Jay-Z and The Roots will headline the 2026 Roots Picnic in Philadelphia at the Belmont Plateau on May 30. The performance, confirmed Tuesday, marks the first time the Roc Nation founder and the legendary live band will share a stage in over a decade. The unique "JAŸ-Z" styling on the poster has sparked widespread speculation among fans regarding a potential dedicated 30th-anniversary celebration of his 1996 debut album, "Reasonable Doubt." (Photo/Courtesy of Live Nation Urban)
A bucket-list moment for hip-hop purists is officially happening this spring. On Tuesday, Live Nation Urban announced that Jay-Z will headline the 2026 Roots Picnic, sharing the stage with The Roots for the first time in over a decade.
The massive homecoming event will take place on May 30 at Philadelphia's Belmont Plateau in Fairmount Park. The performance holds heavy historical significance, as it aligns with the upcoming 30th anniversary of Jay-Z’s universally acclaimed 1996 debut album, "Reasonable Doubt."
Backed by the legendary live instrumentation of The Roots — who are moving the festival to the Belmont Plateau after years at the Mann Music Center — the Roc Nation founder is expected to deliver a career-spanning set.
"Moving the Roots Picnic to Belmont Plateau and bringing Jay-Z and The Roots together to perform are both bucket-list moments for us," Shawn Gee, president of Live Nation Urban and manager for The Roots, stated. General admission tickets officially went on sale Wednesday morning.
HISTORY MADE: Actor Michael B. Jordan smiles during a Q&A session for his film "Sinners" in Los Angeles on Nov. 22, 2025. Jordan cemented his Hollywood legacy at the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday, becoming only the sixth Black man to win the Oscar for Best Actor for his ambitious dual role in the Ryan Coogler-directed vampire thriller. (Photo/Kevin Paul)
Hollywood's biggest night proved to be a monumental milestone for Black cinema. On Sunday, the 98th Academy Awards heavily honored Ryan Coogler’s vampire thriller "Sinners," highlighted by a historic Best Actor victory for Michael B. Jordan.
Michael B. Jordan receives a massive round of applause from the entire room as he wins the #Oscar for Best Actor.
Jordan took home the gold for his ambitious, double-duty performance as twins Elijah "Smoke" Moore and Elias "Stack" Moore. With the victory, Jordan cements his Hollywood legacy, becoming only the sixth Black man in the 98-year history of the Academy Awards to win Best Actor — joining the elite, history-making ranks of Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker and Will Smith.
The win represents a triumphant peak for the actor, whose ascent to superstardom began with Coogler's 2013 feature debut, "Fruitvale Station."
Coogler also had his name called to the podium, winning the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for "Sinners." The visionary director's concept entered the ceremony with a record-breaking 16 nominations — surpassing the previous all-time high of 14 shared by "All About Eve," "Titanic" and "La La Land."
"Sinners" also broke major ground behind the camera. Autumn Durald Arkapaw made Oscar history by taking home the award for Best Cinematography, becoming the first female director of photography to ever win the category. The film's composer, Ludwig Göransson, also captured the award for Best Original Score.
Misty Copeland comes out of retirement to put Timothée Chalamet in his place during a live ‘Sinners’ performance at the #Oscars. pic.twitter.com/EhUIOEw8jg
Beyond the trophies, the telecast itself served as a massive platform for Black music and culture. The ceremony featured a highly anticipated, cinematic musical tribute to "Sinners" that celebrated the film's singular visual style and its deep roots in Black dance and musical traditions.
R&B legend Raphael Saadiq and breakout star Miles Caton took the stage to perform the Best Original Song nominee, "I Lied to You." The performance expanded into a larger celebration of Black musical excellence, featuring an all-star lineup that included Shaboozey, blues pioneer Buddy Guy, Eric Gales, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram and Bobby Rush.
"These show moments are more than just performances — they expand into cinematic tributes that celebrate the relationship between music and storytelling and why these films resonated so deeply with audiences around the world," Oscars producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan stated prior to the broadcast.
While Paul Thomas Anderson’s "One Battle After Another" ultimately took home the night's top prize for Best Picture — which also featured a Best Supporting Actress nomination for Teyana Taylor — the cultural footprint of the 2026 Oscars belongs undeniably to Coogler, Jordan and the entire "Sinners" ensemble.
