Monday, July 28, 2025

Beyoncé Closes Record-Breaking ‘Cowboy Carter Tour’ With Destiny’s Child Reunion

Michelle Williams, Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland reunite as Destiny’s Child during the final stop of the "Cowboy Carter Tour" in Las Vegas, Saturday, July 26, 2025. (Photo via Beyoncé/Instagram)
It wasn’t just a tour — it was a statement.

Beyoncé’s "Cowboy Carter Tour" wrapped Saturday night in Las Vegas, bringing 32 stadium shows to a triumphant close. The tour grossed $407.6 million and sold 1.6 million tickets, according to Billboard Boxscore — officially making it the highest-grossing country music tour of all time.

Cowboy Carter Tour: By the Numbers

  • Total Gross: $407.6 million
  • Total Tickets Sold: 1.6 million
  • Average Gross Per Show: $12.7 million
  • Average Attendance Per Show: 49,900
  • Average Ticket Price: $255.36
  • Highest-Grossing City: New York City — $70.3M (5 shows)
  • Most Shows in One City: London — 6 nights at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
  • Boxscore Records Broken: 40+
  • Tour Cities: 9 (New York, L.A., Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, D.C., Paris, London, Las Vegas)
That record builds on her 2023 "Renaissance World Tour," which grossed $579.8 million, setting the bar for R&B tours. With both tours surpassing $400 million, Beyoncé is now the first woman and first American artist to achieve that twice — a distinction shared only with Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, and the Rolling Stones.

Instead of touring dozens of cities, Beyoncé centered the "Cowboy Carter Tour" on nine stadium markets: New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Paris, London and Las Vegas. Each stop featured multi-night residencies. Her five shows at MetLife Stadium in New York sold 250,000 tickets and grossed $70.3 million, making it reportedly the highest-grossing single-venue run ever reported by Boxscore. In London, six nights at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium generated $61.4 million from 275,000 fans.

In her hometown of Houston, Beyoncé played two shows at NRG Stadium. In L.A., five at SoFi Stadium. In Atlanta, four nights at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. On average, the tour pulled in $12.7 million per night, drew about 49,900 fans per show, and commanded an average ticket price of $255.36. She reportedly broke more than 40 individual Boxscore records during the run.

The finale in Las Vegas delivered the tour’s most unforgettable moment: Destiny’s Child reunited onstage for the first time since Coachella 2018. Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams joined Beyoncé for a high-energy medley that included “Lose My Breath,” “Bootylicious,” and “Energy,” complete with the crowd-favorite “mute challenge.” Jay-Z made a surprise appearance for “Crazy in Love” and “N——s in Paris,” while Shaboozey joined her for their country collaboration “Sweet Honey Buckin’.” Blue Ivy also appeared, drawing loud cheers as she performed choreography from “Déjà Vu” — one last nod to family and legacy before the curtain fell.

 Top-Grossing Country Tours of All Time

  1. Beyoncé — "Cowboy Carter Tour" (2024): $407.6 million
  2. George Strait — "Cowboy Rides Away Tour" (2014): $100+ million
  3. Shania Twain — "Come On Over Tour" (1998–99): $95+ million
  4. Garth Brooks — "World Tour" (1996–98): $93+ million
  5. Kenny Chesney — "Trip Around the Sun Tour" (2018): $87 million

Source: Billboard Boxscore, confirmed July 22, 2025

The "Cowboy Carter Tour" was more than a financial juggernaut — it was a reinvention. With live instrumentation, southern visual motifs, and an unapologetically Black Southern narrative, Beyoncé reshaped what a modern country concert experience could be.

Critics heralded the tour’s ambition and storytelling. Rolling Stone deemed it “a masterclass in genre liberation”; Variety called it “a transformational moment in country” — not just because of the blockbuster numbers, but because of what it stood for.

Before Beyoncé, the highest-grossing country tour belonged to George Strait’s "Cowboy Rides Away Tour" from 2014, which grossed just over $100 million. Beyoncé’s total completely redefined that standard.

With "Cowboy Carter," Beyoncé didn’t just break records. She reimagined them.

Thursday, July 24, 2025

Rapper GloRilla Charged After Break-in at Georgia Home Sparks Investigation

Courtesy Forsyth County Sheriff's Office
It wasn’t the performance that made headlines — it was what happened back home.

