Young Thug’s jail call leaks have just revealed that he paid for fake streams, also known as “bots,” for his album and his YSL artist Gunna’s album to reach the top of the charts. The conversation, reportedly with a close associate, begins with Thug’s frustrations over Business Is Business, his 2023 album recorded while incarcerated. The project opened with 88,000 units, but failed to debut at No. 1, blocked by Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time, which sold 108,000. Thug allegedly laments the missed opportunity, questioning why no one considered pairing him with Wallen to bridge audiences. Young Thug says he spent $50K on fake streams aka (K-BOTS) on Gunna’s ‘DS4EVER’ for it to debut at #1 over The Weeknd’s ‘Dawn FM’ pic.twitter.com/bRlrNofeLq — DJ Akademiks (@Akademiks) August 31, 2025 The discussion then shifts to Gunna’s breakthrough moment. According to the leaked recording, Thug claims he spent $50,000 on artificial streams to push Gunna’s DS4EVER past The Weeknd’s Dawn FM in January 2022. “You didn’t honestly earn a number one album over The Weeknd,” Thug is heard saying. “I paid for that.” The audio also captures Thug expressing disappointment with Gunna’s actions since that milestone. He accuses Gunna of charging young, aspiring rappers thousands for features, despite the support Thug says he provided without ever taking a cut. Young Thug finds out ‘Business Is Business’ is at risk of not debuting at #1 and tells his team to contact their fake streams “plug” “You still got that plug, right? That sh*t that we did with Gunna and them?”pic.twitter.com/7L3UwtSrfT — Kurrco (@Kurrco) August 31, 2025 The tone suggests a deep sense of betrayal. “I protected you,” Thug implies, painting a portrait of loyalty met with disloyalty. The leaked remarks add turbulence to an already complicated chapter. Business Is Business was marketed as a triumphant statement from behind bars, but the specter of bot allegations and fractured relationships now colors its legacy. The tape also references Lil Uzi Vert’s Pink Tape, which broke hip-hop’s long absence from the top of the Billboard 200 in July 2023, underscoring how fragile rap dominance was that year. This is not the first time private calls have been made public. Previous leaks captured conversations with 21 Savage and Lil Baby, as well as claims of behind-the-scenes conflicts involving Quality Control. Neither Gunna nor The Weeknd has responded to the latest allegations. Whether verified or not, the recordings reveal how Thug’s incarceration has become a spectacle, reshaping narratives around loyalty, success, and survival in hip-hop.

Kid Cudi has announced that he won’t have guest features on his albums anymore.  Taking to X(formerly Twitter), Cudi explained why he will be solo on the rest of his forthcoming projects. “No features, just me. I think im over features unless it happens organically. There are people I’ve had on my albums that i havent talked to in years. Didn’t promote the album, just went ghost,” Kudi said. “Makes me feel weird. So w this one, I was like, fuck that. I dont need anyone else on this one. Im enough to keep u engaged,” he continued. Some people need features. Not me.” No features, just me. I think im over features unless it happens organically. Theres people ive had on my albums that i havent talked to in years. Didnt promote the album, just went ghost. Makes me feel weird. So w this one, I was like, fuck that. I dont need anyone else on… — The Chosen One (@KiDCuDi) August 2, 2025 Back in June, Cudi announced that his new project Free will drop on all streaming services on Friday, August 22. The album’s second single, “Grave,” dropped on this Friday, July, and featured cover art from Norman Jean Roy. I wanted something that really expressed freedom, so the concept of me leaping into the clouds made so much sense,” Cudy wrote in a post on Instagram describing the album. “Inspired by The Truman Show. I can’t WAIT for u guys to hear this album and really see the album art brought to life. You’re in for a beautiful ride. Promise.” Cudi also got married to fashion designer Lola Abecassis on July 11. “Nan, I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life. A truly special day with amazing friends and loving family. I love this woman so so much, and I know she loves me in the same way. Its always a battle sayin “I love you more” because she always wins that battle haha My best friend,” he wrote on Instagram. My ride or die. To all of the fam that came thru, it was truly a pleasure having you with us on our special day. I love each and everyone of you. To Alain, you designed a fuckin BEAUTIFUL AND STUNNING wedding dress for Lola, and im so happy we have you in our lives. T

