Photo by MEGA/GC ImagesThis story may contain accounts and descriptions of actual or alleged events that some readers may find disturbing.During a cross-examination that hopped from time period to time period, Capricorn Clark testified that she didn’t know the connection between Sean Combs and the large man she told the court earlier today repeatedly administered lie detector tests to her on suspicion that she stole jewelry loaned to Combs.“You don’t know what relationship he has to Mr. Combs?” defense attorney Marc Agnifilo asked. Clark responded that she did not know.Clark broke down again on the witness stand while she testified about a working relationship with Combs that she compared to business school for someone like her who did not finish college.“Separate from all this stuff, I did learn a lot from Puff,” Clark testified, her voice quaking. “I worked for him in varying roles over a long period of time.”Agnifilo asked, “He let you know you were talented, hardworking and effective?””True,” Clark responded.Agnifilo introduced a text message that Clark sent to Combs in June 2021 in which she told him “I had the biggest crush on you.” Clark testified that she had no memory of sending the message but conceded that she liked Combs “as a friend.”“You also respected him?” Agnifilo asked.“Yeah,” Clark replied.A month after federal agents raided Combs’ two homes as part of their criminal investigation, Clark floated the idea of returning to work as Combs’ chief of staff, the defense stated.“You wanted to come back and work with Mr. Combs as his chief of staff?” Agnifilo asked.“We discussed it, yes,” Clark replied.“What you said was, ‘You were always able to take care of him,’” Agnifilo said.Clark later broke down in tears and sobs when confronted by several emails she sent to Combs asking for forgiveness and a rekindled friendship, which were shown to the court. Through sniffles, Clark testified that she “felt that I was somewhat of a protector for Puff. That email is me pleading, like, dude, let it go.” Clark told the court that the stakes for her were high because her parents are gone and her son has autism.Agnifilo kept asking Clark why she wanted to work with Combs again.“I wanted my life back, sir,” Clark testified.“You want to work with him again,” Agnifilo said.“I wanted to work in the music industry,” Clark replied.On redirect examination, federal prosecutors suggested that Clark returned to work for Bad Boy Records because Combs allegedly stymied her attempts to work elsewhere in the music industry.“He held all the power as it related to me,” Clark testified through sobs.Prosecutor Mitzi Steiner also sought to reaffirm Clark’s earlier testimony about Combs allegedly carrying a gun from the time he showed up at her apartment to the time they drove to Scott Mescudi’s house.“Was Mr. Combs carrying a gun?” Steiner asked.“Yes,” Clark answered.“And was that gun visible to you?” Steiner asked.“Yes,” Clark replied, further telling the court that she feared at the time that if she did not oblige Combs’ demands, “I would be hurt.”Federal prosecutors said outside of the jury’s presence that their case is running ahead of schedule and could be finished in a total of five weeks, rather than the six weeks they previously said they may require.Tune in to Bad Rap: The Case Against Diddy and follow ABC News’ live blog for real-time updates on the trial.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty ImagesCiara’s upcoming album will be filled with energy, love and gratitude, she teases in an interview with Entertainment Tonight.“We are giving energy, we are giving love. We are giving gratitude. I want to thank my fans for their unwavering support over the years,” she says. “I technically turned 21 years in album years, because my first album, Goodies, came out 21 years ago and now I’m doing it independently, which is not easy.”She continues, “It is not for the weak, but it’s such an incredible journey and I just want to say thank you to my fans.”Cici will arrive on July 11. Following “five years of labor and love,” Ciara says, “It’s time to get this whole baby out so I’m excited.”When asked how she responds to people, including Megan Thee Stallion, who support and use her samples, she says, “It’s such a blessing when the new generation lifts you up and supports you and gets excited about your music as if it’s all new. It’s such an honor. It’s so sweet. I feel so honored and loved and it’s a good feeling.”Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Geffen RecordsCommon is reflecting on his album Be in honor of its 20th anniversary. “It’s hard to grasp that it was 20 years ago,” he began on social platform X Friday, expressing his gratitude to Ye, J Dilla and the others who contributed to the album. “Be means so much to me because I have had so many different types of people tell me what it means to them. And there is no greater feeling than to have your music mean something. Thank you GOD you are the greatest.”Common also announced the release of a limited-edition two-LP vinyl on translucent yellow marble blend, which includes the original track list and the instrumentals, and a deluxe version of the album comprising the original songs, instrumentals and five bonus cuts. The first 750 copies of the vinyl include a signed print of the album cover.Released in 2005, Be featured songs like “Testify,” “The Corner” and “Go.” It was nominated at the 48th annual Grammy Awards for best rap album, best rap performance by a duo or group for “The Corner ” featuring The Last Poets, best rap/sung collaboration for “They Say” featuring Ye and John Legend, and best rap solo performance for “Testify.”Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by MEGA/GC ImagesThis story may contain accounts and descriptions of actual or alleged events that some readers may find disturbing.The third week of testimony in the Sean Combs sex trafficking trial began Tuesday with testimony from his former assistant Capricorn Clark. She testified about the time she was working as the creative director for Cassie Ventura, who was seeing Scott Mescudi aka rapper Kid Cudi, and brought her to Best Buy to purchase a burner phone to communicate with him.Clark told the court that on the morning of Dec. 22, 2011, she “heard a loud banging” at her door sometime between 5:30 and 6 a.m. and saw “a very upset Puff.”Clark testified that she opened the door and Combs had a gun in his hand.“Did he enter your apartment holding a gun?” prosecutor Mitzi Steiner asked.“Yes,” Clark replied. “He said, ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ I said, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ He said, ‘Who is Scott?’ I said, ‘I don’t know Scott.’ He said, ‘Kid Cudi,’” Clark testified.“He said, ‘Get dressed we’re going to go kill'” Mescudi, Clark told the court.Clark testified that when she protested, Combs allegedly told her, “I don’t give a f*** what you want to do, go get dressed.”Clark testified that she was made to get into a Cadillac Escalade with Combs and a bodyguard named Ruben, and the three of them allegedly drove to Cudi’s house. Combs and Ruben allegedly went inside the home while Clark waited in the car, according to her testimony.“I called Cassie,” Clark further testified, adding that when she was on the phone with Cassie, she heard Mescudi in the background say, “He’s in my house?”Clark testified that she told Cassie, “Cassie, stop him. He’s going to get himself killed,” referring to Mescudi.Clark told the court that Combs ordered her to fetch Cassie. She further testified that she and Ruben were sent to pick up Cassie to allegedly get her to convince Mescudi not to tell police that Combs was involved in the alleged break-in at his house.“If you don’t convince him, I’m going to kill all you m***********,” Clark testified Combs told her.Clark testified that she returned to Combs’ house with Cassie, and he immediately began kicking her. “Each kick she would crouch into more and more a fetal position” until Cassie was all the way to the street, she testified.Asked why she didn’t intervene, Clark responded that Combs allegedly told her that “If I jump in, he was going to f*** me up, too.”Clark rubbed her eyes with a tissue as she testified about calling Regina Ventura, Cassie’s mother, and telling her that Combs was allegedly “beating the s*** out of your daughter. Please help her. I can’t call the police, but you can.”Clark testified that she was first fired by Combs in August 2012 and that she returned in 2016 to work as Cassie’s creative director. She left Combs in 2018, which she added was the last time she communicated with Cassie.Tune in to Bad Rap: The Case Against Diddy and follow ABC News’ live blog for real-time updates on the trial.If you are affected by abuse and needing support, or know someone who is, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). You can also chat online at thehotline.org or online.rainn.org, respectively.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images via ABCAfter a three-year hiatus, Drake’s OVO Fest is making a comeback. He announced the news on Saturday while surprising fans at a Central Cee show in Toronto.”I’ll see you this summer, by the way,” Drake said from the balcony of the History venue. “OVO Fest will be back this year.”He then told Central Cee, “We’ll need you there for that.” He also performed “Nokia” off $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, his joint album with PartyNextDoor.Drake’s OVO Fest kicked off in 2010 and typically coincides with Toronto’s Caribana festival, which is held on the first weekend of August. The last show took place in 2022, and saw him reunite with Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

