Diddy Sentenced to 50 Months in Prison in Federal Mann Act Case

Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced to 50 months in prison on federal Mann Act charges.

Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison Friday — four years and two month — after a jury in July convicted the hip-hop mogul of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution stemming from conduct involving Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and a woman who testified under the pseudonym “Jane.”

U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian said he was sentencing Combs for the offenses of conviction — not for counts on which the jury acquitted him — and noted both the scope of harm and Combs’ broader history. “The court has to consider all of your history here,” Subramanian told Combs, while also acknowledging the 54-year-old’s “celebrated and iconic” career and the trauma of his father’s violent death when Combs was a child.

Combs, who faced a statutory maximum of 20 years — 10 per count — had been acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, charges that could have brought a life term. Prosecutors had sought more than 11 years (no less than 135 months) and the maximum $500,000 fine, arguing Combs showed little remorse and that the punishment should reflect the “psychological, emotional and physical” damage to victims. The defense urged no more than 14 months, essentially time served since his September 2024 arrest, saying his “legacy has been destroyed” and that he had already been punished in public view.

Before the sentence, Combs addressed the court at length. He apologized to his family, his community and specifically to Ventura, calling his actions “disgusting, shameful and sick,” and said he was “out of control” while using drugs. “I take full accountability and responsibility,” he said, adding, “If you give me another chance, I won’t let you down.”

Diddy’s 50-Month Sentence at a Glance

• The crimes: Two counts under the federal Mann Act (transporting women for prostitution).
• The term: 50 months in prison — four years and two months.
• Acquittals: Not guilty on racketeering and sex trafficking by coercion.
• Prosecutors wanted: At least 135 months (11+ years) and a $500,000 fine.
• Defense asked for: 14 months (time served).
• Judge: Balanced sentence, citing Combs’ iconic career and traumatic past but stressing accountability.
• Why it matters: A moment of reckoning for one of hip-hop’s most influential figures.

The hearing featured dueling portraits. Prosecutor Christy Slavik called Combs “a master puppeteer of his own image,” describing abuse that was “consistent, casual even, but life-changing for the people on the bruised end of it.” Defense attorney Brian Steel countered that Combs has been sober and “transformed,” pointing to his in-custody class “Free Game with Diddy,” his past philanthropy, and plans to teach rehabilitation programs if released.

Combs wept as several of his children asked the court for leniency. “We’re still just daughters who need our father,” one said through tears. Subramanian, who earlier indicated he saw no reason to depart from advisory guidelines of roughly six to seven years, ultimately split the difference between the parties’ positions and the range — imposing 50 months.

The case turned on the federal Mann Act, which criminalizes transporting individuals across state lines for prostitution. Jurors found that Combs transported women for commercial sex acts; they acquitted him of the sweeping racketeering conspiracy and coercive sex-trafficking charges. At trial, jurors viewed 2016 hotel surveillance video of Combs assaulting Ventura — footage that catalyzed public outrage when it surfaced last year — and heard testimony about what Ventura called “Freak Offs” and what Jane called “hotel nights.”

Subramanian told Combs he had weighed both the downfall and the record. “You are being sentenced for these offenses,” the judge said, urging Combs to continue treatment and accountability. The courtroom, packed with reporters and supporters, fell silent as the term was read: 50 months.

For Combs — who once seemed to personify hip-hop’s expansive promise — the number marks a coda to a summer of hard contradictions: a partial acquittal, a pair of felony convictions, and a public reckoning in which a cultural architect asked for mercy while victims asked to be believed. The next chapter will unfold behind bars.

'The Infamous' vs. 'Illmatic': Two Visions of Hip-Hop’s Greatest Album Emerge

Mobb Deep’s “The Infamous” and Nas’s “Illmatic” became the center of debate after Pitchfork’s editors and readers named different albums the greatest rap record of all time. 

For decades, arguments over the greatest rap album lived in barbershops, dorm rooms, and late-night debates between fans who knew every lyric by heart. This week, the fight played out on the record.

On Tuesday, Pitchfork’s editors declared Mobb Deep’s “The Infamous” the best rap album of all time. A day later, readers pushed back, voting Nas’s “Illmatic” into the top spot. Two visions of rap history, 24 hours apart — proof that hip-hop’s memory is less a monument than a moving target.

Pitchfork had invited the clash. On Aug. 25, it opened a readers’ poll asking fans to rank the greatest rap albums; thousands responded. When the results were published Wednesday, the comparison to the editorial list was explicit. The result was a cultural referendum: editors celebrated bleak Queensbridge realism; fans rallied behind an album that defined New York lyricism and spoke to generations.

