Prince Williams/WireImageJoseph “Fat Joe” Cartagena is being accused of sex trafficking, fraud and more in a new lawsuit brought by a former employee.The 157-page lawsuit was filed June 19 in the Southern District of New York by lawyer Tyrone Blackburn on behalf of Terrance “T. A.” Dixon, who says he worked with Cartagena for over 15 years from 2005 to 2020 as a “hype man,” “lyricist, background vocalist, security team member, and creative collaborator,” according to the suit.In the complaint, Dixon alleges Cartagena and his associates “systematically engaged in coercive labor exploitation, financial fraud, sexual manipulation, violent intimidation, and psychological coercion.” Dixon claims he “contributed lyrics, vocals, and creative direction” to several of Cartagena’s songs, including “Congratulations” and “Ice Cream,” “without recognition or fair compensation.”In addition to financial allegations, Dixon claims the rapper allegedly forced him “into humiliating situations, including sex acts performed under duress and surveillance” and allegedly threatened abandonment in foreign countries, job loss or physical harm if he didn’t comply, according to the complaint.The lawsuit also claims that Cartagena and his associates allegedly trafficked minors and psychologically groomed them, with Dixon claiming he “personally witnessed” Cartagena allegedly “engage in sexual relations with children who were fifteen and sixteen years old.”Given the nature of the allegations, a trigger warning was included at the top of the court document, noting it contains “highly graphic information of a sexual nature, including sexual assault.”Dixon is seeking over $2 million for “unpaid performance wages” as well as additional damages.When reached by ABC News, Cartagena’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, said Cartagena sued Dixon and lawyer Blackburn back in April alleging “extortion, slander and more.” He claimed Dixon’s lawsuit against his client was “a blatant act of retaliation.””The lawsuit filed by Tyrone Blackburn and Terrance Dixon is a blatant act of retaliation — a desperate attempt to deflect attention from the civil suit we filed first, which exposed their coordinated scheme to extort Mr. Cartagena through lies, threats, and manufactured allegations,” Tacopina said.Dixon and Blackburn have until June 23 to submit a response to the first lawsuit and a hearing for the case is scheduled to take place Aug. 1.Tacopina described Dixon as a “disgruntled former employee” and claimed Blackburn has “a pattern of abusing” the court system.”We didn’t just sue a disgruntled former employee trying to revive a false claim from 15 years ago — we sued the lawyer behind it all,” Tacopina continued. “Tyrone Blackburn has a well-documented pattern of abusing the courts to harass defendants and generate media attention.””Mr. Cartagena will not be intimidated,” he added. “We have taken legal action to expose this fraudulent campaign and hold everyone involved accountable.”In a statement to ABC News, Blackburn pushed back against Tacopina’s claims.”Joe [Tacopina] is desperate. He thought only of himself when he erroneously advised his client to take this course,” Blackburn said in part.He continued, “Fat Joe knows what he has done. My client was with him for nearly 20 years. My client does not do drugs, nor does he drink alcohol. His memory is perfect, and he has receipts. We have three additional pages of predicated acts, which detail trafficking of another sort. Joe [Tacopina] should better advise his client to do the smart thing.”Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Revolt TVOffset has released new music just in time for the summer. “Bodies” features J.I.D. and samples Drowning Pool’s 2001 song of the same name.“’Bodies’ is one of them ones I had to really take my time with. It’s about standing on who you are, coming out the mud, and being confident in the face of adversity. I’m always evolving, and I don’t fit in a box as an artist,” Offset says in a statement. “I’ve been cooking this up for a minute and I’m just getting started. J.I.D. is my guy and had the perfect energy to match ‘Bodies.’ Stay tuned because we going up.”The song is accompanied by a new music video filmed in LA and directed by Offset. It finds him performing by a desert runway as models strut their stuff down a red carpet, in front of a choir holding candles. He’s then seen sitting on a throne, where he receives his crown from his devotees. The video is available to watch on YouTube.(Video contains uncensored profanity.)Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