The trailblazing R&B group En Vogue poses for a studio portrait. The legendary trio is preparing to share the stage with TLC and Salt-N-Pepa — a historic, first-of-its-kind collaboration — at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards. The highly anticipated March 26 performance in Los Angeles will mark the group's continued run with reunited original member Maxine Jones. (Photo/RBUniversalFan)
Before "girl power" became a commodified pop slogan, the actual groundwork was being laid on the hip-hop and R&B charts. On Thursday, March 26, the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles will host a first-of-its-kind collaborative performance featuring the era's most defining trailblazers: TLC, Salt-N-Pepa, and En Vogue.
The joint set at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards brings together three groups that fundamentally shifted the culture for women in music. Salt-N-Pepa introduced unapologetic sex positivity and feminism to hip-hop, TLC rewrote the rules of female autonomy and financial independence with diamond-selling dominance, and En Vogue provided the vocal blueprint for self-respect and boundary-setting.
While the triple-threat billing is a major draw for the telecast, the En Vogue appearance carries significant cultural weight. The performance marks the group's continued run with original founding member Maxine Jones, who made her highly anticipated return to the lineup in early 2025 at the NBA All-Star Game.
Her return — which eventually preceded the late-2025 departure of longtime member Rhona Bennett — restored the original vocal blend that anchored timeless anthems like "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" and "Free Your Mind." The reunion of Jones with Terry Ellis and Cindy Herron has not been without its signature behind-the-scenes friction; former member Dawn Robinson publicly criticized the move late last year, claiming Maxine's return was a "set up" to oust Bennett.
Despite the noise, the current trio has remained focused on the stage, leaning into the nostalgia of their restored lineup.
“Having Maxine back and sharing it with our fans around the world — was beyond special,” Herron stated regarding the group's revival.
Now, that revived chemistry will be showcased on live television alongside their peers. A joint appearance with Salt-N-Pepa naturally sparks anticipation for a live rendition of their 1993 multi-platinum smash "Whatta Man." Adding TLC — the best-selling American girl group of all time — into the mix elevates the set into a definitive celebration of the era's dominance.
The ceremony, airing live on FOX, will be hosted by Atlanta rap pioneer Ludacris, who is also set to receive the 2026 iHeartRadio Landmark Award. The accolade honors artists whose portfolios have shaped the culture across multiple decades. Since his 2000 breakthrough with "Back for the First Time," Ludacris has shifted 24 million records globally and expanded his footprint into Hollywood.
“I'm excited to return as host of the iHeartRadio Music Awards to celebrate and perform alongside some of the best in the industry,” Ludacris said in a press release. “It's going to be a night with special performances and surprise moments fans are going to love.”
Snoop Dogg, center, and Tupac Shakur, right, share a toast in this archival behind-the-scenes footage from the 1996 music video shoot for "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted." The rare footage is featured in a new short film released Tuesday accompanying Snoop Dogg's launch of a limited-edition Cali by Snoop wine honoring the 30th anniversary of their iconic collaboration. (Image courtesy of Treasury Wine Estates/Cali by Snoop)
Thirty years after they helped define the golden era of West Coast hip-hop, Snoop Dogg is raising a glass to his late friend and collaborator, Tupac Shakur.
On Tuesday Snoop Dogg's wine brand, Cali by Snoop, officially released "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted," a limited-edition red blend celebrating the 30th anniversary of their iconic 1996 anthem. Developed in partnership with Treasury Wine Estates and the Tupac Estate, the release serves as a liquid tribute to one of the most legendary brotherhoods in rap history.
"It's hard to believe it's been 30 years since Pac and I got together to make '2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted,'" Snoop Dogg said in a press statement regarding the release. "Nobody did it like us, and I can't think of a better way to honor his legacy than with a drink. This wine is perfect for celebrating with loved ones, and I'm looking forward to the people pourin' a little out with me for my friend".
For the culture, the milestone runs deep. Released during the absolute peak of Death Row Records' dominance, the original track became the defining soundtrack of a turbulent but triumphant 1990s hip-hop boom. Notably, the cinematic visual for "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" stands as the only music video Snoop and Tupac ever filmed together.
