Nicki Minaj Hurls Homophobic Slur at Don Lemon The rapper directed inflammatory comments toward Don Lemon out of disproval for his coverage of Minneapolis protests following the shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent. news January 20, 2026
John Forté Remembered: “Legends Never Die” The longtime Fugees affiliate was celebrated by Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill after his death at 50. news January 16, 2026
A$AP Rocky Disses Drake on New Song “Stole Ya Flow” On his latest album, ‘Don’t Be Dumb,’ the Harlem rapper seems to take aim at the 6ix God. news January 16, 2026
Kurupt Recovering After Reportedly Being Hospitalized His fellow Dogg Pound member, Daz Dillinger, posted about Kurupt’s condition. news January 14, 2026
Mike Tomlin Stepping Down As Pittsburgh Head Coach After 19 Seasons The Super Bowl-winning coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers never had a losing season in nearly two decades. news January 13, 2026
Juelz Santana Shares Graphic Photos After Car Crash The Dipset rapper shared a cryptic Instagram Stories post with a severely bruised face. news January 13, 2026
Mary J. Blige Announces Las Vegas Residency The nine-time Grammy winner announced ‘My Life, My Story’ the day after her birthday. news January 13, 2026
Salt-N-Pepa’s UMG Lawsuit Gets Dismissed; Group Responds Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa’ Denton shared a statement thanking the fans and declaring “justice will prevail.” news January 13, 2026
Teyana Taylor, Ryan Coogler Take Home Trophies at the 2026 Golden Globes ‘One Battle After Another’ took home major honors as TV shows like ‘Pluribus’ and ‘The Studio’ also won. news January 12, 2026
Dionne Warwick, Saweetie and Mya Team Up to Address Climate Change A new song for the upcoming animated film inspired by the plight of the LA wildfires, 'Ozi: Voice of the Forest,' takes aim at deforestation and how it impacts ecosystems. news January 6, 2026
Bruno Mars Confirms His New Album is Done The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter told everyone on X that his fourth album is finished. news January 6, 2026
Okayplayer Will Bring Music and Culture to NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles In partnership with the National Basketball Retired Players Association and The Finn Group, the Okayplayer Lounge pop-up is bridging music, basketball, art and legacy. news January 5, 2026
‘Sinners,’ ‘One Battle After Another’ Win Big at 2026 Critics Choice Awards The 31st annual awards show also featured major wins for ‘The Studio’ and ‘Abbott Elementary.’ news January 5, 2026
LaRussell Says Kyrie Irving Bought His Album for $11,000 The Bay Area rap star is taking a unique approach to selling ‘Something’s in the Water.’ news January 5, 2026
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Quotes Jadakiss at Swearing-In Ceremony Mamdani becomes the city’s first Muslim mayor and first of South Asian descent. news January 2, 2026
Did J. Cole Re-Record 'The Fall Off' Because of Drake and Kendrick Lamar? According to Mal, the two rap superstars had allegedly recorded verses for J. Cole’s highly-anticipated album. news January 2, 2026
Russell Wilson and Ciara Donate $3 Million to NYC Children’s Hospital The celebrity couple made a significant contribution to the Upper East Side medical center that is expected to improve the facility’s creative arts spaces. news January 2, 2026
Idris Elba Knighted For Charity Work in the UK Cynthia Erivo also among those recognized on King Charles III’s New Year Honors List. news December 31, 2025
Former Heavyweight Champ Anthony Joshua Injured in Fatal Car Crash Joshua survived an accident in which two people were reportedly killed in a collision that happened in Nigeria. news December 29, 2025
Why Wiz Khalifa Got Sentenced to 9 Months for Weed A Romanian court determined that Wiz Khalifa was normalizing illegal conduct by smoking marijuana on stage at a 2024 festival, though it is highly unlikely he will be extradited. news December 29, 2025
50 Cent Issues Playful Warning to ‘Lets Rap About It’ Podcast After Fabolous’ Diss The pod hosts dropped a retort to 50’s “squatters” comments on Christmas Day. news December 29, 2025
So, Beyoncé is Reportedly a Billionaire Now Beyoncé's country album and accompanying 'Cowboy Carter Tour' led her to billionaire status, joining the ranks of music legends like JAY-Z and Rihanna. news December 29, 2025
The ‘Let’s Rap About It’ Podcast Drop 50 Cent Diss Track After “Squatters” Comments Fabolous and company took it to the booth after 50 Cent called them out. news December 26, 2025
Kevin Arkadie, ‘New York Undercover’ Co-Creator, Dies at 68 The accomplished screenwriter also worked on ‘NYPD Blue’ and ‘The Temptations.’ news December 22, 2025
Big Sean Takes on Expanded Role With His Hometown Detroit Pistons Big Sean and the Detroit Pistons unveiled the NBA team’s new global artist initiative, “Creatives Across Continents.” news December 22, 2025
