Happy early birthday to little almost-two-year-old RZA, whose parents ASAP Rocky and Rihanna threw him a lavish party in New York on Saturday (May 11) to celebrate. He turns two on Monday (May 13), but the family celebrated along with young and older friends at the Color Factory, which is a balloon-laden collection of rooms with slides, ball pits, and the whole shebang for a young child’s special day. The couple was obviously looking very stylish at the event, and there have been plenty of wholesome social media clips to witness. There are rumors that RiRi is expecting again thanks to her Met Gala absence, but can’t we just let two partners enjoy their existing children in peace?
Regardless, both Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have a lot to look forward to not just in their personal lives, but in their careers as well. For example, the latter recently previewed some new music alongside his Mob affiliate, A$AP Ferg, and has fans feeling quite excited (albeit skeptical) about his upcoming album. The Barbadian singer is in a similar boat, as fans have also waited over half a decade for new material in full-length LP form. Whether or not they capitalize on the moment and deliver on this wait is one thing, but they’ll surely continue their business, fashion, and family ventures no matter what.
That Rihanna album has also been teased quite heavily, but there have been so many unfulfilled promises and open ends that most fans probably won’t believe it until they see it on digital streaming platforms. To be honest, we can’t say we blame them. It’s been downright impressive to see how closely she and A$AP Rocky have held onto their legacies as artists despite their absence. Alas, that just makes the hype for new material all the more anticipated.
Meanwhile, both artists also contributed to rollout rumors thanks to some social media moves and recent public appearances. However, in the face of all of this, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have much more pressing matters to attend to. Their second son Riot Rose will turn a year old soon, and it’s clear that they enjoy each other’s company more than anything else. Maybe that wholesomeness should keep fans at bay when it comes to new music, but who are we to deny new projects from amazing musicians?
The ASAP Mob would not have blown up without ASAP Rocky and ASAP Ferg. The former was the pop star who crossed over and eventually started a family with Rihanna. The latter was the eccentric rapper who embodied the crew’s singular aesthetic. They dominated the 2010s with classic singles like “Work” and “Shabba.” The 2020s, however, has been a different story. Rocky and Ferg have embarked on two different paths. Thankfully, all that is about to change. ASAP Mob’s two biggest members are back in the studio.
On May 8, ASAP Rocky got on Instagram Live to tease new music. The rapper has been hyping up his comeback album, Don’t Be Dumb, as a star-studded event, but what fans didn’t know is what Ferg was going along for the ride. Metaphorically and literally, in the case of Rocky’s Instagram. The two rappers can be seen sitting in a car and playing music that they just recorded. Ferg’s verse dominates what we hear of the unreleased song, but both men can be seen bobbing their heads. The production evokes a classic ASAP Mob sound, with frenetic drums and massive bass hits.
This is cause for celebration for anyone who grew up listening to both rappers. ASAP Rocky hasn’t put out an album since 2018, and Ferg’s relationship with the rest of ASAP Mob has been strained since he was reportedly kicked out of the group in 2020. Ferg detailed his issues with the group in the song “Big ASAP.” (ASAP Nast invited Ferg back to the group months later, but it’s unclear if he accepted the invite). Rocky and Ferg, meanwhile, haven’t been on a song together since “Pups” in 2019.
ASAP Rocky spoke on his relationship with Ferg during a 2020 episode of Drink Champs. He assured fans that things were good between them, even if they weren’t collaborating as often as they used to. “Everything’s lovely, man,” he asserted. “We all blessed to be here. Everybody doing they thing and everybody’s eclectically kind of like progressively being creative, doing they own thing… The hardest thing to do is to keep a group together and sh*t like that. That’s the hardest thing, bro.” It looks all the drama has been worked on, and fans will getting the music they’ve craved for so long.
In the 15-second clip — which Rihanna captioned “looking for nudes” — shared yesterday (May 5), she models nude lingerie (specifically, the Signature Script Underwire Teddy) from the brand’s Signature Script collection. In a voiceover, she explains, “I was desperate for a nude. Like, I go in between nudes when I get tan or when I’m a little paler. It’s hard to find a nude you can carry through in that range of shades, and I found mine. Signature Script.”
