Grammy Ballot Reaffirms Hip-Hop’s Influence as Lamar Leads With Nine

Top album of the year nominees for the 2026 Grammy Awards include Bad Bunny, Leon Thomas, Sabrina Carpenter, Clipse, Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, Gunna and Tyler, the Creator. The Recording Academy announced the nominations Friday ahead of the Feb. 1 ceremony in Los Angeles. (Image courtesy of the Recording Academy)

The 2026 Grammys dropped their nominations Friday morning, and the ballot reads like a reminder of
who’s really steering modern music. Kendrick Lamar leads all artists this year with nine nominations, a run powered by the continued dominance of “Luther,” his chart-shifting collaboration with SZA. The single landed nods for Record of the Year and Best Melodic Rap Performance , while the album that anchors it, "GNX," is in the hunt for Album of the Year.

Artist	Total Nominations	Primary Genre Focus
Kendrick Lamar	9	Hip-Hop / Rap
Lady Gaga	7	Pop / Dance
Bad Bunny	6	Latin / Música Urbana
Sabrina Carpenter	6	Pop
Leon Thomas	6	R&B / Soul
Clipse (Pusha T & Malice)	5	Hip-Hop / Rap
Doechii	5	Hip-Hop / R&B
SZA	5	R&B / Pop
Tyler, The Creator	5	Alternative Rap

The competition for the night's top honors is fierce, with Lady Gaga following Lamar with seven nominations, and both Bad Bunny and Sabrina Carpenter scoring six nods each. All three major artists are competing against Lamar for Album of the Year, underscoring a historic race where Pop, Latin, and Hip-Hop titans face off in the marquee categories.

Leon Thomas emerged as the ceremony’s breakout story, earning six nominations — the most of any new artist — with his project “Mutt” hitting Album of the Year and multiple R&B categories. The singer-producer’s run marks one of the strongest career-reset moments in recent Grammy memory.

SZA, Doechii, Tyler, the Creator, and Clipse follow with five nominations each, a tight cluster that reflects how deeply hip-hop, R&B, Black pop, and alternative rap remain woven into the Recording Academy’s center of gravity.

Doechii’s “Anxiety” showed up everywhere — Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video — a rare sweep for a track driven by emotional precision rather than chart gymnastics. Tyler earned recognition for “Don’t Tap the Glass” and “Chromakopia,” while Clipse broke through with “Let God Sort ’Em Out,” their first album in 16 years, which now competes for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album.

For all the talk this year about rap’s uneven commercial presence — including the moment in August when no rap song appeared in the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 for the first time in 35 years — the Grammy ballot tells a different story. The culture continues to define the creative edge, even when the charts glitch.

The industry’s evolution shows up elsewhere, too. The 2026 ceremony introduces two new categories: Best Traditional Country Album and Best Album Cover, expanding the Academy’s effort to credit the craft behind the music. Even there, the nominations reflect a generation raised on hip-hop’s visual language — bold palettes, narrative artwork, and street-influenced design that now appear across genres.

Click here for a full list of nominees.

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.

Teyana Taylor, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Iman Lead Ebony’s 80th Anniversary Celebration

Teyana Taylor accepts the Entertainer of the Year award during the 2025 Ebony Power 100 Gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Matt Sayles / Ebony Media Group)

Teyana Taylor was crowned Entertainer of the Year at Ebony’s Power 100 Gala Tuesday night, leading a lineup that included Tracee Ellis Ross, Iman, Shaquille O’Neal, Lonnie G. Bunch III and reality TV star Olandria Carthen.

The celebration, held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, marked Ebony magazine’s 80th anniversary and drew a cross-section of Black talent and industry power players. Robin Thede hosted the evening, with live performances by Ari Lennox and Lucky Daye, as honorees spanning music, fashion, film, sports and philanthropy took center stage.

Taylor — the creative whose work now stretches far beyond her early “Google Me” and “Maybe” days — has evolved into one of the culture’s sharpest artistic voices. The “Rose in Harlem” artist accepted her award with her trademark calm, calling the honor a reflection of “the work behind the light.”

