Jalen Brunson’s Mother Speaks on Helping Him Grow Into Leadership Sandra Brunson, the mother of the New York Knicks star, shares what she instilled in her son. news July 1, 2026
Memphis Bleek Says JAY-Z’s Haters “Deserved that spanking” The Roc Nation rapper-turned-podcaster shared his take on Hov’s Roots Picnic freestyle. news June 30, 2026
Nicki Minaj Thanks Elon Musk For ‘Saving Free Speech’ The Queens rapper gave the controversial Tesla CEO major kudos on his birthday. news June 30, 2026
Lupe Fiasco Says He’s a Better Lyricist Than Kendrick Lamar, But Not a Better Artist The Chicago wordsmith got into a heated debate over his past comments regarding the Compton superstar. news June 29, 2026
Ms. Lauryn Hill to Rightfully Receive Her Flowers at the BET Awards The multitalented actress, rapper and singer-songwriter's legacy is being celebrated at "culture’s biggest night" with the inaugural Living Legend Icon Award. news June 26, 2026
Clive Davis, Legendary Music Executive and Producer, Dies at 94 The former label head guided the careers of superstars like Whitney Houston, Janis Joplin, Santana and Alicia Keys. news June 22, 2026
Cardi B, Doechii, T.I. and More Set to Appear at 2026 BET Awards Rick Ross, Common, Don Toliver, Jill Scott, Kehlani and other performers have been announced for this year’s highly anticipated show. news June 22, 2026
Daddy’s Home: Black Dads on Fatherhood on Father’s Day 2026 Here's a look at what some influential Black dads have said about fatherhood. featured June 21, 2026
Tay Keith, Grammy-Nominated Producer, Dead at 29 Nashville police say the acclaimed producer was found dead in his home. news June 19, 2026
Pursuit of Happiness: BLXST Found Himself Through Self-Awareness and Fatherhood Shortly after dropping his latest album, Labor of Love, BLXST discusses his journey to self-awareness and more. wellness June 17, 2026
Tyra Banks Sues Netflix for Defamation The former host of ‘America’s Next Top Model’ files lawsuit over the streaming giant’s recent docuseries about the show. news June 16, 2026
The Top 5 Moments From Baby Keem’s Brooklyn Paramount Show Okayplayer takes a look at the five best moments from Baby Keem’s excellent Brooklyn Paramount concert. news June 15, 2026
Jay-Z On-Hand at FIFA World Cup Match in Philly Between Ivory Coast and Ecuador Jay-Z received a custom Ivory Coast jersey after meeting the Cote D’Ivoire team star, Yan Diomande, who is signed to Roc Nation. news June 15, 2026
Wu-Tang Clan and the NY Knicks to Take Over Jimmy Fallon’s 'Tonight Show' Host Jimmy Fallon says the special episode has been “53 years in the making.” news June 15, 2026
DMX's Ex-Wife Speaks After Son's Controversial Remarks at Street Naming Ceremony Tashera Simmons defends her eldest son, Xavier, after he blasts the late rapper’s fiancée. news June 15, 2026
'Scary Movie' is No. 1 at the Box Office, Scoring Franchise-Best Opening The Wayans Brothers spoof outperformed ‘Masters of the Universe.’ news June 9, 2026
Westside Gunn Denies Jay-Z Advice Led to Griselda Rift Westside Gunn responds after podcaster Mal says the three cornerstones of the label were driven apart after ignoring business tips from Hov. news June 8, 2026
Idris Elba Says Audiences Accepting a Black James Bond Is "Not A Realistic Thing" The ‘Masters Of The Universe’ star talks about those long-running 007 rumors and playing He-Man’s buddy Man-At-Arms. news June 8, 2026
5 Takeaways From Vince Staples’ ‘Cry Baby,’ His Most Experimental Album Since ‘Big Fish Theory’ Okayplayer serves up some quick takeaways from Vince Staples’ latest album, which is, as anyone could’ve guessed, very good. featured June 6, 2026
Okayplayer Partners With Pier Six Pavilion for Blue Velvet Night With Maysa and Friends The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter will headline an evening of soul, jazz and R&B on Baltimore's Inner Harbor as part of the OK Sunday Series. news June 5, 2026
Richard Pryor's Daughter Examines His Use of the "N-Word" Historian Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor talks about her famous father and the complexities of race and language. news June 3, 2026
Serena Williams Ends Retirement, to Return to Tennis The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion will play the Queen’s Club with Victoria Mboko as a doubles wild card. news June 2, 2026
The 5 Best Lyrics From JAŸ-Z’s Roots Picnic Freestyle, Ranked Following his epic set at The 2026 Roots Picnic, Okayplayer breaks down and ranks the five best lyrics from JAŸ-Z’s spontaneous freestyle. featured June 1, 2026
M.I.A. Sues Kid Cudi for $2.8M After Tour Controversy The rapper alleges she was wrongfully terminated from the Rebel Ragers Tour after onstage political statements. news June 1, 2026
