Ice T Expands His Legacy Beyond Music and TV With Og Network

Ice T performs in 2018. The rapper and actor is a co-founder of OG Network, a new free streaming platform focused on creator-owned urban storytelling. (Stefan Bollmann, via Wikimedia Commons).

Ice T and media executive Courtney “Big Court” Richardson II are entering the streaming space with a familiar argument, one hip-hop has been making for decades: ownership still matters.

This week, Richardson and Ice T officially launched OG Network, a free ad-supported streaming platform focused on urban culture, independent filmmakers and creator-owned programming.

According to the company, the platform has already surpassed 2.3 million viewing minutes during its early rollout — a figure reported by OG Network that suggests early audience engagement, though it has not been independently verified.

OG Network is available in 186 countries across Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, Android TV, iOS and Google Play, placing it within the rapidly expanding FAST and AVOD streaming ecosystem. That space has grown crowded in recent years, dominated by large-scale platforms such as Pluto TV, Tubi and Freevee, while smaller, culture-specific services compete for attention and sustainability.

 

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Rather than positioning itself as a mass-market disruptor, OG Network is framing its mission around creator control and curated programming. Richardson said the platform was built to give independent creators ownership over their work and greater control over distribution — a message that aligns with long-standing concerns in hip-hop about exploitation and gatekeeping.

Ice T’s involvement adds historical weight to that framing. Few artists have navigated the shift from outsider to industry institution as visibly or deliberately. From his early work in protest rap to his long-running television career, Ice T has consistently engaged questions of power, representation and access, making his role as co-founder more than symbolic.

The platform’s early programming slate reflects that intent. OG Network’s launch includes “Somebody Had To Say It,” a weekly discussion series hosted by Layzie Bone of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony alongside Richardson, centered on hip-hop debate and cultural commentary. Ice T serves as executive producer and narrator of “Put The Guns Down — A World Epidemic,” a documentary examining gun violence through a global lens rooted in cultural context. The service is also debuting independent films, including “My Cherie Amour,” a thriller starring Omar Gooding that OG Network says has driven strong engagement since its release.

Richardson’s “Holdin’ Court Podcast,” previously distributed elsewhere, now streams exclusively on the platform, reinforcing OG Network’s emphasis on long-form conversation over short-form virality. The service also hosts a growing library of films, documentaries and creator-led projects, with additional releases planned throughout the year.

OG Network enters a streaming landscape littered with ambitious launches that struggled to scale. FAST platforms, by design, prioritize ad-supported volume over subscription loyalty, and long-term success depends less on buzz than on sustained viewing and advertiser confidence. Whether OG Network’s creator-first positioning can translate into durability remains an open question.

NAACP Image Awards Nominees Spotlight a Year of Black-Led Film, TV and Music

Teyana Taylor, nominated for Entertainer of the Year at the 57th NAACP Image Awards, is among a field that also includes Kendrick Lamar, reflecting a year in which music, film and performance-driven storytelling converged across Black culture.

The NAACP on Monday announced the full list of nominees for the 57th NAACP Image Awards, placing this year’s ceremony squarely in the middle of an awards season already shaped by Black-led film, television and music.

Cynthia Erivo, Doechii, Kendrick Lamar, Michael B. Jordan and Teyana Taylor were nominated for Entertainer of the Year, one of the Image Awards’ most closely watched categories. The ceremony will air live Feb. 28 from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium at 8 p.m. (ET/8 p.m. PT on BET), with a simultaneous broadcast on CBS.

SIDEBAR: Who’s leading the 57th NAACP Image Awards

The 57th NAACP Image Awards reflect a year in which Black storytelling dominated across film, television and music — not just in volume, but in cultural reach.

Kendrick Lamar leads the music categories with six nominations. In film, “Sinners” leads the motion picture categories with 18 nominations. On the television side, “Bel-Air” tops the field with seven nominations. Netflix leads all platforms with 47 nominations overall, according to the NAACP.