Meanwhile, in a recent interview, Rihanna looked back some some bold fashion choices she’s made, saying, “I’ve done so much sh*t in my life. I’ve had my nipples out, my panties out. But now, those are the things which, I guess as a mom and an evolved young lady — emphasis on ‘young’ — there are things I feel like I would never do. Like, ‘Oh my God, I really did that? Nips out?’”
She also just sparked pregnancy rumors after some people thought they spotted a sneaky maneuver in a video.
As users online pointed out, the last thirty days in hip-hop culture have mirrored Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Civil War. This can all be traced back to Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s bubbling stock pot of problems.
Every few days another one of rap music’s stars have either been reluctantly drafted into the war of words (Snoop Dogg and the estate of Tupac) or willingLu enlisted into the conflict (Ye, better known as Kanye West).
But the musicians’ latest round of diss tracks seem to be riddled with insider knowledge, which has left fans confused about several references. On Drake’s new track “Family Matters,” he cryptically named drop a few folks including one Fring, leaving listeners scrambling to decipher his lines.
So, Who Is Fring From Drake’s “Family Matters” Diss Track?
Outside of his ongoing feud with Kendrick, Drake admittedly has a lot of enemies. Instead of dedicating yet another track to the Compton native, Drake took jabs at another foe, Asap Rocky. When Drake rapped: “Ask Fring if this is a good idea the next time you cuddled in that bed again / She’ll even tell you leave the boy alone ‘fore you get your head split again.”
If this line was clear enough, the preceding bar, “Smokin’ Fenty ‘bout it, should’ve put you on the first one / Try get it in,” shoud’ve provided you with all the context you needed. On “Show Of Hands,” Asap joked with Metro Boomin and Future that he should have been included on the duo’s first joint project, We Don’t Trust You.
The most obvious reference in Drake’s lyric is Fenty, as it is Rihanna’s last name. Rihanna having dated Drake in the past and as Asap’s current partner as well as children’s mother for anyone who needed further assistance piecing everything together, there it is.
But exactly is Fring anyway? Well, Fring’s is a restaurant in Drake hometown of Toronto, Canada that he has publicly supported over the years. It might also have served as a pet name for Rihanna according to his 2015 conversation with New York Times’ T Magazine.
Given what Asap Rocky revealed about his past entanglement with the mother of Drake’s son Adonis, many find Drake’s remarks about Rihanna to be fair game.
R&B singer Tyla has a massive breakout year in 2023. She released her song “Water” in the first half of last year and it became one of the biggest hits of the year. The song slowly rose up the charts eventually peaking inside the top 10 of the Hot 100 at number 7. At the same time, the song became a chart topper on the Hot R&B Songs chart marking her first number one. This year she’s capitalizing on that breakout with a self-titled album.
TYLA dropped in March and debuted inside the top 25 of the Billboard 200. The album featured appearances from Gunna, Skillibeng, Tems, Beck G, and Travis Scott. Cementing the singer’s rise to stardom, she recently did a cover story for Cosmopolitan. One question asked of the 22-year-old was about comparisons to another singer who achieved massive success at a young age, Rihanna. While she made it clear she was honored by the comparisons and took it as a compliment, she also specified that she wants to be her own artist. Check out her full interview below.
Tyla’s star could have potentially risen even more this year if she had embarked on the world tour she announced. Unfortunately, she was forced to cancel the tour due to health reasons. In the weeks since she’s been spotted out partying at numerous events all around the world, leading some fans to question if health was the real reason her tour was canceled.
The most recent incident that caused fans to call her motives into question came earlier this week. She was spotted out clubbing with Gunna which sparked both relationship rumors and and even more rumors about health being the motivation behind her tour cancelation. What do you think of Tyla’s response to those that compare her breakout to Rihanna’s? Do you see any similarity between the trajectory she’s on now and the early years of Rihanna’s career? Let us know in the comment section below.
The NFL offseason is not really an offseason at all. While February through August is slower than when NFL games are played during the fall and winter months, the NFL never sleeps. The NFL churns out storylines year-round, and the offseason is an incubator for the wildest narratives because all of it is based upon hope and projection rather than results.
To recap, I assigned a theme song to each NFL team to accentuate the need-to-know offseason happenings so far.
Arizona Cardinals
Kendrick Lamar Feat. Rihanna — “LOYALTY.”