The limited-edition "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" red blend by Cali by Snoop is shown in a promotional image. Snoop Dogg released the wine in partnership with the Tupac Estate to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their classic 1996 collaboration. The bottle's label features a custom illustration of the two hip-hop legends inspired by their joint appearance at the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards. (Image courtesy of Treasury Wine Estates/Cali by Snoop)
To accompany the wine launch, Cali by Snoop released a moving short film featuring rare, behind-the-scenes archival footage of the two superstars on the set of that exact video. In the clip, Snoop reminisces about their rapid rise, noting that they were often the only ones who truly understood the pressure they were under.
"When I think back on that time, I sometimes trip off all the drama, the courtrooms, the cases, the battles on and off record," Snoop says to his late friend in the tribute film. "But all of that played a part in the legends we became".
The wine itself is a Petite Sirah-dominant California red blend, characterized by tasting notes of toasty oak, dark fruit, toffee, and baking spice. The bottle's label artwork features a custom illustration of Snoop and Tupac inspired by their legendary joint appearance at the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards, complete with a written tribute to Shakur.
The "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" wine retails for $14.99 and is currently available at major retailers nationwide.
Record producer and entrepreneur Dr. Dre is shown in a May 2014 file photo. Twelve years after the landmark sale of Beats Electronics to Apple — which prompted Dre to prematurely declare himself hip-hop's first billionaire — Forbes officially added the Aftermath founder to its 2026 World's Billionaires List on Tuesday. Dre is currently back in the studio producing tracks for T.I.'s upcoming final album.
Twelve years ago, in a grainy, celebratory video alongside Tyrese Gibson, Dr. Dre infamously declared himself the first billionaire in hip-hop following Apple's massive acquisition of Beats Electronics. Forbes quickly corrected the math at the time, noting he was still a couple hundred million dollars short. But as of this morning, the financial record has finally caught up to the brag.
Dr. Dre has officially joined the three-comma club. The legendary Aftermath founder made his debut on the Forbes 2026 World's Billionaires List on Tuesday, boasting an estimated net worth of exactly $1 billion.
"Dr. Dre has become the latest hip-hop artist to join the billionaire club. On Tuesday, March 10, Forbes confirmed the veteran rapper-producer landed on its World Billionaires List for the first time. The business outlet attributes his billion-dollar fortune to the success of his Aftermath Entertainment record label... and Beats Electronics."
According to Forbes, Dre's historic wealth is still primarily driven by the foundational $3 billion sale of Beats to Apple in 2014, combined with the enduring value of his Aftermath Entertainment record label — the launching pad for generational icons like Eminem, 50 Cent, and Kendrick Lamar. Recent business ventures, including his "Gin & Juice" ready-to-drink cocktail brand with Snoop Dogg, have also padded his portfolio.
The Billionaire Class: Where Dre Ranks Among the Culture's Elite
Dre’s induction into the billionaire ranks places him in highly exclusive company, making him only the sixth musician in history to cross the threshold.
He becomes just the second hip-hop artist currently on the list, trailing his longtime peer Jay-Z, who remains the wealthiest musician in the world with an estimated net worth of $2.8 billion. Jay-Z famously became hip-hop's first viable billionaire in 2019. The two moguls are now standing alone following the financial falls of Kanye West and Sean "Diddy" Combs. West, who peaked at over $2 billion, dropped to an estimated $400 million following the termination of his Adidas partnership. Combs, previously hovering near the milestone, has seen his net worth plummet to an estimated $400 million to $800 million amid mounting legal battles and lost partnerships.
The women of the golden era are also commanding massive fortunes. Rihanna remains America’s youngest self-made billionaire, sitting at $1.4 billion thanks to her Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty empires. Beyoncé has also officially solidified her billionaire status, boasting an even $1 billion valuation driven by decades of record-breaking music sales and world tours.
"As of December 2025, six music artists have reached the billionaire status... Jay-Z leading the list with $2.5 billion, Taylor Swift—the richest female musician—and then Rihanna, the first female artist to become a billionaire."