Editors vs. Readers — Top 5

Pitchfork Editors (Tuesday)

1. “The Infamous” — Mobb Deep (1995)
2. “All Eyez on Me” — 2Pac (1996)
3. “400 Degreez” — Juvenile (1998)
4. “Supreme Clientele” — Ghostface Killah (2000)
5. “Illmatic” — Nas (1994)

Full editors’ list

Pitchfork Readers (Wednesday)

1. “Illmatic” — Nas (1994)
2. “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)” — Wu-Tang Clan (1993)
3. “To Pimp a Butterfly” — Kendrick Lamar (2015)
4. “good kid, m.A.A.d city” — Kendrick Lamar (2012)
5. “The Marshall Mathers LP” — Eminem (2000)

Full readers’ poll

Flashpoints: Editors’ list snubs Drake, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and Eminem. Readers surge for Kendrick. Lauryn Hill remains the only woman in the critics’ top 10.

The editorial list leaned toward innovation and grit. Alongside “The Infamous,” the top five included 2Pac’s “All Eyez on Me,” Juvenile’s “400 Degreez,” Ghostface Killah’s “Supreme Clientele,” and “Illmatic” at No. 5. Southern classics and underground landmarks sat shoulder to shoulder with only one woman in the top ten — Lauryn Hill’s “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”

Fans, by contrast, elevated cultural resonance. Their top rankings were led by “Illmatic,” followed by Wu-Tang Clan’s “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers),” Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp a Butterfly” and “good kid, m.A.A.d city,” with Eminem’s “The Marshall Mathers LP” rounding out the top five. The poll showed younger generations pulling recent classics into the same conversation as ’90s staples.

Online, the omissions drew outrage. On Reddit and X, fans blasted the lack of Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Ice Cube, The Roots, and other staples, while questioning why women MCs beyond Lauryn Hill were left off the critics’ top 25.

The divide is revealing. For critics, “The Infamous” represents the pinnacle of craft — cold-blooded imagery and soundscapes that redefined East Coast rap. For fans, “Illmatic” is scripture: a lyrical coming-of-age story that still feels lived, remembered, and quoted 30 years later. Both changed rap; only one can be called the greatest, depending on who’s asked.

Fan Reactions

The lists sparked heated debate across X and Reddit. Some fans called it “wild” that no Jay-Z or Drake albums appeared in the critics’ top 25, while others said the readers’ embrace of Kendrick Lamar proved newer generations are reshaping the canon.

On r/hiphopheads, one thread argued that Lauryn Hill being the only woman in the editors’ top 10 showed how narrow the definition of greatness still is. Another popular post praised Nas’s “Illmatic” topping the readers’ poll: “It’s the one album everyone still quotes, 30 years later.”

What makes this moment remarkable is not who won, but what it says about power. For decades, critical institutions curated hip-hop’s registry. In the streaming era, fans now challenge that authority with votes, playlists, and viral debates. It is less about a fixed canon than a contest — a tug-of-war over memory itself.

And maybe that’s the truest measure of rap’s vitality. A genre born from turntables in the Bronx, raised on battles and bravado, refuses to be frozen. When Mobb Deep and Nas trade the crown in 2025, it isn’t indecision — it’s affirmation. Hip-hop is still alive, still argued over, still ours.

6ix9ine Avoids Prison, Ordered to Home Detention for Palm Beach Mall Attack

Rapper 6ix9ine speaks during a taping of the “One Night with Steiny” podcast, where he addressed stigma and trauma tied to his past cooperation with federal investigators. (Screengrab via YouTube/"One Night with Steiny")

6ix9ine was ordered into home detention Thursday after admitting in federal court that he punched a man during a confrontation at a Florida mall. The Brooklyn rapper — born Daniel Hernandez — told Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, “Me and another individual hit a person, and I was wrong.”

Prosecutors said the Aug. 8 assault in Palm Beach County was sparked when the man taunted him about cooperating with federal investigators in the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Rebold warned the court that this was the third time in a year Hernandez had violated supervised release, describing what he called a troubling lack of impulse control.

Judge Engelmayer, who previously sentenced Hernandez to two years in prison in the racketeering case, said repeated violations could soon end leniency. This time, he imposed electronic monitoring and home detention in Florida, making clear that the rapper’s “serial pattern” of violations will weigh heavily in any future hearing.

The sanction follows earlier admissions that cocaine and MDMA were found in Hernandez’s Florida home, as well as past penalties for unauthorized travel and missed drug tests. In November 2024, he spent 45 days in custody after what the judge called a pattern of absconding and defiance.

Hernandez addressed some of these issues in a recent appearance on the podcast " One Night with Steiny." He said taunts about being a “snitch” still feel like threats, insisting, “Putting me in jail is not going to teach me a lesson.” He spoke about the trauma of being kidnapped by former associates and argued that Latino rappers face narrower lanes in hip-hop: “When you’re Spanish, there’s no space for you in the rap game.”

