Xzibit recently revealed how his former label head demanded an $11 million buyout from Dr. Dre so he could join Aftermath Records. Speaking with Red Bull,  Xzibit claimed that Steve Rifkind, the former CEO of Loud Records, wanted a large sum of money for his release from the label. “He asked for an $11 million buyout,” claimed Xzibit. “He just didn’t want to let me go.” Because of the massive price tag, the deal fell through. Although Dre didn’t sign him to Aftermath, he served as an executive producer on two of Xzibit’s albums. “He told me that no matter what he was doing or where I landed, he was gonna make sure he was there for me,” Xzibit recalled. As the interview continued, Xzibit spoke about his influential show Pimp My Ride. “Nobody knew Pimp My Ride was gonna be Pimp My Ride until that shit came out,” he said. “I had soccer moms coming up and pinching my cheeks and telling me how much they loved me. It turned me into a global brand. I was in people’s homes. I was in people’s lives. People still come up to me to this day and tell me I was a big part of their childhood.” Previously, he shared why he left the popular MTV show, detailing that his contract demands were not being met. “You really want the truth about why Pimp My Ride only lasted six seasons?… Some people don’t want their childhood ruined,” he said. “It ended because my contract was up, and I didn’t want to renew it. I was on my way out the door at 20th Century Fox after filming the last episode, and it was like, ‘Yo, all good things must come to an end.’ I’m good. I’m very good. I’m shaking hands and I’m like, ‘Okay guys, contract’s up, I don’t want to renew. I’m out.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by XZIBIT (@xzibit) The West Coast legend also released his alm Kingmaker, on May 16, his first album in 13 years.

Before he became an international superstar, The Weeknd had a regular 9-to-5. During his late-night TV debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Thursday, May 15, the Ontario native revealed that he wanted to make it as a musician because his biggest goal was “to quit my job.” “I was working at American Apparel,” he said. “I was like 19; I was trying to fold clothes.” “People working at American Apparel started playing the music. And that was the validation I needed. I was like, ‘I’m quitting this job, and this is mine. Yeah, it’s my full-time life,” he continued. He went on to say that no one knew what he looked like because he didn’t show his face as an artist. When he heard people at his gig playing his music, that’s when decided to quit for good. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Tonight Show (@fallontonight) “People working at American Apparel started playing the music. And that was the validation I needed. I was like, ‘I’m quitting this job, and this is mine. Yeah, it’s my full-time life,” he recalled. After leaving the world of retail, he kept working with his boss from American Apparel, but in a different capacity. “My boss is actually one of my creative directors,” The Weeknd explained.”He does all my typography for my albums now.” Following his conversation with Fallon, The Weeknd performed “Baptized in Fear” and “Open Hearts” off his new album.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hurry Up Tomorrow (@hurryuptomorrowmovie) Along with sharing his background in the retail industry, The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, was promoting his film, Hurry Up Tomorrow. Premiering in theaters on Friday, May 16, the psychological thriller stars Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan.

Drake calls for Tory Lanez’ freedom as he tells him to “come home soon.” The Started From the Bottom rapper wrote “@torylanez come home soon” on his Instagram Story Friday (May 16). He also shared a Change.org petition urging California Governor Gavin Newsom to pardon Lanez. View this post on Instagram A post shared by HOT 97 (@hot97) The Canadian rapper is currently serving 10 years behind bars after he was found guilty on three felony counts in the Megan Thee Stallion shooting case.  He was charged with assault with a semiautomatic handgun, carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. As perviously reported, Lanez also shared the aforementioned petition via his own Instagram after his legal team presented new evidence suggesting he was not the one who shot Megan Thee Stallion. Gianno Caldwell, who has been advocating for Lanez’s released, stated, “Mr. Peterson was never given a fair trial, free from bias.” During a press conference held on May 14, United the People, a non-profit focused on social justice, highlighted evidence shows Megan’s former best friend, Kelsey Harris, as the person who fired the shots. Attorney Walter Roberts argued, “Mr. Peterson never shot anybody. Never even touched the gun.”

Sailorr stopped by HOT 97 to talk to Nessa about her new mixtape From Florida’s Finest. She shared how Florida has impacted her perspective and explained how she honors her Asian roots by styling her teeth, referencing the cultural history of women in Southeast Asia. She talked about her song “Grrl’s Grrl” and revealed it’s her favorite on the project—then admitted she has taken someone’s girl before. She also opened up about being inspired by poet and activist Nikki Giovanni when writing her song “W1LL U L13,” which came from a personal place during a long-distance relationship filled with broken promises. She addressed critiques around cultural appropriation and spoke about how she navigates that space. Sailorr also shared how she was discovered through TikTok and how everything changed after getting a FaceTime from Bu. She reflected on impostor syndrome, staying grounded, and her hopes for her debut album. She talked about her remix with Summer Walker and the lessons she learned from observing her work ethic and team. Sailorr also shared the love she’s received from Halle Bailey, Doja Cat, Justin Bieber, Queen Latifah, and Doechii, who surprised her by showing consistent support online. In their “Toxic Talk” segment, she weighed in on texting exes, sharing your location, and how honest to be about gifts in a relationship. Sailorr says she hopes people connect with her writing and know she makes music for women. Stream her mixtape From Florida’s Finest now.

