Despite being released nearly three years ago, SZA’s Grammy-winning album, S.O.S, continues to break records. According to Chart Data, SZA’s sophomore album is now the second most-streamed album by a female artist in Spotify’s history. Released in December 2022, the 23-track project could serve as the alternative R&B star’s magnum opus. S.O.S spawned several hit singles, including “Good Days,” “Kill Bill,” and “Snooze.” The album debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200 and spent nearly thirteen non-consecutive weeks atop the chart. Along with critical acclaim, the former TDE singer earned nine nominations at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. While she didn’t take home Album Of The Year, she was able to walk away with Best Progressive R&B album. Before that, she had just wrapped up a successful tour in support of the album, which grossed over $100,000,000 — making her the fourth Black female artist to achieve this milestone. Only Beyoncé, Tina Turner, and Rihanna ran ahead of her. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 04: SZA accepts the Best R&B Song award for “Snooze” onstage during the 66th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 04, 2024, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy) Oddly enough, despite the album’s commercial success, the singer was hesitant about whether fans would like it. “I never thought in a million years that people would like it,” she told the Rolling Stone Music Now podcast in 2022. Luckily, SZA was able to get the burst of confidence from peers, along with friends and family, and decided to put the project out. “…A part of me was just like, I just wanna get it over with. I wanna meet my own fate. If n*ggas hate it, then great. I can never do music again,” she said. She added, “And it is also really scary that it didn’t go that way because I’m like, now what do I do? And what does this actually mean, and when do the tides turn? When does everyone decide that they hate me again or that this sucks?”

Donald Trump has been reconsidering his thoughts on pardoning Diddy; the President tells NewsMax that it’s become “more difficult” because of the mogul’s “hostile” behavior amid his 2020 Presidential campaign. While Trump believes that the now-disgraced mogul is “half-innocent,” his position on possibly pardoning Diddy — who was convicted on prostitution charges in May — has seemingly shifted. Five years ago, the Bad Boy founder told Charlamagne tha God in an interview, that “white men like Trump” and should be “banished. “ During the interview, Trump recalls his relationship with Diddy as “very friendly.” He continued, “I got along with him great, and [he] seemed like a nice guy. I didn’t know him well.” However, today, their relationship is strained. “He made some terrible statements,” Trump Says Q: Sean Diddy Combs. Would you consider pardoning him?  Well, he was essentially, I guess, sort of half innocent. Probably— I was very friendly with him but when I ran for office he was very hostile and it’s hard. So, I don’t know, it’s more difficult. Q: More likely a no?… pic.twitter.com/FrrzquR6qs — Acyn (@Acyn) August 2, 2025 He added,”…When I ran for office, he was very hostile. It’s hard, you know? We’re human beings. And we don’t like to have things cloud our judgment, right? But when you knew someone and you were fine, and then you run for office, and he made some terrible statements. So I don’t know …. it makes it more difficult to do.” Back in May, during a press conference, when asked about pardoning Diddy, Trump said he’d have to “look” into what transpired in the case. At the time, he revealed despite the trial against Diddy being highly publicized, he hadn’t been following the case. As he recently noted during his NewsMax interview, his friendship with Diddy took a turn after he gained an interest in politics. “He used to really like me a lot, but I think when I ran for politics, it busted up that relationship from what I read.” Despite that, Trump said he would look at the “facts” involved and make a decision based on that.

Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz are celebrating fifteen years of marriage, and they made sure it was a moment fans would not forget. The music power couple took to social media on July 31st to honor their anniversary with emotion, gratitude, and a glimpse into their journey together. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alicia Keys (@aliciakeys) Swizz Beatz shared a touching video on Instagram filled with candid clips from their life as husband and wife. His voice played over the montage, reflecting on their years together. “Wow, 15 years of love. Fifteen years of fun. Fifteen years of best friends. Fifteen years of beautiful kids,” he said. “Fifteen years of traveling. Fifteen years of the white side. Fifteen years of growth. Fifteen years of love. Fifteen years of passion. Fifteen years of art. Fifteen years of wow, just wow. Fifteen years feels like five. That’s crazy–when 15 years feels like five. Happy anniversary, my love. We’ve spent so much time having fun that 15 years feels like five. And we’re just starting.” Alicia Keys posted her own tribute, sharing a carousel of photos from a private celebration. She described their connection with words like “sublime” and “devoted” and ended the caption with “15 years of magic!!” The images captured the couple completely in sync, smiling and soaking in the moment. Fans quickly filled the comments with love, admiration, and a little humor. Some joked about how their relationship outlasted most modern-day romances, while others praised them for being a rare example of lasting love in the spotlight. Whether people were offering genuine congratulations or poking fun, one thing was clear. Alicia and Swizz have built something solid, and their celebration proved that their bond remains strong after all these years.

