Wale recently revealed what rappers would made his all-time list. During a conversation held at Soho Works in Brooklyn as part of the PLLRS series, presented by Little Engine Media, the Grammy-nominated rapper, accompanied by his longtime manager, Kazz Laidlaw, Wale shared his favorite MCs.  “Mt. Rushmore is a racist thing…” Wale told host Keith Nelson Jr., “But…my favorite rappers? Jay-Z. Black Thought. Lil Wayne. J. Cole.” He also listed AZ as an influence who is “super important.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by PLLRS (@thepllrs) Elsewhere in the interview, Wale also shared that the lack of support by Atlantic Records for his early Afrobeats collaborations was almost detrimental to his career. “I think it hurt me to my people a little bit. They couldn’t understand why these songs weren’t getting promoted. There’s a whole generation of people who don’t even know that I did it,” Wale explained. “A lot of these Gen Z kids don’t know that I took Wizkid to his first BET Awards. They don’t know we have about nine songs together. It was detrimental because Shine was my worst-selling album.” A known sneakerhead, Kazz spoke about how Wale was one of the first rappers to wear Anthony Edwards’s AE1 shoe on “Damage Control.” “Last year, after the AE’s, I think we caused a little bit of a storm for them. Ant was super appreciative of it, so he and his A&R approached me at the beginning of the year, like, ‘We have to get him on this album.’” He also shared his plans to develop his own signature sneaker line. “We’re going to have to draw a line at some point. We’re going to see. Hopefully it goes one way, but if it goes the other way, then it’s going to go the other way,” Wale said. “Something good is going to happen. I’m leaving here with something.”

Lil Nas X has entered a difficult chapter after being arrested in Los Angeles following an incident that drew widespread attention. The rapper was seen last week wandering the streets in only his underwear and cowboy boots, before removing the rest of his clothing in front of startled bystanders. Police eventually stepped in, and reports suggest there was a struggle before he was taken into custody. Officers first brought him to a nearby hospital, saying they believed his erratic actions might have been linked to possible drug use. After being cleared, he was transferred to Van Nuys jail where he spent the weekend awaiting his court appearance. On Monday, the 26 year old appeared before a judge and was hit with four felony counts. These include three charges of battery on a police officer causing injury and one charge of resisting an executive officer. Together, they carry the possibility of up to five years in prison. Court filings show he pleaded not guilty and waived a formal arraignment. His bail has been set at seventy five thousand dollars, with conditions that require him to enter an outpatient program and avoid any possession or use of illegal substances. The rapper himself has not released a statement since the arrest. His father, Robert Stafford, spoke to TMZ and asked the public to support his son. “He’s great. God is good, God has a plan,” Stafford explained. “I think you all know everything that you need to know about what happened Thursday.” When asked if drugs played a role, he responded, “absolutely not.” Stafford stressed that his son is in strong mental health and remains hopeful. “He’s in good spirits,” he shared. “He’s very remorseful for what happened, but you know, it can happen to any family. He’s gonna get the help that he needs, and just keep him in your prayers.”

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have cut ties with rookie safety Shilo Sanders less than 24 hours after he was ejected from a preseason game for throwing a punch at a Buffalo Bills player. The altercation occurred on Saturday, August 23, 2025, during Tampa Bay’s preseason finale against the Bills. Sanders, the 25-year-old son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, threw a punch at tight end Zach Davidson after a heated exchange at the line of scrimmage. The punch led to an immediate ejection and quickly drew criticism from Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles, who labeled the act “inexcusable.” Footage from the game showed Davidson’s fingers caught in Sanders’ facemask just before the scuffle, but the rookie’s retaliation sealed his fate in what was already a tight roster battle. On Sunday morning, August 24, the Buccaneers officially announced that Sanders had been waived as the team worked to finalize its 53-man roster ahead of the regular season. The move ended his brief stint in Tampa Bay, where he had signed earlier this year as an undrafted free agent following the 2025 NFL Draft. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Preme Sports (@nflpreme) Sanders’ agents, Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey, expressed hope that another team might claim him off waivers, emphasizing his potential despite the setback. Before joining the Buccaneers, Sanders played college football at both South Carolina and Colorado, following his father’s coaching path. Known for his physicality and coverage skills, he entered the NFL with aspirations of carving out a role on special teams and as a depth safety.

