A live performance from Pusha T as part of Clipse. Photo Credit: Ben Sisto

Let the Drake v. Universal Music fallout continue: According to Pusha T, execs at the major’s Def Jam subsidiary urged him to censor a Kendrick Lamar guest verse on Clipse’s forthcoming album. The ‘request’ ended up blowing up the label deal.

The decidedly interesting tidbit emerged in a new GQ interview with both Pusha T and his brother Malice, who are set to release Let God Sort Em Out as Clipse next month. The duo’s first album since 2009, this Pharrell Williams-produced project was initially expected to drop via Def Jam/UMG.

As described by Pusha, Def Jam approved of the album – save a Kendrick Lamar guest verse on “Chains & Whips.” The way Pusha tells the story, despite his public remarks about difficulties getting the touring Lamar into the studio, the recording process wrapped a while ago.

But after the Lamar-Drake showdown took center stage – and fueled an ugly lawsuit between the latter rapper as well as Universal Music – UMG was hesitant to release the track (and the album) if it contained Lamar’s lines.

How hesitant, you might ask?

Though Pusha says the relevant bars aren’t direct or even indirect shots at Drake, Def Jam allegedly pushed him to “censor” the guest appearance. Evidently, he was unwilling to do so – hence last week’s announcement that Let God Sort Em Out would become available through Roc Nation.

In fact, besides allowing Clipse to find a new professional home, Def Jam also let Pusha (who himself had a comparatively small Drake beef years ago) walk from his solo contract, per the interview.

However, “allowing” and “let” don’t necessarily paint a full picture here. In a separate sit down, Pusha manager Steven Victor elaborated that Clipse had coughed up a seven-figure sum to exit the contract.

Translation: the Drake showdown is having a very real effect on Universal Music’s releases and artist contracts. With the high-stakes battle still in full swing – Team Drake closed out May by pushing back against UMG’s dismissal motion – it’ll certainly be worth keeping the point in mind moving forward.

(Side note: Lamar reportedly removed several Drake attacks from “Euphoria” as well, Top Dawg’s Terrence “Punch” Henderson revealed earlier in 2025.)

Running with the important idea (and the possible implications for not just future diss tracks, but all rap efforts), Drake’s attorneys are adamant that “Not Like Us” actually caused the public to believe that their client is a pedophile.

“UMG’s theory is that all of this was ‘hyperbole’—a harmless joke that no reasonable person would take seriously because it was part of a ‘rap battle,’” Drake’s counsel summed up in the late-May filing.

“But UMG’s theory collides with the reality that the Recording’s false allegations of pedophilia, broadcast to the entire world via the most powerful music company, have proven to be toxic and indelible. In other words, UMG’s ‘just joking’ narrative runs headfirst into the concrete facts,” they continued.

Photo Credit: Revolt Black News

50 Cent makes good on his promise after he vowed to let Trump know what Diddy has said about him, heading off a potential pardon for the mogul.

50 Cent promised to let Trump know what “really bad” things Sean “Diddy” Combs has said about him, after the president stated he would “look at the facts” pertaining to a potential pardon for the disgraced star. Now, the rapper has made good on that promise, posting a pair of clips on Monday featuring Combs condemning the president.

The first video features Combs in conversation with Charlamagne Tha God, discussing a potential race war if Trump were in office. A second clip shows Diddy condemning the president on Revolt, saying, “White men like Trump need to be banished.”

50 Cent commented in the caption of one clip, “Welp can’t ask him for help then, buddy.” In the other clip’s caption, he remarked, “See, Trump don’t like shit like this, buddy; you run your mouth [too] much.”

Meanwhile, Combs remains on trial in New York for federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges. Should he be found guilty on all charges, Combs could spend life in prison. On Tuesday, during the trial’s fourth week and 15th day of testimony, a hotel security officer claimed Diddy paid him $100,000 to make sure the surveillance footage of Combs assaulting Cassie Ventura never got out to the public.

50 Cent’s efforts to curb a potential pardon for Combs comes hot on the heels of Trump’s pardon for YoungBoy Never Broke Again. Last week, Trump was asked about a potential pardon for Combs, and the president said he would consider it, but would need to look at the facts of the case.

“I haven’t spoken to him in years,” said Trump. “He used to really like me a lot. I think when I ran for politics, that relationship busted up. […] I would certainly look at all the facts. If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don’t like me, it wouldn’t have any impact on me.”

Photo Credit: Extra TV

Sean “Diddy” Combs paid a hotel security officer $100,000 to hand over surveillance footage showing the hip-hop mogul attacking his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, the officer testified at Combs’ federal trial.

Eddy Garcia, who worked as a security officer at an Intercontinental hotel, told jurors that Diddy bribed him to hand over surveillance footage showing the star brutally attacking then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. Garcia testified on Tuesday in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ongoing federal sex trafficking trial, which is now in its fourth week.

“He was concerned that this video would get out and that it would ruin his career,” said Garcia, who was granted immunity to secure his testimony. Garcia said shortly after the incident occurred, Combs contacted him, telling Garcia he would “take care” of him if he handed over the footage.

Garcia relayed Combs’ message about the video to his boss, who said he would give Combs the footage for $50,000. The next day, Garcia said he saw his boss enter the room that hosted servers for the surveillance cameras.

He testified that his boss gave him a USB drive, which Garcia gave to Combs, who later returned with a brown bag and a cash counter. Garcia said Combs ran the cash through the counter, which displayed $100,000. Combs then returned the money to the bag and handed it over to Garcia.

Jurors had previously been shown footage of the surveillance video, dated March 2016, which took place in the hallway of the Intercontinental hotel in Los Angeles. There, Combs, wearing only a towel, is seen throwing Ventura to the ground, kicking her, and dragging her back to their room.

Combs’ attorneys have admitted the star has, at times, been abusive in his domestic relationships. However, they argue that the so-called “Freak Offs” were consensual sexual encounters.

Ventura testified earlier in the trial that the incident shown in the surveillance video took place after Combs had given her a black eye during a “Freak Off.” Prosecutors say that such encounters took place over two decades, in which Combs coerced women such as Ventura to take part in drug-fueled sexual performances with male sex workers.

According to the prosecution, bribery is among the racketeering acts that either Combs or his employees used to facilitate the “Freak Off” encounters and prevent word of his abuse from getting out. If convicted on all counts in the federal trial, Combs could face life in prison.

Photo Credit: MILLION DOLLAZ WORTH OF GAME / CC by 3.0

President Trump pardons rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again, who was sentenced last year to 23 months in prison for possession of firearms as a felon.

YoungBoy Never Broke Again had also been given 60 months of probation and was released from federal custody in March. Since then, he has been under home confinement. The rapper recently announced a headlining US tour, which is set to kick off in September.

“I want to thank President Trump for granting me a pardon and giving me the opportunity to keep building—as a man, as a father, and as an artist,” said YoungBoy Never Broke Again, who was born Kentrell DeSean Gaulden, and is also known as NBA YoungBoy. “This moment means a lot. It opens the door to a future I’ve worked hard for and I am fully prepared to step into this.”

The rapper’s tour agent, Andrew Lieber, said in a statement to The New York Times: “He’s a fully free man now, with no travel restrictions. The world is at his fingertips.”

Trump also pardoned a slew of high-profile Republicans and other supporters, donors, and friends, with the influence of Alice Marie Johnson, whom the president pardoned back in 2020. Trump has recently dubbed Johnson his “pardon czar.”

Among those pardoned in the latest round were Todd and Julie Chrisley of the reality show “Chrisley Knows Best,” who were convicted of conspiring to defraud banks in the Atlanta area. He also pardoned James Callahan, a New York union leader who pleaded guilty for failing to report $315,000 in gifts from an advertising firm.

Further, he pardoned former Connecticut governor John Rowland, a Republican who served from 1995 to 2004. Rowland was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for charges related to concealing his involvement in two federal election campaigns. The president also pardoned Michael Grimm, a New York Republican who resigned from Congress after being convicted of tax fraud. Army Lt. Mark Bradshaw, convicted in 2022 of reporting to work without undergoing a COVID-19 test, was also pardoned.

Trump also commuted the sentence of Larry Hoover, a former Chicago gang leader serving a life sentence at Colorado’s supermax prison. Hoover was first imprisoned in connection with a 1973 murder, and was convicted of running a criminal enterprise in 1998.

In 2021, Trump pardoned Lil Wayne and commuted Kodak Black’s federal prison sentence before he left office. To celebrate his pardon, Lil Wayne released the song “Ain’t Got Time.”

Photo Credit: Maryland GovPics / CC by 2.0

A high-profile dispute has erupted between former Def Jam exec Kevin Liles and rapper Lady Luck. Liles has accused the rapper of attempting to extort him to the tune of $30 million through threats. He also alleges Lady Luck threatened to publish a book containing “false and damaging allegations of sexual misconduct.”

According to statements released by Liles, Lady Luck—real name Shanell Jones—and her legal team contacted him to demand a $30 million payment. They said without a payment, Liles would face a very public lawsuit and the release of a tell-all book accusing Liles of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct. Those allegations include claims that Liles ‘groomed’ Lady Luck when she signed to Def Jam in 1999 as a teenager. Other allegations include that Liles exposed himself to her and tried to force her to perform oral sex in his car.

Liles has categorically denied all of the accusations levied against him, calling them “utterly false” and “pure fabrication. “None of this ever happened,” Liles said in a public statement. “Her threatened allegations are totally false. Rather than pay her and her legal team, I am publicly addressing what I view to be an extortion attempt.”

“It seems Mrs. Jones hopes to leverage the current news environment to pressure me into writing an exorbitant check in order to avoid the negative publicity that will likely result from her false claims,” Liles continues. “I intend to vigorously fight any complaint she may file and will take whatever legal action is necessary against her and the attorneys who have participated in this attempted shakedown.”

The statement was released on the website ‘LadyLucksOwnWords.com,’ which Liles appears to have created as an archive of communication with the rapper. It details how Liles gave her a chance with a record deal after hearing her on Hot 97 and contains numerous print and web interviews of Lady Luck discussing her relationship with the rap mogul.

Liles argues that his relationship with her was always professional and supportive. He also notes her struggles, stating that her career did not reach the heights both she and Liles hoped she would achieve. Lady Luck later requested to be released from her Def Jam contract. Liles also pointed to a criminal background and referenced recent hardships, stating “I will not be extorted, nor will I pay a dollar to those that threaten to ruin my reputation.”

Lady Luck and her legal representatives thus far have not responded to the detailed denials or the website. The dispute also comes at a time when Liles is seeking the dismissal of a sexual assault lawsuit stemming from his time at Def Jam in the early 2000s—though it’s unclear if that lawsuit is related.

Producer Deezle (Darius Harrison), who’s filed a missing-royalties lawsuit against Universal Music, posing with his Grammys from Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III. Photo Credit: Claudio Ch Zayas

Lil Wayne producer Deezle (real name Darius Harrison) is suing Universal Music for allegedly failing to pay him millions in due royalties from Tha Carter III (2008) and more.

Deezle and his Drum Major Music Entertainment company just recently submitted the multifaceted lawsuit to a New York federal court. This time around, Universal Music Group (UMG) is the only defendant.

14 years back, however, Deezle levied a similar action against Lil Wayne himself; the involved parties settled in 2012. Despite the resolution – more on this in a moment – the producer is evidently unready to put his royalty qualms in the rearview.

As recapped in the newly filed lawsuit, after scoring a 2004 Cash Money Records producer deal and producing “Weezy Baby” on Tha Carter II (2005), Deezle went on to ink a producer agreement with Lil Wayne-founded Young Money Entertainment in late 2007.

Under the newer contract, the producer then contributed to six Tha Carter III tracks, among them “Lollipop.”

Per the plaintiffs, Young Money agreed to provide “no less than semi-annual accounting statements reflecting all royalties accrued” as part of the tie-up. Plus, Young Money’s distributor, Cash Money, was said to be compelled to account to the filing parties “directly and at the same time it” accounted to Young Money.

In terms of where Universal Music fits into the picture, stated concisely, the major has long handled Cash Money’s distribution. And Lil Wayne reportedly sold the Young Money catalog to UMG for $100 million in 2020.

Consequently, Young Money (as well as Cash Money and, in turn, UMG) is allegedly compelled to forward to Deezle and his company the appropriate “4 percent royalty rate” on the above-outlined Tha Carter III efforts.

Unsurprisingly, in light of the just-levied complaint, these payments have purportedly failed to come through.

“In a shocking, willful and intentional breach of the YME Producer Agreement,” the plaintiffs summed up, “YME failed to [account to] Harrison pursuant to the YME Producer Agreement and UMG has breached the agreement by failing to report and pay royalites [sic] for over a decade.”

Additionally, regarding the aforesaid 2004 Cash Money producer pact, Deezle has pointed to allegedly unpaid royalties for his six credits on Birdman’s Fast Money (2005), besides the “Shorty Bounce” track Lil Wayne recorded for The Longest Yard.

Back to the previously highlighted settlement, Universal Music is said to have started “sending royalty statements to” Deezle after the prior suit’s 2012 resolution. But the major allegedly “ceased sending” those statements “[a]lmost immediately” thereafter.

“UMG administers the payments to producers, artists and songwriters relating to the masters at issue and has failed to pay Plaintiffs,” the filing parties summed up. “Plaintiffs have not been paid any producer royalites [sic] associated with the YME Producer Agreement or CMR Producer Agreement for over a decade.”

While this suit’s timing is likely to take center stage as the legal battle plays out, Deezle is seeking at least $6 million in damages for the allegedly missing royalties. And in the bigger picture, the producer has joined the likes of Iggy Azalea and Limp Bizkit in formally accusing the major of failing to pay royalties.

Photo Credit: Chief Fashionista / CC by 2.0

Young Thug has ignited controversy over his take on Kid Cudi’s testimony during Diddy’s sex trafficking and racketeering trial in New York.

The Atlanta rapper posted “Dam cudi a rat lol” on X/Twitter shortly after Kid Cudi’s appearance in court. The rapper quickly deleted the message, but it has sparked controversy in the hip-hop community over the ethics of testifying in criminal cases involving fellow artists. Kid Cudi—real name Scott Mescudi—took the stand yesterday to deliver testimony about Diddy’s actions.

Prosecutors believe Cudi’s testimony was necessary in seeking to establish a pattern of violence and intimidation by Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. During his testimony, Cudi spoke of several events involving the rap mogul. He testified that in 2012, his Porsche was destroyed in a Molotov cocktail attack that he believed to be a warning from Diddy. Cudi says the warning was due to his brief relationship with Cassie Ventura, Diddy’s ex-girlfriend and another witness at the trial.

Kid Cudi described receiving a call from his dog sitter about the car being on fire and later saw photos showing the top of the Porsche had been cut into for the Molotov cocktail to be placed. Cudi also alleges that Diddy broke into his Los Angeles home in 2011 after discovering that Cudi was dating Cassie Ventura. During that break-in, Cudi said his dog was confined to the bathroom and Christmas presents were left opened in the kitchen.

Young Thug’s ‘rat’ comments underscores ongoing tensions in the hip-hop community over the code of silence and what is perceived as ‘snitching.’ The rapper himself was recently released from prison after a RICO case and has previously criticized artists who co-operate with the authorities in any capacity. Young Thug also criticized fellow rapper Gunna for co-operating with authorities during the YSL RICO case, in which Gunna accepted a plea deal.

Photo Credit: Kid Cudi by Sellahremy / CC by 3.0

Kid Cudi was called to testify at Diddy’s federal trial over an attack in which his Porsche was allegedly blown up by the disgraced music mogul.

Scott Mescudi, better known as Kid Cudi, was called as a witness to testify during day nine of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial. Cudi described his reaction when a Molotov cocktail blew up his Porsche convertible, which prosecutors say was at the direction of Combs.

“What the f—,” the rapper recalled, after he received a call from his dog-sitter in 2012. “She told me my car was on fire,” he said. “I immediately went to my house.”

Cudi said that while on his way home, he received a text from his friend with a picture of the damaged Porsche. “The top of my Porsche was cut open, and that’s where they inserted the Molotov cocktail,” he said, explaining that the car was beyond repair.

Cassie Ventura, the trial’s star witness and Combs’ ex-girlfriend, was dating Mescudi at the time the rapper’s car was destroyed. She previously testified that Combs became jealous and allegedly threatened to have the car blown up. Mescudi did not mention Combs in connection with the car’s destruction during his testimony.

Ventura’s troubled on-again, off-again relationship with Combs was at the heart of Mescudi’s testimony. He also recalled an incident in which he received a phone call from a “scared” Ventura in the early hours of the morning in December 2011. She asked Mescudi to pick her up, and that Combs had found out about their relationship.

Combs had allegedly obtained Mescudi’s home address, and she was afraid he would show up or send someone to cause problems at her new boyfriend’s house. Mescudi said he was confused, because he believed Combs was no longer a part of Ventura’s life. Nevertheless, he said he picked her up as requested and took her to a hotel.

At the hotel, Mescudi received a phone call from Combs’ employee and Ventura’s friend, Capricorn Clark. Clark told him Combs and an associate physically forced her into a car and drove to Mescudi’s home. Allegedly, Clark said she was calling from the car, while Combs was actively inside his house.

Mescudi said he rushed home and called Combs on the way. Combs allegedly said they needed to talk, and that he would be waiting for Mescudi when he arrived. But when he got home, Mescudi said no one was there. Mescudi then told the court during cross-examination that he left his front door unlocked and there were no signs of forced entry, nor any damages to his property. The only signs someone had been there were Mescudi’s dog locked in the bathroom and unwrapped Christmas presents on the kitchen counter.

The rapper said he filed a police report about the break-in. He told the court he spent the holiday with Ventura’s family, and Combs tried to contact him several times. Mescudi said he would not take Combs’ calls, simply telling him, “You broke into my house. You messed with my dog. I don’t want to talk to you.”

Mescudi’s relationship with Ventura ended shortly after the holidays in 2011, mostly because he said he was concerned for his safety. Then, in January 2012, he received the phone call from his dog-sitter about his Porsche being on fire. Although DNA was taken from the scene, no one was ever charged with setting the car on fire. Nevertheless, Mescudi told the court he believed Combs was involved.

Combs and Mescudi eventually met to discuss their differences at SoHo House in Los Angeles, where the latter says the former maintained a calm demeanor. Mescudi said Combs denied knowing anything about the car, but that he didn’t believe him.

Combs is charged with sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty, and his federal trial continues.

Photo Credit: Rod Wave by Michealjordan45 / CC by 4.0

Rapper Rod Wave was arrested in Georgia on 14 counts, including aggravated assault, possession of a firearm, and felony tampering with evidence.

Rod Wave, known for hits like “Street Runner” and “Tombstone,” was arrested in Fulton County, Georgia, and released on $50,000 bond yesterday, according to court records.

The musician, whose real name is Rodarius Green, was arrested in connection to an incident back in April when he returned to his home following a burglary. An argument ensued, and a pistol was fired 14 times, striking several cars and a wall in the house.

According to Drew Findling, Rod Wave’s attorney, “There is no truth to these charges. Rod Green was a victim of a burglary and committed no crimes. How he was even charged as a result of this situation is incomprehensible. This will absolutely be resolved favorably to Mr. Green.”

An initial police report obtained by the Associated Press says that officers found a large safe in the basement of the home that had been “dragged across the floor, opened, and emptied.” They also found a gold Mercedes SUV on the property with multiple bullet holes in it. Near the swimming pool, police also found a broken window and a hammer in a bush next to it, and a black Glock handgun was also discovered at the scene.

Rod’s girlfriend told officers that she found that the house appeared to have been burglarized when she returned home. The initial report does not list any suspects that may have broken in, nor does it accuse the rapper of committing any crimes.

Rod Wave was previously arrested for possession of ammunition or a weapon in Florida back in April 2024. That arrest was made on suspicion that he was involved in a gang-related shooting following an argument that left four injured.

Photo Credit: Pelpa Time Production / CC by 3.0

Chris Brown was granted bail by a London court for $6.7 million over an assault charge, paving the way for his world tour to begin next month.

Chris Brown is out on bail after his arrest in the UK last week after returning to the country for the first time since an alleged assault two years ago. He was initially refused bail on Friday, but a London court granted him bail on Wednesday after he promised to pay 5 million pounds ($6.7 million) in a security fee.

“From the cage to the stage!” wrote Brown on Instagram after Wednesday’s bail hearing.

The US singer was charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm in an “unprovoked attack” on music producer Abraham Diaw with a tequila bottle in a London nightclub in 2023. He has not yet been asked to enter a plea to the charge, and he was not present when Judge Tony Baumgartner granted him bail. Brown will next appear at London’s Southwark Crown Court on June 20.

The 36-year-old Brown is set to kick off his Breezy Bowl XX Tour on June 8 in the Netherlands, but his arrest left fans concerned the tour would be postponed. The court also required him to surrender his passport, with exceptions for when he is traveling for his tour.

A security fee is a financial guarantee to ensure a defendant returns to court; Brown could be asked to forfeit the money should he breach his bail conditions. Other conditions of his bail include living at a specific address known to the court, not contacting the alleged victim, not visiting the nightclub where the incident occurred, and not applying for international travel documents.

Chris Brown’s tour is scheduled to kick off in Amsterdam on June 8, with stadium and arena dates in Manchester, London, Cardiff, Birmingham, and Glasgow through June and July.

Photo Credit: AllHipHop

An entire Kanye West album leaked onto the internet yesterday, prompting the rapper to respond. The announced album was once called WW3, but the rapper took to Twitter to say he renamed it to CUCK. Leakers say the benefit from the sale of the files went to the U.S. Holocaust Museum—with proof provided.

The leak originated on Discord, a meassaging and community platform popular with gamers and music fans of specific artists. A folder containing the full CUCK album and other unreleased Kanye West songs began circulating in private Discord groups. From there, the files quickly spread to YouTube and other social media platforms—though YouTube was quick to remove them.

The leak was part of a ‘group buy’ model, in which fans and critics pooled money (in this case $999) to obtain and release the files themselves. Those responsible for the leak said the funds were donated to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

The leak’s metadata and public statements included explicit criticism of Kanye West, referencing his recent controversies and antisemitic remarks. The files themselves contained derogatory messages about the rapper, and the album art was altered to include a picture of the young rapper wearing a ‘no nazis’ shirt. The original album art featured Ku Klux Klan members on its cover art.

“Fuck Nazis. 50-year-old loser promoting fascism and hate speech. All proceeds from this group buy were donated to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum,” the leakers wrote alongside the full track list. The album contains songs like “WW3,” “Cosby,” “Diddy Free,” “Dirty Magazines,” “Jesus,” “Bianca,” “Cousins,” “Uncle,” “Free My Kids,” “Heil Hitler,” “Gas Chambers,” “Hitler Ye Jesus,” “Jared,” and “Nitrous.”

The tracks including “Diddy Free,” “Free My Kids,” and “Dirty Magazines” were never before released ahead of this leak. The song “Heil Hitler” was released by Kanye himself as a single, but several digital streaming providers (DSPs) removed the song due to its controversial nature and TOS violations promoting hate speech.

“Shout out to the leakers but also Kanye music in 2025 ain’t worth being leaked,” wrote one user on X/Twitter. Kanye himself responded to the leak on X/Twitter, writing: “Somebody got a drive and threw it on YouTube and said this is CUCK. What I love about getting blocked on DSPs and having songs leaked and shows cancelled is it proves everything I’m saying and why I’m saying.”

“Glorifying fascism is not ‘art,’” the original leaker wrote on Discord. “‘Speech of Love’ is just an excuse to say outrageous nonsense for attention. Kanye West is a 50-year-old spineless, brainless, drug addict, porn-addicted Nazi bitch,” the message continues.

Photo Credit: David Burke / CC by 2.0

Salt-N-Pepa is suing Universal Music Group for the rights to their catalog, claiming the label is holding their music hostage.

Cheryl James and Sandra Denton of the legendary hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa are suing Universal Music Group (UMG) for the rights to their catalog, which includes hits like “Push It,” “Shoop,” and “Whatta Man” featuring En Vogue. The duo claim the label is holding their music “hostage” and will not acquiesce to their request to invoke termination rights, by which songwriters can end their publishing agreements and regain their copyrights.

In a 166-page lawsuit filed Monday in New York, Denton and James state they “will not tolerate disrespect” from the label. The pair assert that they “not only transformed the genre but created, recorded, and performed some of the most famous hits of the twentieth century.” As the “First Females of Rap,” they were instrumental in “paving the way for subsequent generations of powerful and commercially successful female rap and hip-hop artists.”

According to the lawsuit, Salt-N-Pepa’s catalog has generated an estimated $1 million in the past five months in synchronization licenses alone, despite “little to no marketing efforts” on the part of UMG. The label has held a copyright grant since 1986, which has “given UMG the right to exploit Plaintiffs’ master recordings and retain a portion of all monies earned by Plaintiffs from the commercial exploitation of their work.”

Denton and James attempted to exercise their rights to termination of their contract with UMG under Section 203 of the Copyright Act of 1976, which allows songwriters to terminate copyright grants after 35 years.

But UMG has “refused to honor Plaintiffs’ Notices of Termination.” Instead, “UMG has indicated that it will hold Plaintiffs’ rights hostage even if it means tanking the value of Plaintiffs’ music catalog and depriving their fans of access to their work.” The lawsuit cites instances in which UMG removed Salt-N-Pepa songs from streaming platforms and made their music “unavailable for commercial exploitation in the US.”

Denton and James are seeking a jury trial. The duo is seeking both actual damages for money lost and punitive damages to be determined at trial. According to the filing, the actual damages alone could “well exceed $1 million.” They are also asking the court for a permanent injunction confirming their rights to their catalog.

UMG’s attorneys, in letters included as exhibits in the lawsuit, that they have pushed for mediation in order to reach a “mutually acceptable resolution.” However, lawyers for UMG also claim that Denton and James were not personally parties in the 1986 agreement that covered their initial albums. Further, there is “no evidence” that they ever granted the label copyright that could now be reclaimed.

According to UMG, the recordings were “works made for hire,” which would make them ineligible for the rights to be reclaimed. But Salt-N-Pepa’s lawsuit asserts that the pair’s agreements with the label very clearly state that they were not.

The lawsuit comes ahead of Salt-N-Pepa’s induction into the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame on November 8. The group was the first female rap ensemble to win a Grammy in 1995, and in 2021, they received a lifetime achievement Grammy award.

Photo Credit: Chris Brown by Pelpa Time Production / CC by 3.0

Chris Brown was arrested at a hotel in Manchester on suspicion of causing bodily harm to producer Abe Diaw at a London nightclub in 2023.

Police arrested Chris Brown on suspicion of causing “grievous bodily harm” to music producer Abe Diaw at the Tape nightclub in London back in February 2023. Brown was arrested just after 2 AM at the Lowry Hotel.

The 36-year-old flew into Manchester Airport on a private jet on Wednesday afternoon, likely to begin rehearsals for his tour. The tour is slated to begin its UK leg on June 15 in Manchester. British tabloid The Sun contacted authorities after confirming Brown was in the country, asking if he would be placed under arrest for the 2023 incident. After receiving the tip, detectives travelled to Manchester to place the R&B star under arrest.

According to Diaw, Brown attacked him unprovoked at around 3 AM on the night in question. Brown was attending a Dirty Martini club night at the Tape nightclub with his entourage, when Diaw claims Brown broke a bottle over his head and punched him. He said Brown continued attacking him with kicks after he fell to the ground, and he sustained injuries that saw him taken to the hospital to recover.

Diaw launched a civil suit against Brown for £12 million ($16 million) in damages for injuries and losses suffered as a result of the attack. Brown remains in custody since his arrest. The investigation into the incident is being led by detectives from the Central West Area Basic Command Unit.

That leaves the future of Brown’s upcoming tour—Breezy Bowl XX, a celebration of his 20-year career—uncertain. The tour is scheduled to kick off on June 8 in Amsterdam, before heading to the UK, with dates in Glasgow, Manchester, Cardiff, London, and Birmingham.

Snoop Dogg, who seems to have put his Spotify dispute in the rearview. Photo Credit: gcardinal

Just in time for today’s release of a surprise album entitled Iz It a Crime?, Snoop Dogg looks to have put his long-running Spotify dispute to rest.

The most immediate example of that resolution can be found in the widespread streaming availability of Iz It a Crime?. As many will recall, Snoop Dogg in late February released “Spaceship Party” solely via Tune.fm after levying royalties-related criticism at Spotify.

(Before that, 2024 had seen the Death Row owner finalize a separate streaming-exclusive tie-up with Web3 music platform Gala. A copyright suit against the latter, Snoop, and Death Row alike is technically ongoing, though both sides last month said they’d hammered out a settlement in principle.)

Spotify, Snoop publicly alleged, had only paid him a paltry $45,000 or so for somewhere in the ballpark of one billion streams. The service promptly pushed back, pointing to millions in total royalty payouts for the plays and, in the process, urging the 19 Crimes partner to direct his compensation qualms elsewhere.

Now, Spotify has capitalized on an opportunity to diffuse Snoop’s high-profile criticism, with the 16-time Grammy nominee taking advantage of a chance to promote the aforementioned Iz It a Crime? and the release particulars thereof.

Enter a decidedly positive article not from the music world, but Bloomberg, which proclaimed that Snoop Dogg “now understands the complexity of” royalties after meetings with Spotify execs.

The plural “meetings” is important. As the outlet tells the story, Gamma co-founder Larry Jackson (whose company put out Iz It a Crime? alongside Death Row) facilitated the talks, which occurred over a “few weeks.”

