Tyler, The Creator is keeping the Chromakopia era alive with a stunning new visual for his track “Darling, I.” The self-directed video, released this week, plays like a retro film reel—blending romance, humor, and cultural callbacks with Tyler’s trademark eccentricity. Among the standout appearances are Nia Long, Lauren London, and Willow Smith. Other cameos include Ayo Edebiri, Lionel Boyce, Teezo Touchdown (who is also featured on the track), Na-Kel Smith, Chase Infiniti, Oriane Strohhacker, and Jasmine Rutledge. The video opens on a 1970s-inspired bus depot, where Teezo Touchdown plays the driver ushering passengers into a world of vibrant set pieces. From there, viewers are taken through a series of intimate, playful, and surreal vignettes—each with its own flair. NIA LONG MAKES AN APPEARANCE: One of the buzziest moments comes when Nia Long leans in toward Tyler as if to kiss him, only to mischievously stick out her tongue. Willow Smith, meanwhile, joins Tyler in portraying members of the Black Panther Party, sharing a playful photo booth moment that adds political undertones to the otherwise whimsical storytelling. Lauren London also takes center stage in an evocative booth scene, while Lionel Boyce channels tension in a gritty payphone exchange. The aesthetics throughout feel drenched in nostalgia, complete with vintage wardrobes, analog backdrops, and subtle references to Tyler’s Chromakopia motifs. Though Tyler recently shifted focus with his 2025 album Don’t Tap the Glass, the “Darling, I” video doubles down on the visual narrative that accompanied Chromakopia. Tyler, who directed the video under his real name Andrew Okonma, continues to lean into bold color palettes, whimsical costume design, and layered symbolism—cementing his role not just as a rapper but as a full-fledged auteur.

Lance “Un” Riverea calls cap on Fat Joe, who said he made tracks with The Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J. Blige. During an interview with The Art of Dialogue, Rivera addressed Joe’s assertion head-on, expressing skepticism and a touch of humor while firmly.  “I love Fat Joe, Fat Joe is my guy. I love the Jada & Joe show, and now I know why they’re running with the ‘Joe is the King of Cap,’” Rivera laughed. “Imma call cap, without even knowing, ’cause I don’t know for sure, but I’m calling cap […] If there was a real, legitimate album, I would’ve heard about that. I wouldn’t have heard about them doing songs,” he continued. The founder of  Untertainment Records, Rivera and Biggie, on several projects including Junior Mafia’s 1995 album The Conspiracay. So any songs featuring Fat Joe would have come across his desk. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Art Of Dialogue (@theartofdialogue) “And I wouldn’t have heard about them doing songs together, right? Because in Daddy’s House, Big go in the studio, you could get a verse or you might not get a verse, depending on his mood and how much money you had in your pocket. He was a ‘How much weed you got on you’ type sh*t, you know what I’m saying? But I call cap off that, Joe. Show me the receipts, Fat Joe.” In an interview from 2023, Fat Joe claimed to have recorded several songs that never saw the light of day because they included disses toward Tupac.  “We made a bunch of songs, y’know what I’m sayin’?” Joe said. “But it was really disrespectful and hateful, and so [Biggie] died and 2Pac died. They might have burnt them sh*ts, to be honest with you, ’cause you know, it was distasteful after the fact.”

