R&B/Hip-Hop

29 Jan 2025

J. Cole Clears Up ‘The Fall-Off’ Speculation in New Blog Post

J. Cole is serious about this blogging thing.

Last night, Cole blogged up a short post addressing fan speculation that his new The Algorithm blog means that his long-awaited album The Fall-Off is finally close to being released. “Ib told me some people was thinking this blog meant an album was about to drop,” he began. “Nahhh. Not exactly. when it’s time for something you will know. This is not that. I just wanted a place to share documentaries I be watching on YouTube and songs I f—k with.”

Adding, “Thank you to everybody for the love today in the form of the comments, the chat and all the texts I got that I’m trying to reply to while also spending time with family and friends. I do appreciate it. This was the anthem for the day. For realllllll.”

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The Algorithm went live Monday (Jan. 27) afternoon with the first post essentially doubling as the blog’s thesis. He referenced the 1993 song “Back in the Day” by L.A. rapper AHMAD as he wrote about wanting a place to share random thoughts and interests with his fans.

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The Carolina rapper’s mixtape Might Delete Later is nominated for a Best Rap Album Grammy this weekend, his 18th nomination. He took home Grammys for Best Rap Song in 2020 for “A Lot” featuring 21 Savage and one for Best Melodic Rap Performance in 2024 for “All My Life” with Lil Durk.

Ironically, Might Delete Later created some controversy earlier this year when Cole walked back and deleted his Kendrick diss song “7 Minute Drill”.

29 Jan 2025

Rihanna Shows Support for A$AP Rocky With Los Angeles Shooting Trial Appearance

Rihanna showed support for her boo A$AP Rocky as she pulled up to the rapper’s trial in Los Angeles on Wednesday (Jan. 29).

Per legal reporter Meghan Cuniff, Rih was seated between Rocky’s mother and sister as the trial in his 2021 felony shooting case continued. She has not been shown on the court’s livestream, but there are security guards on both sides of the row. According to Variety, Rih isn’t expected to testify in the case.

The Harlem rapper previously turned down a final plea deal last week, which would have seen him serve 180 days behind bars. LA County prosecutors recommended three years of probation and a seven-year suspended sentence. Rocky is facing a pair of felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. He can face a maximum of 24 years behind bars if convicted on all charges.

The charges stem from an alleged November 2021 altercation that accuses Rocky of firing a weapon at former A$AP affiliate A$AP Relli — born Terrell Ephron — following an argument near a Hollywood hotel.

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Rocky’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, has maintained that the weapon was a prop gun and not a real firearm, as the rapper shot off blanks to defuse the situation. There is video footage that allegedly shows Rocky holding some sort of a handgun from the night of the shooting.

Months after the heated confrontation, the “Fashion Killa” rapper was arrested in April 2022 at Los Angeles International Airport. Rocky posted a $550,000 bond shortly after the arrest and later pleaded not guilty to all of the charges in August 2022.

According to The Associated Press, Ephron took the stand to testify against Rocky on Tuesday (Jan. 28) where he recalled the shooting. “He turned around and then it was like boom,” Ephron explained to the jury. “The whole thing was like a movie, he kind of like pointed down and he shot the first shot.”

He emphatically declared that it was “a real gun” in Rocky’s hand. “I was hit. Or I was grazed,” Ephron said. “I didn’t have a hole or nothing.” Relli says his life’s “been a living hell” since the shooting.

Wednesday’s court session has concluded and the trial will continue on Thursday (Jan. 30), where the defense will have its chance to cross-examine Relli.

29 Jan 2025

Central Cee Says Drake Feature Would Have Been ‘Predictable’

U.K. rapper Central Cee recently dropped his impressive debut album Can’t Rush Greatness, but fans noticed one thing missing: a track featuring Drake.

While chatting with Dutch radio host Fernando Halman of FunX, Cench was asked if he had any songs with the Toronto rapper stashed away. “I’m sure there’s a Drake record in the vault still,” he answered. “It seemed, like, predictable. I think everybody was thinking there’s gonna be a Drake record on there. So I like the fact that there wasn’t.”

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The two have been connected for a few years now, with Cee modeling for Drake’s Nike brand Nocta back in 2021, and they also linked up for an On the Radar freestyle in 2023, which just so happened to be Central Cee’s first Billboard Hot 100 entry.

No Drake feature aside, the British rapper did have notable guest appearances on the project. Latin rapper Young Miko assisted on “Gata,” 21 Savage tapped into his English roots by featuring on the track “GBP,” frequent collaborator Dave helped out on “CRG” (we need a whole LP, fellas), Chicago’s Lil Durk is on “Truth in the Lies,” arguably Britain’s greatest rap export Skepta appeared on the song “Ten” and, of course, we can’t forget Lil Baby who was on the hit record “Band4Band,” which has so far peaked at No. 18 on the Hot 100.