— Industry Wealth Rankings
Outside of music, the sports icons beloved by the 90s and 00s crowd continue to dominate the financial rankings. Michael Jordan towers over the athlete category with an estimated net worth of $3.8 billion, fueled by his enduring Nike royalties and the sale of the Charlotte Hornets. He is followed by Magic Johnson at $1.5 billion and LeBron James at $1.2 billion, both of whom crossed the milestone through savvy real estate, sports ownership, and business investments.
Back Behind the Boards
However, the newly minted billionaire is proving he has no intention of retiring his legendary ear. As his financial status hits a historic high, Dre is stepping back behind the boards to help craft a highly anticipated farewell for another rap pioneer.
Atlanta legend T.I. recently confirmed that Dr. Dre has contributed production to his forthcoming final album, "Kill the King". During a recent interview, Tip revealed the two collaborated on a track titled "Where I'm From," which also features Grammy-winning vocalist Anderson .Paak.
Rappers T.I., left, Lecrae, center, and Killer Mike pose on the set of the music video for their collaborative track "Headphones." T.I. and Killer Mike joined a coalition of hip-hop artists who filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, challenging the use of rap lyrics by Texas prosecutors to secure death penalty sentences.
The fight to protect Black art from being weaponized in the courtroom has officially reached the highest court in the land — again.
A coalition of hip-hop heavyweights — including Killer Mike, T.I., Young Thug and Travis Scott — filed an amicus curiae brief on Monday urging the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene in a Dallas County death penalty case. The artists are challenging the prosecution's use of rap lyrics to secure a capital murder sentence, arguing the practice violates constitutional protections and invites juries to make life-or-death decisions based on racial bias.
The filing centers on James Garfield Broadnax, a Black man who was sentenced to death in 2009 for a double homicide outside a Garland, Texas, music studio. During the punishment phase of the trial, prosecutors presented more than 40 pages of Broadnax's handwritten rap lyrics to a nearly all-white jury. The state argued the lyrics reflected a "master plan" for violence and proved he posed a "future danger" to society — a specific finding required by Texas law to impose the death penalty.
"In too many instances, we have the justice system blessing this practice when it comes to rap, when it would never be tolerated with any other kind of artistic expression. When prosecutors treat them as literal evidence of future violence, they invite jurors to decide a death-penalty case based on fear and stereotypes instead of the law."
Lead appellate attorney Chad Baruch, who authored the brief alongside leading hip-hop scholars, blasted the tactic as a direct attack on creative expression.
"Rap lyrics are creative expression," Baruch said in a statement released Monday. "When prosecutors treat them as literal evidence of future violence, they invite jurors to decide a death-penalty case based on fear and stereotypes instead of the law."
The brief points out a glaring double standard: Broadnax's lyrics were not introduced during the guilt or innocence phase of the trial, which the defense argues is a tacit admission by the state that the art had no actual relevance to the facts of the crime. Instead, the lyrics were introduced solely during sentencing to depict Broadnax as a "gangster" and secure his execution.
For the artists involved, the Supreme Court filing is the latest front in a grueling, decade-long war over the criminalization of hip-hop.
This new filing serves as a direct continuation of the landmark 2019 "Hip-Hop Brief" in the Jamal Knox case, where Killer Mike first rallied artists like Meek Mill and Chance the Rapper to explain the posturing and poetic traditions of rap to the Supreme Court. Seven years later, the justice system is still struggling to separate the art from the artist.
"The State weaponized cultural expressions common to rap to improperly portray Broadnax as dangerous and threatening... stoking racial and anti-rap bias."
Young Thug understands those stakes intimately. The Atlanta superstar recently spent years at the center of the massive YSL RICO trial in Georgia, where prosecutors controversially entered his own song lyrics into evidence to allege criminal conspiracy. During that ordeal, artists like Travis Scott rallied behind the "Protect Black Art" campaign, arguing that rap is the only fictional art form routinely treated as an autobiographical confession by the American justice system.
Meanwhile, Killer Mike continues to leverage his platform to protect and elevate the culture on multiple fronts. When he is not drafting briefs to the Supreme Court, the Grammy-winning MC is physically rebuilding his hometown. Just last week, it was announced that he had joined fellow Atlanta legends Usher and 2 Chainz as major celebrity investors in the sprawling $5 billion Centennial Yards redevelopment project in downtown Atlanta.