Fivio Foreign recently sat down with Jim Jones for a candid conversation on Artist 2 Artist, part of Jones’ new IFC Factory platform. The Brooklyn rapper opened up about the music that shaped him and admitted that Nas was not a major influence during his come-up. Fivio explained that his teenage soundtrack was dominated by Chicago artists, especially Chief Keef, who inspired much of his style. “I’m not saying that the man is wack or he’s not a legend,” Fivio clarified. “I got a song with the n—a. I got a song on the album and the album got a Grammy, but I can’t sit there and say a Nas bar to you or a song — I like ‘One Mic.’” Jim Jones responded with his own perspective, making it clear that he grew up in an era where Nas was central to hip hop. “That’s what I want the people to know — but I can ‘cause Nas was my era. I came up f—kin’ with Nas. I know the Nas sh—t. But moving forward, I started a whole new era and a whole new genre and a generation of people…I just be doing me.” When pressed about his biggest influences, Fivio again highlighted his admiration for Chief Keef and the Chicago drill movement, saying he was “infatuated” with that sound. That passion ultimately fueled his own contributions to New York’s drill scene. Their talk also touched on the challenges that come with viral moments. Fivio recently made headlines after clashing with streamer PlaqueBoyMax and fellow rapper Lil Tjay during a livestream that got heated over smoking in an Airbnb. Meanwhile, Jim Jones was pulled into his own debate earlier this year when a college student claimed on a podcast that Dipset had a greater influence than Nas, sparking discussions about legacy and impact.

Lil Yachty recently expressed his gratitude to Tyler, The Creator for being his mentor. On his Instagram, the Atlanta rapper paid tribute to to Tyler. “Last leg of this tour for me and I just want to take the time to thank you for your friendship, thanking you for giving me the praises i needed to push me on and holding me accountable when i do some / ignorant sh*t,” his post read. “All in all, i’m grateful.” “1 of the few mentors i have, always held me accountable, always challenged me,” wrote Yachty. “Forever grateful. Young men need mentors. Need a line of proper guidance. Thanks Tyyytyyy.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Complex Music (@complexmusic) Lil Yacty had been opening up for  Tyler on his Chromakopia album across North America. Outside of being thankful to Tyler, Yachty found himseilf embroiled in a controversy about his use of George Flyod in a song. Shared a snippet of a track during a recent Twitch livestream, Yachty rapped, ““Put my knee up on her neck, I went George Floyd,” Yachty rapped on the song.” Former NBA star Stephen Jackson took offense to lyric and blasted Yachthy in in a now-deleted Instagram post. He described the lyric as “demeaning.” “Don’t ever say his name, bro. None of y’all knew G. Nothing about him,” Jackson wrote. On Instragram Story, Jackson revealed that Yachty that apologized for the the song. “I took my post down about Yachty because I’m emotional about George. I apologized to him. We spoke and he apologized as well,” Jackson said. “I salute him. Not a lot of people like to own up to when they [expletive] up.”

The blessings don’t stop for Busta Rhymes. The hip-hop legend received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His most recent honor, Busta, who MTV described as “one of hip-hop’s greatest visual artists”, will receive the inaugural MTV VMA, Rock the Bells Visionary Award. According to Deadline, the prestige award will celebrate his “boundary-breaking cultural impact and indomitable musical career.” Busta will be awarded the honor at the 2025 VMAs on Sunday, Sept. 7. He also will give one of his signature live performances during the show. In his remarkable career, Busta has sold 20 million albums worldwide. He also received seven Top 10 debuts on the Billboard 200, 12 Grammy Award nominations, and has a catalog with over 60 million records certified gold and platinum. He was also the Global Icon honoree at the 2024 MTV Awards. The 2025 MTV Video Awards will be hosted by another legendary rapper, LL COOL J. He is returning to host the show, and this marks the second time LL will host the ceremony. In 2022, he co-hosted with Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow. The “Mama Said Knock You Out” has a long history with MTV. In 1991,  he won his first Moon Person for Best Rap and was the first rapper ever to receive the Video Vanguard Award in 1997. The MTV VMAs revealed their nominees for the upcoming awards show on August 5, and Kendrick Lamar and Bruno Mars have 11 nominations.  Lady Gaga, for the first time in her career,  is the most-nominated artist for the VMAs with 12 nominations.  ROSÉ and Sabrina Carpenter have eight nominations. Ariana Grande and The Weeknd have seven nominations. Billie Eilish has six nods, and Charli xcx received five nods. Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, who are both nominated for artist of the year. The 2025 MTV VMAs air live from UBS Arena in New York on Sunday, Sept. 7, at 8 p.m. ET on CBS (for the first time) and MTV. The ceremony will also stream on Paramount+.