John Legend has added Las Vegas as a stop on his Get Lifted 20th Anniversary World Tour. He’ll be making his way to Sin City on Sept. 26 for a show taking place at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Tickets will go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. PT via ticketmaster.com.Joey Bada$$ and Serayah have welcomed their baby boy, as evidenced in a photo shared to Serayah’s Instagram Story. The snapshot captures her hand caressing her son’s little leg.  Megan Thee Stallion made an appearance on a recent episode of Love Island. While at the villa, she announced a twerk contest: All the ladies wore a piece from her Hot Girl Summer swimwear collection and received words of advice from the rapper. She also shared her thoughts on the contestants’ experience of finding love. “It’s so easy to watch people on TV and just forget that these are real human beings. These are real ladies, these are real women with real feelings,” she said.Future has entered the world of fragrance, releasing his first scent designed for women. SINSATIONAL was curated in France with executive Stephanie “Ms. J” Jester. They created a scent that “blends seductive florals with soft musks and addictive undertones to create an unforgettable signature,” according to The Source. “SINSATIONAL is about owning your power, your beauty, and authenticity, no matter who you are and what you’ve been through,” says Future, according to the publication. “It’s about always rising to the occasion to be your best self.” Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Disney/Randy HolmesHalle Bailey is getting candid about motherhood, postpartum depression, her appearance and more in a new song titled “Braveface.”“Sittin’ on the floor, curled up in a ball/ Lookin’ in the mirror and I feel so f*****’ small,” she sings in the first verse over a guitar-plucked instrumental. “Then I grab my makeup bag and shuffle it around/ My head is in the clouds, self-esteem is on the ground.”“It’s reflective of the mindset i’ve been in, especially since having my baby. my mental has been everywhere,” Halle shares of the song, according to Clash.The song was released alongside a music video, now available to watch on YouTube.”Braveface” follows her Valentine’s-themed single “Back & Forth” and “Rather Be Alone” featuring Leon Thomas.It also comes after Halle and her ex DDG were each granted temporary restraining orders against each other following allegations of physical abuse, among other things.DDG’s lawyer, Larry M. Bakman, previously told Good Morning America that a hearing on both requests is set for June 24.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Cardi B is back. Her new song “Outside” is officially on streaming platforms. It’s her first solo song in over a year and a preview of what’s to come on her upcoming sophomore album.Central Cee released the music video for “Guilt Trippin” featuring Sexyy Red. In it, they take the streets of Miami, first hosting a yacht party then moving to have fun at the club. Vic Mensa has released Sundiata, an independent, grassroots project, “his first release outside the major label system, off the plantation,” he shares in an Instagram post. “This is the first time I’ve owned my music…this is me reclaiming ownership of my art, my voice.” Sundiata is only available on his website.ScarLip was Scarred B4 Fame, as shared on her new EP. The release features seven new songs and features from Honey Bxby, Mary J. Blige, Skilla Baby, Anthony Hamilton, Tata and Lil Wayne, who appears on the single “Pop That.”Keke Palmer released a visual album titled Just Keke. “There comes a moment when performance stops being a mask and starts being a mirror…,” she previously wrote on Instagram. “This project is about the shifts, the stretch, the surrender… the process of integration and the woman, the mother, the artist I’ve become through it all.”Lola Brooke is feeding the fans with new music, so “Bon Appétit.” “I whipped up ‘Bon Appétit’ super-fast,” Lola said, per The Source. “I just wanted to give back to the streets. I’ve been keeping a lot inside, so think of this as me letting it all out.”Fresh off her Juneteenth performance for Amazon’s Rotation, Erykah Badu has released “Next to You” with The Alchemist, the sole producer of her first new album in 15 years. She wrote, composed, arranged and produced the song, which is her first lead single of this decade.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty ImagesWhile on their international tour, Public Enemy has released “March Madness,” adding it to their list of protest music. The song, “a powerful rebuke against crooked politicians and the ongoing crisis of gun violence,” was released on Juneteenth featuring a collective of students from Howard University, Harvard University and Berklee College of Music.”[Juneteenth] became a federally recognized holiday on June 19, 2021 signed into law by The President. This was only 4 years ago and 160 years since the confederation surrendered during the civil war. But it feels like we are on the brink of something similar with ongoing efforts to dismantle diversity equity and inclusion,” Flavor Flav wrote on Instagram, also mentioning the conflicts between Israel and Palestine, Israel and Iran, and Ukraine and Russia.He continued, “I hate war. I hate what’s going on around the world and in US. We are supposed to be THE UNITED STATES and war ain’t about Unity.”With “March Madness,” Flav says he’s using his platform to “create a protest anthem about important issues we are facing as human beings right now” and notes “it was an honor” to do so alongside “the students from Harvard, Berklee, and Howard Universities.”Proceeds from the song will benefit the Black Music Action Coalition Human Rights Fund, as well as Everytown, the “largest gun violence prevention organization in America,” per its website.