R&B singer Mary J. Blige has found herself at the center of an unexpected AI controversy after appearing in an advertisement for music technology company Suno. The 85-second clip shows the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul inside a recording studio. Blige appears to listen to an AI-generated track inspired by the sonic world she helped define. View this post on Instagram The song recalls elements of Blige’s influential 1990s and 2000s R&B sound. In the footage, she appears to praise the technology and suggest adding strings and a beat. The ad quickly sparked backlash online. Fans and music industry observers questioned whether Blige had agreed to promote an artificial intelligence platform. According to reports, she had not. Suno later acknowledged that Blige’s team did not authorize the campaign. The company said it entered a business arrangement with someone who claimed to represent the singer. “We entered into a business deal with someone who presented themselves as Ms. Blige’s official representative,” Suno said in a statement to Variety. The company said it ended the campaign after learning that the person lacked proper authorization. “As soon as we learned this was not the case, and that Ms. Blige was uncomfortable, we terminated the advertising campaign,” Suno added. Suno Admits Unauthorized Deal For R&B Singer Mary J. Blige AI Campaign The controversy arrives during an increasingly heated fight over AI and music. Artists and major record companies have challenged AI firms over copyright and creative rights. Suno has faced legal scrutiny over how its technology generates music. Critics have raised concerns about AI systems reproducing elements of artists’ work without permission. The Blige controversy adds another concern: who gets to authorize an artist’s likeness and creative identity? For an artist with Blige’s cultural footprint, that question carries particular weight. Her voice and sound have influenced generations of R&B and hip-hop artists. Neither Blige nor her representatives has publicly addressed the controversy. Suno’s statement, however, makes clear the company no longer stands behind the campaign. The incident highlights a growing challenge for musicians navigating AI. Their names, images and artistic identities can now enter digital campaigns with startling speed. For Blige, the episode offers a pointed reminder. In the AI era, artistic consent matters as much as the technology itself.

More than two decades after their Reebok collab, hip-hop mogul 50 Cent is still collecting favors from hip-hop billionaire Jay-Z, now JAŸ-Z. The Queens rapper and entertainment mogul revisited a 2003 Reebok commercial Thursday, recalling a behind-the-scenes clash over the first G-Unit sneaker. According to 50 Cent, JAŸ-Z was furious when he decided to wear his own shoes during the campaign. 50 Cent said the first G-Unit sneaker sample arrived while the pair filmed the Reebok spot. Rather than wear the footwear provided for the commercial, he chose the unreleased G-Unit model. View this post on Instagram That reportedly created tension with JAŸ-Z, whose business partner John McNeilly allegedly worried his reaction could cost him his job. “See Jay still owe me a favor for doing this shit,” 50 Cent wrote on Instagram. “They brought me the first G-Unit sample while we was recording this.” “I said I’m wearing my shoe in this,” he continued. “Jay got so mad John McNeilly said I’m gonna get fired. LOL. True story!” Hip-Hop Mogul 50 Cent Remembers Jay-Z (Now JAŸ-Z) Still Owes Him A Favor After Reebok Commercial The anecdote resurfaced as Reebok revived the red, white and blue G-Unit G6 in 2026. The reissue reportedly sold out within two hours, underscoring the sneaker’s enduring place in hip-hop history. 50 Cent celebrated the demand while taking another jab at longtime rival Rick Ross, who had mocked the G6’s return. “Sold out, fat boy,” 50 Cent wrote. For 50 Cent, the G6 represented more than merchandise. It helped establish a blueprint for rappers seeking influence beyond music. “Reebok took a chance on me early, and it paid off in a big way for us both,” he recently told Complex. “The G6 created a whole new category in sneaker culture and opened up new opportunities in the music space,” he said. “It gave hip-hop artists a platform to go beyond being just artists. It wasn’t the norm back then.” The sneaker’s revival now gives 50 Cent another opportunity to revisit a moment when hip-hop, fashion and corporate culture were becoming inseparable.