With Broadnax scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on April 30, the coalition is urging the Supreme Court to grant a stay and issue a definitive ruling on whether the First Amendment protects hip-hop from being used as a lethal weapon by the state.
"In too many instances, we have the justice system blessing this practice when it comes to rap, when it would never be tolerated with any other kind of artistic expression," Baruch stated.
A rendering shows the proposed layout for Centennial Yards, an upcoming $5 billion entertainment and residential district in downtown Atlanta. The massive 50-acre redevelopment project, backed by celebrity investors including Usher, Killer Mike and 2 Chainz, aims to transform the historic rail yard known as the Gulch into a thriving cultural hub featuring a Cosm immersive theater, a Live Nation music venue and luxury housing. (Courtesy of Centennial Yards)
If you want to see the future of Atlanta, look down into the Gulch.
For decades, the 50-acre sunken rail yard in the heart of downtown has been little more than a vast concrete void shadowed by towering stadiums. But now, the royalty of Southern hip-hop and R&B are putting their money exactly where their roots are to transform that crater into the city's next crown jewel.
Usher, the diamond-certified voice behind the monumental 2004 album "Confessions," has officially joined rap veterans Killer Mike and 2 Chainz — alongside other notable celebrity investors like Shaquille O'Neal, Vince Carter, and Migos frontman Quavo— as major investors in Centennial Yards, a sprawling $5 billion redevelopment project set to completely remake downtown Atlanta.
Led by Los Angeles-based developer CIM Group and a group headed by Atlanta Hawks principal owner Tony Ressler, the massive venture aims to replace empty parking lots with a thriving, world-class entertainment and residential district.
The heavy-hitting roster of homegrown celebrity investors was recently celebrated during a ribbon-cutting event for the district's new Hotel Phoenix. Financial literacy advocate John Hope Bryant has also joined the effort, bridging the gap between urban luxury development and community financial empowerment.
In a statement posted to its official Instagram page, the Centennial Yards team praised the artists for stepping up to physically shape the city's skyline. The developers shouted out the hometown heroes as "true leaders who love Atlanta, believe in its people, and understand both the vision and the real need for #CentennialYards."
"These are individuals who showed up with trust, purpose, and pride in Atlanta's future," the statement continued. "This is what happens when Atlanta builds for Atlanta."
For artists who spent the 1990s and 2000s building the city's cultural infrastructure, the investment represents a transition into literal city building. The Centennial Yards footprint sits perfectly between two of the city's biggest hubs: Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena.
Once completed, the district will boast a towering skyline of residential buildings, luxury hotels, retail spaces, and restaurants. However, the crown jewel for music fans will be the brand-new entertainment hub. The space will feature an immersive 70,000-square-foot Cosm viewing theater boasting an 87-foot LED dome, alongside a dedicated 5,300-capacity live music venue operated by Live Nation.
The development is currently operating on a massive deadline. Developers are pushing to open Cosm, the Hotel Phoenix, and a central gathering plaza by June 10, 2026 — just five days before Atlanta is set to host international fans for the first of eight matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Live Nation music venue is slated to open its doors the following year, in 2027.
Legendary audio engineer and producer Bob Power sits at a mixing console in a recording studio. Power, whose technical mastery shaped the sound of golden-era hip-hop and neo-soul for iconic artists like A Tribe Called Quest, Erykah Badu, and D'Angelo, died on March 1 at the age of 73.
The music industry has lost the meticulous ear behind its most flawless-sounding masterpieces. Bob Power, the legendary audio engineer and producer whose technical wizardry defined the sound of the Native Tongues movement and the birth of neo-soul, died on March 1 at the age of 73.
A funeral listing in Maryland confirmed the passing of the sonic pioneer, noting that his family requested donations be made to NPR in lieu of floral tributes. No official cause of death was immediately provided.
For purists of 90s hip-hop and R&B, Power's name in the liner notes was a guarantee of sonic excellence. Born in Chicago in 1952, he was a classically trained musician who studied at Webster College before earning a master's degree in jazz from Lone Mountain College in San Francisco. Before completely altering the sound of rap, he spent the 1970s and early 1980s composing music for PBS television shows and major commercial campaigns for brands like Coca-Cola and Intel.
