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

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

Tamar Braxton recently detailed her close call with death. Taking to her Instagram page Tuesday, August 19 where she reposted a quote on her story that read “Thank you God for waking me up today.” “I struggled to write this but everyone keeps calling me and honestly, I can’t even really talk anymore I’m so weak. I almost died Sunday. I was found in a pool of blood from my friend with a face injury,” she explained. “As the days go by the worse it is. I fractured my nose, lost some teeth and mobility. The way I look at life now is totally different,”she continued. “As my health is on the mend my mental journey begins. Pray for me for real I don’t even know what happened to me.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tamar Braxton (@tamarbraxton) While Braxton did not disclose the what cause her injuries or any photos,  she said that she was discovered by her friend. Before her injuries, Braxton has been featured cast members on the reality show The Braxtons on We TV, as the show is preparing for its second season.  “The main reason for wanting to do The Braxtons again is because of Traci,” Toni Braxton shared in a trailer for season 1.  “She asked us to do this — this was her last wish,” Miss E added. In April, Tamar shared a clip on Instagram where she and her family celebrated what would have been Traci’s 54th birthday. “Happy Heavenly Birthday beautiful @therealtracibraxton,” Tamar wrote in the caption. “We miss you down here sis!! But I know God didn’t want to see you sick like that so, he brought you home to himself to heal you Tamar was also touring on October London’s  October Nights: Calling all Lovers Tour with Ro James.

Ciara has first-hand experience of what it means for an artist to own their master recordings. During a recent interview with Forbes, Ciara shared how she became an independent artist and how label drama led to owning her masters. “It was also one of my greatest meetings because that propelled me to become independent, because literally he did not see the vision of what ‘Level Up’ was,” said Ciara. “I remember going downstairs to the person that was my A&R at that time his name was Monti Olson […] I’m forever grateful for him because he also believed in me when I was like eight months pregnant to sign a deal with meHe was one of the executives that were actually still at the company when the old CEO went out.” “I asked for my masters and they gave it back to me for free, so let you know how much they didn’t believe, and now ‘Level Up’ is almost three times platinum,” she continued. Betting on herself turned out to be the best decision the “Goodies”  singer ever made. The success of “Level Up” helped to launcher her independent label, Beauty Marks Entertainment, which she established in 2017. The hit song became the first release from her label and debuted at 77 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on July 31, 2018 moved to number 59 the following week. It debuted at number 10 on the US Digital Songs chart that same week, becoming Ciara’s sixth top-ten hit on the chart and first since “Love Sex Magic” in March 2009.

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

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

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

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

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

To help celebrate what would’ve been Nipsey Hussle’s 40th birthday (Aug.15), the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority launched a new campaign, aiming to honor the late rapper’s legacy. ABC7 Los Angeles reports along with temporarily renaming Hyde Park Station to “Nipsey Hussle Station,” LA Metro will also offer two limited edition TAP cards featuring the rapper. The effort is part of a new initiative — Metro x Culture — which aims to “connect the agency with the heart of Los Angeles’ vibrant cultural landscape by collaborating with prolific local artists, musicians, community heroes and influential brands.” “Hussle’s legacy goes far beyond music. He was a visionary who understood the power of community, connection, and opportunity. At Metro, we share his belief that public transportation is more than just a way to get around; it’s a vital lifeline that can unite neighborhoods, open doors, and uplift lives,” Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins said in a statement. Two limited-edition Nipsey Hussle TAP cards will drop on August 15, Nipsey Hussle Day. The TAP cards are part of the Metro x Culture series celebrating Angelenos who’ve shaped LA culture, especially those whose journeys began on Metro buses and trains. pic.twitter.com/l54v84ngZj — Metro Los Angeles (@metrolosangeles) August 8, 2025 In a statement from Nipsey Hussle’s family, they said they were “proud to be partnering with Metro for the renaming of the station in honor of Nipsey for his 40th birthday. Access to Metro played a vital role in providing transportation from South Central to Watts to pursue his early musical aspirations.” The statement continues, “Metro helped bridge the gap, not just between neighborhoods, but between his vision and his future. Metro provides access and opportunity to so many people who, without this resource, wouldn’t be able to pursue their passions. The family hopes insight to Hussle’s early years utilizing the Metro will bring light to Hussle’s favorite quote, The highest human act is to inspire.” On March 31, 2019, Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed in front of his Marathon Clothing store. He was only 33 years old at the time of his death. Since then, the alleged shooter Eric Holder was found guilty and is currently serving a sentence of 60 years to Life.