BET Digital’s shift toward video is drawing attention after written news articles reportedly disappeared from BET.com. HuffPost Deputy Editor Philip Lewis reported Friday that BET Digital removed its digital news archive. The change followed BET’s decision to prioritize video across its redesigned platform. “BET Digital has permanently removed all its digital news articles from its website to ‘prioritize video content,’ I’m told,” Lewis wrote. “Years of news articles are now gone forever. Some writers were able to save their stories; some weren’t.” BET Digital has permanently removed all its digital news articles from its website to ‘prioritize video content,’ I’m told. Years of news articles are now gone forever. Some writers were able to save their stories; some weren’t pic.twitter.com/aM1gt63obD — philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) September 4, 2026 Orchid Richardson, the network’s senior vice president of digital, previously outlined the company’s new direction. “We’re leading with video, and we’re putting community storytellers at the center of BET News,” Richardson said. The redesigned BET.com now directs visitors to video content through its established news section. YouTube also features prominently across the platform. BET.com highlights video series, television programming, Paramount+ titles and digital shows. The company said its August relaunch would make content easier to access. BET Digital Erases BET.com News Archive To Shift To Video Reports BET also said the new experience would reduce text-heavy browsing. Audiences would instead find quicker access to videos, events, premieres and social content. However, the announcement did not detail the fate of the platform’s previous written journalism. That has become a key concern following the reported archive removal. Black Entertainment Television launched in 1980 and developed a longstanding role in documenting Black entertainment and culture. Its digital newsroom later expanded that coverage across news, music and cultural reporting. The disappearance of archived stories could affect readers, researchers and journalists. It could also leave writers without accessible records of their published work. Lewis reported that some writers saved copies of their articles. Others were unable to preserve their work before its removal. The Paramount+ company has not publicly explained whether the stories remain stored internally. The company also has not indicated whether the archive could return. The network is simultaneously expanding its multimedia journalism efforts. BET Digital announced a Community Reporting Initiative following the BET.com relaunch. The program seeks journalists in several U.S. markets. Its focus is original video reporting from journalists working within the communities they cover. The strategy reflects a broader shift toward digital video news consumption. Still, the platform’s transformation raises a question beyond its new format. What happens to the journalism that helped document Black culture when the digital record disappears?

Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine is planning a “Lil Durk Going Away Party” if rapper Lil Durk is convicted in his federal murder-for-hire case. 6ix9ine made the comments during a livestream while speaking with DJ Akademiks. He also invited Akademiks to attend the proposed event. “When this n**** get found guilty, you coming to my party?” 6ix9ine asked. The remarks came as prosecutors presented testimony in Durk’s federal trial in Los Angeles. Durk, whose legal name is Durk Banks, has pleaded not guilty. The exchange followed testimony from cooperating witness OTF Jam, whose legal name is Kacey Hester. Hester mentioned 6ix9ine while testifying about an alleged plot targeting rapper Quando Rondo. Hester has been identified as one of three masked gunmen involved in a 2022 shooting at a West Hollywood gas station. He testified that Banks promised between $500,000 and $1 million for Rondo’s killing. According to Hester, the alleged offer arose during a meeting at an Atlanta recording studio. He described the subsequent shooting as “sloppy.” Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine Prepares “Lil Durk Going Away Party” If Durk Banks Is Found Guilty In Murder-For-Hire Case “I wasn’t feeling good about it at all,” Hester testified. Hester also addressed his relationship with Banks and his decision to cooperate with prosecutors. “I had to get it off my chest. It was weighing on me,” Hester told jurors. Despite testifying against Banks, Hester said he still had affection for the rapper. “I still do have a lot of love for him,” he said. “What he did for me, you can’t forget that.” Hester also said his feelings had not preserved his respect for Banks. “I still got love for him, I just got no respect for him. He probably hate me now,” he testified. Federal prosecutors allege Banks orchestrated the attempted killing as retaliation for the 2020 death of King Von. The government claims Banks directed members of his Only The Family, or OTF, collective. Prosecutor Daniel Weiner told jurors the case concerns an alleged murder plot, not the music industry. “This case is not about music — it’s about murder,” Weiner said. Weiner also alleged that Banks used his financial resources to pressure OTF members into pursuing the attack. “Banks used his wealth and used his purse strings to put pressure on his OTF members to get that revenge,” Weiner said. If convicted, Banks faces a potential life sentence. The case remains pending in federal court.

