The courtroom in Manhattan continues to be the setting for a high-stakes clash between claims of abuse and a powerful defense strategy. Testimony from a former assistant, known in court as “Mia,” has taken center stage as she accuses Sean “Diddy” Combs of emotional manipulation, sexual misconduct, and psychological control during her years working for him. Diddy’s legal team, led by attorney Brian Steel, has challenged the credibility of her account by pointing to affectionate messages and years of ongoing contact between the two. Mia detailed alleged assaults dating back to 2009, including one incident at the Plaza Hotel during Diddy’s birthday celebration. Other accusations include abuse at his Los Angeles home and aboard a private jet. “I was still brainwashed,” she told the court, explaining why she remained in contact with him for years. She emphasized that the trauma had left her struggling to separate fear from loyalty. Mia denies payout motive, cites fear and emotional control Steel focused on those blurred lines, presenting text messages from 2019 that appeared warm in tone, raising doubts about the timing and nature of her claims. Mia responded by describing a complex emotional attachment, especially during Diddy’s mourning for his late partner Kim Porter. “He was still a protector to me,” she said, adding that fear and manipulation had shaped much of their dynamic. The testimony touched on parallels to Cassie Ventura’s lawsuit, though Mia said they never discussed their experiences in depth. “I was ashamed and wanted to die,” she admitted, describing how the guilt and silence took a toll on her mental health. She now says she suffers from complex PTSD, triggered by even ordinary workplace situations. Steel attempted to frame her testimony as financially motivated, accusing her of joining what he called a “MeToo money grab.” Mia pushed back firmly, stating she is not pursuing compensation and only came forward to confront her past and give others the strength to speak out.

Cynthia Erivo stopped by HOT 97 to talk to Nessa about her new album I Forgive You, out June 6th. She shared how she started the project while filming Wicked and finished it between shoots, calling the process exhausting but deeply fulfilling. She explained how personal the album is—filled with stories of love, heartbreak, growth, and healing—and emphasized how letting go of the past created space to be more grounded in who she is now. Cynthia talked about songs like “Brick by Brick,” which came from tears, and “I Choose Love,” which challenges what love actually looks like. She even revealed she recorded parts of the album on her phone while traveling! She talked about forgiving her father and what that experience meant to her, opened up about forgiving a friend after a moment of betrayal, and reflected on whether it’s truly possible to forgive and forget. Later in the conversation, Cynthia talked about rapping on “Push and Pull” and revealed whether we can expect more rapping in the future. She shared how Wicked changed her life, revealed whether she and Ariana Grande plan to get more tattoos, and how going over their needs together during filming made them stronger. She also reveals how changing the vocal run on “Defying Gravity” turned out to be a moment that changed her life. Stream her new album I Forgive You June 6th!

During a recent interview with PEOPLE, Dolly Parton gushed over Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album and her interpretation of the country singer’s iconic 1978 hit, “Jolene.” The legendary country performer tells the outlet that she’s a “huge fan” of the singer and refers to Beyoncé as a “magnificent artist.” Beyoncé’s version of “Jolene” is featured on her Cowboy Carter album, which was released in March 2024. Parton revealed that she “loved” the album and called it “really, really good.” The country icon also makes an appearance on the album for two tracks, “Dolly P” and “Tyrant.” Parton says she was “honored” by Beyoncé’s rendition of the track because it was “completely different” from hers. “Hers was more like, ‘Well, you’re not getting him, you’re not taking him, you’re going to go through me to get him.’ Mine was more like, ‘Please don’t take him!’ So I loved her interpretation,” she tells PEOPLE. Parton added, “As a writer, you like to hear how different people interpret your songs, and how they put their own spin and do their own take on it. But I was very proud of it, and I hope her tour does great, and I’m sure it will. People seem to be loving it.” Album cover for “Jolene” by Dolly Parton which was released in 1974. (Photo by Donaldson Collection/Getty Images) Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour Reaches Major Milestone In other Beyoncé news, it hasn’t even been a month since she kicked off her Cowboy Carter tour and it’s already making history. On April 28, the singer kicked off her tour in Los Angeles, CA at the Lofi Stadium, where she performed five shows, with the last ending on May 9. While the tour stop was brief, it was historic nonetheless. According to Billboard, the singer has earned 55.7 million and sold 217,000 tickets — making it the biggest reported single-venue engagement in Boxscore history by a woman. Back in February, Billboard reported that Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour is expected to gross over $300,000,000. With the tour ending on July 26 at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, it’s possible the singer could exceed initial predictions, however, only time will tell.