Jazmine Sullivan Shows Off Slimmer Physique, Claps Back at Online Trolls The Grammy winner made an appearance at Ari Lennox’s ‘Vacancy Tour’ show in Philadelphia. news May 27, 2026
Rob Base Remembered: Jamie Foxx, MC Lyte and More Pay Tribute to Late Hip-Hop Star Alongside DJ E-Z Rock, the Harlem legend scored big party rap hits in the late 1980s. news May 26, 2026
Fat Joe, Spike Lee and More React to Knicks’ First NBA Finals Appearance Since 1999 After a sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, New York is playing for the NBA Championship. news May 26, 2026
Okayplayer Is Giving You A Chance To Go To the 2026 Roots Picnic This year’s festival features headliners Jay-Z and Erykah Badu. featured May 23, 2026
First Impressions: JPEGMAFIA’s ‘Experimental Rap’ Is Elegant, But Familiar Chaos While social media has been having a dunk contest at his expense, JPEGMAFIA’s latest album is solid on the first few listens. news May 23, 2026
Cardi B Leads the Nominations at the 2026 BET Awards Kendrick Lamar, Mariah the Scientist, Teyana Taylor and Michael B. Jordan are all up for major honors at this year’s ceremony. news May 19, 2026
Lauryn Hill Defends Only Releasing One Album The Grammy winner again addressed fan speculation about ‘Miseducation’ and her scant discography. news May 18, 2026
Rick Ross Responds to Drake: “I’m sure he’ll retire next month” After the Toronto rapper’s “Make Them Pay,” Rozay mocked Drake on social media. entertainment May 18, 2026
Yasiin Bey to Celebrate Gil Scott-Heron’s Life and Legacy The rapper/actor is teaming with Scott-Heron’s 1970s collaborator for an event in Paris. news May 15, 2026
Kendrick Lamar and LeBron James Dissed on Alleged Drake Leak “1AM In Albany” The leaked track features the Toronto rapper taking shots at some high profile rivals and former friends. news May 14, 2026
Bronx School of Hip-Hop to Open This Fall The institution is set to welcome its first incoming class of freshmen in September. news May 13, 2026
Daz Dillinger Files Lawsuit Against Company Managing 2Pac’s Estate The former Death Row producer says he’s owed money from some of the late rapper’s catalog. news May 12, 2026
Cam’ron, Chuck D and More React to the Knicks Sweeping the Sixers The Knicks head to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second year in a row. news May 11, 2026
Kevin Hart Squashes Katt Williams Beef at Netflix Roast With Tom Brady and More Regina Hall, Usher, Pete Davidson and more were on-hand to torch the superstar funnyman. news May 11, 2026
Kodak Black Arrested for Drug Trafficking, Released on $75k Bond Police searched a vehicle outside of a children’s non-profit back in November, where they reportedly found ecstasy. news May 8, 2026
Usher Offering Internships on His Joint Tour With Chris Brown The “Good Good” superstar is partnering with Boys & Girls Club of Greater Detroit for a new initiative. news May 6, 2026
Janet Jackson, Erykah Badu to Perform at Grammy Hall of Fame Gala The event will also feature honorary awards for albums by 2Pac, Ray Charles, Eric B. & Rakim and Alice Coltrane. news May 5, 2026
Kid Cudi Drops M.I.A. From His Tour: “I didn’t want anything offensive at my shows” The announcement comes after a viral rant by the controversial Sri Lankan rapper at the Dallas stop of Cudi’s 'Rebel Ragers Tour.' news May 4, 2026
Dame Dash Says Kanye’s Catalog Is Better Than Jay-Z’s The Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder was asked to compare his former partner’s catalog to the artist he signed to the label. news May 4, 2026
Earl Sweatshirt and JPEGMAFIA Throw Shots at Each Other on Social Media The two rappers spar on social media after a ‘Pigeons & Planes’ appearance. news May 4, 2026
Pras of the Fugees Begins 14-Year Prison Sentence The “Ghetto Supastar” rapper was sentenced for money laundering and illegal lobbying in November 2025. news May 1, 2026
Rick Ross and French Montana Set for Verzuz Battle The two chart-topping rappers are due to face off on May 7 in Los Angeles. news April 30, 2026
Doechii and Lady Gaga Hit the “Runway” in New Video The two superstars’ hit collaboration is the lead single from ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2.’ news April 28, 2026
Alicia Keys Calls Out Music Industry’s “Old Boy Network” The Grammy winner co-founded She Is The Music to help mentor female songwriters, producers and engineers in music. news April 27, 2026
Nicki Minaj Narrowly Missed White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting The controversial rap superstar and Trump supporter was invited to attend the event before chaos unfolded. news April 27, 2026
‘Michael’ Makes $217M Globally, Surpassing Biopic Box Office First Weekend Numbers The Antoine Fuqua-directed film is Lionsgate’s biggest hit in more than a decade. news April 27, 2026
OKP’s Biggest Takeaways From Kehlani’s Self-Titled New Album After a day of listening, Okayplayer gives its thoughts on Kehlani’s latest. news April 25, 2026