Joey Bada$$ will be coming to a city near you. On Monday (August 19), the Harlem rapper/actor announced the launch of his  “The Dark Aura Tour” with Ab-Soul and Rapsody. He also dropped his new single “Dark Aura,” which the tour is named after. The tour is in promotion of his latest LP Lonely At The Top. Taking to Instagram, Joey shared his exciting news with his followers. “THE DARK AURA TOUR w/ @souloho3 & @rapsody | THIS FALL COMING TO A CITY NEAR YOU,” his post read. The 25-stop tour begins on October 16 in Boston, then off to cities such as success Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, and more cities before wrapping up on November 20 in Philadelphia. Although he was slated to release Lonely At The Top on August 1, he put the blame on his record label, Columbia Records, “claiming that he fully completed the album on time.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by JOZIF BADMON (@joeybadass) “The album is not dropping Aug. 1. I’m f—king sorry. I’m ashamed, I’m f—king disappointed I wanted to take accountability and responsibility because I’m not ever gon’ leave y’all high and dry,” accroding to Billboard. “My s—t got pushed back because the label pushed my s—t back,” he claimed. “My album is signed, sealed and delivered over a month ago. This ain’t ‘cause of no sample clearances. This ain’t ‘cause of no features, this ain’t ‘cause of no clashing with another artist on the date. This is literally an Exhibit A of the label getting in the artist’s way … I’ve been moving on rogue time.” Tickcerts will be available on August 29. Tickets for The Dark Aura Tour will go on sale on Thursday, August 21.

Halle Bailey has been recognized not just for her artistry, but for her courage in speaking up about maternal health. The City of Los Angeles recently presented her with an honor at Project Pit’s Maternal Health Summit, applauding her for using her platform to shed light on postpartum struggles and for being open about her personal journey as a new mother. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Halle Bailey (@hallebailey) The acknowledgment highlights how Halle has become a voice for women who often face these challenges in silence. Since giving birth to her son Halo in 2023, she has been transparent about the realities of postpartum depression and how deeply it affected her. Her openness has helped spark greater awareness of Black maternal health and mental wellness, as well as the need for community care. After receiving the honor, Halle shared her appreciation in a heartfelt Instagram post. “Hii everyone i just want to thank the City of Los Angeles and [Project Pit] for this incredible honor. To be recognized for speaking up about maternal health and my own postpartum journey is really humbling just a reminder that vulnerability is not a weakness, it’s the bridge that connects us all.” Her words echo the message she has carried into public spaces since becoming a mother. Earlier this year, she revealed in a Snapchat video that she struggled to be away from her baby for even brief periods of time. “I don’t know who I am,” she admitted, sharing that she felt like an entirely different person after giving birth. What makes Halle’s recognition so meaningful is not just the award itself, but the change it represents. By being honest about her challenges, she has shown that vulnerability can inspire connection and healing, turning her personal journey into a source of strength for countless others.

Timbaland is opening up about how being a dad kept him steady while navigating fame and success. The four-time Grammy-winning producer joined his daughter Reign Mosley on her podcast Reign Check on August 13th, where the two spoke openly about family, growth, and what fatherhood really means. Timbaland, born Timothy Mosley, shares Reign with his ex-wife Monique Idlett, whom he divorced in 2013 after ten years of marriage. He also has two sons, Demetrius and Frankie, from earlier relationships. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Timbo the King (@timbaland) When Reign asked about how parenthood influenced his view of success, Timbaland explained that fatherhood didn’t necessarily change his outlook, but it gave him a deeper sense of purpose. “It didn’t really shift my perspective on fatherhood. It probably made me have a more respect for fatherhood,” he told her. “It kind of gave my success a purpose in a way. I really think it was needed.” He added that being a parent grounded him during moments when the pressures of fame could have become overwhelming. “Fatherhood was needed in my life because success could have destroyed me because you get caught up in so many things,” he said. “God will place things that you don’t know that you need in your life and fatherhood was the thing that I needed to balance success. Because if I didn’t, I could have been destroyed.” Earlier this year, Timbaland spoke on The Pivot Podcast about battling opioid addiction and revealed that his family played a vital role in helping him stay alive. He previously shared with Men’s Health that his dependency on OxyContin and Percocet began after dental surgery in 2011. Looking back, he said on The Pivot Podcast, “Then looking at your kids and really saying, like, ‘I have value in this world.’ I love my kids to death…That’s what I work for.”