Power relocated to New York City in 1982, famously taking gigs playing mafia weddings in Bensonhurst to pay the bills before landing a pivotal role as a fill-in engineer at Calliope Studios. It was there that he engineered his first major hip-hop project: Stetsasonic's 1986 debut album, "On Fire".
That session made Power the indispensable sonic translator for the emerging Native Tongues collective. He engineered and mixed foundational texts for A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, and the Jungle Brothers. Prior to Power's touch, hip-hop struggled to balance heavy bass lines with crisp, sample-heavy melodies without muddying the track.
"Bob was the KING of the Low End," The Roots' frontman Questlove wrote in a social media tribute. "Drums Crispy & Loud... but the BASS is FULL... before him? Hip Hop was chaotic & muddy... Bob was our training wheels for how to present music".
Beyond his alternative hip-hop foundation, Power was equally responsible for engineering the R&B revolution of the mid-1990s as a trusted engineer for the Soulquarians collective. He mixed the blueprints of the neo-soul movement, including D'Angelo's "Brown Sugar," Erykah Badu's "Baduizm," and Common's "Like Water for Chocolate".
Following the news of his death, Badu openly mourned her mentor online. "What a great loss for the music community today," Badu shared, noting his immense influence on her sound. "'Baduizm' is thee most bass heavy singing album in history. You mixed like a TRIBE album!".
Legendary producer DJ Premier also paid his respects, writing, "R.I.P. to one of the iLLest Engineers of all time... Thank you for your various pointers in recording from D'Angelo to ATCQ'S 'Low End Theory,' Erykah Badu's 'Baduizm' and so on!".
Later in life, Power became an Arts Professor at New York University's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, ensuring his technical mastery and philosophy would be passed down to the next generation of audio engineers.
In an era where producers and MCs rightfully received the lion's share of the glory, Bob Power remained the quiet genius behind the boards. He did not invent the culture, but he built the acoustic architecture that allowed it to stand the test of time.
If you want to measure the passage of time for a golden-era hip-hop purist, just point to the calendar: The Class of 1996 is officially 30 years old.
As 2026 unfolds, the culture is bracing for a relentless wave of retrospectives honoring a 12-month span widely considered the genre's zenith. The sheer volume of watershed albums released in 1996 remains a staggering anomaly, their sonic architecture still firmly woven into the fabric of contemporary music.
The anniversary marathon commenced with a massive milestone in February. On Feb. 13, 1996, record store shelves absorbed two culture-shifting releases simultaneously: The Fugees' inescapable global juggernaut "The Score" and 2Pac's sprawling, diamond-certified double album "All Eyez on Me." Both projects pulverized the commercial ceiling for rap, proving the art form could dominate pop radio and command global attention without compromising its street-level authenticity.
As the summer approaches, the historical gravity only intensifies. June marks three decades of Jay-Z's mafioso-rap blueprint "Reasonable Doubt," followed swiftly by Nas' cinematic sophomore effort, "It Was Written," in July. That summer proved existential for New York hip-hop, reaffirming the East Coast's lyrical supremacy and commercial viability amid heavily publicized regional rivalries.
Down South, the celebratory wave will crash over Atlanta in August when OutKast's atmospheric masterwork "ATLiens" turns 30. Fulfilling Andre 3000's prophetic 1995 Source Awards declaration that the South had something to say, the album offered undeniable proof. It anchored the region's place in the hip-hop pantheon, submerging listeners in the futuristic, funk-laden soundscapes of Organized Noize.
Concurrently, R&B experienced a permanent metamorphosis. The genre's topography shifted unequivocally with the August release of Aaliyah's "One in a Million." Galvanized by the erratic, syncopated production of Timbaland and the sharp penmanship of Missy Elliott, the album decisively closed the curtain on the new jack swing era, laying a futuristic foundation for the new millennium. Months prior, Maxwell’s April debut, "Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite," executed a similar pivot, helping to birth the neo-soul movement.
Three decades removed, the Class of 1996 defies categorization as mere nostalgic trivia. Contemporary vocalists continue to borrow these cadences, producers still scavenge for the analog warmth of these drum breaks, and ascending MCs perpetually dissect these flows. Nineteen ninety-six wasn't just a prolific calendar year; it was the seismic event that permanently realigned the tectonic plates of Black music, pouring the concrete foundation upon which the entire modern industry is built.