In 2025, music producers are no longer confined to studios, cities, or even genres. The modern producer is global, independent, tech-savvy, and culturally fluent- shaping sounds that move effortlessly from TikTok to radio to international charts. As music as a whole continues to evolve, Producer WorldWideFresh is calling attention to the 2025 trends that drove the culture forward. Photo Credit: WorldWideFresh Akil King, professionally known as WorldWideFresh—or simply Fresh—is a 16-time Grammy-nominated, four-time Grammy-winning songwriter and producer whose impact reaches far beyond his Brooklyn roots. Raised in Brownsville, Fresh turned humble beginnings into a global career, amassing over 100 million records sold, more than 5 billion streams, and 944 songwriting and production credits to date. View this post on Instagram Fresh has contributed to No. 1 albums and singles across nearly every major global genre, including R&B, pop, hip-hop, Afrobeats, reggae, K-pop, country, and Latin music. His pen and production have shaped defining moments in modern culture—from Beyoncé’s Grammy-winning “Black Parade” to Coi Leray’s global hit “Players,” and Doechii’s viral smash “What It Is.” Fresh talks 2025 music trends: How would you describe the sound of 2025?  The sound of 2025 can be summed up in one word: R&B. It was the year the genre fully re-centered itself as the emotional and creative backbone of music again. What textures, rhythms, or creative approaches defined this year for you?  This year was about getting back to the core of music authenticity, originality, and intention. Creating from the heart, for the art, rather than chasing money, metrics, or popularity. The focus shifted back to feeling. What was the biggest production trend you noticed in 2025, and how did it influence your own work? Music returning to the core root of the late 90s early to mid 2000s feel. It’s like music went ahead just to come back again. Pretty much history repeating itself.  Did you see any unexpected sonic shifts this year sounds, genres, or techniques that suddenly took off?  The unexpected sonic shifts that I noticed this year was the ability to blend edgy hip hop drums over melodic R&B rhythms. Which leads to the genre that took off unexpectedly, R&B music. The 2 main acts the helped restore & rebirth that was Leon Thomas and Kehlani. Which artist or project did you work on this year that best represents where music is headed?  There were a number of projects I worked on that best represented where Music is headed today wine, Honey Bxby’s “Raw Honey”, 2. Elmiene “Heat the Streets” 3. 4batz “Still Shining” 4. Josh Levy “Hydraulic” which is showing that there was going to be a huge explosion in R&B music in 2026. And these four artists are all young R&B trailblazers in their own right, that are setting the stage for a huge explosion in R&B music in 2026.  View this post on Instagram 
How did regional sounds—NY drill, Jersey club, Afro-fusion, ATL trap, West Coast bounce—evolve in your opinion?  I believe New York drill has evolved since Cash Cobain has put his spin on it and develop sexy drill. I think jersey club music has evolved since the birth of Zeddy Will he makes Jersey club music fun again and makes people wanna dance and enjoy themselves carefree like they used to.  Afro fusion has evolved because now different genres of artist are putting their spin on afro beat music. Which is making it more popular to the masses.  Atl trap music has evolved since Metro Boomin. Who’s one of my favorite producers has returned ATL trap music back to its regional space. Helping new acts break to top 40 heights such as YKNiece With record like “take me through there”.  West Coast bounce has evolved since the return of Kendrick Lamar helping to not just evolve the music but evolve, new artist and producers simultaneously.  View this post on Instagram Has AI-assisted production or new plugins change your workflow? If so, how? Yes, AI production and plugins helped with workflow when I was able to go to the studio create a song for an artist that I love and instead of waiting for the particular artist to record the record use an AI plug-in to take the likeness of that artist and allow me to hear what it would sounds like with The Artists voice.  Were there any creative risks you took this year that felt different from previous years? The creative risk I took this year was not chasing the more established artist and investing my time in artist developing and helping to build and break new acts such as Honey Bxby, Zeddy Will, and Wesley Franklin.  How have TikTok, Reels, or short-form platforms influenced how producers approach making records in 2025?  I believe it has influenced producers on their approach of making music in 2025. It is simply the the greatest tool to measure & gauge what the kids are into. I believe it’s a direct indicator to what children love the most about music and most times believe it or not TikTok actually trends with great music that people like and not just trendy music sound bites or click bait.  