Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty ImagesBobby Shmurda canceled his Still Alive Tour a week before its start and apologized to fans on social media while suggesting the cancellation was caused by promotion issues. “I have to go through lawsuits with these guys … that I knew better to do business with,” he wrote. “let this be a life lesson to all business owners and affiliate .Don’t leave nothing in no one hands don’t matter how much you gotta work. Nobody’s gonna treat your work like it’s you except if you got a top pause, done expert,, but that happens once in a blue moon because you have money does not make you a boss.”He continued, “I apologize again to all of my fans I might have to go through some lawsuits and lawyer fee money a.k.a. The industry most wanted ain’t nothing new I been fighting.”Bobby also shared screenshots of his argument with Oakstreet Media CEO Sergio Patillo and Halo Touring booking agent Philip Stengel, who claimed the real reason the tour was canceled was poor ticket sales.”Let’s be clear: the tour was canceled because average ticket sales across markets were 10 per city. That’s not viable under any circumstances-no matter the artist or budget,” Stengel said, sharing screenshots of Bobby’s ticket sales in D.C., Hampton and Denver in an Instagram Story.“Bobby Shmurda chose to publicly vent rather than acknowledge performance metrics. His frustration is understood, but the numbers don’t lie. The problem wasn’t promotion-it was demand. This industry isn’t about emotion; it’s about execution. If 10 people are buying tickets, there’s no show. Period,” he continued. “This post was a distraction. The facts are the facts.”Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty ImagesThe 2025 edition of the Blue Note Jazz Festival has been announced, complete with a date, location and a star-studded lineup. Set for Aug. 29-31 at The Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa, California, the event will feature headliners The Roots, Jazmine Sullivan, artist-in-residence Robert Glasper and a mystery guest.Others tapped to entertain fans with performances include Questlove, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Anthony Hamilton, Willow, DJ D-Nice featuring Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane featuring Talib Kweli and Lupe Fiasco. D-Nice, Questlove, Jazzy Jeff and Talib will also curate the vibe at the afterparty, alongside Bryan-Michael Cox and Jahi Sundance. Sway and Heather B. will serve as MCs, with Affion Crockett, Deon Cole and Sam Jay set to make an appearance.“Black Radio Experience and Robtober are the platforms I use to bring all my favorite artists and collaborators together as one big family reunion and this year is no different!” Glasper said in a statement, per Uproxx. “I’m honored to be part of such an amazing community and bring that community back together for another dope weekend in Napa.”Tickets for the Blue Note Jazz Festival go on sale via presale Wednesday, with general tickets going on sale Friday at 12 p.m. ET. More information can be found onbluenotejazz.com/black-radio-experience/.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

SZA revealed she owes Beyoncé some money when she commented on a post claiming Bey gives credit to anyone who steps in the studio as she’s making music. “I literally owe her half my publishing off interpolation alone on SOS and she never pressed me lmao,” SZA wrote in response to influencer Zuhaila Jama’s post. She then called Beyoncé “a generous QUEEN.” SZA’s SOS title track interpolates Queen Bey’s Dreamgirls track “Listen.”Speaking of Beyoncé, her Cowboy Carter tour has positively impacted her album sales. Renaissance jumped from #8 to #5 on the Top Dance Albums chart in the April 25-May 1 tracking week, according to Luminate. Her general catalog garnered 57 million U.S. streams during the tracking, an 18% increase from the week prior. Cowboy Carter benefited the most, seeing a 73% increase in units, which brought it from #193 to #64 on the Billboard 200.Young Thug’s Uy Scuti album will be coming out soon. In a video of fans asking him when he’d be releasing the project, he simply responded, “June.”Playboi Carti did not attend the 2025 Met Gala, but it’s not because he didn’t want to. In a post shared to Instagram, he wrote, “MET GALA BANNED ME FELT LIKE WE GOT KICKED OUT OF PROM BUT WE GOOD [GIO] WITH ME IM A HAPPY MAN F*** EM,” he wrote.David Oyelowo says his kids don’t think he’s cool. “I’m transitioning into full-on uncoolness,” he recently said on The Jennifer Hudson Show. “I was cool for so, so long and this was really typified the other day. My son is in the music scene, I’m not … and I made the mistake the other day of seeing this word on my phone and saying, ‘What’s a Doechii?’ And they went, ‘Like Doechii?’” Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by Theo Wargo/FilmMagicA$AP Rocky has a lot on his plate: he recently served as a co-chair for the 2025 Met Gala; he’s in the headlines for expecting his third baby with Rihanna; and he’s featured in the teaser trailer for the upcoming movie Highest 2 Lowest. In the Spike Lee-directed film, he acts opposite Denzel Washington, which he says was a “dream come true.””It was difficult to not fan the f*** out every millisecond of the f****** duration. It was crazy — it’s f****** Denzel, man,” he tells Variety. He notes Denzel was in Malcolm X, one of the first movies he ever loved. “I don’t give a f*** how successful [I am]: I’m always gonna be a student and a fan of certain people, and I’m always going to give them their flowers. I’m never going to be too big to be able to say that I had to hold my composure from not fanning out.”As big as the moment was, Rocky says he wasn’t at all nervous to work with Denzel. “I was born for this. I’m not gonna waste nobody’s time,” he says. “This is what I do — this is the same approach you would take to making an album or to directing or designing anything: You’ve got to give it your all.”Highest 2 Lowest will premiere at Cannes Film Festival, featuring Rocky as Yung Felon, an aspiring rapper trying to get noticed by a music mogul (Washington). He says the film was his “only escape” during his gun assault trial and similarly included a courtroom reckoning that allowed him to “embody the character so well.”He explains, “I was able to act like a piece of s*** who was going away for a long time but didn’t realize the consequences, because in real life, I knew exactly what the consequences felt like.”Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by Bennett Raglin/BET/Getty Images for BETIn honor of the 25th anniversary of the BET Awards, the annual celebration will include a tribute to its music video countdown show 106 & Park. Former hosts Free and AJ Calloway will reunite onstage with Julissa Bermudez, Keshia Chanté, Rocsi Diaz and Terrence J, who subsequently took control of the reins. There will be also performances from Amerie, B2K, Jim Jones, Mya, T.I. and of course Mr. 106 & Park himself, Bow Wow.106 & Park will also be celebrated with events taking place during the BET Experience Fan Fest, including a Freestyle Friday Battle on June 7 and June 8. A recreation of the set complete with photo ops will go down June 8 with former hosts looking back on their favorite moments. On June 9, Terrence J will host the Red Carpet preshow, which will feature its own set of freestyle battles, throwback performances and an exclusive world premiere music video.“106 & Park was more than just a music countdown show; it was the heartbeat of Black youth culture and one of the highest-rated BET programs for over a decade,” BET President Scott Mills said in a statement. “From Freestyle Friday to unforgettable live performances, it launched careers, influenced fashion, and became a platform where voices, style, and sound converged. 106 & Park both celebrated and fueled many of the most important musical and culture evolutions that occurred during its two-and-a-half-decade tenure.”The 25th annual BET Awards will air live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on June 9 at 8 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Roots Picnic Pride is returning to Philadelphia for a second year, continuing its mission to celebrate Black and queer artists and community. A partnership between Houses of Luv and the vice president of Philly Black Pride, Jacen Bowman, the event will kick off May 30 with a pre-event, followed by an on-site ballroom showcase on May 31, where Bowman will serve as commentator for a vogue performance competition. Roots Picnic Pride will kick off the annual Roots Picnic festival, happening May 31 and June 1, and featuring performances by Lenny Kravitz, D’Angelo, Latto, Tems, GloRilla, Kaytranada and more.”We are incredibly excited to bring Roots Picnic Pride back for the second year, expanding our celebration to include the dynamic world of ballroom,” said James June, Houses of Luv founder and Live Nation Urban creative lead. “Collaborating with Jacen for Philly Black Pride helps us to further amplify LGBTQ+ artists and culture, creating a powerful platform for visibility and celebration. I’m also thankful for having allies at Live Nation Urban for championing this community.””I’m beyond thrilled to be part of Roots Picnic Pride again,” Bowman adds. “This year, we’re bringing the energy of the ballroom scene directly to the festival, showcasing the incredible talent and artistry within our community. This is not just a competition; it’s a celebration of our culture, our strength, and our undeniable style. We’re making history by highlighting the art of vogue on such a prominent stage.”Tickets for the Roots Picnic are currently on sale.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