Tracee Ellis Ross, recognized as Pathbreaker of the Year, credited the women who came before her while urging others to define success on their own terms. Iman, named Icon of the Year, spoke briefly about perseverance and the quiet power of longevity — a statement that needed no embellishment from someone who helped rewrite the rules of modeling itself.

Shaquille O’Neal received Entrepreneur of the Year, using the moment to announce he would rename the honor after the late Junior Bridgeman, highlighting the legacy of mentorship in Black business. Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, was honored as Humanitarian of the Year, while Olandria Carthen took home the People’s Choice Award for her entrepreneurial and community work.

The gala coincided with Ebony’s November “Power Issue,” featuring the 2025 honorees on its group cover — a visual nod to the legacy of excellence the brand has chronicled for eight decades.

From Touchdowns to Toddlers: Stefon Diggs Confirms He’s Expecting a Son with Cardi B

Cardi B and Stefon Diggs aboard a yacht during a Memorial Day-weekend outing in Miami, in a photo (now deleted) she posted June 1, 2025 captioned “Chapter 5 … Hello Chapter 6.” (Image via Instagram/@iamcardib)

New England Patriots star Stefon Diggs is officially in dad mode — and fashion mode.

The 31-year-old wide receiver confirmed to People at Monday night’s CFDA Fashion Awards that he and rapper Cardi B are expecting their first child together — and it’s a boy.

“It’s a boy. That’s enough for me,” Diggs told People. “I can’t wait to make him do push-ups and sit-ups and run around.”

Diggs’ revelation came hours after his appearance on "Extra," where he and designer Willie Charvarria walked the red carpet together. In that interview, Diggs — dressed in Charvarria’s custom design — didn’t reveal the gender but said the baby was “supposed to happen real soon,” adding with a grin, “Wish us both luck.”

Charvarria, who has styled Diggs for three straight years, described the look as “about Stefon himself — strong, a winner, chiseled at all times.” Diggs told Extra host Mona Kosar Abdi he makes time for the things that matter: “We had a game yesterday, we won. So, we’re bringing a little good luck.”

 

When asked about A$AP Rocky receiving the Fashion Icon Award, Diggs called him “an inspiration for the culture for a very long time,” a nod to the night’s celebration of men’s fashion.

Cardi B, 33, had already shared the pregnancy news in September during a CBS Mornings interview with Gayle King, confirming:

“I’m having a baby with my boyfriend, Stefon Diggs,” the Bronx-born rapper said. “I feel very strong, very powerful that I’m doing all this work — but I’m doing all this work while I’m creating a baby.”

This will be Cardi’s fourth child. She shares three children with her estranged husband, rapper Offset, and is due before her “Little Miss Drama” tour begins in February 2026.

The couple first appeared publicly together at an NBA playoff game in May, cementing one of hip-hop’s most unexpected crossovers — NFL precision meeting Bronx flair. Since then, they’ve traded supportive social media posts, with Diggs writing under one of Cardi’s posts, “Proud of you for staying focused ❤️” and later adding, “100% team boy 💙🙏🏾.”

Now, after a headline-making red-carpet night and a confirmed boy on the way, the receiver who’s mastered route running may be mapping out his most important play yet — fatherhood.

Rapper Young Bleed Dead at 51 After Brain Aneurysm, Son Confirms

Young Bleed shown in a promotional image circa 2024.Young Bleed’s son, Ty’Gee Ramon, confirmed his father’s death in a video posted Monday on Instagram, saying the Baton Rouge rapper “gained his wings” on Saturday following complications from a brain aneurysm.

Baton Rouge rapper Young Bleed, whose 1998 anthem “How Ya Do Dat” became a Southern rap classic and helped define the bridge between No Limit’s street realism and Cash Money’s mainstream rise, has died at 51 following complications from a brain aneurysm.

His eldest son, Ty’Gee Ramon, confirmed the news Monday in an emotional Instagram video, saying his father “gained his wings” on Saturday. “It’s unreal,” Ramon said. “He never dealt with real health issues, but he did have high blood pressure and took medicine. It was a natural thing.”