After becoming the first rapper to sign an endorsement deal with Gatorade, Kendrick Lamar has dropped his first commercial for the brand, which seemingly references his feud with Drake. “Going the distance. Losing. So I know I always win,” he says in the voice-over. The ad is soundtracked by his song “Peekaboo.”In other K. Dot news, Questlove said he was surprised to see Kendrick pay tribute to The Roots in “Squabble Up.” “I was so shocked because the way that people told me — I woke up to 30 K. Dot texts. I thought, ‘Oh no. He just dissed us,'” he told Jennifer Hudson. “I thought it was something else. And they were like, ‘No, he paid tribute to y’all in this video.’” He continues, “It’s an honor, but it’s also a surprise when you see people acknowledging you after all this time.”Leon Thomas released Heels, the deluxe version of his album Mutt. “New sounds. Same soul. The other side of the story,” he wrote of the deluxe, which has nine bonus records. Masego, Wale, Kehlani, Big Sean, Ty Dolla $ign and more are featured.42 Dugg dropped a music video for the hard-hitting single “We Not Done.” In the clip, he and his team pop bottles, spend money at the club and ride through his native Detroit on ATVs and dirt bikes. The video, which arrived ahead of his performance at a hometown show, is now available to watch on YouTube.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Rich Polk for Penske MediaJanet Jackson made a triumphant return to television on Monday, taking the 2025 American Music Awards stage for her first televised performance in seven years as she was recognized for her impact on the music industry.The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer captivated the audience with a dynamic set featuring fan favorites “Someone to Call My Lover” and “All for You.” Dressed in a white bomber jacket and loose denim, her signature dance moves and energy had many in the crowd on their feet.After the performance, Janet was invited back onstage to receive the AMA’s prestigious Icon Award — an honor celebrating her decades-long career and the “undeniable cultural and global influence” she has had on the music industry.She described her story and that of her family as “truly an American story,” adding, “This could only have happened in America.”Janet also shared her hope to inspire others.”The one thing that I hope for is that I’ve been an inspiration to others and artists to follow their dreams and succeed,” she said before thanking her entire team.She also made a special point to thank her family, “who have been the biggest supporters,” as well as her fans.”Because of you and God, I’m standing right here,” Janet concluded her speech. “I wanna thank the AMAs for this honor, which I am humbly grateful. And last, but not least, keep God in every part of your life because that’s where he wants to be.”In addition to the Icon Award, Janet’s illustrious career includes five Grammy Awards, 11 Billboard Music Awards and 11 American Music Awards.The 2025 American Music Awards were hosted by Jennifer Lopez from the Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Monday.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Established 1980 Records/Fab Factory EntertainmentIt’s been seven years since Estelle dropped her last album, Lovers Rock, so she made sure to be intentional with her new release, Stay Alta.Speaking to New Wave Magazine about the process of creating the album, she says, “It was intense but intentional.””I take my time between records, talking about life and fully formed experiences,” she continues. “I don’t rush to put something out. This felt like the right time, and it came together naturally.”According to Estelle, most of Stay Alta was “recorded during the pandemic,” a time in which she was free. The songs were not “overthought” or “premeditated for a specific reaction—they were about having a good time.””After my last album, I had a life restructuring, not a breakdown, looking at my progress and legacy. I didn’t like repeating the same things, so I went to therapy, changed my approach, and found freedom,” she explains. “Every session was clear and dedicated, reflecting real change.”She shares that her hope for Stay Alta is to spread joy and light to everybody and simply remind people “who we are as humans.””We’re conditioned to live in negativity, but I don’t believe that. There’s more fun and life happening than we credit ourselves for,” Estelle says. “My intention is to touch people’s light, rekindle it, whether through dancing or connecting to a different frequency.”Stay Alta is now available on streaming platforms.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Courtesy CBSThe 2025 American Music Awards, hosted by Jennifer Lopez, took place Monday night in Las Vegas. Billie Eilish was the top winner, taking home seven awards. Here’s the complete list of winners:Artist of the year: Billie EilishNew artist of the year: Gracie AbramsAlbum of the year: Billie Eilish, HIT ME HARD AND SOFTSong of the year: Billie Eilish, “Birds of a Feather”Favorite touring artist: Billie EilishFavorite music video: Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile”Favorite male pop artist: Bruno MarsFavorite female pop artist: Billie EilishFavorite pop album: Billie Eilish, HIT ME HARD AND SOFTFavorite pop song: Billie Eilish, “Birds of a Feather”Favorite male country artist: Post MaloneFavorite female country artist: BeyoncéFavorite country duo or group: Dan + ShayFavorite country album: Beyoncé, COWBOY CARTERFavorite country song: Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen, “I Had Some Help”Favorite male hip-hop artist: EminemFavorite