The Entertainer of the Year nominees — Cynthia Erivo, Doechii, Kendrick Lamar, Michael B. Jordan and Teyana Taylor — underline how performance, authorship and cultural impact increasingly move together.

Full nominee list + public voting: naacpimageawards.net

Film and television categories reflect a year of sustained visibility across platforms. “Sinners” leads the motion picture field with 18 nominations, followed by “Highest 2 Lowest” with nine. In television and streaming, “Bel-Air” tops the list with seven nominations, while “Abbott Elementary,” “Reasonable Doubt” and “Ruth & Boaz” earned six nods apiece. Netflix led all networks with 47 nominations overall.

Teyana Taylor emerged as one of this year’s most broadly recognized nominees, earning six nominations across film and music, including Entertainer of the Year, acting nods for “One Battle After Another” and “Tyler Perry’s Straw,” and recognition for her album “Escape Room.” Erivo received four nominations, including Entertainer of the Year and a nomination for her performance in “Wicked: For Good.”

In the music recording categories, Kendrick Lamar received the most nominations with six. Cardi B. and Leon Thomas earned four nominations each, while Doechii and Taylor followed closely with three apiece. RCA Records led all labels with eight nominations. In literary categories, HarperCollins topped publishers with eight nominations, followed by Penguin Random House with six.

This year also marks a structural expansion for the Image Awards themselves. The NAACP introduced two new categories: Outstanding Literary Work – Journalism, honoring nationally distributed journalism that reflects Black experiences and social impact through a lens of equity and justice; and Outstanding Editing in a Motion Picture or Television Series, Movie, or Special, recognizing the craft of post-production in shaping narrative and emotional clarity.

Nominations were announced live on “CBS Mornings” by comedian Deon Cole and NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson, with additional reveals streamed on YouTube and NAACPPlus.

“The NAACP Image Awards is our declaration to our community that ‘We See You,’ affirming Black creativity, excellence and humanity across every space where our stories are told,” Johnson said in a statement. “From film, television and music to literature and beyond, the voices of all of our nominees tell stories that honor our past, celebrate our identity and move culture forward.”

BET President Louis Carr echoed that sentiment, calling the nominees “the heartbeat of culture” and emphasizing the awards’ role in elevating storytelling rooted in authenticity and purpose.

Public voting is now open in select categories at naacpimageawards.net and runs through Feb. 7. Winners will be announced during the live broadcast Feb. 28, with additional honors presented during the NAACP Image Awards Creative Honors events later that week.

Golden Globes open with Teyana Taylor win for 'One Battle After Another'

Teyana Taylor appears in a scene from “One Battle After Another,” the Paul Thomas Anderson film that earned her the Golden Globe for best supporting actress during the opening moments of the 83rd Golden Globe Awards.

Teyana Taylor became the emotional center of the Golden Globes early Sunday night, winning best supporting actress in a motion picture for her performance in “One Battle After Another.”

Taylor’s win was the first award announced during the live telecast of the Golden Globe Awards, and it immediately shifted the tone inside the Beverly Hilton from pageantry to presence.

Teyana Taylor just gave the best speech of the entire award season at the Golden Globes

"To my brown sisters and little brown girls nominated tonight, our softness is not a liability. Our depth is not too much. Our light does not need permission to shine. We belong in every room… pic.twitter.com/LeWdDFA3Yr

— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) January 12, 2026

“To my brown sisters and little brown girls watching tonight, our softness is not a liability,” Taylor said as she accepted the award, visibly emotional. “Our depth is not too much. Our light does not need permission to shine. We belong in every room we walk into. Our voices matter and our dreams deserve space.”

In “One Battle After Another,” directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, Taylor plays Perfidia Beverly Hills, a role defined less by dialogue than by control. The performance resists flourish, relying instead on timing, restraint and physical presence — tools Taylor has honed across disciplines long before this moment.

