Selena Gomez’s time spent playing Alex Russo on Disney’s Wizards of Waverly Place is obviously what helped make her a Hollywood household name. Like many of her contemporaries, relatively successful music has come throughout her career too. Some of the black-haired beauty’s biggest hits include “Lose You To Love Me,” “Wolves,” and more recently, “Calm Down” with Rema. The last time we heard a full project from Gomez was in 2020 with Rare, and on Monday (August 7) morning, we got an update on what to expect from her next LP.
According to @ThePopTingz on Twitter, the 31-year-old is seeking inspiration from one of the greats during her latest studio sessions – Rihanna. Specifically, the Barbadian singer’s 2007 hit album, Good Girl Gone Bad, which boasts titles like “Hate That I Love You” with Ne-Yo, “Rehab,” and “Umbrella” featuring Jay-Z. The outlet’s source claims that Gomez is working on something “modern with more dance and EDM influence.”
We’ve seen a clear increase in the number of artists embracing the sounds of dance within their own music, especially last summer with Drake’s Honestly, Nevermind and Beyonce’s RENAISSANCE. An official title or release date for Gomez’s work has yet to be shared with her fans, but there are rumours of a lead single hitting DSPs later this month. We’re eager to hear how much truth there is to all this gossip and find out if the Rare Beauty founder will take inspiration from anyone other than Rihanna on her next album.
Speaking of Bad Gal RiRi, it’s been relatively quiet on her front as of late. The “Shut Up And Drive” singer is likely approaching her due date by now, if she hasn’t already, meaning she’s probably enjoying her last few moments at home with RZA as an only child. Read all about their recent mother-son dinner date at the link below, and let us know if you’re looking forward to Selena Gomez’s next album in the comments.
Doja Cat has had a rocky few months online due to near-constant feuds with her fans. Just last month, she loudly denounced those calling themselves “Kittenz,” and reportedly began blocking those contacting her about their alleged abusive experiences with her new boyfriend, J. Cyrus. Even with all the drama, Doja still decided to share her “Paint The Town Red” single this past New Music Friday (August 4), which was surprisingly enough to land her back in the good graces of many.
The catchy song arrived alongside a devilish visual, which seemingly pokes fun at those who have been long suggesting that the “Say So” singer sold her soul in exchange for more fame. It’s often hard to tell exactly how serious Doja is being, but on Monday (August 7), we received what seems to be some trustworthy news on her upcoming album. “I was going to try to do something where the album was rap hooks with rap verses,” she explained, as per @BuzzingPop on Twitter.
Doja Cat reveals her upcoming album will feature singing hooks but it’s still a rap record:
“I was going to try to do something where the album was rap hooks with rap verses, but I feel like it’s so useful to sing because there’s so much you can do with vocalizing, harmonies and… pic.twitter.com/W1CkcoQglg
“But I feel like it’s so useful to sing because there’s so much you can do with vocalizing, harmonies and melodies,” Doja continued. This is a similar approach she took to making her incredibly popular 2021 LP, Planet Her, so it won’t be surprising to see her fourth studio project find similar success. We have yet to receive an official release date from the genre-bending creative, and though she previously announced the title as Hellmouth, it seems she’s since changed her mind and will be reintroducing her work under a new name in the near future.
This new DC4 update from Doja Cat sounds uncharacteristically serious, but where the Californian is still letting her silly side shine through is with her latest “thirst trap.” Her concerning new photo caught the attention of Tyrese, along with thousands of others, who have since left comments sharing their worry under Doja’s less-than-flattering post. Read more about that at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
Even with a few minor speedbumps – such as crew members forgetting to put Beyonce’s ladder in place, or getting a bit too handsy while helping her down – the RENAISSANCE World Tour has been going well so far. For her most recent North American stop, the mother of three performed for Kamala Harris and her husband. The Vice President and her partner joined tens of thousands of others in Washington, DC on Sunday. Not only did Bey give her audience yet another stellar performance, but she also dished out $100K to pay for the local transit to run an hour later due to the bad weather patrons were forced to endure on their way home.