 

The rapper’s legal turmoil comes against the backdrop of a once-blazing career. His 2017 breakout “Gummo” became a viral hit. “FEFE,” with Nicki Minaj, reached No. 3 on the Hot 100, and his 2018 album "Dummy Boy" bowed at No. 2 despite an early leak. But the racketeering plea and testimony against Nine Trey members recast him from chart star to lightning rod.

Hernandez also recently mourned the death of Ariela “La Langosta,” a Dominican influencer close to his circle, calling her a “tremendous woman” and “queen of New York.” The loss underscored the turbulence of a life lived partly in courtrooms and partly online.

For now, home detention keeps him out of prison. But with his record of repeat violations, the question is no longer whether 6ix9ine can top charts again — it’s whether he can keep his freedom long enough to try.

6ix9ine: Highs and Lows

Career Highs 2017: Breakout with “Gummo,” a viral hit that launched him to national attention 2018: “FEFE” with Nicki Minaj peaks at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 2018: Dummy Boy debuts at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 2020: Post-prison single “Gooba” sets a first-day YouTube record for a rap debut

Legal Lows 2015: Pleads guilty to use of a child in a sexual performance; sentenced to probation 2018: Arrested in racketeering conspiracy with Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods 2019: Testifies against gang members; sentenced to two years in prison 2023–2024: Supervised-release violations: drug possession, missed tests, unauthorized travel Aug. 2025: Admits assault at Florida mall; ordered to home detention with ankle monitor

His chart success and courtroom trouble have risen in parallel — each new hit matched by another legal fight.

Jury Clears Metro Boomin of Civil Sexual Battery Claims in Los Angeles

Metro Boomin, born Leland T. Wayne, is pictured in a promotional portrait. A Los Angeles jury on Sept. 25, 2025, found the producer not liable in a civil sexual assault case stemming from allegations dating to 2016. 

Metro Boomin, the Atlanta superproducer whose fingerprints are on some of the biggest records of the last decade, walked out of a Los Angeles federal courthouse today after a jury found him not liable in a civil lawsuit that accused him of rape.

The verdict, delivered after two weeks of testimony, rejected claims by plaintiff Vanessa LeMaistre that he assaulted her in 2016, a case that put one of hip-hop’s most in-demand producers under a legal spotlight he never expected to face.

“I’m blessed. I’m relieved,” the 32-year-old producer, born Leland T. Wayne, told reporters outside the courthouse. “I never thought I would ever have to do anything like that. I’m just relieved. It’s a burden lifted off my back.” His remarks came minutes after jurors cleared him of four civil counts, ending a case that began when LeMaistre filed suit in October 2024.

“I’m blessed. I’m relieved,” Metro Boomin tells Rolling Stone after jury finds him not liable at civil sexual assault trial

“It’s a burden lifted off my back" pic.twitter.com/XJXZwyA3MF

— Nancy Dillon (@Nancy__Dillon) September 25, 2025

In her complaint, LeMaistre alleged she blacked out after consuming Xanax and alcohol provided by Wayne during a recording session, and later awoke in a Southern California hotel room as he raped her. She testified that she drifted in and out of consciousness during the incident. Wayne, who took the stand in his own defense, flatly denied the account. Asked whether he ever assaulted her, he told jurors, “Absolutely not,” adding there was “no way in the world” he did what she claimed. He said their past encounters had been consensual and that he had not seen LeMaistre “in, like, a decade” until she filed the lawsuit.

The trial unfolded with the kind of twists rarely seen in federal court. Jurors were shown handwritten notes LeMaistre created during a 2024 ayahuasca ceremony in Peru, pages she titled Plan Ayahuasca Gave Me. In them, she wrote about her intention to “blow the whistle on Metro Boomin” and listed a damages figure between $3.4 million and $3.7 million. Defense attorney Justin H. Sanders called the case “preposterous” and told jurors, “This whole lawsuit was born out of a drug den in Peru. In the jungle.” Judge R. Gary Klausner struck part of LeMaistre’s testimony about the hallucinogenic brew, ruling that any evidence about its effects required expert testimony. “You are going to have to call an expert in that area, counsel,” the judge told her lawyer during the trial.

How many tracks does Metro Boomin have on Young Thug's new album?

"I've been so focused on this, man, I'm not even sure," Metro says after a federal jury in Los Angeles cleared him of four claims alleging he sexually assaulted a woman in 2016. pic.twitter.com/qNJovwleKk

— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) September 25, 2025

Questions of credibility were constant. LeMaistre faced cross-examination over her efforts to amend Planned Parenthood medical records from 2016, which initially reflected that she had not reported an assault. She testified she was not trying to falsify the record but wanted it to “reflect what I know is true.” The defense cast it as an attempt to strengthen her claim, while the judge allowed the jury to weigh it for themselves.

