50 Cent Reacts to “Bmf” Cancellation With Viral Lil Meech Post

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson wasted no time turning bad news into internet comedy after Starz officially canceled his hit crime drama “BMF.”

Within hours of the announcement, the G-Unit mogul posted a photoshopped image of actor Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory Jr. looking disheveled and homeless, captioned, “What next season, little 🥷🏾 @50centaction,” sparking laughter — and controversy — across social media.

The image, shared Tuesday on Instagram, marked another chapter in 50’s long-running feud with the Flenory family, whose real-life story inspired “Black Mafia Family.” Fans and fellow celebrities flooded the comments — from “50 see a roach & demolishes the building 😂” to “Two things I don’t play with…the IRS and 50 Cent.” Even “BMF” star Kris Lofton chimed in, writing simply, “Sheesh.”

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson posted this edited image to Instagram on Oct. 29, 2025, mocking actor Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory Jr. after Starz canceled the crime drama BMF following its fourth season. The post drew thousands of reactions from fans and celebrities, many joking about 50 Cent’s relentless humor. (Screenshot via Instagram /@50cent)

The cancellation ends one of Starz’s most popular crime sagas. “BMF” debuted in 2021 and dramatized the rise and fall of Detroit brothers Demetrius “Big Meech” and Terry “Southwest T” Flenory, founders of the Black Mafia Family. The real-life Big Meech remains incarcerated; his son Lil Meech portrayed him in the series.

Despite star-studded cameos from Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Lil Baby, 2 Chainz, Saweetie and others, ratings began to flatten in later seasons. Industry sources told Deadline that Starz’s cost-cutting strategy — shifting toward new, cheaper shows — ultimately sealed “BMF’s” fate, not the behind-the-scenes tension between Jackson and the Flenorys.

Still, the drama between 50 Cent and his former lead actor added fuel. Their relationship reportedly soured after Lil Meech appeared in a promo with Rick Ross, one of 50’s longest-standing rivals. 50 later accused Big Meech of cooperating with federal authorities — an allegation the elder Flenory publicly denied — widening the rift even as production continued.

The series finale, “Dreams Deferred,” aired Aug. 15, 2025, ending with Lil Meech’s character being arrested by Detective Von Bryant (Steve Harris). The real-life ending has been just as dramatic: a hit show abruptly cut short and its creator celebrating online while the cast absorbs the fallout.

Despite the cancellation, 50 Cent retains ownership of the “BMF” film rights and says he’s far from finished. He previously teased plans for an expanded “BMF Immortal Universe” and confirmed multiple spin-offs in development under his G-Unit Film & Television banner, which continues to collaborate with Starz on other “Power” franchise series.

New Edition Recruits Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton for Joint 30-City Arena Tour

Promotional artwork for “The New Edition Way Tour 2026,” featuring New Edition with Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton. The 30-city arena run kicks off Jan. 28 in Oakland, Calif., and concludes April 4 in Houston. (Courtesy Black Promoters Collective)

Three pillars of R&B are teaming up for a cross country arena run in 2026. New Edition, Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton will hit the road together on “The New Edition Way Tour,” a 30-city trek produced by the Black Promoters Collective. The run is scheduled to kick off Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, at Oakland Arena in California and wrap Saturday, April 4, 2026, at Toyota Center in Houston.

The tour is being billed by organizers as a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration: all three acts sharing the same stage in an immersive 360-degree setup, performing together instead of rotating separate opening and headlining slots. Fans are being promised “no barriers, no separation — an original music experience” built around legacy, harmony and nostalgia.

 

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A post shared by The Black Promoters Collective (@blackpromoterscollective)

It’s also a first. Even though Boyz II Men was originally discovered and championed by New Edition’s Michael Bivins, this marks the first time the two groups will tour together in a full joint production.

In a video announcement shared to their social channels, New Edition members talk about wanting to “take it to another level” after their recent Las Vegas run, then FaceTime Boyz II Men to pitch the idea. The conversation turns to adding “feminine energy,” and Toni Braxton pops up on-screen with a grin: “Y’all already know I’m the honorary seventh member of New Edition. So it’s only right that we hit the road together.”

All six members of New Edition — Ronnie DeVoe, Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ralph Tresvant and Johnny Gill — are billed for the tour. The lineup also features Boyz II Men’s Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman and Wanya Morris, and seven-time Grammy winner Toni Braxton.

The Black Promoters Collective says the goal is bigger than nostalgia. “You’re seeing artists who’ve shaped the culture come together to celebrate music that continues to stand the test of time,” said Gary Guidry, CEO of the Black Promoters Collective. “This tour represents the spirit of collaboration, excellence, and respect for pristine artistry,” added Shelby Joyner, the company’s president.