Once upon a time, in 2019, the Arizona Cardinals then-head coach Kliff Kingsbury said, “Josh is our guy,” and, thankfully, the irony is preserved in this tweet. He was speaking of Arizona’s 2018 first-round pick Josh Rosen. By April 2019, the Cardinals used the No. 1 overall pick to draft his replacement, Kyler Murray. Rosen was traded to Miami, and that was that.
The Cardinals found themselves in eerily familiar territory this offseason. Again, they publicly declared their commitment to Murray, but questions remained because they had the No. 4 overall pick, and this quarterback-heavy class presented the opportunity to reset the quarterback contract clock. But Arizona’s promise wasn’t empty this time, and they bolstered their loyalty to Murray by using the No. 4 overall pick on Marvin “Maserati Marv” Harrison Jr., who should immediately help to optimize the flashes Murray has shown up to this point.
Atlanta Falcons
Usher — “You Make Me Wanna…”
Unlike the Cardinals, the Atlanta Falcons remained loyal to Kirk Cousins for approximately 45 days before Michael Penix Jr. made them wanna start a new relationship with him. Atlanta signed Cousins — a 35-year-old rehabbing a torn Achilles — to a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed. All evidence pointed toward Atlanta settling down with Cousins and using the No. 8 overall pick to get an immediate impact player to help the team maximize this Cousins window. But while Cousins was parading around to Atlanta United FC and Braves games, the Falcons were flying across the country to Washington to get to know Penix. Head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot insist that Cousins “is our quarterback,” but using the No. 8 overall pick on Penix as Cousins’ successor left an unsuspecting Cousins reportedly “a bit stunned.”
Baltimore Ravens
Dionne Warwick — “Déjà Vu”
The Baltimore Ravens ace every offseason. In 2023, it was extending two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson when it seemed their relationship was irrevocable. This spring, despite losing 15 players in free agency (and defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald to the Seahawks), Baltimore remained true to who they’ve always been — signing Derrick Henry, retaining Justin Madubuike, and drafting cornerback Nate Wiggins. But every season, the Baltimore Ravens come up short. Last season was the closest the Ravens have come to returning to the Super Bowl since winning Super Bowl XLVII to cap the 2012 season, but their league-best 13-4 run came to a sputtering end with an uninspired performance against the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. How long will this cycle continue?
Buffalo Bills
Ryan Gosling — “I’m Just Ken”
The Buffalo Bills have an alien at quarterback, and it doesn’t matter. Josh Allen is No. 2 to Patrick Mahomes. The Bills threw everything at the wall, and it doesn’t matter what they do because they are No. 2 — or closer to third or fourth, if the Bengals and Ravens have a say — to the Chiefs. At any other time, perhaps the Bills would be a ten. But the past three years, Buffalo’s season ended in the Divisional Round, twice to the Chiefs. This offseason was the Bills’ reckoning. The first iteration of the Allen-led, Super Bowl-contending Bills perished, as Stefon Diggs was shipped out to Houston, and other core players like Tre’Davious White, Jordan Poyer, and Micah Hyde left. The Bills will be viable as long as Allen is under center, but the Bills’ short-term Super Bowl chances took a hit in 2024.
Carolina Panthers
Paramore — “Ain’t It Fun”
This time last year, Bryce Young was presumably riding the euphoria of having just been drafted as a Heisman-winning quarterback prospect out of Alabama after Carolina moved heaven and earth to trade into the No. 1 overall spot. Hope, however faint, surrounded a new Panthers regime. Then, head coach Frank Reich was fired 11 games into a heinous 2-15 campaign in 2023. This offseason, Young is firmly acclimated to the realities of the NFL, where quarterbacks have approximately five minutes to prove worthy before teams give up on them, especially a franchise owned by David Tepper. The Panthers attempted to support Young by adding wide receiver Diontae Johnson and offensive guard Robert Hunt in free agency, and then drafting wide receiver Xavier Legette (No. 32 overall) and running back Jonathan Brooks (No. 46). But the weight of the world remains on Young’s shoulders.