Questlove Raves Over ‘Michael’ Biopic: "He wanted to give his gift to the world" The Oscar winner shared how much Antoine Fuqua’s Michael Jackson biopic impressed and inspired him. news April 22, 2026
MusiCares Launches Suicide Prevention Online Resource for Music Professionals The organization is partnering with JED to address emotional wellness across the industry. wellness April 22, 2026
Lil Wayne Calls Grammy and Coachella Snubs “A Humbling Experience” The Grammy winner voiced his frustrations with being looked over at some of this year’s biggest musical events. news April 20, 2026
Eddie Murphy Honored by Dave Chappelle, Mike Myers and More The legendary comedy star’s career was celebrated with the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award. news April 20, 2026
From Bieber's Star-Studded Set to The Strokes’ Statement: The 5 Best Moments at Coachella 2026 Weekend 2 Superstars took the stage in the desert for the popular music and culture festival. entertainment April 20, 2026
The Lookback: 6 Dope Albums You Might've Missed in Q1 No, music isn't worse than it was before. You just need the curiosity to look around a bit. news April 17, 2026
Nas, Common, Anthony Hamilton Among Performers for Roots Picnic London The star-studded lineup also includes Floetry, Benny The Butcher, Musiq Soulchild and a host of others. news April 17, 2026
N.O.R.E. Says He Wishes He’d Edited Kanye West Interview “A lot more” The ‘Drink Champs’ host revisited his controversial conversation from 2022 and that Diddy played a role in how he edited the footage. news April 17, 2026
Lauryn Hill Stars in New Denim Tears Campaign With Her Family The brand is relaunching its DENIM TEARS program for the spring/summer 2026 season. news April 17, 2026
‘SNL’ Roasts Jack Harlow in Weekend Update Skit; His Aunt Thought it Was Him A “Weekend Update” segment spoofing the rapper that was cut from broadcast became a viral sensation. news April 14, 2026
Wu-Tang Clan, Queen Latifah, Luther Vandross Among 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees Phil Collins, MC Lyte, Sade, Oasis, Iron Maiden and Rick Rubin are also among this year’s inductees. news April 14, 2026
DJ Clue is Trying to Get Jay-Z Back in the Studio The mixtape legend says he’s been sending Hov everything from mixtapes to unheard beats to try and get him motivated to record. news April 14, 2026
Issa Rae Calls Out Hollywood’s "Identity Crisis" with D.E.I. The producer/director/actor spoke about telling inclusive stories in a Hollywood that now treats diversity like “a bad word.” news April 13, 2026
Afrika Bambaataa, Hip-Hop Pioneer and Zulu Nation Founder, Dies at 68 The Bronx legend’s later years were marred by allegations of child molestation from his days as a youth leader. news April 9, 2026
NYC Mayor Mamdani Teams With Cardi B to Promote Childcare Program The Bronx-born rapper is also asking fans to help come up with a jingle for the initiative. news April 8, 2026
Terry Crews and Rebecca Crews Open Up About Her Battle With Parkinsons The couple, who wed in 1989, share how a soundwave procedure has helped change Rebecca’s experience with the disease. news April 8, 2026
Offset in Stable Condition After Florida Shooting Offset was shot following an altercation at a Florida Casino in which Lil TJay was arrested. TJay's lawyer addresses “false rumors" of his involvement in the shooting. news April 7, 2026
Kanye West Denied Entry to the UK, Wireless Festival Canceled The decision comes after corporate sponsors pulled out and political leaders condemned the controversial rapper headlining Wireless Festival, due to his past antisemitic remarks. news April 7, 2026
Jake Paul Suggests He's Considering Blackface “Response” to Druski Sketch The controversial influencer-turned-boxer praised the now-viral sketch. news April 6, 2026
Jay Electronica Goes Off On Booing Fans: “We know you the enemy” The Roc Nation rapper reacted to some negative reactions to his a capella “Exhibit C” performance. news April 6, 2026
Pooh Shiesty Arrested, Charged in Gucci Mane Robbery The Memphis rapper and eight others now face charges following a raid at his home. news April 2, 2026
Albums We're Excited for in April Earl Sweatshirt to Thundercat, this month is going to see a diverse shower of high-profile releases from an interesting collection of big names. news April 2, 2026
Lil Durk Wants to “Save” the Next Generation: “We’ve got to be their heroes” The incarcerated rapper says he’s been reading works by activists like Huey Newton and Elaine Brown. news April 1, 2026
Pop Smoke’s Brother is Bringing 'Pop's Place' Coffee to Brooklyn Baristas are needed for the new shop dedicated to Pop Smoke, and a soft launch is set to take place in Canarsie. news March 31, 2026