The tour name itself is personal. “The New Edition Way Tour” salutes New Edition’s hometown honor in Boston, where a street was recently renamed New Edition Way to recognize the group’s four-decade impact on R&B, pop and performance.

New Edition’s story is the blueprint for much of modern R&B and pop. Out of the core group came Bobby Brown’s solo superstardom (“My Prerogative,” “Every Little Step”), Ralph Tresvant’s silky ballads like “Sensitivity,” Bell Biv DeVoe’s New Jack Swing classic “Poison,” and Johnny Gill’s powerhouse slow jams “My, My, My” and “Rub You the Right Way.” Collectively, the members have sold more than 50 million albums worldwide, won American Music and Soul Train Awards, and received lifetime achievement honors from BET, Soul Train and the NAACP Image Awards.

Boyz II Men arrive with four Grammy Awards and slow jams that defined ‘90s radio, including “End of the Road,” “I’ll Make Love to You,” and “One Sweet Day,” their record-breaking duet with Mariah Carey. The trio remains one of the best-selling R&B groups of all time, with over 64 million albums sold globally.

Toni Braxton adds what the tour calls its “queen” energy. The seven-time Grammy winner helped shape adult R&B in the ‘90s with “Un-Break My Heart,” “Breathe Again,” and “You’re Makin’ Me High,” and has sold more than 70 million records worldwide.

Between them, New Edition, Boyz II Men and Braxton have combined to sell nearly 200 million albums, earn dozens of major awards and influence multiple generations of artists.

Tickets for “The New Edition Way Tour” go on sale to the general public Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, at 10 a.m. local time through Ticketmaster and participating venue box offices. Multiple presales will run Oct. 27–30, including an American Express presale, a New Edition fan presale (password: WAYTOUR26), a Spotify presale (NE4LIFE), and additional Black Promoters Collective, Boyz II Men and venue presales. All presales begin at 10 a.m. local time and close Thursday, Oct. 30, at 11:59 p.m.

The 30-city routing includes major stops in Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, New York, Boston and Houston, with the finale set for April 4, 2026, in Houston.

🎟️ How to get tickets

General on-sale: Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, at 10 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster and participating venue box offices.

Presales (all begin 10 a.m. local time):
• American Express Presale: Monday, Oct. 27
• New Edition Presale (code: WAYTOUR26): Tuesday, Oct. 28
• Spotify Presale (code: NE4LIFE): Wednesday, Oct. 29
• BPC / Boyz II Men / Venue Presales (codes: BPC / BIIMBLVD): Thursday, Oct. 30

All presales end Thursday, Oct. 30, at 11:59 p.m. local time.

Ll Cool J’s Songwriting Legacy Honored With Hall of Fame Nomination

LL Cool J attends the 2023 Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Phoenix Awards at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington. The Grammy-winning rapper and actor is among the 2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame nominees. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)

The Songwriters Hall of Fame has revealed its list of 2026 nominees, and LL Cool J stands tall among a lineup that blends eras, genres, and creative legacies. The Queens-born rapper — one of hip-hop’s first global stars — joins Taylor Swift, P!nk, David Byrne and Kenny Loggins as nominees for induction at next year’s gala in New York City.

For LL, the recognition goes beyond chart success; it’s an overdue acknowledgment of a writer who helped define the emotional and lyrical range of modern rap. The Songwriters Hall of Fame honors those whose words and melodies have shaped the sound of popular music. His nomination follows the earlier inductions of Jay-Z, Missy Elliott, and The Neptunes, further carving hip-hop’s rightful place in the songwriting canon.

Eligibility begins twenty years after an artist’s first commercial release — a milestone LL passed long ago, after exploding onto the scene in 1985 with Radio, his Def Jam debut that made a teenage James Todd Smith a household name. “I Need Love,” “Around the Way Girl,” “Mama Said Knock You Out,” “Going Back to Cali,” and “Illegal Search” — the five songs highlighted in his nomination — span his versatility, from the first mainstream rap love ballad to battle-ready anthems that redefined hip-hop’s toughness.

The 2026 ballot, announced this week, also nods to pop titans Taylor Swift and Sarah McLachlan, rock innovators David Byrne and the Go-Go’s, glam icons Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of Kiss, and hit-making producer-songwriters like Pete Bellotte and Andreas Carlsson. It’s a class that connects disco’s glitter, rock’s rebellion, and hip-hop’s lyricism under one roof — a reflection of how much songwriting itself has evolved. Ballots are due by midnight December 4, 2025, with the official induction gala scheduled for next year in New York City.