Besides her naturally generous spirit, it’s likely the “Halo” singer was so willing to help out the BeyHive in the nation’s capital due to their “ENERGY.” During the upbeat song, on which Queen B collaborated with BEAM, she’s made a tradition of having her audience go dead silent when she sings the lyrics, “Look around, eerybody on mute.” With each performance, the crowd has gotten better at playing along with her game. According to a tweet on Monday (August 7) morning, Beyonce has crowned DC as the winner of her “war.”
In response to the news, one fan retweeted a video from the moment that Beyonce was stunned by her crowd. Due to their complete silence, a literal echo could be heard in the stadium. This led the Houston native to crack a not-so-subtle smile before giving out the award.
As you may recall, a fan of Beyonce’s was stabbed last month while dancing in a gas station parking lot. The “CUFF IT” hitmaker was sure to show the late man love during a recent performance, and his killer has since been charged with a hate crime. Read more about that at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates. RIP.
Through her come-up so far, Sexyy Red has mostly managed to stay out of drama with other artists. The Hood Hottest Princess did find herself falling victim to Tasha K’s trolling, but thankfully, the rap diva’s mother managed to sort that situation up. This past weekend, however, DJ Mr. Rogers accused Red of cussing him out during a recent performance, at which time he apparently didn’t know the cues to her setlist. “Sexyy Red cussed me out today for not knowing her show cues like I’m her actual DJ,” he tweeted in the early hours of Sunday (August 6). “Love this new generation of artists.”
Rogers’ post makes it sound as though Red lashed out at him in an extreme manner, but a video making rounds on Monday afternoon has many internet users insisting that the drama is nowhere near as serious as it sounds. “Why you turn it off ni**a?!” the Missouri-born entertainer yells into her microphone as her song abruptly stops. “Run that s**t back,” she adds before hyping up another woman at the party twerking away in front of her.
Upon seeing the footage, one person commented, “Nahh ain’t no way he wrote that long ass tweet thread over THIS,” under @2cool2bl0g’s post. “Yoooo it was not that deep. If you read only his tweet and not see this video you would think she had a [wild] Kanye-type stage outburst ,” another user chimed in. Of course, there are still a handful who feel as though the producer was right to call Red out for swearing at him.
Obviously, we won’t see DJ Mr. Rogers championing the Sexyy Red fan club anytime soon. Thankfully, the St. Louis native has an abundance of other supporters from within the industry, such as Drake, Summer Walker, Trinidad James, and G Herbo. See how the latter duo has been showing out for Red at the link below, and tap back in later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
Call Her Daddy has gone through plenty of changes over the years, but through it all, the podcast has continued to entertain the masses – whether with one host or two. For her most recent episodes, Alex Cooper had the opportunity to chat with some huge celebrities, including former One Direction vocalist Zayn Malik, as well as reality star Harry Jowsey, of Too Hot to Handle, and now, OnlyFans fame. After two male guests in a row, listeners have been eager for Cooper to sit down with another woman again, and it seems she picked the perfect co-host for today’s (July 26) installment of the show.
Coi Leray is the latest star to appear in the CHD hot seat, and her bright, fun-loving personality shone through during their interview. “How do you deal with the constant comments and fixation on your body?” Cooper asked Leray in the snippet below. “I went through a lot with it,” the “Blick Blick” artist admitted. “Now I feel like they’re accepting just that rawness, the organic, natural… At the same time, there’s nothing I can f**king do about my body,” she acknowledged.
“Like, I’m sexy as f**k, you know? I don’t want to change!” the Coi also added, proving that she’s grown to love the skin she’s in through her rise to the top. “I’m really that girl, I have to tell myself that every day.” Elsewhere in the preview, we hear the Trendsetter give listeners some tips on increasing their confidence to the level she has.
“Really get in the mirror, feel on yourself, practice your sex appeal,” Leray encouraged anyone tuning in. “Once you body that sex appeal, and you feel like you really have it… Girl, guys will f**k a tree, ok? They’ll f**k a donut. Anything with a hole in it.”