With Spotify in the habit of stressing the significant portion of revenue that it pays rightsholders, we won’t have too hard a time inferring which way the blame shifted here.

In any event, NBC-partnered Snoop Dogg “no longer blames Spotify itself,” but still isn’t a fan of the underlying streaming-compensation model, per the report. “‘They offered me understanding and clarity,’” Snoop elaborated in a concise statement. “‘We had a meeting of the minds.’”

If the well-established Snoop wants to drop the streaming model like it’s hot, it’s safe to say emerging acts are also eager to do so – or, at a minimum, to secure a less-lousy arrangement.

Of course, these professionals cannot very easily meet with Spotify brass to discuss their royalty-rate reservations. And they’re simultaneously fighting to stand out from an ocean of noise, being denied pay for some of their streams, and being shortchanged in different ways yet.

Photo Credit: U.S. Attorneys SDNY

Cassie Ventura, the R&B singer and former partner of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, delivered testimony on May 14th in the rap mogul’s ongoing trial. The testimony revealed a jaw-dropping $20 million payment to settle her civil lawsuit.

In a dramatic moment that closed her second day on the witness stand, Ventura confirmed for the first time that Diddy and his companies paid her $20 million to settle the civil lawsuit she filed in November 2023.

The $20 million settlement is a figure that was previously undisclosed to the public and was revealed during Ventura’s direct examination by prosecutors in Manhattan. Ventura stated unequivocally that the payment came from Diddy and his associated companies, bringing to light the substantial financial agreement that led to the swift dismissal of her civil lawsuit just one day after it was filed.

Ventura’s lawsuit accused Combs of a decade-long pattern of physical abuse, sexual assault, and coercion. Those allegations include that Combs drugged her, forced her into sexual encounters with male prostitutes, and orchestrated what he dubbed ‘freak-offs’—drug-fueled sex parties that he directed and filmed. That initial civil action and its swift settlement sparked a wave of additional lawsuits and triggered a federal criminal investigation that led to Combs’ arrest on charges including sex trafficking and racketeering.

While on the stand, Ventura recounted harrowing details of her relationship with Diddy from 2005 to 2018, describing incidents of rape, beatings, and psychological manipulation. She testified that the abuse left her feeling ‘disgusting’ and ‘humiliated’ and explained her decision to testify as a desire to “do what is right” after years of trauma.

Ventura’s testimony is central to the prosecution’s case, providing firsthand accounts of the alleged abuse and the circumstances that led to criminal charges against the rap mogul. The revelation of the $20 million settlement underscores the gravity of her claims and the high stakes involved in the trial. If convicted, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs could face a life sentence in prison.

Cross-examination by the defense team is expected to focus heavily on her credibility and the nature of Cassie’s relationship with Combs. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo has indicated that infidelity and related text messages will be central topics, aiming to portray the relationship as mutually damaging rather than one-sidedly abusive. The defense’s questioning is anticipated to last through at least Friday, as the defense attempts to poke holes in Cassie’s testimony.

Photo Credit: Casandra Fine’s Instagram (Cassie)

Cassie, star witness for the prosecution in the sex trafficking case against Diddy, started off the trial with a lurid account of their time together.

Singer Cassie, who dated Sean “Diddy” Combs for roughly a decade, testified against the music mogul as the prosecution’s star witness in the federal sex trafficking case against him. The 38-year-old told jurors a harrowing account of her relationship with Combs, involving weekly drug-fueled sex parties he orchestrated — while Diddy’s attorneys pointed to a risqué-but-consensual affair.

Casandra Ventura (now Fine), said she took part in her first “Freak Off” in Los Angeles when she was 22, alongside Combs and a paid male escort. She explained that Combs choreographed every detail, from the masquerade mask and platform heels she wore to the lighting and the sex acts performed. Cassie said she initially participated willingly because she wanted to please Combs.

“I felt disgusting,” she said. “I felt humiliated and I didn’t have those words together at the time about how horrible I really felt.” When a prosecutor asked if there were parts she enjoyed, she broke into tears, saying she enjoyed the one-on-one time with Combs. “It was the only time I could get.”

“I was just enamored by him. We were just having a good time,” said Ventura of her early relationship with Combs, when he also signed her to his Bad Boy Records.

But the relationship quickly showed Combs’ darker side, she said.

He expected her to be monogamous when he openly had sex with other women. She said he kept tabs on her location and would call her incessantly or send his security detail to track her down. Staffers would withhold her possessions, such as her phone, when he sought to punish her.

On Tuesday, the court heard testimony from a former male escort who says his relationship with Combs and Ventura began in 2012 and lasted for around a year. Daniel Philip, now 41-year-old, recounts how, in one sex session with Cassie, he was instructed to urinate in her mouth. He described the encounters as primarily consisting of having sex with Cassie while Diddy watched, instructed, and masturbated.

Philip said he was paid thousands of dollars for each encounter with the couple, and the sessions would last anywhere from an hour to 10 hours. However, he claimed he felt threatened when Combs took a photograph of his driver’s license for “insurance.” He also alleged the music mogul gave him MDMA, which left him feeling “physically sick.”

He further recounts witnessing Combs physically assaulting Cassie, but that he did not intervene because he “was shocked” and feared what would happen to him. “My thoughts were, [Combs] was someone with unlimited power. […] My life was at risk.”

The trial continues tomorrow and is expected to last as long as 10 weeks. Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Photo Credit: Tory Lanez by The Come Up Show / CC by 2.0

Rapper Tory Lanez is recovering after being stabbed 14 times in prison as he serves a 10-year sentence for shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the feet.

Tory Lanez is recovering in a hospital near the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi where he was attacked at about 7:20 AM on Monday, according to a spokesperson for the State Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He has been serving a 10-year sentence for shooting superstar Megan Thee Stallion in the feet.

Lanez was “stabbed 14 times—including 7 wounds to his back, 4 to his torso, 2 to the back of his head, and 1 to the left side of his face,” according to a post on his verified Instagram page. “Both of his lungs collapsed, and he was placed on a breathing apparatus,” the post continued. “He is now breathing on his own.”

“Despite being in pain, he is talking normally, in good spirits, and deeply thankful to God that he is pulling through,” the post concluded, adding that Lanez wanted to thank everyone for their continued support.

Staff immediately provided Lanez medical aid and called 911, and he was taken to a nearby hospital. Few other details have been revealed so far, but the prison’s investigative unit and the Kern County District Attorney’s Office are said to still be investigating.

In December 2022, Lanez was convicted of three felonies: having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle; discharging a firearm with gross negligence; and assault with a semiautomatic firearm.

Megan Thee Stallion testified during the trial back in 2020 that after they left a party at Kylie Jenner’s home in the Hollywood Hills, Lanez fired a gun at the back of the rapper’s feet as she walked away from the SUV in which they had been riding, shouting for her to dance. She had bullet fragments in both feet that required surgery to remove.

The 32-year-old Lanez’s lawyers have tried to appeal his conviction, but a judge recently rejected a motion for a new trial. Further, Megan has alleged that Lanez harassed her from prison through surrogates; a judge issued a protective order through 2030 to prevent further contact or harassment.

Photo Credit: The Come Up Show / CC by 2.0

With the ugly Drake v. Universal Music defamation lawsuit – and the discovery process – moving forward, both sides have requested and received a protective order covering “highly confidential or proprietary business information.”

The presiding judge signed off on that protective order this afternoon, on the heels of Universal Music’s firmly worded attempt to dismiss the amended complaint. By now, most are at least generally familiar with the high-stakes legal battle and Drake’s “Not Like Us” defamation qualms.

Less widely known, however, are Team Drake’s aggressive discovery demands. As we reported early last month, the plaintiff and his counsel disclosed plans to seek copies of “all” Kendrick Lamar’s UMG contracts, an abundance of internal communications between UMG execs, and a whole lot else.

Against this backdrop, the major label and the Toronto-born artist agreed that their dispute “is likely to involve the production of certain categories of highly confidential or proprietary business information, specifically, previously undisclosed contracts and information regarding business relationships with non-parties to this litigation.”

In the same letter to the judge, a Drake attorney noted that her side and Universal Music alike had proposed “certain, limited changes” to the court’s protective-order model.

Unfortunately for the public, the now-approved order will therefore provide each side with considerable room to label pretty much any contract-related document “attorneys’ eyes only.”

For Universal Music, the attorneys-only designation is expressly allowed when it comes to professional “relationships with other recording artists or non-parties to this litigation.”

That includes but isn’t limited to “confidential financial or payment information, revenue reports, royalty rates, licensing rates, and any other commercially sensitive documents,” the legal text spells out.

On the opposite side of the equation – and perhaps more interestingly – Drake and his attorneys can slap the mentioned designation on “any documents identifying confidential or proprietary business information regarding Plaintiff’s business relationships with non-parties to this litigation.”

As to where things go from here, the discovery wheels are certainly in motion – though assuming a resolution doesn’t materialize, they’ll remain that way for a while yet before an anticipated three-week trial initiates.

Just scratching the scheduling surface, an order last month set a tentative February 13th, 2026, wrap date for fact discovery, compared to a May 29th, 2026, cutoff for expert discovery.

Closer to the present, Kendrick Lamar (who’s technically not a party to Drake’s UMG complaint) is now facing a separate lawsuit, filed this time by Rodney O, over a Drake diss track.

Snoop Dogg, who’s officially set to host a live New Year’s Eve special on NBC. Additionally, the Death Row owner is preparing to serve as a coach on the forthcoming 28th season of The Voice. Photo Credit: TechCrunch

The Olympics, The Voice, and now New Year’s Eve: Snoop Dogg is officially set to cap off 2025 with a two-hour special from Miami.

NBC formally announced that year-end programming, aptly entitled Snoop Dogg New Year’s Eve, in a brief release today. As things stand, concrete details are limited; we are, of course, seven months and change out from 2025’s end.

But the network teased guest appearances (hinting strongly at a Martha Stewart showing), “unforgettable music performances,” and more for the live event, which will air on Peacock and NBC proper between 10:30 PM and 12:30 AM local time.

(Incidentally, Stewart is hosting a cooking-competition show, Yes, Chef!, that premiered on NBC late last month.)

Furthermore, Snoop Dogg New Year’s Eve will follow the Death Row Records owner’s lucrative Olympics correspondence on NBC, where Snoop has lined up another coaching gig on The Voice.

NBC and the Reservoir-partnered rapper also confirmed that return today. Having previously occupied the coach’s chair for the music-competition show’s 26th season, Snoop is poised to join Michael Bublé, Reba McEntire, and Niall Horan on season 28 of The Voice this fall.

In other words, tapping Snoop Dogg to liven up programs and events seems to be paying off for NBC, which is presumably drawing casual fans into the viewership fold.

(Keith Urban and former Voice judge Blake Shelton are opting instead to take a new stab at the music-competition genre. Meanwhile, Netflix’s Building the Band is reportedly still teed up for a 2025 release despite judge Liam Payne’s October 2024 passing.)

Specifically when it comes to New Year’s Eve programming, it’s safe to say competition for watchers is stiffer than ever; live-performance lineups are decidedly deep as well.

Last year, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest attempted to attract viewers to ABC with sets from the aforementioned Shelton, Luis Fonsi, Lenny Kravitz, Hardy, Laufey, and a variety of different talent.

Likewise looking to get in on the year-end TV action is four-year-old New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash. Ringing in 2025 on Central time, the CBS and Paramount+ broadcast featured headline performances from the above-noted Urban, Kane Brown, and Jelly Roll. And CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live saw 50 Cent, Diplo, Sting, and more take the stage.

Photo Credit: Tingey Law

Attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs plan to claim there was mutual violence between Combs and ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, who is expected to testify as a star witness for the prosecution.

Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo told US District Judge Arun Subramanian during a hearing that he plans to show there was mutual violence between Sean “Diddy” Combs and Casandra “Cassie” Ventura. Ventura is expected to testify against Combs as a star witness for the prosecution.

Judge Subramanian seemed reluctant to allow the defense to introduce evidence of alleged violence on Ventura’s part, but said he would rule on the issue on Monday. A jury of 12 New Yorkers is also set to be finalized on Monday ahead of opening statements.

Initially, jury selection was due to wrap on Friday, but Judge Subramanian pushed it back to Monday over concerns that jurors might drop out over the weekend if the panel was finalized as originally planned. On Monday morning, a pool of 45 prospective jurors will be narrowed down to 12, with six alternates. This phase is expected to last less than an hour, with opening statements set to follow.

The 55-year-old Combs has pleaded not guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, all of which are felonies. If he is convicted, he could face life in prison. He has been held without bail in a federal facility in Brooklyn since his arrest in September.

As the trial gears up, Judge Subramanian admonished lawyer Mark Geragos—notably not on Combs’ defense team—for referring to the prosecutors in the case as a “six-pack of white women” in comments on a podcast last week. In a May 2 episode of “Two Angry Men,” a podcast he co-hosts with TMZ founder Harvey Levin, Geragos remarked that the racial and gender composition of the prosecution team was “interesting.”

“That’s something that you shouldn’t, that no one should be saying as an officer of the Court and a member of the bar,” Judge Subramanian told Geragos on Tuesday before jury selection resumed. “Referring to the prosecution in this case as a six-pack of white women is outrageous.”

While Geragos is not representing Combs in the trial, his daughter, Teny Geragos, is one of Combs’ defense attorneys. He asserted he was not trying to interfere with the case, but that defendants had a right to respond to “negative pre-trial publicity.”

“When you’ve got a Black man who’s being prosecuted, and the client feels like he’s being targeted, it’s […] an observation,” said Geragos.

Prosecutor Christy Slavik remarked that with millions of subscribers to Geragos’ podcast, “the danger of [his] statements infecting the jury pool, I think, is very serious.”

Subramanian concluded that he will be monitoring comments made on the podcast as the trial continues.

Photo Credit: Giorgio Trovato

Jay-Z says fighting rape allegations and pursuing his ongoing defamation suit against attorney Tony Buzbee has cost him $200 million.

The latest move by Jay-Z against attorney Tony Buzbee—the lawyer representing the Jane Doe who accused the rapper of rape before her lawsuit was dropped—sees him doubling down on assertions that Buzbee has cost him millions. Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, has been trying to sue Buzbee for defamation since March.

In his latest filing, Carter outlines the significant financial losses he’s incurred thanks to the allegations against him—which he insists are “false, malicious lies.” Jay-Z claims to have lost around $200 million overall since the back and forth began. These consist of contracts in the sports and entertainment sectors, a personal credit line, and a loan.

The contracts, he says, would have raked in a minimum of $20 million. “The full fee would have been many millions higher had the contract been performed,” the document claims. The credit line would have been $55 million, and the loan was going to be $115 million. The $20 million in sports contracts was referenced in an earlier filing.

“Mr. Buzbee’s actions undermined my relationship, and my company Roc Nation’s relationship, with other businesses in the sports and entertainment space,” he says.

“We have agreements to produce entertainment programs for certain sporting events. After Mr. Buzbee filed the lawsuit, the media reported that other businesses could end their deals with Roc Nation, and forced one to speak out and address whether these false allegations would end our business relationship,” Carter explained.

“Immediately after Mr. Buzbee went public with his false accusations, my company Roc Nation also lost other contracts in the sports and entertainment space that would have generated revenues of approximately $20 million per year.”

Buzbee and his client voluntarily dismissed Jane Doe’s sexual assault case back in February, and Carter promptly counter-sued Doe in early March. He also filed a defamation suit against Buzbee. Jane Doe insists the accusations made in her lawsuit were not false, despite her withdrawing her lawsuit.

Photo Credit: Vogue / YouTube

If Taylor Swift can name drop her newest album at the Grammys, André 3000 is right behind her with an album drop at the Met Gala. The rapper made an appearance at the Met Gala sporting a (modified) baby grand piano on his back. His latest solo album 7 piano sketches dropped as he walked up the stairs.

The origin of the album started more than a decade ago, when André was living in Texas with his son. He says the house was pretty empty, including just a few beds, a TV, and a piano. André began playing the piano and most of the tracks that appear on the album were recorded informally at home, using an iPhone or a laptop microphone. Only “blueberry mansions” was recorded in a studio.

André says he originally called the project ‘The Best Worst Rap Album in History’ as a joke, since it doesn’t contain any lyrics. “It’s jokingly the worst rap album in history because there are no lyrics at all,” he told the press. “It’s the best because it’s the freest emotionally and the best I’ve felt personally. It serves as a palate cleanser for me.”

The album itself is comprised of improvisational tunes that André says he conjures up. “I spread my fingers out on the keys and randomly but with purpose move them around until I find something that feels good or interesting. I cannot name which notes, keys, or chords that I’m playing and I simply like the sound and mechanics of piano playing.”

“These piano pieces weren’t recorded with the intention of presenting them in any formal way to the public,” he writes on Instagram. “They were personal, at home recordings. I would sometimes text them to my family and friends.”

7 Piano Sketches Tracklist

1. “bluffing in the snow”
2. “and then one day you’ll…”
3. “when you’re a ant you wake up in an awesome mood, about to drive your son to school, only to discover that you left the lights on int he car last night so your battery is drained”
4. “hotel lobby pianos”
5. “blueberry mansions”
6. “off rhythm laughter”
7. “i spend all day waiting for the night”

Photo Credit: Rihanna at Met Gala 2017 by Danilo Lauria / CC by 3.0

Warner Bros. says Chris Brown has no standing in suing them over their documentary about his violent history, citing his past with Rihanna to prove it.

Rihanna’s very public history with Chris Brown is being cited as evidence against him in his defamation battle with Warner Bros. over their documentary, “Chris Brown: A History of Violence.” The company, which produced the documentary, submitted multiple media reports documenting Brown’s 2009 felony assault on Rihanna—especially his guilty plea and subsequent court-ordered counseling.

According to Warner’s legal team, these stories support their argument that the documentary, over which Brown is suing under claims of defamation, is protected under free speech laws.

“All of these exhibits consist of news articles, or other media, published online about the work at issue in this case and its subject matter, namely the Documentary and the widely publicized reporting of Chris Brown’s criminal history and violence towards women, and are being introduced to demonstrate that the Complaint arises from acts in furtherance of [Warner’s] free speech rights,” they argue.

Warner’s evidence didn’t stop at Rihanna, though hers is by far the most well-known account of Brown’s violence against women. They also submitted press coverage of Brown’s relationship with Karrueche Tran. Tran was granted a five-year restraining order against Brown in 2017. Further, they included reports of a physical altercation with singer Frank Ocean.

Even before submitting the mountains of evidence to support their claim, Warner released a statement in April that comments made in the documentary were protected under free speech. The entertainment giant’s legal team asserted Brown’s claim lacked substance, and any statements made in the documentary were either provably true or not legally harmful.

Chris Brown has denied accusations of sexual misconduct, and rejects claims painting him as a “serial rapist and sexual abuser.” He seeks $500 million in damages in his lawsuit against Warner Bros. and the producers behind the documentary, pledging to donate the funds to survivors of sexual abuse should he win.

Photo Credit: Wesley Tingey

Sean “Diddy” Combs has rejected the government’s offer to plead guilty to reduce his potential prison sentence as his sex trafficking trial kicks off.

Combs appeared in court on Thursday, formally rejecting the US government’s plea offer that would reduce his potential prison sentence if he would plead guilty. When asked by Judge Arun Subramanian if he rejected the prosecution’s plea deal, Combs answered, “Yes, I do, your honor. Thank you.”

As the disgraced musician’s federal sex trafficking trial gets underway, at least four witnesses who have already filed civil suits against Combs are expected to testify against him. While the witness list has not been made public, three individuals familiar with the matter told CNN anonymously about those likely to testify.

Unsurprisingly, the central witness is Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura, the singer and ex-girlfriend of Combs, who will testify under her real name. The judge has permitted the other three witnesses and alleged victims to testify under pseudonyms to aid in protecting their identities. In court documents, they are referred to as “Victim-2,” “Victim-3,” and “Victim-4.”

Meanwhile, a number of supporting witnesses will also testify as government witnesses to corroborate the key witnesses’ accounts or to provide other relevant information. Among those expected to testify is a male sex worker seen in explicit videos of Combs’ “Freak Offs”—sexual encounters he allegedly coerced women into with sex workers, in which one or both parties were drugged and forced to engage in sex acts.

Combs is facing over 60 civil lawsuits, which are notably separate from his criminal trial. But many of those lawsuits served as a “roadmap” for prosecutors, according to sources close to the matter.

He has pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy, transportation to engage in prostitution, and sex trafficking. Combs continues to vehemently deny all civil allegations against him.

Photo Credit: Suge Knight by Nick Leisure / CC by 2.0

Suge Knight has agreed to a $1.5 million settlement to the family of Terry Carter, the man he ran over and killed in a 2015 hit-and-run.

On Tuesday, Suge Knight appeared in court via video and agreed to a $1.5 million settlement in his wrongful death suit. The wife and daughters of Terry Carter, the man Knight ran over and killed with his truck in 2015, will each receive $500,000.

The settlement prevents a retrial on claims made by Carter’s family, which would have led to jury selection beginning on April 30 had he not agreed to settle. Knight is currently serving a 28-year-sentence at the Richard Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego and won’t be eligible for parole until October 2034. But he would have been forced to go on trial anyway—even without his lawyer, David Kenner, who has been trying to exit the case due to a conflict with Suge Knight.

Knight provided a statement to Rolling Stone about the incident, explaining he had gotten into an altercation in a restaurant parking lot that night. The altercation escalated when Knight ran over Carter and another man before fleeing the scene. Carter died within an hour of the incident, while the other man suffered two broken ankles and a head laceration.

“Terry was a friend of mine. It definitely wasn’t done intentionally. It wasn’t done to bring harm to him,” said Knight. “One of the reasons I settled [is] I got respect for Terry, so that means I’ve got respect for his family.” He continued: “I didn’t want to put the family through more pain. It’s not that I did anything wrong. I never would have. But I do owe the family an apology because of this thing they had to go through.”

“It’s hard living without [Terry] when I lived all those many years with him,” said Carter’s widow. “It’s been very, very difficult. I’ve been in pain ever since January 29, 2015; I haven’t had a good day—not one good day.”

She added: “I’m not happy with the outcome of it, at all, but I don’t want to give him another opportunity to put on a clown show and act like a bitch. Maybe somebody will shank him in jail.”

Fat Joe, who’s filed a defamation lawsuit against one of his former employees. Photo Credit: Mika-photography

Drake isn’t the only rapper suing over allegedly false pedophilia claims. Now, Fat Joe says his former hype man defamed him with untrue allegations “of vile sexual misconduct, pedophilia, statutory rape, violence and stealing.”

54-year-old Fat Joe (real name Joseph Cartagena) just recently submitted the complaint to a federal court in his native New York. Aside from the mentioned hype man, Terrance Dixon (known professionally as TA), the complaint names as defendants attorney Tyrone Blackburn and his law firm.

For a bit of background, Fat Joe brought on TA as his hype man in or around 2006, according to the suit. Over the course of the professional relationship, which is said to have “ended amicably in 2019,” Fat Joe purportedly afforded TA “generous compensation.”

Fast forward to 2023, when TA allegedly “initiated a campaign of public harassment against” Fat Joe on social media.

“In an obvious money grab, all these years later, Dixon claims that he should have been paid more. He claims (falsely) that Cartagena recently blocked him from getting outside funding for a record label, which was the ‘last straw,'” the suit reads.

Furthermore, some of those not-so-subtle posts, which were still live on Instagram at the time of writing, accused the five-time Grammy nominee of sexual assault.

The accusations pertain in part to 2010 “inappropriate touching” allegations against Fat Joe, who denied the claims at the time and was cleared “of any involvement shortly” thereafter, per the text.

“Dixon knew that these statements were false: Cartagena never sexually assaulted anyone,” the suit maintains. “Authorities never charged or detained Cartagena…and cleared him of any involvement shortly after speaking with him. Rather, Dixon attempted to resurrect a decade plus-old false accusation and headline to support his campaign of harassment and extortion.”

Unsurprisingly, given the complaint, this alleged campaign was accompanied by demands for Fat Joe to cough up cash, per the suit.

Also unsurprisingly in light of the action, the rapper didn’t cave to the payment demands then or later in 2023, when the remarks “escalated” and “accused him [Fat Joe] of being a pedophile.”

Fast forward once more, past 2024 (when the alleged defamation continued) and into the current year. To this point in 2025, TA has allegedly levied false accusations at Fat Joe for cheating “him out of money and credit” on songs, besides penning “countless other posts attempting to belittle and humiliate” the plaintiff.

“Frustrated by his inability to overcome Cartagena’s resolve,” the complaint continues, “Dixon upped the ante by hiring” the aforementioned “Blackburn to continue his extortionate scheme.”

That attorney’s name will be familiar to some in the industry – though as Fat Joe and his counsel see things, Blackburn is only “an extortionist masquerading as a lawyer in a cynical ruse to use the court system as both a sword and a shield for his unethical conduct.”

Long story short, Fat Joe and his team are accusing Blackburn of engaging in “a pattern of unprofessional and erratic behavior that raises significant concerns.”

Said behavior includes allegedly threatening letters, an alleged threat to report Fat Joe to Homeland Security, and a whole lot else, the suit explains in more words.

And it’s against this backdrop that the defendants allegedly made massive settlement demands – one for a staggering $20 million – to prevent related litigation, according to the action.

All told, Fat Joe is suing TA for defamation and seeking relief from both TA and Blackburn for intentional infliction of emotional distress.

In a statement provided to DMN, Blackburn dismissed the complaint as “a desperate Hail Mary attempt to soften the blow of what’s to come.”

“The lawsuit filed by Fat Joe is a desperate Hail Mary attempt to soften the blow of what’s to come,” Blackburn said to DMN. “We will file a RICO, and TVPA case that outlines Fat Joe’s pattern and practice of sleeping with 10th/11th grade girls, one of whom we have on audio tape detailing how manipulative Fat Joe was when he was in his late 30’s and she was only 16.

“It will also outline Fat Joes Rico Criminal Enterprise, that is supported by a 19 minute audio recording of Fat Joes felonious hitman, Pistol Pete attempting to convince a member of Terror Squad to lure my client to a specific location so he can be ‘pounded out,’ which is code for killed,” the attorney proceeded.

Photo Credit: Ari Lennox by Justin LaMotte / CC by 4.0

Ari Lennox parts ways with J. Cole’s Dreamville Records months after ranting about the label on social media.

Back in October, R&B singer Ari Lennox aired her various grievances with Dreamville on social media, demanding her release from the label. Now, she has officially (and quietly) parted ways with the company, and will now be releasing music solely through Interscope Records.

“I’m so tired. Where do I f—ing start? My heart’s beating so fast,” Lennox began her post in October. “I don’t know what else to do. I try to do things the right way and no one takes me seriously. And so we’re here on social media. Again. I’m trying to be respectful, but I feel played right now.”

She continued: “I told management I didn’t want the ‘Smoke’ video to come out because I’m tired of people treating me like I’m the face of mental health. I’m tired of people treating me like they’re so sorry for me. I’m a human being who has been very transparent about my life and it’s just weird how everyone gets really agitated.”

“The whole point of the ‘Smoke’ video was to take back every fucking negative thing people have said about me and to try to own that shit and be like, ‘Fuck y’all,’” she added. “People are hellbent on portraying me as an insecure person who is just the face of mental health.”

At the time, Lennox asserted that Interscope and Dreamville refused to comply with her request to remove the music video for “Smoke.” She also called out a lack of promotion for the song and described the whole incident as “the last straw.”

“I changed my mind about releasing this video and I told management and I told the label and they told me they would take it down,” she said. “Apparently, the people in charge of the video were unresponsive but thy’re like, ‘Everyone loves the video so we’re gonna keep it up.’ No, you are not going to manipulate me. Y’all are gonna be accountable for that, Interscope. I told you I wasn’t comfortable with it and I wish I had a label that cared and wanted to protect me. I just wanna be released. It’s that simple.”

Earlier this month, Ari Lennox performed at J. Cole’s final Dreamville Festival, thanking him and the label for helping make her dreams a reality back in 2015 when she was first signed. This week, she released the video for her latest single, “Soft Girl Era,” on which Interscope is listed as the sole label credit. According to TMZ, the split was amicable.

Photo Credit: Live Nation

Lil Wayne announces his first-ever headlining show at Madison Square Garden on June 6. The performance coincides with the release of his latest album, Tha Carter VI.

For the first time, Lil Wayne will headline New York’s Madison Square Garden in a special performance on Friday, June 6. The show celebrates and coincides with the release of the rapper’s highly anticipated new album, Tha Carter VI.

Tha Carter VI is the follow-up to Wayne’s 2020 release, Funeral, and the latest installment in his Tha Carter series since 2018’s Tha Carter V.

Tickets will be available starting with artist presales beginning Wednesday, April 23. The general onsale will start Friday, April 25 at 10 AM local time on Live Nation’s website.

By 2020, Lil Wayne cemented his legacy as “one of the best-selling artists of all time,” with sales in excess of 100 million records worldwide; 25 million albums and 90 million digital tracks sold in the United States alone. In 2022, Wayne earned his first Diamond certification from the RIAA with his smash hit “Lollipop” featuring Static Major.

Among his accolades, Wayne has garnered 11 BET Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, two MTV VMAs, and eight NAACP Image Awards. He also emerged as the “first male artist to surpass Elvis Presley with the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100,” with a whopping 183 entries — the third-most of all time.

With a discography highlighted by five career-spanning No. 1 debuts, beginning with 2008’s Tha Carter III and its 2011 successor, Tha Carter IV, he released the latest version of the series in 2018. In addition to reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200, it also achieved the second-largest streaming week for an album in history. Every song on the album charted on the Billboard Hot 100, making Wayne “the first artist to debut two songs in the top 5.”