Complete nominee list

Representative songs are a sample from each catalog.

Performing songwriters ▶

• Gerry Beckley & Dewey Bunnell (America)
  “A Horse with No Name,” “Ventura Highway,” “Sister Golden Hair,” “I Need You,” “Tin Man.”
• David Byrne
  “Once in a Lifetime,” “Psycho Killer,” “Burning Down the House,” “This Must Be the Place,” “Strange Overtones.”
• Richard Carpenter
  “Goodbye to Love,” “Top of the World,” “Yesterday Once More,” “Only Yesterday,” “Merry Christmas Darling.”
• Harry Wayne Casey (KC and the Sunshine Band)
  “Rock Your Baby,” “Get Down Tonight,” “That’s the Way (I Like It),” “(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty,” “Please Don’t Go.”
• Randy Bachman & Burton Cummings (The Guess Who)
  “These Eyes,” “Laughing,” “No Time,” “American Woman,” “No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature.”
• Gene Simmons & Paul Stanley (Kiss)
  “Rock and Roll All Nite,” “I Love It Loud,” “Calling Dr. Love,” “Shout It Out Loud,” “Christine 16.”
• Kenny Loggins
  “Danny’s Song,” “Footloose,” “Celebrate Me Home,” “Return to Pooh Corner,” “What a Fool Believes.”
• Sarah McLachlan
  “Angel,” “Sweet Surrender,” “I Will Remember You,” “Building a Mystery,” “Adia.”
• Alecia B. Moore (P!nk)
  “Glitter in the Air,” “Just Like a Pill,” “Raise Your Glass,” “So What,” “What About Us.”
• Boz Scaggs
  “Lido Shuffle,” “Lowdown,” “We’re All Alone,” “Thanks to You,” “Look What You’ve Done to Me.”
• James Todd Smith (LL Cool J)
  “Mama Said Knock You Out,” “I Need Love,” “Around the Way Girl,” “Going Back to Cali,” “Illegal Search.”
• Taylor Swift
  “All Too Well (10 Minute Version),” “Blank Space,” “Anti-Hero,” “Love Story,” “The Last Great American Dynasty.”
• Charlotte Caffey, Kathy Valentine & Jane Wiedlin (The Go-Go’s)
  “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “Vacation,” “Head over Heels,” “This Town.”

Songwriters ▶

• Walter Afanasieff
  “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” “My All,” “Hero,” “Love Will Survive,” “One Sweet Day.”
• Pete Bellotte
  “Hot Stuff,” “I Feel Love,” “Love to Love You Baby,” “Heaven Knows,” “Push It to the Limit.”
• Andreas Carlsson
  “I Want It That Way,” “Bye Bye Bye,” “It’s Gonna Be Me,” “That’s the Way It Is,” “Waking Up in Vegas.”
• Steve Kipner
  “Physical,” “Hard Habit to Break,” “Genie in a Bottle,” “These Words,” “Breakeven.”
• Jeffrey Le Vasseur (Jeffrey Steele)
  “What Hurts the Most,” “My Wish,” “Knee Deep,” “The Cowboy in Me,” “I’d Give Anything / She’d Give Anything.”
• Patrick Leonard
  “Like a Prayer,” “Live to Tell,” “Nevermind,” “You Want It Darker,” “Yet Another Movie.”
• Terry Britten & Graham Lyle
  “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” “We Don’t Need Another Hero,” “Typical Male,” “Devil Woman,” “I Should Have Known Better.”
• Bob McDill
  “Everything That Glitters Is Not Gold,” “Good Ole Boys Like Me,” “Gone Country,” “Don’t Close Your Eyes,” “Song of the South.”
• Kenny Nolan
  “Lady Marmalade,” “My Eyes Adored You,” “I Like Dreamin’,” “Masterpiece,” “Get Dancin’.”
• Martin Page
  “We Built This City,” “These Dreams,” “King of Wishful Thinking,” “Faithful,” “Fallen Angel.”
• Vini Poncia
  “Do I Love You,” “I Was Made for Lovin’ You,” “Oh My My,” “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing,” “Just Too Many People.”
• Tom Snow
  “He’s So Shy,” “Let’s Hear It for the Boy,” “Dreaming of You,” “Don’t Know Much,” “After All.”
• Christopher “Tricky” Stewart
  “Umbrella,” “Single Ladies,” “Obsessed,” “Just Fine,” “Break My Soul.”
• Larry Weiss
  “Rhinestone Cowboy,” “Bend Me, Shape Me,” “Hi Ho Silver Lining,” “Your Baby Doesn’t Love You Anymore,” “Darling Take Me Back.”