In the end, the panel of five men and three women sided with Wayne. One juror explained the decision bluntly afterward: “The evidence wasn’t there. A lot of it was just testimony or talking about it. There was no substantial ‘This is what happened.’ There were no dates recollected correctly.” For Wayne, the verdict offered relief and the chance to return to his career without the shadow of liability, though he acknowledged outside court the weight of having lived under the allegations. 

For LeMaistre, the fight may continue. Her attorney, Michael J. Willemin, said after the decision, “Though the legal system is often stacked against survivors, our client showed unwavering fortitude. We believe that the verdict will ultimately be overturned on appeal.”

Court Tosses Rico Case Tied to Diddy’s Mother

Sean “Diddy” Combs and his mother, Janice Combs, in a portrait he shared on Instagram on Dec. 21, 2020, to mark her 80th birthday. A federal judge dismissed racketeering claims against Janice Combs on Sept. 19, 2025, ruling the allegations were filed decades too late. (Photo via Diddy/Instagram)

A federal judge in Los Angeles has dismissed racketeering claims against Janice Smalls Combs, the mother of Sean “Diddy” Combs, ending a high-stakes publishing royalties dispute more than two decades after it allegedly began.

In a final judgment entered on September 19, 2025, U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson ruled that plaintiff Deon “D1” Best’s civil RICO claims were barred by the statute of limitations. The dismissal was entered with prejudice, permanently closing the door on those claims. Best’s state-law claims — including fraud, conversion, unjust enrichment and conspiracy — were dismissed without prejudice, allowing them to be refiled in California state court. The judgment also ordered that Best “shall take nothing” and that Combs and her publishing companies may recover their costs.

Best, a songwriter and producer who does business as Finish Line Entertainment and Dee Mac Music, alleged in his First Amended Complaint that he was the “rightful owner of certain music publishing rights and royalties” — including the single “Come With Me” from the 1998 Godzilla soundtrack. He accused Combs and her son of engaging in “coercive and fraudulent tactics to seize control of Plaintiff’s publishing rights,” including threats, misrepresentations and forged contracts that redirected royalties through Janice Combs Publishing beginning in 2001.

The court, however, found the allegations untimely. In a January 30 order, Judge Anderson wrote: “It is unclear from the allegations why Plaintiff would not have had enough information prior to [October 2023] to warrant an investigation which, if reasonably diligent, would have led to the discovery of fraud.” He also noted that the complaint did not allege any “new overt act within the limitations period” that would satisfy the Ninth Circuit’s separate accrual rule for RICO claims.

With the September judgment, the federal case is over. Best may still attempt to pursue his state-law claims in state court, but the racketeering allegations against Combs are permanently closed.

Diddy’s Children Beg Judge for Compassion: 'Please Let My Dad out of Jail'

Sean “Diddy” Combs kisses the hand of his mother, Janice Combs, in a 2019 portrait shared on his official Facebook page. Now 84, she has written to a federal judge ahead of his sentencing, asking for mercy and saying, “I would like to spend the last few years of my life with my son, Sean.” (Photo via Diddy/Facebook)

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ mother does not shy away from the truth. “He has made some terrible mistakes in his life, which I know he recognizes,” Janice Combs wrote in a letter to the judge. But at 84, with her health fading, she begged for leniency so she could see her son outside of a prison cell. “On December 21, I will be 85 years old … I would like to spend the last few years of my life with my son, Sean,” she wrote. “This separation for the past year while Sean has been incarcerated has been excruciatingly difficult and painful for me and his children.”

The plea was among more than 60 letters filed as part of Combs’ sentencing submission ahead of his Oct. 3 hearing in Manhattan federal court. Convicted in July of two counts of transporting people for prostitution, he was acquitted of racketeering and sex-trafficking charges. He has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his arrest in September 2024, after a judge denied multiple bail requests, including a $50 million bond proposal backed by his Miami mansion.

His six children wrote with equal urgency. Justin Combs acknowledged his father’s failings but insisted, “I refuse to let those mistakes erase the truth of who he is: a loving, present father who has instilled in me and my siblings the importance of respect, of honoring women, and of standing tall in the face of adversity.” His brother Christian was more direct: “Please let him out! This is driving me crazy and my family crazy! I’m asking for grace and compassion to the family … please let my dad out of jail!”

Chance Combs told the court that “some of my siblings do not have their mother and are now missing a father figure in their lives. We miss him deeply and need his presence, especially now.” Twins Jessie and D’Lila added: “Our family has faced many challenges … but no matter what we continue to stick together through it all. We know who our father truly is, a caring, loving, generous, passionate and dedicated man.”