Central Cee also recently announced a massive 39-day Can’t Rush Greatness World Tour that begins April 1 in Norway and will end July 2 in Australia. Pre-sale tickets go on sale Wednesday (Jan. 29), with general tickets going on sale Friday (Jan. 31) at 10 a.m. local time.

29 Jan 2025

DJ Khaled Thanks Fans for ’20 Years of Riding With Me’ as He Earns 17 New RIAA Certifications

Don’t ever play yourself, DJ Khaled stays winning. According to the RIAA, the We the Best mogul racked up another 17 new certifications on Wednesday (Jan. 29) to go along with his new diamond plaque for “I’m the One.”

Outside of “I’m the One,” other standout certifications include Rihanna and Bryson Tiller’s “Wild Thoughts” at 8x-platinum, “Wish Wish,” Drake’s “Pop Star” and “For Free” as well as anthems like “I’m on One,” “No New Friends” and “Take It to the Head.”

“#FANLUV SWIPE ALERT DJ KHALED OVER 75 MILLION + RECS SOLD,” Khaled wrote to IG. “Also here’s 17 new @riaa_awards certifications alert thank you for over 20 years of riding with me, supporting @wethebest and spreading LOVE!”

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He continued: “75 MILLION RECORDS SOLD ! And counting! Bless up @riaa_awards and all my partners! #WILDTHOUGHTS with the queen @badgalriri 8X PLATINUM #IMTHEONE DIAMOND And 17 new certifications!”

“I’m the One” arrived in April 2017 and launched at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with some help from Justin Bieber, Lil Wayne, Chance the Rapper and Quavo.

While the accolades and plaques continue to pile up, don’t think Khaled isn’t still hard at work. Khaled has more heat on the way for 2025, as he teased fans by telling them to have their popcorn ready for his Til Next Time album.

“#FANLUV I been enjoying FAMILY TIME and that’s ALL THE TIME but I also been cooking! Just wait til I show you…ima just say this GET YOUR POPCORN,” he added.

Khaled kicked off 2025 squashing his decades-long beef with 50 Cent when the pair dapped up at MLB legend Reggie Jackson’s Mr. October Foundation Celebrity Golf Classic in Port St. Lucie, Florida earlier this month. Their beef dated back to the mid-2000s when G-Unit was feuding with Fat Joe.

Find DJ Khaled’s post below.

29 Jan 2025

Bruno Mars Jokes About His Gambling Debt Rumors Following Spotify Record: See What He Said

While MGM refuted reports of a $50 million gambling debt compiled by Bruno Mars last year, the superstar still had some fun with the casino rumors.

Bruno hit the jackpot to break a Spotify listener record earlier this week and he took to his Instagram Story on Tuesday (Jan. 28) to celebrate the feat and even joked about taking a chunk out of his alleged debt.

“I’ll be out of debt in no time,” the 15-time Grammy Award winner captioned the post about him becoming the first artist to eclipse 150 million monthly Spotify listeners in the platform’s history.

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NewsNation reported in 2024 that Bruno owed millions to MGM and that number was as high as $50 million from hitting the casino tables. “He makes $90 million a year off of the deal he did with the casino, but then he has to pay back his debt … after taxes (Mars makes $1.5 million per night),” NewsNation‘s source speculated.

However, MGM Grand quickly debunked the report and said that the singer had no debt with the casino.

“We’re proud of our relationship with Bruno Mars, one of the world’s most thrilling and dynamic performers,” a spokesperson from MGM Grand told Billboard at the time. “From his shows at Dolby Live at Park MGM to the new Pinky Ring lounge at Bellagio, Bruno’s brand of entertainment attracts visitors from around the globe.”

They continued: “MGM and Bruno’s partnership is longstanding and rooted in mutual respect. Any speculation otherwise is completely false; he has no debt with MGM. Together, we are excited to continue creating unforgettable experiences for our guests.”

The 39-year-old even mocked the gambling debt reports on stage during a performance last year. “Ever since those articles came out about me owing the casino money you stopped picking up my calls,” he joked. “It’s me baby — I got money.”

Bruno added another seven dates to his Las Vegas residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM, where he’ll kick off the summer with shows in late May and early June.

On the music side, Bruno Mars remains atop the Billboard Hot 100 with “Die With a Smile” featuring Lady Gaga holding strong at No. 1. Bruno also delivered his first single of 2025 when teaming up with Sexyy Red for their “Fat Juicy & Wet” strip club anthem.