What sounds or trends do you think will dominate and re-emerge in 2026? The sounds that will dominate in 2026 is R&B music and hip-hop music will make a comeback. K-pop music is going to get bigger and I believe we are going to see more boy and girl bands in 2026. I also believe Hip Hop is going to make a come back because it is in the reset phase. I think we’ll see the return of Drake dominating, more great music from future, 21 savage and also new acts like JID & BIG Xthe plug.  Heading into 2026, my focus is on creative dominance and legacy. WorldwideFresh is positioned to become one of the top five leading producers in the industry, with a strong presence across radio and streaming platforms. At the same time, I’m building Money Well Spent Records alongside

Miguel’s return to the spotlight with his new album Caos marks the end of an eight-year stretch without a full-length release, but he’s already setting his sights on what comes next. The singer revealed in a recent Genius interview that another completed album is sitting in the vault, and he believes it surpasses the one he just dropped. When asked whether fans should expect another long pause between albums, he responded immediately: “No.” He went on to share that the unreleased music is “better” than Caos, and that if he had the power to move freely, fans would already have a release date. “If it was up to me, I’d put another album out before the tour starts,” he explained. However, Miguel says label restrictions are holding everything up. Because of contractual terms with RCA Records, he isn’t allowed to release new music until late next year. Although he acknowledges there are people at RCA who “understand and want to do the right thing,” he believes the structure of his current deal is fundamentally flawed. “I would sooner release it independently than to allow them to pick up the deal without it being a fair deal,” he said. “And it’s not a fair deal, and I’m happy to go on record about that.” For Miguel, the conflict is part of a broader industry pattern he no longer wants to accommodate. He has ownership of his intellectual property, and the next phase of his career, he says, needs to be centered on independence. “There’s absolutely things that need to happen that I would prefer to happen as an independent artist,” he added. Looking ahead, he hopes to use the next decade to uplift other creatives. “My next 10 [years] is me really taking what I’ve learned and hopefully educating and stewarding other artists,” he said. Releasing Caos after so many years stirred emotions he hadn’t expected. “It’s been such a long time since I put music out that I forgot how you can never explain or expect all of the emotion,” he shared. The response from his peers has been overwhelming. “I’ve gotten more notes about this album … than I’ve ever gotten for any of my projects,” he said. “It’s been really, really dope, and it’s a really endearing and reassuring thing.”

The music world is mourning the sudden death of rising artist POORSTACY. His work on the Bill & Ted Face the Music soundtrack and collaborations with Travis Barker had earned him growing acclaim. TMZ reports that the Florida-based rapper was found dead over the weekend in Boca Raton. The Palm Beach County Medical Examiner confirmed the news, though the cause of death has not been released. POORSTACY had been staying at a local hotel for ten days with a woman and a toddler when a medical emergency prompted staff to rush him to a nearby hospital. His companions were unharmed, according to reports. In the absence of official details, social media has speculated about suicide. Fans have shared grief and personal stories of loss. Some have also questioned whether aspects of the emo-rap scene may contribute to cycles of self-destructive behavior. This raises broader concerns about the pressures within the genre. View this post on Instagram Musical Legacy and Achievements Although his career was tragically brief, POORSTACY left a notable imprint on the music industry. He released two studio albums and two EPs, earning critical praise along the way. His Grammy nomination for the Bill & Ted Face the Music soundtrack highlighted his talent. Collaborations with Travis Barker—including the single Choose Life—drew significant attention. His track Don’t Look at Me has accumulated more than 51 million Spotify streams since its 2020 release on The Breakfast Club. Fans and fellow artists have turned to social media to express their sorrow, creating a virtual outpouring of tributes. Many responded to POORSTACY’s final Instagram post with heartfelt messages. One fan wrote, “We’re supposed to beat the odds together brother; I need you HERE,” while another added, “I love you so much dude; I’m still in denial—I want to call you so badly right now.”