Chicago Bears
Prince — “Controversy”
Ahead of last week’s NFL Draft, sportswriter Dave Fleming appeared on Pablo Torre Finds Out and said, “I will tell you, he scares the sh*t out of a lot of NFL teams, too. The book on him is he’s just kind of a weird kid. One GM told me it’s like if Prince played quarterback.” The anonymous GM probably intended for that to be an insult, but it is unequivocally the coolest compliment imaginable.
Like Prince, Williams challenges stale convention. His uninhibited self-expression makes people uncomfortable. His personality is perceived as controversial. Before the Bears shipped Justin Fields to Pittsburgh, there was controversy within Chicago’s fandom as to whether the Bears should keep Fields or start over with Williams. Predictably, the Bears drafted Williams No. 1 overall, and Williams is set up for success — surrounded by talented skill players like D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, D’Andre Swift, and Cole Kmet. The Bears have done everything right this offseason — really, the past two offseasons. But people will manufacture controversies around Williams, even when he surely becomes the first quarterback in Bears history to throw for 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns.
.@FlemFile on what a former NFL scout told him about Caleb Williams:
“Raw emotion is great, but Caleb’s thing? That was ridiculous to me. That threw up major red flags. … I will tell you, he scares the sh*t out of a lot of NFL teams too. The book on him is he’s just kind of a… pic.twitter.com/0XQXYvuZUd
The sky is threatening to fall in Cincinnati. Wide receiver Tee Higgins reportedly demanded a trade but will likely play 2024 on the franchise tag. Defensive end Trey Hendrickson also reportedly demanded a trade. The Bengals traded running back Joe Mixon to Houston and lost defensive tackle D.J. Reader to Detroit in free agency. Such is life after signing star quarterback Joe Burrow to a five-year, $275 million and preparing to make Ja’Marr Chase a top-paid receiver. The first phase of the Burrow-led Bengals is over, but if the sky is falling, nobody told Burrow, who said during a live New Heights event that the Bengals are “built to beat” the Chiefs.
Cleveland Browns
Olivia Rodrigo — “get him back!”
Publicly, the Browns will likely gush about how excited they are to get quarterback Deshaun Watson back after his season-ending shoulder surgery in 2023. Privately, I’m willing to bet there’s a group text full of Browns-adjacent people wishing they could plot revenge against everyone involved in 1) trading for and 2) shelling out a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract to an embattled Watson in 2022. Watson’s time in Cleveland has been defined by an 11-game suspension, injuries, and putrid quarterback play. Watson is holding back an otherwise solid Browns roster, and the Browns can’t get him back for it until 2026.
Dallas Cowboys
The Weekend, Playboi Carti, and Madonna — “Popular”
Jerry Jones desperately wants to be popular. If presented with the choice between winning next year’s Super Bowl or securing eternal popularity, I’m convinced Jones, in his most honest moment, would choose the latter. Jones swore the Cowboys would be “all-in” with their approach to this offseason, but they have objectively been anything but. Dallas made six moves in free agency. Dallas does not appear close to extending quarterback Dak Prescott, pass-rusher Micah Parsons, or wide receiver CeeDee Lamb — setting Prescott up to be an unrestricted (in every sense of the word) free agent next year. But why handle any football business when Jones and, by extension, the Cowboys are in the relevancy business? For Jones, any offseason in which the media is regularly discussing the Cowboys is a successful offseason.
Denver Broncos
Alexander 23 — “Crash”
The Denver Broncos dumped Russell Wilson. And they didn’t just dump him. They decided it was worth $85 million in dead money just to get him to go away. In 2023, first-year Broncos head coach Sean Payton marginally improved Wilson’s performance. Payton developed a reputation as a quarterback guru as the head coach with the New Orleans Saints, and Wilson used to be a great quarterback before inexplicably becoming unrecognizable in the pocket. As Alexander 23 sings, “Apart we’re great, but together we suck / I’m sorry for the way it ended, but ending it, baby, not so much / ‘Cause me and you weren’t built to last / We were two fast cars on our way to crash.” And so, Bo Nix is set to be the 14th Broncos starting quarterback since Peyton Manning’s 2016 retirement.