During her electrifying performance at the WeHo Pride Festival, Lizzo paid homage not only to the queer community but specifically to Black transgender women. “The next song is dedicated to you,” she told the crowd. “And most importantly, Black trans women…without their fight, we wouldn’t be able to celebrate today.” The singer then gives an emotional rendition of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.” The track was popularized by actress and singer Judy Garland and featured in the 1938 classic, Wizard of Oz. Lizzo also shared a clip of the performance on her Instagram, writing: “Happy Pride to the beautiful LGBTQIA+ community. As this month begins let us remember there would be no pride without the black trans women & trans women of color who fought against the systems that tried to erase them. In honor of that fight we have to continue to take a stand against that very same system that threatens our rights to bodily autonomy and liberation. We ain’t free till we all free. I love you.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lizzo (@lizzobeeating) Lizzo Offers Her Own Spin On ‘Whim Whammie,’ Drops Remix In other news, last week  Lizzo dropped her remix of PlutoNotDaBratt’s viral “Whim Whamie” track. The Grammy Award winner also shared a short visual on her Instagram. The clip starts with Lizzo outside her home, rocking flowy, blond tresses and a two-piece from her Yitty brand. Along with showing off her slimmed-down frame, she offers some fiery bars. “B*tch its Lizzo/Call me Lizzy/” she raps. “I been fat and I been skinny/ B*tches still ain’t f*ckin with me.” That said, the track has yet to hit streaming platforms, much to the chagrin of her fans. PlutoNotDaBratt is an up-and-coming artist based in Atlanta. A few weeks back, she released her now-viral single, “Whim Whammie,” featuring YK Niece, a rising star on the Atlanta rap scene. Prior to Lizzo, Sexxy Red dropped off her remix with Pluto and YK Niece. Latto recently revealed that she was supposed to jump on the remix with Pluto and YK first— however, she refused to clear her verse due to alleged drama behind the scenes.

Megan Thee Stallion and her love of anime has been long-documented and now she’s getting her own series. During her appearance at DreamCon as a panelist, Megan confirmed that she and Amazon Prime are working on a new anime series. “You ain’t never seen an anime like this ever in your life,” the rapper told the crowd. While Megan didn’t spill all the details, she revealed former Boondocks producer Carl Jones will be a part of the project. No other information about the series, including its premiere date, has been made public. The upcoming series is exclusively available for Amazon Prime subscribers. @houstonchronicle Houston native Megan Thee Stallion came home for a “fireside chat” Friday as part of DreamCon, a pop culture convention that celebrates Black anime, fans and creators. To see more from the event, click the link in our bio. : Joey Guerra / Houston Chronicle reporter megantheestallion dreamcon houstontx anime amazonprimevideo ♬ original sound – Houston Chronicle – Houston Chronicle Megan Thee Stallion Debuts Hot Girl Summer Swimwear In other news, Megan Thee Stallion kicked off her “Hot Girl Summer” in full force at Miami Swim Week. On May 30th, she made a dazzling debut with her swimwear collection at the Paraiso Tent. The rapper was modeling one of her own designs — a metallic silver cutout swimsuit from the Hot Girl Summer line, now available at Walmart. The collection, launched earlier this month, features 18 pieces that embrace body positivity in a wide range of sizes. It includes bikinis, monokinis, one-pieces, and cover-ups in vibrant shades like gold, purple, and orange. Megan explained her motivation behind the line, saying, “Everyone knows I love being near a pool or a beach, so I finally decided to turn my passion into a business and create my own swimwear brand.” She added, “It was only right that we kick off Hot Girl Summer with this launch and provide Hotties of all body types with the official Hot Girl uniform.” The affordable collection is available at Walmart stores nationwide and online, with prices ranging from $16 to $28.