Defense lawyers are asking Judge Arun Subramanian to impose no more than 14 months — roughly the time Combs has already served — paired with supervised release, drug treatment and counseling. Prosecutors are pushing for 51 to 63 months, pointing to testimony and surveillance evidence they say depicts acts of violence, including dragging and kicking a woman in a hotel hallway.

The judge has consistently rejected release motions, citing risk of flight and danger to the community. In denying bail last year, he dismissed even the multimillion-dollar bond package and declarations of family support, writing that no conditions would reasonably assure safety or appearance.

As sentencing approaches, the case now balances sharply between punishment and mercy. For prosecutors, a prison term of several years reflects the seriousness of the conduct and the need for accountability. For Combs’ family, it is a question of time: how much longer a son, a father and a brother will be kept from them, and whether a final chance for reunion will be lost. “My son is my life,” Janice Combs wrote. “Please let me have him back, even for a little while, before God calls me home.”

Finesse2tymes Says He’s ‘Safe and Sound’ Following Weekend Arrest in Texas

Photo Courtesy: Smith County Jail

Ricky Hampton, the Memphis rapper who performs as Finesse2tymes, was arrested late Friday in Tyler, Texas, after a traffic stop that followed his concert in Smith County. Police say they smelled marijuana during the stop and later found drugs in the car, leading to Hampton’s booking alongside passenger Halie Buckingham.

According to an arrest affidavit, an officer saw Hampton driving a red Corvette and pulled him over for not wearing a seat belt while turning onto Claude Street. During the stop, officers reported the odor of marijuana and saw a hand-rolled cigar in the ashtray. When police searched the vehicle, they said Buckingham grabbed a bag from the passenger-side floorboard; officers searched the bag and reported finding about 0.7 ounces of marijuana, 12 oxycodone pills and seven methylphenidate pills.

 

Hampton was booked into the Smith County Jail on a charge of possession of marijuana. Buckingham was booked on two counts of possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana. Both were released on bond at about 4:50 a.m. on Sept. 20, according to jail records provided with the affidavit.

Hours later, Hampton posted a video telling fans he’d made it out “safe and sound,” thanked his team and supporters, and framed the detention as old business. “They took me down on some little charges from 2018… it’s over with now… all this is dismissed… I ain’t got to pay no bond,” he said in the clip. His account differs from the arrest paperwork that lists the new Smith County charges and notes a release on bond.

Hampton said he’s “coming up with a strategy… how we can repay y’all,” floating meet-and-greets to make up for disruptions, and thanked fans who “didn’t count me out.”

Cardi B Says She’s Expecting a Baby With NFL Star Stefon Diggs

Cardi B during a “CBS Mornings” interview. The rapper confirmed she is expecting her fourth child — her first with boyfriend and NFL wide receiver Stefon Diggs — and said the baby is due before her February arena tour. (Image via CBS/Youtube)

Cardi B turned album week into family news — on her terms.

In an exclusive “CBS Mornings” interview, the 32-year-old rapper confirmed she’s pregnant with her fourth child, her first with boyfriend and NFL wide receiver Stefon Diggs, and said the baby is due before her arena tour begins in February.

“I’m having a baby,” she said, adding, “I’m excited. I’m happy… I feel very strong, very powerful that I’m doing all this work while I’m creating a baby.”

 

She explained why she waited to share the news amid weeks of speculation: “Can I just say it on my own time?… on my time, on my own terms. Let me close some deals first… Let me see a couple more sonograms. Let my baby be healthy.” She laughed that, as of the taping, she still hadn’t told her parents — “I’m very scared of my parents!” — and turned the reveal into a playful pitch: “Now that I talked about it… now y’all could buy my album so I could buy Pampers and diapers.”

Cardi said Diggs has been a steadying force during the pressure of a high-profile rollout. “He just makes me feel safe and very confident and very strong,” she said, recalling a recent panic attack tied to online blowback and his no-nonsense pep talk: “Girl, you better get it together.” Asked about the timing, she said the tour will stay on schedule: she’s already “at the gym” and “taking dance classes,” and rehearsals will start soon after delivery. “I don’t come from weak women.”

“Am I the Drama?” — her long-awaited sophomore album — arrives Friday. The pregnancy news makes the release week even more personal, but the message was clear: she wanted to share it herself, when she was ready, and she’s preparing to juggle motherhood and a full arena run this winter.

Police: Man Charged in July Car Break-in That Took Beyoncé Tour Files and Hard Drives

Courtesy Fulton County Sheriff's Office

Atlanta police say the digital paper trail from a July car break-in that snatched five drives of Beyoncé’s unreleased, watermarked music has led to an arrest.