BET+Tyler Perry’s creative juices continue to flow, as he has a new show making its way to BET. Titled Divorce Sistas, it follows the sisterhood of close friend Rasheda, Geneva, Naomi, Tiffany and Bridgette, who go through challenges in their circle while dealing with the highs and lows of their respective love lives.Tyler created, wrote, directed and executive produced the new series, which expands on the Sistas universe. He got help from the ensemble cast, which features LeToya Luckett, Khadeen Indréa Ellis, Porscha Coleman, Briana Price, Jennifer Sears, RonReaco Lee, DeVon Franklin, Donovan Christie Jr. and Robert Christopher Riley.The show is set to premiere on the day of the BET Awards, June 9, and will be available to stream the following day on BET+.The news of the show arrives days after Khadeen, a social media influencer, author, host and one-half of the new podcast Ellis Ever After, teased she’d be getting into her acting bag.”I’ve taken the last just about 15 years of life to grow our family,” she told ABC Audio. “That’s roughly 15 years of having a baby, getting back, starting to work again, having a baby, getting back, having a baby, getting back. That was four times. So I am looking forward to getting back into my acting bags more consistently. And maybe that’s what happened this year. Y’all are gonna have to stay tuned to see what I have next. But this is something that I’ve been trying to do and wanting to do for some time.””I might have stumbled on an opportunity. So let’s just say all the years of investing in the family, but also going to school for performance and all, it’s going to come to fruition for me soon,” she continued. “I’ve never felt so alive in a professional space till this moment.”Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagicKehlani’s pro-Palestinian stance has gotten her nixed from yet another headlining concert. Her June 26 performance at New York’s SummerStage in honor of Pride month was canceled following pressure from Mayor Eric Adams and his team, as well as potential security concerns that could arise if Kehlani stayed on the bill.”We have been notified by the Mayor’s Office that they have concerns for security and safety issues regarding the June 26 Kehlani concert, produced and presented at Live Nation,” read a statement from SummerStage. “Those concerns are due to the controversy surrounding Cornell University’s decision to cancel Kehlani’s concert at the University, as well as security demands in Central Park and throughout the City for other Pride events during that same time period.””We strongly and emphatically believe in artistic expression of all kinds,” it continued. “However, the safety and security of our guests and artists is of the utmost importance and in light of these concerts, the concert has been cancelled.”Kehlani responded to the news on her Instagram Story, saying she learned of the cancellation via SummerStage’s Instagram post.“I’m so deeply grounded in my purpose, my mission, my art, my contribution,” she wrote in another Story. “Back to this album. See you this weekend LA!”The SummerStage concert marks the singer’s second publicly known show to be canceled due to her support of Palestine, following Cornell University’s decision to drop her from its Slope Day lineup. She has also claimed her pro-Palestinian stance has resulted in other canceled opportunities.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Disney/Gilles MingassonQuinta Brunson is being honored with the key to the city of Philadelphia.ABC and the city of Philadelphia made the announcement about Brunson’s honor on Tuesday. The Emmy-winning creator and star of Abbott Elementary will be presented with the key as part of a celebration what will take place at Andrew Hamilton School, the elementary school she attended as a child, on May 28.“I am so grateful to be receiving the key to my hometown, Philly. This city shaped me—and now I get to give back with a mural that celebrates all it gave me. I am truly honored,” Brunson said in a press release.Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker will present Brunson with the key at the special event, which will also include the dedication of an original mural to Andrew Hamilton School.The mural, called “Blooming Futures,” was designed by Philadelphia-based artist Athena Scott. It was created with input by students and staff from Andrew Hamilton School. Brunson spearheaded the mural, which features an allegory of the school as a garden that helps its students to blossom and grow.It was made in association with Mural Arts Philadelphia, an organization dedicated to arts education and uniting creative individuals with their community. Brunson featured Mural Arts Philadelphia in season 2 of Abbott Elementary.“The City of Philadelphia is beyond grateful to have someone as inspiring and compassionate as Quinta Brunson,” Parker said. “She doesn’t just represent the spirit of Philadelphia on television, she brings her success home and shares it with the city that loves her back.”Abbott Elementary has aired for four seasons and has been renewed for a fifth. It has been nominated for 24 Emmys and won four.