Wayne owns and operates Young Money Entertainment. The company ignited the careers of two of the most successful artists: Drake and Nicki Minaj. A committed philanthropist, Wayne also founded The One Family Foundation.

Snoop Dogg at WrestleMania XL. Photo Credit: Diego Serrano

Snoop Dogg and Death Row Records are looking to dismiss the $107 million lawsuit filed by Lydia Harris, who they say should also be barred from litigating against them moving forward.

Counsel for Snoop Dogg and the relevant label just recently made the dismissal push official. Meanwhile, Universal Music, Jimmy Iovine, and several others are likewise defendants in the pro se complaint.

We broke down that complaint when it was filed – and then once more when the presiding judge scheduled a pretrial conference – last month. Long story short, Lydia Harris (the ex-wife of Death Row co-founder Michael Harris) says she’s owed big for her purported stake in the label, which Snoop Dogg bought in 2022.

She sued Suge Knight (who allegedly pushed her out of Death Row) for similar reasons in 2002, and a court in 2005 entered a $107 million default judgement in her favor (hence the damages sought in the current action).

But Suge Knight went on to declare bankruptcy, and Team Snoop maintains that a 2008 bankruptcy settlement both resolved Lydia’s claims and prevented her from seeking relief down the line. (Lydia has seemingly confirmed receiving a $1 million “good-faith payment” from Suge Knight at some point.)

Consequently, Snoop Dogg is painting the newest suit as the latest in a series of attempts to overturn the 2008 settlement. Lydia, who hasn’t hesitated to elaborate on her position in the media, is alleging that “strategic bankruptcy filings” concealed the assets in question and prevented the settlement’s full enforcement.

Running with those ideas, Snoop Dogg and Death Row believe that Lydia’s “substantively frivolous” suit is “undeniably time-barred by the relevant statute of limitations.”

“Thus,” reads one part of the dismissal motion, “over 20 years have elapsed between the March 9, 2005 entry of judgment and the March 18, 2025 filing of Plaintiff’s Complaint, a time period which is considerably outside the one-year statute of limitations.”

Furthermore, the two mentioned defendants say the prior litigation and settlement definitively resolved the claims at hand, subsequent discovery of additional information or not.

Leaving no stone unturned, Snoop Dogg and Death Row are also accusing Lydia of failing “to adequately plead any cognizable legal claim” and of improperly serving the suit.

“Here,” the text indicates, “the proof of service filed by Plaintiff clearly shows that Plaintiff [a party to the action, of course] herself served the Complaint via certified mail. This is clearly improper and constitutes an independent ground for insufficient service.”

For these and different reasons, the court should toss the action and deem Lydia a vexatious litigant to boot, per counsel for Snoop and Death Row. The plaintiff is allegedly “a bad faith litigant” who “continued a pattern of harassment in California for years and has now shifted her harassment to a new forum in Texas,” the motion reads.

Photo Credit: Lil Durk by Daniel X. O’Neil

Lil Durk and his legal team are looking to get his murder-for-hire case tossed, claiming prosecutors have misled the jury about the facts of the case.

Chicago rapper Lil Durk is accused of being the mastermind behind the 2022 attempted murder of Quando Rondo by putting a bounty on his head in revenge for the death of King Von. He has been behind bars since his arrest in October and has been denied bail, despite his attorneys proposing a bond package of around $3 million in cash and real estate.

Durk’s legal team says prosecutors’ assertion that the rapper details the plan on Babyface Ray’s song “Wonderful Wayne & Jackie Boy” is inaccurate; the song was written months before the attack took place.

“The government’s misrepresentation in the Superseding Indictment, whether knowing or reckless, undermines the integrity of the grand jury’s true bill against [Durk],” write the rapper’s attorneys. “The Court should dismiss the Superseding Indictment against him as a result.”

His lawyers also claim, in a separate filing asking Durk to be released from jail ahead of his trial, that prosecutors have “attempted to hold [Durk] responsible for video clips that YouTubers and Instagram users have edited, produced, and posted to social media, but with whom [he] has no affiliation.”

“It is unfair, misleading, and just flat-out wrong for the government to suggest that [Durk] is responsible for these video/audio edits or that they evidence his purported commercialization of a murder that he supposedly ordered,” they continue.

Prosecutors have argued the rapper has a pattern of “criminal behavior and interference,” with which the judge agreed, and ultimately denied his attorneys’ proposed bond package. Prosecutors further allege that Durk has not been a model inmate at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Los Angeles.

“Despite clear instructions to not engage in three-way calls, defendant repeatedly abused the phone system at MDC to engage in such conduct,” read a legal brief released in December.

The trial is set to begin on October 14, 2025, after being pushed back nearly a year. Among the reasons for the delay include the “complex nature” of the case, which includes “approximately 230GB of digital evidence” containing “audio/video recordings and surveillance footage, and approximately 20,000 pages of reports concerning murder and other violent acts, photographs, witness statements, and medical documents.”

Durk continues to maintain his innocence, asserting that prosecutors have “no real evidence” of his involvement in the attempted murder of Quando Rondo. The incident resulted in the death of Rondo’s cousin, Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson.

Photo Credit: Kendrick Lamar by Kenny Sun / CC by 2.0

Certain Drake disses were omitted from Kendrick Lamar’s track “Euphoria,” Top Dawg President Terrence “Punch” Henderson reveals.

In an in-depth, three-hour-plus interview with Curtiss King, Top Dawg Entertainment President Terrence “Punch” Henderson confirmed that Kendrick Lamar’s song “Euphoria” initially contained more jabs at his nemesis, Drake. The seemingly more damaging version of the song, which was released in response to Drake’s “Push Ups,” ended up more concise per Punch’s advice.

The news comes on the heels of rumors that a nearly 20-minute version of the song exists. “I don’t know the length, but there was definitely a version that was longer than what the world got,” said Punch. “There was a lot of stuff that didn’t make it on there.”

“There was just some things in there that I didn’t think would have been beneficial in the long run to put in there,” he added. “So I gave him my input on that and he took some of those things out.”

Punch also provided some other insight into Ken’s ongoing feud with Drake, such as the former’s numerous Easter eggs throughout their battle. He also mentioned some areas where he thinks Drake went wrong.

“I read [‘Taylor Made Freestyle’] as [Drake’s] first mistake,” said Punch. “To me, it felt like a mockery of the West Coast. So when you do that, you’re gonna unite it. If there was any type of division at that time, once you do that, you’re gonna get all the people together.”

“My first response [to Drake’s ‘Push Ups’] was, ‘It’s not enough,’” he explained. “It was cool; it was cute. I see where you’re going, but those angles are not gonna be enough. It’s as simple as that.”

He continued, “I had the same thought with ‘Family Matters’ that I did with ‘Push Ups,’ and that was: It’s not enough! I think another mistake that they made was giving the idea that they was finna push this red button. When you do that, you build the anticipation a bit too high, so now people have expectations.”

“[The feud] had been bubbling for a while. We had been pretty close-mouthed about it,” Punch said of the lead up into Kendrick’s track “Like That.” “He played the record for Top [Dawg]. […] He told me a little bit about the record, so I hit [Lamar] like, ‘It’s going down?’ He said, ‘Yeah, we’ll see what’s up,’ laughing.”

“People think that this [feud] is so serious, but it’s funny,” explained Punch. “This n—a is from Compton, California, bro. Where he grew up, it’s serious over there — you getting shot at, you getting home invasions, you getting gang wars. We’re talking about music, bruh, so it’s funny!”

Drake recently amended his defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) related to Kendrick’s award-winning Drake diss track, “Not Like Us.” Previously, Drake was given until April 16 to respond to UMG’s motion for dismissal or file an amended lawsuit. The amended filing is 23 pages longer than the original.

“The Recording was performed during the 2025 Super Bowl and broadcast to the largest audience for a Super Bowl halftime show ever, over 133 million people, including millions of children, and millions more who had never before heard the song or any of the songs that preceded it,” the amended filing reads.

“On information and belief, Kendrick Lamar would not have been permitted to perform during the Super Bowl Performance unless the word ‘pedophile’ (in the phrase ‘certified pedophiles’) was omitted from the lyrics — that is because nearly everyone understands that it is defamatory to falsely brand someone a ‘certified pedophile.’”

Photo Credit: CNN

Diddy requests the video footage of him brutally beating Cassie Ventura to be excluded from evidence at his trial, claiming it has been manipulated.

Sean “Diddy” Combs has requested the hotel video footage that showed him beating ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura be excluded from evidence at his trial. The disgraced music mogul and his team claim the footage, which was released by CNN in May last year, has been manipulated.

“Mr. Combs seeks to exclude all available video files related to an incident from March 5, 2016, in the Intercontinental Hotel,” his lawyers wrote in a 15-page motion, which was submitted to the US Southern District Court of New York on Thursday.

“There is no longer any dispute that the CNN footage from March 5, 2016, at the Intercontinental Hotel, offered by the government at three separate bail hearings, is wholly inaccurate, having been altered, manipulated, sped-up, and edited to be out of sequence,” they claim. “CNN paid [redacted] for footage, copied that footage in unknown ways, presented that footage out of order, and destroyed the original. Accordingly, all the footage from CNN is inaccurate and inadmissible as well.”

Combs’ team also requested a pre-trial hearing to “present testimony and video evidence” from a forensic video analyst, Conor McCourt, “so that the court can better understand the ways in which each of the available videos are unreliable and not a fair and accurate reflection of the actions depicted.”

CNN denies all claims of manipulate footage, asserting that none of the footage was ever altered. “CNN never altered the video and did not destroy the original copy of the footage, which was retained by the source,” said a CNN spokesperson. “We aired the story about the video several months before Combs was arrested.”

Combs’ trial begins on May 12, with jury selection beginning on May 5. A New York City judge has denied his request to delay the federal trial by two months, determining there should have been ample time for his team to prepare.

Diddy has been charged with five counts of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pled not guilty to all charges.

Drake has officially filed an amended ‘Not Like Us’ defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group. Photo Credit: musicisentropy

Right on cue, Drake and his legal team have fired off an amended “Not Like Us” defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG).

The “Nokia” act and his counsel submitted the bolstered complaint yesterday, just a couple weeks removed from a major discovery win. As we noted closer to April’s beginning, the presiding judge had given Drake until the 16th to either respond to UMG’s firmly worded dismissal motion or file an amended lawsuit.

The rapper and his attorneys promptly committed to the latter approach, and the updated action runs 23 pages longer than the original. In keeping with the increased length, the 104-page amended suit covers a bit of new ground while reiterating the initial defamation claims.

First, the amended suit elaborates on the aggressive promotional push that UMG allegedly gave “Not Like Us” despite knowing of the “harm” it’d allegedly caused Drake. This push refers in large part to Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show.

“The Recording was performed during the 2025 Super Bowl and broadcast to the largest audience for a Super Bowl halftime show ever, over 133 million people, including millions of children, and millions more who had never before heard the song or any of the songs that preceded it,” reads one section of the suit.

“On information and belief,” the legal text proceeds, “Kendrick Lamar would not have been permitted to perform during the Super Bowl Performance unless the word ‘pedophile’ (in the phrase ‘certified pedophiles’) was omitted from the lyrics—that is because nearly everyone understands that it is defamatory to falsely brand someone a ‘certified pedophile.’”

From there, the expanded action explores in greater detail UMG execs’ alleged coordinated effort to promote “Not Like Us” (and the purportedly unprecedented commercial prominence thereof) on social media.

On this front, the suit now mentions a February LinkedIn post from Interscope exec Jessica Staats. Plus, by the plaintiff’s count, the number of “Not Like Us” articles published by Complex (in which UMG has a stake) swelled from 50 to 70 or so between mid-January and mid-April.

Similarly, Drake and his counsel have doubled down on their claims that UMG arranged for (or at least took steps to encourage) the Grammys success of “Not Like Us.”

“On information and belief,” one new line claims, “UMG conferred benefits and leveraged existing business relationships to secure Grammy nominations (and eventually wins) for the [‘Not Like Us’] Recording and Video.”

Lastly, in terms of the suit’s fresh components, Drake has dialed back some streaming-fraud claims; the original suit’s “UMG Caused Third Parties to Fake Streams” looks to be absent from its amended counterpart.

Nevertheless, Drake remains adamant that UMG engaged in a number of non-organic promo efforts for “Not Like Us,” including but not limited to a multifaceted arrangement with Spotify. As laid out by the plaintiff, this alleged arrangement went well beyond paid promotion and affected users’ search results and more.

Unsurprisingly, the defamation dispute is still spilling out of the courtroom and into the media.

In a statement provided to DMN, Drake lead attorney Michael Gottlieb emphasized an ongoing objective of holding UMG “accountable.”

“Drake’s amended complaint makes an already strong case stronger,” the Willkie Farr & Gallagher partner Gottlieb said. “UMG’s PR ‘spin’ and failed efforts to avoid discovery cannot suppress the facts and the truth. With discovery now moving forward, Drake will expose the evidence of UMG’s misconduct, and UMG will be held accountable for the consequences of its ill-conceived decisions.”

And in a response of its own, UMG expressed, among other things, the belief that Drake is being “misled by his legal representatives” when it comes to the “absurd” complaint.

Then, in a follow-up to UMG’s retort, a Drake rep took aim at the major with a lengthy comment, calling out the company’s “current leadership” and a whole lot else.

Here’s Team Drake’s full response to the statement put out by Universal Music:

“UMG’s latest statement is a desperate attempt to spin the narrative and deflect from the truth: Drake is holding the largest music conglomerate in the world accountable for its actions and doing so without fear.

We dismissed the Texas discovery action because discovery will now proceed in New York. That’s not retreat, that’s victory. UMG dismissed its first amendment petition in Texas because it has no claim, that’s losing. And UMG knows the case against it is only getting stronger.

Drake welcomes discovery and has nothing to hide. It’s not Drake who should worry; it’s UMG’s current leadership. We look forward to hearing from Lucian Grainge, John Janick, and UMG employees under oath.

UMG claims to stand for creativity, but in fact exploits it and the artist community knows that. UMG drains artists for its profits, then discards them. Drake joins a growing chorus of artists raising questions about UMG’s leadership. The public and artists should be concerned about recent headlines involving UMG’s largest stakeholder that only reinforces the need for transparency all the way up to the Board of Director’s level.

UMG said, ‘be careful what you ask for,’ Drake knows exactly what he asked for: the truth and accountability.”

Photo Credit: Kodak Black by David Cabrera for Atlantic Records

For the second month in a row, Kodak Black has paid rent for over 200 residents at a Florida housing project.

While he may not be looking for publicity for it, rapper Kodak Black has paid rent for more than 200 residents at Florida’s Golden Acres housing project. This is the second month in a row he has done so. The news was revealed by a man who seems to either be a resident of or a staff member at Golden Acres.

“He may not want the limelight, but for the 2nd month straight @KodakBlack has paid the rent for over 200 residents in Golden Acres, the entire projects!” the post reads. “A lot of people shine light on the negativity. I’ma see how many people share the positive things you do fam. You’re a blessing to a lot of people. Thank you!!”

This isn’t the first time Kodak Black has felt exceptionally charitable. In 2022, he covered the outstanding rent of 28 families in his native Pompano Beach who were about to be evicted, and paid their rent for several months. The year before that, he donated 100 air conditioners to several Pompano Beach residents.

Also in 2021, he was recognized by the City of Margate for his donation of $20,000 to the daughter of a South Florida police officer who died from complications related to COVID-19. City officials made the announcement during the grand opening of its new sporting complex.

“Some of you may know him as a celebrity, but this is an act of charity,” said board member Arlene R. Schwartz, who presented Black with a certificate of recognition for his act of service.

Further, the rapper has donated money to the children of two FBI agents who were killed on the job. “You know, at the end of the day, we’re all we got,” he said. “This ain’t nothing to do with politics, or white, Black, rich or poor. It’s up to us to help each other in the best way we can.”

Kodak Black said in 2023 that he wants to be known as a philanthropist rather than a gangster. “I only worry about being a good son and making sure my mom is proud of me. Making sure my family proud of me.”

While the rapper is all too happy to be seen as a philanthropist, his donations becoming public knowledge could attract some of the wrong attention. Drake, who is known for making generous donations to fans, was besieged during his recent shows in Australia by fans asking for financial aid.

Photo Credit: Lil Nas X / Instagram

Lil Nas X has shared a health update with fans after he was hospitalized with a mysterious illness that paralyzed the right side of his face.

Sharing a picture of himself, the rapper writes, “This is me doing a full smile right now by the way. It’s like, what the f**k? Bro, I can’t even laugh right now. Oh my god!” A few hours later, the rapper shared another video zooming in on his face showcasing the difference between the two sides. “We normal over here, and we crazy over here!” He asked his fans not to worry about him, stating “stop being sad for me. Shake your ass for me instead!”

The “Old Town Road” rapper isn’t the only high-profile celebrity to deal with facial paralysis—usually diagnosed as Bell’s Palsy. In June 2022, Justin Bieber shared an update with his fans stating he was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a rare neurological disorder caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox and shingles. That condition led to the singer’s face being paralyzed and leaving him unable to blink, smile, or move his nostril.

Bieber documented his journey publicly by sharing photo and video updates on social media with his fans. He showcased the symptoms and showed the side effects of facial paralysis while describing how the virus resulted in loss of facial movement. He also emphasized why he was taking time off to prioritize his health, which led to the cancellation of several of his upcoming tour dates.

While Lil Nas X has not disclosed any official diagnosis, he is taking the same path by updating his fans on his progress. Continued photos and videos showcase improved movement with Lil Nas X stating that his smile is “getting a little better.” He says he can now voluntarily close both of his eyes, though he continued to struggle to wink with his right eye. He shared another video of himself rollerblading and stated, “it’s getting better y’all I promise. It’s gonna take a lot more than that to keep a bad b*tch down.”

Photo Credit: Melissa Lee / Marine Corps

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ sex-trafficking case gets underway in about a month, but his defense team has asked for an adjournment. Instead, they want to see the May 12 starting date pushed back by two weeks.

His lawyers argue the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the SDNY has not been fully sharing material such as emails from a former Combs employee. They allege that the prosecution’s witness ‘Victim-4’ seems to have “cherry picked messages” shared on WhatsApp. Outside of court, Combs’ team said they would no longer seek an adjournment if the feds “get their act together.”

Combs pleaded not guilty on Monday to an expanded federal indictment that charges him with five criminal counts—including charges for racketeering and sex trafficking. Combs entered his plea to the new charges at a hearing before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian in Manhattan.

“These are not new allegations or new accusers. These are the same individuals, former long-term girlfriends, who were involved in consensual relationships,” his lawyers said to the media after the hearing. Jury selection for the trial remains scheduled for May 5 with opening statements set to begin May 12 if the judge does not grant an adjournment.

Prosecutors allege that Combs used his business empire to sexually abuse women between 2004 and 2024. The allegations include having women take part in recorded sexual performances called ‘freak offs’ with male sex workers, who were sometimes transported across state lines to facilitate the action. Combs has been sitting in the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center since September. He is also facing more than a dozen civil lawsuits filed by both men and women that accuse him of sexual abuse.

His lawyers have argued that Combs never forced anyone to engage in sexual acts against their will. He says the ‘freak offs’ reported by the media were consensual activity between consenting adults. A surveillance video from 2016 leaked in 2022, kicking off the intense interest. The video shows Combs kicking his former girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie Ventura.

Photo Credit: Nelly by Adam Bielawski / CC by 3.0

The last St. Lunatics member who was still suing Nelly for copyright infringement has dropped his lawsuit. But this battle may not be over yet.

St. Lunatics member Ali Jones has dropped the lawsuit the group filed against former member Nelly last year. The filing claimed the group never received proper credit or royalties for Nelly’s 2000 album, Country Grammar. The rest of the group — Murphy Lee, Kyjuan, and City Spud — all dropped out of the suit shortly after it was filed last year, claiming they never authorized legal action to be taken on their behalf.

Strangely, Jones and his legal team have not provided an explanation for their decision to dismiss the case. But they might not be walking away without consequence; Nelly’s legal team has urged the presiding judge to consider delaying the dismissal to hold the St. Lunatics members accountable for the rapper’s legal fees.

“Plaintiff’s counsel succeeded in its frivolous campaign aimed at forcing [Nelly] to spend money defending Plaintiff’s ridiculous time-barred claims,” wrote attorneys for Nelly. “The Court is respectfully requested to retain jurisdiction and set a briefing and hearing schedule [for potential sanctions].”

St. Lunatics, a group of high school friends from St. Louis, are credited with both performing and songwriting across Nelly’s debut album. But their lawsuit claimed the final credits undersold their contributions to the record, depriving them of royalties.

“Despite repeatedly promising plaintiffs that they would receive full recognition and credit […] it eventually became clear that defendant Haynes had no intention of providing the plaintiffs with any such credit or recognition,” their filing read.

The case was framed as a copyright infringement lawsuit, rather than a legal battle over ownership. This is due to the three-year statute of limitations that was far exceeded, given that Country Grammar was released nearly 25 years ago.

Photo Credit: Soulja Boy | X/Twitter

Rapper Soulja Boy (real name DeAndre Cortez Way) was slapped with a $4 million verdict in a civil sexual assault trial brought by his former assistant. The ‘Jane Doe’ alleges years of physical and sexual abuse during her employment from 2018 to 2020.

The lawsuit was originally filed in 2021 with allegations of sexual battery, assault, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Jane Doe says the rapper hired her as a personal assistant for $500 weekly, but never paid her. Later after a romantic relationship developed between the two of them, she alleges rape, physical violence, and death threats were levied her way. After attempting to leave in 2020, she says the rapper violently attacked her.

Now a Los Angeles jury has found Soulja Boy liable and awarded the plaintiff $4 million in compensatory damages. That includes $1 million for future harm from sexual battery, $500,000 from past abuse, and $2,650 in unpaid wages. Now the court will consider punitive damages, which could increase the final total.

Jane Doe testified that Soulja Boy raped her repeatedly, locked her in a room without food, and threatened her with a gun. Text messages and witness accounts corroborated some of the claims, including the rapper’s pattern of violent behavior towards Jane Doe—including kicking, punching, and verbal threats.

Soulja Boy has denied all allegations, which his lawyer has called an extortion attempt. The jury cleared him of false imprisonment and hostile work environment claims. The plaintiff’s lawyer Ron Zambrano says the verdict is a step towards justice for victims in the music industry.

The rapper is facing a still pending lawsuit from a different Jane Doe who also alleges physical violence, sexual assault, and emotional distress. That case involved an incident where she allegedly suffered a miscarriage after the rapper violently beat her. Both lawsuits are a civil claim seeking monetary damages rather than criminal penalties. The trial for the second lawsuit has not yet begun and is expected to begin after the punitive damages phase in the first case.

A live performance from Quavo, who, along with Hybe America and Quality Control, is facing a copyright infringement lawsuit from sculptor Daniel Arsham. Photo Credit: Jørund Føreland Pedersen

Hybe America, its Quality Control subsidiary, and Quavo are facing a copyright lawsuit for allegedly infringing on a visual artist’s work in social media posts.

Daniel Arsham, touted as “one of the most well-known contemporary artists in the world,” submitted the unique action to a New York federal court. As laid out in the suit, the plaintiff sells his projects “for many hundreds of thousands of dollars” apiece and “has a robust licensing market.”

On the latter front, New York City-based Arsham is said to have collaborated with “a litany of hip-hop artists, including Pharrell, Usher, Jay-Z, Gunna, The Weeknd, Nas, and others.”

While it probably doesn’t need saying in light of the complaint, Quavo isn’t featured in that litany of talent.

At least as told by Arsham, he’s the creator of a sculpture called Quartz Eroded 1961 Ferrari GT. That 2018 effort is “part of a collection of full-size vehicle sculptures that he has created in his signature ‘eroded’ fictional archeological technique,” per the legal text.

Also in 2018 (and then again in 2023), the plaintiff allegedly displayed the creation, photos of which are included in the suit, to the public in an exhibition.

Fast forward to December 2024, when Quavo allegedly took to Instagram and TikTok to upload a teaser for “Trappa Rappa” (2025).

This clip, besides several subsequently uploaded stills thereof, allegedly shows “Quavo performing in front of the” aforesaid sculpture.

(The track itself debuted in February 2025; “music video” is used once in the complaint to describe the social posts, but the actual music video doesn’t seem to include the statue.)

Though Quavo and his team tagged Arsham in the original posts, they didn’t obtain the artist’s permission to use the sculpture, the lawsuit maintains.

The plaintiff “never consented” to the usage and hasn’t received related compensation, the legal text drives home for good measure.

And to reiterate the obvious once more, Arsham – who purportedly discovered Quavo’s alleged usages in December 2024 and sent multiple cease and desist letters soon thereafter – claims there haven’t been any “meaningful discussions” between his team and the defendants.

Furthermore, the alleged infringement has purportedly “significantly damaged the value of the” sculpture, the artist’s other works, and “the value of any licenses for his artworks in the relevant markets.”

All told, Arsham is seeking relief for vicarious and contributory infringement, with an additional publicity-rights claim under New York law to boot.

Photo Credit: HBO / Max

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ lawyers have subpoenaed Warner Bros. seeking raw, unedited footage from the HBO docuseries, ‘The Fall of Diddy.’

His lawyers sent the subpoena back in March to Warner Bros. asking for “all recordings, including raw and unedited footage” from the interviews with two accusers who appeared in the series. The docuseries aired on HBO/Max in January. The subpoena also contains a demand for any notes or journals the accusers gave the documentary’s producers and records of financial payments made to the accusers in connection to their involvement with the project.

Warner Bros. is fighting the subpoena in court as Diddy’s trial looms in May. Lawyers for the studio asked a federal judge overseeing the sex-trafficking case to squash the subpoena in court today. A nine-page filing cites “reporter’s privilege” and calls Combs’ efforts an overly broad “fishing expedition.”

“Mr. Combs seeks outtakes from interviews with two persons featured in the docuseries,” Warner Bros. lawyer Thomas B. Sullivan writes to US District Judge Arun Subramanian. “The interview outtakes it seeks are protected by the reporter’s privilege that applies to unpublished newsgathering materials,” the lawyer continues. Mr. Combs has not met, and cannot meet, his burden to overcome that privilege.”

The Warner Bros. filing does not directly name the two accusers whose notes and outtakes Diddy’s lawyers want to see. Instead, the filing describes them as Individual A and Individual B.

“Individual A is Mr. Combs’ former personal chef,” the document reveals. “She is featured in the docuseries speaking about how Mr. Combs treated her when she was employed by him, as well as various rumors she heard about his behavior during her time in his orbit.”

Meanwhile, Individual B is called a “former romantic partner of Mr. Combs.” The lawyer’s petition says she was featured in the docuseries discussing the origins and path of her relationship with him, including one alleged incident of sexual assault.” Warner Bros. lawyers argue that Combs’ “fishing expedition” is an attempt to find something to use against those two accusers should they testify against him at trial.

Photo Credit: DMX by Mika Väisänen / CC by 3.0

The DMX Estate secures a victory in an ongoing lawsuit challenging their sole ownership of the late rapper’s copyright and IP rights.

DMX’s estate has secured a major victory in an ongoing lawsuit that challenges the estate’s sole ownership of the late rapper’s copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property rights.

The judge issued a decision and order on Monday (April 7) that rejects the claims by DMX’s ex-wife, Tashera Simmons, that she co-owned his IP rights accrued during their marriage and is entitled to 50% of all revenue generated.

The decision reinforces that the estate, represented by Kurzman Eisenberg Corbin & Lever, LLP and Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, is the sole owner of all such rights. Tashera Simmons’ rights, therefore, are limited to a portion of record and music publishing royalties generated by musical works that her former husband released during their marriage.

“[The Estate] is the sole owner of all intellectual property rights (including all copyrights and trademark rights) that [DMX] acquired during his marriage to [Simmons], as well as any and all trademarks and intellectual property rights that belonged to [DMX] at the time of his death; except as specifically set forth in five Letters of Direction signed by [DMX],” wrote Judge David F. Everett.

“[Simmons] has no income interest and is not otherwise entitled to any monies of any kind generated by or attributed to services rendered by [DMX], and/or to copyrights and trademark rights […] acquired during his marriage to Plaintiff.”

DMX, real name Earl Simmons, who began rapping in the early 1990s, passed away on April 9, 2021, at only 50 years old. His influence on hip-hop is undisputed; his aggressive style and violent lyricism helped popularize the horrorcore genre.

Throughout his career, he won an American Music Award, a Billboard Music Award, and was nominated for six Grammy Awards. DMX was the first artist to have their first five albums consecutively debut atop the Billboard 200. By 2021, he had sold over 75 million records worldwide.

His international hit, “X Gon’ Give It to Ya,” released in 2002, saw a resurgence in popularity in 2016 when it was featured in the Marvel film Deadpool and its trailers. DMX’s eighth and posthumous studio album, Exodus, was released a month after his passing, on May 28, 2021.

Photo Credit: David Shankbone / CC by 3.0

Cassie Ventura is set to testify against her former partner Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs using her real name instead of the ‘Victim 1’ designation. She will tell the court about her relationship with the rap mogul during his upcoming trial on sex trafficking and racketeering charges.

She is one of four victims who are set to testify in court at Comb’s trial—and the first to make public allegations against the rap mogul. Ventura sued Diddy in November 2023 for what she alleges is a decade-long cycle of sexual assault—with the abuse beginning in 2005 when she was 19 and signed to Bad Boy Records. That lawsuit described beatings, forced drug usage, and coercive sexual acts with other men while Diddy filmed them.