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty ImagesSinger Chris Brown has pleaded not guilty in London after being charged in a serious assault at a London nightclub two years ago.Brown arrived at Southwark Crown Court in central London on Friday morning for a hearing where he pleaded not guilty on a charge of grievous bodily harm with intent in connection to an alleged 2023 incident that took place in London, according to London’s Metropolitan Police.Brown was arrested in Manchester, England, last month but was released after paying a £5 million security fee and has been appearing in concerts as part of his tour, including in Cardiff, Wales, Thursday night.Brown has had multiple run-ins with law enforcement over the years. Most notably, the singer pleaded guilty to felony assault of his then-girlfriend, Rihanna, in 2009. He was ordered to rehab but was later kicked out of a rehab facility and spent over two months in a Los Angeles County jail before he was released in June 2014, as the AP reported at the time. Brown’s probation in that case lasted until 2015.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

While wrapping the North American leg of the Grand National Tour Wednesday, SZA shared an emotional moment with Kendrick Lamar onstage, as she thanked him for the opportunity. “He put me onto the biggest moment of my life,” SZA told the crowd, in part. “This is also the biggest moment of my life… I’m so thankful, and I’m so thankful to y’all.” The two then embraced each other, before Kendrick asked the crowd to “give it up for mothaf******* SZA.”Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour has moved on to the Stade de France in Paris, where she was joined Thursday by the tour’s first guest: Miley Cyrus. The audience was treated to the live debut of their song “II Most Wanted,” which they performed in shimmering gold outfits.Keke Palmer paid a visit to The Tonight Show to promote her new album, Just Keke. Backed by The Roots and some dancers, she performed a medley of the songs “125 Degrees,” “Act 3,” “Off Script” and “Act 1.” The full performance is now available to watch on YouTube.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

MGM+American crime boss Bumpy Johnson attempts to go legit in season 4 of Godfather of Harlem, but rival crime boss Joe Colombo intentionally throws a wretch in his plan.Speaking to ABC Audio, Michael Raymond-James, who portrays Joe in the show, explains Joe is still upset about Bumpy rejecting his past offer to “join forces” and get into the Italian families.“I think when other kids in the neighborhood had their heroes [who] were baseball players or, you know, musicians or whatever, I think Joe Colombo’s heroes were gangsters. And I think he looked up to Bumpy and I think he thought maybe he could be a peer with Bumpy,” Michael says.When Bumpy rejected him and teamed with mobster Chin Gigante to send Joe to prison in season 2, Michael says the “little boy inside of Joe Colombo” had “his feelings hurt.”“[Joe]’s the leader of men, he’s an aggressive sociopath,” Michael says. “He hide[s] those things and channel[s] that into aggression.”Throughout season 4, he requests a share of the profits from Bumpy’s nightclub, The St. Clair, and eventually forces him into a corner to agree, before finessing his way into owning the club.By episode 9, Bumpy has had enough and calls on an old enemy to help handle Colombo. Joe’s fate remains to be seen in the finale of Godfather of Harlem’s fourth season, airing Sunday on MGM+.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Coi Leray has welcomed her daughter, Miyoco, to the world, and she’s already sharing bits of her experience. “Breastfeeding ain’t no joke #pinksweatsuits,” she wrote on social platform X. “It Hurts!” She shares Miyoco with rapper Trippie Redd. Coi’s father, rapper Benzino, tells TMZ “it’s a blessing” to see her experience motherhood. “Miyoco is carrying on a beautiful tradition,” he says, adding he cannot wait to spoil her.Angela Simmons is in her single era, as she and Yo Gotti have broken up. While on Angela Martinez’s IRL podcast, she said, “It’s not my choice but I respect him. It’s all love.””I wouldn’t have chose it,” she later added. “But it was what was best. … I’m a lover, I love love, I love relationships. … It was my decision.” After years of Yo Gotti expressing interest in Angela, the two confirmed their relationship in 2023.Muni Long will be taking the stage at Megan Thee Stallion’s first-ever Pete & Thomas Foundation Gala. It will take place July 16 at Gotham Hall in New York City.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for BETSkilla Baby released a freestyle breaking his silence after he was shot in Detroit in May. “Thank y’all for y’alls prayers and y’alls concerns,” he begins in a video shared to his Instagram. “All praise to the Most High, my Lord and savior for covering me while I was in a bad situation. I know he don’t make mistakes. So, I would never ask him why … I’m a soldier.”He then launches into the freestyle, in which he addresses the incident: “I don’t fear n*****, I fear God/ Y’all n***** shot my truck up 20 times I never cried/ Them young n***** keep tapping in, they begging me to slide/ They pushed up on a millionaire, they having too much pride.”In the caption of the post, Skilla reiterated his gratitude to the fans who prayed for his well-being and recovery.”Thank you to everybody for yall prayers I’m good mentally and I know God wouldn’t put me through nothing I can’t handle,” he wrote. “Again thank you to my fans family and everybody else for all the support I’m nothing without yall! But yall know I’m a soldier.”As WXYZ previously reported, Skilla Baby, born Trevon Gardner, was shot three times before crashing his car into a building in an apparent targeted attack. An unknown suspect in a dark-colored SUV had fired over 20 rounds at Skilla Baby, who was said to be alone at the time. A witness brought him to the hospital.  Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Disney/Randy HolmesStevie Wonder is Billboard’s choice for the best R&B artist of all time. The publication highlighted his career accomplishments, including his first-ever #1 R&B and Hot 100 single “Fingertips – Pt. 2″; his first #1 R&B album, Talking Book; and #1 R&B projects Innervisions, Fullfillingness’ First Finale, Songs in the Key of Life, Hotter Than July, and The Woman in Red and Jungle Fever soundtracks.”But above all the accolades and hits, Wonder … helped erect the foundation on which later and new next-gen R&B artists stand,” a Billboard staff member writes.Billboard had been slowly revealing its picks for the 75 Best R&B artists of all time, using the following criteria: vocal prowess, body of work, career longevity, industry achievements, game-changing influence and enduring generational/cultural impact. Songwriting was not a factor, and “legendary singers best known for fronting groups versus their solo work were not included,” Billboard explained.Joining Stevie on the list’s top five are #2 pick Aretha Franklin, respectively followed by Michael Jackson, Beyoncé and Whitney Houston. James Brown, Prince, Mariah Carey, R. Kelly and Marvin Gaye round out the top 10.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by TheStewartofNY/GC ImagesKeke Palmer is getting ready to introduce the world to the woman behind the brand, she says in an interview with E! News. She says that through her new album, Just Keke, fans will meet “the Keke that everybody always knows and loves” as well as “the person behind that, the one who’s watching the audience watch her.”She adds that Just Keke will be a visual album, one that takes the audience through her experience of becoming a mother to son Leodis, her breakup with Leodis’ father and the eventual reclamation of her identity. “It’s a lot of big themes, but at the core, it’s I’m just a girl. I’m just Keke.”Just Keke arrives Friday, but it’s not Palmer’s only project to look forward to this summer. She stars in the upcoming movie The Pickup alongside Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson, arriving on Aug. 6.”We had a lot of fun. It was so cool to just see Eddie and Pete go back and forth in their comedic banter,” she tells E! News. “I was excited to work with Eddie. He was so much fun. He literally reminds me of like an uncle.”Asked what movie of hers she can’t wait for Leodis to see, she says Akeelah and the Bee because he is already a fan of words.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Amazon MusicRotation, Amazon Music’s Black music brand, will be livestreaming an exclusive Erykah Badu concert on Juneteenth as part of their Forever in Rotation celebration honoring Black Music Month and the Black artists who remain in our rotation.Badu Presents: Echos 19 will see Erykah take the stage live at The Bomb Factory in her hometown of Dallas, performing a set filled with fan-favorites, classics and an introduction of her new era.The broadcast will begin at 9 p.m. CT on Amazon Music’s Twitch channel and Prime Video with Wayno, Nyla Symone and Mouse Jones serving as hosts. Tye Harris will perform as the opening act, and then Badu will take over.“For the last four years, Rotation has made it our mission to livestream the most important cultural moments during Black Music Month. This year, we’re excited to provide fans with a front-row seat to Erykah Badu’s hometown show in Dallas,” said Sierra Lever, head of hip-hop and R&B for Amazon Music. “Erykah is a true, one-of-one innovator, a visionary who has redefined music multiple times over, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring this moment to her fans around the world.”Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo by Antony Jones/Getty Images for SpotifyCardi B is “Outside,” according to her upcoming single. While announcing the song’s arrival on Friday, she shared a snippet on her Instagram, in which she seemingly addresses her split from Offset as well as her situation with NFL player Stefon Diggs.“I’ve been cuffed up too long, let me remind n*****,” Cardi is heard rapping on the song. “Your favorite player on your favorite team, he in my DM,” she later spits.Cardi then gave Spotify a sense of what the song sounds like live when she took the stage at Spotify Beach in Cannes, France.Speaking to the platform about the song, she said, “It’s fun, it’s for outside, it’s for my girls,” before sharing a word advice with women. “Like, listen. Don’t waste this summer, go outside, teach them a lesson,” she said.When asked how she wants women to feel as they listen to the song, she adds, “I want them to feel like, liquor all over my body. That’s how I want it to feel. I want it to feel like fun, I want it to feel like your homegirls. I want it to feel like when I’m with my friends, and it’s like…period.”Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Aftermath/G Unit/Interscope RecordsIt’s been 25 years since The Game released his debut album, The Documentary, and the most memorable part of that process was his eldest son.”The thing I remember most about the album process was the photoshoot,” he tells ABC Audio. “My son [Harlem] was 1 year old and he cried the whole photoshoot until I drove all the way to the Valley to get this SpongeBob, the stuffed SpongeBob animal, and had to bring it all the way back to the photoshoot just to get him to take the album photo.”Game says Harlem stopped for crying for about three minutes, during which photographer Jonathan Mannion captured the photos now seen on alternate covers of the album.”That is probably my most notable memory because when I think about it … I just see, you know, my baby and then I see him requesting a Zelle today at 22 years old,” he says. “So it’s one of those things where you really just can look at life and say, damn, you really got to just like hold fast to everything because life goes so fast.”Harlem is seen on different covers of the album: one shows him in his father’s hands, while another sees him sitting down with nothing but a diaper, black Converse sneakers and an NWA chain. He recently graduated from the University of Oregon, resulting in a tribute from his dad.”It’s official….My 1st born has completed his 4 years @uoregon & it’s time to walk that stage,” he wrote. “Every step I’ve taken as his father has been preparation for this day.”Game previously told ABC Audio Harlem was “the motivating force” that pushed him to hip-hop.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Disney/Pamela LittkyAbbott Elementary, Forever and Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist top the list of nominees for this year’s Black Reel Television Awards.Netflix’s YA romance Forever scored the most nominations with 12, followed by ABC’s Abbott Elementary with 11. Peacock’s Fight Night has eight.Joining Abbott in the outstanding comedy series category are The Bear, Harlem, The Residence and Survival of the Thickest. Along with Forever in the outstanding drama series category are Cross, Godfather of Harlem, Paradise and Reasonable Doubt.Beyoncé Bowl and The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show starring Kendrick Lamar also scored nods in the outstanding variety, talk or sketch category.The awards recognize “the best in Black excellence across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms.”“Our mission has always been to honor the full spectrum of Black creativity on screen and behind the scenes,” said Black Reel Awards founder Tim Gordon. “These nominees remind us why representation, visibility, and recognition remain so critical.”Winners will be announced virtually on Aug. 18 on BlackReelAwards.com.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Young Money Records, Inc.Lil Wayne may have been just shy of topping the all-genre Billboard 200 Albums chart with his Tha Carter VI album, but he’s #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart this week.Tha Carter VI marks his 11th #1 on the chart; his previous chart-topper was 2020’s Funeral. Wayne becomes the eighth artist to log at least 11 number ones since the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart launched in 1965.The album also marks his 10th #1 on the Top Rap Albums chart. Meanwhile, 17 songs from the album make the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. “Hip-Hop,” with BigXthaPlug featuring Jay Jones, ranks the highest at #8.Earlier this week, Tha Carter VI debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200, behind country singer Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Courtesy CNNNelly, Ice Cube and Timbaland are among the musical acts who’ll be ringing in Independence Day this year on CNN.The cable network’s fifth annual special The Fourth in America will air starting at 7 p.m. ET live on CNN. The special will feature coast-to-coast firework shows from Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, Las Vegas, San Diego, New Orleans, Nashville and Seward, Alaska.Other performers will include the artists on the I Love the ’90s tour: Vanilla Ice, Young MC, Rob Base and Tone Loc. Sting, Counting Crows, Noah Kahan and The Fray will also be performing, as well as country stars Lainey Wilson, Dierks Bentley and Ashley McBryde, and ’90s alt-rockers CAKE and Sublime.CNN’s The Fourth in America is hosted by Dana Bash, Boris Sanchez, Victor Blackwell and Sara Sidner.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Daniel ObasiBurna Boy is hitting the road.The singer announced his No Sign of Weakness tour, named after his upcoming album, due out July 11.The North American trek will kick off Nov. 12 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, making Burna Boy the first Nigerian artist to ever headline the venue. He’ll also make stops in Seattle, Houston, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Inglewood, California.The 16-date tour wraps with a two-night stand in Toronto, Ontario, on Dec. 17 and 18.With the exception of the Red Rocks show, all other tour dates will feature a 360-degree stage in the middle of the floor.Artist presale tickets are on sale Tuesday, June 24, from 10 a.m. local time to 10 p.m. local time. Tickets go on sale to the general public Friday, June 27, at 10 a.m. local time. For all ticket details, go to onaspaceship.com/tour.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.