female hip-hop artist: Megan Thee StallionFavorite hip-hop album: Eminem, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)Favorite hip-hop song: Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”Favorite male R&B artist: The WeekndFavorite female R&B artist: SZAFavorite R&B album: The Weeknd, Hurry Up TomorrowFavorite R&B song: SZA, “Saturn”Favorite male Latin artist: Bad BunnyFavorite female Latin artist: Becky GFavorite Latin duo or group: Julión Álvarez y su Norteño BandaFavorite Latin album: Bad Bunny, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToSFavorite Latin song: Shakira, “Soltera”Favorite rock artist: Twenty One PilotsFavorite rock album: Twenty One Pilots, ClancyFavorite rock song: Linkin Park, “The Emptiness Machine”Favorite dance/electronic artist: Lady GagaFavorite soundtrack: Arcane League of Legends: Season 2Favorite Afrobeats artist: TylaFavorite K-pop artist: RMCollaboration of the year: Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, “Die with a Smile”Social song of the year: Doechii, “Anxiety”Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Burna Boy has released a new song featuring Travis Scott called “TaTaTa,” along with its music video. It will be featured on a new album, No Sign of Weakness, which will find “Burna Boy’s larger-than-life charisma and unmistakable fusion of global influences with melodic pop sensibility.” No Sign of Weakness arrives July 10.Bossman Dlow’s Dlow Curry album has expanded. The just-released deluxe version features eight new tracks, including “Hit” featuring Gucci Mane, “Money Talks,” “Sum Out of Nun” and “Get Stretched.”Fredo Bang’s The Bing Bang is out, with appearances from Loe Shimmy, Buju Banton, Skilla Baby and more. He released the music video for “Won’t Be Lonely,” which is on YouTube.   Estelle sings about personal transformation and self-liberation on Stay Alta, her first album in seven years. “Stay Alta is about remembering who you are, rising above the noise, and choosing joy — even when it’s hard. Stay Alta is a celebration of transformation — of letting go, of returning to self, and of honoring the power in starting over,” she says.”JAN. 31st (my truth)” is YFN Lucci’s first song since being released from prison. It’s a vulnerable one that captures “his first thoughts and feelings as a free man” and “unveils a new chapter where vulnerability reigns supreme—no matter how uncomfortable the truth,” per a press release, according to HotNewHipHop.G-Eazy is “celebrating the highs of love and life as well as how fleeting those moments and feelings can sometimes be” on his new album, Helium. “Parties don’t last forever, love sometimes fades, and balloons don’t fly forever. But it’s all a part of life and in the end it’s worth it all,” he previously wrote on Instagram.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by Prince Williams/WireImageEstranged couple Remy Ma and Papoose are bumping heads on social media about alleged infidelity, the holdup for their divorce and more.The exchange was prompted by an interview Pap’s girlfriend, Claressa Shields, had done on The Breakfast Club. She said Pap has to handle some things in his marriage before they go through with their plans to start a family and build a home together. She also noted that she has no ill will toward the rapper.The interview prompted a response from Remy, who took issue with the fact that her name was mentioned. She claimed Pap wouldn’t sign their divorce papers because he couldn’t afford to retain a lawyer and said he wouldn’t pick up his things from her home.Pap responded, alleging she cheated on him multiple times after her prison release and tried to get back with him just a few days ago. He also claimed he was the one who wrote the majority of her lyrics and shared proof that he filed for divorce.”Every time your come up mentions me, says anything or do anything that I don’t like, Ima drag you and every time you bring your girly self on here saying something, I’ma drag you,” Remy said as part of her response, before sharing screenshots of their texts to prove she didn’t attempt to rekindle things with Pap.Claressa even entered the chat, noting among other things that she and Pap have “been living our best life since mid-August last year.” Responding to Remy’s request for her to “refrain from speaking,” she wrote, “Imma say what the f*** I want to say!”She then returned her focus to promoting her July 26 boxing match.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Parkwood EntertainmentNew York and New Jersey, it’s your turn to witness the Cowboy Carter tour: Beyoncé kicked off a five-night run at MetLife Stadium Thursday.She took the stage for nearly three hours, bringing to life the Recording Academy’s choice for album of the year with line-dance stage moves, a star-shaped stage and more. She also performed other hits from her discography, including the Renaissance cut “Thique,” “Crazy In Love,” “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” and “Irreplaceable.”As with other shows from the Cowboy Carter tour, her daughter Blue Ivy was one of the many dancers. Rumi later joined the crew for the song on which she’s featured: “Protector.”A press release from Live Nation reports Queen Bey now has the most shows ever performed at MetLife on a single tour for a solo artist. Following her time at the stadium, she’ll move on to London, Paris, her native Houston, D.C., Atlanta and finally Las Vegas.