As excitement builds for his upcoming album, Iceman, Drake is addressing the media attention that often shadows his releases. In a recent interview with Bobbi Althoff that has gone viral online, the Toronto artist suggested that critics may coordinate their responses to ensure negative coverage surrounds his projects. Drake elaborated on his perspective: “It appears that the first critics to respond are not necessarily offering genuine reactions to my albums. Instead, it seems there are strategic discussions taking place among media members, determining their individual stances—often negative—before my project even has a chance to be fully heard.” He added, “These discussions happen in a collective setting, where different critics decide their narratives to ensure there’s no overlap. Someone might declare, ‘I dislike the album,’ even before they have fully engaged with it, aiming for comments that generate the most interaction.” Drake on Media and ‘Iceman’ The remarks, shared widely by DJ Akademiks on social media, sparked a range of reactions. Some fans praised Drake for his candor and defense of his work, while others questioned his critique, pointing to his long-standing navigation of media cycles. The exchange highlights the ongoing tension between artists and critics in an era where social media magnifies every opinion and reaction. Beyond discussing the press, Drake delved into more personal topics, including his approach to relationships and the continuing conversation around his authenticity and public image. These reflections, paired with his critique of media behavior, portray an artist both guarded and self-aware as he prepares for one of the year’s most anticipated releases. While an official release date for Iceman has yet to be confirmed, Drake’s comments provide fans a window into the mindset he hopes will frame the album. As anticipation grows, his observations about perception and criticism offer context for how the work may be received when it finally arrives. View this post on Instagram A post shared by DJ Akademiks (@akademiks)

Young Thug is back in the headlines—and not for his music. In recent weeks, the Atlanta rapper has become the target of intensifying criticism after the leak of an interrogation tape revived long-simmering accusations of betrayal in hip-hop. Through it all, his partner, singer Mariah the Scientist, had remained silent, until a brief but pointed gesture at a recent performance cut through the noise. The controversy stems from audio of Thug, born Jeffrey Williams, allegedly naming fellow rapper Peewee Roscoe during questioning by police. What could have been seen as a routine exchange was quickly branded “snitching,” a charge that carries particular weight in a culture where loyalty is prized and public perception can define a career. The clip spread fast, transforming what might have been a footnote into a full-fledged storm, stoked by rivals and critics alike. The backlash has pulled in some of the industry’s most prominent voices. Quality Control executive Pierre “P” Thomas and rapper Ralo have openly distanced themselves, while commentators like Wack 100 and Joe Budden added their disapproval to the chorus. Thug has tried to push back online, but the steady stream of criticism has left his image under siege. Mariah Stays Calm as Fans Debate Loyalty and Drama Mariah the Scientist, by contrast, has opted for quiet defiance. During a recent set, a concertgoer lifted a phone screen that read, “Tell thug he’s a [rat emoji].” She simply flashed a thumbs-up. The small act ricocheted across social media, with some praising her composure and others questioning why she should be dragged into her partner’s battles. Reactions piled up in the comments section of DJ Akademiks’ posts. Some fans warned about the dangers of provoking artists in public settings, while others lamented the theatrics. A few framed the YSL case as something larger: a flashpoint in hip-hop history that could one day be remembered as a cautionary tale about loyalty, downfall, and spectacle. Meanwhile, the feud shows no signs of cooling. Thomas recently mocked Thug with an Instagram post teasing a faux documentary titled The Rat That Just Keep On Tellin’. View this post on Instagram A post shared by DJ Akademiks (@akademiks)