Megan Thee Stallion just shut down any rumors that she’d been banned from attending next year’s Met Gala. In a statement to PEOPLE, the Houston hottie makes it clear that while filming at the lavish affair is a no-no, she and Met Gala organizer and Editor-In-Chief of Vogue Anna Wintour are all good. “No. We’re gonna dead these rumors right now, okay? People are like, ‘Oh my God, Megan, you got banned from the Met Gala. No, I didn’t, babe. Like that’s not true,” Megan tells the outlet. “Y’all made that up and ran with it. They love making [stuff up]. Anna [Wintour] loves me, babe. That’s why my phone was out.” theestallion/Instagram Megan Thee Stallion Teams Up With Walmart For Swimwear Brand In other news, the rapper unveiled her latest business endeavor, Hot Girl Swim earlier this week. In partnership with Walmart, Megan Thee Stallion is bringing the hotties some pool-side attire complete with a bright and colorful assortment of bikinis, one-piece swimsuits, swimsuit cover-ups, and more. “Everyone knows I love being near a pool or a beach, so I finally decided to turn my passion into a business and create my own swimwear brand,” the rapper said in a press release. The initial collection will hit at least 500 Walmart stores across the country on Monday, May 19. The collection includes 18 unique, size-inclusive pieces ranging from $16 to $28. The swimwear line will also be available on Walmart.com and the rapper’s website. Hot Girl Swim is just one of the rapper’s latest business ventures. Back in February, Megan Thee Stallion launched a tequila brand, Chicas Divertidas. “As someone who values good vibes and great memories, I knew I wanted to create a tequila that was designed to be shared and savored with my Hotties,” Megan told PEOPLE in a statement around that time. “Smooth, sultry, and premium. This process has been years in the making, and I’m so proud to take this next step in my journey as an entrepreneur and launch this brand.”

On Friday (May 16), Rihanna dropped off her first single in three years, “Friend Of Mine,” and its accompanying video for the new Smurfs movie soundtrack. Coming in at just under four minutes, the video takes viewers on a colorful and trippy journey to Smurf Village. RiRi, Papa Smurf, and Smurfette party hard as the singer’s EDM-inspired track plays in the background. “Ooh, I think the word here is “déjà-vu”/Just met you tonight, but you feel like a friend of mine,” Rihanna sings on the track’s chorus. Smurfs will hit theaters on July 18, with Rihanna reprising her role as Smurfette. The film also stars Octavia Spencer, James Corden, Dan Levy, and more. According to the film’s synopsis, after “evil wizards Razamel and Garmael” kidnap Papa Smurf, “Smurfette leads the Smurfs on a mission to the real world to save him.” You can check out the trailer here. Rihanna/YouTube.com A$AP Rocky Teases Possible Name for His and Rihanna’s Third Baby A$AP Rocky gave a rare peek into his growing family’s future as he and Rihanna prepare for baby number three. During an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers, things heat up when the two talk talk baby names. With Riot and RZA already setting an ‘R’ theme, Meyers asked whether the couple plans to keep the streak going with their next child. Rocky answered without pause—“For sure,” he said—suggesting their next child’s name might follow the same ‘R’ tradition. But that choice could clash with a lighthearted request from his attorney, Joe Tacopina, who’s been campaigning for the name A$AP Joe. After securing Rocky’s acquittal in a widely publicized shooting case, Tacopina quipped, “They grabbed me and they said, ‘Listen, our next baby is A$AP Joe.’” He’s since joked that he plans to hold them to it.

Cassie and her husband, Alex Fine, releases a statement via their lawyer after Cassie’s conclusion of her testimony in the Diddy trial. “I hope that my testimony has given strength and a voice to other survivors, and can help others who have suffered to speak up and also heal from abuse and fear,” Cassie said, per TMZ. “For me, the more I heal, the more I can remember. And the more I can remember, the more I will never forget.” The songstress says she’s “glad to put this chapter of my life to rest as I turn to focus on the conclusion of my pregnancy.” In the statement Fine also shared his sentiments following the emotional four-day testimony. “I have felt tremendous pride and overwhelming love for Cass,” he wrote. “I have felt profound anger that she has been subjected to sitting in front of a person who tried to break her.” “You did not break her spirit nor her smile,” he said. “I did not save Cassie, as some have said. To say that is an insult to the years of painful work my wife has done to save herself. Cassie saved Cassie,” he wrote. “She alone broke free from abuse, coercion, violence, and threats. She did the work of fighting the demons that only a demon himself could have done to her.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom) Cassie is currently eight-and-a-half months pregnant with her and Fine’s third child. The couple have been married since 2019. The pair share two daughters, 5-year-old Frankie and 4-year-old Sunny. With a baby boy on the way.