Detroit Lions
Eminem — “Lose Yourself”
The Lions are in Eminem’s second verse of “Lose Yourself”: “This world is mine for the taking, make me king / As we move toward a new world order.” The lowly Lions are dead after winning their first playoff game in 32 years and narrowly missing a Super Bowl LVIII appearance. A well-earned target is affixed to the Lions’ back, and they aren’t going anywhere. They extended general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell, and they continued bolstering the roster, including an extension for Amon-Ra St. Brown. Detroit football fans are losing themselves in this long-awaited culmination, breaking the all-time attendance record at the 2024 NFL Draft.
Green Bay Packers
Lil Wayne — “Let The Beat Build”
One day, the terms of the Packers’ deal with the devil will be disclosed. It is the only explanation for 30 consecutive years of great (or solid, at least) quarterback play in Green Bay — Brett Favre funneling directly into Aaron Rodgers, funneling directly into Jordan Love. As Lil Wayne rapped, “They diminish, I replenish.” Green Bay epitomizes steady construction — letting the beat build, if you will — and the 2023 season was a microcosm of that identity.
In his first full season as a starter, Love, 25, started out shaky but slowly came into his own and showed as much promise as anyone while leading the Packers to a surprising playoff run. With an average age of 25.7 years, the Packers are the NFL’s youngest team and ahead of schedule yet right on time. Green Bay additionally prioritized youth this offseason by releasing running back Aaron Jones, 29, and in favor of signing Josh Jacobs, 26, as well as 24-year-old safety Xavier McKinney, in free agency. All-Pro offensive tackle David Bakhtiari, 32, was also released, and the Packers used the 25th overall pick on offensive lineman Jordan Morgan.
Houston Texans
SZA — “Snooze”
The Texans can’t snooze and miss this moment while emerging worldly quarterback C.J. Stroud is relatively cheap on his rookie contract. And they know it. Houston traded for Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon and All-Pro receiver Stefon Diggs, and then bolstered the defense by signing Danielle Hunter and Denico Autry in free agency. After impressive rookie campaigns from Stroud and head coach DeMeco Ryans, Houston is positioned as a potent threat in the AFC.
Indianapolis Colts
Nine Days — “Absolutely (Story Of A Girl)”
This song is about one girl, but it applies to the Colts when divvied up between owner Jim Irsay and second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson. Irsay is a boisterous figure who seems to always be the subject of a headline that could have been generated by MadLibs. Presumably, Irsay’s presence places a strain on the franchise. It’s probably really stressful for general manager Chris Ballard or head coach Shane Steichen, but one smile from Richardson after an absurdly athletic touchdown, and everything feels better. The Colts’ 2024 and beyond depends on Richardson’s rehab from season-ending shoulder surgery, but you have to absolutely love the potential of this young core.
Jacksonville Jaguars
21 Savage — “a lot”
Credit where credit is due, Jacksonville was aggressive in response to fumbling away the AFC South and missing the playoffs entirely last season. The Jags signed the likes of defensive tackle Arik Armstead, wide receiver Gabe Davis, and center Mitch Morse in free agency, and then they extended Pro Bowl pass-rusher Josh Allen before drafting LSU receiver Brian Thomas Jr. at No. 23 overall. But…
How much money did the Jags spend in free agency? A lot. How many question marks remain in Jacksonville? A lot. How many people are doubting 2021 No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence as a paradigm-shifting quarterback of the future? A lot.
Kansas City Chiefs
Taylor Swift — “Look What You Made Me Do”
Taylor Swift’s historically prolific discography is more or less exclusively licensed to the Chiefs due to her ongoing romance with Travis Kelce, so it would be negligent not to use it.
The league let the Chiefs become the first back-to-back Super Bowl champions in two decades despite rostering an oft-ridiculed wide receiver corps in a “down year.” (Or, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and a nasty defense snatched it, depending on your perspective.) The Chiefs had to go on the road during the playoffs for the first time in Mahomes’ career, and they internalized every ounce of doubt — real or perceived — and plowed to their third Super Bowl in five years (“I got smarter, I got harder in the nick of time / Honey, I rose up from the dead, I do it all the time”). Had the Chiefs not won Super Bowl LVIII, perhaps they let Chris Jones walk in free agency, but because an unprecedented three-peat and football immortality is now on the table, the Chiefs uncharacteristically made Jones the highest-paid defensive tackle with a five-year extension. And as if Kelce wasn’t already living the most charmed life imaginable, the Chiefs went ahead and made him the highest-paid tight end.