Stream Alex Cooper and Coi Leray’s full conversation, exclusively on Spotify above. Who would you like to hear the Call Her Daddy host interview next? Let us know in the comments, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
Just because she also happens to be a rap diva from the south, spitting bars about NSFW topics and flaunting her bodacious body, doesn’t mean that Erica Banks is a Megan Thee Stallioncopycat. The former is doing what she can to brush off the allegations coming at her, namely from 1501 label head Carl Crawford, choosing to focus on what’s next in her career rather than getting caught up in the petty drama. She’s been giving updates on her relationship status via MTV’s Love & Hip-Hop, and earlier this week, Banks returned with a new single that’s perfect for a night out for a workout.
In “Poppin Or Not,” the Texas native calls out fake people leaving messages in her DMs while twerking in tiny white shorts and a barely-there bikini top. Her look comes complete with a Playboy letterman jacket, grills, and finally, weapon-like nails that only prove how serious she is about warning her haters. “Runnin’ your mouth on the net and I heard it, it’s cute,” she sassily spits.
Erica Banks Turns Up with Her Baddie Friends in “Poppin Or Not” Visual
The Jefe6K-produced visual isn’t the only new arrival we’ve seen from Banks lately. Her “Real Rap B**** (Poppin It)” landed earlier this month, on which she responded to Crawford’s shady comments about her being a “copycat.” Prior to that, the reality starlet also showed us her always-improving skills on her “Lose Control (Freestyle)” earlier in the summer.
Check out Erica Banks’ twerking skills in her “Poppin Or Not” music video above. Do you think that the 1501 Certified Entertainment artist has what it takes to reach Megan Thee Stallion’s level of fame? Let us know in the comments and find more HNHH release recommendations at the link below.
They be all up in my DM “Doin’ yo’ thang and I love what you doin’” Girl get the f**k out my face with that s**t They be fake in this b**ch and she want who I’m screwin’
While hip-hop has only just now produced a No. 1 album over halfway through the year thanks to Lil Uzi Vert, R&B started out on a strong note thanks to SZA’s SOS. The TDE artist’s sophomore effort has spent a total of eight weeks championing the Billboard 200, only being beaten out by country star Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time. Aside from the “Kill Bill” singer’s major success, other favorites in the genre have given us noteworthy new releases over the past months too.
Our annual round-up of the year’s best rap albums so far is primarily male-dominated, with Sexyy Red’s Hood Hottest Princess earning her the only woman on the list. R&B, however, has heard incredible new arrivals from our favorite female vocalists, including Kiana Lede’s highly anticipated follow-up to 2020’s KIKI. Of course, we didn’t totally forget about the guys – two of Canada and Jamaica’s finest also left us impressed with their R&B LPs earlier in 2023. Keep scrolling to see which artists made the cut, and let us know who your personal favorites are in the comments.
Not only did Kali Uchis captivate the world with her sensual Red Moon In Venus LP, but she also passed some major career milestones. The songbird’s third studio album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 with over 55K, marking her first Top 10 entry on the list. Across 15 titles, Uchis connects with Summer Walker as well as frequent collaborators Omar Apollo, and her boyfriend, Don Toliver.
Red Moon In Venus arrived at the beginning of March, and weeks later the bilingual artist went on to perform several tracks from it at Coachella. Both weekends Uchis had arguably one of the best sets, bringing out guests like Tyler, The Creator, and Toliver. Speaking of the Cactus Jack artist, his girlfriend appeared on his Love Sick album’s “4 Me” single prior to dropping her own project.
“‘Red Moon in Venus’ is a timeless, burning expression of desire, heartbreak, faith, and honesty, reflecting the divine femininity of the moon and Venus,” Uchis previously told Consequence of her work. Aside from her vision and vocal talent, the ethereal starlet also produced the opening song, “In My Garden…” on her own.
For Janelle Monae, The Age of Pleasure is more than just an album – it’s a sexual revolution. As we saw throughout her long-awaited LP’s rollout, the Kansas native is feeling more confident and carefree than ever before. Her breasts have been a focal point of the genre-bending work, appearing on the digital cover art, vinyl, and in front of thousands of fans at various live performances over the past few months.