29 Jan 2025

Cynthia Erivo, Teyana Taylor & More Set as ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Honorees

Newly minted Academy Award nominee and Emmy-, Grammy- and Tony-winning actress Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), actress-director Teyana Taylor (A Thousand and One), Emmy-nominated industry veteran Marla Gibbs (227) and Emmy-nominated creator, writer and-producer Raamla Mohamed (Reasonable Doubt) are 2025’s honorees for the ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards. The 18th annual gala will take place Feb. 27 in Los Angeles at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel. Aldis Hodge, producer and star of Prime Video’s Cross, will host.

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Underscoring the inspiration behind this year’s event theme — “Scene and Unseen” —  Sundial Media Group and ESSENCE Ventures leadership shared the following statement: “When the ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards were first established, our mission was to celebrate and elevate the extraordinary artistry of Black women, both on screen and behind the scenes in the television and film industry. For nearly two decades, this sacred gathering has honored exceptional women who are creating a foundation for the next generation of artistic trailblazers. We remain in awe of the profound depth that our honorees bring to their craft.”

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In the wake of the catastrophic wildfires in Los Angeles, ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood is also supporting existing relief efforts in collaboration with organizations dedicated to providing centralized resources to the Los Angeles community. On Feb. 28, ESSENCE will also present its sixth annual ESSENCE Hollywood House: To Altadena With Love. Open to the public, this year’s Hollywood House honors the resilience of this wildfire-impacted neighborhood that was home for many creative professionals in the television and film industries. The day’s offerings will include panel discussions, a community resource hub and networking opportunities. For more information and to register, visit the ESSENCE website.

ESSENCE’s YouTube channel will premiere the awards ceremony pre-show on March 3. In addition to featuring red carpet arrivals and celebrity interviews, the presentation will reveal the winner of the inaugural ESSIES’ Choice Award: Presented by Diet Coke. Chosen by fans, the special honor recognizes an emerging industry leader.

29 Jan 2025

Louisiana Legislators Slam ‘Lewd’ Halftime Performance By Rihanna Ahead of Super Bowl LIX, Ask For ‘Family Friendly’ Show

Things are getting a little uneasy in the Big Easy. According to Nola.com, ahead of Kendrick Lamar‘s anticipated halftime show at Feb. 9’s Super Bowl LIX, a group of 17 Republican Louisiana legislators sent a letter to the leaders of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and the Louisiana Stadium and Expo District claiming that the state’s taxpayers should have a say in what takes place during the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.

Specifically, the note called out what is deemed a “lewd” performance by Rihanna in 2023 and the 2020 halftime show by Jennifer Lopez, during which they said the singer “wore little clothing and was groped by male and female dancers on stage, while the performer made sexually suggestive gestures and performed on a stripper pole.”

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“While certainly a large amount of support exists among many Louisianians who are excited about the Super Bowl coming back to New Orleans, many are also hardworking taxpayers with children who have serious concerns about the fact that past Super Bowl halftime performances have been less than family-friendly,” the letter read.

The note does not specifically name Lamar, instead focusing on some past performances, including the infamous 2004 Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake “wardrobe malfunction,” while devoting half a paragraph to a vivid description of Rihanna’s halftime show. It describes the singer “groping herself while she sang song lyrics that were so offensive that few Louisiana adults could read those lyrics before an audience without shame.”

The signatories to the letter said they refused to repeat the lyrics in their note because they are “so offensive.”

“We realize that these past vulgar performances may have been acceptable to the residents of those states where those Super Bowls were held but, in Louisiana, these lewd acts are inappropriate for viewing by children, objectify women, and are simply NOT welcomed by the majority of Louisiana parents,” they wrote.

This year’s game will take place at the Caesars Superdome in the city known for its generous embrace of all manner of debaucherous behavior, including nearly round-the-clock drunken, boisterous tourists stumbling through the legendary French Quarter and women hoisting up their shirts to expose themselves for beads during Mardi Gras.

And while the lawmakers acknowledged that the contracts for next month’s Super Bowl are already signed, they expressed a wish that future contracts for the use of facilities “funded and paid for by Louisiana taxpayers” ensure, in writing, that any performers’ conduct adheres to “Louisiana’s community decency standards.”

Pulitzer Prize honoree and 17-time Grammy winner Lamar will be joined by four-time Grammy winner SZA for this year’s halftime show.

Read the full letter here.

28 Jan 2025

J. Cole Launches New ‘The Algorithm’ Blog

J. Cole has decided to start a blog.

The Carolina rapper posted the first entry to The Algorithm on his Inevitable website, which also hosts his podcast of the same name.

“This is just a place for me to share,” he wrote. “I been wanting a lil blog for years. Somewhere to post random sh– I f— with where the audience is way smaller than it is on the social media platforms. Finally pulled the trigger, [bear] with us as we still developing this page and the layout.”

He then mentioned LA rapper AHMAD and his 1993 hit record “Back in the Day.”

“Respect to AHMAD,” Cole wrote. “I played this joint last night and was like, ‘Damn! There go my first post for the blog.’ Been loving this song since I was like 9 years old on Lewis Street begging my mom for a bike I heard about called a GT performer.”