After working with the STARZ network for over a decade, 50 Cent might be headed out the door. In a now-deleted Instagram post, the rapper shared a screenshot, revealing the once-popular drama network’s ratings were at an all-time low. “It’s not that hard to say goodbye. Bye,” 50 Cent wrote in the post’s caption. According to the screenshot the rapper posted, STARZ has “reportedly lost 42.5M dollars.” They also lost over “410,000 subscribers” over the past three months. The low ratings are “partly due” to the network’s biggest shows, like BMF, “underperforming.” Complex reports that during an after-market analyst call, STARZ president and CEO Jeffrey Hirsch did, in fact, blame the network’s “underperformance” on BMF’s latest season. That said, the 50 Cent-produced series may not be completely at fault. Back in May, Lionsgate issued a public statement, revealing that the company officially cut ties with STARZ. This separation could’ve played a significant role in the declining viewership. Ooops 50 Cent responds to the rumors that STARZ is losing money & subscribers because of BMF #50cent #bmf #hiphopculture #jviewsdaily #follow pic.twitter.com/QbmqyiWzxf — JViews (@jviewsdaily) August 17, 2025 This wouldn’t be the first time the rapper’s revealed his frustrations with the network. Back in April, Fif took to X (formerly Twitter), writing, “I have the number 1,2,3, and 4 top TV shows in African American and Latina households, and I hate that I did them with the wrong people. I’m not doing any BMF spin-offs or selling any other shows to STARZ. GLGGreenLightGang #bransoncognac #lecheminduroi.” On the bright side, back in 2023, Fif brokered a “non-exclusive broadcast direct deal” with FOX, per Variety. The deal will give the rapper the power to “develop scripted dramas, live-action comedies and animated series.” He will do so through his production company, G-Unit Film & Television. “Whether it’s music, film or television, Curtis always delivers premium entertainment that captivates millions of fans across the globe,” said Michael Thorn, Fox Entertainment‘s president of scripted programming, in a statement around that time. “He is the rare multi-hyphenate with a deft hand at storytelling, no matter the format or medium. We’re looking forward to developing new and exciting series for Fox with him and his team.”

Ciara recently sat down with Associated Press to discuss her new album, CiCi— her first project in nearly six years. It works as a follow-up to her 2019 album, Beauty Marks. Released on August 22, CiCi is an expanded version of her 2023 EP of the same name and marks her first release as an independent artist. Back in 2017, the Grammy-winning artist founded her independent label, Beauty Marks Entertainment. “It’s time. Honestly, I’ve been working on this album for almost five years,” she tells the outlet. “I put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, as they would say, into this project…” The singer also revealed to the outlet that while recording CiCi, she had given birth to two of her youngest children: Win Harris and Amora Princess. “I literally gave birth to two babies while I was making this project, too. So, a lot has happened,” she said. Source: Associated Press (AP) While Ciara did take a brief reprieve to raise her ever-growing family, the singer made it clear that she wasn’t just “chillin’” the last five years and had always “actively put out music on the project.” With a career spanning over two decades, Ciara noted that she still enjoys creating music after all these years; however, if she ever happens to “stop loving the process,” she’ll “stop.” The “Level Up” singer continued, ” I have so much passion for it and I just feel so fortunate that 21 years later, from my first album ‘Goodies’ to now, that I still have the same excitement I had as a little girl.” “Success to me is yes, putting out music. Being the best artist I can be, hopefully being known as one of the best to ever do it …” she adds. “But it’s not solely in that,” she said. “People lose themselves because they didn’t live. I don’t want to be that girl – I’m not going to be that girl.”