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The Louisiana native — born Glenn Clifton Jr. — suffered a brain aneurysm on Oct. 25, days after performing at the Cash Money–No Limit Verzuz event in Las Vegas and appearing at ComplexCon. He had been hospitalized in critical condition since then.

The sudden loss comes less than two weeks after his sister, Tedra Johnson-Spears, publicly pleaded for fans to stop spreading false death reports while Young Bleed remained in intensive care. “He is still currently in ICU,” she wrote at the time, asking for privacy and respect for the family.

In the days before his hospitalization, Bleed was enjoying a late-career renaissance, celebrating both his roots and his influence as a Baton Rouge trailblazer. Known for his poetic storytelling and unhurried drawl, he brought a philosopher’s calm to the chaos of late-’90s Louisiana rap — a sound that turned regional slang and hustler ethos into national conversation.

His debut album, “My Balls and My Word,” released through No Limit and Priority Records, debuted in Billboard’s Top 10 in 1998. The album’s breakout single, “How Ya Do Dat,” featuring C-Loc and Master P, became a Gulf Coast rallying cry that cemented Bleed’s legacy. The project went gold, earning Young Bleed a place among the first Baton Rouge rappers to reach a mainstream national audience.

Blueface’s First Day Free Turns Chaotic as Jaidyn Alexis, Chrisean Rock Clash

Blueface appears in a video (see below) shared to Instagram shortly after his release Monday, joking with followers and thanking fans for support as online drama with Jaidyn Alexis and Chrisean Rock reignited within hours. (Video via Instagram/@bluefasebabyy)

After 21 months behind bars, rapper Blueface walked out of prison today — and the drama that has long followed him wasted no time resurfacing.

Known for his breakout hit “Thotiana” and a social-media persona built on controversy and charisma, the 28-year-old rapper was released Monday and quickly reunited with his children, including son Chrisean Jr., whom he shares with Chrisean Rock, and two kids with longtime on-again, off-again partner Jaidyn Alexis.

Within hours, Alexis went live on Instagram and fired off remarks aimed at Rock, saying she did not approve of her children being around “a crackhead” — comments originally reported by TMZ Hip Hop. She abruptly ended the stream but not before fueling yet another viral moment between the two women at the center of Blueface’s offstage drama.

Blueface (real name Jonathan Porter) served his sentence on probation-related violations that stemmed from earlier assault and weapons cases. His release marks the end of a turbulent chapter that blended hip-hop fame with near-constant courtroom headlines.

Hours after his release, Blueface briefly went live on Instagram himself, thanking fans for support and joking, “Still that n***a, two years later,” before teasing that he might make his account private. The clip showed him inside his Los Angeles home alongside family members and his mother, Karlissa Saffold, who had posted a countdown to his release for weeks.

The rapper’s return home also reunited him with his new girlfriend Angela, who told TMZ Hip Hop she supported him through his sentence and believes he’s “a keeper.”

Blueface’s homecoming comes at a career crossroads. Before his incarceration, he teased new music and a possible label imprint; now, he faces the challenge of converting infamy into focus.

Nas, Resorts World Team up To Fund the Hip Hop Museum With $2 Million Donation

Nas appears at a Resorts World New York City event in Queens earlier this year. The Queensbridge icon recently joined the company in announcing a joint $2 million donation to help fund The Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx, slated to open in 2026. (Photo: Resorts World New York City)

Hip-hop is finally getting the temple it deserves — and one of its greatest lyricists just helped lay the foundation.

Queensbridge legend Nas has teamed with Resorts World New York City to donate $2 million toward the completion of The Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx, the long-awaited institution celebrating the genre’s origins and global rise. The announcement came during the museum’s annual benefit gala, where Nas said the project “is something our culture has needed for a long time.”