The Game delivered one of his bluntest assessments of modern hip-hop during a new interview on Big Boy TV, released November 26. When Big Boy asked the veteran MC to share his view of hip-hop’s current landscape, the Compton rapper didn’t hesitate. “It’s trash. I don’t like it,” he said, firing off a critique that immediately set the tone for the rest of the conversation. The Game used the moment to frame a broader argument about the genre’s direction and what he sees as fading standards. After calling the current climate “trash,” he pointed to his own legacy as a benchmark. “And me, I’m just one of the best rappers on earth. And so, what am I saying?” he told Big Boy. The declaration wasn’t new for him; confidence has always been central to his identity, from his early mixtape run to his landmark albums that pushed West Coast rap back into national rotation. Big Boy asked whether such a bold claim might sound egotistical. “Is it bad to say that I’m one of the best rappers on earth?” he pressed. The Game refused to waver. “Nah. I am. And everyone knows this,” he said. “And anyone who disagrees with that, you know, they lying to themselves.” The Game Says Today’s Hip-Hop Is “Trash” His tone made clear that the statement wasn’t about shock value. He positioned it as fact, backed by a body of work he believes stands unmatched by many of today’s leading acts. He also challenged anyone who questioned his résumé. “They need to get back to that mirror,” he said. “They need to go look in that mirror, sit there, and then, bring up my discography, and everything I’ve done for hip-hop, L.A., the West Coast.” The Game has long viewed himself as a torchbearer for Los Angeles rap, crediting his catalog with carrying the region through an era that demanded heavy lifting and constant competition. By the end of the exchange, his frustration with the current scene was unmistakable. “I carried a lot and asked for nothing,” he said, pointing to a career he believes was built on effort and authenticity rather than shortcuts. The Game would mention plans for the third installment in his legendary The Documentary series. Giving an update on the album, he tells Big Boy, “I was working on The Documentary for the last year-and-a-half… I scrapped the last album and started over. I was supposed to drop The Documentary 3 this year. But, it got pushed to the top of next year.”

Donald Glover recently shared that he suffered a stroke in 2024. Glover explained his health scares during a performance at Tyler, the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw, which was captured on social media. I had a really bad pain in my head in Louisiana, and I did the show anyway,” Glover said.“And I couldn’t really see well, so when we went to Houston, I went to the hospital, and the doctor was like, ‘You had a stroke.’ ”  “The first thing I thought was like, ‘Oh, here I am still copying Jamie Foxx.’ Glover referred to Fox’s stroke that he suffered in 2023.  “That’s really like the second thing. The first thing was like, ‘I’m letting everybody down,’ ” Glover continued. Childish Gambino opened up about suffering a stroke and having to cancel his last tour at Camp Flog Gnaw: “I had a really bad pain in my head in Louisiana and I did the show anyway. I couldn’t really see well, so when we went to Houston I went to the hospital and the doctor was… pic.twitter.com/o6x8DUrqZ6 — Kurrco (@Kurrco) November 23, 2025 Glover als said that he also broke his foot, which led to another surgery. His medical team also discovered he had a hole in his heart. “They found a hole in my heart. So I had this surgery, and then I had to have another surgery,” Glover continued.. “They say everybody has two lives, and the second life starts when you realize you have one. You should be living your life how you want. If we have to do this again, it can only get better.” Glover was forced to cancel North American dates of his The New World Tour in September 2024 to focus on his health. The next month, he canceled the remaining dates because of his health. “After my show in New Orleans, I went to the hospital in Houston to make sure of an ailment that had become apparent. “It became clear I would not perform that night, and after more tests. I could not perform the rest of the US tour in the time asked, Glover wrote in a deleted social media post, “ As of now, I have surgery scheduled and need time out to heal.” “My path to recovery is something I need to confront seriously,” he continued. “With that said, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of the North American tour and the UK and European dates.” Glover’s alter ego Childish Gambino released six albums and won five Grammys. Last July, he revealed that he would be retiring the moniker. “It really was just like, ‘Oh, it’s done. “It’s not fulfilling,”he told The New York Times. “ And I just felt like I didn’t need to build in this way anymore.”