The 37-year-old shared “Float” with Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 as her first single, later following it with “Lipstick Lover.” The latter came along with a salacious teaser video that left the internet lusting after Monae like never before, also confirming her first studio album in over five years. Our personal favorite collaboration on the tracklist is “Phenomenal” featuring TDE’s Doechii, though Grace Jones, Nia Long, Amaarae, Sister Nancy, and CKay make appearances as well.
Daniel Caesar – NEVER ENOUGH
Daniel Caesar’s debut album, Freudian, remains a staple in the rotation of many R&B lovers. Unfortunately for the Canadian, his fame was short-lived after he made controversial comments about race during a live stream that ultimately found him facing widespread cancellation. His sophomore effort, CASE STUDY 01, was largely skipped over as a result, even though it features stunning vocal work from Caesar.
By the time he shared his third LP, NEVER ENOUGH earlier in 2023, the embattled artist had thankfully moved back into the public’s good graces. Caesar teased us with singles like “Please Do Not Lean” featuring BADBADNOTGOOD, “Always,” and “Do You Like Me?” all of which only made fans fall more in love with his dreamy voice. Aside from vocals, the 28-year-old also flexed his producer skills alongside little brother Zachary Simmonds, Sir Dylan, Sevn Thomas, Rami, and Raphael Saadiq.
Kiana Lede – Grudges
The most recently released alum to land on our must-listen list of R&B releases so far this year comes from sultry songbird Kiana Lede. Her follow-up to 2020’s KIKI came in the form of Grudges, an undeniably toxic project that’s perfect for anyone who might be struggling with any pent-up resentment toward an old friend. The 26-year-old immediately catches our attention with “Bitter B**ch – INTROlude” and laces in collaborations with Bryson Tiller, Ella Mai, and Khalid throughout the 18-song tracklist.
During an interview with Vibe, Lede gave some insight into the inspiration behind her sophomore album. “‘Grudges’ actually has multiple meanings in this album. Obviously, there’s the [literal one]. I’m a bitter b**ch [who] definitely [has] grudges. I hold them very well. I’m working on it. I’m in therapy,” she admitted.
“So grudges towards relationships, also grudges just in my life. It’s something that I feel like we all constantly have to work on, whether it’s relationships or within ourselves, within the world,” Lede also told the outlet.
Masego – Masego
R&B music is typically most appreciated in the chilly winter months of cuffing season, but when a Masego song comes on, it’s hard not to fantasize about a romantic trip to the tropics at any time of year. It had been nearly two and a half years since his Studying Abroad project arrived when the Jamaican singer delivered his 14-track, self-titled LP. The former saw him teaming up with a handful of friends including Shenseea and Don Toliver, but on the latter, he operated solo.
Fan favorites on Masego include “What You Wanna Try,” “Black Anime,” and “Sax Fifth Avenue.” Whether you’re seeking to pretend you’re on the beach while tanning in your backyard this summer or need a soundtrack for an evening of dancing with friends, the 30-year-old has you covered with his long-awaited, must-listen record. He’s got a few live performances lined up over the coming months, including one at AfroBeats Festival in August, so fans will even have a chance to enjoy Masego’s new music in person before fall hits.
While hip-hop has only just now produced a No. 1 album over halfway through the year thanks to Lil Uzi Vert, R&B started out on a strong note thanks to SZA’s SOS. The TDE artist’s sophomore effort has spent a total of eight weeks championing the Billboard 200, only being beaten out by country star Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time. Aside from the “Kill Bill” singer’s major success, other favorites in the genre have given us noteworthy new releases over the past months too.
Our annual round-up of the year’s best rap albums so far is primarily male-dominated, with Sexyy Red’s Hood Hottest Princess earning her the only woman on the list. R&B, however, has heard incredible new arrivals from our favorite female vocalists, including Kiana Lede’s highly anticipated follow-up to 2020’s KIKI. Of course, we didn’t totally forget about the guys – two of Canada and Jamaica’s finest also left us impressed with their R&B LPs earlier in 2023. Keep scrolling to see which artists made the cut, and let us know who your personal favorites are in the comments.