Leaked video of an incident between Diddy and Ventura shows the rapper running down a hotel hallway to intercept Ventura at the elevators, preventing her from leaving. He drags her back to the room by her hair after kicking and assaulting her. That incident occurred in 2016 at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles, with CNN publishing the video in May 2024. The video seems to corroborate an account in Ventura’s initial lawsuit. Combs settled that lawsuit one day after filing it with no admission of wrongdoing.

In a Friday motion submitted by prosecutors, federal attorneys said ‘Victim-1’ will no longer testify anonymously during the trial. “[Ventura] is prepared to testify under her own name. Victim-2, Victim-3, and Victim-4 have asked that their identities not be revealed to the press or public,” writes the prosecution, which seeks to use pseudonyms for those accusers. Combs’ lawyers have asked judges to unmask his accusers and force them to make their names public.

Combs faces five counts on three charges of racketeering, sex trafficking by force, and transportation to engage in prostitution. The rap mogul has pleaded not guilty. Combs is facing more than 55 lawsuits in New York federal and state courts—with around 40 of thos elawsuits filed under ‘Jane Doe’ or ‘John Doe’ pseudonyms.

Drake has scored a key discovery win in his UMG lawsuit. Photo Credit: musicisentropy

Let the discovery fireworks begin: Drake has scored a document-production win in his intensifying lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG).

That victory arrived in the form of a ruling, handed down during a pre-trial conference this morning, pertaining to the parties’ all-important discovery sub-dispute. We’ve already covered that high-stakes component of the defamation battle in detail.

To recap, however, UMG was looking to pause discovery while its dismissal motion played out. Drake and his counsel, for their part, were urging the presiding judge to keep the discovery wheels in motion.

Now, Judge Jeannette Vargas has done just that, rejecting UMG’s motion and, in the process, enabling Drake’s team to move forward with discovery.

As things stand, the case’s docket hasn’t received the relevant update. But in a concise statement provided to DMN, Drake lead attorney Michael Gottlieb confirmed the development and touched on his eagerness to dive into discovery.

“Now it’s time to see what UMG was so desperately trying to hide,” said the Willkie Farr & Gallagher partner.

While the approaching months should reveal those precise details – with any luck, public-version redactions won’t be too extensive – we aren’t without knowledge of the information Drake is seeking from the major.

That’s because the rapper and his team reiterated their initial wave of discovery requests last month. Factoring also for the distinct possibility of executive depositions, it isn’t difficult to see why UMG was pushing to nix discovery.

To be sure, Drake and his counsel were calling for 18 separate sets of documents as of mid-March 2025. Especially given the multifaceted nature of certain demands, the all-encompassing discovery scope is best summarized in a list.

Worth bearing in mind as well is that several of the demands concern happenings (like the Super Bowl) that occurred well after Drake submitted his original complaint. Kendrick Lamar and SZA are scheduled to kick off their Grand National Tour later in April.

Drake’s UMG Discovery Demands As of March 2025

1. “All contracts and agreements between” UMG and Kendrick Lamar

2. All documents and communications concerning UMG’s “Not Like Us” release approval

3. All “Not Like Us” communications from Interscope marketing exec Ramon Alvarez-Smikle

4. All documents and communications regarding “the payment and reimbursements of discretionary marketing funds for the benefit” of Lamar and/or his team

5. All documents and communications pertaining to “Not Like Us” payola allegations (or payola claims about any other Lamar tracks)

6. All details about UMG’s “actions or contemplated actions” involving the “Not Like Us” copyright restrictions

7. “Documents sufficient to show” UMG’s policies and procedures for enforcing copyright restrictions on third-party platforms

8. All UMG’s documents and communications with the Grammys/Recording Academy about “Not Like Us”

9. All documents and communications “relating to the selection and licensing of” “Not Like Us” for the Super Bowl halftime show, including for “any and all decisions proposed, contemplated, or made with respect to whether to omit or censor any lyrics or other content”

10. Detailed accounts of “Not Like Us” streams and views “on all platforms,” including social services

11. Documents revealing “the executive compensation structure and annual incentive plans” for Interscope CEO John Janick during the past half-decade

12. Additional details about Interscope’s broader executive-incentive metrics

13. Documents and communications about UMG’s “litigation hold notices”

14. All documents and communications about the attack on Drake’s Toronto home

(Said attack factored prominently into the original complaint.)

15. All documents and communications about “Not Like Us” promotion on Spotify and Apple Music

16. Any documents and communications involving “concerns” about the content of “Not Like Us”

17. Documents demonstrating exactly how much UMG spent producing “Not Like Us”

18. Documents identifying UMG’s monthly marketing spend for “Not Like Us”

The top 100 notable new music releases, whether singles or albums, as curated by the Digital Music News team.

Position	wdt_ID	wdt_created_by	wdt_created_at	wdt_last_edited_by	wdt_last_edited_at	Artwork	Artwork name	Release Date	Performing Artist(s)	Title	Single/Album	Writers	Label	Producers	Formats	ISRC	ISWC	Notes	Songwriters
1	411	presnikoff	09/05/2024 10:46 AM	mding	01/27/2025 06:12 PM		Mayhem	2025/03/07	Lady Gaga	Mayhem	Album	Lady Gaga	Streamline, Interscope	Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Andrew Watt, Cirkut, and Gesaffelstein	Not yet announced	Not yet registered	Not yet registered	First single potentially in October 2024; Lady Gaga revealed she is in the studio with scant details in a Vogue interview.	More details
	657	mding	11/01/2024 10:54 PM	presnikoff	11/14/2024 10:17 AM		Missionary	2024/12/13	Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg	Missionary	Album		Death Row/Aftermath/Interscope Records	Dr. Dre					More details
	681	mding	11/30/2024 05:12 PM	presnikoff	12/31/2024 12:17 AM		Hurry Up Tomorrow	2025/01/25	The Weeknd	Hurry Up Tomorrow	Album	Max Martin, Oscar Holter & The Weeknd	XO Records/Republic Records	Universal Music Publishing Group					More details
	682	mding	11/30/2024 05:19 PM	mding	11/30/2024 05:19 PM		Manley Field House, Syracuse University, April 7, 1972	2024/11/29	Allman Brothers Band	Manley Field House, Syracuse University, April 7, 1972	Album	Allman Brothers Band	Allman Brothers Band Recording Company	Allman Brothers Band					More details
	683	mding	11/30/2024 05:28 PM	mding	11/30/2024 05:28 PM		The Party Never Ends	2024/11/29	Juice WRLD	The Party Never Ends	Album	Benjamin Levin, Carlton McDowell Jr, Jarad Higgins, Jevais Harris, Magnus August Høiberg	Grade A Productions/Interscope Records	benny blanco, Cashmere Cat, Car!ton, SoundsBy8					More details
	685	mding	12/01/2024 02:40 AM	mding	12/01/2024 02:40 AM		PPCP	2024/11/29	FeidSky Rompiendo	PPCP	Single	Alejandro Ramírez Suárez, Esteban Higuita Estrada,Salomón Villada Hoyos	Universal Music Latino	Sky Rompiendo					More details
	766	mding	12/05/2024 01:13 AM	mding	12/05/2024 01:13 AM		ETA - RMX	2024/12/4	De La Rose, Luar La L, Omar Courtz, ROA, Yan Block	ETA - RMX	Single	Andres Jese Gavillan Batista, Joshua Omar Medina Cortes, Raul Del Valle Robles, ROA, Yuberkis Gabriela De La Rosa	UMLE - Latino	Botlok, Relative, ROA					More details
	767	mding	12/05/2024 01:24 AM	presnikoff	12/05/2024 04:28 PM		A Broken Man	2025/02/05	Dream Theater	A Broken Man	Album	Dream Theater, James Labrie	PFA Media	John Petrucci					More details
	768	mding	12/05/2024 01:27 AM	mding	12/05/2024 01:27 AM		Everything Means Nothing	2024/12/04	All Made Up, KNOTTS	Everything Means Nothing	Single	Adalia Ieshia Boehne, Alexandra E Futterer, Fiona Schenkelberg	Head Bitch Music	Allee Fütterer					More details
	769	mding	12/05/2024 01:30 AM	mding	12/05/2024 01:30 AM		4L	2024/12/04	Ghais Guevara	4L	Single	Ghais Guevara	Fat Possum	Ghais Guevara					More details
	770	mding	12/06/2024 10:24 PM	mding	12/06/2024 10:25 PM		Cross Eyed Stare	2024/12/04	Joe Holmes	Cross Eyed Stare	Single	Brent Hoffort, Joseph Oliver Holmes III	Joe Holmes	Joe Holmes, Rich Mouser					More details
	771	mding	12/06/2024 10:36 PM	presnikoff	12/29/2024 01:34 PM		White Christmas (with V of BTS)	2024/12/6	Bing Crosby, V	White Christmas (with V of BTS)	Single	Irving Berlin	Geffen Records /UMG Recordings / Primary Wave Music	Gregg Field					More details
	773	mding	12/06/2024 10:57 PM	mding	12/06/2024 10:57 PM		Vicious Creature	2024/12/6	Lauren Mayberry	Vicious Creature	Album	Dan McDougallLauren Mayberry	EMI Records/UMG	Dan McDougall					More details
	775	mding	12/15/2024 04:24 PM	mding	12/15/2024 04:24 PM		A Complete Unknown (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)	2024/12/25	Timothée Chalamet	A Complete Unknown (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)	Album	Bob Dylan	Columbia/Sony Music Entertainment	Nick Baxter, Steven Gizicki, James Mangold					More details
	776	mding	12/15/2024 04:26 PM	mding	12/15/2024 04:26 PM		The Human Fear	2025/01/10	Franz Ferdinand	The Human Fear	Album		Domino Recording Co						More details
	777	mding	12/15/2024 04:30 PM	mding	12/15/2024 04:30 PM		light dark light	2024/12/13	Angie McMahon, Fred again..	light dark light	Single	Angie McMahon, Fred again..	Atlantic Records UK, Twenty Nine Music Group	Fred again..					More details
	778	mding	12/15/2024 04:35 PM	mding	12/15/2024 04:35 PM		Free Your Mind	2024/12/13	Lucas & Steve, Tiësto	Free Your Mind	Single	Lucas De Wert, Steven Jansen, Tijs Verwest	Musical Freedom	Lucas & Steve, Tiësto					More details
	779	mding	12/15/2024 04:38 PM	mding	12/15/2024 04:38 PM		Merry Christmas (30th Anniversary Edition)	2024/12/06	Mariah Carey	Merry Christmas (30th Anniversary Edition)	Single	Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff	Columbia/Legacy	Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff					More details
	780	mding	12/15/2024 04:42 PM	mding	12/15/2024 04:42 PM		Xmas Time (with Kehlani)	2024/12/13	GloRilla, Kehlani	Xmas Time (with Kehlani)	Single	Amari Freeman, Dudley Alexander Duverne, Ethan Hayes, Gloria Woods, Harald Hjermann Sørebø, Kehlani Parrish	CMG/Interscope Records	Ace charisma, Haze, Payday, NEVRMIND, Yo Gotti					More details
	781	mding	12/29/2024 06:42 PM	mding	12/29/2024 06:42 PM		DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS	2025/01/06	Bad Bunny	DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS	Single		Rimas Entertainment LLC.						More details
	782	mding	12/29/2024 06:50 PM	mding	12/29/2024 06:50 PM		Look Up	2025/01/25	Ringo Starr	Look Up	Album	Daniel Tashian, Paul Kennerley, T Bone Burnett	Rocabella/Big Yellow Dog Music/UMG	T Bone Burnett, Daniel Tashian, Bruce Sugar					More details
	783	mding	12/29/2024 07:01 PM	mding	12/29/2024 07:01 PM		Balloonerism	2025/01/17	Mac Miller	Balloonerism	Album	Central Cee, Dennis Atuahene Opoku, Dominique Armani Jones, Gennaro Alessandro Frenken	CC4L Limited/Columbia Records/Sony Music Entertainment	Ghana Beats, geenaro					More details
	784	mding	12/29/2024 07:04 PM	mding	12/29/2024 07:04 PM		EUSEXUA	2025/01/24	FKA twigs	EUSEXUA	Album	Alexandra Drewchin, Ethan P. Flynn, FKA Twigs, Lewis Roberts	Atlantic Records/Warner Music Group	Koreless, FKA Twigs, Eartheater					More details
	785	mding	01/15/2025 11:42 PM	mding	01/15/2025 11:51 PM		Tweaker	2025/01/03	G3 GELO	Tweaker	Single	Li’Angelo BallLonzo Ball	Born To Ball Music Group	Li’Angelo Ball					More details
	786	mding	01/15/2025 11:51 PM	mding	01/15/2025 11:51 PM		Wham (Extended Version)	2025/01/07	Lil Baby	Wham (Extended Version)	Album	21 Savage, 2teflon, 9Jay, Aaron Paris, Andyr, BabyWave, BEATSAINTFREE JG, BeatsByJuko, BeatsByTaz, BlayzeBeats, B. March, Dez Wright, DJ Champ, DJ Moon, D. Rich, DY Krazy, Elementry, Emildollaz, EZ Money, Frankie Bash, Future, Getro, GloRilla,	Quality Control Music/Motown Records/UMG	2teflon, 9Jay, James Maddocks, Joe Stanley, Josh Taylor (Producer), Juke Wong, King LeeBoy, London on da Track, Lulescu, Nick Lee, OB MUS1C, Peeb, Southside, Splited Stupid, T9C, Wheezy, Williskeating & ZtheSavage					More details

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Photo Credit: NBC News

Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother were found guilty of wire fraud on all counts in their federal trial in Florida. Both were accused of defrauding a jewelry business, a luxury bed company, a microLED TV company, and an exotic car dealership.

Jurors delivered the guilty verdict after a three and a half hour deliberation. Kingston was ordered to be confined to house arrest with electronic monitoring. He must post a surety bond of a home valued at $500,000 and $200,000 in cash as part of his sentencing. Meanwhile, his mother was taken into federal custody and will remain there until sentencing—which is scheduled for July 11.

Sean Kingston was arrested in Fort Irwin, California in May 2024 after a warrant was issued by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office in Florida. A SWAT team raided his home in Southwest Ranches, a community within Broward county. His mother was arrested during this raid, which occurred just hours before Kingston himself was arrested in California.

Kingston and his mother would target luxury businesses and vendors. Using Kingston’s celebrity status, the pair convicted companies to provide high-end goods including jewelry, vehicles, and electronics with no upfront payment. The pair promised wire transfers that never materialized. Prosecutors in the case revealed the extent of the fraud, including fake wire transfer receipts, fabricated payment documents, and lying about celebrity partnerships.

Kingston falsely told one home theater vendor that he was partnered with Justin Bieber to obtain a $150,000 home theater system—under the guise of future promotion. His mother Janice Turner, played a critical role in the deception by coordinating deliveries of goods and sending fraudulent payment confirmations. The duo acquired luxury watches, a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade, and expensive bedding through these fraudulent tactics.

Judge David D. Leibowitz allowed Kingston to post bond and remain out of custody due to his decision to remain silent. His mother testified, which the judge said “amounted to obstruction” and was a factor in his decision to remand her to federal custody. Judge Leibowitz said the testimony “makes it impossible to believe she wouldn’t do anything for her son.”

Photo Credit: Karina Carvalho

Kanye West is no stranger to sampling songs for his music—but his antisemitic behavior has resulted in more pushback over the years. He’s a prolific unlicensed sampler, resulting in at least 14 cases being filed against him. Here’s a peek at some of the legal action surrounding Ye’s ‘sample first, get permission later’ attitude.

Several of Kanye’s most well-known songs were involved in sampling disputes, including “Gold Digger” and “Bound 2.” Other samples were still used willfully by Kanye, despite being denied permission to use the sample. Most of these lawsuits end up in private settlement so it’s impossible to say the outcome—though others have resulted in tracks being removed.

Not mentioned are several cases in which an unlicensed sample was objected to by an artist, but no legal action was brought forward for various reasons.

The Long History of Kanye’s Sampling Fiascos

In May 2008, Joe Farrell’s daughter, Kathleen Firrantello, accused Kanye of sampling “Upon This Rock” (1974) for West’s track “Gone.” She sought damages of up to $1,000,000 and demanded no more copies of that song be made or distributed. The case also implicated three others rappers—Common in “Chi-City,” and Method Man and Redman’s “Run 4 Cover.” Kanye settled with Firrantello in 2010.

In 2010, British musician Aphex Twin claimed that Kanye attempted to use a sample of his piano melody in “Avril 14th” without compensation. West’s team sent him an early version of the song “Blame Game” with a time-stretched sample of “Avril 14th.” Aphex Twin offered to re-record the piece at a different tempo to improve the quality. West’s team responded “It’s not yours, its ours, and we’re not even asking you anymore.”

In October 2011, blues and soul artist Syl Johnson accused West and Jay-Z of sampling “Different Strokes” (1967) for their song “The Joy.” Johnson says the sample was used without permission, credit, or compensation. He also stated that Kanye had previously sought permission for the song but was denied—making the copyright infringement willful. This case was settled for an undisclosed amount in 2012.

In April 2013, two family members of David Pryor sued West, claiming his track “Gold Digger” used an unauthorized sample from “Bumpin’ Bus Stop” (1975). Pryor passed away in 2006 and it took six years for his estate to wind its way through probate. This case was eventually dismissed in 2014 on grounds that the sample used was ‘de minimis’—too short it doesn’t count as copyright infringement.

In December 2013, Ricky Spicer of the group Ponderosa Twins Plus One sued Kanye for sampling the group’s song “Bound” for his own track, “Bound 2.” By May 2015, Spicer reached a deal with West to settle this case outside of court for an undisclosed amount.

In May 2016, Gábor Presser of the Hungarian rock band Omega sued the rapper for sampling “Gyöngyhajú Lány“ (1969) on his track “New Slaves.” Presser sought $2,500,000, stating that Yeezy’s representatives offered a $10,000 check after the start of The Yeezus tour to resolve the issue. A trial for this case was due to begin on May 15, 2017—but ultimately Ye settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.

In February 2019, the parents of Natalie Green sued Kanye for illegally using a clip of Green’s voice at the beginning of the song “Ultralight Beam.” West sought permission from Green’s birth mother, but as she was no longer the legal parent of the child, she could not clear the sample. The case was settled in November 2020 for $350,000.

In March 2019, actor Ronald Oslin Bobb-Semple claimed that West and Kid Cudi’s track “Freeee (Ghost Town, Pt. 2)” illegally sampled his 2002 one-man show without providing credit or compensation. West admitted to sampling the show, but claimed fair use. In January 2020, Bobb-Semple and West settled the suit for an undisclosed amount.

In August 2021, gospel singer Briana Babineaux said she was unaware that her vocals from “Make Me Over” were sampled in the Kanye song, “Lord I Need You.” The owner of the song B. Slade pushed back on Babineaux’s claims, stating West had cleared the sample with him as the rightful owner of the song.

In May 2022, Texas pastor David P. Moten sued Kanye for using a minute of his recorded sermon, “Come to Life.” The case for this copyright infringement is still active and is slated to go to trial on June 2025.

In June 2022, Ultra International sued West for sampling “Move Your Body” (1986) by Marshall Jefferson in his song “Flowers.” West settled this suit in May 2023 for an undisclosed amount.

In November 2022, music company Phase One Network accused West of sampling Boogie Down Productions’ song “South Bronx” for his song with Andre 3000, “Life of the Party.” The company alleges that West submitted and then retracted a clearance request in 2021. In August 2024, both sides settled for an undisclosed amount.

In July 2024, a music company called Artist Revenue Advocates sued West for using their instrumental song “MSD PT2” in both “Hurricane” and “Moon.” This case is still pending in California fedearl court.

In February 2024, Ozzy Osbourne threatened legal action over a sample of the Black Sabbath song “Iron Man” appearing on Kanye’s track “Carnival from the Vultures 1 album. Osbourne stated he refused to clear the sample due to Kanye’s antisemitism. West removed the sample efrom the track and replaced it with a different sample for which he did have clearance from a prior use.

Kanye also faced legal action from the Donna Summer estate for interpolating “I Feel Love” (1977) on their song “Good (Don’t Die).” The Summer estate denied his request to sample saying they did not want to be associated with West after his numerous antisemitic scandals. West and the Summer estate reached a settlement in June 2024. Part of the terms of that settlement was the track was removed from the Vultures 1 album.

In November 2024, several hip-hop artists from Memphis sued West and Ty Dolla Sign for sampling “Drank a Yak (Part 2)” (1994) in their song “Fuk Sumn.” The artists claim to have participated in talks for sample clearance, but negotiations were stalled due to the turnover of Kanye’s employees after his antisemitic rants. This case is still pending.

Finally, German singer-songwriter Alice Merton is suing Kanye for his unauthorized sample of her song “Blindside” in his track “Gun to My Head.” That lawsuit was filed on Marh 25, 2025. Merton says Kanye asked permission to sample the song in February 2024, but she denied the sample because she did not want to be associated with him. “The artist’s values are contrary to our values.” That case is still ongoing.

Photo Credit: Drake by Charito Yap for The Come Up Show / CC by 2.0

Let the Drake v. Universal Music Group (UMG) showdown continue: The rapper and his team are preparing to submit an amended lawsuit against the major label.

Drake and his counsel told the court as much in a brief notice yesterday. As we reiterated last week, when breaking down the parties’ intensifying discovery confrontation, Universal Music is pushing hard to dismiss the allegedly “meritless” defamation action.

And in light of this effort, the presiding judge set an April 16th deadline for Drake to either respond to the dismissal motion (which UMG filed 10 days ago) or to submit an amended complaint, we previously noted.

Now, the “Passionfruit” rapper has formally committed to the latter approach, a concise letter to the court shows. The retooled action, Drake lead attorney Michael Gottlieb informed the judge, will arrive sometime within the next 20 days.

Especially because one of the defamation dispute’s central questions is whether Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” is causing fans to believe that Drake is actually a pedophile, it’ll be interesting to see what the amended suit brings to the table.

Meanwhile, UMG’s aforesaid attempt to stay discovery – Drake is seeking many documents relating, directly and indirectly, to “Not Like Us” – hinges on the dismissal motion, which the court is still considering.

Apparently, this all-important discovery debate is impacting (currently nonexistent) settlement talks as well.

In a joint update, the parties yesterday underscored their agreement “that settlement discussions would not be productive at this time.”

As Drake and his attorneys see the situation, before any “meaningful settlement negotiations” can take place, UMG would have to hand over the mountain of “Not Like Us” promotion and contract specifics.

Universal Music, on the other hand, only reiterated to the court that it’s looking to halt discovery while its dismissal motion plays out.

Regarding where things go from here – besides the amended complaint from Drake – both sides are due to participate in a pre-trial conference this coming Wednesday, April 2nd.

Kendrick Lamar and SZA are scheduled to kick off their Grand National Tour 17 days thereafter. It probably doesn’t need saying, but “Not Like Us” will almost certainly factor into the concert series – and, in turn, Drake’s lawsuit.

To be sure, among the 38-year-old’s discovery demands are details about Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show performance, which took place a month or so after the original action’s submission.

The presiding judge has scheduled an initial conference in Lydia Harris’ $107 million Death Row lawsuit against Snoop Dogg and several others. Photo Credit: Death Row

Lydia Harris is officially proceeding with her more than $100 million lawsuit against Snoop Dogg, Suge Knight, Jimmy lovine, Lucian Grainge, and others.

The presiding judge just recently put the case’s scheduling wheels in motion, after Lydia Harris (who was previously married to Death Row co-founder Michael Harris) submitted the pro se action last week.

We promptly broke down the lawsuit, the core claims of which are straightforward enough but involve all manner of decades-old details.

Turning the clock back to the 20th century for a moment, Lydia is said to have helped establish, bankroll, and run Death Row alongside her now-ex-husband, who was incarcerated at the time of the label’s founding.

Among other things, these contributions purportedly saw the two assume a material interest in the company. Fast forward to 2002, when Lydia sued Suge Knight for allegedly pushing her out of Death Row, which had, of course, exploded in popularity since its founding.

The case never went to trial, but per a 20-year-old account from CBS News, the court in 2005 ordered Knight to cough up $107 million. Knight, who’s currently incarcerated, subsequently declared bankruptcy.

Despite this bankruptcy process, Lydia in a recent interview with Bomb1st appeared to acknowledge accepting a $1 million “good-faith payment” (the interviewer’s quote, not hers) from Suge Knight in or around 2005.

In any event, $107 million is also the sizable sum Lydia is seeking from the aforementioned defendants, who per the complaint allegedly “engaged in a deliberate and coordinated scheme to obstruct justice, conceal assets, and evade liability.”

(Of course, Snoop Dogg acquired and relaunched Death Row in 2022; that same year, we provided an in-depth look at the label’s multifaceted history, including its rise, various owners, and eventual bankruptcy.)

Additionally, the private-chef plaintiff’s suit not-so-subtly points to “strategic bankruptcy filings” designed “to prevent enforcement of the [2005] judgment and shield assets from collection.”

While it remains to be seen whether Lydia will prevail in court – more on this in a moment – an initial pretrial (video) conference is now confirmed for summer.

As currently scheduled, said conference will take place on the morning of June 27th. However, Lydia in the above-highlighted interview explained in different words that if all goes according to plan, a resolution will materialize at some point before trial.

“Yeah,” she responded when asked whether her “ultimate goal is just to get them to settle” the suit.

Photo Credit: Tony Buzbee Instagram

Texas attorney Tony Buzbee has withdrawn from more than a dozen lawsuits he filed against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. He blames a grievance that Jay-Z filed against him for being unable to continue.

Buzbee withdrew as the plaintiff attorney in 14 lawsuits filed against Combs in a New York federal court. Court documents show that Buzbee is not permitted to practice law in the Southern District of New York. Buzbee blames a grievance that Jay-Z filed against him saying it is an attempt to prevent him from being admitted to try SDNY cases.

Documents from the Committee on Grievances in the SDNY show that Buzbee filed for admission to practice in the court on January 29. That filing comes several months after he filed a spate of lawsuits in court. “Per the Committee’s review of the dockets, Mr. Buzbee has appeared in cases in this court without seeking admission. Therefore, the petition is denied,” the Committee Chair writes.

U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams advised Buzbee that he was in violation of a local rule of the court due to his admission status. Abrams says Buzbee failed to bring the issue to the courts attention and asked for an explanation. In a letter penned on Monday, Buzbee attributes it to an “error in judgement” for “failing to inform” the judges he was not admitted to practice in SDNY.

“As an attorney in good standing of the New York State Bar, the Texas State Bar, and your sister district, the Bar for Eastern District of the State of New York, I believe I am eminently qualified and should not be precluded from representing the Plaintiff in this action,” Buzbee writes. Instead, he says the status of his admission has “become a distraction that has shifted the focus of the matter away from where it should be, which is securing justice for the Plaintiff.”

The unnamed Plaintiff in these lawsuits will continue to be represented by the New York law firm with which he co-filed the lawsuit. Buzbee says he believes the focus shift is due to Jay-Z’s grievance filed against him.

“The individual I was bringing a suit against, Shawn Carter, filed a grievance against me trying to keep me from receiving admission—a formality. So I have to deal with that before I receive formal admission.” Buzbee says out of the multiple lawyers handling the case, he was singled out and had a grievance filed against him. Last month, another client of Buzbee’s dropped her sexual assault lawsuit.

“The primary factor underlying both the grievance and the Southern District’s admission decision is that I electronically signed numerous pleadings alongside my firm’s local counsel (who is admitted to the SNDY and who actually filed all pleadings and other papers),” Buzbee writes in an affidavit to defend himself against the grievance and appeal the SDNY’s admissions decision.

Diddy’s attorneys write that they have never opposed a pro hac vice application for a lawyer to represent their clients—but that Buzbee’s “egregious misconduct warrants a denial of the privilege of appearing in the District.”

Amid a broader defamation lawsuit, Drake and his team are embroiled in a discovery dispute with Universal Music Group. Photo Credit: The Come Up Show / CC by 2.0

Do millions believe that “Not Like Us” actually accuses Drake of being a pedophile? He and his legal team think so, and they’re making as much clear amid a discovery dispute with Universal Music Group (UMG).

Drake and his counsel just recently expressed the view when pushing back against UMG’s motion to stay discovery. By now, pretty much everyone is familiar with the overarching lawsuit; focusing on Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” Drake is accusing UMG of defamation and more.

Last time we checked in on the multifaceted showdown (earlier this week, that is), UMG moved to dismiss the complaint. Among other things, the major described “Not Like Us” – including the track’s official “image of Drake’s Toronto mansion with 13 sex offender markers” – as “hyperbolic and exaggerated, conveying opinion, not fact.”

Running with the dismissal position, UMG on Tuesday asked the court to pause discovery because it purportedly “presented substantial arguments that Drake’s claims should be dismissed in their entirety.”

“His defamation claim fails because when assessed in context, as it must be, ‘Not Like Us’ conveys non-actionable opinion and rhetorical hyperbole, not fact, an issue for the court to resolve as a matter of law,” Universal Music and its counsel wrote.

As for the sought discovery materials themselves, Drake is working to obtain an abundance of documents relating to “Not Like Us,” alleged payola, Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime-show performance, Interscope CEO John Janick’s compensation structure, and a whole lot else.

Stated differently, even at this relatively early stage, regardless of how the battle plays out, there’s quite a bit riding on the discovery confrontation – hence Drake’s opposition to UMG’s request to halt the process.