A Tampa jury recommended the death penalty Wednesday for rapper Billy Adams over the killing of his pregnant girlfriend’s unborn child. Jurors also recommended life without parole for Adams’ murder conviction in the death of Alana Sims, 22. The recommendations followed Tuesday’s guilty verdicts on both counts. Jurors deliberated for roughly five hours before finding Adams guilty. During Wednesday’s penalty phase, prosecutors urged jurors to impose the death penalty. The state argued that multiple aggravating factors supported capital punishment in the case. “It was a cold, calculated, premeditated murder of her mother, knowing that she was pregnant of baby girl Sims,” prosecutors told the jury. The state also cited the age of Sims’ unborn child as an aggravating factor. Prosecutors described the fetus as a child younger than 12 under the applicable law. “The killing of a defenseless, vulnerable child, still under the protection of her mother’s womb,” prosecutors said. Jurors voted 8-4 to recommend death for the killing of Sims’ unborn child. They recommended life without parole for Adams’ conviction in Sims’ death. Prosecutors alleged Adams shot Sims in the back of the head from about three feet away. The shooting occurred in an unfinished area of Tampa’s Easton Park neighborhood. Jury Delivers Death Penalty Recommendation After Rapper Billy Adams Guilty Verdict The state alleged Adams lured Sims to the location because he wanted to pursue a relationship with his “main” girlfriend. Prosecutors said Adams believed Sims was carrying his child. A later determination established that Adams was not the biological father of the unborn child, prosecutors said. Adams’ family testified Wednesday in an effort to persuade jurors to spare his life. His stepmother and two younger brothers described their relationships with him. “He means everything to me. That’s why I started pursuing education the way I did,” one brother testified. Family members said Adams earned a degree from the University of South Florida. They described his upbringing as loving and supportive. His stepmother became emotional while testifying. She said she had served as a maternal figure since Adams was young. “Always was respectable, never had any issues with him,” she said. “He was just one of those kids that melts your heart.” Adams wiped away tears and made a heart gesture toward her. A Spencer hearing is scheduled for Dec. 1. The defense can present additional sentencing evidence at that hearing. The judge will determine whether to accept the jury’s recommendations and formally sentence Adams.

Hip-Hop has had a phenomenal summer, and it’s only getting better, with new music from established and emerging stars such as Jay Fizzle, AZ Chike, and JhonnieDamnD. Last week, The Game had all of hip-hop talking with his new album, The Documentary 3, which resurfaced the beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. While the West Coast deals with inner turmoil, the South has been flourishing with viral hits by Dallas artists Dolly Babe (“Pink Blush”) and JhonnieDamnD (“Murda Bend”). The summer tours are still going strong with superstars like Don Toliver, Loe Shimmy, and Doechii, creating some of the season’s biggest moments yet. As we head into September, new tours from Ken Carson, Isaiah Rashad, and Chief Keef are kicking off. In music, Cardi B’s new track is quickly becoming unstoppable, with an 2immediate impact on the Billboard charts. However, many rising stars are flooding the charts with fresh energy and undeniable fan bases, pushing them to the top. All this while, we await new albums from the biggest names in hip-hop, like Drake, Travis Scott, Quavo, and Stove God Cooks. And here we are again, new week, new surprises. From JhonnieDamnD calling on Dallas to hop on the remix to AZ Chike and Tyler, The Creator’s first collaboration to Jay Fizzle’s new era, here’s a list of new music you might have missed this week. Jay Fizzle Is Ready To “Smash” On The Competition The Paper Route Empire’s shining star returns with a promising track that serves up boisterous bars in his trademark tumbling flow, boasting about his luxurious lifestyle. The new track serves as a launching pad for new music coming in the rest of 2026. “Smash” is refreshing, attention-grabbing, and the perfect origin for any newfound fan. Jay Fizzle, Mo3, TheRealSkitso, J French + MORE New Music You Might Have Missed This Week JhonnieDamnD Keeps It Dallas Swag For “Murda Bend (Remix)” With one of the biggest songs in the world right now, you can call the biggest names to hop on the remix. But the Fort Worth rap star remembers where he came from and draws on North Texas’s legacy to inject it with new energy. The legacy acts remind the world how much swag they had, have, and still have to come. Mo3 Rises Again To Proclaim, “I’m Pac” The late rapper releases the visual to his 2019 fan favorite after the verdict in the hip-hop icon’s murder case is settled. The visual reminds fans of the generational impact that Pac had on everyone. The song is living proof that Shakur’s legacy will continue to influence the biggest names in hip-hop forever. AZ Chike & Tyler, The Creator Relive Their Favorite Movies As They “Look Like My Mama” The West Coast’s hottest new star gets a look from the region’s favorite superstar to help deliver a blockbuster debut. While their bars are unique, they blend perfectly together, and the visuals amplify the song’s popularity. T’s involvement adds to others like Pharrell and K-Dot, who will assist in making the new artist’s debut legendary. Mike Will Made-It & OJ Da Juiceman Are Ready To Cook So The “Stov3 Lit” Taking us back to the early days of trap rap, the longtime collaborators deliver a refreshing track and thank their fans for their unwavering support. The legendary Atlanta trapper keeps us entertained with his signature ad-libs, colorful wordplay, and well-known swag over the hard-hitting production. Reunited and it feels so good. TheRealSkitso, Curren$y, Tyler The Creator, OJ Da Juiceman + MORE New Music You Might Have Missed This Week TheRealSkitso Takes It Back With Styles P, M.O.P., & Kokane To Show No “Mercy” The Buffalo producer makes a grand entrance with a couple of the East Coast’s roughest and toughest emcees for the main event. One-third of The Lox brings the grit; the Brownsville boys bring the ruckus, as the pure white makes you addicted after the first listen. The track really shows no mercy, literally. J French & Curren$y Get Us In The Right “Mood” A collaboration no one expected, the Oklahoma City native hits up a New Orleans favorite to make a bold statement for his forthcoming album. “This album came to me during a dark place that I had to fight my way out of,” says French. “With everything happening in Hip Hop, from the tensions between some of our biggest artists to the racial issues and political views that continue to divide people, I felt it was necessary to give the world something with no beef, no war, and only solidarity. That is the only way I can make art, from a place of love.” “Bro hit me up and sent the track over, and I saw it was titled ‘Mood,’” says Curren$y. “I was in the middle of The Winner’s Circle tour. I put it on, vibed with it, and matched his energy. FaceTimed J French, played it for him, and he loved it. I Don’t Believe in Bad Days is how I live my life every day. I have been rocking with the homie J French for a minute.” Boosie Badazz & C-Murder Tell More ‘Hood Stories’ Together, they represent distinct chapters of Louisiana rap history. The album’s title suggests an unfiltered look at those experiences. Its songs explore relationships, violence, grief, and resilience. The 15-track album reunites the former cellmates-turned-longtime friends.