Styles P believes that Jim Jones is not on his level as a lyricist. During an interview on the No Funny Shit Show, the legendary member of the LOX, at around the co-host Kenny Supreme suggested that Jones might have a better “20 pack” of songs. While Styles acknowledged that  Supreme is “entitled” to his opinion because “hip-hop is about you connecting with music,” Styles said that he and Jones “ain’t in the same league.” “The Ghost” then explained what differentiates him from Capo. “Me and Jim don’t do the same thing. I’m a bar master. I’m a lyrical technician. I’ve been on joints with some of the best emcees in the world,” Styles said, naming The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Black Thought, and Talib Kweli.. “I bar sh*t down. When Rakim tells you you nice, KRS tells you you nice, Big tells you you nice, Hov tells you you nice … all these people tell you you nice, you’re f**king nice,” Styles said. “I’m not here to make catchy hooks and do dope sh*t. I don’t knock that. I’m trying to say some sh*t that’s gonna make your soul move—that’s gonna be some shit you may catch 10 years later, down the line,” he added. “There’s not many people in my age group that have the amount of catalog I have.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by NFS (@nofunnyshit.show) “[Jim] don’t got none of those kind of songs that make n***as cry,” Styles explained. “You better check my jacket. I made up a fucking lane. There was no artist emcee before. It was fly dudes, it was kings. I invented the lane where n***as saying they make hard shit. Me.” In a now-deleted post on Instagram, Jones then challenged Styles to a Verzuz battle. “Now go listen to [the] song ‘Bobby’ we did on Lobby Boy,” Jones said of the track from The Lobby Boyz album with Maino. “We recorded it at the same time in the studio together. Since we talkin’ bars let’s [just] do a versus [sic] ep something for [the] people to listen n judge.” “I’m not scared of no competition on any level, I’m here to level [the] playin field. If we talkin bars let’s go,” Jones added. This wouldn’t be the first time Styles and Jones were involved in a Verzuz. In 2021, The LOX soundly defeated the Diplomats.

During Diddy’s federal sex trafficking trial, Cassie testified that he accused her of having an affair with Michael B. Jordan after they broke up.  Cassie’s alleged relationship with Jordan was brought up during cross-examination by Anna Estevao, Diddy’s lawyer, on Thursday. While on the stand, Estevao asked if Diddy “suspected” she had an affair after they broke up. At the time, Cassie and Diddy were filming Honey 3: Dare to Dance in South Africa. “Mr. Combs suspected you of having a relationship with whom?” Estevao asked, to which Cassie responded, “Michael B. Jordan,” according to Inner City Press reporter Matthew Russell Lee’s trial transcripts. According to Cassie, the romance with Jordan was sparked after she discovered that Diddy was allegedly with one of his on-off girlfriends. At the time, she was filming a movie in South Africa. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom) Cassie also testified that she ended communication with Diddy for some time and began dating the Sinners actor. When asked how Diddy reacted to the relationship with Jordan, Cassie said, “I wasn’t there to see it.” She also testified that she couldn’t remember if Diddy tried to text her about Jordan, but “he did try to make contact.” In her civil lawsuit against Diddy, Cassie’s relationship with Jordan was first mentioned along with Kid Cudi. The suit alleged that Diddy threatened to blow up Cudi’s car in front of his friends. Jordan’s name also came up during jury selection before the trial. Combs is charged with sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty. If found guilty, Diddy faces life in prison.

Halle Bailey has officially been awarded sole legal and physical custody of her young son, Halo Saint. According to court records obtained by PEOPLE, the decision follows a series of serious allegations against her ex-boyfriend and the child’s father, rapper and content creator DDG, whose real name is Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr. Bailey, 25, welcomed Halo in December 2023, but their relationship ended the following year. In her legal filings, she accused the 27-year-old of repeated emotional and physical abuse. As part of her custody request, she also filed for a temporary restraining order that requires DDG to remain more than 100 yards away from both her and their son. That order will stay in place until a court hearing takes place in June 2025. Bailey also asked the court to restrict DDG from having unsupervised contact with Halo. She proposed that if any visits are allowed, they should occur once a week in Los Angeles and be monitored by a professional visitation service. She wants the court to block any attempts by DDG to take Halo out of the county without approval. Her filings include a request for a child abduction prevention order. She stated that DDG has previously hidden their son from her, threatened to take him away, and refused to cooperate with her on custody and parenting decisions. Bailey asked that he be barred from applying for or holding Halo’s passport or any other travel documents unless she gives written permission. She also wants DDG to share full travel details if he takes Halo anywhere with her consent, including airline information, addresses, and contact numbers. In her statement to the court, Bailey wrote, “I realize that there is no placating Darryl. I cannot allow this abuse any longer. I cannot keep living like this.”