Not only did Kali Uchis captivate the world with her sensual Red Moon In Venus LP, but she also passed some major career milestones. The songbird’s third studio album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 with over 55K, marking her first Top 10 entry on the list. Across 15 titles, Uchis connects with Summer Walker as well as frequent collaborators Omar Apollo, and her boyfriend, Don Toliver.
Red Moon In Venus arrived at the beginning of March, and weeks later the bilingual artist went on to perform several tracks from it at Coachella. Both weekends Uchis had arguably one of the best sets, bringing out guests like Tyler, The Creator, and Toliver. Speaking of the Cactus Jack artist, his girlfriend appeared on his Love Sick album’s “4 Me” single prior to dropping her own project.
“‘Red Moon in Venus’ is a timeless, burning expression of desire, heartbreak, faith, and honesty, reflecting the divine femininity of the moon and Venus,” Uchis previously told Consequence of her work. Aside from her vision and vocal talent, the ethereal starlet also produced the opening song, “In My Garden…” on her own.
For Janelle Monae, The Age of Pleasure is more than just an album – it’s a sexual revolution. As we saw throughout her long-awaited LP’s rollout, the Kansas native is feeling more confident and carefree than ever before. Her breasts have been a focal point of the genre-bending work, appearing on the digital cover art, vinyl, and in front of thousands of fans at various live performances over the past few months.
The 37-year-old shared “Float” with Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 as her first single, later following it with “Lipstick Lover.” The latter came along with a salacious teaser video that left the internet lusting after Monae like never before, also confirming her first studio album in over five years. Our personal favorite collaboration on the tracklist is “Phenomenal” featuring TDE’s Doechii, though Grace Jones, Nia Long, Amaarae, Sister Nancy, and CKay make appearances as well.
Daniel Caesar – NEVER ENOUGH
Daniel Caesar’s debut album, Freudian, remains a staple in the rotation of many R&B lovers. Unfortunately for the Canadian, his fame was short-lived after he made controversial comments about race during a live stream that ultimately found him facing widespread cancellation. His sophomore effort, CASE STUDY 01, was largely skipped over as a result, even though it features stunning vocal work from Caesar.
By the time he shared his third LP, NEVER ENOUGH earlier in 2023, the embattled artist had thankfully moved back into the public’s good graces. Caesar teased us with singles like “Please Do Not Lean” featuring BADBADNOTGOOD, “Always,” and “Do You Like Me?” all of which only made fans fall more in love with his dreamy voice. Aside from vocals, the 28-year-old also flexed his producer skills alongside little brother Zachary Simmonds, Sir Dylan, Sevn Thomas, Rami, and Raphael Saadiq.
Kiana Lede – Grudges
The most recently released alum to land on our must-listen list of R&B releases so far this year comes from sultry songbird Kiana Lede. Her follow-up to 2020’s KIKI came in the form of Grudges, an undeniably toxic project that’s perfect for anyone who might be struggling with any pent-up resentment toward an old friend. The 26-year-old immediately catches our attention with “Bitter B**ch – INTROlude” and laces in collaborations with Bryson Tiller, Ella Mai, and Khalid throughout the 18-song tracklist.
During an interview with Vibe, Lede gave some insight into the inspiration behind her sophomore album. “‘Grudges’ actually has multiple meanings in this album. Obviously, there’s the [literal one]. I’m a bitter b**ch [who] definitely [has] grudges. I hold them very well. I’m working on it. I’m in therapy,” she admitted.
“So grudges towards relationships, also grudges just in my life. It’s something that I feel like we all constantly have to work on, whether it’s relationships or within ourselves, within the world,” Lede also told the outlet.
Masego – Masego
R&B music is typically most appreciated in the chilly winter months of cuffing season, but when a Masego song comes on, it’s hard not to fantasize about a romantic trip to the tropics at any time of year. It had been nearly two and a half years since his Studying Abroad project arrived when the Jamaican singer delivered his 14-track, self-titled LP. The former saw him teaming up with a handful of friends including Shenseea and Don Toliver, but on the latter, he operated solo.