Upcoming 1996 30th Anniversaries to Watch
Busta Rhymes, "The Coming"
March
Maxwell, "Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite"
April
Jay-Z, "Reasonable Doubt"
June
Nas, "It Was Written"
July
Aaliyah, "One in a Million"
August
OutKast, "ATLiens"
August
Ghostface Killah, "Ironman"
October
Lil' Kim, "Hard Core"
November
Honorable Mentions: The Underground & Cult Classics of '96
De La Soul, "Stakes Is High"
July
A crucial, boom-bap rejection of the era's growing commercialism.
The Roots, "Illadelph Halflife"
September
The live-band pioneers establishing their heavier, uncompromised sound.
Makaveli, "The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory"
November
2Pac's posthumous, darkly prophetic masterpiece.
Mobb Deep, "Hell on Earth"
November
The grimy, cinematic follow-up that cemented Queensbridge royalty.
Redman, "Muddy Waters"
December
A masterclass in funk-sampled, blunt-fueled lyricism.
Kelvin "Posdnuos" Mercer, center left, and Vincent "Maseo" Mason, center right, of the pioneering hip-hop group De La Soul perform during their NPR Tiny Desk Concert in Washington on Tuesday, March 3. Backed by a nine-piece live band featuring drummer Daru Jones, back left, the duo celebrated their newly independent catalog and paid tribute to late co-founder David "Trugoy the Dove" Jolicoeur. Jolicoeur's memory was honored throughout the set, including a "Dave" nameplate resting on the desk. (Screensgrab via NPR Music)
"Ladies and gentlemen, we're a new group called De La Soul."
When DJ Maseo delivered that deadpan introduction to the crowd gathered at the NPR offices on Tuesday it drew a laugh. Humor has always been the foundational glue of the legendary Long Island trio. But behind the turntable, the joke carried a heavy, undeniable truth: the duties have been reassessed, the focus has shifted, and the architects of the D.A.I.S.Y. Age are navigating a new reality.
The highly anticipated NPR Tiny Desk concert premiered on what fans officially recognize as De La Soul Day. It was billed as a celebration of milestones, primarily marking year three of the group's classic catalog finally returning to their control and hitting streaming services after a decades-long legal battle. It also served as a showcase for their 2025 music album, "Cabin in the Sky."
But hovering above the soaring live instrumentation was the profound absence of David Jolicoeur —known to the culture as Trugoy the Dove, or Plug Two — who passed away in February 2023 just weeks before the group's masters were finally liberated.
According to NPR's Bobby Carter, surviving members Kelvin "Posdnuos" Mercer and Vincent "Maseo" Mason were highly intentional during the planning process, openly discussing what their late brother would and would not approve of creatively. The result was a setlist that masterfully balanced raucous joy with open grief.
"Cindy said if y'all stop, then Dave stopped, and that wouldn't be the show," Posdnuos rapped early in the set, making it clear that their continued forward motion is the ultimate tribute to Jolicoeur's legacy. Throughout the room, the mantra was simple and repeated: "Dave always."
Backed by a sprawling, nine-piece live band directed by powerhouse drummer Daru Jones, the newly minted duo completely reimagined their sample-heavy catalog. With the addition of a horn section, a viola, and phenomenal background vocalists Yummy Bingham and Gina Loring, the group breathed expansive new life into 90s foundational texts.
The crowd was fully engaged during a towering rendition of "Stakes Is High," with Posdnuos leading the room in a call-and-response, urging the audience to shout "vibration" against the track's iconic, thumping beat. Later, Loring took center stage for a transcendent vocal performance on "Different World," cementing the live band's incredible chemistry.
Yet, amid the massive musical arrangements, the group still found time for the intimate, off-the-cuff humor that made them famous. Before launching into a heartfelt new track titled "A Quick 16 for Mama," Maseo and Pos joked about their current side hustles, with Maseo claiming he was driving Uber XL and Pos quipping that he was doing DoorDash. "Got to get it how you live," Pos laughed, before the band settled into a smooth, nostalgic groove that Maseo noted reminded him of the beats his mother used to play.