Two decades ago, a teenage Rihanna left her home in Barbados with a dream. At just 17 years old, she released her debut album Music of the Sun on August 29, 2005. Now, twenty years later, Rihanna is celebrating the milestone with gratitude, nostalgia, and fresh surprises for fans. To mark the anniversary, Rihanna shared a moving message on Instagram, reflecting on the moment that changed her life forever.“20 years ago, I left my country, my culture, my food, and family to embark on a journey that started with the release of my very first body of music… Thank you for the greatest first 20 years ever!” View this post on Instagram A post shared by badgalriri (@badgalriri) Her words not only honored the album but also highlighted the personal sacrifices she made in pursuit of her career—a journey that has since made her one of the most influential artists and entrepreneurs of her generation. As part of the celebration, Rihanna launched a campaign branded R20, updating her X (formerly Twitter) profile with visuals spotlighting all of her albums. The sleek campaign is both a nod to her roots and a reminder of the powerful discography she’s built since Music of the Sun. Rihanna also teamed up with Roc Nation to release exclusive merchandise inspired by her debut album. The limited-edition drop, arriving on August 29, gives fans a chance to relive her early era through fashion, while celebrating the record that introduced her Caribbean-infused sound to the world. When it was first released, Music of the Sun stood out for its unique blend of dancehall, Caribbean rhythms, R&B, and pop. Its breakout single, “Pon de Replay,” became a worldwide hit, climbing to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and securing Rihanna’s place in the global music conversation. The album itself debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 and was later certified Platinum by the RIAA. While critics noted the unevenness of a debut project, many praised the cultural authenticity Rihanna infused into her music—a quality that would continue to define her artistry. Twenty years later, Rihanna is not just a music icon but also a fashion mogul, beauty entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Still, her anniversary celebration reminds fans of where it all began: a young artist with a vision, unafraid to carry the sound of Barbados into the global mainstream.

Charley Crockett is making it clear that Beyoncé belongs in country music. In a lengthy Instagram post, the Texas artist pushed back against critics of Cowboy Carter while accusing the industry of hiding behind double standards. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Charley Crockett (@charleycrockett) “Hey country folks,” Crockett wrote. “Beyoncé ain’t the source of your discontent. It was 25 years of bro country.” His words came as a response to the wave of backlash Beyoncé has faced since releasing the record, which blends traditional country with other genres. Crockett pointed out how some of today’s biggest stars built their reputations while borrowing from Hip-Hop and pop. “#1 country artist on earth listens to nothing but rap,” he said. “Openly says he doesn’t really know any country music. Gotta respect his honesty.” He added, “These ‘country boys’ been singing over trap beats for years. So what’s different now? Authenticity.” He went on to highlight Beyoncé’s accomplishments, noting that she became the first Black woman to win Best Country Album at the Grammys in 2025, while still being overlooked by the Academy of Country Music Awards. “The machine points to a black woman who’s making a statement about marginalized people being removed from the conversation altogether,” Crockett wrote. Sharing his own experience, he revealed that Nashville executives once attempted to mold him into a prefabricated star. “Many of those business folks called me early on. They had whole albums pre-written and recorded, ready to just plug me in. I have receipts.” Crockett closed his message by stating, “I don’t need to put down a black woman to advance my music. That’s just embarrassing to the idea of America and I got no respect for it.” He even praised Texas rapper BigXThaPlug as “genuine” and “a true story teller.”

Kendrick Lamar has reached another historic benchmark in his career, officially crossing 50 billion total streams on Spotify. With this feat, he becomes only the 14th artist in history to hit that number and just the fifth rapper to do so, joining Travis Scott, Eminem, Kanye West, and his long-standing rival, Drake. Kendrick Lamar has officially surpassed 50 BILLION streams on Spotify, making him just the 14th artist in history to do so. He reached this milestone with only 251 credited songs — the third fewest of any artist, and the fewest of any rapper. pic.twitter.com/p0o23ix8JL — NFR Podcast (@NFR_Podcasts) August 20, 2025 What makes this achievement even more remarkable is how efficiently Lamar reached it. He did so with only 251 credited songs, fewer than any of the other rappers who share the milestone. The update arrives shortly after another accomplishment, when his 2017 classic Damn passed 10 billion streams earlier this month. Across his catalog, Lamar has released six full-length albums: Section.80, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, To Pimp a Butterfly, Damn, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, and GNX. Tracks that continue to dominate Spotify include “luther,” “All The Stars,” “Not Like Us,” and “Money Trees.” Each has played a part in keeping his music at the forefront of global hip hop conversations. The streaming success, however, has been shadowed by controversy. Drake is pursuing legal action against Universal Music Group, accusing the company of manipulating promotion in favor of Lamar’s hit “Not Like Us.” He claims UMG relied on “covert tactics” to push the track, which contains harsh lyrics aimed at him. On the record, Lamar raps: “Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles… Why you trollin’ like a b*tch? Ain’t you tired? / Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minor.” While the legal battle plays out, Lamar continues to tour globally. His Grand National Tour with SZA will start again in Mexico City on September 23, followed by shows in Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, and Australia.

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+.