She won the Globe over Emily Blunt for “The Smashing Machine,” Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for “Sentimental Value,” Ariana Grande for “Wicked: For Good,” and Amy Madigan for “Weapons.” The category was crowded. The decision was decisive.

For much of her career, Taylor has existed in the space between visibility and validation — widely respected, rarely centered. She emerged publicly as a dancer and singer, but steadily expanded her range behind the scenes, directing visuals, shaping performances and, more recently, choosing acting roles with increasing care.

Sunday night did not introduce a new version of Teyana Taylor. It acknowledged one that has been forming in plain sight.

Teyana Taylor’s Golden Globe Nod Crowns a Year When the Culture Took Center Stage

Teyana Taylor in “One Battle After Another.” Her fearless performance in Ryan Coogler’s drama, now a Golden Globe contender, embodies the rise of authentic, culture-rooted storytelling that reshaped this year’s awards season. (Photo Courtesy Warner Bros.)

Teyana Taylor walked into awards season as an outsider again — no big-budget campaign, no glossy magazine spread, no studio whispering her name into voters’ ears. But when the 2026 Golden Globe nominations dropped today, the Harlem-born artist’s name landed right where it belonged: on the list.


Her supporting role in “One Battle After Another,” a bruising indie drama that went from festival buzz to nine nominations, marked one of the few times the Globes have recognized a performer who started her career choreographing for Beyoncé and grinding through the same hip-hop hustle that Hollywood pretended didn’t exist.

For longtime fans who first saw her dancing in Jay-Z videos or directing her own visuals under the moniker “Spike Tey,” the news hit different. Taylor, now nominated for Best Supporting Actress for “One Battle After Another” — the year’s most-nominated film — walked into awards season with the same mix of grit and grace that’s carried her through every reinvention.

Where the Culture Showed Up at the 2026 Golden Globes

Key nominees announced Dec. 8, 2025, for the 83rd Golden Globes:

• "One Battle After Another" – Leads all films with 9 nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and a Supporting Actress nod for Teyana Taylor.
• "Sinners" – Scores 7 nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director (Ryan Coogler), Best Actor (Michael B. Jordan), Best Original Score (Ludwig Göransson) and Best Original Song for "I Lied to You" by Göransson and Raphael Saadiq.
• Tessa Thompson – Nominated for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for "Hedda".
• Cynthia Erivo – Nominated for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for "Wicked: For Good", which also picked up Best Original Song nods.
• Ayo Edebiri – Returns to the TV comedy race for her work in "The Bear".
• Quinta Brunson – Continues her awards run with another nomination for "Abbott Elementary" in the comedy series field.

For the full list of 2026 Golden Globe nominees, visit GoldenGlobes.com.

She wasn’t alone. With "Sinners," Ryan Coogler’s return to prestige filmmaking, Michael B. Jordan earned a Best Actor nod, solidifying the pair as modern cinema’s Scorsese and De Niro.. Composer Ludwig Göransson and Raphael Saadiq’s “I Lied to You” brought the film its fourth nomination, giving soul music a rare home inside a category once dominated by pop ballads and movie musicals.

From Teyana to Michael, from Cynthia Erivo’s “Wicked: For Good” nomination to Ayo Edebiri and Quinta Brunson representing television’s comedy elite, the 2026 Globes quietly told a story years in the making: the artists shaped by Black music, hip-hop aesthetics and R&B storytelling no longer sit at the margins of Hollywood — they are the pulse.

That change didn’t come from committees or press releases. It came from the culture refusing to wait for permission. When the HFPA scandal forced the Globes to rebuild, the world outside kept moving — through mixtapes, streaming, indie film circuits, and TikTok threads where music, politics, and performance blur daily. The result? Hollywood’s old party suddenly sounds like something new.