The emotional climax of the set arrived during the closing performance of their 1989 breakout hit, "Me Myself and I." As the familiar, infectious bassline rolled through the NPR offices, the lyrics took on a poignant new weight. The group demanded the audience sing along, eventually stripping the beat away to let the room chant the chorus a cappella.
Before the final notes rang out, Maseo took to the microphone to issue one last, simple instruction to the room: "Let me hear you say thank you, Dave."
Watch the full De La Soul Tiny Desk performance below.
A collage of artists nominated for the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, including several legends of hip-hop and R&B. Pictured among this year's nominees are first-time contenders the Wu-Tang Clan (top row, second from left), Lauryn Hill (second row, left), New Edition (second row, third from left), and the late Luther Vandross (bottom row, right), alongside returning nominee Mariah Carey (bottom row, second from left). (Photo courtesy of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame)
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame officially unveiled its 17 performer nominees for the Class of 2026 on Wednesday, delivering a ballot heavily stacked with the architects of 90s hip-hop and the golden era of R&B.
This year's list marks a significant moment for the culture, with the Wu-Tang Clan, Ms. Lauryn Hill, New Edition and the late Luther Vandross all appearing on the ballot for the very first time. They join returning powerhouse nominees Mariah Carey, who is making her third appearance on the ballot, and Sade, who returns for a second time.
The inclusion of the Wu-Tang Clan and Lauryn Hill underscores the Hall's ongoing effort to recognize hip-hop's foundational impact. The Wu-Tang Clan have been hailed as rap innovators since changing the landscape of East Coast rap with their game-changing 1993 debut album, "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)". Hill's solo masterpiece, "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill," made history in 1999 as the first hip-hop album to win the Grammy for album of the year.
Meanwhile, the nomination of Boston-bred pioneers New Edition honors a legacy that essentially created the blueprint for the modern R&B boy band. The group — consisting of Ronnie DeVoe, Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ralph Tresvant and Johnny Gill — dominated the charts with classics like "Candy Girl" and "Cool It Now." The nod comes just months after their hometown of Boston officially renamed a Roxbury street "New Edition Way" in their honor.
Vandross, the undisputed king of romantic R&B who sold more than 25 million albums and delivered hits like "Here and Now" before his death in 2005, also earned a long-overdue first nomination.
"This diverse list of talented nominees recognizes the ever-evolving faces and sounds of Rock & Roll and its continued impact on youth culture," John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said in a statement on Wednesday.
To capture the full scope of the 2026 class, the ballot also features a wide array of pop, rock, and metal legends. The remaining nominees vying for induction include Phil Collins, INXS, Iron Maiden, Shakira, Melissa Etheridge, Jeff Buckley, P!nk, The Black Crowes, Oasis, Joy Division/New Order, and Billy Idol. Of that group, Collins, Shakira, P!nk, Etheridge, INXS, and the late Buckley are also making their first appearance as nominees on the ballot.
The official Class of 2026 will be determined by an international voting body of over 1,200 artists, historians, and industry professionals, as well as a fan vote that is currently open on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame website. The final inductees will be announced in April, with the induction ceremony scheduled for this fall.
Oliver "Power" Grant, the visionary business architect who helped fund the Wu-Tang Clan and founded the pioneering hip-hop brand Wu Wear, died Monday at the age of 52. Grant was instrumental in launching the Staten Island group's global empire and bridging the gap between rap and streetwear. (Photo courtesy of Wu Wear / File)
The hip-hop community is mourning the loss of Oliver "Power" Grant, the visionary business architect behind the Wu-Tang Clan, who passed away on Monday, Feb. 23, at the age of 52. His death was announced by the group on Tuesday. An official cause of death has not been disclosed.
Grant, a childhood friend of RZA, was instrumental in funding and marketing the group's earliest legendary releases, including the breakthrough tracks "Protect Ya Neck" and "Method Man". Beyond music, Grant pioneered the merger of hip-hop and fashion by creating Wu Wear, widely recognized as one of the culture's first highly lucrative, artist-owned streetwear brands.
Tributes immediately poured in from the Clan. Method Man shared a heartfelt photo of the two on Instagram, writing, "Paradise my Brother safe Travels!! ... Bruh I am not ok". Raekwon also expressed his grief, posting, "POWER we been everywhere …. now you everywhere!"