On what would have been Kobe Bryant’s 47th birthday, Vanessa shared a deeply touching tribute on Instagram that resonated widely. Vanessa posted a throwback photo of herself kissing Kobe on the cheek—set against a romantic European backdrop—and captioned it: “We love and miss you and Gigi so much. Sending our love to you. Happy birthday, baby.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom) Natalia Bryant, their eldest daughter, also honored her father with her own heartfelt gesture. She posted a playful snapshot of herself and Kobe mimicking a nearby statue, simply captioned: “Happy Birthday Daddy” followed by a red heart emoji. Keeping Kobe’s legacy alive, as previously reported, in a heartfelt gesture that resonated deeply with fans across Los Angeles. Lakers star Luka Dončić has donated $5,000 to help restore a beloved mural honoring Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, which was recently defaced with black spray paint. The mural, created by Los Angeles-based street artist Sloe Motions—whose real name is Louie Palsino—featured the powerful message “Mamba Forever” alongside a portrait of Kobe and GiGi. It had become a cherished local landmark and a symbol of resilience, legacy, and community healing following the Bryants’ tragic passing in 2020.

Despite one Grammy win, five nominations, and becoming the third female hip-hop artist to have an album peak at number one on the Billboard 200, Eve surprisingly “doesn’t think about” her legacy in music. “I don’t think about it. I just, it’s not something that comes to my mind, it is not something I think about,” she tells the Associated Press in a new interview. In Eve’s opinion, she doesn’t mull over how much credit she receives because she knows what she’s “done and have accomplished,” and according to her, “that’s something no one could ever take” away from her. The “Tamborine” rapper acknowledges the impact she has had on her fans, who have told her how she inspired them; however, she didn’t understand the gravity of her career for herself until she wrote her 2024 memoir, Who’s That Girl? Eve continues, “I think the only time I kind of allowed myself to really reflect on it is after I finished my book and I did the audiobook. And literally, as soon as I got in the car, I called Cathy, my co-writer, and was like, ‘Yo, I did a lot, like, and I’m proud of myself, you know!’” In other news, Eve recently sat down for the Joe and Jada podcast with Fat Joe and Jadakiss. At one point in the conversation, the pair asked the rapper what motivates her to go on tour, considering her billionaire husband is waiting for her at home. The former “First Lady of Ruff Ryders” says she still likes getting her own checks. When Jadakiss asked how the tour was going, Eve said, “The tour’s good. So far we, um, we’ve only done three, four, we’ve done four shows. I did Europe first.” Fat Joe went on to ask why that “Rich Girl” is still doing shows. To which she responded with, “I like money. Okay? I like checks. So if there’s, I wouldn’t be doing it if it wasn’t a check involved, I wouldn’t be doing it if the check wasn’t right.” The “Let Me Blow Your Mind” rapper also made it clear that no man “saved her.” She added, “First of all, nobody ever saved me. I saved myself. I got my own money. If I wanted to stop working, my man wouldn’t care. But why would I not do something that I love?”

During a recent interview with the Associated Press, Mariah the Scientist addressed the critics of her relationship with Young Thug. “I’m used to people scrutinizing my relationship,” she tells the outlet. “It’s almost like I expect them to do that.” According to Mariah the Scientist, she wants to avoid the public having any say or “heavy impact” on her relationship with the rapper. She continues, “I just want to be able to actively decide on my own if it’s something that I want to do or not. Or, if it is something that’s serving me or not serving me. And I think it’s definitely been a process.” Rumors first circulated about the pair back in 2021. However, amid the early stages of their relationship, Young Thug and his YSL (Young Stoner Life) label mates became embroiled in a highly-publicized racketeering trial. The “Digits” rapper was arrested in May 2022 and would ultimately spend two years in prison. After agreeing to a plea deal in October 2024, the rapper was released in November. Aside from talking about her relationship with Thug, Mariah also spoke about her new album, Hearts Sold Separately. The project was released via Epic Records and the singer’s imprint Buckles Laboratories on Friday, August 22. Along with a new project, her single “Burning Blue” has become a No. 1 hit track on Billboard’s Rhythmic Airplay chart. The catchy tune also cracked the top 30 on the Billboard 200 chart. When asked about her feelings on becoming R&B’s next up-and-coming star, the former biology student-turned-singer said her hard work is “paying off.” Mariah added, “Just people appreciating the art I make, not on just an acknowledgment level, but actually digesting it and appreciating it. …It’s really not necessarily about the accolades, but I feel like accolades are indicative of the exposure and being perceived in a flattering way.”

