On a recent episode of the Million Dollaz Worth Of Game podcast, Lizzo reflected on the roots of hip-hop. She highlighted the genre’s struggle for recognition within a music industry long dominated by established players. Her comments offered insight into the challenges faced by Black artists, particularly around sampling—a practice central to hip-hop’s identity and creative innovation. Speaking with hosts Gillie and Wallo, Lizzo explored hip-hop’s complicated relationship with sampling. By borrowing sounds, rhythms, and melodies from existing recordings, artists have built the foundation of the genre. Yet she emphasized that copyright laws have often constrained Black creativity rather than safeguarding it. Recalling Biz Markie’s legal battles over “Alone Again,” Lizzo noted how disputes like his led to albums being pulled from stores. These actions reveal the broader consequences of restrictive sampling rules on Black musicians. Tracing the earliest pioneers of sampling to Black rappers of the 1980s and ’90s, Lizzo highlighted the ingenuity behind the practice. “They were sampling records because they didn’t have access to big studios,” she said. Many repurposed their parents’ vinyl to forge new sounds, often without formal musical training. “They were just outside, just like, ‘OK, this is just what it is.’ And then hip-hop was born, and it was this beautiful thing,” she added. This underscored the genre’s organic and innovative beginnings. Policing Black Creativity Reflecting on contemporary perceptions, Lizzo criticized the framing of sampling as theft. “The theft of it all, putting theft on Black culture, that’s the part that kind of turns me off,” she said. For her, sampling is a legitimate and essential creative practice, embedded in hip-hop’s DNA. Yet, it is often mischaracterized as criminal. She suggested that these restrictions may have racial undertones, functioning as a means to limit Black artistic expression. Fans can also expect Lizzo’s involvement on Cardi B’s forthcoming album, Am I The Drama?, set for September 19. The collaboration hints at further explorations across hip-hop, pop, and R&B. It signals the evolution of her artistry while honoring the foundational roots of the genre.

According to Billboard Canada, The Weeknd has set the record for most performances by a Canadian artist at one of Toronto’s biggest stadiums — the Rogers Centre, which also houses the Toronto Blue Jays. The singer performed four shows on his After Hours Til Dawn Tour at the Rogers Centre, which began on Thursday, August 7. The outlet also reported that he set the record for “most shows at the venue by a male solo artist on the same tour.” This trek would count as The Weeknd’s seventh concert tour. The stadium tour was in support of his fourth, fifth, and sixth studio albums: After Hours (2020), Dawn FM (2022), and Hurry Up Tomorrow (2025). This tour serves as a victory lap for the “Timeless” singer and marks the end of his Weeknd era. View this post on Instagram A post shared by NFR Podcast (@nfrpodcast) Last month, The Weeknd was awarded the ultimate honor from his hometown of Toronto by receiving the Key to the City and a citywide proclamation of “The Weeknd Weekend” from July 26-27.  Complex reported that the City of Toronto recognized” the pop star actor for his accomplishments as a singer-songwriter and producer, his enduring humanitarian efforts, and his dedication to giving back to his city.” During the private ceremony, The Weeknd was presented by Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, who was attended by youth from West Scarborough and The Weeknd’s alma mater, Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute. “I’m deeply honored to receive the Key to the City. It feels good to be home,” The Weeknd said. “Toronto is where I found my voice, and I’m committed to helping the next generation find theirs. That’s why I’m proud to support the Boys & Girls Club of West Scarborough and my former high school, Birchmount Park, providing youth with the means to unlock their full potential.”

Is there anything that Queen Bey can’t do? Whether it’s sparking online debates or shattering Grammy records, Beyoncé has more than proven herself worthy of all her accolades. So it’s no surprise that when Billboard released its “The 75 Best R&B Artists of All Time” list, Beyoncé ranked high among her peers. Landing at No. 4 on the list, the Renaissance singer follows behind icons like Michael Jackson (No. 3), Aretha Franklin (No. 2), and Stevie Wonder (No. 1). The late, legendary, singer and diva, Whitney Houston, rounded out the group at No.5. The criteria for ranking included “vocal prowess, body of work, career longevity, industry achievements, game-changing influence, and enduring generational/cultural impact.” “Billboard’s Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century also happens to be one of the Best R&B Artists of All Time. In fact, it’s her dedication to her R&B foundation that has helped her become one of music’s most innovative, impactful, and impressive artists,” the outlet wrote. “The 35-time Grammy-winning Houstonian first hit the Billboard charts as the lead vocalist of Destiny’s Child, the girl group in which she honed her now-signature staccato rap-singing, a vocal approach that can be heard in virtually every contemporary R&B song today.” Beyoncé has been named the #4 ‘Best R&B Singer of All-Time’ by Billboard staff. pic.twitter.com/bFcg8myACW — Pop Tingz (@ThePopTingz) June 19, 2025 Other notable artists included in the list include: James Brown (No.6), Prince (No.7), Mariah Carey (No.8), R.Kelly (No.9), and Marvin Gaye (No.10). Last December, Billboard crowned Queen Bey as the greatest pop star of the 21st century. The publication said she’s “the century’s biggest pop star based on her full 25 years of influence, evolution, and impact.” “The reasons why Beyoncé captured the top spot on our list were beyond numerous. Ranging from her 25 years of timeless albums and singles to her incalculable industry impact and influence on other artists, to her peerless raw talents as a singer and performer.” Billboard said. “Few artists this period can match her in any of the most critical basic categories of pop stardom. Commercial success, performance abilities, critical acclaim and accolades, industry influence, iconic cultural moments – and absolutely no one can equal her in all of them,” Billboard continued.