Rihanna’s father, Ronald Fenty, has passed away at the age of 70 following a “brief illness.” According to reports, Mr. Fenty died early Saturday morning in Los Angeles, as reported by Barbados outlet, Starcom Network News.  Sources told the radio station that family members have gathered in California to commemorate his life. View this post on Instagram A post shared by HOT 97 (@hot97) This news comes amid reports that Rihanna is expecting her third child with partner A$AP Rocky. “Honestly, it’s a blessing nonetheless,” Rocky told The Associated Press. “Because you know how like some people in other situations at times can be envious of other people. But we’ve been seeing love for the most part. And we real receptive to that and appreciate that, you know what I mean? That’s love. Love is love.” Our thoughts are with Rihanna and her family during this difficult time.

Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, one of the most acclaimed producers of his generation, has sold his royalty income streams rights. According to the Hollywood Reporter, to deal with Jerkins marks his second significant acquisition regarding his catalog. In 2020, Jerkins sold his publishing catalog to Recognition Music Group (formerly Hipgnosis Songs Fund). With the deal, HarbourView now controls Jerkins’ recorded royalties on iconic hits like Brandy and Monica’s “The Boy Is Mine,” Whitney Houston’s “It’s Not Right but It’s Okay,” Destiny Child’s “Say My Name,” Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” featuring Beyoncé, Justin Bieber’s “As Long As You Love Me,” and Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me” just to name a few. In a statement, Jerkins shared his excitement about the deal. “HarbourView truly understands the value of music and the people who create it,” Jerkins said. “Music creators deserve respect and clarity when it comes to selling their life’s work, and working with both HarbourView and Chapter Two has made that process feel seamless.” Sherrese Clarke, HarbourView’s founder and CEO, lauded Jenkins for his vast accomplishments in a statement. “At HarbourView, our mission is to curate a canon of work that represents the very best of global culture which is why it is essential that the contributions of legendary creators like Rodney Jerkins continue to be recognized, preserved, and celebrated,” Clarke said. “We are honored to welcome him to the HarbourView family and humbled by his decision to join us.” Michel Traore, Chapter Two’s CEO, described the deal as “a clear sign that creators are realizing the true value of their work faster and more transparently than ever before.” “Rodney is setting a new benchmark in the industry, and we thank HarbourView for their vision in working with us,” Traore said,  Along with Jenkins’ deal, HarbourView has acquired the music rights from T-Pain, Kane Brown, Wiz Khalifa, Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac, and many others.. Jerkins is also set to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in June.