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Epic RecordsAndré 3000 wore a piano on his back as part of his Met Gala look, and it turns out it was all by design. Shortly after walking the blue carpet Monday, he released a collection of piano instrumentals titled 7 piano sketches. The album was recorded nearly a decade ago, when he was staying in Texas with his son in a house that only had a piano, beds and TV screens, with no other furniture.”These piano pieces weren’t recorded with the intention of presenting them in any formal way to the public. They were personal, at home recordings. I would sometimes text them to my family and friends,” Three Stacks wrote on Instagram. “Pardon the sound quality, they were all recorded with my iPhone sitting directly on the piano or my laptop microphone with the exception of ‘Blueberries’. (recorded in studio).”He jokes that the album, recorded before his latest, New Blue Sun, was supposed to be called The Best Worst Rap Album In History, sharing part of the original liner notes.“It’s jokingly the worst rap album in history because there are no lyrics on it at all,” the liner notes read. “It’s the best because it’s the free-est emotionally and best I’ve felt personally. It’s the best because it’s like a palette [sic] cleanser for me.”Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty ImagesRihanna was fashionably late to the Met Gala on Monday, arriving on the blue carpet after many livestreams had already come to an end. She arrived wearing a black cropped jacket, bustier bodysuit, a pinstripe skirt with a train, a satin polka dot cravat, a hat and black-and-white pumps, all courtesy of Marc Jacobs. Her biggest accessory was perhaps her baby bump, confirming the pregnancy many had learned of just hours earlier.”I feel a lot better that I don’t have to suck my stomach in anymore,” she told House Guest’s Scott Evans of the reveal. She also discussed how it felt being at the Met pregnant, telling Entertainment Tonight, “I’m good. I’m shockingly feeling OK and not too overwhelmed at the moment. I mean, at first, it was kinda like, ‘Ah!’ And I’m tired, but then I’m excited.”Rih then changed for the after-party, switching into a black ruffled blouse that exposed her belly, an oversized blazer and a black maxi skirt with a leather overlay, cut-outs and lace details, which she completed with a black lace bandana and black lace-up Christian Louboutin pumps.With her third child with A$AP Rocky on the way, Rih tells concerned fans her pregnancy will not further delay the release of her long-awaited R9 album. She claims she’ll “maybe [drop] a couple videos,” adding, “I can sing!”Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Dalvin AdamsDewayne Perkins is conversant with being a Black man in Hollywood, so much so he’s taken from his experience to pour into Tyler, his character on the Apple TV+ show The Studio. Tyler is the head of publicity at Continental Studios, led by Seth Rogen’s Matt Remick, and contributes to the team’s marketing ideas. In episode seven, he’s called on to share his opinion on whether casting Ice Cube as the star in a Kool-Aid movie is racist. Dewayne says his character is the token Black person, a role he can identify with.”There was a Q&A that we did during press where they asked me like how do I relate to my character, Tyler, and I was like, Tyler is the token Black person. I’ve been and I feel like that in a meta way really reflects Hollywood because I’ve definitely been the token Black person in quite a few jobs and just the idea being like, ‘Well I’m happy to be here.’ Also, if you gonna have one Black person, it should be me. Give me that check. Stop playing,” he joked with ABC Audio. “And so that’s something that I brought into the character, and if that episode in particular is one that really leans into that, and I think it’s very funny.”With experience both on the screen and behind the scenes as a writer, Dewayne says it’s also a true depiction of what happens behind the scenes.He shares, “I’ve been behind the curtain now being on the writing side of it and so I think … there’s a lot of truth to The Studio in a way that I really find funny now that I know the inside baseball of it all,” he shares.A new episode airs on Wednesday.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Cindy Ord/WireImage/Getty ImagesRihanna is expecting baby No. 3.The singer’s baby news was confirmed Monday night at the 2025 Met Gala by her partner, rapper A$AP Rocky.”It feels amazing, you know,” A$AP Rocky told reporters after they congratulated him following media reports that the couple was expecting their third child, according to The Associated Press. “It’s time that we show the people what we was cooking up, and I’m glad everybody’s happy for us, ’cause we definitely happy, you know.”Rihanna was spotted by paparazzi earlier on Monday wearing a fitted midi skirt and matching top, strategically concealing her belly with what looked like a fur coat as she entered a hotel lobby ahead of the gala.Celebrity photographer Miles Diggs also shared a photo of the star walking amongst cars in the rain showing off her bump. He captioned the photo “Chance of showers,” tagging Rihanna in the post.This is Rihanna’s third child with A$AP Rocky.They previously welcomed son RZA in May 2022 and son Riot in August 2023.ABC News has reached out to Rihanna’s representative for comment.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