“Building this Hip Hop Museum is something our culture has needed for a long time,” he told guests. “It’s powerful to see a space being created to preserve that history and to educate and inspire the next generation. Being able to contribute alongside Resorts World to help bring this vision to life is an honor. This museum stands as a reminder of where we came from, and a celebration of everything Hip Hop continues to be.”

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The museum, rising inside the Bronx Point development at 585 Exterior Street, is slated to open in 2026. It sits just minutes from 1520 Sedgwick Avenue, the site of DJ Kool Herc’s 1973 back-to-school jam that gave birth to hip-hop itself. Led by founder and CEO Rocky Bucano, the project will house interactive galleries, archives, performance spaces and a theater designed to preserve hip-hop’s five core elements — MCing, DJing, breaking, graffiti and knowledge.

“Receiving this generous $2 million donation from Nas and Resorts World at our benefit gala was a major highlight of the evening,” Bucano said. “His generosity supports our capital campaign and brings us closer to opening our doors in 2026.”

Resorts World’s contribution comes as the company pursues a full downstate casino license for its Queens racino, proposing a $7.5 billion expansion with $2 billion in community benefits — including cultural investments like this one. The Gaming Facility Location Board is expected to decide on licenses by late 2025.

The casino competition has been fierce: earlier this year, the Jay-Z/Roc Nation-backed Caesars Palace Times Square proposal was rejected by a local advisory committee after strong opposition from theater owners, leaving Resorts World and MGM’s Yonkers bid among the frontrunners.

But beyond the politics, Nas’s involvement brings the story full circle. The Bronx once birthed hip-hop; now one of its most eloquent sons is helping give it a permanent home. In a city that once tried to silence the genre, the sound that defined New York will finally have its own museum — built by the hands of those who made it matter.

At a Glance: The Hip Hop Museum

• Location: Bronx Point development, 585 Exterior St., Bronx, NY 10451
• Opening Target: 2026
• Latest Funding: $2 million joint gift from Nas and Resorts World New York City (Oct 2025)
• Capital Support to Date: $80 million + public and private funding (NYC EDC, UHHM Foundation, Resorts World)
• Facility Size: ≈ 52,000 sq ft with galleries, archives and 300-seat theater
• Mission: Preserve hip-hop history and foster innovation for future generations
• Context: Near 1520 Sedgwick Ave.—the recognized birthplace of hip-hop culture

Diddy Begins Term at Fort DIX as Appeal and Rehab Plan Take Shape

Sean “Diddy” Combs has begun serving the remainder of his 50-month federal sentence at FCI Fort Dix, a low-security prison in southern New Jersey. The move follows a court filing by his lawyers and places the hip-hop mogul in a residential drug-treatment unit closer to his family and New York legal team.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons lists his projected release date as May 8, 2028, accounting for time already served and potential good-time credit.

Combs, 55, was convicted in July of two counts of transporting individuals for commercial sex and was sentenced Oct. 3 to four years and two months in prison, fined $500,000, and ordered into five years of supervised release. He was acquitted of racketeering and coercive sex-trafficking charges.

At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian said a “substantial sentence must be given to send a message … that exploitation and violence against women is met with real accountability.”

In an Oct. 6 filing, attorney Teny Geragos asked that Combs be placed at Fort Dix so he could “address drug-abuse issues” and “maximize family visitation and rehabilitative efforts.” Sources confirm he is now housed in a separate unit for inmates in treatment programs.

Before transferring, Combs spent more than a year at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, awaiting trial and sentencing. There, he reportedly led a weekly business and leadership course for other inmates called "Free Game with Diddy."

In an interview conducted by journalist Lauren Conlin and published on YouTube in October 2025, former inmate Raymond Castillo — who said he lived in the same unit as Combs — recalled that the artist “brought unity” to the housing block through his program and “showed us that peace is stronger than pride.” Castillo also disputed viral accounts of a “knife-to-the-throat” attack, telling Conlin that no stabbing occurred and that Combs had calmly defused an argument between inmates.

Superthrowbackparty was not able to independently verify any stabbing incident, and Castillo’s account remains the only first-hand description from inside MDC Brooklyn.