“UMG’s headline argument is that the Defamatory Material [‘Not Like Us’] is non-actionable opinion that no reasonable person would understand as a statement of fact. This argument is doomed to fail,” Drake and his attorneys penned in a letter to the court.

“For one,” they continued, “UMG completely ignores the Complaint’s allegations that millions of people, all over the world, did understand the Defamatory Material as a factual assertion that Plaintiff is a pedophile.”

Time will tell whether the parties turn to a social-media poll to eliminate all doubt here. But elsewhere in his letter, Drake took aim at UMG’s other arguments, including the major’s cited cases and the position that it didn’t act with “actual malice” by releasing “Not Like Us.”

UMG, Drake communicated, “brazenly continued to publish and promote” the hit track even after his Toronto “home was attacked by a gunman” and he’d “made UMG aware of the falsity of the allegations (and the harm they were causing).”

In a statement provided to DMN, Drake attorney Michael Gottlieb called out Universal Music as “desperate to avoid discovery.”

“It is unsurprising that UMG is desperate to avoid discovery,” the Willkie Farr & Gallagher partner told us. “This motion is a ploy to delay producing documents and communications that UMG hopes to keep hidden and buried. If UMG has nothing to hide, it should not have an issue with discovery.”

Wherever the discovery cards fall, evidence suggests that the high-stakes defamation disagreement isn’t going away anytime soon. On Wednesday, the presiding judge set a March 27th deadline for Drake to decide whether (in light of UMG’s aforesaid dismissal motion) he’ll submit an amended complaint or move forward with the original lawsuit.

In any event, the “Die Trying” act has until April 16th to either go the amended-action route or respond to UMG’s dismissal motion.

Primary Wave has confirmed a deal for the Notorious B.I.G. catalog. Photo Credit: Primary Wave

Weeks after reports suggested that Primary Wave was poised to take a 50% interest in the Notorious B.I.G. catalog, higher-ups have confirmed the deal.

Primary Wave disclosed the transaction on its website, directing visitors to a related Wall Street Journal piece for additional info. According to the coverage’s presumably accurate figures, the New York City-headquartered purchaser valued Biggie’s “life’s work at over $200 million” as part of the play.

While sizable, that sum is well beneath the $300 million potential valuation pinpointed closer to March’s beginning. As we noted at the time, it’s best to take price-tag rumblings with a grain of salt in the catalog arena – especially since verified pricing details have proven comparatively modest.

Primary Wave opted against diving into its exact plans for the Notorious B.I.G. IP, which reportedly extends to recordings, publishing, and NIL alike. However, the Journal mentioned a possible Biggie Broadway production and forthcoming “immersive music experiences.”

Said experiences could incorporate the late rapper’s digital avatar, per the same source. Though similar licensing efforts previously delivered far-from-ideal results for the Biggie estate as well as fans, Primary Wave’s considerable experience and reach will likely render upcoming projects more fruitful.

And on this front, Primary Wave head Larry Mestel spelled out that his company will look to do “less but larger” with the Notorious B.I.G. rights moving forward.

Keeping the focus on what we do know, Biggie’s mother, having played a key role in managing her son’s body of work, passed away one month ago at the age of 78. According to the Journal, she personally approved the Primary Wave agreement “shortly” before her death.

But others have raised red flags about the circumstances surrounding the deal, referring specifically to the Biggie estate’s alleged effort to exploit the “Big Poppa” act’s family through the sale.

Unfortunately, IP disputes, including among family members and those in charge of deceased artists’ rights, aren’t exactly rare. The marathon legal battle surrounding James Brown’s catalog comes to mind, as does the more recent catalog-sale opposition voiced by Michael Jackson’s family.

We should know sooner rather than later whether the Notorious B.I.G. song-rights selloff is ushering in a dispute. Most immediately here, T’yanna Wallace, Biggie’s daughter, describes herself on social media as the owner and CEO of both Notoriouss Clothing and Brooklyn’s Biggie Experience museum.

Photo Credit: Alexis Balinoff

Entertainment entrepreneur and leader of LA’s Rollin’ 60s Crips street gang, Big U, has been charged with a series of racketeering crimes.

Eugene Henley Jr., better known as Big U, has been charged with conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Los Angeles’ FOX 11 reports Henley surrendered to the police after learning of his indictment. This followed a video he shared on social media in which he stated his intention to turn himself in.

“I’m going to turn myself in and see what’s going on,” said Henley in a video posted to social media. “They’re calling me a fugitive. They just raided all my houses.”

The 58-year-old Henley is an entertainment entrepreneur and a longtime leader of the South Los Angeles-based Rollin’ 60s set of the Crips street gang. He has been charged in a federal complaint with allegations he ran a criminal enterprise that committed racketeering crimes, including extortion, human trafficking, fraud, and murder.

Alongside Henley, two other alleged members of the enterprise were arrested this week: 59-year-old Sylvester “Vey” Robinson, and 50-year-old Mark “Bear Claw” Martin. Both were arrested in connection with the same criminal complaint in which Henley is charged.

Henley went on to accuse Cash “Wack 100” Jones of working with the FBI against him. Jones is a hip-hop commentator and record executive who has managed artists including 6ix9ine.

“If you had something against a Black man, handle it with a Black man in the streets,” said Henley. “Wack said 100 times he was gonna take my contracts. He working with the FBI.”

Henley further alleged that the FBI told celebrities to stop giving him money. “Y’all don’t understand what the FBI do to Black men who try to help their community.”

Meanwhile, Wack 100 has responded to Big U’s accusations that he is responsible for the federal indictments handed down against the alleged members of the Rollin’ 60s.

“Shit ain’t got nothing to do with [me!]” he said, asserting it was obvious that Henley and his alleged cohorts were on the FBI’s radar. “‘How did they know they was gonna raid my house?’” he asked, mocking Henley. “Oh, you a goofy— How the f**k you didn’t know?”

Law enforcement has arrested nearly a dozen Rollin’ 60s members and associates in the past two days who are accused of various federal crimes. Four were already in custody, and officials are seeking the whereabouts of five other defendants.

Photo Credit: Suge Knight by Nick Leisure / CC by 2.0

Snoop Dogg, Suge Knight, Lucian Grainge, and Jimmy Iovine are all being sued for allegedly defrauding a former Death Row Records executive.

Lydia Harris filed the $107 million lawsuit in Texas on Tuesday, accusing Snoop Dogg, Suge Knight, Death Row Records, Interscope Records, and executive Jimmy Iovine of cheating her out of a lucrative judgement she had been previously granted. Harris claims she was not only a co-founder of Death Row Records, but its first vice president.

As the wife of former Death Row Records financier and convicted drug kingpin Michael “Harry-O” Harris, Lydia Harris was awarded the original $107 million judgement in 2005 following a civil trial over the couple’s role in founding the label.

But Harris is alleging that Knight and the others named hid financial records, filed fraudulent motions, and abused bankruptcy court to avoid paying her the judgement. She says she has yet to receive a single payment in the 20 years since she won the suit against Knight and other alleged co-conspirators.

Notably, Snoop was added to the lawsuit as the current owner of Death Row Records. He acquired the label in 2022 in a deal with MNRK Music Group. According to Harris, Suge Knight used “systematic misrepresentation and fraudulent telecommunications directed at the Plaintiff in Texas” in order to avoid paying her. She began her initial legal battle against Knight in 2022.

Harry-O and Lydia Harris’ dealings with Knight began in the 1980s, when the former invested $1.5 million in Death Row Records’ launch — under the expectation that the couple would retain a 50% profit share in the business.

But Knight became “increasingly distant” with Harry-O, who was serving a 28-year prison sentence for crimes including cocaine trafficking, kidnapping, and attempted murder. That led to Lydia Harris filing suit against Knight to pursue the matter on her own.

She is seeking punitive damages, the recovery of assets owed to her, and a full accounting of Death Row Records’ finances.

Universal Music Group has officially moved to dismiss the defamation lawsuit filed against it by Drake. Photo Credit: The Come Up Show

Universal Music Group (UMG) is once again firing back against Drake’s “Not Like Us” lawsuit – this time with a firmly worded motion to toss the “meritless” complaint.

The major label doubled down on its dismissal push today, two months and change after Drake officially submitted the action. In part because of Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime-show set, many are already familiar with the defamation dispute and the underlying rap battle.

We last checked in on the ugly showdown towards this month’s beginning, when, despite UMG’s clear-cut criticism of Drake’s arguments, the discovery wheels were in motion.

(Early March also saw Drake and iHeartMedia settle their separate suit accusing the latter of “Not Like Us” payola.)

Now, the dismissal wheels are in motion as well – with UMG kicking off its related memorandum of law by calling out the purported motivation behind Drake’s suit.

Drake, UMG said here, “one of the most successful recording artists of all time, lost a rap battle that he provoked and in which he willingly participated. Instead of accepting the loss like the unbothered rap artist he often claims to be, he has sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds.”

Unsurprisingly, given that contention, the record-label defendant further dove into a point-by-point recap of the “increasingly vitriolic and incendiary ‘diss tracks’” exchanged between Drake and Lamar.

And those diss tracks, UMG opined in more words, represent business as usual in the rap-battle world – including because Drake himself allegedly levied a variety of “incendiary attacks” against Lamar.

“Drake has been pleased to use UMG’s platform to promote tracks leveling similarly incendiary attacks at Lamar,” Universal Music indicated, “including, most significantly, that Lamar engaged in domestic abuse and that one of Lamar’s business partners and managers is the true father of Lamar’s son.”

Following the idea to its conclusion, “Not Like Us” allegedly conveys “nonactionable opinion and rhetorical hyperbole.” Revolving “around outrageous insults,” this rhetorical hyperbole constitutes protected First Amendment speech that could “be severely chilled” by Drake’s suit, per UMG.

Shifting to Drake’s specific defamation arguments concerning “Not Like Us,” the song allegedly advances “the false and malicious narrative that Drake is a pedophile,” we reported of the original complaint in mid-January.

“Again,” UMG retorted in its dismissal motion, “no reasonable viewer would believe that the [official ‘Not Like Us’] image of Drake’s Toronto mansion with 13 sex offender markers is real; the image is hyperbolic and exaggerated, conveying opinion, not fact.”

(Drake and his legal team, having emphasized alleged “real-life” consequences of the “Not Like Us” image in the initial suit, presumably have much to say about this claim in particular.)

Meanwhile, even if Universal Music had actually set out to devalue Drake’s brand by releasing and aggressively marketing “Not Like Us,” the plaintiff rapper’s suit “never alleges that UMG specifically intended to cause violence against him—and any such allegation would be utterly implausible,” per the dismissal-focused text.

Many appear to share UMG’s position that Drake’s suit is an effort to even the rap-battle score – not a genuine attempt to secure damages for actual defamation. But in light of the massive commercial reach of “Not Like Us” (and the above-highlighted consequences claimed by Drake), it’ll be interesting to see if the court feels the same way.

In any event, Drake and his legal team are certainly standing by their arguments; after this piece was published, reps for the Toronto-born rapper reached out with a statement from his lead attorney, Michael Gottlieb.

“UMG wants to pretend that this is about a rap battle in order to distract its shareholders, artists and the public from a simple truth: a greedy company is finally being held responsible for profiting from dangerous misinformation that has already resulted in multiple acts of violence,” Gottlieb said to DMN.

“This motion is a desperate ploy by UMG to avoid accountability, but we have every confidence that this case will proceed and continue to uncover UMG’s long history of endangering, abusing and taking advantage of its artists,” he concluded.

Photo Credit: Live Nation

J. Cole and his record label Dreamville announce the lineup for 2025’s Dreamville Festival, featuring Lil Wayne with the Hot Boys and many more.

The outdoor weekend event returns to Raleigh, North Carolina on Saturday, April 5, and Sunday, April 6, to celebrate the fifth and final iteration of the Dreamville Festival. With an original lineup always curated by Cole and his Dreamville team, the 2025 edition will feature Lil Wayne with the Hot Boys (Juvenile, Turk, and B.G.) and Big Tymers (Mannie Fresh and Birdman), as well as 21 Savage and Erykah Badu.

Other performances include PARTYNEXTDOOR, Chief Keef, Young Nudy, Ab-Soul, Ludacris, Keyshia Cole, GloRilla, Tems, Coco Jones, Wale, BigXthaPlug, and many more. In total, over 25 artists will perform at Dorothea Dix Park on April 5 and 6.

“Our team looks forward to welcoming fans from around the world to Dreamville Festival this spring for our fifth anniversary celebration. The first weekend in April has grown to become one of our team’s favorite times of the year as an annual NC reunion,” said Dreamville co-founder and Festival President Adam Roy.

Last spring saw a historic fourth edition in which 100,000 festival attendees from over 20 countries traveled to Cole’s home state of North Carolina to attend the Dreamville brand’s flagship annual event. Dreamville Festival will once again return to Dorothea Dix Park to usher in the new spring festival season with a massive outdoor celebration of music, culture, and community.

Dreamville Festival will continue to “offer a true taste of the good life in North Carolina this spring with dozens of local vendors, food trucks, artisans, and muralists spread across the Dix Park festival grounds.” As an annual reunion for Dreamville fans, the event drives a significant economic impact to the greater Wake County region.

Fans can also look forward to immersing themselves in site-wide art installations, learning more about local community organizations through Dreamville Foundation’s Nonprofit Row, enjoying some of the best food selections from around the state, and riding the iconic Dreamville Ferris wheel.

The many partners and sponsors supporting this year’s event include American Apparel, Bacardi, Chase, DoorDash, Electrolit, Hennessy, PATRON, PlutoTV, Red Bull, Smirnoff Ice, Starry, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, White Claw, and many others. This year’s charitable partners also include Dreamville Foundation and Dix Park Conservancy, for which a portion of proceeds from the event will go on to support these nonprofit organizations.

Dreamville Festival 2025 Lineup

Saturday, April 5

• Lil Wayne with Hot Boys and Big Tymers
• 21 Savage
• PARTYNEXTDOOR
• Ludacris
• Ari Lennox
• Chief Keef
• Keyshia Cole (celebrating 20 years of “The Way It Is”)
• Bas
• Young Nudy
• Ab-Soul
• Lute
• Omen
• Kai Ca$h & Niko Brim

Sunday, April 6

• J. Cole
• Erykah Badu
• Tems
• GloRilla
• J.I.D.
• Wale
• Coco Jones
• BigXthaPlug
• EarthGang
• Anycia
• Cozz
• Akia

Photo Credit: TrillEntCMG / CC by 3.0

Three people were injured after a Boosie Badazz show at a bar in Akron, Ohio devolved into shooting.

The Akron Police Department were called to a bar on Paul Williams Street in Akron, where a large crowd was in attendance. Police say a fight broke out in the bar with an unidentified male suspect when someone “fired multiple shots, striking victims.” Following the shooting, the suspect fled the venue. The shooting occurred around 2 am on Monday when “off-duty, uniformed officers working security for the business heard the gunshots and called for assistance.”

Officers found two of the three victims inside the bar. One is an 18-year-old man and the other a 36-year-old man. Both men were labeled in critical condition from their injuries, while a third victim, a 25-year-old man, drove himself to a local hospital with a gunshot graze wound. Identities of victims were not revealed by the police.

Boosie Badazz brought the Millennium tour to Cleveland’s Rocket Arena on March 9. He was at the bar as an afterparty celebrating the tour stop. Video shared by TMZ shows the rapper ducking to the ground after gunshots were heard in the club. Akron Police Deputy Chief Michael Miller says at least one shot was fired while the rapper was still on stage performing.

The Fieldhouse Lounge and Status8 Elite Bar & Grille posted on social media lamenting the “tragic incident that took place at our establishment.” “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and everyone affected by this event,” the statement concludes.

Status8 has confirmed it will remain closed until Friday while officers conduct an investigation into the shooting. The venue has also stated that it will post a new dress code and security measures, no longer permitting certain clothing, styles of shoes, large bags, lighters, and other prohibited items. The post also mentions that metal detectors will be installed on the premises. So far, the shooter has not been identified by police, but they are investigating.

Boosie Badazz has not addressed the incident on social media and will carry on with his tour. He’s set to host the Spring Fling event in Philadelphia on Friday and will perform at the Boosie Bash in Baton Rouge, Louisiana later this month.

Photo Credit: Turbo & Gunna, “Classy Girl”

Producer Turbo wins the $10 million infringement claim filed against him by the vocalist of his now-famous ‘Run that back, Turbo’ producer tag.

The suit was initially filed in January 2024 by musician Jamal Britt, whose voice is heard in Turbo’s now-iconic “Run that back, Turbo” producer tag. Britt alleged that he did not consent for his voice to be featured on future songs — including those by Lil Baby, Gunna, Nicki Minaj, and Chris Brown. The vocals came from a song, “Afghanistan,” recorded by the pair in 2017.

Britt’s lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division, included Warner Chappell Music and several other record labels as defendants. He sought joint ownership of the tag, as well as damages and compensation for past royalties.

The labels and entertainment companies that released tracks featuring the producer tag in question were named as defendants in the suit. These include Quality Control, Motown Records, Capitol Records, Young Stoner Life Records, 300 Entertainment, Universal Music group, Chris Brown Entertainment, Young Money Records, Cash Money Records, and Republic Records.

Britt alleged in his suit that he “was never given notice that his voice was being used, never properly credited for his contributions to the songs in question, and was never compensated from any of the royalty payments, profits, or other income generated from the exploitation of his recorded voice.”

But last week (March 7), the court dismissed all claims without prejudice, ruling Britt had no valid claim to the tag beyond the original recording in 2017. The judge’s ruling reinforced Turbo’s exclusive rights, ownership, and control of his producer’s tag in future works.

The latest Turbo song to feature the infamous tag is “Classy Girl” featuring Gunna, which the 30-year-old producer previewed last month. The track landed on streaming services just last week.

Photo Credit: Moments in Time

Moments in Time is auctioning a collection of handwritten lyrics and unreleased music from Tupac Shakur, stemming from 1990 to 1991.

In his pre-Death Row Records years, Tupac composed and recorded an unreleased album for a group called Jesse and the Kidz. That record never released due to the unspecified death of one of the band’s members. But the late Shakur provides lead vocals on three of the album’s tracks.

The treasure trove of unreleased music and handwritten lyrics sheets will run collectors $250,000, and is available only for private sale. This means that the winning bidder will be able to listen to the music as much as they like — but they will have to contact Tupac’s estate, which controls distribution, if they want to publicly release any of it.

“Not only are the lyrics totally unknown — the recordings of three of the album’s songs with Tupac in the lead are as well,” writes Moments in Time. “This is an extraordinary discovery.”

Photos show handwritten lyrics and a cassette tape containing three songs: “Leave Us Kidz Alone,” “Streetz Got Ya Babies,” and “Bedtime Storiez.” While no price is listed on the auction site, TMZ reports the package is available for $250K.

The authenticity of all material is guaranteed. Moments in Time is dedicated to the handling of high quality, original historical autographs from all fields to be found worldwide. Prominent individuals have produced fascinating proof of their achievements through these autograph letters, documents, and signed photographs.

Tupac’s alleged killer, Duane “Keefe D” Davis, claims he is innocent, instead accusing a former Suge Knight security guard of orchestrating the iconic rapper’s 1996 murder. Davis also asserts he was “hundreds of miles away” in Los Angeles the night Tupac was shot on the Las Vegas Strip. He claims “about 20 or 30 people” can corroborate his alibi.

Reggie Wright Jr., an ex-Compton police officer and former head of security at Death Row Records, refutes Davis’ claims. “Keefe D confessed to Tupac’s murder to the LAPD in 2008, to the Las Vegas Metro PD in 2009, and then publicly from 2018 to 2023 on BET, multiple YouTube interviews, and in a book about his life, and is only now using the media to slander me because he finally got arrested and has no other defense.”

Photo Credit: Wesley Tingey

The latest in over 100 sexual assault lawsuits filed against Sean “Diddy” Combs includes comedian Druski and NFL player Odell Beckham Jr. as defendants.

Both men have denied involvement in the alleged incident, which plaintiffs Ashley Parham, and two unnamed individuals listed as Jane Doe and John Doe, say occurred in 2018. The lawsuit was filed in California on Friday and implicates over a dozen defendants.

According to the lawsuit, initially filed in October, Parham says she was drugged, kidnapped, and assaulted by multiple people after Sean “Diddy” Combs overheard her saying she believed he was involved in Tupac Shakur’s 1996 murder. The comment allegedly took place over a Facetime call between Combs and associate Shane Pearce in February 2018.

A month later, Pearce invited Parham into his apartment, asking for help with the cancer medications he took and said he was too weak to administer himself. The filing claims he left the front door unlocked, which allowed Diddy and multiple associates to enter. Combs allegedly said Parham would “pay” for her comments about Tupac, and the group then assaulted her.

Afterward, Parham says she left the apartment wearing only a large T-shirt and carrying a knife that had allegedly been used to threaten her earlier. Combs and his associates were smoking in the yard by this time, and Parham alleges she stabbed the music mogul in the back. This led to gunshots being fired.

In the confusion that ensued, Parham’s lawsuit says she fled the scene and encountered a man who claimed to be law enforcement, but was actually a Combs associate. She then escaped that individual and found a Contra Costa County Sherriff, who she says was later handed an envelope that she believed to contain cash. Representatives for the Contra Costa County police have declined comments, according to the lawsuit.

The amended filing identifies several of the individuals allegedly involved. These include comedian Druski, NFL star Odell Beckham Jr., and singer/rapper Jaguar Wright. Both Beckham and Druski have released statements denying the allegations.

“This allegation is a fabricated lie. I wasn’t a public figure in 2018 — I was broke living with my mom without any connections to the entertainment industry at the time of this allegation, so the inclusion of my name is truly outlandish,” wrote the 30-year-old Druski on social media. “My heart breaks for actual victims of abuse, but I’m fully confident that the evidence will expose this falsehood and the individuals who are maliciously trying to game the legal system pedal [sic] false narratives.”

Beckham, 32, wrote: “Boy, I tell you what. This world makes absolutely no sense. I am covered by God. He will prevail. I know who am I [sic], I know who you are, keep your head. That name will be cleared. Shit’s stupid.”

“This new complaint — brought by an attorney who has already been sued for defaming Mr. Combs — demonstrates the depraved lengths plaintiffs will travel to garner headlines in pursuit of a payday,” representatives for Combs told Variety. “Mr. Combs was nowhere near Orinda, California on the day Ms. Parham claims she was assaulted there, and the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department has already confirmed Ms. Parham’s claims were determined to be unfounded following a thorough investigation. […] Mr. Combs looks forward to having his day in court where these lies — and the perverse motives of those who told them — will be revealed.”

The 55-year-old Combs is being held without bail in New York City, awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. He has denied all allegations. The trial is scheduled to begin on May 5.

A nighttime shot of Chengdu, Sichuan’s capital and the ‘epicenter’ of China’s hip-hop scene. Photo Credit: Prcmise

Sony Music has made another move in China’s quick-growing music market, this time by partnering with self-described “music and art collective” IRIS Chengdu.

The major label today unveiled the deal, finalized specifically between its RCA Greater China division and IRIS Chengdu. Founded by producer and DJ Andre Grant (aka Harikiri) in November 2021, the latter company operates as a label, manages talent, and provides a variety of adjacent services to boot, per its website.

Meanwhile, at least as described by the involved parties, Chengdu (population 21.4 million) is “the epicentre of China’s evolving hip hop music scene.” Running with those points, the RCA-IRIS tie-up, contrasting the open-ended pacts between the majors and other Chinese indies, centers on five forthcoming albums.

The same number of IRIS acts – Vinida Weng, Haysen Cheng, Miles, Swag Kelly, and Harikiri himself – will release the projects via RCA Greater China within “the next 12 months,” the companies said of the agreement.

(Technically, Vinida’s “recently released” 7th Seed, a portion of which was recorded in English, marks the first album under the union. The 30-year-old, having reportedly delivered her first international concert in September 2024, also dropped a Mandarin-language single entitled “Black Eight” with Cheng yesterday.)

As things stand, it’s unclear how (or whether) the partnership – about which RCA Greater China and IRIS opted against disclosing financial details – will proceed once the well-defined 12-month window concludes.

In any event, besides seeking bolstered commercial results in China, RCA and IRIS underscored plans to break the appropriate professionals on the global stage.

“IRIS Chengdu was founded to push creative boundaries and give artists the freedom to tell their stories authentically,” IRIS Chengdu founder Harikiri noted here. “This partnership with RCA Greater China marks an exciting milestone, amplifying our ability to share those stories globally while staying true to our roots. Together, we’re bridging cultures, connecting audiences, and taking music beyond borders.”

Of course, Sony Music isn’t alone in looking to capitalize on China’s expanding music sector. Last month, Universal Music Greater China scored an “exclusive global agreement” with singer-songwriter Liu Huan, who’s billed as the “King of Chinese Pop.”

Additionally, that major-label unit closed out February by formally announcing the 1,000th concert of Jacky Cheung. Touted as China’s “God of Songs,” the 63-year-old is “the first Chinese artist ever to surpass the 1,000-concert milestone,” Universal Music relayed.

Photo Credit: TMZ Sports (Antonio Brown)

Despite the tourism board for Isla Mujeres confirming they’ve had no contact from Fyre Festival organizers—the festival appears to have its first performer. Former Pittsburgh Steelers player Antonio Brown says he’s been tapped to headline the festival.

Brown’s viral song “Put That Sh**t On” was a huge hit in 2022, landing him a performance spot at Rolling Loud Miami the same year. He graced the stage during that festival that was headlined by Kanye West (Ye), Kendrick Lamar, and Future. Despite being listed as a headliner, Kanye backed out and was replaced by Kid Cudi.

“Be there or be square,” Antonio Brown told a TMZ cameraman while laughing about the announcement. “And make sure you put that sh*t on,” he adds, referencing the title of his viral song. It’s unclear if Brown is serious or just capitalizing on the Fyre Festival name being back in the news.

Convicted fraudster Billy McFarland has been teasing a second edition of his disastrous festival since he was released from prison. In September 2024, McFarland said he was ready to try again—this time with festival organizers and other investors on board. McFarland took to Instagram to try and assuage fears after reports that Isla Mujeres’ local government said they had no knowledge of a festival.

“Fyre Festival 2 is real,” McFarland insists in that clip. Tickets for the festival are on sale now and range from $1,400 to $1.1 million. The more expensive tickets are promising a whole experience destination vacation including ATV adventures, beach volleyball, and training sessions with an as of yet unnamed MMA star.

Sources speaking anonymously to TMZ say there are “multiple other acts in addition to Brown who have accepted deals to sing at the event.” Most of the talent has also agreed to lead these experiences from festival-goers—suggesting those signed to perform are famous in other areas than just singing and entertaining on stage. With the festival slated to go down in less than two months—it will be interesting to see if McFarland can pull it off.

Photo Credit: Good Morning America / ABC News

Duane ‘Keefe D’ Davis says he is innocent of the Tupac Shakur murder more than 30 years ago. Davis was arrested in September 2023 and gave his first interview after being arrested to ABC News this week.

Davis insists that he is being railroaded by authorities and that he only confessed to his involvement in the crime because he was paid to lie. During a jailhouse interview with ABC News, Davis said he should be at home watching his grandchildren grow up and tending his garden.

“I’m innocent,” Davis said during the hour-long meeting at the Clark County Detention Center in Nevada. Davis describes himself as a ‘good man’ who is retired from the drug slinging life he had as a young man. “I did everything they asked me to do. Get new friends. Stop selling drugs. I stopped all that,” Davis tells reporters. “I’m supposed to be out there enjoying my twilight at one of my f*cking grandson’s football games and basketball games. Enjoying life with my kids.”

Prosecutors allege that Keefe D was a longtime member and leader of a Crips street gang based in his hometown of Compton, California. Authorities say he was the alleged ‘shot caller’ on the night of Shakur’s killing in September 1996. As such, they say Davis is the one who orchestrated the drive-by shooting of Tupac Shakur on the Las Vegas strip at a red light.

While waiting at the red light, a car pulled up next to the BMW being driven by Suge Knight and fired multiple shots into the vehicle. Shakur was rushed to the hospital to treat his wounds, but died six days later. The unsolved murder has haunted hip-hop’s legacy for nearly 30 years—mostly thanks to street code which does not take kindly to ‘snitches.’

Vegas detectives built their case off Davis’ own account of the killing, retold in multiple police interviews, public media appearances, and a 2019 self-published memoir with his own name on it. Davis’ previous words copping to his role in the killing is the main piece of evidence against him. Investigators said they spent years working to beef up Davis’ narrative of events by using evidence and additional accounts from others. The case is expected to be presented to a jury in 11 months.

“I’ve never read the book,” Davis tells reporters of the memoir ‘Compton Street Legend.’ He shares credit as co-author and the book tagline reads, “The last living eyewitness to Tupac’s murder is telling his story.” Davis alleges that his co-author took artistic liberties in writing the book. “I just gave him details of my life,” Davis says. “And he went and did his little investigation and wrote the book on his own.” Davis alleges he was not even in Sin City at the time of the murder, instead saying he was in Los Angeles.

“I did not do it,” he says emphatically on camera. “They don’t have nothing. And they know they don’t have nothing. They can’t even place me out here. They don’t have no gun, no car, no Keefe D, no nothing.”

In 2008, Davis confessed to his alleged role in the Shakur murder in an interview with detectives who were looking for information on Notorious B.I.G.’s murder—which happened six months after the murder of Shakur. David told investigators that he did not have information about Biggie’s murder, but did have other information the investigators would be interested in. Davis’ admissions in that case were made as part of a ‘proffer agreement’—that is he would share information with no threat of prosecution for what he revealed.