Future Adds Winemaker to His Legacy With Launch of Roué Brand

Grammy-winning artist and entrepreneur Future unveils Roué, a fine-wine and cocktail label inspired by his artistry and cultural influence. (Photo by Virgile Guinard / Courtesy of Roué)

Future has never been afraid to rewrite the rules — not in trap music, fashion, or now, the wine aisle.
The Grammy-winning rapper and entrepreneur, born Nayvadius Wilburn, has unveiled Roué, a new line of fine wines and ready-to-drink cocktails that fuses creativity, culture, and craftsmanship into a single pour.

The move feels on brand for an artist who’s turned every era of his career into a reinvention — from his early "Dirty Sprite" mixtape run to his Grammy win for “King’s Dead” and chart-topping dominance with “Mask Off” and “Life Is Good.” Now, he’s setting his sights on the beverage world with the same blend of precision and ambition that made him one of hip-hop’s most influential figures.

“I enjoy wine, but couldn’t find a brand that truly reflected me — something current, innovative and connected to the culture,” Future said in a statement. “So, I created it. Roué is about bringing diversity into the wine world and showing what’s possible when creativity and culture collide.”

Roué launches with two premium wines — a 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon made from 100 percent organic grapes in Paso Robles, California, and a 2024 Sauvignon Blanc from Lake County — alongside two ready-to-drink cocktails: Ruby Passion and Lemon Lust. Each bottle arrives in custom multifaceted packaging, a visual nod to Future’s own evolution from mixtape trailblazer to global tastemaker.

The wines are rooted in sustainability as much as style according to the brand. Roué’s California growers use eco-friendly methods and high-altitude harvests to emphasize texture, aroma, and a clean, fruit-forward finish. For the cocktails, Future’s team blends premium wine with real fruit essences and natural juices, bottled in embossed glass rather than the standard aluminum can — another quiet rejection of convention.

Co-founded with beverage industry veteran Ryan Ayotte, Roué partners with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and Georgia Crown Distributing Co., giving it instant reach in both national and local markets. It will launch first in Georgia, Florida and California through major retailers such as BevMo, GoPuff and Total Wine, and will be available for direct purchase in 44 states via drinkroue.com. The suggested retail prices: $29.99 for the wines and $14.99 for a four-pack of cocktails.

“Roué represents a commitment to quality and a contemporary approach to how wine and ready-to-drink beverages are perceived and enjoyed,” Ayotte said. “It’s for the dreamers, the disruptors, and the trailblazers who refuse to be defined by convention.”

From the trap house to the tasting room, Future has built a career on making audacious moves look effortless. But Roué isn’t just a flex — it’s a statement of intent. The design mirrors his shape-shifting artistry, the product reflects his pursuit of perfection and the mission folds his cultural DNA into an industry that rarely makes room for it.

Months After ‘Lightyear’ Remarks Drew Criticism, Snoop Dogg Drops ‘Love Is Love’ for Glaad’s Spirit Day

Snoop Dogg has spent a career flipping expectations. But this week’s move — dropping a children’s song about LGBTQ+ families after publicly stumbling on the same topic months ago — might be one of his most unexpected reversals yet.

Earlier this year, Snoop said a screening of Disney’s “Lightyear” with his grandson “threw [him] for a loop” when the boy asked about the film’s lesbian couple. “I didn’t come here for this,” he told a podcast host, adding that he didn’t have the answers. The backlash came quick: how could a man who’s preached love, unity, and evolution be so uneasy about a Pixar kiss?

Fast-forward to October. Snoop partnered with GLAAD to release “Love Is Love,” a new song from his YouTube series "Doggyland," timed with Spirit Day — the organization’s national anti-bullying campaign for LGBTQ youth. The track, sung by cartoon dogs with preschool-friendly beats, insists that “no two parents are the same, but the love won’t change.” It’s deliberately simple — not an apology, but a public correction.

“I felt like this music is a beautiful bridge to bringing understanding,” Snoop said in a filmed conversation with Jeremy Beloate, an openly queer artist who competed on his Voice team. “These are things kids have questions about. Now hopefully we can help them live a happy life and understand that love is love.”

That humility may surprise some longtime fans. For decades, Snoop has represented a particular brand of West Coast masculinity — smooth, funny, charismatic, but grounded in the coded norms of old-school rap. So when he faced criticism for how he handled "Lightyear," his response wasn’t to double down but to recalibrate in public. It’s not brand management; it’s self-education.