Investigators identified the suspect as Kelvin Lanier Evans, who is now charged with entering an automobile with intent to commit theft in the July 8 case. Police said Evans was taken into custody in Hapeville, just south of Atlanta, and booked into Fulton County Jail; he’d previously been held on a parole violation late last month. The July theft occurred in a parking deck near Krog Street Market in the Inman Park area while Beyoncé’s team was in town for the “Cowboy Carter” shows.

According to an Atlanta Police Department report, the rental SUV used by choreographer Christopher Grant and dancer Diandre Blue was left for about an hour. When they returned, a window was broken and two suitcases were gone. Inside, the pair said, were five thumb drives with unreleased and watermarked Beyoncé music, tour-related digital files including footage plans and set lists, two Apple laptops, AirPods Max headphones and other personal items. In a 911 call, Grant told a dispatcher he was carrying “personal, sensitive information” for Beyoncé.

Detectives said device-tracking pings from a stolen laptop and headphones helped map the path of the missing gear. Surveillance video, license-plate reader hits and fingerprints from the SUV rounded out the case, leading investigators to Evans. As of the announcement, police had not said whether the unreleased music or hard drives have been recovered. A representative for Beyoncé has not commented publicly.

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. 

'Hearts Sold Separately' Goes Global as Mariah the Scientist Announces 36 Dates From Paris to Atlanta

The singer has announced a 36-date “Hearts Sold Separately” world tour, opening Jan. 12 in Paris and closing April 10 in Atlanta. 

Mariah the Scientist is taking “Hearts Sold Separately” around the world. The Atlanta singer announced a 36-date tour that opens Jan. 12 in Paris and wraps April 10 with a hometown show at the Coca-Cola Roxy, with marquee stops including Radio City Music Hall on Feb. 27 and the Hollywood Palladium on March 28. Presales begin Sept. 17 (market-specific times); general on-sale is Sept. 19.

The run follows the strongest chart debut of her career. “Hearts Sold Separately” bowed at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B Albums and No. 11 on the Billboard 200 — new personal bests that extend the momentum of “Burning Blue” and her Kali Uchis duet “Is It a Crime.”

Mariah has framed the project as a statement about love in a cynical moment. “The climate of the world made me want to make a whole project about love,” she said in an interview, a theme that threads through the album’s sleek, 80s-tinted R&B.

The tour also arrives amid renewed attention on her partner, Young Thug. After leaked jail calls circulated online, he released a seven-minute track, “Man I Miss My Dogs,” apologizing to Mariah by name and addressing rifts with peers. The headlines haven’t slowed her rollout: the itinerary spans Europe, Canada and a full North American sweep before the Atlanta finale.

Tickets are listed via Live Nation, Ticketmaster and venue sites; Radio City’s page shows on-sale at 10 a.m. ET on Sept. 19, with presales beginning Sept. 17. Check local listings for times.

Lil Nas X To Stay in Inpatient Program as Los Angeles Felony Case Moves Forward

HOTSPOTATL, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

At a brief hearing in Van Nuys on Monday, a Los Angeles County judge allowed Lil Nas X to remain in an inpatient treatment program out of state while his felony case proceeds. The Grammy winner, born Montero Hill, did not appear; his attorneys told the court he has entered treatment and is complying with release conditions.

“We’re doing what is best for Montero from a personal standpoint and a professional standpoint — but most importantly, for his well-being,” defense attorney Drew Findling said outside the courthouse, reiterating that Hill is surrounded by “an amazing family” and support team.

Judge Shellie Samuels modified Hill’s release terms to permit him to stay in treatment out of state, with the understanding that the arrangement will be revisited if his status changes to outpatient. The court kept his next appearance on the calendar for Nov. 18, 2025.

Lil Nas X seeking inpatient “treatment" of an undisclosed nature after his arrest and felony charges last month

“We’re doing what is best for [him] from a personal standpoint and a professional standpoint, but most importantly, for his well-being," lawyer Drew Findling says pic.twitter.com/zufDW0Vwgx

— Nancy Dillon (@Nancy__Dillon) September 15, 2025

Hill is charged with three felony counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one felony count of resisting an executive officer stemming from an Aug. 21 encounter in Studio City. Police said they were called to Ventura Boulevard around dawn after reports that a man was walking in the street wearing only underwear and boots. In a complaint cited by multiple outlets, prosecutors allege Hill used “force and violence” that injured three officers and attempted, “by means of threats and violence,” to deter a fourth officer from doing his duty.