Las Vegas Raiders
Charli XCX — “Von Dutch”
In the week leading up to Super Bowl LVIII, Raiders star pass-rusher Maxx Crosby told Colin Cowherd that he was actually pulling for his in-division rival Chiefs to become the back-to-back champions because, even though he “hate[s] all the teams equally,” he wants the Raiders “to be the ones that take ’em down.” The following week, newly hired head coach Antonio Pierce joined Crosby’s podcast, The Rush, and repeatedly proclaimed his “hatred” for the Chiefs. Pierce shared his plan to institute “Patrick Mahomes rules” — a callback to the Detroit Pistons’ “Jordan Rules” — “as long as I’m here.” I imagine Mahomes and the Chiefs hearing all of this, hitting play on “Von Dutch,” and knowingly nodding along as Charli XCX sings, “It’s okay to just admit that you’re jealous of me / Yeah, I heard you talk about me, that’s the word on the street / You’re obsessin’, just confess it, put your hands up / It’s obvious, I’m your No. 1.”
Los Angeles Chargers
Tyler The Creator Feat. Playboi Carti & Charlie Wilson — “EARFQUAKE”
Tyler The Creator’s “EARFQUAKE” is about being “for real this time” because he “cannot fall short” again. It’s probably not far off from Justin Herbert’s inner monologue. Herbert has been put in positions to fail since he became their starter in 2020 — four head coaches, four offensive coordinators — but the Chargers hiring Jim Harbaugh is supposed to be different. For the past three-ish years, L.A. has been an offseason and preseason darling, but Harbaugh legitimizes Herbert and the Chargers as being for real this time.
To be fair, this song also suits the Cowboys, given the ambiguous contract situations with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons, but as is always the case when discussing the Cowboys, I couldn’t overlook Jerry Jones’ ego. Anyway, Miami is in a similar hell. This offseason, Miami felt the financial ramifications of spending big after acquiring Tyreek Hill in March 2022 to try and win within Tua Tagovailoa’s rookie contract window. Christian Wilkins, Robert Hunt, and Xavien Howard are among the starters they lost. Honestly, as a recovering commitment phobe, the Dolphins trigger me. Do you want to commit to Tua, or do you want to let him go? Are you going to live up to the hype before Hill’s contract expires, or are you going to continue to reinvent underachieving?
Minnesota Vikings
Beyoncé Feat. Miley Cyrus — “II Most Wanted”
At February’s NFL Combine, head coach Kevin O’Connell expressed there was a mutual interest in Cousins remaining the Vikings quarterback. But then, Cousins left for Atlanta in free agency, and the Vikings acquired an additional first-round draft pick — intending to trade up and get their future franchise quarterback. Cousins was grandfathered in as O’Connell’s quarterback when he took over as head coach in 2022, and it has been written all over O’Connell’s face how delighted he is to hand-pick his own ride-or-die (“Been a while since I haven’t tried to pull away / But it’s time for somethin’ new”). That is 21-year-old now-former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, whom Minnesota drafted at No. 10 overall. In Minnesota’s most idyllic projection, McCarthy and O’Connell (and Justin Jefferson) will ride together ’til the day they retire.
New England Patriots
Reneé Rapp — “I Hate Boston”
The end of a dynasty is always ugly. If reports are true, Patriots owner Robert Kraft has been doing the most to make Bill Belichick hate New England after they “mutually agreed” to end Belichick’s 24-year tenure as head coach. First, the Apple TV+ docuseries The Dynasty portrayed Kraft in a much more positive light than Belichick. Then, ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr., Seth Wickersham, and Jeremy Fowler reported that Kraft actively dissuaded the Falcons from hiring Belichick as their next head coach. (Atlanta went with Raheem Morris, and Belichick did not get an NFL coaching job for 2024.) If that weren’t enough, Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers shared that Belichick-themed signs seem to have been removed from the team’s facility by the new regime led by rookie head coach Jerod Mayo. If the Patriots struggle as much as is projected in the coming years, Mayo and No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye might hate Boston, too.