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Adding, “Now at midnight I will turn 40. Might save the sentimentals for a post tomorrow. But in a nutshell I’m GRATEFUL. Happy new year to yall and God bless. 2025 will be a good one.”

Cole’s Inevitable podcast highlighted his journey from unknown aspiring rapper and producer to the superstar he is now as he continues to prep his seventh solo album The Fall-Off. There’s no telling if he’ll retire after its release, but he hopes to have it finished before the fifth and final Dreamville Fest this upcoming April. “I’ll see y’all at Dreamville Festival,” he told the crowd at his 10th Anniversary 2014 Forest Hills Drive concert at Madison Square Garden. “Hopefully I’ll have something new to perform for y’all.”

28 Jan 2025

Max B to Young Thug: ‘We Gon’ Make Some History?’

Max B and Young Thug spoke over the phone recently, the imprisoned rapper revealed this week.

The Boss Don — who is reportedly coming home later this year on Nov. 9 — posted a clip of himself talking to Young Thug over the phone on his Instagram Stories. “Man, I’m in here grinding this sh– out,” he tells Thug before the Atlanta rapper, whose dealt with his fair share of legal issues lately, asks if Max will be released soon. “Hell yeah, we ’bout to hit the home stretch, baby,” he answered before asking Thug: “We gon’ make some history?”

A collab between the two would be fitting, seeing that their styles of rap are similar. Stepping onto the rap scene around 2005, the Harlem rapper often sang his raps, making him a polarizing figure at the time — just like when Thug first started out. Max’s rise was cut short in 2009 when he was sentenced to 75 years for an armed robbery. His sentence was reduced in 2016 and is due to be released later this year after serving 16 years in prison.

Now, at the age of 46, he hopes to resurrect his career. Biggaveli recently called in to The Joe Budden Podcast to not only announce his official prison release date, but to also talk about his plans once he does come home. “Listen, I’m not even gonna put myself in a box, it’s all gonna run concurrent,” he said over the phone. “I can’t wait to get in the studio. There’s a lot of artists out there, too many to name. I’m looking forward to working with the big names, the head honchos… But they gotta be A-list. If the sh– ain’t A-list, I can’t f— with it.”

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Thug has also been keeping himself busy since being released from jail in the fall. He’s reportedly working on a collab album with Lil Baby and Future.

28 Jan 2025

Tinashe Teases the ‘High Energy Vibe’ She’s Bringing to the Popeyes x Tequila Don Julio Super Bowl Bash

Nothing pairs better with football than fried chicken and tequila. That’s why Popeyes is teaming up with Tequila Don Julio to curate a special Championship Lineup menu for the Super Bowl.

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The Popeyes x Tequila Don Julio Reposado Flavored Concha Chicken Sandwich includes a chicken breast fillet marinated in reposado tequila then fried in Popeyes crunchy buttermilk breading, topped with a tequila lime slaw, spicy spread, a barrel cured pickle and sandwiched between a concha roll. Additional items featured on the specialty menu include Popeyes x Tequila Don Julio Reposado Flavored Louisiana Garlic 3-Piece Wings with a specialty sauce and a Spicy Strawberry Hibiscus Flavored Lemonade Mocktail.

For one day only, on January 31, select Popeyes restaurants in New York City, Miami and New Orleans, as well as the hometowns of the teams headed to the Super Bowl — Philadelphia and Kansas City — will feature the collaboration for customers over 21 years of age. In New Orleans, where the Big Game will take place this year, the items will be available at the flagship restaurant on Canal Street for an extended period from January 31 through February 9, while supplies last.

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To celebrate the collaboration, Tinashe will head down to New Orleans to perform at the Popeyes x Tequila Don Julio bash on Feb. 7. “It’s two things I’m a fan of coming together,” she tells Billboard of the collaboration. “It’s fried chicken and tequila. What more could you ask for?”

While drinking tequila, the “Nasty” keeps it simple. “I’m usually taking shots,” she says with a laugh.

It’s also the second Super Bowl she’s attending. “The Super Bowl was always a huge day in my family. We have a ton of big sports fans in the house,” she shares. “The halftime performance is something I always look forward to every year. I’m just so excited to be back and part of the Super Bowl energy. It’s always so much fun.”

Her performance at the Popeyes x Tequila Don Julio bash will be equally as fun. “I always have a lot of high energy in my performances,” she says. “It’s going to be dancing, going to be on your feet. It’s going to be a real fun, high energy vibe and a celebration.”

If you’re unable to get your hands on the Championship Lineup menu, you can still redeem a buy one get one free chicken sandwich when purchasing Popeyes on UberEats, as well as a $5 code to redeem on Tequila Don Julio until Feb. 9.