US rapper, Lil Nas X arrested into custody, following a suspected drug overdose incident, where he was seen almost naked on the streets of Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/1wIJ4JgYaW

— SIKAOFFICIAL🦍 (@SIKAOFFICIAL1) August 22, 2025

Hill pleaded not guilty on Aug. 25. That day, a judge set $75,000 bail — down from an initial amount of $300,000 after the court noted he had no prior convictions and was not considered a flight risk — and ordered him to attend four Narcotics Anonymous meetings per week while on release, according to reports. Police initially said Hill was transported to a hospital after his arrest for a possible overdose; Hill’s father, Robert Stafford, told reporters his son did not take illegal drugs and asked for “grace and mercy” as the family sought help. Defense lawyer Christy O’Connor told the court, per the Associated Press, that the episode, even “assuming the allegations here are true,” would be “an absolute aberration” in Hill’s life.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has said the charges carry a potential sentence of up to five years in state prison if there is a conviction. As in all criminal cases, the charges are allegations; Hill is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

After he was released from custody on Aug. 25, Hill posted a brief message of reassurance on Instagram Stories, describing the previous four days as “terrifying” but adding, “your girl is gonna be all right.”

Billboard News: Lil Nas X rounded up all of his new friends for one star-studded run through of "Old Town Road" at the 2020 #Grammys. #BillboardNews pic.twitter.com/4Jet9YIb8W

— billboard (@billboard) January 27, 2020

The treatment update arrives at a complex moment for one of pop’s most visible young stars. Hill broke through globally with “Old Town Road,” winning two Grammys in 2020 with Billy Ray Cyrus and later earning a CMA award for the collaboration — milestones that made him a rare Gen-Z, openly gay Black artist operating at the center of mainstream pop. Monday’s ruling keeps the criminal case moving while prioritizing care, a balance Judge Samuels underscored from the bench.

Keith Sweat, Joe, Dru Hill and Ginuwine Announce 2026 R&B Lovers Tour

Art for the R&B Lovers Tour featuring Keith Sweat (center), Joe, Dru Hill and Ginuwine. The trek runs Feb. 13–June 20, 2026.

The classic slow-jam era is back onstage. Keith Sweat, Joe, Dru Hill and Ginuwine are sharing one bill next year, plotting an 18-city R&B Lovers Tour that opens Feb. 13, 2026, in Norfolk, Va., and closes June 20 in Detroit, Mich.

Presale tickets begin Sept. 10 at 10 a.m. local time; the general on-sale is Sept. 12 at 10 a.m. local time. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster and venue sites. The run is produced by Post Road Entertainment, a subsidiary of North American Entertainment Group. (Lineup subject to change; venues will post city-specific links and showtimes.)

The package functions like a quick history of modern R&B performed by the people who wrote it. Sweat—an early New Jack Swing force whose “Twisted” and “Nobody” became cross-format staples—anchors the night. Joe brings quiet-storm glide on “I Wanna Know” and “All the Things (Your Man Won’t Do).” Dru Hill supply the church-trained stacks that powered “In My Bed” and “Never Make a Promise.” Ginuwine rounds it out with Timbaland-era bounce on “Pony,” plus slow-burners “Differences” and “So Anxious.” Expect full songs, live vocals and the kind of call-and-response that turns large rooms into choir lofts.

The first announced itinerary: Feb. 13 Norfolk, Va.; Feb. 14 Atlantic City, N.J.; Feb. 15 Greensboro, N.C.; Feb. 21 Birmingham, Ala.; March 20 Charlotte, N.C.; March 28 San Diego, Calif.; April 3 Kansas City, Mo.; April 4 St. Louis, Mo.; April 10 Huntsville, Ala.; April 11 Biloxi, Miss.; April 17 Orlando, Fla.; April 18 Jacksonville, Fla.; May 8 Baltimore, Md.; May 9 Washington, D.C.; June 5 Baton Rouge, La.; June 12 Fort Worth, Texas; June 19 Chicago, Ill.; June 20 Detroit, Mich. Detroit’s Fox Theatre lists the finale at 8 p.m., with Comerica Bank as presenting partner.

If 2024 found Sweat flirting with farewell language, 2026 casts him as curator—pairing his New Jack foundation with Joe’s satin polish, Dru Hill’s group dynamics and Ginuwine’s crossover spark. For one night in each city, the lineage is audible: swing to satin to harmony to bounce, sung back at full volume.

Miles Davis Catalog to Reservoir in Deal Worth $40 Million to $60 Million

FILE — From left, Tommy Potter, Charlie Parker, Max Roach (partially obscured), Miles Davis and Duke Jordan perform at the Three Deuces in New York. Reservoir Media says it has acquired Davis’ publishing catalog and will partner with the estate on recording-income and name-and-likeness rights ahead of his 2026 centennial. (William P. Gottlieb/Library of Congress)

Reservoir Media has acquired Miles Davis’publishing catalog and reached a deal to participate in income from his recordings, the company and the Davis estate said Tuesday. The agreement also includes a partnership on name and likeness ahead of the trumpet legend’s 100th birthday in 2026.