Fan favorites on Masego include “What You Wanna Try,” “Black Anime,” and “Sax Fifth Avenue.” Whether you’re seeking to pretend you’re on the beach while tanning in your backyard this summer or need a soundtrack for an evening of dancing with friends, the 30-year-old has you covered with his long-awaited, must-listen record. He’s got a few live performances lined up over the coming months, including one at AfroBeats Festival in August, so fans will even have a chance to enjoy Masego’s new music in person before fall hits.
Nicki Minaj had to attend the Barbie premiere without her soundtrack collaborator, Ice Spice. Still, the 40-year-old still held it down while promoting their “Barbie World” song. While the latter is in Europe performing at various festivals (and ignoring aggressively thirsty munches begging her to sit on their face), Minaj got to wear a stunning Alaia gown with a platinum blonde wig that fell nearly to the floor. It’s one of the first major public appearances she’s made this year. The Trinidadian definitely didn’t come to play with her style or glam for the evening.
Between taking photos with other stars and by herself, Minaj spoke with the press about her work on the soundtrack. She also shared her feelings about attending the premiere. “I’m so excited to be here for this entire moment, I’m glad that they thought of me. I’m excited just how everybody else is excited to see this movie,” the mother of one gushed to Entertainment Tonight. “I know I’ve been saying Barbie my whole career and so this a very full circle moment for me.”
The entirety of the Barbie soundtrack won’t hit DSPs until later this month, however, a full tracklist was revealed via @PopBase on Twitter this afternoon. Among the expected titles we’ll be hearing are “Pink” by Lizzo, “What Was I Made For?” from Billie Eilish, “Hey Blondie,” by Dominic Fike, and Khalid’s “Silver Platter.” Other artists lending their voices include Dua Lipa, Sam Smith, Charli XCX, and PinkPantheress.
Aside from chatting with the press on the red carpet, Nicki Minaj also found time to pose alongside leading actress and fellow “Barbie Girl,” Margot Robbie. The two looked more radiant than ever in their designer dresses, and couldn’t stop smiling and laughing as the cameras snapped away at them. See the Queen of Rap’s commemorative photo dump at the link below, and tap back in with HNHH later for more celebrity news updates.
Both Cardi B and Nicki Minaj have been in their features bag so far this year. The latter previously helped Ice Spice soar to new heights on the “Princess Diana (Remix),” also lending a hand to Lil Uzi Vert and Young Thug on Pink Tape and BUSINESS IS BUSINESS respectively. As for the former, she and Latto gave us a top contender for Song of the Summer with “Put It On Da Floor Again.” To follow that, Bardi returned this New Music Friday (July 7) with “Point Me 2,” a remix of FendiDa Rapper’s “Point Me To The Sl**s.”
“Too many opps that I don’t know, bitch, who the f**k is this? Scared to face me by theyself, they start recruitin’ s**t,” the mother of two rhymes near the end of her lengthy verse. “I call them p**sy to their face, they don’t be doin’ s**t /And I’m ready with receipts, I be provin’ s**t.” Elsewhere, she comes through with more salacious bars like “Ain’t gon’ lie, her s**t is fat, hit it from the back / She playin’ ‘WAP,’ she throwin’ cat in that Uber Black.”
As reactions to “Point Me 2” pour in across social media, Cardi has taken some time to react to her fans and critics. “I don’t care who writes it. Cardi B is hard AF,” one Twitter user declared earlier today. In response, the 30-year-old took a screenshot of her new single’s credits on Genius. “I WRITE IT… Come to a studio session!”
Aside from praising her bars, many “Point Me 2” listeners have also been complimenting Cardi B’s twerking in the accompanying visual. Seeing as she has a history of dominating in the strip club, it only makes sense she’s still an expert at booty bouncing, as her husband Offset can attest to. Check out the former Migos member’s reaction at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
² (@captainyonce) 
CALLING ALL BARBZ 