Young Thug is focusing on community and change after everything he’s been through with the YSL RICO case. The rapper, alongside his longtime attorney Brian Steel, spent the morning of August 1st visiting Skyview High School in College Park, Georgia, where they spoke to students about staying out of trouble and making smarter choices. Young Thug & Brian Steel talking to kids at an Atlanta alternate high school for at-risk students pic.twitter.com/VhUJ2eRSsS — THUGGERDAILY ひ (@ThuggerDaily) August 1, 2025 The visit was part of Young Thug’s effort to reach teens facing challenges similar to his own upbringing. During the conversation, he encouraged students to avoid violence and gang culture. “I’m a superstar. My words mean something, but I have to do the right thing with them. People listen to me,” he told them. “Gangs and guns, I think that’s lame. I wish I had someone like me to talk to me about that when I was in school.” Because of his probation restrictions, Thug had to get approval from Fulton County before attending the event. Still, he felt strongly about making the trip. “I feel like violence is not the thing,” he said. “It’s corny, it’s not the thing to do. Gangs, it’s just not cool. I’m glad I have the opportunity for y’all to hear me say it.” Students, parents, and staff listened as Thug shared stories from his own school days, his regrets, and his efforts to guide his own children away from the same mistakes. “The impact that I have in Atlanta, I can only help if y’all listen, but you’ve got to listen,” he said. Greg Clay, a board member at Skyview and executive director for the Mayor’s Office of Constituent Services, praised the visit, calling it inspiring. One student’s grandmother expressed her gratitude, telling him she appreciated him choosing to spend time with them instead of anywhere else.

Megan Thee Stallion’s business portfolio continues to expand as she embarks on her next big role: producer. According to Deadline, the Houston native is executive producing a new Korean dance competition series— Kpopped. The Apple TV+ series will premiere on Friday, Aug. 29. It will consist of eight episodes. According to Kpopped‘s synopsis, “A group of western artists reimagine their hit songs in collaboration with K-pop idols. They compete in battle performances judged by an audience in Seoul.” Industry heavyweights such as Patti Labelle, Boys II Men, and Eve are expected to guest star. Along with the rapper, Moira Ross, Lionel Richie, Miky Lee, Stallion, Greg Foster, and others are also credited as producers. Megan Thee Stallion will also serve as the series’ host, side by side with Psy. He is the voice behind the 2012 viral hit, “Gangnam Style.” The dance competition will occur in the heart of Korea, specifically in the city of Seoul. Check out the trailer below. Megan Thee Stallion’s 2025 has been off to a great start, especially in the relationship department. Not long ago, the rapper shared a video on TikTok and Instagram of her and NBA star Klay Thompson having a golfing date. In the nearly 10-minute video, Megan documents her trip to Arkansas. She reveals that, along with handling some business, she made sure to sneak in some one-on-one time with her new beau. Along with giving the Houston native some tips to up her golf game, Klay Thompson shared that her “love” had helped his skills improve. He called Megan his “good luck charm.” Toward the end of the almost ten-minute video, as they board a golf cart, Thompson said, “Ever since I’ve been in love, my golf game’s reaped all the benefits.” Megan Thee Stallion and Klay Thompson have been spotted quite a lot since making their public debut at the rapper’s annual Pete & Thomas Foundation gala. From gym sessions to even the golf course, it seems the two can’t get enough of each other.