What’s striking is the medium. Hip-hop has had plenty of protest songs, but almost no bedtime stories about inclusion. "Doggyland," Snoop’s kid-focused series, already promoted kindness and literacy; now it’s modeling empathy. That’s not something you can fake in a market where kids notice contradictions faster than adults.

Still, the gesture comes with baggage. Some fans see “Love Is Love” as image rehab — a late pivot after months of social-media dragging. But even that tension speaks to something bigger. When an artist as visible as Snoop evolves on camera, it says more about generational change inside hip-hop itself. The culture that once defined toughness through resistance is now old enough to define it through growth.

In his GLAAD statement, Snoop put it plainly: “Spreading love and respect for everybody is what real gangstas do. We’re showing the next generation that kindness is cool, inclusion is powerful, and love always wins.” It’s both a wink and a warning — that empathy, in 2025, might be the hardest flex of all.

Because hip-hop doesn’t need another PSA. It needs its elders to keep learning out loud.

‘Billie Eilish’ Rapper Arrested After Stopping Traffic for Video Shoot

Armani White, 28, smiles in his booking photo after being arrested Sunday in London, Ky. Police say the “Billie Eilish” rapper stopped traffic on Interstate 75 while filming a video. He was charged with disorderly conduct and illegally stopping a vehicle on a highway, then released from the Laurel County Correctional Center. (Photo: Laurel County Correctional Center)

Armani White’s latest viral moment didn’t happen onstage — it happened in the middle of an interstate.

The 29-year-old Philadelphia rapper, best known for his 2022 breakout hit “Billie Eilish,” was arrested Sunday night in Laurel County, Kentucky, after police say he stopped traffic on Interstate 75 to film a video.

According to booking records and police reports, White — whose real name is Enoch Tolbert — was taken into custody by London Police officers and charged with second-degree disorderly conduct and stopping, standing, or parking on a limited-access highway, both misdemeanors. He was booked into the Laurel County Correctional Center and released shortly after.

The incident occurred less than 24 hours after White performed as a supporting act on T-Pain’s “TP20: Celebrating 20 Years of T-Pain” tour in Newport, Ky. Witnesses told police that multiple vehicles had stopped on the highway and that a man — later identified as White — was seen dancing and jumping on a concrete median while a crew filmed.

Police said the spectacle caused several motorists to call 911, prompting officers to respond to prevent potential accidents. “The situation presented a clear traffic hazard,” one report noted, describing the impromptu shoot as “reckless and unsafe.”

White’s booking photo, released by the Laurel County Correctional Center, went viral overnight. Without his signature beaded braids — reportedly removed at officers’ request — the rapper flashes a broad smile, looking more amused than concerned.

While his representatives have yet to issue a formal statement, fans quickly connected the arrest to White’s penchant for spectacle. His platinum single “Billie Eilish” turned a playful boast into a viral moment that earned him national attention, and his blend of humor and energy has long blurred the line between charisma and chaos.

Cash Money and No Limit To Face off in Verzuz’s Comeback at Complexcon Las Vegas

Swizz Beatz and Timbaland’s Verzuz series will return Oct. 25 at ComplexCon Las Vegas with “Cash Money VERZUZ No Limit,” reuniting two of New Orleans’ most influential rap labels for a new chapter in hip-hop’s Southern story. (Photo: VERZUZ TV via Instagram)

When two of New Orleans’ most powerful rap dynasties meet on one stage, it’s not just a reunion — it’s a reckoning.

Verzuz, the online battle series created by Swizz Beatz and Timbaland during the pandemic, is set to return Oct. 25 at ComplexCon Las Vegas with “Cash Money VERZUZ No Limit.” The event promises a collision of legacies that once defined Southern hip-hop’s rise from regional pride to global dominance.

Verzuz itself has traveled a long road to this moment. What began in 2020 as a live-streamed experiment between friends turned into a communal ritual at the height of lockdown, when millions of viewers tuned in to watch artists face off hit for hit. By 2021, the brand had been acquired by Triller in a deal meant to expand its reach and grant equity to participating performers.

Within a year, Swizz Beatz and Timbaland accused the company of failing to deliver on its commitments, filing a $28 million lawsuit before eventually reaching a settlement. In 2024, they regained control of the platform and struck a new distribution partnership with X, formerly Twitter. “VERZUZ is still 100 percent Black-owned,” Swizz said after reclaiming ownership — a statement that reasserted the show’s purpose as both cultural archive and act of independence.

