View this post on Instagram A post shared by champagnepapi (@champagnepapi) In the parking lot of the Bond Hotel, Drake unveiled a massive ice pyramid. Sealed inside the structure sat a piece of pape

Madonna surprised fans at Coachella making a guest appearance during Sabrina Carpenter's Friday night headline set. The Queen of Pop joined Carpenter on stage for a duet of Vogue, Like A Prayer and a song seemingly fromMadonna's new album. The performance followed days of speculation that Madonna would appear at the festival in the Colorado desert in California. On Wednesday, Madonna officially confirmed the release of Confessions II - a sequel to her 2005 Confessions On A Dance Floor. After

With no official release date attached to ICEMAN, Drake’s next album continues to hover just out of reach. However, signs of its arrival grow harder to ignore. Speculation had pointed to a possible drop. But attention shifted abruptly when reports of a large explosion in Toronto began circulating. The moment, which quickly spread across social media, was later tied—at least indirectly—to Drake himself. In a widely shared Instagram Story, he reposted coverage of the blast and alluded to something

Cardi B is drawing renewed attention as her “Little Miss Drama” tour moves through the United States, with a recent stop in Charlotte sparking a surge of online conversation. During the performance, she shifted seamlessly between music and banter, engaging the crowd with off-the-cuff commentary about relationships and personal preferences. A brief pause mid-set quickly became the night’s defining moment, captured and widely shared across social media. “Hold on, let me stop,” she said, before ad

The Wu-Tang Clan has secured its place in history with an official induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2026. The Staten Island collective’s long-awaited recognition signals a continued shift toward honoring hip-hop’s cultural dominance. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (@rockhall) For decades, Wu-Tang Clan has stood as one of rap’s most influential groups. Their raw lyricism, street narratives, and business acumen reshaped the genre

It’s Breezy and U-S-H-E-R. Chris Brown and Usher are hitting the road together for the R&B Tour (short for Raymond & Brown), which will take over stadiums later this year. The pair of R&B legends announced the co-headlining trek on Friday (April 10) with a cinematic commercial. “ITS TIME! #R&BTOUR #Raymond&Brown,” they captioned the X post. The clip shows both Usher and Breezy speeding through town on motorcycles, then pulling up to the venue. The “Party” collaborators head inside and hit the

Billionaire Bill Ackman’s hedge fund has offered to buy Universal Music Group (UMG) in a deal that values the world’s biggest music company at around €55bn (£48bn). Pershing Square, the New-York based hedge fund, has offered to buy the business, which is home to artists including Taylor Swift and Elton John, in a cash and stock deal. Ackman said in a statement that while the company, which is led by the British-born Sir Lucian Grainge, had done “an excellent job nurturing and continuing to bui

On Friday (Apr.2), Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, held his second show in Los Angeles at the SoFi Stadium. With two sold-out shows now under his belt, it appears West’s attempt at a comeback is becoming a reality. Unlike the first show, Friday’s concert featured a few special guests, including Lauryn Hill, Travis Scott, CeeLo Green, and even his eldest daughter, North West.  The crowd erupted with cheer when Hill appeared on stage, as she and West gave an electrifying performance

Before The Fall Off World Tour, rapper J Cole will play professional basketball again after signing with the Nanjing Monkey Kings in the Chinese Basketball Association, according to sources cited by ESPN. J. Cole previously revealed plans to return to basketball on Cam’Ron’s Talk With Flee Podcast. J. Cole has signed a contract to play in the Chinese Basketball Association with the Nanjing Monkey Kings 🇨🇳 pic.twitter.com/j6M9aUhKPU — Kurrco (@Kurrco) April 2, 2026 The new announcement mark