Garry George “Jellybean” Johnson, a founding member of the legendary funk band The Time, has passed away. He was 69. According to an official statement from his family, Johnson passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, Nov.21. “The family of Jellybean Johnson is deeply saddened by the passing of their beloved husband and father,” the family’s statement read. “Passing just shortly after his 69th birthday this past Wednesday, November 19, on the evening of Friday, November 21, 2025.  “Jellybean was an innovator of what became known across the world as the Minneapolis Sound. The only drummer the Time ever had from inception to the current day, the statement continued. “Jellybean loved his family, his friends and the city of Minneapolis.” View this post on Instagram Born in Chicago,  Johnson relocated to north Minneapolis with his mother at 19. To keep him out of trouble, she bought him a real drum kit. He honed his skills by listening to the radio.  “When I moved here, Black radio was only on for four hours from 1 to 5 in the afternoon,” Jellybean said. “That forced me to listen to a lot of white rock stations. That’s how I got into Three Dog Night and Black Sabbath and Red Earth and all those kinds of people and stuff, and that changed me too musically.” Johnson would eventually meet other teenage musicians such as Prince, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, and Morris Day. “We had to be 14, 15,16 years old. Oh yeah, we started early, honey. Yes, we did,” said Johnson. His love of music kept him busy. “That kept us off the streets; we had a place where we could go and practice our craft,” said Johnson. Johnsons would go on to form The Time with Jam, Lewis, Monte Moir, Jesse Johnson, and Jerome Benton. They would go on to record several albums and classic songs, including  “Get It Up”, “The Bird”, “Cool”, “777-9311”, “Jungle Love” and “Jerk Out”. Outside of his work with The Time, Johnson produced Janet Jackson’s 1990 No. 1 single ‘Black Cat’. He also produced and served as a drummer for Patti LaBelle, Human League, New Edition, Cherrelle and Alexander O’Neal. Johnson performed with Rihanna at the 50th Grammy Awards and was the frontman of the Jellybean Johnson Experience. The group spotlighted emerging musicians from Minneapolis. Johnson also founded the Minneapolis Sound Museum in 2022. The vision was to “educate, celebrate and create, while also providing an environment to learn, gather and showcase artistry that preserves and fosters the Minneapolis Sound genre.”

Kendrick Lamar is once again at the center of Grammy history. The Compton-born rapper leads this year’s nominations with nine in total, the most of any artist heading into the 68th Grammy Awards. The ceremony will be held on February 1st at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, where Lamar will go head-to-head with Lady Gaga for Album of the Year in one of the most anticipated showdowns of the season. Lamar’s nominated project, GNX, arrived with almost no warning last November and quickly became one of the most talked-about releases of the year. The album earned widespread praise for its storytelling and production, and its nomination makes Lamar the first solo artist ever to have five consecutive studio albums compete for Album of the Year. His consistency and ability to evolve with every project have cemented his status as one of the most influential voices in modern hip-hop. This latest recognition follows his major wins at the previous Grammy ceremony, where he took home Record of the Year and Song of the Year for Not Like Us. That song, which many fans saw as a statement moment in his ongoing rivalry with Drake, was also performed during his highly acclaimed Super Bowl halftime appearance. This year, Lamar is once again nominated for Record and Song of the Year, this time for Luther, his soulful collaboration with SZA that samples the Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn classic If This World Were Mine. As Kendrick Lamar continues to redefine what it means to be a rap artist at the Grammys, his dominance this season proves that he remains one of music’s most commanding forces. Whether he finally takes home Album of the Year or not, his impact on the culture and the industry is undeniable.