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Rebel/Geffen RecordsRob49 has a new album out, and it’s called Let Me Fly. It’s the follow-up to his 2023 album, 4 God II, and finds him trusting and leaning into himself more.”I just wanted to be myself for real,” he says of the just-released project. “4 God II, it did good, but I felt like I was listening to the people a lot about the songs I was picking and stuff. This time, no one has say so but me.”He adds he feels “no pressure” to take it to the next level with the album, but rather the desire to “go hard.””Right now, we don’t have to come out with a fake rollout. The songs are going up for real — it’s not a game. Right now, I feel like I gotta show you [who I am], because a lot of people hold they nuts. You not gonna be able to hold your nuts this year,” Rob says.Let Me Fly features 19 tracks, including “JetWifi” featuring Birdman, who he says taught him to “just go hard,” “don’t let up, don’t take [his success] for granted.” It’s also home to “WTHelly,” a song that has gone viral just as much as variations of the term. “I knew it was gonna be good, but I was kinda scared,” Rob says of the song’s success. “A lot of the other releases I had, I was kinda thinkin’, ‘Oh this is gonna be it!’ and it was not what it was supposed to be. I was scared [‘WTHelly’] was gonna be one of them ones. I’m grateful for it [catching on].”Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for EMPIREMozzy is working on the sequel to the Intrusive Thoughts album. He tells Billboard the project will similarly delve into the trials and tribulations of his life, this time going a bit deeper.He explains there will be “more detail” and emotion. In terms of features, he teases, “You know I’m comin’ with my thugs.”Intrusive Thoughts was released in April and finds Mozzy doing a bit of self-reflection that he hopes could help his young fans in some way.“I would appreciate if the youth got some good game up out of it and utilized it through the gangsta s*** that they gotta endure,” he say. “I done seen a lot of young throw they life away. That s*** heartbreaking and disappointing. So if I can throw a n**** an alley oop and he can cram it and push for it off of that, I’m gonna throw it every time.”Asked if it’s “emotionally taxing” to rap about dark and intense situations in his music, Mozzy tells Billboard it “most definitely” is.”But it’s also helped with the healing process,” he adds. “I just wrote a bar the other day: ‘I think of Skeemo every day, because I’m still grieving,’ and he had died a couple of years ago. I’m able to identify that through the music. It naturally ooze out of me — and when I get to reflecting on what I was really saying in that booth, I can hear that pain, that trauma. So I think it’s very therapeutic.”There’s no word on when Intrusive Thoughts 2 will arrive.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/WireImageLedisi will be hitting the road Saturday, embarking on her Love You Too tour. It’s her first tour since she performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing” at the Super Bowl, a moment she never saw for herself.”It was not [on] the wish list, none of that. … I grew up with football, but never like, ‘Oh, you’re gonna go and sing one of the biggest stages one time in your life,'” she tells ABC Audio. She adds the icing on the cake was that she was performing the Black national anthem in her hometown of New Orleans.”I’m all about legacy,” Ledisi shares, noting she was carrying history, Black culture and her mother’s dreams at the Super Bowl. Though no stranger to the spotlight, she says it was different than her other performances.”The spotlight is hot. It was a different light,” Ledisi says. “It was bigger to me and it’s people I don’t know, and people beyond the screen you don’t about and you hope it works out.””I love that feeling that I had. I just still haven’t processed it,” she says of the performance. “It was overwhelming to come full circle in a career where I began, where I was born. To come right around, go all over the world … and then come right back to that moment. It’s great, it’s beautiful.”With Super Bowl performer now one of her many titles, Ledisi shares she’s “on places and platforms that I’ve never been.””They’re asking the questions before I get there, they’ve done their research,” she says. “I don’t have to explain who I am anymore at this point. And I’m walking in my own lane, I’m not trying to prove anything.”Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images for Sean “Diddy” CombsThis story may contain accounts and descriptions of actual or alleged events that some readers may find disturbing.During Sean Combs’ trial Thursday, makeup artist Mylah Morales testified that it was Grammy weekend 2010 when she returned to the Beverly Hills Hotel after a night out with Cassie Ventura.According to her testimony, Morales fell asleep on the couch but “woke up to a little bit of commotion.” Morales told the court that Ventura walked in and headed into the bedroom and Combs entered a moment later.