John Legend helped to make A.J. Brown’s proposal to girlfriend Kelsey Riley special. He performed live on piano as the Philadelphia Eagles star popped the question at the Four Seasons in Philadelphia. After the couple shared the news to Instagram, Legend commented, “Congratulations to you both. Thank you for including me.”Kevin Gates has scheduled 36 dates for his national The Amilio Tour, kicking off Oct. 1 in Boston and ending Nov. 23 in Riverside, California. Brooklyn, Cleveland, Nashville, Orlando and Chicago are among the cities he’s visiting. Presales start as early as Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET, with the general sale kicking off Friday at 10 a.m. local time at breadwinneralumni.com.Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther” hasn’t left the #1 spot on Billboard Hot 100. With its 11th consecutive week atop the list, the song is in a tie with “I’ll Be Missing You” by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112 for most weeks on top of the Hot 100 for duets co-billed by lead male and female acts. “Luther” is also #1 on Radio Songs for a fifth week, and atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts for a 19th week.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by Harry How/Getty ImagesLeBron James is benching himself ahead of this year’s Met Gala.The NBA star, an honorary chair of this year’s star-studded event, announced on social platform X Monday that he won’t be attending due to a knee injury.”Unfortunately because of my knee injury I sustained at the end of the season I won’t be able to attend the Met Gala in NY tonight as so many people have been asking and congratulating me on!” he said.He added, “Hate to miss an historical event!”James ended his message by saying that his wife, Savannah James, will be there to represent him.During Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference first-round playoff series on April 30, James subbed out after Wolves guard Donte DiVincenzo collided with James’ left knee on the court, according to ESPN.The following day, an MRI revealed that James suffered a grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee, according to ESPN.James was announced an honorary co-chair for the 2025 Met Gala in October 2024.At the time, Vogue also announced Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams and Anna Wintour as co-chairs.This year’s Met Gala exhibition and theme is “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.”In an Instagram post, Vogue described this year’s theme as “examining the importance of clothing and style to the formation of Black identities in the Atlantic diaspora” with the Black dandy as its subject.This year’s dress code is “Tailored for You,” which is “a nod to the exhibition’s focus on suiting and menswear, from specific silhouettes to various fabrics and accessories — that is purposefully designed to both provide guidance and invite creative interpretation,” according to a press release.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Parkwood EntertainmentBeyoncé has changed a visual for her tour, removing an image of the Sphere in the Las Vegas.In the original clip of her “Attack of the 400 Foot Cowboy” interlude video, she’s seen walking through Sin City and stopping in front of the Sphere, which she picks it up, taps it and brings it along with her. The new promo clip sees Bey instead walking away with a visual of the Allegiant Stadium. The caption of the post shared to Bey’s Parkwood Entertainment account reads, “What happens in Vegas starts with a BANG.” The change in Bey’s tour visual arrives on the heels of reports that she received a cease-and-desist from the owner of the Sphere. According to the New York Post, she was asked to refrain from posting the imagery, as it was used without permission and “resulted in significant speculation that Beyoncé will end her tour with a Sphere residency.” Bey was reportedly given a deadline of Monday to stop using the Sphere’s imagery and finalized the details by Sunday night, when fans got the first look at the updated visual. Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Boost Mobile/The Volume/Roc NationFrom the world of hip-hop, Fat Joe and Jadakiss are entering the podcasting universe. In their new podcast, Joe & Jada, the two will discuss music, culture and sports, with occasional help from athletes, actors and celebrities.“My brother Jadakiss and I will be delivering a podcast experience like none other,” Joe said in a statement. “We’re both passionate and opinionated about music, sports, entertainment and culture, so you can definitely expect to get unfiltered analysis, versatile interviews and untold stories. We’re coming to shake up the podcast game and set a new blueprint.”“I’m looking forward to teaming up with Joe on this podcast and showing another side of my personality,” Jadakiss added. “We’ve been friends for a long time, so we have the right chemistry and foundation to make this a really special show. Everyone is finally going to get to hear what we debate and discuss all the time behind the scenes.”Joe & Jada, a Roc Nation x The Volume production, launches this week; two new episodes will drop weekly on YouTube and all streaming platforms.The news arrives as Joe mourns the loss of his mother, Marie Cartagena.