Combs has filed a notice of appeal and, according to public statements by Donald Trump, has also requested a presidential pardon. No decision has been announced.

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.

‘How Ya Do Dat’ Rapper Young Bleed Hospitalized in Critical Condition

Young Bleed, shown in a promotional image circa 2024, remains hospitalized in critical condition after suffering a brain aneurysm on Oct. 25, 2025. His family has urged fans to stop posting false death notices and to respect their privacy during his recovery. (Photo via Instagram @therealyoungbleed)

When Baton Rouge’s own Young Bleed stepped on stage at the Cash Money–No Limit Verzuz event in Las Vegas, the crowd erupted as he launched into his timeless anthem “How Ya Do Dat.” Just days later, the 51-year-old rapper — born Glenn Clifton Jr. — was rushed to the hospital after suffering a brain aneurysm.

According to TMZ, the emergency occurred on October 25, shortly after Bleed’s performance weekend at ComplexCon. He was taken to the ICU, where doctors continue to monitor him around the clock. His family confirms he remains in critical condition.

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In the chaos that followed, false reports of his death spread online — prompting a forceful statement from his sister, Tedra Johnson-Spears, who took to social media to set the record straight.

“THIS WILL BE MY FIRST AND LAST POST,” she wrote. “WE ARE RECEIVING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CALLS ABOUT MY BIG BROTHER GLENN, TANK, YOUNG BLEED. … HE IS STILL CURRENTLY IN ICU … OUR FAMILY ASKS THAT YOU ALL RESPECT OUR PRIVACY AND NOT MAKE ANY RIP POSTS.”

Her plea came after Bleed’s mother was flooded with calls and condolences from fans who mistakenly believed the rapper had passed away. The family has since asked the public to stop contacting them directly and wait for official updates.

Fellow Baton Rouge legend Master P, who collaborated with Bleed during No Limit’s late-’90s run, confirmed the rapper’s condition and asked followers to pray. “Keep my brother Young Bleed in your prayers,” he posted. “He’s a fighter.”

Bleed’s influence runs deep. Emerging from Louisiana’s underground in the late ’90s, he helped connect No Limit’s street realism with Cash Money’s mainstream polish. His 1998 album "My Balls and My Word" debuted in Billboard’s Top 10, driven by “How Ya Do Dat,” a record that became an anthem from Baton Rouge to the Bayou.

As of Tuesday evening, his family says Young Bleed remains hospitalized and “still fighting.” They’ve asked for continued prayers — and peace — as he battles through the toughest verse of his life.

Diddy’s Release Date Set for May 2028 Amid Fading Talk of Trump Pardon

Sean “Diddy” Combs appears in a social media video posted in May 2024, where he apologized following the release of surveillance footage tied to abuse allegations. The hip-hop mogul, now serving a 50-month federal sentence under the Mann Act, is scheduled for release on May 8, 2028, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. (Photo via Instagram)

Sean “Diddy” Combs is scheduled for release from federal prison on May 8, 2028, based on current Bureau of Prisons records. While he has already served more than a year in custody, the exact location of his long-term confinement has yet to be finalized. His legal team has urged authorities to place him at the low-security FCI Fort Dix (N.J.), praising its drug-abuse program and proximity to family.

⚖️ Diddy Case: Key Facts

• Sentence: 50 months (4 years, 2 months) in federal prison.
• Release date: May 8, 2028 (Federal Bureau of Prisons).
• Convictions: Two counts of transporting individuals for prostitution.
• Acquitted: Racketeering and sex-trafficking charges.
• Facility request: FCI Fort Dix, New Jersey.
• Supervised release: Five years with drug tests, therapy, work requirement.
• Pardon rumors: Trump denied considering clemency.

Combs was convicted in July of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution under the Mann Act and was sentenced on Oct. 3, 2025, to 50 months (4 yrs 2 mos) in prison and a $500,000 fine. He was acquitted of racketeering and sex-trafficking charges. Judge Arun Subramanian cited the exploitative nature of the offenses and the need for deterrence. The sentence will be followed by five years of supervised release.