Earlier this week, Bas came to Drake’s defense against Ebro Darden’s comments on the latest episode of Apple Music’s Rap Life Review. According to Darden, he’d been pondering attending an event in Toronto, where the “Nokia” rapper was scheduled to appear. However, he feels his critics of him in the past could cause some issues. In his opinion, a lot of artists — specifically Drake—and their fan groups “don’t even love hip-hop like that.” He added, “You’re just fans of an individual. We are having hip-hop conversations about something that has literally saved our lives, put food on people’s plates, and a culture that has been [an] inclusive culture of all different types of ideas, and music, and expression, and all of these things for f*cking 50 years.” Darden later shared a clip of the conversation on his Instagram. Not long after, Bas fired back in the comments, writing, “My two cents, Ebro. Drake is among the most, if not the most, inclusive of artists [in] our culture.” Drake is “among the most, if not the most, inclusive of artists our culture has put forth”, says Dreamville’s Bas in a response to Ebro “I don’t get this “culture” narrative that’s persisted since the battle. If it’s the Canadian thing, Toronto a hour flight from NYC lol.”… pic.twitter.com/fbUkUYsSSK — Kurrco (@Kurrco) August 1, 2025 The Dreamville rapper believes that Drake has “pushed countless rappers to the forefront, dancehall artists, afrobeats artists, R&B artists, reggaeton, older artists, [and] newer artists.” He continued, “I don’t get this ‘culture’ narrative that’s persisted since the battle. If it’s the Canadian thing, Toronto [an] hour flight from NYC lol.” Bas added, “I’d argue their culture and ethnic makeup is more akin to NYC than pretty much any city in the States. NYC, Toronto, [and] London are a triumvirate culturally. Surely it’s not his pen? He’s arguably the greatest writer of a generation. So what is it?” Judging by the replies under Bas’ post, a lot of folks seem to agree with him. “@bas bro they hate the man and that’s a fact. They need him to push narratives so they gon keep talking about him, but that just shows how much of an influence he is to the culture. And now they’re downplaying what he has done for the culture by calling him a “Culture Vulture, “ like wtf did he steal?? Drake, the greatest of his generation period!!!” one person wrote.

CNN reported that Donald Trump’s recent claim that Beyoncé had been paid almost $11,000,000 to endorse Kamala Harris for president was false. According to the outlet, campaign spending records did indeed reveal that a payment of $165,000 was paid to the singer’s production company, Parkwood Entertainment. However, this amount was significantly lower than what the President had claimed. The expense had been listed as a “campaign event production.” Last week, Trump took to his Truth Social platform and accused Beyoncé, along with a few others, of being paid to endorse Kamala Harris’ presidential election campaign. He revealed he’d concluded this after examining the “large amount of money” owned by the Democratic Party. According to Trump, Beyoncé’s endorsement of Harris was pointless. He mentioned that she “never sang, not one note, and left the stage to a booing and angry audience!” HOUSTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 25: Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris embraces singer Beyoncé at a campaign rally on October 25, 2024, in Houston, Texas. Harris is campaigning in Texas, holding a rally supporting reproductive rights with recording artists Beyoncé and Willie Nelson. (Photo by Jordan Vonderhaar/Getty Images) Last October, with Kelly Rowland by her side, Beyoncé joined Kamala Harris at a campaign rally in her hometown of Houston, Texas. Freedom was the main topic that night, especially regarding the freedom of women and young girls. “Imagine our daughters growing up and seeing what’s possible with no ceilings. No limitations.” She continued: “Imagine our grandmothers. Imagine what they must feel right now…those who have lived to see this historic day. Even those who are no longer physically with us. Imagine all their sacrifice. The sacrifices made so we can witness the strength of a woman.” The mother of three also urged those present at the rally and her fans across the U.S. to hit the polls. “For the men and women in this room and watching around the country, we need you. Your voice has power and magnitude…Your vote is one of the most valuable tools, and we need you. Your freedom is your God-given right…” Queen Bey also showed love to Houston’s “third ward,” and other neighboring communities. “We all have a role to play to make this a reality.”