🚨 IT’S OFFICIAL 🚨
Verzuz is BACK — live at #ComplexCon Las Vegas.
Cash Money #VERZUZ No Limit Celebration 🙌🏽
One stage. Two legendary iconic Labels . History is about to be made !!
October 25.
Live Streaming details coming soon !!!!!!
Stay tuned for more info ….. pic.twitter.com/tM4TZibBuN

— VERZUZ TV (@verzuzonline) October 7, 2025

That context makes the upcoming battle feel less like a nostalgia trip and more like a symbolic passing of eras. Cash Money Records, founded in 1991 by Bryan “Birdman” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Williams, shaped the glossy, radio-ready sound that turned bounce into mainstream pop currency. From Juvenile’s “400 Degreez” and Big Tymers’ “Still Fly” to Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter” series and Drake’s global dominance, its artists redefined what success from the South could look like.

No Limit Records, founded a year earlier by Master P, built a different kind of empire — gritty, self-reliant, and defiantly prolific. The label’s rapid-fire releases and signature Pen & Pixel album art made its soldiers — Silkk the Shocker, Mystikal, C-Murder, Mia X and Fiend — household names. Master P’s philosophy of ownership and community uplift would go on to influence an entire generation of independent entrepreneurs.

Their rivalry fueled one of the most important shifts in rap history. Long before Atlanta became the genre’s capital, New Orleans created the model — ambition on one side, autonomy on the other. Cash Money and No Limit didn’t just compete for charts; they competed for narrative, for the right to define what Southern success sounded like.

Little Miss Drama Tour Marks Cardi B’s First Tour in Six Years

Photo Credit: Warner Music

Cardi B is trading headlines for turnstiles. After a summer that put her on the stand by day and back in rehearsal by night, the Grammy winner is taking “Am I the Drama?” to arenas with the "Little Miss Drama Tour" — her first headlining arena run, and her first tour in six years.

The trek launches Feb. 11, 2026, at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., and spans more than 30 North American dates, including Los Angeles, Vancouver, Chicago, New York, Austin and Washington, D.C. (Capital One Arena on April 8).

“HELLO!! … We putting the kids to bed early because the Little Miss Drama Tour is coming to a city near you! Sign up now thru this Sunday, September 21 at 10 p.m. PST for artist presale,” she posted on Instagram, pointing fans to the link in her bio and Stories.

Presales begin Tuesday, Sept. 23, at 10 a.m. local; artist presale registration closes Sunday, Sept. 21, at 10 p.m. PT. General on-sale opens Thursday, Sept. 25, at 10 a.m. local. Venue and ticketing pages are carrying market-by-market details. For more information click here.

The tour lands the same week as her long-awaited second album, “Am I the Drama?,” due Friday, Sept. 19, following 2018’s “Invasion of Privacy.” Announced guests include Janet Jackson, Megan Thee Stallion, Lizzo, Tyla, Kehlani and Summer Walker.

Cardi telegraphed the move days earlier on daytime TV. “I actually have an announcement coming soon… I’m already preparing for it. I’m at the gym, and I’m taking dance classes already,” she told “The Jennifer Hudson Show.”

It caps a stretch of high-visibility moments — a televised courtroom appearance that ended in her favor, a viral clip where she admitted she briefly nodded off in court, and an album rollout built for spectacle — now crystallizing into a straightforward ask: show up IRL. 

At VMAs, Mariah Carey Earns Video Vanguard and First Competitive Moon Person

Mariah Carey finally got her MTV moment — twice. The singer accepted the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at Sunday’s 2025 MTV Video Music Awards and, earlier in the night, won her first competitive VMA, taking Best R&B for “Type Dangerous.”

Carey marked the honor with a career-spanning medley that doubled as a reminder of her video legacy. She opened with her new single “Sugar Sweet,” then flipped through “Fantasy,” “Honey,” “Heartbreaker,” “Obsessed” and “It’s Like That,” closing with a string-kissed “We Belong Together.” Ariana Grande presented the Vanguard; onstage, Carey joked about the long wait for her first Moon Person and nodded to the show’s role in her career.

The telecast — hosted by LL Cool J at UBS Arena — threaded legacy and spectacle. Ariana Grande took Video of the Year for “Brighter Days Ahead,” and Lady Gaga won Artist of the Year and Best Collaboration for “Die With a Smile” with Bruno Mars. ROSÉ and Bruno Mars earned Song of the Year for “APT.” New special honors expanded the frame: Busta Rhymes received the inaugural Rock the Bells Visionary Award, and Ricky Martin was named the first Latin Icon. The show aired on CBS and MTV with streaming on Paramount+.

Also notable: Doechii won Best Hip-Hop for “Anxiety,” Tyla took Best Afrobeats for “PUSH 2 START,” and LISA’s “Born Again” — featuring Doja Cat and RAYE — won Best K-pop. BLACKPINK claimed Best Group; Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet won Best Album.