Russell Westbrook has made his first post-NBA career move. According to ESPN, Westbrook is transitioning into executive sports leadership by joining the global basketball venture Project B as a co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer. He’s also taking an equity stake and a seat on the board of directors. Westbrook plans to play an active, hands-on role in shaping the upstart league’s long-term vision. He’ll focus on commercial partnerships and basketball operations alongside co-founders like the Chief Basketball Officer. Project B, which features a Grand Prix-style 5-on-5 global circuit across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, aims to revolutionize modern sports economics by giving its men’s and women’s players direct equity and decision-making power.  Westbrook’s move brings instant credibility and star power to the player-centric model, signaling a mission to ensure athletes are built into the ownership structure as true business partners rather than just employees.  “At every step of my career, what was most valuable to me was making sure everyone had a seat at the table,” Westbrook said in a statement. “With Project B, we’re challenging the norm and bringing a new vision to the intersection of premium sport, culture, and entertainment. We’re reimagining the experience with players not only as key value drivers, but also as shareholders and decision makers.”  Drafted fourth overall as the franchise transitioned to Oklahoma City, Westbrook quickly formed a dynamic duo alongside Kevin Durant, leading the Thunder to four Western Conference Finals appearances and a trip to the 2012 NBA Finals. However, his legacy in OKC reached iconic status after Durant’s 2016 departure, when Westbrook embraced sole leadership of the franchise with unmatched ferocity.  In the  2016–17 season, he won the League MVP and became the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double across an entire season. He would repeat the feat he went on to repeat the feat three more times. Eventually, he surpassed Robertson as the NBA’s all-time leader in career triple-doubles. 

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ projected release date from federal prison has been moved up again, according to Bureau of Prisons records. The hip-hop mogul is now scheduled to leave Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix in New Jersey on Feb. 5, 2028. His prior projected release date was Feb. 20, 2028. View this post on Instagram The latest adjustment cuts more than two weeks from Combs’ projected federal incarceration. His release date has shifted several times since he entered custody. A federal jury convicted Combs in July 2025 on two counts of transporting people across state lines for prostitution. The charges stemmed from allegations involving sexual encounters prosecutors described as “freak offs.” Prosecutors alleged Combs arranged encounters involving his girlfriends and male sex workers. They also alleged he watched and recorded some of the encounters. Hip-Hop Mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs Release Date Pushed Up Again To February 2028. Jurors, however, acquitted Combs of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. Those charges carried substantially greater potential penalties than the counts resulting in convictions. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian sentenced Combs in October 2025 to four years and two months in federal prison. He began serving that sentence at FCI Fort Dix the same month. Combs’ incarceration has included a reported altercation with another inmate. The incident allegedly led to a brief period in solitary confinement. His projected release date initially stood in June 2028. It later shifted to January 2028 before moving to Feb. 20, 2028. Federal records now list Feb. 5, 2028, as Combs’ projected release date. The Bureau of Prisons can revise projected release dates based on applicable custody and credit calculations. Combs’ case followed a closely watched federal prosecution in New York. Prosecutors pursued allegations involving sex trafficking and racketeering, but jurors rejected those counts. The defense argued prosecutors had overstated the evidence. The verdict ultimately separated the prostitution-related conduct from the government’s more serious allegations. For now, Combs remains incarcerated at FCI Fort Dix. His projected release date is Feb. 5, 2028, although that date could change again.