There are still gaps. No major hip-hop documentaries or biopics made the cut. Streaming platforms with Black showrunners remain under-nominated. But the list feels alive — reflective of a generation that grew up with Dilla drums under Scorsese cuts and Nina Simone lyrics sampled on Billboard hits.

If the Globes are finally listening, it’s because the culture stopped asking to be heard.

50 Cent Takes His Feud Global With Netflix Doc 'Sean Combs: The Reckoning'

Promotional poster for Netflix’s “Sean Combs: The Reckoning,” a four-part documentary series executive-produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. The series, directed by Alex Stapleton, explores decades of sexual-assault and trafficking allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs and premieres December 2, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Netflix)

When 50 Cent trolls, it’s entertainment. When he warns, it’s prophecy. And this time, Curtis Jackson wasn’t joking.

The Queens mogul’s long war of words with Sean “Diddy” Combs has exploded into something bigger — a global event. Netflix just dropped the trailer for “Sean Combs: The Reckoning,” the four-part documentary executive-produced by 50 Cent and directed by Emmy nominee Alex Stapleton, set to premiere December 2, 2025. It’s the project nobody in hip-hop wanted to touch — until now.

“They said I was capping 🤷 What happened?” 50 wrote on Instagram after posting the teaser. The clip opens with a voice, low and final: “You can’t continue to keep hurting people, and nothing ever happens.” Then the screen cuts to black, stamped with 50’s calling card — “GLG 🚦 GreenLightGang 🎥 G-Unit Film & TV.”

The message landed like a gavel. For years, 50 and Diddy have traded public jabs — one man the corporate kingpin of the “All About the Benjamins” era, the other a bulletproof hustler who built an empire off instincts and smoke. But what started as an ego clash has now turned into one of hip-hop’s most consequential reckonings.

The series pulls back decades of headlines, lawsuits, and whispers around Diddy’s rise — from “No Way Out” and Bad Boy’s platinum run to Cîroc, Revolt TV, and the empire that once made him untouchable. Netflix’s synopsis calls it a “complex human story spanning decades,” but the timing says more than the tagline ever could. The streaming giant announced “The Reckoning” just a week after Combs’ 2024 arrest on federal charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transporting individuals for prostitution.

50 Cent had been teasing this moment since December 2023, when he first revealed plans to produce a documentary on the mounting allegations, pledging to donate proceeds to sexual-assault victims. At the time, many thought it was just another viral 50 stunt. By the fall of 2024 — after raids, indictments, and settlements — nobody was laughing.

In a joint statement, 50 and Stapleton said their mission was to “give a voice to the voiceless and present authentic and nuanced perspectives,” while reminding viewers that Combs’ story “is not the full story of hip-hop and its culture.” It’s a take that shows how carefully this project is walking the line — a film that both calls out individual power and protects the broader culture it came from.

The rivalry itself is pure hip-hop mythology — born in the early 2000s, when 50 accused Diddy of exploiting artists and disrespecting the streets that made him. For years, their feud simmered through cryptic interviews and social media. When the lawsuits hit, 50 shifted from jokes to journalism, posting court filings and clips like he was running his own newsroom. His followers called it obsession; now it looks like documentation.

Alex Stapleton’s direction adds weight to the production. Known for “Reggie” and “Black Hollywood: They’ve Gotta Have Us,” she approaches the story like an autopsy of fame and silence — combining survivor testimonies with archival footage and insider accounts from inside Diddy’s once-impenetrable circle. Netflix insiders describe “The Reckoning” as “methodical, not messy” — a rare attempt to dissect power without glorifying it.

When the trailer hit social media, hip-hop stopped scrolling. Within hours, 50’s post hit six figures in likes. Comments split between applause and disbelief — some called it overdue justice, others called it opportunism. But either way, the same name dominated the feed: Diddy.

Fifty Cent’s greatest gift has always been timing — and this time, his timing might have changed the course of hip-hop’s accountability era. The streets remember the shine, the suits, the whispers, and the silence. Now, with “The Reckoning” set to stream worldwide, it’s all coming back under lights no bottle service can dim.