What lingered was Carey’s set — precise, playful and pointed. The cuts that once defined TRL afternoons and late-night countdowns felt newly present, and the acknowledgment finally matched the scale of that history. With “Here for It All” due Sept. 26, the night functioned as both celebration and reset: a Hall-of-Fame résumé met with hardware, and a new chapter arriving on schedule.

Clipse Joins ‘Grace for the World’ Concert in St. Peter’s Square

St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, where “Grace for the World” will feature Clipse, Pharrell Williams with the Voices of Fire Gospel Choir and other artists. The concert streams globally Sept. 13.

After reuniting for “Let God Sort ’Em Out,” their first album in 16 years produced by longtime collaborator Pharrell Williams, Clipse may be finally giving one of the world's most popular deities the chance.

On Saturday, Sept. 13 the duo will take the stage in Vatican City for “Grace for the World,” a live concert set in St. Peter’s Square.

For fans with the means to join the locals, attendance is free, but those without — whom Malice often strikes at with his verbal venom, no worries. It will also be streamed globally on Disney+, Hulu and ABC News Live starting 3 p.m. ET / noon PT (with a replay on Disney+).

The placement fits the arc of the year. Pusha T and Malice spent 2025 rebuilding the Clipse voice — reflective, surgical, grown — while Pharrell kept his hands on the wheel, shaping the new set with the same instincts that defined their 2000s run. Tracks like “Ace Trumpets,” “So Be It” and “The Birds Don’t Sing” reintroduced the duo’s contrast: Malice’s spiritual gravity in counterpoint to Pusha’s cold precision. Vatican City extends that tension in the most unexpected of venues.

The lineup underscores the scale. Organizers list Williams with the Voices of Fire Gospel Choir, Maestro Andrea Bocelli, John Legend, Karol G, Clipse, Teddy Swims, Jelly Roll, Angélique Kidjo, and the Choir of the Diocese of Rome led by Maestro Marco Frisina, joined by an international choir under the musical direction of Adam Blackstone. Newly added performers include Jennifer Hudson and BamBam. Aerial drone and light work by Nova Sky Stories — with imagery inspired by the Sistine Chapel — is set to sweep the square overhead.

For a duo that once made stark minimalism feel like gospel, performing beside actual choirs is more than a stunt — it’s a clean through line. The same partnership that forged “Grindin’ ” matured into a record about memory, loss and resolve, and now it’s headed to a stage where the setting amplifies the message.

Singer Montell Jordan Announces Cancer Recurrence, Will Start Proton Radiation and Hormone Blockers

Montell Jordan in a photo posted on Instagram. The “This Is How We Do It” singer said this week his prostate cancer has returned and that he will begin proton radiation and hormone therapy; he’s documenting the journey in a forthcoming film, “Sustain.” (Instagram/@montelljordan)

Montell Jordan revealed that his prostate cancer has returned — less than a year after surgery — and said he’ll begin proton radiation alongside hormone-blocking therapy next month.

“I always imagined I would be telling my prostate cancer story from the other side,” the 56-year-old “This Is How We Do It” singer said on the "Today" show on Wednesday. “My prostate was removed. There were clear margins… Close to a year post-prostatectomy, I still need to go back and have additional treatments because it’s been detected that there is still cancer.”

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Jordan said follow-up testing about nine months after his surgery found “tiny amounts” of cancer in lymph nodes on the left side of his body and in the prostate bed. He plans five days a week of proton radiation for about seven weeks, supported by medication to suppress testosterone, which can fuel some prostate cancers. “It’s a radiated treatment that is specifically focused on that lymph node part of my body,” he said. “It is a seven-and-a-half week interruption of life to make sure that I have a longer life.”

The R&B veteran first learned of the disease in early 2024 when a routine PSA screening showed elevated levels. He underwent a radical prostatectomy later that year. A pathology review upgraded the diagnosis to stage 2. By late 2024 he had told fans he was cancer-free, but new scans and bloodwork prompted the plan to resume treatment.

 

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Jordan framed the update with optimism and a nudge toward prevention. “I’ve already had a fantastic quality of life even following my prostate removal,” he said. “I believe that even after this next treatment… it will eradicate the cancer from my body and [I’ll] still have a great quality of life moving forward.” He credited regular screening for catching the disease early enough to give him options.

 

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For fans who met him through a No. 1 hit and a run of ’90s and 2000s singles — from “This Is How We Do It” and “Somethin’ 4 da Honeyz” to “Get It On Tonite” — Jordan’s second act has also included ministry work, touring and new storytelling. He’s documenting his health journey in “Sustain,” an upcoming documentary project, and has used recent appearances to encourage men — especially those with family history or higher risk — to talk with their doctors about PSA testing.

