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.