The year opened on an unsettling note for Hit-Boy, who disclosed that his California studio was broken into during the early morning hours. The Grammy-winning producer shared security footage of the incident on social media, showing intruders moving through the space before leaving nearly empty-handed. The breach, which occurred around dawn, drew swift attention across the hip-hop community. For an artist known for discipline and focus, the intrusion felt personal, if not entirely unexpected. Hit-Boy detailed the moment in a post, writing, “This morning around 4 am, some idiots broke into my office/studio and went through a hassle just to get next to nothing.” He noted that his most meaningful possessions—his Grammy awards and jewelry—were untouched. Rather than expressing fear, his message conveyed frustration mixed with calm. The emphasis was less on loss and more on resilience. True to form, Hit-Boy processed the moment through music. He released a freestyle titled “Crow Bars,” transforming the incident into a creative release. One line landed with particular clarity: “they brought crow bars, and left with karma.” The track felt less like retaliation and more like a reminder of where his power actually resides. This morning around 4am some idiots broke into my office / studio and went thru a hassle just to get next to nothing. i had my grammys there and i know they wanted my jewels but not today champions FOH. i did a freestyle called “Crow Bars” watching the footage of these low life’s… pic.twitter.com/AzXdhdsU5W — Hit-Boy (@Hit_Boy) January 5, 2026 Break-Ins and Bounce-Back The incident echoed a similar experience shared recently by producer Sonny Digital, who also turned to social media after a burglary. In a candid video, Sonny said, “Yesterday, some bum as n***s came in here and stole all my keyboards, all my equipment… Don’t worry about the materials, I’m going to get this back. It’s just the principle of it though, you know what I’m saying?” Together, the stories have renewed quiet conversations about safety and vulnerability within creative spaces. Despite the disruption, Hit-Boy enters 2026 with momentum firmly intact. His 2025 output included collaborations with emerging West Coast artists and GOLDFISH, a joint album with The Alchemist that drew wide praise for its textured production and veteran presence. The project reaffirmed his standing as one of hip-hop’s most dependable architects. If the break-in marked a jarring start to the year, his response made clear it will not define what comes next.

When 50 Cent took his seat at Gainbridge Fieldhouse during the Eastern Conference Finals in Indianapolis, the appearance itself drew little attention. Yet it coincided with a quieter development off the court: a noticeable cooling of tensions between the rapper and boxing champion Claressa Shields. After weeks of social media friction, Jackson appeared to dial things down. The shift suggested a rare pause in his usually unrelenting public sparring. In an Instagram post, Jackson addressed Shields directly, writing, “The truth is, I’m a Claressa Shields fan. I think she is an amazing fighter, and she has a big fight coming up. So, I’m going to chill and let her focus. Let’s go, champ!” The message marked a clear change in tone following a stretch of online exchanges that had pulled Shields into a broader rap feud. Its timing, just ahead of her next bout, appeared deliberate. The moment read less like retreat and more like restraint. View this post on Instagram A brief truce amid lingering rivalries Shields responded without escalation. She shared a clip of Jackson introducing her at a past event, pointing to an earlier chapter in their relationship that predated the recent tension. In her caption, she recalled how Jackson arranged her travel and invited her to attend an upcoming fight, describing the experience as “VIP treatment.” The gesture reframed their history as cooperative rather than combative. The conflict itself stemmed largely from Jackson’s ongoing rivalry with Shields’s partner, Papoose. That dispute intensified last month through taunts, AI-generated videos, and public commentary, eventually drawing Shields into the conversation. She voiced her frustration plainly on X, writing, “These rappers don’t get their a** beat enough—that’s the problem.” Jackson, meanwhile, has continued trading shots with other artists and has hinted that a response to a recent freestyle could arrive in 2026. For now, the exchange has settled into an uneasy calm. Whether the détente holds is an open question, particularly given Jackson’s long history of public feuds. Still, the moment offers a reminder that even in hip-hop’s most performative rivalries, acknowledgment and respect can surface—if only briefly.