The following year, Davis again confirmed his alleged role in the Shakur murder with detectives in Las Vegas. But Vegas authorities were not part of the original proffer agreement, which means he could potentially be prosecuted for that information. The case hinges of Davis’ own public words “reinvigorating the investigation,” retired head of the Vegas homicide bureau Jason Johansson told ABC News last year.

Photo Credit: Jay-Z by Mikael ‘Mika’ Väisänen / CC by 3.0

Jay-Z’s rape accuser submits another court filing in response to his countersuit, doubling down on her story after dropping her suit against him.

After the anonymous Jane Doe accusing Jay-Z of raping her at an afterparty in 2000 dropped her lawsuit against him, the music mogul filed a countersuit. His suit alleges that she and her lawyer, Tony Buzbee, fabricated the sexual assault allegations to secure a bigger payday. But now, Jane Doe is firing back with court filings asserting she stands by her story, even though she chose not to pursue legal action.

Jane Doe’s recent filing directly contradicts the defamation countersuit from Jay-Z’s legal team, which claims she admitted to fabricating her story. On Monday, the unnamed Jane Doe stated in Los Angeles court filings that she had flatly refused to recant her story when approached last month by investigators on behalf of Jay-Z. She says the experience left her “intimidated and terrified.”

“Although I ultimately chose not to pursue them, I stand by my claims in the New York action and believe that I had meritorious claim against Jay-Z,” she wrote in her filing on Monday, March 3. “I ultimately decided to dismiss the [case] because I was frightened by the reaction of Jay-Z and his supporters, and the likelihood that I would have to be publicly named and subjected to public attacks.”

She also stressed that her attorney, Buzbee, had not sought her out nor pushed her to add Jay-Z (real name Shawn Carter) to her allegations. “I told them that neither of those things ever happened, and I asked them to leave me alone.”

In response, Carter’s lawyers were quick to file new court documents on Wednesday, offering sworn statements from the private investigators who allegedly talked to her. The new filings ask the judge for permission to add them to the case record.

“Jane Doe stated to me that Mr. Carter did not sexually assault her,” said one of the investigators in a sworn statement. “Jane Doe stated, ‘Buzbee brought Jay-Z into it,’ and ‘he was the one that kind of pushed me towards going forward with him,’” the same investigator adds.

Another investigator said Jane Doe told him that “lawyers at Mr. Buzbee’s law firm told her that, if she pursued Mr. Carter, she would get a payout.”

Carter’s lawyers also request that the judge permit them to depose both Jane Doe and Buzbee under oath. “The new declaration only further reinforces the need for Jane Doe and Mr. Buzbee to sit for a deposition regarding their conversations, including her conversations with his colleagues who convinced Jane Doe to drop her lawsuit.”

Depositions are normally conducted during the discovery phase as a case moves toward trial, so such a request is unusual. That said, Carter’s lawyers insist Jane Doe’s filings have invited such a request, and that the rapper is “entitled to find out” the truth.

Buzbee vehemently denied the claims against him and his client by Carter’s investigators in the recent filings. “Jane Doe’s case was signed up in October by another law firm to pursue allegations against Jay-Z and P. Diddy,” Buzbee explains. “After it was vetted, it was sent to my firm weeks later. […] The allegation that I sat with Jane Doe and suggested a suit against Jay-Z is not only a lie, it’s provably and demonstrably false, and is contrary to the documentation from referring counsel’s intake process and our own firm documents.”

Jay-Z has strongly denied Jane Doe’s claims against him, calling the whole thing a “blackmail attempt.” He has accused Buzbee of trying to extort settlements from himself and other celebrities by falsely tying them to Sean “Diddy” Combs as a flurry of civil lawsuits swirl around the latter. Combs remains in custody in New York, awaiting trial on federal charges.

Discovery is set to proceed in the defamation lawsuit Drake filed against Universal Music, which intends to seek dismissal. Photo Credit: musicisentropy

Despite Drake’s settlement with iHeartMedia, discovery is moving forward in his high-stakes lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG).

The presiding judge made as much clear in a recent order, after the major-label defendant last month asked to adjourn an initial pretrial conference set for April 2nd.

Said conference, UMG maintained in more words, should be shelved pending the resolution of its forthcoming dismissal motion. This motion to dismiss is itself due just 12 days from today, on March 17th.

(In the same letter requesting the pretrial-conference delay, Universal Music and its attorneys indicated that Drake, “pursuant to separate correspondence,” had “agreed to withdraw certain key allegations in his complaint.”)

Unsurprisingly, the ask didn’t sit right with Drake and his counsel, who, given the explosive defamation claims at hand, are eager to dive into the discovery process. They emphasized the position in a follow-up letter to the court, decrying UMG’s alleged “improper attempt to stay discovery without having so moved.”

Additionally, the plaintiff artist stressed the ongoing nature of the alleged defamation – complete with a not-so-subtle reference to non-party Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show.

“And delaying discovery would unfairly prejudice Plaintiff, who is continuing to suffer the consequences of UMG’s defamatory campaign,” Drake and his legal team wrote. “Indeed, at the same time UMG has been delaying here, UMG launched new campaigns to further spread the defamatory content, including at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show, which had over 133.5 million viewers.”

While it remains to be seen whether the “defamatory content” is, in fact, defamatory, Judge Jeannette Vargas went ahead and rejected UMG’s request.

“It is not the practice of this Court to routinely stay discovery pending the outcome of a motion to dismiss,” the judge penned, noting that any discovery stay should be sought via a letter-motion and would then be addressed at the aforementioned April 2nd conference.

Running with the point, it’ll certainly be worth keeping an eye out for Universal Music’s dismissal motion, which, as highlighted, is expected to arrive by the 17th. Closer to the present, regardless of how exactly the Drake lawsuit unfolds and what it reveals, the underlying rap beef is in full swing.

Though that’s presumably due in part to the ongoing courtroom confrontation, fans (and other artists) are still exchanging related barbs on social media.

Photo Credit: GloRilla for NCAA

GloRilla is set to headline the AT&T Super Saturday Concert at the Women’s NCAA Final Four, taking place at Curtis Hixon Park in Tampa on April 5.

It’s March Madness, and GloRilla is ready to score a few three-pointers, like Latto and Saweetie before her. The rap sensation is slated to headline the AT&T Super Saturday concert at the Women’s NCAA Final Four in Tampa Bay on April 5.

Gates for the free show open at 6 PM CT at Curtis Hixon Park. The first 5,000 attendees will receive an illuminated wristband to match Glo’s performance.

“Get ready, GloRidaz! We’re about to turn up in Tampa at the NCAA Super Saturday Concert Presented by AT&T,” said GloRilla. “I can’t wait to connect with my fans during one of the most exciting times for women’s sports!”

Last year was a significant one for Big Glo, between her EP Ehhthang Ehhthang and her debut album GLORIOUS. This year, she’s still topping the charts with hits “Whatchu Kno About Me” featuring Sexyy Red, and a guest spot on Tyler, The Creator’s “STICKY.” Both tracks hold spots on the Billboard Hot 100 this week.

The electrifying performer shined alongside Megan Thee Stallion during their sold-out Hot Girl Summer tour. Her summer takeover saw three hit tracks on the Top 40 — “TGIF,” “Yeah! Glo!” and “Wanna Be” featuring Megan Thee Stallion — making Glo the first female hip-hop artist to achieve such a feat in 2024.

The Super Saturday Concert is a free event open to the public, featuring food and drink for purchase. No registration is necessary to attend. Gates open at 6 PM on Saturday, April 5, while the opening act kicks off at 7 PM. Headliner GloRilla is slated to perform at 8 PM.

GloRilla’s rapid ascent to fame has earned her a Breakthrough Artist award at the 2022 BET Hip-Hop Awards, as well as a Grammy nomination that year. She’s secured noms for the AMAs, VMAs, and iHeart Music Awards. For Glo, the future looks incredibly bright.

Young Thug, who’s settled a contract lawsuit filed against him by AEG Presents. Photo Credit: Frank Schwichtenberg / CC by 3.0

Nearly a decade after partnering, Young Thug and AEG Presents have put their long-running legal battle to rest.

The presiding judge just recently signed off on a jointly submitted settlement notice, thereby dismissing the suit without prejudice. We’ve covered the courtroom confrontation, centering on Young Thug’s alleged failure to honor the terms of several performance agreements, since it kicked off in 2020.

However, the civil dispute faced a number of delays due to much-publicized gang-related charges (also covered in detail by DMN) against Young Thug.

After the artist put those legal woes in the rearview – battling through the longest criminal trial in Georgia history, he was ultimately given 15 years’ probation and ordered to relocate from the Peach State – AEG Presents in November 2024 resumed its litigation.

At the time, the plaintiff promoter was zeroing in on Young Thug’s music IP, which had allegedly been put up as collateral for the multimillion-dollar contracts at hand.

Thus, bearing in mind the more than $5.2 million advance that the “Dum, Dumb, and Dumber” artist allegedly pocketed, AEG Presents wasn’t thrilled to learn that the body of work had allegedly been offloaded to a third party for $16 million.

The company made as much clear – including by tagging the IP’s purported owners with related subpoenas and threatening to pull them into the legal tussle.

Evidently, settlement talks were ongoing all the while, hence the recently finalized resolution. As things stand, neither side looks to have publicly disclosed the terms. (Most of Young Thug’s recent social posts concern the ongoing Drake v. Kendrick Lamar feud; Young Thug has made clear his support for Drake.)

With that said, evidence points to a longer-term compromise involving multiple moving parts. The dismissal order notes that the court will retain jurisdiction over the case for another year “for the purpose of enforcing the parties’ settlement.”

Meanwhile, the live-performance gears are apparently in motion for 33-year-old Young Thug, who’s scheduled to play Les Ardentes on July 5th.

Especially in light of the settlement, additional shows are presumably forthcoming – including because Young Thug must also deliver four charity concerts per year as part of his plea deal. But for now, the Belgian festival represents the artist’s first post-arrest performance announcement.

Photo Credit: Westside Estate Agency

Less than six months after listing his $61.5 million mansion on the market, reports emerge of Sean “Diddy” Combs delisting the Beverly Hills home.

Not long before he was arrested on federal charges in New York City, Sean “Diddy” Combs put his Holmby Hills home on the market for $61.5 million. The 55-year-old Combs is currently held in a Brooklyn detention center without bail, awaiting trial on federal charges of racketeering and sex trafficking.

But less than six months later, reports have emerged of Combs delisting the mega-mansion, struggling to secure a buyer. However, the home still appears to be listed in some places, including by Westside Estate Agency. Realtor.com reports the home was delisted from all publicly available listing sites earlier today (March 4), but was quickly relisted in some places by the same agent, Kurt Rappaport.

It’s unclear why the mansion has been delisted, but circumstances around the property might make it a tough sell. The 10-bedroom, 13-bath property, which Diddy purchased for $39 million back in 2014, gained notoriety last year when it was raided by federal agents as part of their investigation into the mogul’s alleged illegal activities. His $48 million Miami home was also raided.

In recent months, a few details have emerged regarding what evidence was reportedly found inside both homes. The indictment reveals agents uncovered weapons, drugs, and lubricant, and “more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil.” As a result of the raids, it was reported that both properties underwent “significant property damage.”

According to prosecutors, the property was the site of several so-called “freak off” parties, where the rapper is accused of using his money and influence to “abuse, threaten, and coerce women” in order to “fulfill his sexual desires.” This includes allegations of drugging individuals against their will or knowledge in order to make them compliant.

While in custody awaiting federal trial, Diddy is also facing dozens of civil lawsuits, many filed by anonymous Jane Does. These lawsuits include many of the same claims, including sexual assault and drugs covertly distributed via alcohol.

Photo Credit: Drake by Charito Yap for The Come Up Show / CC by 2.0

Drake settles his lawsuit against iHeartMedia in his ongoing battle over Kendrick Lamar’s diss track, “Not Like Us.” But his dispute with UMG remains.

Drake and iHeartMedia have reached a settlement in the legal dispute filed by the former back in November. His legal petition alleged that the radio giant had received illegal payments from Universal Music Group (UMG) to boost airplay for Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” But his claim against UMG — the parent company for both Drake and Lamar — remains active.

In a court document filed last week, Drake’s attorneys said the rapper and iHeartMedia had reached “an amicable resolution” in the dispute, but provided no additional details. “We are pleased that the parties were able to reach a settlement satisfactory to both sides, and have no further comment on this matter,” said Drake’s legal team.

The 38-year-old Toronto rapper filed a defamation lawsuit against UMG in federal New York City court in January over what he calls false allegations of pedophilia made in Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” Notable, Lamar is not named in the filing. A hearing on a motion by UMG’s lawyers to dismiss Drake’s petition against the company was scheduled for last Wednesday in a San Antonio courtroom.

According to Drake’s court petition, he alleges UMG engaged in “irregular and inappropriate business practices” to boost airplay for Kendrick Lamar’s hit diss track. He further alleges UMG knew “the song itself, as well as its accompanying album art and music video, attacked the character of another one of UMG’s most prominent artists […] by falsely accusing him of being a sex offender, engaging in pedophilic acts, harboring sex offenders, and committing other criminal sexual acts.”

The ongoing feud between Drake and Lamar has been among the most significant in hip-hop in recent years. The 37-year-old Lamar is a Pulitzer Prize-winning lyricist who headlined the Super Bowl halftime show last month. There, he performed “Not Like Us” — albeit with mentions of pedophilia censored — to Drake’s chagrin.

Drake’s legal team asserted that if the song were performed at the event, the litigation against UMG would intensify. Nevertheless, Lamar’s performance has since become the most-watched halftime show in history, due in no small part to the feud between the two rappers.

Photo Credit: Wu-Tang Clan

Wu-Tang Clan releases a cinematic trailer featuring sportscaster Ernie Johnson Jr. ahead of their final full-crew tour, Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber.

The pioneering rap crew dropped a cinematic trailer for their upcoming tour over the weekend featuring an iconic voice: “Inside the NBA” host and veteran sportscaster Ernie Johnson Jr. The video features a parade of SUVs flying the Wu-Tang flag as they travel through the streets, showcasing an assortment of graffiti tributes to the crew.

“From the slums of Shaolin to the world stage, they have conquered, endured, and remained untouchable. The RZA, the GZA, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Inspectah Deck, Raekwon the Chef, U-God, Ghostface Killah, Masta Killa, Cappadonna, Method Man: The Wu-Tang Clan,” says Johnson in voiceover. “The final chamber is upon us. The beats will hit harder, the rhymes will cut deeper, and the message will be louder than ever: Wu-Tang is forever.”

The scene changes to a Jumbotron with the tour’s name as RZA and Method Man meet center stage (center court?) to flash the Wu-Tang’s signature hand sign together. RZA then announces the tour’s name and its special guest, Run the Jewels. Method Man shouts out Run the Jewels’ MCs, “El-P, Killer Mike, let’s go.”

Wu-Tang announced their 27-date final trek as a full crew (minus the late ODB) last week, with stops at arenas across North America starting on June 6. Tickets are on sale now. The group also has a new album on the way, their first in nearly a decade.

The nine living members of the Wu-Tang Clan will be joined by Young Dirty Bastard to honor his late father, who passed away in 2004.

Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber 2025 Tour Dates

June

• 06 | Baltimore, MD — CFG Bank Arena
• 07 | Raleigh, NC — Lenovo Center
• 10 | Tampa, FL — Amalie Arena
• 11 | Atlanta, GA — State Farm Arena
• 13 | Fort Worth, TX — Dickies Arena
• 14 | Houston, TX — Toyota Center
• 15 | Austin, TX — Moody Center
• 16 | Tulsa, OK — BOK Center
• 18 | Phoenix, AZ — Footprint Center
• 20 | Ontario, CA — Toyota Arena
• 21 | San Diego, CA — Pechanga Arena San Diego
• 22 | Los Angeles, CA — Crypto.com Arena
• 24 | San Francisco, CA — Chase Center
• 26 | Sacramento, CA — Golden 1 Center
• 28 | Seattle, WA — Climate Pledge Arena
• 30 | Vancouver, British Columbia — Rogers Arena

July

• 01 | Portland, OR — Moda Center
• 04 | Greenwood Village, CO — Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
• 07 | Chicago, IL — United Center
• 08 | Detroit, MI — Little Caesars Arena
• 09 | Columbus, OH — Nationwide Arena
• 11 | Boston, MA — TD Garden
• 13 | Laval, Quebec — Place Bell
• 14 | Toronto, Ontario — Scotiabank Arena
• 16 | New York, NY — Madison Square Garden
• 17 | Newark, NJ — Prudential Center
• 18 | Philadelphia, PA — Wells Fargo Center

Snoop Dogg in the studio with Tune.fm founder and CEO Andrew Antar, who contributed a violin part to the rapper’s newly released ‘Spaceship Party.’ Photo Credit: Cordell Broadus

So long, Spotify: Snoop Dogg says he’s “ditching” the streaming service for blockchain-powered competitor Tune.fm, where he’s exclusively released a new single.

Snoop Dogg and the self-described “decentralized music streaming platform” just recently reached out with word of the move. In no uncertain terms, the longtime crypto enthusiast Snoop Dogg attributed the switch to his allegedly miniscule Spotify royalty payments.

And on that front, the rap mainstay said he’d pocketed only $45,000 or so from a staggering one billion Spotify streams. Even at the platform’s much-discussed average per-stream recorded royalty rate (not to mention compositional royalties on top of that), the sum does seem rather low.

Spotify reiterated as much in a firmly worded retort, emphasizing that a billion streams would generate “millions” in royalties for rightsholders. Following the idea to its logical conclusion, the service implied that intermediaries had perhaps intercepted the sizable tranche at hand.

“We can’t speak to endorsement deals for Web3 companies but…$45K for a billion streams?” a Spotify spokesperson told DMN. “It’s well documented that a billion streams on Spotify generates millions of dollars to rights holders. It’s unfortunate to hear that Spotify’s payments didn’t make it through to Snoop. Snoop’s a legend and, hopefully now that he owns Death Row Records he’s seeing more of that money.”

In any event, Snoop hasn’t stopped at declaring that he doesn’t “f–k with Spotify anymore,” as he’s also dropped the initially mentioned “Spaceship Party” solely on Tune.fm. “This is a Tune.fm exclusive,” Snoop Dogg drives home at the track’s beginning.

It probably goes without saying given the Tune.fm plug in the song itself, but the Web3 streaming alternative is taking the opportunity to tout its high points. Those include payments “up to 100x more than traditional streaming services,” reaching the appropriate talent/rightsholders “instantly per second streamed.”

(In keeping with the described per-second payment model, fans can access little more than the Tune.fm plug on “Spaceship Party” before a prompt pauses the track and urges them to sign up.)

On the instant-compensation front, Tune.fm deals in JAM, billed as “the official currency of music” and “a real crypto asset with liquidity on major exchanges.” (According to Tune.fm, each of its accounts comes with a wallet for the digital currency – “meaning users don’t need to worry about setting up external crypto accounts.”)

Running with the details, at the intersection of instant payments and the industry’s growing superfan focus, Tune.fm further enables artists to monetize NFTs, merch, concert tickets, and “virtual experiences” on-platform, per higher-ups.

It’s unclear whether Gamma-partnered Snoop Dogg (who previously tested the streaming-exclusive waters with Gala) will completely “ditch” Spotify. At the time of writing, his body of work, boasting nearly 30 million monthly listeners, was still live there.

However, the 53-year-old is teeing up additional Tune.fm initiatives, the company relayed. Among those initiatives are “fan experiences and VIP giveaways,” referring in part to “the possibility of private events and exclusive merchandise drops.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Snoop Dogg as the face of Tune.FM,” added Tune.fm founder and CEO Andrew Antar, who contributed a violin part to the rapper’s newest track. “Snoop is the OG pioneer who is always on the cutting edge of technology and new ways of doing business. He totally gets it, and we are ready to take on the world together.”

Especially in light of the abundance of non-music noise (like AI creations, videos, audiobooks, and podcasts) overcrowding traditional streaming platforms, besides the adjacent hurdles associated with standing out from the crowd, there may well be demand for more tailored and superfan-geared alternatives.

Beyond the Snoop Dogg tie-up, Tune.fm, which announced a $50 million raise in September 2024, says it’s “actively engaging with major labels, distributors, and top-tier artists to bring more exclusive content to the platform.”

Photo Credit: Bad Boy Entertainment co-founder and ex-president Kirk Burrowes in the office where he claims Diddy threatened him in 1996. / United States District Court Southern District of New York

A new lawsuit alleges Diddy used a baseball bat to coerce the former Bad Boy president and co-founder, Kirk Burrowes, into signing over his shares of the company to Combs’ mother in 1996.

Bad Boy Entertainment (BBE) co-founder and former president Kirk Burrowes claims in a new lawsuit he was forced to relinquish his 25% stake in the label to Sean Combs (Diddy) during an altercation in 1996.

The 62-year-old ex-music executive, who was at one time Diddy’s right-hand man, says he’s now homeless as a result. His lawsuit describes how he had to endure “prolonged periods of living in shelters across New York City” due to the resulting financial hardship.

So why is Burrowes suing the company’s majority stakeholder, Combs’ 84-year-old mother, Janice Smalls? That’s because the 55-year-old Diddy allegedly transferred Burrowes’ former shares to Smalls after threatening him into giving them up. Burrowes claims Smalls “engaged in a decades-long scheme of intimidation, violence, fraudulent misrepresentation, and financial concealment.”

The bombshell lawsuit says the incident took place in Burrowes’ New York City office in May 1996, when Combs — armed with a baseball bat — appeared with Bad Boy attorney Kenneth Meiselas. Burrowes alleges Combs used physical violence to coerce him into signing over his stake in the label they co-founded.

“By words and actions, Sean Combs and Kenneth Meiselas frightened and intimidated and assaulted [Burrowes] and forced him to turn over his share certificate for 25 shares of Bad Boy Entertainment to Sean Combs,” the lawsuit reads. “[Burrowes], fearing for his life, with tears streaming down his face, clearly unable to resist under the circumstances, involuntarily signed the documents.”

Burrowes says that after the incident, having been a close friend of the Combs family, contacted Combs’ mother, Smalls, “seeking guidance.” She claimed to be “unaware” of what had happened; the lawsuit notes Smalls was unusually absent from the office the day of the alleged assault.

According to Burrowes, both Combs and Meiselas were “acting under [Smalls’] direction” to “orchestrate the fraudulent involuntary transfer.” His lawsuit asserts that Burrowes was “not only defrauded […] of his rightful stake in BBE but also systematically sabotaged [in] his career.”

“They blacklisted him from the music industry, blocked business opportunities, and destroyed his professional reputation, ensuring he would remain financially destitute and unable to reclaim what was rightfully his,” says the lawsuit.

Burrowes claims he invested $100,000 of his own money when BBE was first launched and says he is owed millions in lost profits. His lawsuit is seeking damages for financial losses, reinstatement of his 25% ownership stake of the company and the annual share that entails, and a “forensic audit of Bad Boy Entertainment’s earnings and profits” from the lifetime of the company.

The lawsuit notes that Burrowes was a longtime friend of Combs when they founded Bad Boy Entertainment. He is the godfather of Combs’ eldest child, Justin, who is now 31. Photos are included of Burrowes attending Justin’s christening at a Harlem church to “underscore the deep bond and reliance between the families” at one time.

“We are confident that the legal process will hold those responsible accountable and ensure that justice prevails,” said Burrowes’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, in a statement to Daily Mail.

He also shared a message from Burrowes to Combs’ mother: “Janice Smalls, we started this out as a family unit, and I believed in Sean’s talent. I had a talent too, and I delivered. I looked out for your family, and you let them, as well as yourself, destroy mine. See you in court.”

Combs remains behind bars at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center as he awaits trial on federal charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and more.

Photo Credit: Tory Lanez for The Come Up Show / CC by 2.0

A judge will allow lawyers for Megan Thee Stallion to question Tory Lanez under oath from prison in relation to her lawsuit with an online blogger.

Megan Thee Stallion has accused internet personality Milagro Cooper of working with Tory Lanez to smear her reputation. Lanez was convicted of three counts of felony assault in the 2020 incident in which Megan was shot in the foot, and he was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2023. Now a judge is allowing attorneys representing Meg to question Lanez from prison in relation to her ongoing lawsuit against Cooper.

The “Savage” singer filed her suit against Cooper in October, with allegations of “cyberstalking, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and invasion of privacy.” This includes allegedly sharing deepfake nudes and misinformation about the case. Judge Altonaga noted that Cooper’s posts about the star, “depicts a campaign, not journalism.”

“This decision does not reflect a determination on the merits of the case,” said Cooper’s attorney, Michael Pancier. “The plaintiff must now substantiate her claims with credible and admissable evidence.”

While the wheels of justice turn, Megan Thee Stallion is keeping busy. She’s officially thrown her hat into the alcohol business ring with her premium tequila brand, Chicas Divertidas. Launched earlier this month to align with the artist’s 30th birthday, the colorful and curvaceous bottles can be purchased now in both blanco and reposado varieties.

According to Meg, it’s thanks to an inspiring encounter with Beyoncé that she decided to get into tequila. “I used to be the cognac queen — I still am the cognac queen. But as much as I used to enjoy cognac, and I’ve promoted a lot of people’s liquor brands, [Beyoncé] was like, ‘The next time I see you, you better have your own. You need to have your own alcohol.’”

Meanwhile, Tory Lanez is also keeping busy while behind bars — in addition to his alleged work behind the scenes to aid Milagro Cooper in slandering Megan Thee Stallion, that is. TMZ reports he’s been working on an album from prison.

Photo Credit: Sean Combs for Cannes Lions Learnings / CC by 3.0

With his trial set to kick off in May, Sean “Diddy” Combs makes a bid to strike evidence obtained in the US government’s raids on his properties.

If he’s found guilty on federal charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and more, Sean “Diddy” Combs could spend the rest of his life in prison. With so much on the line, it’s no surprise his lawyers are making every bid they can to help his trial — set to begin in May — go in their favor.

The latest move sees Combs and his legal team moving to strike evidence obtained by the US government during their raids on multiple Combs-owned properties last year. According to his attorneys, the search warrants utilized in the federal raids were “unconstitutionally broad.”

“On a theory that Mr. Combs’ entire life was a criminal enterprise, the government sought virtually limitless authority to seize any evidence related to that ‘enterprise’ — all his digital devices and the information they contained, all informations in his iCloud accounts, plus troves of records and items in his houses, almost none of which was contraband,” reads the heavily redacted memo from Combs’ legal team.

Alongside earlier accusations that prosecutors are using “racist” laws against Combs in an effort to “police non-conforming sexual activity,” his legal team hopes to wring the case dry ahead of it reaching a jury. The memo asserts that “the misrepresentations and misleading omissions in the warrants are frequent and patterned,” and the evidence obtained through them should be tossed out.

Combs, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, is currently being held at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center. He has repeatedly been denied bail since his September arrest. His legal representation is headed by attorneys Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos, while lawyer Anthony Ricco recently moved to exit the music mogul’s team.

Aside from the government’s case against him, Combs is facing dozens of civil suits alleging assault and other crimes.

Photo Credit: Wesley Tingey / Tingey Law

Sean “Diddy” Combs attorney Anthony Ricco files a motion to withdraw from the disgraced mogul’s defense team without explanation.

New court documents reveal one of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ defense lawyers is quitting his legal team in the disgraced producer’s criminal sex-trafficking and racketeering case. Attorney Anthony Ricco filed a motion yesterday (February 20) to withdraw as one of Combs’ six defense attorneys.

Ricco’s request to step down will not be official until a judge signs off on it, and a judge must find sufficient reason to approve the request.

Notably, Ricco’s motion does not provide a reason for the request, simply stating, “Under no circumstances can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs.” Ricco added, “It is respectfully but regrettably requested that the court grant the relief requested.”

The decision comes after Ricco spoke with Combs’ lead counsel, Marc Agnifilo. While he did not elaborate on the decision, the attorney suggested the request’s “brevity” is due to not wanting to divulge information protected by attorney-client privilege.

The trial is set to kick off on May 5, but Ricco assured the judge that his resignation wouldn’t delay the proceedings. He says Combs “will continue to be represented by five other attorneys of record.”

The 54-year-old Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges involving drugging women and forcing them into sex work. He’s been held without bail since his arrest in September, following a federal raid on several of his properties. Should he be convicted, Combs faces a minimum sentence of 15 years behind bars and up to life in prison.

The disgraced mogul also still faces around 40 lawsuits by both men and women who claim he drugged and sexually assaulted them. One such case filed against Combs and Jay-Z by a Jane Doe was recently withdrawn — but numerous others are still active. Combs and his legal team have denied all allegations against him.

Tim Hinshaw, whose Free Lunch has launched a namesake label in partnership with Warner Records. Photo Credit: Rashida Zagon

Warner Records has officially launched a label in partnership with Tim Hinshaw’s Free Lunch Agency creative studio.

The Warner Music Group subsidiary reached out today with word of the newly minted label, Free Lunch Records. Previously Amazon Music’s head of hip-hop and R&B, Hinshaw established the overarching Free Lunch in 2023.

2024 then saw the “creative and touring company” ink a deal with AEG Presents. Under that pact, Free Lunch (which, at least as of June 2024, counted Amazon Music as a client) is “securing and marketing hip-hop, R&B and gospel tours for the” Anschutz Entertainment Group division.

Now, Free Lunch and Warner Records are looking to leverage those multifaceted operations on the label side. Though the involved parties didn’t dive too far into their exact plans here, they did indicate that nearly four-year Warner Records A&R SVP Ericka Coulter will continue in the role while simultaneously serving as Free Lunch Records’ GM.