Nicki Minaj Slammed for Surprise Appearance at Turning Point USA Rally The rap superstar took the stage next to Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, and has received heavy criticism. news December 22, 2025
The Top 5 Moments From J.I.D’s Brooklyn Paramount Concert Okayplayer pulled up to Brooklyn Paramount to check out J.I.D, and he pretty much tore it down. Here’s our recap. featured December 19, 2025
Netflix’s ‘A Different World’ Brings Back O.G. Stars for Sequel Series Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy and more will once again be joining the Hillman College family in new show. news December 19, 2025
Ludacris to Headline NBA Crossover Concert Series in 2026 Shaboozey and K-Pop group Cortis are also set to headline the NBA All-Star events. news December 19, 2025
Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist Star In New Campaign for Avirex x Timberland The brands join forces for a campaign that embraces the classic look of Timb’s 6 Inch Boot. news December 19, 2025
A$AP Rocky Shares Tim Burton-Created Album Artwork for ‘Don’t Be Dumb’ The legendary ‘Beetlejuice’ and ‘Batman’ filmmaker contributed his distinctive visual style to the album. news December 17, 2025
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis to Help Feed the Hungry With New Song “The Next Verse” “The Next Verse” features artists like Sheila E., Dr. Dre and more, recording an interactive fundraising song for 100 Billion Meals. news December 17, 2025
The Weeknd Forms $1 Billion Venture With Lyric Capital The recording royalties investment firms says that the singer-songwriter will maintain creative control over his current music catalog, in "first of its kind partnership." news December 16, 2025
Teyana Taylor on Almost Quitting Music and ‘One Battle After Another’ In a conversation with ‘Frankenstein’ star Oscar Isaac for 'Variety,' the multitalented star talks about taking risks. news December 16, 2025
Carl Carlton, “She’s A Bad Mama Jama” Singer, Dies at 73 The Grammy nominee had struggled with health issues since his 2019 stroke. news December 15, 2025
Jay-Z Investment Firm Looks to Put $500 Million Into Korean Culture Fund MarcyPen Capital is forming a partnership with Hanwha Group in a move driven by K-pop popularity. news December 15, 2025
21 Savage Told Drake Not to Battle Kendrick: “Leave That S**t Alone” The Atlanta rapper felt that getting into a beef was a “lose-lose” for the OVO superstar. news December 12, 2025
Field Trip for Grownups, Ugly Sweater Parties, and How to Turn Your Family’s Legacy Into Poetry This weekend, there’s lots to do, especially for the arts-and-crafty. We got you covered on activities in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx that don’t have to cost a dime. new york December 12, 2025
Kehlani: Bad Bunny Shouldn’t Sing “A Word in English” at Super Bowl Puerto Rican megastar Bad Bunny is set to perform at halftime of Super Bowl LX in February. news December 11, 2025
Cheryl “Salt” James On How She Works Out to Feel Good, Not for Vanity With Salt-N-Pepa getting their much-deserved flowers, Salt is sharing how embracing her health has helped to rejuvenate her mind, body and spirit. wellness December 10, 2025
Raphael Saadiq on Chart Success: “I’d Rather Have The Song That Stays Around” The Grammy winner recently took part in THR’s Songwriter’s Roundtable alongside artists like Shaboozey, Hayley Williams and Ed Sheeran. news December 10, 2025
NYC Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani Taps Mysonne for Mayoral Transition Team The mayor’s pick of the rapper-turned-activist is raising eyebrows and making headlines over Mysonne’s criminal history. news December 10, 2025
Method Man Explains Why Wu-Tang Didn’t Jump On Drake’s “Wu-Tang Forever” The Wu swordsman explained why the legendary crew didn’t collaborate with the 6 God on the 2013 hit. news December 9, 2025
André 3000 Praises Tyler, The Creator: “He Always Has His Antennas Up” Three Stacks presented Tyler, The Creator with the ‘Variety’ Innovator Of The Decade award. news December 9, 2025
‘Sinners’ and ‘One Battle After Another’ Dominate 2026 Golden Globe Nominations Teyana Taylor, Michael B. Jordan, Ryan Coogler and Tessa Thompson are among the nominees. news December 8, 2025
Netflix Buys Warner Bros Discovery, HBO in Industry-Rocking Deal The streaming giant beat out Paramount and Comcast after a unanimous board vote. news December 5, 2025
Cardi B Speaks Out on Her Black and Afro-Caribbean Identity Amid 2025 Lawsuit During her 2025 civil assault trial, Cardi B addresses public questions and clarifies her Black and Afro-Caribbean identity, reflecting on her Afro-Latina roots, colorism, and misconceptions she’s faced in her career. news December 5, 2025
Cam’ron Says He Didn’t Want to Do The LOX Verzuz Battle The 49-year-old says that he only took part in Dipset’s 2021 showcase against The LOX out of solidarity and to be “a team player.” news December 4, 2025
Tyler, The Creator Announces Final Collection of His Clothing Line The season four collection of le Fleur will arrive on Dec. 6; but there won’t be any more clothing drops. news December 4, 2025