Safaree’s night out at Chris Brown’s Breezy Bowl XX tour in Miami quickly turned into social media drama after his ex-wife Erica Mena put him on blast. While the artist appeared carefree and hyped in the crowd, Erica wasn’t feeling the vibe, and she made that known from thousands of miles away. Currently vacationing in Greece, Erica caught wind of Safaree’s antics and lit up Instagram Stories with harsh criticism. She called his behavior embarrassing and accused him of neglecting their children. “They need your love too!!!” she wrote, expressing her frustration over what she sees as his absence in their lives. This isn’t just about a concert, though. The former couple has been locked in a heated custody and child support battle all summer, with ongoing disputes over visitation and finances. Erica claims Safaree has been dishonest about his income in court, painting a very different picture than the one fans saw in Miami. Rather than address her accusations directly, Safaree seemingly shrugged it off with a slick Fashion Nova promo, posting a picture with the caption “not pressed but highly blessed.” It was a subtle jab that suggests he’s more focused on business than beef. Their marriage officially ended in 2022, but tensions have remained high ever since. Public jabs, legal filings, and online shade have kept their co-parenting dynamic rocky at best. Despite their time apart, it’s clear their drama is far from over—and now it’s playing out for the world to see once again. While Safaree enjoys the tour life, Erica’s message was simple: the spotlight means nothing if your kids don’t feel your presence.

Quavo is turning heartbreak into action. Following a wave of gun violence in Atlanta that left 49 people shot and five dead over just four days, the Migos rapper has teamed up with The Rocket Foundation to launch an “Emergency Therapy Support Fund” to help families affected by the tragedy. Two of the victims were close to Quavo personally, Aaron Hines, known in the community as “Coach Ball,” and 18-year-old Deshawn Johnson, a former participant in one of Quavo’s Rocket Foundation youth camps. Both were fatally shot, adding a deeply personal weight to the cause. The fund will offer immediate access to therapy and emotional support for grieving families, and Quavo is calling on the public to donate and help expand mental health services throughout the community. The initiative aims to address not just the physical impact of gun violence, but also the long-term emotional toll it leaves behind. The announcement comes on the heels of Quavo’s second annual Rocket Summit, held in Atlanta during Gun Violence Prevention Month. Hosted at the College Football Hall of Fame, the summit gathered community leaders, advocates, and celebrities, including All The Smoke hosts Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, for a powerful day of conversations and workshops around intervention and systemic reform. Quavo has been on a mission since 2022, when his nephew and fellow Migos member Takeoff was shot and killed. In the time since, he’s taken his advocacy all the way to Washington, D.C., even meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris to push for stronger anti-violence measures. Through the Emergency Therapy Support Fund, Quavo and The Rocket Foundation hope to bring healing and momentum to a city that continues to feel the devastating effects of gun violence, and to honor Takeoff’s legacy with purpose.

Jermaine Dupri claims that he changed the game with his sock game at Super Bowl LVIII. Appearing on Camelo Anthony’s 7 PM In Brooklyn, a Wave original, he said that his choice of socks set off a new fashion trend. “They $1,500 socks. They sold out after I did the Super Bowl. You can’t find them socks no more…we be watching the internet and we be seeing Pharrell do Fashion Week and I be thinking like everybody following the sh*t. I seen the outfit, I’m like, sh*t, I want to rock that. That’s some fashion sh*t….I’m like, I want to wear this on the Super Bowl,” Dupri said. “Nobody ain’t said nothing about nobody else wearing it…So then I start realizing, okay, maybe everybody ain’t up on the fashion sh*t…ultimately I’m glad it happened the way it is. I made it my thing,” he continued. He also said that Usher, who headlined Super Bowl  LVIII, was upset because his socks got more press than his show. “By the way, Usher was a little upset about this… because out of his whole performance, this is what came out of—my socks got more press than damn his show,” Dupri said. Elsewhere in the interview, JD revealed how he went against Columbia Records’ advice to work with JAY-Z instead of using his song with Mariah Carey for the first single of his album Life in 1472. “He [JAY-Z] was the most prominent New York rapper. You saw where he was going, right? If he was paying attention to the clue mix tapes and all of this,” he went on. “So me saying I want my first single to be with this guy. The suits at Columbia was like, who the f**k is Jay-Z– we trying to spend this money and you talking about you want, why don’t you put this single out with Mariah? This will go straight to the top, blah blah blah. That was a conversation and they didn’t understand what it was. I was just like, I’m from Atlanta. We are looked at like we don’t know what hip hop is.”