New Orleans Pelicans star forward Zion Williamson has been hit with several rape and assault allegations, ESPN reports. According to a 12-page  lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, the plaintiff, identified as “Jane Doe”, Williamson is accused of “sexual, physical, emotional, and financial” abuse over a multi-year relationship. The suit alleges that Williamson repeatedly raped the plantiff, “hit and kicked her and made her fear for her life in several instances, before the relationship ended in June 2023.” Additionally, she accused him of stalking her, falsely imprisoning her, and threatening to kill her, and Williamson had a pattern of “abusive, controlling, and threatening behavior” throughout their relationship. The plaintiff is seeking an unspecified amount in damages from Williamson. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Sports Place, LLC (@thesportsplace) In a statement issued through his attorneys, Williamson has vehemently denied each allegation. “The allegations contained in the complaint are categorically false and reckless,” Williamson’s legal team’s statement read. “While these allegations are false, we recognize the seriousness of the claims and welcome the opportunity to prove the truth in court,” the statement continued. “We are confident that the legal process will expose the truth and fully vindicate Mr. Williamson.” Sam Taylor II, the plaintiff’s lawyer who is with the Lanier Law Firm in Los Angeles, said they would be “very cautious about litigating this in the press.” “This is a very serious case as reflected in the allegations in the complaint, which are pretty detailed,” Taylor said. “We look forward to the day that our client can get this case to trial and let a jury decide who is credible and who is not credible.” Last season, Williamson averaged 24.6 points per game and 7.2 rebounds for the Pelicans, but was cut short due to a back injury. During the season, he served a one-game suspension after “failing to meet team standards,” the Pelicans stated in a press release at the time. Chris Haynes reported that Williamson was late for several practices last season. “This one-game suspension is a result of failing to meet our team standards,” David Griffin, the Pelicans’ executive vice president of basketball operations’ statement read. “His dedication to this organization is of paramount significance to us and to him. He has taken accountability for his actions and reaffirmed that commitment to the team today. I’m confident he will continue to evolve positively on and off the floor.” 

Mase recently revealed that he sent Cam’ron to approach Diddy over his publishing. During a recent episode of It Is What It Is, Mase asked what took place between Cam and Diddy when they were together on the boat. According to Cam, Diddy wanted to buy their podcast, and Mase was open to hearing the offer. But the “Feel So Good” rapper wanted to get to the bottom of his publisher, which had been an ongoing issue. “Word to everything I love you said, tell the n***a I want my publishing,” said Cam. “Puff wanted to make an offer for It Is What It Is and you told me to go see how much he was talking about […] Then when I tell the n***a I’m on the boat, he pull up on his boat, ‘Listen, what’s the business, what’s happening,’ this that and the third […] but you sent me to do something and I did it and that was that. Got your publishing back, though; I ain’t taking credit or nothing.” Several years ago, Mase claimed Diddy “offered him only $20,000 for his publishing rights” although he generated millions for Bad Boy Records. Mase has since demanded the release of his publishing and criticized Diddy for preaching about empowering Black artists while allegedly taking advantage of them. In September 2023, Diddy returned the publishing rights to Mase along with Faith Evans, 112, The Lox, and the estate of The Notorious B.I.G.  Taking to Instagram, Cam’ron expressed his excitement about the news at the time in a post on Instagram. “My n***a murder had to sit this one out,” Cam wrote. “He just got his publishing back from Puff. Just finished the paperwork for that yesterday,” he wrote in the caption. “Congrats @rsvpmasewhile he getting his music back in order, I’m dumping my hard drive pause. The lost files vol 1. Sept 8.”

Brian McKnight’s son, Niko McKnight has passed away following his battle with cancer. Niko’s uncle, Claude McKnight, shared the news via TikTok. “This morning I found out that my nephew, Niko McKnight, passed away. He’d been bravely battling cancer for the past two years or so,” Claude said.  He continued, “Niko was one of those amazing kids… quirky, curious, and ridiculously talented.Amazing singer, amazing guitar player. Had a great eye as a photographer. And one of those kids, at least in my estimation, that you always wanted to be around.” Claude also briefly spoke about the “drama” that has been going on within the McKnight family. “I wanted to post this about Niko, about his legacy, about how amazing he is, not about what some of you may have heard about family drama that has existed for quite some time, in our family,” he said in the video. “I don’t know exactly what was going on there, I know what I’ve seen. I know what I’ve heard from all parties involved…a lot of things didn’t get resolved.” Before ending his video, he added, “I know that kid had a lot inside, a lot eating at him for a long, long time. I may have contributed to what happened with him, what I do know is he’s out of pain now. I just want to uplift that young man.”  May Niko rest peacefully. @claudemcknight I’m devastated at my nephews passing. If you comment please do do in love, and NOT at what you may have heard about the relationship my brother had/has with his kids. Thank you #nephew #cancersucks #rip #love #family ♬ original sound – Claude Mcknight