Memphis rapper GloRilla, born Gloria Hallelujah Woods, was arrested Tuesday on felony drug charges after a break-in at her Georgia home uncovered more than just intruders. The twist? She wasn’t even there when it happened — she was performing at the WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis the same night.

The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office confirmed officers responded to a burglary call at Woods’ house around 1:30 a.m. Saturday. According to reports, three men entered the property, not knowing family members were inside. Someone in the house fired a warning shot, and the suspects fled.

But what started as a break-in quickly shifted focus. Deputies say they smelled a strong odor of marijuana and obtained a search warrant. During that search, officers reportedly found more than an ounce of marijuana and a controlled substance in the master bedroom. That discovery led to Woods being charged with felony drug possession — despite the fact she hadn’t even been home at the time.

Her attorneys are calling the situation upside down. According to their statement, GloRilla is “the victim of a violent crime,” and the search should have focused on finding the suspects who endangered her family — not what was in her closet. No one has been arrested for the actual break-in.

Woods turned herself in Tuesday and was booked into Forsyth County Jail. She posted a $22,260 bond and was released the same day. The arrest came just days after she performed a medley of her songs “Let Her Cook,” “Typa,” and “TGIF” during the WNBA All-Star halftime show.

While the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the burglary and drug-related charges, Sheriff Ron Freeman also acknowledged the larger context. “The homeowner is a victim of a serious crime, and we are committed to bringing the suspects to justice,” he said in a statement.

But for now, the headlines aren’t about the suspects. They’re about GloRilla — and the legal storm that followed her absence.

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Watch: 'Hip Hop Was Born Here' Goes Deeper Than Diamonds in LL Cool J’s Soulful New Series


It doesn’t just start in New York — it starts with the truth.

That’s the heartbeat behind “Hip Hop Was Born Here,” a new five-part docuseries hosted, executive produced, and co-created by LL Cool J that debuted Tuesday on Paramount+. More than a nostalgic look back, the project is a cultural reckoning — a reclaiming of hip-hop’s roots, spirit, and legacy.

Produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, Rock The Bells, and Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions, the series journeys through the boroughs and birthplaces of hip-hop. It puts a spotlight not on flashy headlines or rap beefs but on the origin stories that shaped the genre from block parties to global dominance.

“You really want to understand hip-hop?” LL said in a recent CBS interview about the show. “Then you need to understand the spirit behind it. The dreams of making it out. The messages of empowerment. That’s what this is about.”

Through interviews with legends like Big Daddy Kane, Doug E. Fresh, Method Man, Rev Run, Roxanne Shanté, Salt of Salt-N-Pepa, and more, “Hip Hop Was Born Here” traces how the genre was built — not in boardrooms or algorithms, but on stoops, subways, and street corners.

“It’s not about who’s on the cover of Forbes,” LL says. “It’s about the art, the inspiration, the real message behind the culture.”

He brings that message to life not just as a host, but as a fan. Throughout the series, he joins guests in freestyle sessions, revisits formative neighborhoods, and seamlessly quotes verses mid-conversation. The result is something both journalistic and deeply personal — a tribute told by someone who lived it.

Viewers can expect candid moments, like Rev Run reminiscing about bringing turntables out to the front stoop or Salt talking about what first moved her to rhyme. LL COOL J connects each thread with the respect of a curator and the reverence of a student, learning new things even after decades as one of hip-hop’s most decorated icons.

“This was about going deeper — not just what happened, but why it mattered,” he told CBS. “It’s about artists tapping into who they really are, and where that energy came from.”

“Hip Hop Was Born Here” arrives just weeks after LL’s return to the charts with “The FORCE,” his 2024 Q-Tip–produced album that helped mark the 40th anniversary of Def Jam and made LL the first rapper to chart Billboard entries across five decades. He also remains the driving force behind Rock The Bells, the platform and SiriusXM channel dedicated to preserving hip-hop’s golden era.

But here, LL trades performer for documentarian. He invites audiences to reflect on the question he poses to each guest: What does legacy mean to you?

Maybe the answer lies in one of the show’s opening scenes: LL pointing to the same Bronx street corner where DJ Kool Herc once set up his speakers and changed music forever.

Or maybe it’s in the boom boxes, the basement tapes, the stripped-down hunger of a generation that refused to be silenced.

“Hip Hop Was Born Here” doesn’t just tell you where it all began — it reminds you why it still matters.

All five episodes are now streaming on Paramount+.

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