During a live session on X(formerly Twitter) spaces, Cardi B called out the critics of her new song, “Imaginary Playaz.” The track features a sample of Jay-Z’s track, “Imaginary Player,” which appeared on his 1997 album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. While many of the rapper’s supporters enjoyed the Bronx native’s twist on the classic track, there were quite a few who weren’t fans of it. According to Cardi, the majority of the criticism is coming from “grown-ass” men who are waiting for her “downfall.” However, at no point during the conversation did the rap starlet name anyone in particular. “For people to dog pile on me over one song,” she said. “And when it comes to dog piling, it’s not even just like, ‘Oh well, I don’t like this song,’ because if you don’t like this song, fine, but to come at the way I speak, to make narratives of how I think I am and who the fuck I think I am, to talk about every single piece of me, to bet on my downfall is crazy.” She continued, “There’s grown men that are practically betting for me to lose. Grown-ass men that I ain’t never did nothing to, betting on my downfall. And my thing is with these people, it just be like, when my record do good, when ‘Outside’ did good, people couldn’t believe it.” “When I do good, the numbers ain’t real. When I do bad, my career is over,” Cardi added. “It’s almost ridiculous.” Cardi B’s full space. 8/22/25 pic.twitter.com/Sst59tQVGH — (@cardiuniverse) August 22, 2025 In other news, Cardi B recently shut down rumors that she would be expecting her fourth child. During a recent Instagram live, Cardi B made it clear that she is not currently with child. “’We thirty weeks pregnant?’ No, you stupid b*tch. I’m just f*cking out of breath ’cause I have asthma… Stop f*cking being f*cking funny in this b*tch before you get motherf*cking blocked, b*tch.” Cardi has three children that she shares with her estranged husband, Offset. As previously reported, in a candid moment with Ebro, Offset reflected on his personal failings amid the tense dynamics with his estranged wife, Cardi B, stating: “I f*cked up… I gotta acknowledge that and then get back on the journey… I’ve accepted the actions I’ve done to cause certain situations to happen.”

According to the BBC, Doechii has pulled out of two of the largest music festivals in the U.K., as well as another performance in Paris. On Tuesday (Aug.19), in a social media post, the Rock en Seine shared that Doechii had unexpectedly pulled out of her performance set for Thursday, Aug. 21. Mere hours later, the All Points East festival posted to its official Instagram account that they were “sorry to announce” the rapper would no longer be performing. “She is an incredible artist, and, like all of her fans, we were hugely excited to see her on stage,” the post continued. Prior to the cancellation notice, Doecii was slated to take the stage on Saturday, Aug. 23. Not long after All Point East’s announcement, Forwards Bristol festival shared similar news, in a social media post, and had “sadly announced” Doechii “will not be performing at her upcoming shows.” The rapper was scheduled to perform at the festival this upcoming Sunday, on Aug. 24. Neither Doechii nor a representative from her team has released a statement or explanation as to why the rapper pulled out of her upcoming shows. NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 05: Doechii attends The 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” – Arrivals at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 05, 2025, in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/FilmMagic) In other news, Doechii has been named in a lawsuit where an Atlanta event company says it was scammed out of nearly $200,000 in a bogus booking deal for one of Baltimore’s biggest festivals. Blackout Management LLC claims it paid New Jersey agent Christopher Young $187,500 in December 2024 to lock in performances by Doechii and SiR for the AFRAM Festival. Young allegedly assured the company that his ties to Top Dawg Entertainment gave him direct access to the artists. According to AllHipHop, things started to unravel by March 2025 when Young reportedly told Blackout that both acts had scheduling conflicts. The company says that after months of unanswered questions, it reached out to TDE directly and learned that Doechii had never been booked and that there were only brief talks about SiR. No contracts, promotional materials, or official documents were ever provided. According to the lawsuit, the deposit never reached the label and was instead kept by Young and his business, Sacrifice Management LLC.