His post-release conditions are stringent. He must abide by regular meetings with a probation officer, submit to unannounced searches of property, computers and vehicles if reasonable suspicion arises, participate in mental-health and domestic-violence treatment programs, and perform at least 30 hours of approved work weekly. He is prohibited from owning firearms or communicating with individuals involved in criminal activity.

Until the Bureau of Prisons makes a facility assignment, Combs remains at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Meanwhile, his lawyers have asked the court to recommend placement at Fort Dix to maximize rehabilitation opportunities and visitation.

Speculation surrounding a possible pardon or commutation by former President Donald J. Trump added another layer of intrigue. Combs’ camp reportedly reached out to the White House seeking clemency. Trump acknowledged that “Puff Daddy” had asked for a pardon — but later told reporters the request made things “more difficult,” citing past hostility. A White House spokesperson officially denied that Trump was actively considering a commute for Combs.

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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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.

'I Just Want My Son Back': Finesse2tymes’ Mother Reacts to His Latest Arrest

Finesse2Tymes, born Ricky Leshay Hampton, was booked into Harrison County Jail in East Texas on Monday after being arrested on multiple counts including possession of controlled substances, marijuana and tampering with evidence. (Photo Credit: Harris County Sheriff's Office)

The comeback keeps getting interrupted.

Memphis rapper Finesse2Tymes — real name Ricky Hampton — was arrested Monday in East Texas on a series of drug and tampering charges, marking yet another collision between fame and the life he’s long tried to outrun.

According to Harrison County jail records, the 33-year-old rapper was charged with multiple counts of possession of a controlled substance — including two counts for less than a gram and two counts for between one and four grams — as well as possession of less than two ounces of marijuana and possession of a “dangerous drug,” a Texas charge often linked to medications such as Xanax or Vicodin.

Police also accused Hampton of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and of bringing a prohibited substance into a correctional facility. He was booked Monday and released Tuesday, according to jail documents.

Case File

Finesse2Tymes — What We Know

Legal name: Ricky Leshay Hampton
Arresting authority: Texas Dept. of Public Safety (Harrison County)
Booking location: Harrison County Jail, Texas
Booking day: Monday (local time)
Custody status: Released Tuesday, per jail records

Charges noted by authorities:

• Possession of a controlled substance < 1 gram (2 counts)
• Possession of a controlled substance 1–4 grams (2 counts)
• Possession of marijuana < 2 ounces
• Possession of a “dangerous drug” (prescription-only medication)
• Prohibited substance in a correctional facility
• Tampering with or fabricating physical evidence

Context: The new arrest follows prior legal issues unrelated to this case. Court dates and filings for the current charges were not posted publicly at press time.

Source: Harrison County Jail records; Texas DPS briefing notes provided to local agencies.

The arrest adds another chapter to a turbulent story. Hampton, who has spoken publicly about trying to move past his time in federal prison for a weapons charge, was freed in 2022 and seemed to be rebuilding his career. But his recent years have been marked by controversy, personal struggles, and social media storms that sometimes overshadow his music.

On Tuesday, the artist’s mother, Pluria Alexander, took to Facebook to post an emotional message about her son’s arrest. “It breaks me to see my son losing himself — mentally unstable, going through breakdowns, on drugs, in and out of jail,” she wrote. “I love him with everything in me, but it hurts so bad watching him self-destruct. I know that’s not the real him… that’s the pain, the trauma, and the demons he’s fighting.”

Her words hit with the kind of raw truth that’s hard to ignore. In August, Alexander had launched a GoFundMe after alleging her son’s choices had left her facing eviction for the third time.

For fans, it’s another painful moment in a career that’s always balanced resilience and self-sabotage. Hampton’s 2022 breakout “Back End” cemented his street appeal, while collaborations with Moneybagg Yo and Gucci Mane hinted at a possible mainstream rise. But each brush with the law seems to drag him back into the world he’s been rapping about since the beginning — a world of contradictions, survival, and second chances that never quite stick.