With multi-platinum singles and three Grammy nominations on her belt, GloRilla is the definition of an icon-in-the-making. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that True Religion picked the Memphis native as its newest campaign star for its ICONS collection. “True Religion stands out for its iconic designs and logos that speak for themselves, but it’s about way more than just style,” said GloRilla in a press release. “It’s about being confident and owning exactly who you are. I’m proud to partner with a brand that’s so real and inspires everyday with an authenticity that still hits.” The new collection will include a sexy twist on baby T-shirts, cropped varsity jackets, and cinched vests. As expected, the urban lifestyle brand known for its superior denim quality taps into the latest trends, offering both baggy and flared jeans. Prices typically range from $40 on the low end to over $200 on the high end. Popular Twitch streamer, Duke Dennis, was also tapped as the brand’s new campaign star alongside Glo. Before those two, the brand worked with two other female rap starlets: Megan Thee Stallion and Sexyy Red. View this post on Instagram A post shared by True Religion (@truereligion) On a more sour note, a Cleveland concert that was expected to feature GloRilla, Moneybagg Yo, and Skilla Baby has turned into the center of a major legal battle. Esmail Entertainment has filed a lawsuit against Shaw Management Enterprises, seeking $2.5 million in damages. The company claims Shaw submitted forged contracts tied to the event, which led to significant financial loss. According to AllHipHop, problems began almost immediately after tickets went on sale. Just two days after the launch, Shaw Management allegedly instructed Esmail to stop all promotion for the show. No explanation was provided, which raised concerns. Esmail then contacted GloRilla’s team and reportedly learned she had never agreed to perform. They say that contract negotiations were still ongoing when Shaw sent over what they now believe were falsified documents.

Mariah recently stopped by Pitchfork for a game of “Over/Under,” where she shared her opinions on everything from lab-grown diamonds and Labubus to self-driving vehicles and Crocs. However, her most surprising answer came when she shared her thoughts on the Grammy Awards. Despite having 34 nominations and 5 Grammy wins, the “Always Be My Baby” singer declared that the iconic award show and its awards are, in fact, overrated. “I think the Grammys are overrated,” she tells the outlet. “But we love everybody.” Mariah Carey Says New Album Is On The Way In other news, amid a recent interview at the 10th anniversary of Apple Music with Zane Lowe and Ebro Darden, Carey made the announcement. “I’m trying not to tell too much about the new album,” Carey said.  “It’s a special occasion/ Mimi’s emancipation- that’s a lyric from one of my songs. What is next? The album is coming out,” she continued. “I don’t wanna tell too much about it because I just don’t want to reveal the whole thing. It’s finished.”  Carey dropped the news following the release of her newest single, “Type Dangerous.” She went on to say that the track was a “heavy record” and that it has “real weight to it.” “We got some Mariah ballads,” she said, adding that a second single will be released soon. “I’m very excited about it. It’s very summery. I like the beat as well.” Sampling Eric B. and Rakim’s classic 1986 single, “Eric B. Is President”, she performed ”Type Dangerous,” alongside Rakim at the 2025 BET Awards.  “I’ve always loved ‘Eric B. Is President.’ It wasn’t something like, ‘Oh, I’m gonna flip this’- I just wouldn’t think of doing it,” she explained. “But then we were in this restaurant in Aspen, and they had different music on, and they played ‘Eric B. Is President,’ and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh! I love this song!’ We ended up in the studio a couple [of] months later and we did it.”