Additionally, Free Lunch confirmed its first two label signings: Syd (real name Sydney Bennett) and Alex Isley (the daughter of the Isley Brothers’ Ernie Isley). Syd’s latter studio album, Broken Hearts Club, debuted in 2022 via Sony Music’s Columbia; Alex Isley released 2023’s I Left My Heart in Ladera with Terrace Martin via BMG and Martin’s Sounds of Crenshaw.

Addressing the agreement, Warner Records co-chair and CEO Aaron Bay-Schuck touted the “perfect synergy” between his company and Free Lunch.

“Tom [Corson, COO of Warner Records] and I are thrilled to welcome Tim and his Free Lunch team to the label,” said Bay-Schuck. “His expertise stretches far beyond finding and nurturing talent – he knows how to make sure his artists are making an impact.

“Early on in our conversations, it was clear bringing Tim and Free Lunch into the Warner fold would be a perfect synergy. Tim is immersed in the vast culture of hip-hop and R&B, across music, sports, fashion, and live entertainment, and together we’ll work towards our shared goal of uplifting the best and brightest in the genre,” the Warner Records head concluded.

And in remarks of his own, Hinshaw touched on an ambitious long-term vision for the tie-up.

“By uniting Free Lunch Agency with Warner Records,” Hinshaw relayed, “we can combine our expertise in creative, music, and brand building to elevate the first-class roster. What Aaron, Tom, and the team have built is truly impressive, and together we’ll expand the scope of artist narratives to connect even more deeply with fans across the globe.”

Photo Credit: A$AP Rocky by Chad Cooper / CC by 2.0

A$AP Rocky has been found not guilty and cleared on all felony assault charges after a three-week trial in Los Angeles.

Rocky had been charged with two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm in connection with a 2021 incident on Los Angeles’ Hollywood Blvd. Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, faced up to 24 years in prison if convicted. Following a three-week trial, he was found not guilty on all counts.

The jury had to reach a unanimous decision on whether Rocky fired two shots at his former friend, fellow rapper A$AP Relli, near the W Hotel on Hollywood Blvd back in 2021. Rocky’s legal team insisted the gun in question was merely a prop that fired blanks. This assertion was backed by several witnesses, despite the fact the gun itself was not found.

Joe Tacopina, an attorney representing Rocky, told the jury that Relli, whose legal name is Terell Ephron, was “a perjury machine.” According to Tacopina and The New York Times, Relli had only sustained “knuckle scrapes” in the scuffle.

After the verdict of not guilty was read, Rocky could be seen hugging his lawyers. Superstar Rihanna, the hip-hop star’s partner with whom he shares two children, was also seen in the courtroom, and Rocky hugged her as well.

Nathan Hochman, the Los Angeles District Attorney, said in a statement: “While today’s verdict is not the outcome we sought, we respect the jury’s decision and the integrity of our justice system.” He added that his office “remains committed to seeking accountability for those who break the law, no matter their status or influence,” that “fame does not place anyone above the law.”

A$AP Rocky has been nominated for three Grammy Awards, most recently for Best Music Video for his track “Tailor Swif,” which debuted last summer. His fourth studio album, Don’t Be Dumb, is due out this year.

Photo Credit: Megan Thee Stallion for Chicas Divertidas Tequila

Megan Thee Stallion launches a new tequila brand, Chicas Divertidas, available now for preorder. The release is timed to coincide with the star’s 30th birthday.

Megan Thee Stallion has been diversifying her portfolio. In a bid to further strengthen her entrepreneurial muscle, Meg has introduced her new tequila brand, Chicas Divertidas. The brand launches with two premium offerings: Blanco and Reposado.

Chicas Divertidas is available now for preorder, both on its own website and Reserve Bar, timed to coincide with Megan’s 30th birthday on February 15. The brand is described as refined tequila crafted from single-source, 100% Blue Weber agave, harvested at peak maturity from the red volcanic highlands of Jalisco, Mexico.

Meg’s tequila is produced at Casa Centinela, a distillery preserving tradition since 1904. It benefits from the region’s rich volcanic soil and a cooler climate, leading to a naturally sweeter agave. The piñas are cooked in traditional masonry ovens and distilled in premium copper stills, resulting in an authentic and flavorful juice.

“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,” said Megan, referring to her fanbase.

“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. I know the Hotties are ready; it’s time to give them a drink made by me! I’m excited to share this labor of love with you all and hope you are inspired to enter your Chicas Era!”

Chicas Divertidas features a slender and curvaceous bottle, a design inspired by the “seductive yet deadly” Angel’s Trumpet — a flower known for both its bold colors and striking appearance. Each bottle features cuts and grooves inspired by the agave plant and gradient hues of orange, pink, red, and purple. The bottle is crowned with a dagger-pierced heart, representing the brand’s essence: keep it cute, classy, and cut-throat.

The Blanco edition features a pure and delicately sweet liquid with citrus notes and herbal hints of rosemary and green tea, resulting in a silky-smooth finish. Reposado is meant to be savored, with a richly balanced profile of caramelized agave, American oak, and cooking spices with an elegant finish.

Both versions are sold in 750ml bottles at 40% ABV. They are available for preorder now, and will be offered in limited quantities at select US retailers at a suggested retail price of $70 (Blanco) and $80 (Reposado).

Tequila and other liquor imprints can spell big bucks for artists like Megan. Though Diddy’s long-standing venture with Diageo’s Cîroc went south, many others have done well for themselves.

Carlos Santana launched Casa Noble in 2015, while Adam Levine and Sammy Hagar launched their joint venture, Santo Mezquila, in 2017. Rita Ora’s Prospero debuted in 2019, E-40’s E. Cuarenta in 2018, and Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Tequila has been available in various expressions since the early 2000s. Other brands launched around 2020 include The Chainsmokers’ JAJA Tequila, AC/DC’s Thunderstruck Tequila, and Rammstein’s aptly named Rammstein Tequila.

Photo Credit: Live Nation Urban

The two-day Roots Picnic festival is returning to Philadelphia with an all-star lineup for 2025 this summer.

D’Angelo will headline the festival alongside the Roots, marking his return to the Roots Picnic festival. Lenny Kravitz will also take the stage to perform hits across his decades-spanning career as well as his latest studio album, Blue Electric Light. Finally, Philly legend Meek Mill will make his first appearance on the Roots Picnic stage.

Pre-sale tickets for the event will go on sale February 18 at 10 am ET through Thursday, February 20 at 10 pm ET. General on-sale starts Friday, February 21 at 10 am ET.

Roots Picnic will also welcome Memphis raptress GloRilla, fresh off the success of her album Glorious. The festival will bring together more icons from across the globe including Tems, Latto, Kaytranada, Jeezy, Pusha T, 2 Chainz, Musiq Soulchild, Kur, Elmiene, Jagged Edge, Backyard Band featuring CeeLo Green, Crystal Waters, Lay Banks, and Laila!. Organizers say more performers will be announced for the festival taking place at The Mann in Fairmount Park in the coming weeks.

Last year’s sold-out Roots Picnic festival showcased an unforgettable set including André 3000, Shaboozey, Gunna, Jill Scott, Babyface, Sexxy Red, and more. The festivities were capped off by a dynamic musical tribute to New Orleans, which saw Lil Wayne joined onstage by The Roots, PJ Morton, Trombone Shorty, and special guest performer Lloyd. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker both attended last year’s show.

Shapiro presented The Roots with a proclamation recognizing their contributions to the city’s arts, arts education, and economy. Last year, Rolling Stone called last year’s show “a bountiful celebration of Black music and a joyful start to summer.” While the Philadelphia Inquirer hailed it as a “smashing success and such a central part of the cultural life of Philadelphia.”

Diddy has filed a $100 million+ defamation lawsuit against NBCUniversal and others. Photo Credit: Sean “Diddy” Combs for Cannes Lions Learning / CC by 3.0

Ahead of his May criminal trial, Diddy is once again firing back against the many allegations he’s facing – this time with a $100 million defamation lawsuit targeting Peacock’s Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy.

Diddy (real name Sean Combs) and his legal team submitted that straightforward action today, naming as defendants NBCUniversal, Peacock, and production company Ample Entertainment.

In a separate defamation complaint, the disgraced mogul is still seeking upwards of $50 million in damages from Courtney Burgess and attorney Ariel Mitchell.

As we noted late last month, the older of the defamation complaints accuses Burgess of fabricating Diddy allegations (and lying about the related “Diddy tapes,” which Combs says are nonexistent), with Mitchell purportedly amplifying the claims.

Said amplification is attributable in part to Peacock’s The Making of a Bad Boy, which premiered on January 14th despite multiple pre-release warnings from Diddy’s counsel.

Running with those important background details, the just-filed action centers on the “purported documentary” itself.

The work, Diddy and his counsel maintain, is “advancing the unhinged narrative that Mr. Combs is a serial killer” while simultaneously fueling “fake news of the most damaging kind.”

Per the complaint, The Making of a Bad Boy “falsely, recklessly, and maliciously accuses” Diddy of murdering his former partner Kimberly Porter, the Notorious B.I.G., Uptown Records founder Andre Harrell, and Heavy D.

Unsurprisingly, Diddy and his legal team are denying these allegations – including by describing in relative detail the natural causes that claimed each listed individual’s life (the exception, of course, being Biggie Smalls).

“He was heartbroken by their untimely deaths and the completely unfounded accusation that he murdered multiple of his closest confidantes is deeply distressing, offensive, reckless, and malicious,” the suit reads in part.

Also absurd (at least as the plaintiff sees things) is the documentary’s purported insinuation that Diddy tried to murder Al B. Sure!, who appears in The Making of a Bad Boy.

The early Uptown signee’s “medical problems were consistent with complications associated with his bariatric surgery” as opposed to attempted murder, the action indicates, and “there is no support whatsoever for his baseless claims.”

Lastly, the lengthy suit takes aim at the above-highlighted “Diddy tapes” remarks from Burgess and Mitchell, besides refuting alleged assertions that Diddy “was having sex with and was sex trafficking underage girls” years back.

Overall, NBCUniversal and the other defendants are allegedly “maliciously perpetuating” the “vile rumors” about Diddy with The Making of a Bad Boy. Needless to say, the massive pile of damages sought for this alleged defamation is significant.

But perhaps the most noteworthy position here – likewise expressed in the initially summarized defamation suit– is that the defendants “have also threatened his [Diddy’s] ability to have a fair trial on the government’s charges against him.”

Photo Credit: Ashley King

Shopify has taken Yeezy.com offline after Kanye West bought an advertisement during the Super Bowl and sold a white t-shirt emblazoned with a black swastika.

The site was available Sunday night and most of Monday before it was taken offline. Shopify has directly intervened, stating: “All merchants are responsible for following the rules of our platform. This merchant did not engage in authentic commerce practices and violated our terms so we removed them from Shopify.”

Heading to Yeezy.com shows the site is unavailable (pictured above). Shopify is a widely used ecommerce platform that makes it easy for businesses to sell goods online. The company did not specify which of its rules were violated, but terms of service for the site state that Shopify reserves the right to “restrict products or activities we deem unsafe, inappropriate, or offensive.”

Kanye West made headlines when he purchased a Super Bowl advertisement in some markets that appeared to show the rapper in a dentist chair. The rapper encourages the viewer to visit Yeezy.com to purchase merch, which contained multiple pieces of Kanye merch in addition to the swastika t-shirt when the ad aired. Sometime afterward, all of the rest of the merch was removed and the white swastika t-shirt was the only piece of merch available for purchase.

The shirt featured a black 45-degree tilted swastika, which is the same symbol used by the Nazi party in Germany. The product name was ‘HH-01’ a reference to the Nazi salute, ‘Heil Hitler.’ The move follows an unhinged rant on Twitter on Friday, praising Hitler, claiming to be a Nazi and stating “I love Hitler.” Kanye was banned from Twitter in 2022 for an anti-semitic tirade before being allowed back onto the site by X/Twitter’s current owner, Elon Musk.

“Elon stole my Nazi swag at the inauguration yooooo my guy get your own third rale,” the rapper wrote on the platform on February 7. He also followed that offensive statement with others, saying “Slavery is a choice” and “All white people are racist” and “I have dominion over my wife.”

Following the outburst, multiple people including David Schwimmer and the Anti-Defamation League denounced the hateful outburst and called for Kanye to be banned from X/Twitter yet again. “Another egregious display of antisemitism, racism, and misogyny from Kanye West on his X account this morning,” wrote the ADL. “Just a few years ago ADL found that 30 antisemitic incidents nationwide were tied to Kanye’s 2022 antisemitic rants. We condemn this dangerous behavior and need to call it what it is—a flagrant and unequivocal display of hate.”

Kanye deactivated his X/Twitter account before he could be banned, signing off and thanking Elon for giving him a platform to spew hate.

Ye sparks even more controversy during the Super Bowl by airing a low-budget commercial directing viewers to his website selling swastika t-shirts.

The disgraced rapper formerly known as Kanye West has been making headlines again over the past week by sowing controversy everywhere he goes.

His latest stunt took place during the Super Bowl, where he aired a low-budget commercial in at least one local market — filmed on an iPhone in what appears to be a dentist’s chair. The strange ad directs viewers to his website, where he is selling t-shirts plastered with a black swastika image for $20.

Notably, the website featured various clothing items upon the ad’s airing, but within hours, the only item available remained a white t-shirt with a black swastika image. As of publishing time, the website remains online with the shirts still available for purchase.

West’s latest move follows a series of unhinged antisemitic comments on X, the former Twitter. Those comments include identifying as a Nazi and praising Adolf Hitler. Shortly after his concerning Super Bowl ad aired, he deactivated the account.

Actor David Schwimmer urged X owner Elon Musk to suspend West’s account, a sentiment supported by Jewish advocacy groups, including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). But Ye seems to have taken matters into his own hands by leaving the social media platform of his own volition. Still, it’s unknown if he might yet reactivate the account.

“Another egregious display of antisemitism, racism, and misogyny from Kanye West,” wrote the ADL on the former Twitter, denouncing Ye’s latest stunt.

“We know this game all too well,” said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt in response to West’s latest antisemitic tirade. “Let’s call Ye’s hate-filled public rant for what it really is: a sad attempt for attention that uses Jews as a scapegoat. But unfortunately, it does get attention because Kanye has a far-reaching platform on which to spread his antisemitism and hate.”

Photo Credit: Spotify

Streams for Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ spike over 430% on Spotify following his halftime show performance, with other songs from his set list seeing greatly increased activity.

No matter which team you were rooting for during this year’s Super Bowl, Kendrick Lamar got fans hyped all across the country. Eager to hear more of the Grammy-winning rapper’s catalog, and especially his diss track, “Not Like Us,” viewers made Kendrick Lamar’s Spotify listenership spike drastically after his performance on Sunday night.

“Not Like Us,” K.Dot’s scathing Drake diss track turned viral sensation and cultural moment, saw the biggest boost of the night with an increase of over 430% within the hours following his halftime performance. That’s not surprising, given fan enthusiasm for the track earned the rapper five Grammy Awards just last week.

But that song was only one of many to see tremendous growth in listenership across Spotify — Kendrick Lamar’s catalog overall saw an increase of 175%.

Specifically, other songs from his halftime show set list saw the largest numbers: “Humble” saw an increase of 300%; “All the Stars,” his duet with SZA, enjoyed a 290% boost; “man at the garden,” “DNA.,” “euphoria,” “squabble up,” and “peekaboo” experienced a 230-260% jump; “luther,” and “tv off” both saw more than 170% additional listenership.

And it wasn’t just Kendrick who’s already enjoyed a huge spike in streaming numbers. His special guest, songbird SZA, also saw an 80% increase in Spotify streams following her appearance.

Fans of Lamar and followers of his well-documented beef with fellow Universal Music rapper Drake have been speculating in the lead-up to the halftime show whether he would perform “Not Like Us.” Drake’s legal team has indicated that their ongoing defamation suit with UMG would escalate into the billions should the label giant and the NFL allow Kendrick to perform the song during Sunday night’s show.

Ultimately, Lamar performed the massive hit, keeping its Drake disses and overall anti-OVO commentary intact, but notably omitting the use of the word “pedophile.” But that didn’t stop the entire stadium from singing along to the song’s biggest line: “trying to strike a chord and it’s probably ‘A minor.’”

One of the biggest hits of 2024, “Not Like Us” was released during Lamar’s ongoing feud with Drake, and one of several diss tracks aimed at the Certified Lover Boy rapper. These include “euphoria,” which he also performed at the Super Bowl.

“Not Like Us” spent two weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, and a whopping 20 weeks atop the Hot Rap Songs chart. It also won Lamar all five of the Grammy Awards for which it was nominated, bringing his career total Grammy wins to 22.

Jay-Z is no longer seeking monetary sanctions against attorney Tony Buzbee. But he’s still pushing to dismiss the sexual assault lawsuit filed against him by a Jane Doe plaintiff. Photo Credit: Joella Marano / CC by 2.0

One month later, Jay-Z has officially dropped (albeit without prejudice) his motion for sanctions against attorney Tony Buzbee. Meanwhile, the Roc Nation founder is still pushing to dismiss the sexual assault suit he’s facing from a Jane Doe accuser.

Legal filings just recently revealed those latest developments in the multifaceted courtroom confrontation. Last time we checked in on the increasingly convoluted dispute, Jay-Z in early January kicked off his aforementioned attempt to sanction Buzbee.

Houston-based Buzbee is reportedly representing over 200 alleged victims of Diddy – and one of the individuals added Jay-Z as a defendant in a December 2024 amended complaint.

In short, the now-adult accuser maintains that Diddy and Jay-Z raped her immediately following the VMAs in 2000, when she was 13 years old.

(An as-yet-unnamed female celebrity purportedly watched the alleged sexual assault. It perhaps goes without saying, but the disclosure of that person’s identity would fuel yet another wave of public interest in the complaint.)

Jay-Z promptly attempted to refute the claims and reveal the accuser’s identity. And Buzbee fired back, including by alleging that his former clients had been bribed to sue his namesake law firm.

Looking beyond these many moving parts and returning to the actual allegations against Jay-Z, the 55-year-old and his legal team had specifically been urging the court to slap Buzbee with monetary sanctions.

The Houston attorney, it was alleged in more words, had failed to thoroughly vet the accuser’s claims against the NFL-partnered defendant. Buzbee rather unsurprisingly took issue with the vetting criticism.

One month and multiple presumed discussions later, however, Jay-Z has opted to drop the sanctions motion without prejudice, and the presiding judge has granted the request.

As things stand, it’s unclear exactly what led to that decision; the appropriate filing doesn’t dive into specifics, and Jay-Z doesn’t seem to have addressed the matter publicly.

Keeping the focus on what we do know, though, Jay-Z is still seeking the action’s outright dismissal, and it’ll be worth closely monitoring that effort. (Important as well is whether the court continues to allow the Jane Doe plaintiff to litigate anonymously.)

Next, in terms of what we currently know, the plaintiff today dropped Diddy-founded Bad Boy Records as a defendant.

Like with Jay-Z’s shelved sanctions push, we can’t tell exactly what spurred the maneuver. But the corresponding filing indicates that Bad Boy Records alone has been dropped – not Diddy, Jay-Z, or the many other Bad Boy defendants – with prejudice.

Photo Credit: Doechii

A recently resurfaced clip from five years ago shows Grammy winner Doechii talking about losing her job.

Rapper Doechii, who won Best Rap Album at the 2025 Grammys for Alligator Bites Never Heal, recounts being fired from her job in a resurfaced 2020 YouTube video entitled, “I got fired thank God.”

“So, I got fired today,” says Doechii in the clip while eating some chips. “Either way, I’mma be straight,” she adds, before foreshadowing her now successful entertainment career. “I think, tomorrow, I’m just gonna go to a whole bunch of studios and ask if they have any internships open and also just ask questions.”

“I’m just gonna go in and ask,” she adds. “I have nothing to lose. I literally have nothing to lose. I have no place, I have no job, I have no children. Who gives a f—k? Who cares? Who f—ing cares? I’m just gonna do it. I’ll let you know how it goes.”

Doechii would release her self-funded debut EP, Oh The Places You’ll Go, later that year. She released two additional EPs in 2021 and 2022, and signed to Top Dawg Entertainment. 2024 saw her release her mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal, which earned her the Grammy for Best Rap Album this month, as well as a nomination for Best New Artist.

The rapper delivered a powerful message in her Grammy acceptance speech. “I know that there is some Black girl out there, so many Black women out there that are watching me right now, and I want to tell you: You can do it. Anything is possible.”

She performed her hits “Catfish” and “Denial is a River” at the 2025 Grammys, and was also nominated for Best Rap Performance for her track, “Nissan Altima.”

Photo Credit: Cetaphil

A few days ago on Instagram, Lil Wayne teased the Super Bowl would have a ‘seat to fill’ because he’s busy working on something else. Turns out that something else is a Tha Carter VI teaser date drop in collaboration with the lotion brand, Cetaphil.

The Cetaphil Super Bowl campaign dubbed “We’re All A Lil Sensitive” capitalizes on Lil Wayne’s public disappointment at not being chosen for this year’s halftime performance. The rapper publicly stated he felt a little hurt that the NFL booked Kendrick Lamar—but he’s seemingly moved on to focus on his next album drop.

The new ad appears to be full of the sequence 6-6-25, which is likely the release date for Lil Wayne’s new album. The date combo appears on football jerseys and a basketball scorecard. At the end of the ad spot, Lil Tunechi turns down tickets to the Super Bowl stating, “Nah, this is time sensitive.” As he walks into his studio and the door shuts, a sign on the studio reads “Do Not Disturb ‘Til 06-06-2025’ with ‘Carter VI’ written on a piece of duct tape.

It comes as no small surprise that Lil Wayne is teasing new music, he’s been doing so for the past year or so. “This campaign made perfect sense to me,” the rapper tells Rolling Stone about the Super Bowl ad promo. “The world knew I was disappointed, but what they didn’t know was that it made me determined to deliver something way bigger.”

Lil Wayne publicly took to social media to express his disappointment over not being chosen to headline the Super Bowl in his hometown of New Orleans. “I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a letdown, and for just automatically mentally putting myself in that position like somebody told me that was my position,” the rapper stated. He went on to thank his fans for standing up for him and suggesting that he should headline the show.

“It made me feel like shit, not getting this opportunity, and when I felt like shit, you guys reminded me that I ain’t shit without y’all,” the rapper stated.

Instead, the NFL decided to capitalize on the major rap beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake—booking Kendrick Lamar and SZA as backup for this year’s show. K.Dot recently dropped his latest album GNX, which alludes to Wayne’s public pronouncement of disappointment. On the track “wacced out murals” the rapper says he “Used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud/ Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down.”

Photo Credit: Irv Gotti by 2C2K Photography / CC by 2.0

Irv Gotti, the co-founder of Murder Inc. Records who helped make superstars out of Ja Rule and Ashanti, has died following a debilitating stroke. He was 54.

Irv Gotti (born Domingo Lorenzo Jr.) and his brother Chris launched Murder Inc. in 1998 as an imprint of Def Jam, where Irv worked as an A&R executive after successfully bringing DMX to the label. Murder Inc.’s first release was Ja Rule’s 1999 debut album, Venni Vetti Vecci, and Ja became the label’s flagship artist.

From there, the Gotti brothers were on the rise. In addition to Ja Rule, Irv discovered singer Ashanti when she was just a teen. Her three biggest hits all came in 2002, with Ja Rule’s “Always On Time,” Fat Joe’s “What’s Luv?”, and her own hit “Foolish,” which spent 10 weeks atop the Hot 100.

Through Murder Inc., Ja Rule also aided Jennifer Lopez’s rising career with features on “I’m Real” (which Gotti co-wrote), and “Ain’t It Funny,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for five and six weeks, respectively.

Gotti won a Grammy in 2003 for co-producing Ashanti’s eponymous debut album, which won Best Contemporary R&B. He was nominated again the following year for co-writing Ashanti’s “Rock Wit U (Awww Baby),” which was up for Best R&B Song.

He is credited as a producer on 28 Hot 100-charting hits, including those from Ja Rule, Ashanti, DMX, Mary J. Blige, Fat Joe, and Kanye West. Gotti also scored a Top 10 hit with his own track, “Down 4 U,” which peaked at No. 6 in 2002 and featured Ja Rule, Ashanti, Charli Baltimore, and Vita.

“Def Jam has lost one of its most creative soldiers who was hip-hop,” said Lyor Cohen, a Def Jam executive from 1988 to 2004, and current global head of music at YouTube. “When we were on bended knee, he brought the heat and saved our asses. He comes from a very tight, beautiful family from Queens, and it’s an honor and a privilege to have known him. Irv, you will be missed.”

The Gotti brothers and Murder Inc. as a whole were hit with numerous legal issues over the years. This includes a federal raid on the label’s headquarters in 2003 as part of an investigation linking Irv and Chris to accused drug lord Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff. Two years later, the brothers were found not guilty of money laundering and conspiracy to launder money.

Last year, Gotti was sued for sexual assault and rape by a Jane Doe plaintiff who alleged the hip-hop mogul abused her while she was in a relationship with him from 2020 to 2022.

Photo Credit: Lil Wayne | X/Twitter

After a public pout about not being chosen as the Super Bowl LIX halftime performer, Lil Wayne is teasing ‘something special’ dropping during Kendrick Lamar’s performance.

Lil Wayne says he has no plans to attend the Super Bowl show in his hometown of New Orleans. Instead, he took to Instagram to tease something ‘special’ that he will unveil on February 6. Kendrick Lamar is sitting down for an exclusive interview with Apple Music Radio that same date. It will be K.Dot’s second interview since his high profile beef with Drake.

“Y’all know I’m not gon’ be there this week,” Lil Wayne tells the camera. “Which means, I guess there’s a seat to fill. Shout out to New Orleans, but I’ve been working on something very special. I’ve got something exciting coming for you. Thursday the 6th. ‘Til then, I’m just chillin’,” Tunechi tells his audience.

Lil Wayne publicly expressed his disappointment at not being chosen for the halftime act this year with the Super Bowl coming to his home town. After the high-profile Snoop Dogg and Dre halftime show highlighted local CA artists (with Mary J. Blige & Eminem), Lil Wayne seems to believe that the NFL should chose hometown acts to entertain. That has never been the case though, with Prince performing in Miami while being from Minnesota.

K.Dot seemingly referenced Lil Wayne on his album GNX, rapping “Used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud / Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down.” He follows that up with “Won the Super Bowl and Nas the only one congratulate me / All these n-ggas agitated, I’m just glad they showed they faces / Quite frankly, plenty artists but they outdated / Old-ass flows, tryna convince me that you they favorite / This is not for lyricists, I swear it’s not the sentiments / Fuck a double entendre, I want y’all to feel this shit.”

‘Feel this shit’ indeed, as Lil Wayne took to social media to respond to the lyrics. “Man wtf I do?” Lil Wayne tweeted. “I just be chillin’ and dey still kome 4 my head. Let’s not take kindness for weakness. Let this giant sleep. I beg u all. No one really wants destruction, not even me but I shall destroy if disturbed. On me. Love.”

Lil Wayne also publicly discussed his feelings about being passed over for a Super Bowl Halftime show in his hometown to Skip Bayless. “He didn’t let me down,” the rapper says of Kendrick Lamar. “There was no explanation that was needed for that. I think I understand those words. His hard work is the reason why he made it there, and obviously that part about letting me down is me being upset and disappointed about not getting that spot.”

Photo Credit: Market Auctions

Tekashi 6ix9ine’s jewelry and his RIAA Gold and Platinum certified plaques are being auctioned off by the IRS after being seized last year.

Tekashi 6ix9ine’s jewelry and Gold/Platinum plaques are being auctioned off by the IRS for hundreds of thousands of dollars after being seized by the government last year. The collection of 63 items is being sold by Market Auctions, per the IRS. Bids can also be placed on several other online auction sites, with bidding scheduled to begin on March 5.

Among the items included are the rapper’s “Bruce the Shark” chain and “Billy the Puppet” diamond pendant, the former of which is expected to go for between $100,000 and $200,000. The Gold and Platinum plaques for 6ix9ine’s albums and songs include “Kika,” “Gooba,” Dummy Boy, and Day 69. Numerous chains and rings, as well as the rapper’s iconic rainbow grill, are also available.

The IRS raided 6ix9ine’s home in Florida last April, alleging “nonpayment of internal revenue taxes.” The rapper confirmed this in a recent post to his Instagram story. “[One] year ago when I was stuck in [the Dominican Republic], the feds made a raid for the entire house because I did not report my income for 4 years,” he wrote. “And for them it was seen how I was running and hiding in [the Dominican Republic] when the reality was that I could not leave and get back to the USA.”

He also claimed that a video he posted online of a safe full of cash led to the raid in the first place. “This was the reason the feds did the raid,” he said. “They broke into this safe thinking there was money in there, but it was only the jewelry.”

Last month, 6ix9ine filed a lawsuit against LA Fitness, where he was jumped and beaten in one of their Florida locations in 2023. The documents reveal the rapper is seeking over $1 million in damages and for pain and suffering for LA Fitness’ “failing to provide adequate security” to prevent the attack.

A live performance from Playboi Carti, who’s facing a copyright lawsuit centering on ‘Kelly K.’ Photo Credit: The Come Up Show

Playboi Carti (real name Jordan Carter) is facing a copyright infringement lawsuit from an individual who says he’s owed payment for contributing to the vocals on “Kelly K.”