“Where the f*** is she?” Morales testified an angry Combs asked.Morales told the court that Combs walked into the bedroom and shut the door. Morales testified that she then heard “yelling and screaming” before Combs allegedly opened the bedroom door and stormed out of the suite. “I was just frantic and I didn’t know what to do,” Morales testified. “She had a swollen eye and busted lip and knots on her head,” referring to Ventura.Morales, who testified that she first met Ventura when she was 16 years old, told the court that she took Ventura to her house, where she stayed a few days to recover.“My friend, who’s a doctor, a medical doctor, I asked him to come the next day to make sure she didn’t have a concussion,” Morales testified. Morales told the court that the doctor suggested Ventura be taken to the emergency room but “it was her wishes not to go to the ER.”Asked why Morales did not insist that Ventura go, Morales replied, “We were very afraid.” She testified they were “afraid of Sean.”“I feared for my life,” Morales told the court.Morales and Ventura never again spoke about the alleged incident at the Beverly Hills Hotel, according to Morales’ testimony.The general manager of the L’Ermitage Beverly Hills hotel also took the stand Thursday, showing the jury a reservations log with entries that indicated Combs had stayed at the hotel several times.The log included several of the aliases that previous witnesses have testified Combs used, including Frank Black and Frank White.The general hotel manager, Frederic Zemmour, said guest profiles include notes. Combs’ guest profile note, which was shown to the jury, included the following: “Always spills candle wax on everything and uses excessive amounts of oil, place room out of order upon departure for deep cleaning.”The note also instructed reservation takers to authorize an extra $1,000 to cover room damages when Combs stayed at the hotel.Housekeeping was instructed to put fruit and chocolate in Combs’ room and keep the thermostat at 75 degrees, according to Zemmour’s testimony, and to spray air freshener outside any room in which Combs stayed.Testimony concluded for the week with an agent from Homeland Security Investigations who conducted data extraction from three laptop computers that belonged to Ventura.One of the laptops allegedly included a user profile for Frank Black, an alias used by Combs.Court is now adjourned until Tuesday.Tune in to Bad Rap: The Case Against Diddy twice weekly for real-time updates on the trial.If you are affected by abuse and needing support, or know someone who is, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). You can also chat online at thehotline.org or online.rainn.org, respectively.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by Unique Nicole/Getty ImagesDuring a recent stop on her Matriarch book tour, Tina discussed the moment Bey brought her onstage at SoFi Stadium to congratulate her for having a New York Times bestseller, specifically explaining why she stopped Rumi from reaching up toward Bey.”People have written all kinds of narratives about it, but actually it was real. I mean it’s real life, you know? Grandmas don’t play,” she said, according to People. “No, it really wasn’t that. It was just that she was reaching for the mic because she wanted to say something, and I realized that, but she was pulling, and I was like, ‘Oh God. That’s all that needs to happen is the mic hits her in the face, and they say Beyoncé hit her in the face with the mic.'”Tina was praised in a “special” moment she shared onstage with Bey, Rumi and Blue Ivy in Los Angeles. She said it “was actually fun, it was exciting” to be front and center instead of “behind the stage.”With Rumi adjusting to the spotlight on the Cowboy Carter trek, Tina says her granddaughter is feeling pretty mighty.“You know my granddaughter Rumi told me, I said, ‘How do you feel when you wave and everybody screams,’” Tina recalled, according to E! News. “She said, ‘It feels powerful.’ I was like, ‘Oh. I see what you mean.’” The next stop on the Cowboy Carter Tour is New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, where Bey will perform on May 22, May 24, May 25, May 28 and May 29.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by John Lamparski/Getty ImagesThis story may contain accounts and descriptions of actual or alleged events that some readers may find disturbing.Scott Mescudi aka rapper Kid Cudi took the witness stand Thursday in the sex trafficking and racketeering trial again Sean “Diddy” Combs.He testified about an alleged break-in at his home in December 2011, when he was in a romantic relationship with Cassie Ventura while she was still in a relationship with Combs.