The estate — overseen by Davis’ daughter Cheryl Davis, his son Erin Davis and his nephew and longtime collaborator Vincent Wilburn Jr., with general manager Darryl Porter and attorney Jeff Biederman — said the partnership is designed to expand access to the music and present it with context on modern platforms. “We are so pleased to begin this new chapter of Miles’ legacy,” Erin Davis said. Wilburn added that Reservoir’s approach shows “real respect for Miles — his music, his style and his cultural impact.”

Financial terms were not disclosed. The New York Times reported the price was estimated in the $40 million to $60 million range.

Reservoir said it will help shape a yearlong centennial campaign featuring brand collaborations, special programming and live events. Projects in motion include “Miles & Juliette,” a feature film about Davis’ 1949 Paris romance with Juliette Gréco being developed with River Road Entertainment and Mick Jagger’s Jagged Films; a new international symphonic production that pairs archival footage with original orchestrations; and an M.E.B. (formerly Miles Electric Band) tour that includes a four-night Miles Davis Centennial Celebration at SFJAZZ in March 2026.

The company emphasized stewardship rather than reinvention. Reservoir founder and CEO Golnar Khosrowshahi called Davis “one of the most influential musicians of all time” and said the plan is to “showcase Miles’ brilliance to new audiences” during the centennial. David Hoffman, Reservoir’s vice president of A&R and marketing, described Davis as “a blueprint for musicians and creatives of all kinds.”

The deal arrives with an important clarification on recorded music: Sony Music retains ownership of the masters for Davis’ classic 1955-85 output. Reservoir’s agreement covers publishing and participation in the estate’s recording-related income, alongside the name and likeness collaboration. That structure will guide how reissues, syncs and new presentations unfold during the centennial push.

Davis’ catalog remains a living force. “Kind of Blue” is certified five times platinum and is preserved by the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry, as is “Bitches Brew,” which was added to the registry in 2025. Recent estate projects — notably the Emmy-winning documentary “Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool” and the traveling exhibition “We Want Miles” — point to a centennial built around context as much as celebration.

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.

Dame Dash Seeks Chapter 7 Protection in Florida; Petition Lists $25.3 Million Owed

Damon “Dame” Dash in a recent episode of his web series “Bosses Take Losses,” where he discussed eye surgery and dental work. The Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Florida, court papers show. (Screengrab)

On Thursday, Roc-A-Fella Records co-founderDamon “Dame” Dash filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Florida, listing about $25.3 million in liabilities and only a few thousand dollars in assets, according to the petition.

The filing in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida estimates one to 49 creditors and reports about $4,350 in personal property against roughly $5,200 in monthly expenses. Schedules attached to the petition list $100 in cash, a $500 phone, $2,500 in jewelry, clothing and two firearms. Dash also reported no current income.

Damon Dash filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Florida and is $25 million in debt mostly tied to unpaid taxes, child support and legal judgments

He listed just $4,350 in personal property.
That includes a $500 phone, $2,500 in jewelry, clothing, two firearms and $100 in cash. He… pic.twitter.com/e3KXuhH88g

— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) September 5, 2025

Under Chapter 7, an automatic stay pauses most collection efforts while a court-appointed trustee reviews whether any non-exempt property can be sold to pay creditors. Certain obligations — including child support and many tax debts — are typically not dischargeable.

50 Cent says Dame Dash has no money now and calls Dame Dash out for telling him that the $1 million he received from signing with Eminem's Shady Records was no money.

(🎥 Million Dollaz Worth Of Game ) pic.twitter.com/f1iZPkJ1WU

— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) September 1, 2024

The petition follows a series of judgments and enforcement actions. In 2025, a federal judge entered a $4 million default judgment against Dash in a defamation case brought by filmmaker Josh Webber tied to the indie film “Dear Frank.” Earlier, in 2022, a jury awarded roughly $805,000 in a related dispute involving Webber and Muddy Water Pictures. Dash’s creditor roster in the bankruptcy includes tax agencies, support arrears and court awards stemming from those cases.

“Dame Dash is a gigantic almost, almost not. He blew it; he had the most important artist of a generation. Dame wouldn’t change the way he treated people. Jay saw Dame’s ceiling. … Dame was far from stupid. As much talent as he has, nobody wanted to work with him.” -@stevestoute pic.twitter.com/AnRYK4L2ac

— Club Shay Shay (@ClubShayShay) March 7, 2024

Financial pressure intensified in late 2024, when New York State purchased Dash’s one-third stake in Roc-A-Fella Records at a court-ordered auction for about $1 million to address tax liabilities — a sale that generated headlines but did not resolve his wider debts. This year, judges have pressed compliance on outstanding judgments, including orders to turn over business interests and produce records tied to Dash-controlled entities.

Dash has not issued a detailed public statement about the bankruptcy. Standard Chapter 7 procedure will now move to trustee review and a meeting of creditors.

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.”