Ahead of the new year, Doechii set the tone with her latest track, “girl, get up (ft. SZA).” Coming in at over three minutes, the Florida native uses the track address all her naysayers, specifically, streamer Adin Ross, who’s been spearheading a recent hate campaign against the TDE rapper. Ross, who recently teased a diss track toward Doechii featuring 6ix9ine, has accused the rapper of being an industry plant. “All that industry plant sh*t whack/I see it on the blogs, I see you in the chats,” she raps. “You suck every rap n*gga d*ck from the back, But what’s the agenda when the it girl black?/Y’all can’t fathom that I work this hard/And y’all can’t fathom that I earned this chart.” She also takes the time to address the misogyny in hip-hop and the male hip-hop fans who try to pit her against other female rappers. “They callin’ me the intellect amongst the p*ssy rap, I still be poppin’ p*ssy, them my sisters, so I can’t agree with that,” she continues. “These n*ggas misogynistic, I’ll address it on the album/For now, let’s sink into the fact that hate don’t make you powerful.” The new track signals a different era for the rapper, while there has been no word about her debut album’s release date, it wouldn’t be far to assume that it’s in the works. Punch TDE Thinks Doechii Can Beat Adin Ross In A Fight In other news, Top Dawg Entertainment president Punch jumped into the middle of the growing tension between Doechii and streamer Adin Ross with a sharp one-liner that lit up social media. On Dec. 31, the longtime TDE executive shared his thoughts on X, formerly Twitter, as the exchange between the rapper and the streamer continued to spiral beyond music. “I think Doe would actually mop little man in a head up fade ,” Punch wrote, using Doechii’s nickname and brushing off Ross with ease. The post also signaled where TDE stands. Punch has a long track record of defending label artists publicly, often with humor and directness rather than polished statements. His comment implied the label views Ross’ diss as noise rather than a real challenge. Neither Doechii nor Ross responded directly to Punch, but the tweet amplified the moment. For many fans, it highlighted a familiar clash between rappers protecting craft and streamers chasing attention, with TDE firmly riding for its own.

According to a new lawsuit, Drake, popular streamer Adin Ross, and others have been accused of being part of an online gambling scheme with the online casino platform, Stake.us. The lawsuit, which was filed in a Virginia courtroom, claims that the rapper used profits from this alleged scheme to inflate his streaming numbers artificially. The plaintiffs, LaShawnna Ridley and Tiffany Hines, claim that the “Nokia” rapper, Ross, and another man identified as George Nguyen were “zealous promoters” of the digital casino platform. Per Ridley and Hines, the trio not only “preyed upon consumers,” but they also potentially exposed them to “substantial risks of gambling addiction.” The two women claim they were “influenced to participate” in Stake’s “predatory gambling environment” after viewing Drake’s continued promotion of the site. LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 12: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Streamer Adin Ross watches Drake perform during day two of Wireless Festival 2025 at Finsbury Park on July 12, 2025 in London, England. Drake is headlining an unprecedented all three nights of Wireless Festival. (Photo by Simone Joyner/Getty Images) Drake & Ross Allegedly Used Tipping Feature As A “Money Transfer Conduit” The lawsuit also claims that the trio used the platform’s “tipping” feature to transfer money amongst themselves. Ridley and Hines claim that the trio used Stake like a covert “money transfer conduit.” It works as “an unlimited and wholly unregulated money transmitter that appears to exist outside the oversight of any financial regulator.” There was also mention that the funds from the alleged scheme were used to “finance fraudulent streams” and “amplification campaigns” against the rapper’s competitors. “At the heart of the scheme, Drake — acting directly and through willing and knowledgeable co-conspirators — has deployed automated bots and streaming farms to artificially inflate play counts of his music across major platforms, such as Spotify,” the suit reads. “This manipulation has suppressed authentic artists and narrowed consumers’ access to legitimate content by undermining the integrity of curated experiences.” ]Along with Ridley and Hines, the lawsuit will work to represent other Virginia residents who “lost one or more wagers using Stake Cash within the last three years.” Drake and his co-conspirators are accused of violating the Virginia Consumer Protection Act and engaging in a racketeering conspiracy, which is a violation of the federal RICO statute.

