NEW YORK — (WQHT) — This Father’s Day, the beats of hip-hop aren’t just driving club hits—they’re carrying heartfelt messages of fatherhood, resilience, and legacy. Across New York City and beyond, artists are raising the mic to celebrate father figures, share wisdom, and honor their family ties. For Father’s Day 2025, HOT 97 has partnered with ICON MANN and Toyota to salute four dynamic New York fathers with this special Father’s Day Salute. Is your dad one of the great ones? Tell us about it! Share your story about someone you’d like to nominate as one of the Great Dad’s of New York. Great Dads of New York Who are you nominating as a Great Dad of New York?(Required) First Last Tell us why your nominee is a one of the Great Dad’s of New York(Required) In 300 words or less, tell us a story about why this dad should be one of The Great Dad’s of New York. Share a Photo Accepted file types: jpg, gif, png, pdf, psd, Max. file size: 4 GB. Share a pic of the nominee Tell us YOUR Name(Required) First Last Who is nominating this dad? What’s YOUR Email Address? (We’ll keep it private)(Required) What’s YOUR Phone Number? (We’ll keep it private)(Required) Would you like to be a HOT 97 VIP?(Required) Yes, consider me a VIP No thanks, I’m good. HOT 97 VIP’s receive periodic messages about special events and behind-the-scenes offereings. Δ

With Father’s Day just around the corner, Fat Joe and Jadakiss treated 70 fathers and their families to a swanky lunch in New York on Wednesday (June 11). In partnership with Reform Alliance and hosted at Sei Less, one of the most popular Asian fusion restaurants in the city, the two rap legends invite fathers who have been adversely affected by the criminal justice system.” During the luncheon, some of the attendees shared the obstacles they’ve encountered after dealing with the criminal justice system, and being invited by Joe and Jade encouraged them to persevere. With full spread served, guests dined on Sei Less dishes like vegetable spring rolls, chicken satay, vegetable lo mein, filet mignon, and broccoli. Also, the attendees took pictures with Joe and Jada and shared the impact of their music.  Fat Joe spoke about the purpose of the event, and how it creates community to a population of people who are often marginalized. “This my hood, this where I’m from. I’m gonna always give back to my community forever,” Joe said. “The importance of events like today is that you got guys like us cosigning these dads and letting them know that we stand with them because they need that moral support.”  “We want to let them know they can come back and get right. It’s some hope now for when you come back to get readjusted,” Jadakiss added. “Hopefully change your financial situation, change your situation with your family and kids.” “Working with Fat Joe, Jadakiss, and Reform to celebrate these fathers at Sei Less was truly special,” Dara Mirjahangiry, co-founder of Sei Less. “Ahead of Father’s Day, we really wanted to shine a light on these fathers who have been impacted by the criminal justice system and support their re-entry journey with compassion. It was a powerful way to bond through culture, community, and cuisine.”

On Friday (May 30), Teyana Taylor dropped off a teaser trailer for her upcoming project, Escape Room. Along with an album, there will be an accompanying short film released with it. Coming in at just under two minutes, the teaser clip briefly transports viewers into a new world of Teyana’s creation. As it starts, we see her and Lakeith Stanfield exchanging vows, she then shares a passionate kiss scene with her in-real-life beau, Aaron Pierre. There’s also another shot where the singer is covered in flames and even a scene of her looking almost robotic and strapped to a bed. The project is set to be released to be released later this fall in August 2025. Teyana Taylor Denies Iman Shumpert’s Claims In Divorce Battle In other news, Teyana Taylor is pushing back against Iman Shumpert’s claims, calling his accusations false as their divorce turns increasingly tense. Earlier this month, Shumpert filed a motion accusing Taylor of violating their divorce terms. He asked the court to either fine her or sentence her to 20 days in jail. According to court documents, he claimed that Taylor insulted him in front of their children, causing emotional distress. “[Taylor] has shouted crude and inflammatory racial insults at [Shumpert],” the motion stated. “Such insults and criticism of [Shumpert] have caused the children to unjustly suffer stress and worry, unfairly placing the children in the self-imposed position of peacemaker between their parents.” Taylor has now responded in new court filings obtained by In Touch, denying all of Shumpert’s claims. She rejected the idea that her online activity harmed his public image or finances. She also denied taking their children Junie and Rue Rose out of school without cause or preventing him from seeing them. Her response called for the court to dismiss Shumpert’s petition, arguing that his version of events is simply not true.

Ice Spice had Madison Square Garden buzzing Friday night as she pulled up courtside with New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner, turning Game 6 of the Knicks vs. Celtics series into a full-blown pop culture moment. The Bronx-born rapper, fresh off a string of major appearances, walked in hand-in-hand with Gardner, sending the internet into overdrive. The two have been quietly stirring up dating rumors since late 2024. It all started when Ice Spice showed up to a Jets home game and flicked it up with team owner Woody Johnson. Things escalated a few months later when a TikTok clip caught them riding an escalator together, Ice Spice surrounded by security, adding fuel to the fire. The pair kept popping up at events, including the red carpet premiere for Druski’s Coulda Been Love, keeping fans guessing. In April 2025, Gardner shared a photo carousel on Instagram that included Ice Spice standing next to his grey Rolls-Royce. When she commented “1,” fans took it as a subtle confirmation. The soft launch didn’t last long though, by the end of the month, Ice Spice posted a mirror selfie with Gardner, making their relationship social media official. Since then, the two have been showing up side by side at some of the biggest events in entertainment, from Vanity Fair’s Oscars after-party to a packed UFC match. Gardner, the 2022 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and two-time Pro Bowler, and Ice Spice, who’s taken over the rap game with her unique voice and drill sound, are clearly leveling up together. Their latest public outing, cheering on the Knicks with celebs like Timothée Chalamet and Lenny Kravitz just seats away, solidifies their status as one of New York City’s most magnetic new power couples.

Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” is one of the greatest diss tracks of all time. The scathing song aimed at Drake has become a global phenomenon as it has received airplay at clubs and sporting events. Although it was released in May 2024, “Not Like Us” is still setting new records. The song’s latest accolade is that it broke the record for being the longest rap song to chart on the Billboard 100, according to the NFR Podcast. Produced by Mustard, “Not Like Us” has spent several weeks at the number one spot, and it spent almost a full year in the Top 10. Currently, “Not Like Us” is in the  23 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, “Not Like Us” the longest-running number one hit on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart, surpassing Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road”.  Kendrick Lamar breaks Kendrick Lamar’s record (again) for HIGHEST-GROSSING show ever by a Rapper — ($14.81M) 60, 941 total tickets were sold at his show in Seattle. pic.twitter.com/2BDyNWDe7n — NFR Podcast (@nfr_podcast) May 20, 2025 Previously, “Not Like Us” won five Grammy Awards at the 2025 ceremony, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year. The song also won Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video. This marks a significant win for hip-hop, as only one other rap song If that’s not impressive enough,  Lamar broke his own record (again) for the highest-grossing show ever by a rapper, raking in $ 14.81 M. In total, 60, 941 total tickets were sold at the show featuring SZA  at Lumen Field in Seattle. In their review of the show, the Seattle Times described the performance as a “grand-scale presentation of vintage hip-hop storytelling from the Pulitzer Prize winner before a spellbound crowd the size of Bothell.”

Cassie testifies on the second day of Diddy’s sex trafficking trial, sharing emotional details about their long and allegedly abusive relationship. The two were together for more than a decade, and in recent months, serious claims about Diddy’s behavior have surfaced. Her testimony focused on what prosecutors described as “freak-offs,” which were private sex parties Diddy is accused of organizing. These gatherings often involved escorts and were allegedly used as a means of control. Cassie said she participated in them to avoid conflict and to please him. “I wanted to make him happy,” she told the court, as reported by TMZ. She recalled one particular incident that took place shortly after the violent encounter at the InterContinental Hotel in 2016, which was captured on video and circulated months before Diddy’s arrest. Cassie said that following the altercation, Diddy hired an escort to sleep with her. She described feeling “confused” and “nervous” but went along with it anyway. “Then there were more. It wasn’t something I wanted to do, at least not that frequently,” she said. Cassie explained that she believed saying no would make him angry, and she feared that he might blackmail her if she refused. Prosecutors earlier suggested that Diddy had recorded some of these events and may have used the footage as leverage. Cassie reportedly turned over several laptops that could contain video evidence of these so-called freak-offs. It is expected that at least one of the videos will be shown to the jury as the trial progresses. Diddy has pleaded not guilty to all charges and continues to deny any wrongdoing. Cassie’s testimony adds to a growing list of accusations in a trial that has already captured widespread public attention.

Kevin Hart is set to make his return as host of the 25th annual BET Awards. Taking to Instagram, Hart shared his excitement about hosting the event for the second time. “Y’all thought I was done after the first time? Nah,” his post read. “I had to come back and do it BIGGER. It’s official — I’m hosting the 25th anniversary of the #BETAwards June 9th. Shoutout to @therealhartbeat for producing this announcement! “Back like he never left… @kevinhart4real is hosting the #BETAwards for the second time! This year, it’s a black tie affair — 25 years of legendary moments, and we’re turning it all the way up. Expect the laughs, the surprises, the energy… and a night the culture will never forget,” BET added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kevin Hart (@kevinhart4real) “Let’s make history. Again. See y’all June 9th.” “When we asked folks who should host this year’s BET AWARDS online, in the streets, among other celebs and throughout social media, one name came back to us loud and clear: Kevin Hart,” said Stephen Hill, BET’s president of music programming and specials.  “He is blue flame right now and we are looking forward to working with him on the show,” stated Hill. “His energy, wit and the always fantastic performances will make for yet another must see event—and the ‘Chocolate Droppa’ might even get a verse in the show.” For nominees, Chris Brown leads everyone with 6 nominations across multiple categories and right behind him is Lil Wayne with 5 nominations in several categories.  Rounding out the list and tied with 4 nominations each are Kanye West, Rihanna and Drake.   Leading up to the show, the BET Experience to Los Angeles will feature multiple concerts, a Fan Fest, and many more events for the culture.  So far, performers include Buju Banton, The Roots, Lil’ Kim, Redman & Method Man, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Raekwon, Nick Cannon, and more across multiple venues and stages, with more announcements to come.