The NBA handed down the largest punishment in the history of the league in the aftermath of the LA Clippers salary cap probe. Following a year-long investigation, the league found that the Clippers circumvented the league’s salary cap rules to give millions to Kawhi Leonard.  The Clippers will forfeit their next five first-round picks — in 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033. Clippers owner Ballmer will be fined $30 million, the league announced.  Also, Ballmer has been suspended for one year, “for knowingly seeking to help Mr. Leonard obtain off-court income opportunities.”   Leonard was ordered to pay a $700,000 penalty to the league. Additionally, his former business manager and uncle, Dennis Robertson, was banned from conducting business with NBA teams for five years  President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker was suspended for one year without pay for her direct involvement and for lying to investigators. President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank was suspended for six months without pay for approving impermissible expenses and endorsing improper player arrangements.  LEONARD ADDRESSES THE RULING In a statement, the Clippers pledged to fight the ruling that they disagree with. “We vehemently reject the NBA’s findings, which are the result of a heavily biased investigation seeking to justify a predetermined narrative rather than facts and evidence,” the statement read.  “For the past year, we cooperated fully and in good faith, and we will now fight just as hard to demonstrate our innocence. We intend to vigorously challenge these findings and penalties through every avenue available.”  Leonard also released a statement about his role in the investigation and the acceptance of his punishment. Kawhi Leonard, through his new agent, Harrison Gaines, issues statement: “Integrity and respect for this game are fundamental to who I am. I accept full responsibility for lapses in judgment by people within my inner circle and regret the distraction this situation has caused… https://t.co/cgWhrjcXuR — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 2, 2026 “I accept full responsibility for lapses in judgment by people within my inner circle. And I regret the distraction this situation has caused the fans and my family,” Leonard said. “I entered into my contract with the Clippers as well as the agreements in question in good faith, fully committed to fulfilling my obligations and with no knowledge of any intent on anyone’s part to circumvent the salary cap. … As I return to Toronto, I am focused on what I can control, closing this chapter, and moving forward with a clean slate.” 

Tiger Woods had his driver’s license suspended for five years after pleading no contest to reckless driving and refusing a lawful drug test in a Florida courtroom, ABC News reports. The plea agreement resolves charges stemming from a March 2026 rollover crash near his home on Jupiter Island, where investigators noted signs of impairment and recovered prescription painkillers at the scene.  Presiding over the Martin County Circuit Court, Judge Darren Steele issued a stern warning alongside the strict five-year suspension and court fines, emphasizing that any driving violation during this period would result in immediate jail time.  On March 27, 2026, Woods was arrested in Jupiter Island, Florida, following an afternoon car crash. According to authorities, Woods’ Land Rover clipped the back of a truck trailer while attempting a pass on a two-lane road, causing his vehicle to roll onto its side.  Responding deputies reported that Woods exhibited signs of impairment—including bloodshot eyes, slurred responses, and lethargy—and found two prescription hydrocodone pain pills in his pocket. Although Woods took a breathalyzer test that returned a 0.00 BAC, he refused to provide a urine sample, leading officers to arrest him on misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence (DUI) with property damage and refusing to submit to a lawful test.  tiger woods’ future Woods, who stated he was distracted by his phone and changing radio stations prior to the impact, later stepped away from golf to enter an inpatient facility and focus on his health.  As Tiger Woods’ playing days wind down, his focus has shifted from chasing major number 16 to shaping his legacy. Years of severe injuries and surgeries mean his on-course future now hinges on selective appearances at majors, golf carts on the PGA Tour Champions, and his high-tech TGL league.  Off the course, his work as a tour director, architect, and mentor ensures he will control the game’s direction for decades.