Watch the full teaser below:

Watch: ‘Michael’ Trailer Revisits Thriller-Era Magic With Jaafar Jackson

The teaser poster for “Michael” features depictions of Michael Jackson across different stages of his career for the upcoming Antoine Fuqua-directed biopic. (Courtesy Lionsgate)

Lionsgate released the first trailer for “Michael,” Antoine Fuqua’s upcoming biopic about the King of Pop, offering the closest look yet at how one of music’s most iconic stories will be retold for a new generation. The teaser will play in theaters ahead of “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” and the film is scheduled to hit theaters April 24, 2026.

Jackson is portrayed by his nephew Jaafar Jackson, whose resemblance has drawn attention since production began. The trailer opens in a recording studio with Quincy Jones — played by Kendrick Sampson — telling Jackson the tracks are ready before the film flashes through childhood moments, breakthrough performances and unmistakable visuals from “Thriller,” set to the pulse of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.”

The cast features a wide lineup of heavy hitters: Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, Miles Teller as attorney John Branca, Jessica Sula as LaToya Jackson, Larenz Tate as Berry Gordy, Laura Harrier as Suzanne de Passe and Kat Graham as Diana Ross. Additional roles include Liv Symone as Gladys Knight, Kevin Shinick as Dick Clark and KeiLyn Durrel Jones as longtime security chief Bill Bray.

The project — written by John Logan and produced by Graham King alongside estate co-executors John Branca and John McClain — wrapped principal photography in 2024 before undergoing additional shooting. Early rumors suggested the story might be split into two films, but the current marketing push frames a single, full narrative.

The teaser closes on an intimate detail: Jackson asking, “Q, can you lower the lights for me, please?” as the studio dims and his silhouette comes into focus — an image signaling that Fuqua’s film aims to revisit not just the legend, but the artist behind it.

Watch the full trailer below.

Obamas May Produce Tiger Woods Film Chronicling His Greatest Run in Golf

A film about Tiger Woods’ rise to golf dominance is in development at Amazon MGM Studios, with Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, Higher Ground, in talks to produce.

According to Deadline, the movie will be directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, who helmed the critically acclaimed King Richard, the biopic about Venus and Serena Williams’ father that won Will Smith an Academy Award. The project will adapt Kevin Cook’s book, “Tiger Slam: The Inside Story of the Greatest Golf Ever Played,” focusing on Woods’ legendary run of four consecutive major championship wins between 2000 and 2001.

While Woods’ career has been marked by both triumph and controversy, the film will steer clear of his personal scandals and legal troubles, instead spotlighting his early dominance in golf. In 1997, Woods became the first Black golfer to win a major tournament, revolutionizing the sport and inspiring a new generation. Three years later, he achieved what became known as the “Tiger Slam,” winning the U.S. Open, The Open Championship, PGA Championship, and the Masters in succession — an accomplishment unmatched in modern golf.

Cook’s book details Woods’ tactical genius, mental discipline, and unrelenting pursuit of perfection, with insights from his caddies, coaches, and competitors.

Should Higher Ground officially join the project, it would mark another high-profile sports venture for the Obamas’ company. Their previous work includes the Netflix basketball documentaries “The Starting Five” and “The Redeem Team,” as well as the civil rights biopic “Rustin.”

Irwin Winkler, the legendary producer behind “Rocky,” “Creed” and “Goodfellas,” is also attached.

Despite injuries threatening his career in recent years, Woods has remained an enduring figure in golf. Last December, he partnered with his 15-year-old son, Charlie Woods, at the PNC Championship, showing glimpses of his old form. He continues to make select tournament appearances, though his latest Achilles injury puts his future in doubt.

The timeline for the film’s release remains unclear, but Amazon MGM has ramped up its theatrical investments, planning 12 to 14 major releases per year starting in 2026.