“I got a call from Cassie around 5:30-6 a.m. She told me that Sean Combs had found out about us. I was confused but she asked me to pick her up. She sounded really stressed on the phone, scared, nervous. So I went to go pick her up,” Mescudi testified.Mescudi told the court that he took Ventura to the Sunset Marquis hotel, where, he testified, Combs’ assistant called, informing him that “Sean Combs was in my house” and she “was forced to go along,” referring to the assistant.Mescudi testified that he drove to his house at the time and called Combs while on the way, asking him if he was in his house and requesting to talk.When he arrived at home, Mescudi testified that he saw “some gifts I had bought for my family were opened” and that his “dog was locked up in my bathroom.” Mescudi said he again called Combs and asked where he was.Mescudi testified that he thought, “I don’t know who he has with him, what his intentions are” so he opted to call the police, who came to the house and took a report about the break-in.Mescudi also told the court that in 2012 he received an early-morning phone call that “my car was on fire.” The jury saw photos of Mescudi’s damaged Porsche, including the blackened interior door and the charred, melted driver’s seat.Arson is among the predicate acts in the racketeering conspiracy count Combs faces. Ventura previously testified that Combs allegedly threatened to have Cudi’s car blown up after learning of her relationship with him.Mescudi testified that he and Combs arranged to meet at the SoHo House social club in Los Angeles, where he saw Combs “standing there staring out the window with his hands behind his back, like a Marvel supervillain.””We discussed the whole story about how me and Cassie first started to date to what it was to how it ended,” Mescudi testified.Mescudi told the court that Combs’ demeanor during their meeting was “very calm,” which Mescudi found “off-putting.”Mescudi testified that when the meeting ended, they shook hands and he asked, “What are we going to do about my car?’”“He looked right back at me, very cold stare, and said, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’’’ Mescudi told the court.Mescudi testified that he withdrew his hand, whereupon Combs asked, “I thought we were cool. Do we have a problem?” Mescudi testified that he confirmed that Combs was giving his word that he didn’t burn his car.Mescudi told the jury that he thought Combs “was lying” when he claimed not to know about the firebombing of his car.Mescudi told the court that a couple of years later, he saw Combs again at the SoHo House in Los Angeles and Combs apologized “for everything, all that b*******.’”“After I got the apology I found peace with it. That was the last thing I was suspecting to get from him,” Mescudi testified.On cross-examination, Mescudi testified that Ventura told him about Combs’ alleged physical abuse but did not mention sexual abuse.On re-direct examination, Mescudi testified that Ventura told him that Combs “would hit her, sometimes kick her.”Mescudi told the court that he and Ventura broke up because “things were getting out of hand,” and that he felt concerned for his and her safety.“I knew Sean Combs was violent,” Mescudi testified, prompting an objection and a sidebar.Tune in to Bad Rap: The Case Against Diddy twice weekly for real-time updates on the trial.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Disney/Eric McCandlessChance the Rapper debuted a new song on the season finale of The Voice, where he served as coach for the 23rd and 25th seasons.”Space and Time” finds Chance reflecting on how he’s grown with the space and time he’s had since leaving a situation and how he wants that growth to be seen.”I grew tall overnight, I woke up one day a man/ Walked back by the crib/ Where we would one day raise a fam,” Chance sings in the first verse of the song. “I’d been around the world/ Done all the things I can/ I’m a giant now, I can’t wait ’til you see how big I am.””Space and Time” will appear on Chance’s upcoming Star Line album, which fans who book his Airbnb experience will get a chance to preview. There, he’ll bring guests along on multisensory journey into his project, featuring visuals, a live performance and an opportunity to ask him about the making of Star Line. More information can be found on airbnb.com.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

ABC/Randy HolmesCardi B may have fans waiting for her sophomore album, but her cultural influence has not gone unnoticed. She is set to receive the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Culture Award at a private event June 8 in LA.“Cardi B has left an indelible mark on the culture of hip-hop by redefining and challenging the norms for women,” Paul Williams, ASCAP chairman and president, said in a statement. “Having broken through countless barriers with her unapologetic authenticity and talent, she continues to use her voice to advocate for and inspire others, a true testament to her undeniable impact.”Cardi has won several ASCAP awards over the years, including back-to-back wins in the ASCAP rhythm & soul songwriter of the year category. She was the first woman in history to receive the award two years in a row.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.