Top Dawg Entertainment president Punch jumped into the middle of the growing tension between Doechii and streamer Adin Ross with a sharp one-liner that lit up social media. On Dec. 31, the longtime TDE executive shared his thoughts on X, formerly Twitter, as the exchange between the rapper and the streamer continued to spiral beyond music. “I think Doe would actually mop little man in a head up fade ,” Punch wrote, using Doechii’s nickname and brushing off Ross with ease. I think Doe would actually mop little man in a head up fade . — Punch TDE (@iamstillpunch) January 1, 2026 The comment carried the blunt energy Punch is known for and doubled as a public show of support for his artist. It also pushed the moment from lyrical sparring into hip-hop bravado. The friction began with Doechii’s recent song “Girl, Get Up,” where she addressed claims that her rise was manufactured. On the track, Doechii rejected the “industry plant” narrative and defended her grind, positioning herself as an artist who earned her spot. Though she never named Ross, fans connected the record to the streamer’s history of questioning artists and industry credibility. Punch TDE Thinks Doechii Can Beat Up Adin Ross In A 1 v. 1, Per Tweet Ross answered back in typical internet fashion. He released an untitled diss track alongside Brooklyn rapper 6ix9ine and fellow streamer Cuffem. The record took aim at Doechii while also throwing shots at Lil Tjay, Lil Durk and Gabrielle Alayah, also known as Gigi, the ex-girlfriend of Kai Cenat. The collaboration widened the beef, pulling multiple rap and streaming figures into the mix. Punch’s tweet shifted the conversation. By saying Doechii would “mop” Ross in a “head up fade,” he suggested the matchup was uneven from the jump. The phrasing leaned into street language, framing Ross as outmatched not only musically, but personally. The post also signaled where TDE stands. Punch has a long track record of defending label artists publicly, often with humor and directness rather than polished statements. His comment implied the label views Ross’ diss as noise rather than a real challenge. Neither Doechii nor Ross responded directly to Punch, but the tweet amplified the moment. For many fans, it highlighted a familiar clash between rappers protecting craft and streamers chasing attention, with TDE firmly riding for its own.

DJ Akademiks is questioning the role of modern media in shaping culture, arguing that traditional outlets no longer drive what becomes popular but instead follow trends that already generate attention and revenue. During a recent livestream, the YouTube personality and hip-hop commentator said media companies are largely reactive, not influential. “Most media companies… we all chase what’s popular. We don’t look to popularize,” Akademiks said. “That’s the real facts about it.” Akademiks explains that media doesn’t create what’s popular anymore, it just chases what already clicks. “During the Drake vs Kendrick beef, numbers went crazy, biggest money period of my career, I’m sure it was the same for other media outlets too..so media stayed stuck there… https://t.co/dHyP3TlST4 pic.twitter.com/av1aDdVCuV — CY Chels (@SeewhyChels) December 30, 2025 Akademiks framed the issue as a business reality rather than a creative failure. According to him, editorial decisions are increasingly guided by audience metrics. “If A is popular, they’re gonna lean into A,” he said, adding that “clicks generate attention, attention generates clicks, generates money.” As a result, he argued, outlets focus on subjects they already know will perform well instead of taking risks on emerging stories or artists. “They’re not feeding fans stuff,” Akademiks said. “They might bring new information to life, but they’re leaning into things fans already interested in.” While Akademiks acknowledged that he has some freedom on his own platform, he said that level of autonomy is uncommon across the industry. Referencing criticism over his continued coverage of rapper 6ix9ine, he said, “Yo bro, you’re the only one talking about 6ix9ine… yeah, ’cause I want to talk about it. That’s my friend. My bad.” DJ Akademiks Claims Media Doesn’t Popularize Things Anymore For example of how media attention can become self-sustaining, Akademiks pointed to the highly publicized feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake. He described it as “the gift that kept on giving.” He noted that it marked “the most lucrative time” of his 15-year YouTube career. That financial success, he said, creates a “trickle-down effect” across media, incentivizing outlets to remain focused on the same storyline. “People stay in that moment,” Akademiks said. “You’re gonna keep eating off the corpse off that thing that gets you the most amount of revenue.” He argued that this tendency has broader consequences for hip-hop. Media, he said, will “hyper-focus on a beef a year after it’s done,” even if “it really don’t exist,” because audiences remain invested in familiar narratives. Akademiks emphasized that storytelling plays a key role in how music is sold and consumed. He cited coverage such as the “War on Chiraq” as an example of how media once shaped public understanding of drill music by defining characters, feuds, and context. Today, he said, that role has largely shifted to YouTube documentaries. He adds that traditional media has focused on past conflicts rather than what comes next.