One Eric Mercer Jr., known professionally as Blakk Soul and described in the action as “a multi-hyphenate singer/songwriter/producer/engineer,” just recently submitted that complaint to a California federal court.

Also naming Cash Carti Music, Universal Music, and its Interscope Records as defendants, the straightforward suit solely concerns the above-mentioned “Kelly K.” The second-to-last track on Carter’s 2017 debut mixtape, that effort currently boasts 55 million Spotify streams.

And according to the plaintiff here, who has credits on releases from Anderson .Paak and others, he recorded some of the vocals on “Kelly K.” While many other complaints go to great lengths to illustrate connections between the plaintiffs and the accused (besides creative overlap between works), Mercer’s suit is upfront about how the purported vocal contributions came to be.

Per the action, Mercer recorded said contributions with Jake One (real name Jacob Dutton), and the vocals made their way into the completed song; Dutton is officially credited on “Kelly K.”

But as laid out by Mercer, before the popular track’s release, he didn’t “transfer any of his rights, including, but not limited to his copyrights to” the non-party Dutton or the defendants.

Fast forward to July 2019, after “Kelly K” had gained commercial traction. At that point, Playboi Carti and his noted Cash Carti Music approached Mercer with a split sheet granting him a 5% “ownership interest” in “Kelly K” for his contributions, the suit explains.

From there, Mercer allegedly “executed” the appropriate agreement on January 24th, 2020. Notwithstanding the claimed “Kelly K” interest, though, the plaintiff says he “has yet to receive a single dollar, or even an accounting of what is owed to him.”

Unsurprisingly, then, the filing party allegedly informed the defendants via email and certified mail “that he was rescinding the” deal in question. According to Mercer, however, “none” of the notice’s recipients responded.

All told, Mercer is suing not only for straight copyright infringement, but for alleged publicity-right violations under California law, breach of contract (specifically against Playboi Carti and his company), and unjust enrichment.

At the time of writing, Playboi Carti didn’t appear to have addressed the suit on social media. As for the 29-year-old’s next career steps, a long-expected third studio album, entitled I Am Music, is presumably set to arrive sooner rather than later. The project’s lead single, “All Red,” dropped this past September.

Photo Credit: @megyuup

Lil Wayne is slated to reunite with the Hot Boys for a limited ‘mini-tour’ this February. The group reunited for the first time in 15 years at the sold-out Lil’ WeezyAna fest in New Orleans last year.

The three-performances will feature Lil Wayne with Hot Boys — B.G., Juvenile & Turk and is presented by Lil’ WeezyAna and Live Nation Urban. Tickets for each show will be available through pre-sale starting January 22 at 12 pm local time through today. Public on sale starts January 24 at 10 am local, with tickets available at lilweezyanafest.com.

Lil Wayne, B.G., Juvenile and Turk took the stage together for the first time in 15 years at Lil’ WeezyAna Fest last year. They treated the audience to performances of hits including “I Need A Hot Girl” and “Neighborhood Superstar” as well as individual tracks like Juvenile’s “Back That Azz Up” and B.G.’s “Bling Bling.” The upcoming show builds on the success of the Hot Boys Holiday, which saw the group take over sold-out Toyota Center in Houston.

Lil Wayne w/ Hot Boys Dates

• February 21 | Amalie Arena — Tampa, FL
• February 23 | Spectrum Center — Charlotte, NC
• February 28 | Enterprise Center — St. Louis, MO

The Hot Boys put out three albums together before the group split to focus on their solo ventures. Get It How U Live! dropped in 1997 followed by Guerrilla Warfare in 1999 and Let ‘Em Burn in 2003. Each solo member of the Hot Boys has experienced massive fame and success, but Lil Wayne has led the pack. His label Young Money also helped discover talent including Drake, Nicki Minaj, and Tyga.

Lil Wayne recently confirmed that the next installment of his Tha Carter series will arrive this year. His most recent album is Funeral, which dropped in 2020 and topped the charts. Tha Carter V dropped in 2018 and marked the end of Wayne’s public beef and legal issues with Cash Money Records head Birdman.

A live performance from Diddy, who’s filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit over alleged ‘outrageous lies’ concerning the sexual assault claims he’s facing. Photo Credit: Richard Burdett

Yet another Diddy lawsuit has made its way to a federal court. But unlike the many actions involving the disgraced music mogul, this defamation complaint was filed by Diddy himself, who’s taking aim at alleged “outrageous lies.”

Diddy (real name Sean Combs) and his team submitted that $50 million suit today, as the artist remains behind bars ahead of a scheduled May trial on sex trafficking charges.

By now, most are at least generally familiar with the multifaceted claims against Diddy – including the highlighted federal charges as well as a sizable pile of civil claims. Meanwhile, the far-reaching allegations are spilling over and impacting the likes of Jay-Z as well.

But according to Diddy’s just-submitted defamation action, much of the media speculation about the alleged crimes (and possibly some of the alleged evidence behind the criminal charges) resulted from an “all-you-can-eat buffet of wild lies and conspiracy theories.”

Running with that point, defendants Courtney Burgess and Ariel Mitchell have allegedly “been fueling a media frenzy, fabricating outlandish claims and stirring up baseless speculation about Mr. Combs,” according to the complaint.

The two, the action continues, are “vying to outdo each other in a shameless competition to draw attention to themselves, with no regard for the truth.”

Burgess – a self-described music-space vet who’s “left no detectable footprint on the industry prior to his recent campaign to malign Mr. Combs,” per the suit – has allegedly claimed “on multiple occasions” to possess videos of Diddy “sexually assaulting inebriated celebrities and minors.”

Said videos, besides a memoir to boot, allegedly came from Kim Porter, the deceased ex-partner of Combs. As laid out in the suit, “those close to” Porter “had never heard of” Burgess “before he made this utterly implausible and completely false claim.”

Even so, Burgess allegedly repeated the relevant “claim numerous times to the press and in social media appearances,” which can be found via a simple YouTube search.

Additionally, this defendant allegedly attempted to sell the mentioned memoir, which Amazon purportedly pulled after Porter’s family denounced it as “fake.”

Shifting to Mitchell – who previously brought lawsuits against Trey Songz, Chris Brown, and Diddy himself – Burgess allegedly hired the attorney in or around September 2024 (the same month Diddy was indicted).

Subsequently, the lawyer defendant allegedly repeated the above-summarized “false and defamatory” claims involving Diddy – including during interviews (particularly on NewsNation, which is also a defendant) and in Peacock’s recently released The Making of a Bad Boy documentary.

“Mitchell has seized every opportunity to promote herself in the media,” the suit continues, “and has insisted on valuable benefits and payments in exchange for interviews, including first class air travel, four-star hotel accommodations, hair and makeup allowances, and a ‘materials fee’” for various documents.

Eliminating all doubt, the suit rather directly claims that these purported videos of Diddy “do not exist.” Burgess and Mitchell made their allegedly false statements in pursuit of profit, while NewsNation “likewise profited” from airing the remarks, the complaint maintains.

Moreover, the Nexstar-owned network would have determined that the claims were false if it’d “conducted even the most modest fact checking,” according to Diddy.

Perhaps more interesting than Diddy’s sought $50 million in defamation damages is his allegation that the statements “poisoned the minds of” prospective jurors for his May trial.

In this way, the complaint alleges in conclusion, the defendants “have also deprived him of any meaningful opportunity for a fair trial on the government’s charges against him.”

Photo Credit: Chris Brown for Pelpa Time Production / CC by 3.0

Chris Brown has sued Warner Bros. Discovery over a documentary released last year that includes allegations of sexual assault.

Chris Brown is suing Warner Bros. Discovery for $500 million over a documentary they released last year that includes allegations of sexual assault. “Chris Brown: A History of Violence” was released in October 2024 and features testimony from an anonymous dancer who says Brown raped her on a yacht in 2020.

According to Brown’s lawyers, the film is “defamatory” with “baseless” and “sensationalized” claims. Brown alleges that Warner Bros. Discovery “recklessly [damaged]” his reputation. The statement says his lawyers told producers the allegations were “misleading” and “discredited,” but that Warner Bros. proceeded to release the film “without regard for Mr. Brown, prioritizing profits over journalistic integrity.”

Specifically, the complaint outlines three claims made in the documentary which they say are “false.” These include a comment that he has a “predisposition for punching women in the face,” the dancer’s allegation that he raped her, and a claim he manipulated or deleted texts between them before sharing them with law enforcement. His attorneys write that the documentary “states in every available fashion that he is a serial rapist and sexual abuser,” and that the allegations have “irreparably tarnished” his career and caused him emotional distress.

The dancer in the documentary first sued Brown under a Jane Doe pseudonym in 2022 for $20 million. Her lawsuit claimed he drugged and raped her during a party on a yacht at a property owned by Sean “Diddy” Combs in Miami. That case was reportedly dismissed by a judge.

But Chris Brown has a well-documented history of legal troubles associated with violence. In 2014, he pleaded guilty to punching a man outside a hotel in Washington, D.C. Two years later, a model claimed he assaulted her at a Las Vegas casino, but police said there was not enough evidence to bring charges. In 2017, he was also court ordered to stay away from ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran after she claimed he threatened to kill her.

Perhaps his most well-known incident came in 2009 when he pleaded guilty to assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna. But his lawyers say he has “never been found at fault for any type of sexual crime.”

Photo Credit: A$AP Rocky by Chris Brown for The Come Up Show

A$AP Rocky turns down a plea deal in the A$AP Relli firearm assault case and will continue to trial.

Rapper A$AP Rocky has turned down a plea deal in the A$AP Relli firearm assault case and will continue to trial following jury selection. Rolling Stone’s Nancy Dillon confirmed the news from the Los Angeles courtroom as the jury selection for the case began on Tuesday.

Dillon revealed Rocky was offered three years’ probation, a seven-year suspended prison sentence, and 180 days in county jail if he would plead guilty to Count 1 (assault with a semiautomatic firearm). But Rocky told the judge, “I respectfully decline, thank you.”

Joe Tacopina, Rocky’s attorney, revealed they have two witnesses ready to testify that the gun seen on the security video was a prop gun Rocky carried for “security reasons.”

“From our side, we have no interest in a settlement,” Tacopina told Judge Mark S. Arnold at a pre-trial hearing last Wednesday, January 16. “My client has indicated he’s not willing to take anything. But obviously, I will listen to anything, any offer. And I have an obligation and a duty to relay it to my client, which I will do.”

Tacopina said Rocky is feeling “confident” that he will be acquitted, and is prepared to testify if necessary. But his life could be drastically upended if he’s convicted of firing a gun at Terell Ephron, a former childhood friend who testified their relationship had gone south. Things came to a head on November 6, 2021, when Ephron claimed that “bullets grazed his knuckles.” Rocky is facing two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.

Rocky was named a celebrity chair of the Met Gala in May, and also has a major role in a Spike Lee film with Denzel Washington. But it remains to be seen if these projects will be affected by his forthcoming trial.

Photo Credit: Joe Budden’s Instagram

Joe Budden says Drake’s lawsuit against UMG is ruining hip-hop culture, calling him a ‘Karen’ because of it. “I miss the original Drake.”

On the latest episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, the former rapper didn’t mince words about Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group. Budden accused Drake of code-switching — acting like a “Karen” with the lawsuit, but then being a tough guy by hanging out with fellow Canadian Top5, who recently made a remark threatening to shoot Kendrick Lamar.

According to Budden, Drake needs to pick a side. “If you a Karen, be a Karen, but you code-switching,” said Budden. “You at the game running around with this n—a that has been threatening Kendrick saying, ‘I’ma kill you, I’ma do X, Y, Z.’ I’m not naming no names, but you know who you running around with, and you know what you doing, and you know what you threatening, so if you’re that, then be that. But don’t be that and also Karen,” Budden explained. “I don’t like it. It’s nasty and disgusting.”

Later on, Budden reflected on Drake’s past career. “I miss Drake. There are too many artists that are suffering from an identity crisis or begin to lose themselves when they get in this shit. I miss the original Drake — the n—a with the Blackberry and the corny T-shirts that couldn’t dress with no beard that everybody just wanted to get next to and get some of that corny sauce. Y’all knew that n—a wasn’t like us, but he had the magic touch.”

“There’s no unity in hip-hop [anymore], none of y’all know what culture means — actually, they’ve been telling y’all what culture means ‘cause they own the shit. This shit is a fucking mess. It’s disgusting. And if you love this shit, it hurts! […] I’m saddened as a diss track king, as a n—a who loves to get on the mic and tell lies about my opponent,” said Budden. “Horrible things get said [in rap beefs], man. I just don’t like the Karen play-both-sides: the aggressor and the victim.”

Ultimately, says Budden, the younger generations can have the current version of hip-hop; it isn’t the culture he says he fell in love with.

Photo Credit: Balad Beast

The Balad Beast 2025 lineup has been announced, with 21 Savage, Gunna, Metro Boomin, and Wiz Khalifa heading to Saudi Arabia for the two-day festival.

The two-day Balad Beast festival held at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Al-Balad, has announced its 2025 lineup. Taking place on January 30 and 31, performances include modern hip-hop legends 21 Savage, Gunna, Metro Boomin, and Wiz Khalifa. But the Saudi Arabian celebration of music and culture doesn’t stop there.

Aside from hip-hop, Balad Beast will feature soul, indie, and pop performances from artists like British soul sensation Michael Kiwanuka; ethereal Canadian singer-songwriter Ghostly Kisses; and rising pop and electronic artist Zeyne. Electronic music showcases will include sets from global underground icon Maceo Plex; genre-blending house DJ Alexander Skancke; groove master Brawther; and cutting-edge Dutch DJ Mau P.

As per festival organizer MDLBEAST’s mission, one of Balad Beast’s primary functions is to champion local and regional artists, and this year is no exception. The 2025 edition features performances by Saudi Arabian DJ duo Dish Dash; rising Middle Eastern electronic artist Biirdperson; and unique deep house and techno group Vinyl Mode.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site at Jeddah’s historic Al-Balad district transforms into a vibrant, pulsating hub of culture and music for the two-day event. Jeddah’s timeless charm serves as the ideal backdrop for a festival that seamlessly blends global innovation and local tradition. From trap and hip-hop to house anthems and techno beats, Balad Beast offers something for everyone.

Blending international sensations with local talent, Balad Beast 2025 will offer attendees a one-of-a-kind musical experience tailored to many tastes. Tickets for Balad Beast 2025 are now available for purchase, with various options catering to different preferences, including “VIB” packages for an elevated festival experience. These include perks such as premium viewing areas, exclusive lounges, and enhanced amenities.

Last year’s Balad Beast festival featured performances from artists like Ty Dolla $ign, Major Lazer, and the legendary Wu-Tang Clan.

Photo Credit: Drake by Charito Yap for The Come Up Show / CC by 2.0

After Drake filed his bombshell lawsuit against UMG, speculation over his true intentions has gone rampant online. Is Drake trying to get out of his deal?

When Drake recently dropped his petition against Universal Music Group in New York, many thought that the parties had reached a resolution. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. In short order, Drake filed a massive defamation lawsuit against the label over Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.”

Now, the question is where this litigation goes next. UMG issued a blistering blowback to the lawsuit, though there’s just one problem: the mega-label could face some serious defamation charges. And fighting the case could take years — while putting one of their biggest artists on the bench and keeping a negative lawsuit in the media.

Over in hip-hop corners, many fans are unconvinced that Drake can win his case. This clearly isn’t a ‘street’ move: according ot every law of ‘the culture,’ problems that can’t be solved through lyrical acumen are taken to the streets, not the courts. The whole thing goes against the spirit of hip-hop, where rivalries and diss tracks run rampant, though Drake has found supporters — including Funkmaster Flex and Jim Jones, among others.

Among those critical of Drake’s actions include reaction YouTubers Zias and B Lou, both of whom were mentioned in the Canadian superstar’s lawsuit. According to the filing, YouTubers like B Lou and Zias have benefitted from UMG’s allowing reaction videos to be monetized. Such content naturally brings more attention to Lamar’s song by encouraging creators to react.

In response, Zias alleged that a UMG executive spoke to him about the lawsuit and claimed the artist is simply looking for a way to get out of his deal with the label. But this theory isn’t a new one. And disputing the conjecture proves difficult, given Drake’s focus on UMG — not Kendrick Lamar. The star feels the label purposely tried to undermine his career in order to pay him less when they renew his contract.

Regardless, these are all just theories. Only time will tell how it will wrap up, and things could drag on for quite a long time. Whether the future of hip-hop hangs in the balance remains to be seen, but the case should be a fascinating one to watch, nevertheless.

A live performance from Janet Jackson, one of the many artists who have recorded works featured in the catalog of Lastrada Entertainment. Photo Credit: J Vettorino

Reservoir Media has officially acquired the publishing catalog of Lastrada Entertainment – including interests in works recorded by Jim Croce and many others.

New York City-based Reservoir and 38-year-old Lastrada reached out with word of their deal today. While the same parties opted against identifying the financial specifics at hand, they did indicate that the transaction encompasses north of 5,600 compositions.

Among those compositions are commercially prominent efforts like Croce’s “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” and “Time in a Bottle,” Captain & Tennille’s “Love Will Keep Us Together,” and Zapp’s “More Bounce to the Ounce,” according to the announcement.

(More than a few different releases, recorded by Tina Turner, Latto, and an array of other talent, are featured in Lastrada’s online catalog database. But several of the relevant stakes seemingly only involve masters and look to be excluded from the IP-sale agreement as a result.)

Meanwhile, thanks to a variety of samples – 2Pac incorporated Ronnie Hudson’s “West Coast Poplock” into “California Love,” to name one example – the purchase also includes interests in works recorded by Ne-Yo, Yo Gotti, Dave East, Kanye West, Usher, Drake, Gucci Mane, Eminem, Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, and Rick Ross.

(Despite its varied IP investments and holdings, Reservoir has zeroed in particularly on hip-hop in recent years. 2024 saw the business ink publishing deals with Snoop Dogg as well as Death Row, on top of investing in the work of 2Pac collaborator Big D Evans, for example.)

In a statement, Reservoir chief operating officer Rell Lafargue said his company would work to preserve “the legacy the Moelis family has built,” with an underlying goal of ensuring Lastrada’s continued success.

And in remarks of his own, Stephen Moelis (who’d served as president of music publishing, with his brother Larry working as VP of operations) described the sale as “the natural next step” for Lastrada.

“The Moelis family takes pride in the catalog of hits we were part of,” Stephen relayed, “and in the personal relationships we forged with our incredibly talented songwriters.

“Passing the creative torch to Reservoir is the natural next step to continue the work we started with our father 40 years ago, and we wish to thank Golnar Khosrowshahi, Rell Lafargue, and the entire Reservoir team as they become stewards of some of the great songs of all time,” he concluded.

With Reservoir’s Lastrada buyout (besides Warner Music’s DWA and Extravaganza catalog purchases), it’s safe to say that the IP-acquisition space is heating up.

Nevertheless, it remains to be seen precisely how many massive deals the sub-sector will deliver this year. Among other things, 2024 delivered what appeared (and appears) to be the single-largest IP investment thus far, Sony Music’s reportedly $600 million purchase of 50% of Michael Jackson’s catalog.

However, billions are already earmarked for song rights; a steady stream of IP sales is all but guaranteed for 2025, and additional gargantuan rights selloffs might come to fruition as well.

Following the release of Kendrick Lamar’s allegedly defamatory ‘Not Like Us,’ ‘flyers were plastered all over Toronto with a photo of Drake and a Canadian YouTuber who was sentenced to three years in prison for sexual assault,’ per Drake’s newly filed suit against Universal Music Group. Photo Credit: Digital Music News

Drake’s much-publicized Universal Music Group (UMG) legal battle has officially reached a boiling point, as the artist has slapped the major label with a massive defamation lawsuit.

Updated: UMG has now forcefully responded to the Drake lawsuit — see below.

This shocking twist in the months-long dispute – centering on Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” diss track – emerged just moments ago.

As we previously reported, Drake in November 2024 fired off several petitions, against UMG, Spotify, and more, alleging a multifaceted behind-the-scenes campaign to boost the popularity of “Not Like Us.”

On top of ultra-serious allegations of bot-fueled plays and payola, Drake emphasized the allegedly defamatory lyrics in “Not Like Us,” which debuted amid a well-documented rap beef involving him and Lamar.

Also as reported by DMN, Drake’s initial legal actions stopped short of launching full-fledged suits against UMG and others. Thus, when the relevant petitions were recently dialed back, logic suggested that Drake and the leading label may have arrived at some sort of resolution.

In reality, however, the ugly dispute has only intensified, with the comparatively tame petition against UMG making way for an 81-page lawsuit.

Digital Music News promptly obtained the expansive complaint, which Drake (not his company) submitted to a New York federal court against a lone defendant in UMG Recordings.

Opening with a quote from UMG head Lucian Grainge about the ease with which one’s reputation can be ruined, the firmly worded action dives directly into describing a series of attacks (one being a shooting that seriously injured a security guard) and break-in attempts at Drake’s Toronto home in the week following the release of “Not Like Us.”

(Drake also moved his child and mother from the city “entirely” due to safety concerns, the suit indicates.)

“In the two decades leading up to May of 2024,” the text proceeds, “although Drake was constantly in the public eye, nothing remotely like these events had ever happened to him or his family. But these events were not coincidental. They immediately followed, and were proximately caused by, UMG’s actions leading up to and on May 4, 2024.”

Unsurprisingly, those actions refer mainly to releasing Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” which allegedly “falsely accuses Drake of being a pedophile and calls for violent retribution against him.”

“Not Like Us” is allegedly defamatory because its lyrics, official image, and music video “all advance the false and malicious narrative that Drake is a pedophile,” per the suit.

Too far? Drake is taking aim at (among many other things) the alleged aerial view of his Toronto home, along with superimposed ‘icons used by law enforcement and public safety applications like Citizen to identify child sex offenders,’ as the featured image for Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us.’ Photo Credit: Digital Music News

Moreover, the suit, which doesn’t name Lamar as a defendant, is “entirely about UMG, the music company that decided to publish, promote, exploit, and monetize allegations that it understood were not only false, but dangerous.”

As for the motivation behind the alleged scheme, Drake’s complaint points to the obvious elements (i.e., execs’ desire to cash in on the “gold mine” diss track at hand). However, Interscope also “owns Lamar’s entire back catalog,” the document states, and the former Top Dawg act Lamar had allegedly inked a short-term deal with UMG to gauge its ability to drive commercial results for his projects.

Plus, as Drake is nearing the end of his deal (extended in 2022) with the major, there’s allegedly ample incentive to “devalue” the artist’s own work.

“By devaluing Drake’s music and brand [through the aggressive promotion of ‘Not Like Us’], UMG would gain leverage to force Drake to sign a new deal on terms more favorable to UMG,” the suit spells out.

Regarding the specifics of this alleged aggressive promotion, the action doubles down on the existing streaming-manipulation and payola claims.

Additionally, Universal Music allegedly “took the unprecedented step” of axing copyright restrictions for “Not Like Us” on YouTube and Twitch. This purported move was allegedly designed “to ensure content creators would republish it broadly.”

Worth noting in conclusion are some of UMG’s alleged comments to Drake, including alleged indications that if he sued, it “would respond by bringing claims against Kendrick Lamar.” Drake would then allegedly “face public ridicule for the perception that he had sued another rapper,” per the suit’s account of the purported remarks from UMG brass to Drake.

Besides defamation and defamation per se, Drake is suing Universal Music for harassment and a New York business law violation.

Update: After the filing of this lawsuit, Universal Music Group quickly offered a statement, calling the lawsuit ‘untrue’ and ‘illogical’.

“We have not and do not engage in defamation — against any individual,” the label stated. “At the same time, we will vigorously defend this litigation to protect our people and our reputation, as well as any artist who might directly or indirectly become a frivolous litigation target for having done nothing more that write a song.”

LiAngelo Ball, who’s reportedly signed a massive deal with Def Jam/UMG amid the viral success of ‘Tweaker.’ Photo Credit: Graham Hodges

Professional basketball player LiAngelo Ball (aka G3/G3 Gelo) has capitalized on his “Tweaker” hit by reportedly inking a $13 million deal with Universal Music’s Def Jam.

That’s according to an ESPN report as well as a direct confirmation to DMN from BeatStars, which Ball used when creating the viral track.

As many fans apparently know, 26-year-old Ball dropped “Tweaker” (including through WorldstarHipHop’s YouTube channel, it’s worth noting) closer to the top of January. Since then, the work has racked up millions of cumulative streams on YouTube, Spotify, and elsewhere.

Evidently, the song is driving significant career opportunities off the court for the Anaheim native, whose Def Jam/UMG deal reportedly encompasses an $8 million guarantee. The latter detail comes from ESPN’s account, complete with info provided by Ball’s Born2Ball Music Group label.

(It’s been nearly two weeks since Ball himself last posted on Instagram, and at the time of this writing, Def Jam hadn’t yet added him to its artists page.)

As mentioned, though, music marketplace BeatStars also confirmed Ball’s scoring the $13 million deal – and shed light on the exact creative process at hand.

Per BeatStars, through which users can purchase beats, vocals, and more, Ball found and then licensed the beat for Glockie Cheez- and KUNICA-produced “Tweaker” through its core platform.

Not stopping there, the former NBA G League player then used BeatStars-partnered (and mobile-focused) DAW Voloco “to record his vocals directly from his phone,” the marketplace indicated. “Within days,” BeatStars summed up, “the completed track was released, proving that professional-quality music can now be created and shared without ever stepping into a traditional studio.”

Update: BeatStars subsequently noted that the beat, hosted on the BeatStars platform, was actually discovered and shared with Ball on Voloco, though which BeatStars has a partnership.  “LiAngelo’s friend was on Voloco searching for beats,” a BeatStars rep shared with DMN. “His friend found a beat he liked and sent it over to Gelo. As a reminder, the beats on Voloco come from BeatStars’ catalog through our integration.”

The fully licensed foundation of “Tweaker” is noteworthy against the backdrop of generative AI’s ongoing expansion. Stated bluntly, it doesn’t require much skill at all to pump out “music” via artificial intelligence models.

In other words, with AI tracks still hitting streaming services en masse, BeatStars and similar businesses could usher in continued creative-process changes without abandoning human artistry or payments to proper musicians.

Running with the point, BeatStars founder and CEO Abe Batshon touted his company’s perceived role in “the future of music creation.”

“This is the future of music creation,” said the longtime BeatStars head. “With the right tools, artists like LiAngelo Ball are breaking down barriers and proving that creativity has no limits.

“‘Tweaker’ is more than just a viral hit—it’s a symbol of the empowerment we bring to creators worldwide,” concluded Batshon, whose platform is said to have paid out north of $350 million to its creator community.

A live performance from Jay-Z, who’s urging the court to toss the sexual assault civil case filed against him. Photo Credit: Mike Barry

Jay-Z is officially urging a federal court to dismiss the sexual assault lawsuit he’s facing and to impose sanctions against the Jane Doe plaintiff’s attorney.

The Roc Nation founder just recently moved to toss the much-publicized complaint and to tag attorney Tony Buzbee with monetary sanctions.

Buzbee is reportedly representing north of 200 alleged Diddy victims – with one of these accusers claiming that both Diddy and Jay-Z raped her at a VMAs afterparty in 2000.

But Jay-Z has been firing back against the lawsuit (and attempting to reveal the now-adult accuser’s identity) from the outset.

Meanwhile, an increasingly ugly sub-dispute is ongoing; multiple lawsuits are accusing Roc Nation and others of bribing current and former Buzbee clients to sue his namesake law firm. And Jay-Z didn’t hesitate to sue Buzbee out of the gate for alleged extortion.

Keeping the focus on the sexual assault allegation against Jay-Z, however, the anonymous alleged victim in mid-December sat down for an ill-advised NBC News interview. And as Jay-Z and his team see it, the resulting piece uncovered multiple alleged inconsistencies in the alleged victim’s story.

Now, with early January having seen the judge grant Jay-Z’s request to file a dismissal motion, these alleged inconsistencies mean it’s high time to toss the action, per the defendant entrepreneur.

As we previously reported, the alleged inconsistencies involve photos showing Jay-Z attending an afterparty at a nightclub – not the private residence described in the complaint – on the evening of the alleged assault.

The accuser’s father reportedly admitted having no recollection of picking up his then-minor daughter (in what would have been a lengthy drive, per NBC) following the alleged sexual assault. And at least one celebrity who the accuser claims to have spoken with at the relevant afterparty wasn’t in attendance, but was instead touring in a different state.

“All of this would have caused any reasonable attorney to put the brakes on filing an inflammatory complaint and to conduct a more thorough investigation into Plaintiff’s allegations,” Jay-Z’s legal team wrote when pushing for sanctions against Buzbee.

“Especially when a complaint alleges violent, felonious conduct that is defamatory per se,” the same individuals wrote, “attorneys should not be permitted to destroy a person’s reputation by alleging facts without a sufficient investigation or by failing to withdraw those allegations once it is clear that they are false or exceedingly unlikely to be true.”

Overall, the situation warrants “a strong sanction” and the suit’s dismissal, per Jay-Z and his attorneys.

Importantly, Buzbee previously refuted the report of inconsistencies in his client’s story, pointing to a vetting process and maintaining that the nightclub in question hadn’t been suggested as the site of the alleged rape.

Plus, “personal issues” meant the accuser’s father “was in no state to remember” picking up his daughter at the time or, in turn, nearly a quarter of a century later, per Buzbee.

In a statement, Buzbee – who’s still working on high-profile cases well outside the music space despite the multitude of claims against Diddy – in more words vowed to fire back against Jay-Z’s latest filing.