“Rest in peace to the woman who brought me in this world,” Joe wrote on Instagram Saturday. “She didn’t have much but she gave us everything.””Anyone who knows my Mom knows she had a heart of gold…She loved her community, she loved her people, Ms Ruby the Terror Squad Queen,” he continued. Joe said she died of a broken heart after 60 years with his dad, Ernesto “Cuba” Cartagena, who passed away in February. “Mommy till i see you again you were my world, my heart, my everything,” he shared. “I’ll continue to make you proud.”Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Courtesy Marc JacobsThere are not one but two new Doja Cat tracks to check out this week.One, “Crack,” was originally recorded for her 2023 album, Scarlet, but didn’t make the final cut. However, fans have been asking for it since she previewed it on an Instagram Live in 2022. She’s finally made it available on her website as a free download for a limited time.Meanwhile, Doja stars in the new Marc Jacobs ad for the brand’s pre-fall 2025 campaign, Staycation. You can hear 30 seconds of a new song, “Jealous Type,” which will be featured on her upcoming album, Vie. In the ad, Doja hangs out on a fire escape, sunbathes at a construction site, has a spa moment at a bus stop and gets wet in the spray from a fire hydrant.”Being on vacation isn’t about where you go,” she says in a statement. “It’s about how you show up — whether you’re just enjoying the city or soaking up the sun at the beach. This Marc Jacobs campaign is about living life and serving looks. It couldn’t be a more perfect stage to preview my new music, where retro glam meets a little soul.”Speaking to ELLE about using “Jealous Type” in the campaign, Doja said, “It’s very sexy, the feeling of it visually. What we were doing was just quite girly. I think it’s very catered to the inner girl, the young girl. I think the song matches it really well because it feels quite pop.”Vie doesn’t have a release date, but in April Doja posted what seemed to be a track list for the project.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty ImagesCiara has a special gift for those who have supported her since the beginning of her career. In an Instagram post shared Sunday, she announced she’ll be dropping a new album, Cici, on which she’ll express gratitude for their yearslong love.”This album right here is my love letter. A celebration of the journey—and more importantly, a thank you to you, my Day 1s and Day 21s. You’ve stuck by me through every era, every evolution, and every independent leap of faith,” she wrote. “Let’s be real—being independent isn’t for the faint of heart, but y’all? Y’all gave me the courage to keep pushing, to keep dreaming, and to keep dancing like nobody’s watching (even though millions of you are, lol).””Truth is, this season of life has been about forging my own path and tapping deeper into my inner drive. No label, no limits—just full-on freedom and faith. It’s been a journey of unlearning, rebuilding, and reclaiming what success looks like on my own terms,” she continued, noting she feels like she is “just getting started.””This project took 5 years to build, and every beat, every lyric, every moment was made with intention—to lift you, to move you, to make you feel something,” Ciara adds. “Whether it’s a two-step in your kitchen or a soul-stirring scream-sing in the car—I just want to give you all the good feels.”Ciara’s post was shared alongside the cover art for CiCi, which finds her dressed in all black in front of a red background. She dons a 3D-printed breastplate, which she explains is her “armor” and a “symbol of the strength I’ve had to summon, the boundaries I’ve had to set, and the power I’ve learned to wear with pride.”CiCi is set to arrive July 11.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

A24Denzel Washington reteams with Spike Lee after nearly 20 years in the official teaser trailer for Highest 2 Lowest.A24 released the trailer for the new film from the Oscar-winning writer and director on Monday. In the teaser, Washington stars as a titan music mogul known for having the best ears in the business. When he “is targeted with a ransom plot, he is jammed up in a life-or-death moral dilemma,” according to the film’s official synopsis.”There’s more to life than just making money,” Washington says in the trailer. “There’s integrity, there’s what you stand for. There’s what you actually believe in. You believe in yourself, you believe you’ll be successful.”Highest 2 Lowest marks the fifth collaboration between Washington and Lee, who previously worked together on Mo’ Better Blues, Malcom X, He Got Game and Inside Man.This new film was written by William Alan Fox. It is a reinterpretation of renowned filmmaker Akira Kurosawa’s crime thriller High and Low, only now taking place in modern-day New York City.Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera and A$AP Rocky also star in the upcoming movie, which will have its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.Highest 2 Lowest arrives in theaters on Aug. 22 and will stream on Apple TV+ on Sept. 5. Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.