The next step, he said, is to complete treatment and get back to everyday life. “Seven and a half weeks,” Jordan noted, “for the chance at a longer life.”

Lil Jon Places Third at Muscle Beach in Fitness Debut

Lil Jon flexes with his third-place medal after competing in the Men’s Physique Masters Over 45 division at the Muscle Beach Championships in Venice, Calif., on Labor Day. (Instagram/@musclebeachvenice)

Monday. Lil Jon didn’t just show up at Muscle Beach on Labor Day — he stepped onstage. The Grammy winning “Yeah!” producer made his fitness-competition debut at the 2025 Muscle Beach Championships, placing third in the Men’s Physique Masters Over 45 division as fans packed the Venice Beach Recreation Center.

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The event — run with the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks — is billed as “the greatest outdoor bodybuilding show on earth” and is open to amateurs only, a throwback SoCal spectacle where posing oil meets block-party energy. This year, the “King of Crunk” performed and competed, a full-circle Venice moment under the sun.

On camera, Jon framed the day as a lifestyle marker as much as a medal. “It’s been a lot physically — just in the gym, dedication, eating, focus. I’m winning just by being here and changing my lifestyle, mentally and physically,” he told ABC7. “One thing I hope is that I can be an inspiration to people who say, ‘I just don’t have time.’ If I can do it, you can do it too.”

His camp added a view from backstage. In an Instagram post, trainer Jay Galvin wrote, “My bro Lil Jon came straight off a plane to his first show ever @musclebeachvenice and took 3rd place,” a snapshot of what a podium day really looks like — travel, tan, macros and the nerve to be judged in a new arena.

 

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The pivot tracks with his wellness era. In 2024, Jon released two guided-meditation projects — “Total Meditation” and “Manifest Abundance: Affirmations for Personal Growth” — a deliberate downshift from one of hip-hop’s loudest hype men. And he hasn’t disappeared from the culture’s biggest stages: in 2024’s Super Bowl LVIII halftime show, he joined Usher and Ludacris for a ring-shaking run that moved from “Turn Down for What” into “Yeah!”

What’s next blends work and workout. Jon’s tour calendar continues to thread clubs and festivals — from TAO/Hakkasan dates to fairground stages — while his HGTV remodel series “Lil Jon Wants to Do What?” keeps him teaming with designer Anitra Mecadon on homeowner makeovers.

Not Liable: L.A. Jury Rejects $24 Million Claim Against Cardi B

Chrisallmeid, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cardi B beat a $24 million civil lawsuit on Tuesday, as a Los Angeles County jury found her not liable over a 2018 hallway confrontation at a Beverly Hills OB-GYN’s office. “I would say this on my death bed: I did not touch the woman,” the rapper said outside the Alhambra courthouse after the verdict.

The plaintiff, Emani Ellis, a former security guard, alleged that Cardi B scratched her face with a fingernail, spat on her and verbally abused her — claims Ellis said led to lasting injury and the loss of her job. Cardi B, whose legal name is Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, denied any physical contact and testified the dispute began because Ellis appeared to be recording her while she was secretly pregnant.

"I did not touch that woman."

Cardi B spoke to reporters outside of court after being found not liable in civil suit. pic.twitter.com/kkliqL8Xip

— ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) September 2, 2025

Jurors heard from Tierra Malcolm, a receptionist at the doctor’s office, who said she stepped into the hallway after hearing a commotion and saw Ellis cornering Cardi — not the other way around. Defense attorneys also emphasized that Ellis did not file a police report at the time and did not seek immediate medical care.

Cardi B was won her civil assault trial in California.

A Los Angeles County jury declared her not liable on all claims from a former security guard who claimed she assaulted her in 2018. pic.twitter.com/qaFp8MCQhI

— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) September 2, 2025

Inside the courtroom, the exchanges were blunt. Asked by the plaintiff’s lawyer if she was angry, Cardi replied, “Yes, I was angry because I’m pregnant! And this girl’s about to beat my ass. Hello?” Pressed on whether she called Ellis “fat,” she answered, “No. I was calling her a b**.**” In closing, her lawyer attacked the injury narrative: “She claims that Cardi mauled her … cut her face, and this woman went home … She took a nap.”

After the verdict, Cardi thanked supporters and said the case pulled her away from family time. “Because of this, I missed my kids’ first day of school,” she said, adding a warning about future claims: “Don’t ever think that you’re going to file a frivolous lawsuit against me and I’m just going to give you my money … Next time, I’m going to countersue."