How Hit-Boy Learned to Find Himself in the Amazon For the latest edition of Pursuit of Happiness, Hit-Boy recalls a trip to Las Vegas, early career discouragement, and more. wellness December 3, 2025
Snoop Dogg and Daz Blast Each Other Via Social Media: “Leave Me Alone” The cousins are locked in a war of words following Daz’s departure from Death Row Records. news December 3, 2025
Lizzo Pens Essay On Being ‘Cancelled’: “Sensitivity Is At an All-Time High” The Grammy-winning star lists the moments she’s been at the center controversy in Substack post. news December 3, 2025
Coco Jones to Perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing” for Super Bowl LX Pregame The Grammy winner joins Charlie Puth and Brandi Carlile as part of the game’s pre-show performers. news December 2, 2025
Megan Thee Stallion Scores Victory in Defamation Lawsuit Blogger Milagro Gramz was found liable for harassing and defaming the hip-hop superstar. news December 2, 2025
Muni Long Is Dropping Out of The Boy is Mine Tour Long has missed dates due to health concerns, the joint tour has more stops before wrapping Dec. 14. news December 1, 2025
Coko Responds to Steve Stoute Saying SWV Didn’t Want to be in Will Smith Video Stoute recently shared his take on why SWV wasn’t in the music video for Will Smith’s 1997 smash hit. news December 1, 2025
Cynthia Erivo on Identity, Fame & ‘Ghetto American Accent’ Tweets Amid 2025 Spotlight Back in 2019, Cynthia Erivo opponed up about old tweets that surfaced in connection to her upcoming role as Harriet Tubman in 'Harriet,' the comments have followed her to her co-starring role in 'Wicked: For Good.' news December 1, 2025
Jack White and Eminem Rock Detroit Lions Halftime Performance Jack White and Eminem wow fans with a memorable Thanksgiving halftime performance at the Detroit Lions game, now available as 'Live at Ford Field' on streaming platforms. news November 28, 2025
Theravada Just Wants You to Know What Kind of Tea He Likes Chopping it up with Okayplayer, Theravada breaks down his musical influences, his rise, his personal background and his favorite tea. featured November 28, 2025
Rediscovered: Goodie Mob's ‘Soul Food’ The quartet out of Atlanta followed OutKast onto the national stage, but on their classic debut, delivered an even more unfiltered look at a pre-Olympics Atlanta. featured November 27, 2025
Camp Flog Gnaw 2025: Tyler, The Creator’s Universe Expands Again Camp Flog Gnaw 2025 proved Tyler’s imagination still leads the culture. news November 24, 2025
Ja Rule Denies Max B Was Involved in Attempted Jumping “If I was Bruce Springsteen, you think the assailants could have made it out?” news November 24, 2025
Reggae Legend Jimmy Cliff Dies at 81 The singer was one of the genre’s cultural ambassadors who brought the genre to the world. news November 24, 2025
Monte Booker Defines His Own ‘Noise’ Speaking to Okayplayer, Monte Booker breaks down his new album and more. news November 21, 2025
Ex-Fugee Pras Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison The Grammy winner was convicted of illegally funneling millions in foreign contributions to Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign. news November 21, 2025
Nicki Minaj Faces Serious Backlash After United Nations Speech The rapper spoke at a Trump-backed U.N. panel on violence in Nigeria and the backlash was swift. entertainment November 20, 2025
Drake Explains His ‘Iceman’ Livestreams and Album Rollout Fans have been anticipating the Toronto superstar’s forthcoming album. news November 20, 2025
David Banner on How Method Man Motivated Him to Get Fit The rapper/producer recently opened up about how important it was for him to get in shape. news November 19, 2025
The Minnesota Timberwolves Celebrate Prince With Purple Court The NBA franchise also brought back its signature Prince-inspired special edition jerseys. news November 18, 2025
Pharrell Dragged After Comments on Politics, Race The hitmaker dismissed politics as “a magic trick” and shared his take on supporting Black businesses. news November 18, 2025
Russell Wilson On His Giants Future: “I Want To Be Here” The New York quarterback was asked about his plans going forward in the NFL. news November 17, 2025
Ryan Coogler Says ‘Black Panther 3’ is the Next Movie He’s Working On During a panel discussion, the director was asked about the third film in the blockbuster Marvel franchise. news November 17, 2025
Omarion Responds to Mario Comments: “I Don’t Think There’s Respect There” On ‘Sway In The Morning,’ the B2K singer was asked about “hit or miss” comments regarding his abilities as a singer. news November 17, 2025
Wale Praises Future, Remembers J. Cole Losing Temper on ‘Blueprint 3’ Tour With his new album ‘Everything Is A Lot’ just dropping, the D.C. native shared his take on some of his favorite emcees. news November 17, 2025
Tyler, The Creator Reveals New Fortnite Skins Collaboration The rapper’s Fortnite collabs bring bold, highly anticipated skins, merging his signature style with the game’s universe. A new trailer and images reveal exactly what the crossover outfits will look like. news November 14, 2025