The Weeknd’s native’s After Hours Til Dawn Tour has grossed over $600,000,000 and sold nearly five million tickets, according to Billboard. The outlet reports the singer-songwriter’s tour broke a Boxscore record, earning the title of “the biggest R&B tour in history.” Since kicking off nearly three years ago in July 2022, the After Hours Til Dawn tour has raked in $635.5 million. The outlet reports that this is the “ninth tour to hit this benchmark, and the only one by an R&B artist or a Black artist.” With that, now The “Star Boy” singer’s tour has eclipsed Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour, which grossed $579.8 million, “over 56 shows in 2023.” He’s also surpassed Bruno Mars’ 3.6 million on his 2017-18’s 24K Magic World Tour. DETROIT, MICHIGAN – MAY 24: The Weeknd performs onstage during After Hours Til Dawn Stadium Tour at Ford Field on May 24, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) Just last week, The Weeknd reached another record-breaking milestone by setting 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. According to Billboard Canada, 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. The good news doesn’t end there. 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. 

Rag legends Raekwon of the Wu-Tang Clan and Havoc of Mobb Deep have announced a co-headlining tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of two of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time—Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… and Mobb Deep’s The Infamous. During each set of the show, Raekwon and Havoc will perform all their hits together for the very first time. According to the press release, “each night will feature a dynamic, collaborative performance, with Raekwon and Mobb Deep flowing in and out of each other’s sets to deliver one seamless, career-spanning show.” Produced by Live Nation and presented by LOUD Live, the 19-city run launches on November 13 in Portland, OR, and hits major markets including Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, New York, and more before wrapping on December 15 in Miami Beach, FL. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wu Tang Clan (@wutangclan) “Me and Havoc from Mobb will be pure hip-hop at its finest. This is gonna take rap shows to the next level—guaranteed!, Raekwon said in a statement. “The fans can expect nothing less than pure, raw, unfiltered energy on stage,” Havoc added. “I’m excited to celebrate these two legendary albums—the world doesn’t exist to me without that purple tape in it. This will be a tour the fans will never forget.” This tour defines what hip-hop means to the culture—30 years of greatness, and two Top 10 hip-hop albums of all time. Raekwon and Mobb Deep have supported each other for over three decades,” Steve Rifkind, CEO of LOUD Live, added. “ The Loud Wu-Tang family and Mobb Deep family have been through it all together. When this tour comes to your city, you’re definitely going to witness greatness at its best—with a ton of surprises.” Tickets will be available starting with artist presales beginning Wednesday, August 13, at 10 AM local time. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, August 15 at 10 AM local time at LiveNation.com.

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.”

Despite Offset and Quavo’s past tension, the rapper makes it clear that their familial bond remains unbroken. “That’s family at the end of the day,” he tells the 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast in their latest episode. “You’re gonna bump heads with your family sometime,” he added. “In the day, a n*gga ain’t finna play with him, or a n*gga ain’t finna play with me.” The pair’s tension started around 2022 after rumors swirled that Offset had slept with Quavo’s then-girlfriend, Saweetie. This had also been what allegedly led to the disbandment of the Migos. However, after Takeoff was shot and killed in November 2022, the pair only became further estranged. Eventually, things came to a head at the 2023 Grammys, where the two reportedly got into a brief scuffle over the direction of Takeoff’s tribute. Luckily, Offset and Quavo were eventually able to settle their beef. Set revealed to the 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast hosts, he and Quavo talk at least once a week, saying “It be the internet trying to do some old sh*t, but with us, it ain’t about that. Like, we holla at each other.” In 2013, Migos — which consisted of Offset, Quavo, and the late Takeoff— burst onto the scene with their track, “Versace.” After dropping hit singles like “Fight Night” and “Look At My Dab,” they landed a record deal with Quality Control Music and 300 Entertainment. They went on to release four albums, Yung Rich Nation (2015), Culture (2017), Culture II (2018), and Culture III (2021). The trio even earned two Grammy nominations: one for Best Rap Album for Culture 1 and Best Rap Performance, for their “Bad and Boujee.” In other news, Offset is preparing to drop off his forthcoming solo album, Kiari, on August 22, just weeks before his former partner, Cardi B, unveils her highly anticipated project, Am I the Drama?, scheduled for September 19. The announcement, made via social media earlier this week, included the album’s cover art and full tracklist, quickly stirring anticipation among fans.