This biopic will be the latest in a string of Woods-related projects, following HBO’s two-part “Tiger” documentary, which examined both his meteoric rise and the scandals that led to his temporary fall from grace.

omingo Earns Second Consecutive Best Actor Nod, Following in Denzel Washington’s Footsteps

Colman Domingo, nominated for Best Actor at the 97th Academy Awards for his role in Sing Sing, continues to make history with back-to-back Oscar nods. He is the first actor to achieve this milestone since Denzel Washington in 2018. (Photo: Courtesy of A24)

The 97th Academy Awards nominations have been announced, offering a glimpse into the year’s most celebrated achievements in film. From blockbuster spectacles to groundbreaking performances, the list reveals a dynamic field of contenders. The Oscars, set to air live on March 2, will once again take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, showcasing the best of global cinema.

This year’s nominations are particularly significant for Colman Domingo, who made history in 2024 as the first Afro-Latino to earn a Best Actor nomination for “Rustin.” Domingo has now secured his second consecutive nod, this time for his stirring performance in “Sing Sing,” a deeply moving film about the resilience and humanity of incarcerated individuals. He becomes the first actor to achieve back-to-back nominations in the category since Denzel Washington’s dual nods for “Fences” (2017) and “Roman J. Israel, Esq.” (2018).

Domingo’s nomination not only underscores his immense talent but also highlights a significant shift in Hollywood toward recognizing more diverse voices and stories. He joins a competitive Best Actor lineup that includes Adrien Brody (“The Brutalist”), Timothée Chalamet (“A Complete Unknown”), Ralph Fiennes (“Conclave”), and Sebastian Stan (“The Apprentice”).

Spotlight on Black Excellence and Representation

The 2025 Oscars are a banner year for Black artists across multiple categories. Cynthia Erivo, celebrated for her powerhouse performances on both stage and screen, earned a nomination for Actress in a Leading Role for her portrayal of Elphaba in “Wicked.” The film adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical received widespread recognition, including a Best Picture nod and a Supporting Actress nomination for Ariana Grande.

Zoe Saldaña also shines among this year’s nominees, earning a Supporting Actress nod for her performance in “Emilia Pérez,” a genre-defying musical that has captivated audiences worldwide. The film, which blends themes of identity and artistry, earned multiple nominations, including for Best International Feature.

The Best Original Song category further amplifies Black artists’ contributions, with Abraham Alexander and Adrian Quesada’s “Like a Bird” from “Sing Sing” joining a competitive slate of nominees.

A Broader Field of Stories

While Black artists and narratives are receiving well-deserved recognition, the Oscars also celebrate diverse storytelling across genres. Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic “Dune: Part Two” leads the technical categories, earning nominations for Cinematography, Visual Effects, and Sound, among others. “Wicked” dazzled with its lush production, earning nods for Costume Design, Production Design, and Film Editing, while films like “Nosferatu” and “The Brutalist” showcased bold and inventive cinematic visions.

In the animated realm, “Inside Out 2” and “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” headline the Best Animated Feature category, reaffirming the Academy’s commitment to honoring creativity in all its forms. Documentary categories, meanwhile, spotlight urgent and compelling narratives, including “Black Box Diaries” and “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat.”

Domingo’s Legacy in the Making

As the Oscars near, Colman Domingo’s historic nomination continues to resonate. His back-to-back recognition not only cements his place in Hollywood history but also serves as a reminder of the power of representation on the industry’s biggest stage. Through performances that celebrate the complexity and depth of Black experiences, Domingo stands as a beacon of what Hollywood’s future can look like.

“I’ve always wanted to tell stories that matter,” Domingo said in a recent interview. “This recognition isn’t just for me—it’s for everyone who has ever been overlooked or underestimated.”

The 97th Academy Awards promises to be a night to remember, honoring groundbreaking achievements while pushing the boundaries of cinematic storytelling.

Click here for a complete list of the nominees.