New Orleans Saints
Destiny’s Child — “Bills, Bills, Bills”
The New Orleans Saints always owe someone money. No NFL team more frequently has chronically due bills because the Saints are constantly borrowing from the future and ignoring the concept of a salary cap. As such, the Saints remain in cap hell while hurtling toward oblivion.
New York Giants
Post Malone — “Circles”
The Giants are in a self-inflicted loop with quarterback Daniel Jones. Last March, they made the baffling and indefensible decision to give Jones a wholly unnecessary four-year, $160 million ($92 million guaranteed) contract. Jones only played six games last season for the dismal Giants, but the Giants can’t move on from him because of that contract. General manager Joe Schoen has expressed pretty lukewarm faith in Jones moving forward, but NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that New York “made one last-ditch effort” to trade into the Patriots’ No. 3 overall pick in an effort to select Jones’ replacement.
New York Jets
Daniel Caesar — “Pain Is Inevitable”
Jets fans know that pain is inevitable. Jets fans know their beloved football team has needed “a lesson in mishap prevention” for the better part of 50 years. Aaron Rodgers was supposed to be the savior last offseason, but he lasted four snaps before rupturing his Achilles and missing the entire season. Forty-year-old Rodgers will return for 2024 — conspiracy theories, distracting rhetoric, and vice presidential rumors in tow — but the Jets’ solution to fix an older, injury-prone roster was to sign older, injury-prone free agents, such as wide receiver Mike Williams and offensive tackle Tyron Smith. The Jets had a surprisingly prudent draft, but it won’t matter. Because the Jets are the Jets, and Rodgers is preoccupied.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Kid Laroi — “What Just Happened”
The Philadelphia Eagles suffered a confounding unraveling to end the 2023 season, losing five of six to finish the regular season only to get embarrassed 32-9 by Tampa Bay in the Wild Card Round. All-Pro center Jason Kelce and All-Pro defensive tackle Fletcher Cox retired. Philadelphia began triage by choosing to forgo flirting with Bill Belichick and retaining Nick Sirianni as head coach. Sirianni hired new coordinators (Kellen Moore, Vic Fangio), and general manager Howie Roseman demonstrated his annual wizardry with big-time signings, such as running back Saquon Barkley, safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, wide receiver DeVonta Smith, and wide receiver A.J. Brown. Then, Philly’s draft was targeted to address the defensive secondary, their most glaring weakness last season. It’s been a lot to process, and I don’t know if the Eagles crossed the line because I don’t even know what just happened.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Billie Eilish — “What Was I Made For?”
Russell Wilson is a shell of his Super Bowl-winning self. Wilson left the Seattle Seahawks for Denver in 2022 and proceeded to play himself out of the Hall Of Fame. He used to float, now he just falls down. Signing a one-year deal with Pittsburgh is probably Wilson’s final chance at resurrecting what’s left of his ability, and he will share the quarterback room with former Bears No. 1 pick Justin Fields, who is also trying to redirect his NFL trajectory. And looming over them will be the Steelers’ overarching identity crisis.
San Francisco 49ers
Justin Bieber — “At Least For Now”
At least for now, the 49ers are still Super Bowl favorites, despite losing to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl twice in the past five years. At least for now, head coach Kyle Shanahan gets the benefit of the doubt. At least for now, the 49ers don’t have to allocate substantial long-term money to “Mr. Irrelevant”-turned-MVP candidate Brock Purdy. At least for now, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk are still in San Francisco, and the 49ers can avoid the disappointment of having to make tough decisions about their aging and expensive core in 2025. The only thing that could alleviate that disappointment would be absolving the persistent disappointment of not having won a Super Bowl in 30 years.
Seattle Seahawks
Tori Kelly Feat. Jon Bellion — “Young Gun”
This song goes out to Pete Carroll. At 72 years old, Carroll was the oldest head coach in the NFL. In January, he told the press that he planned to continue coaching the team. Shortly thereafter, Seattle swapped him out for “a young gun from another town,” the Ravens’ 36-year-old defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, who is now the NFL’s youngest head coach. In a meager attempt to soften the blow, Seattle kept Carroll around as “an advisor.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Migos Feat. Drake — “Walk It Talk It”
Tampa committed to 2018 No. 1 overall pick-turned-journeyman Baker Mayfield with a three-year, $100 million contract. Mayfield was known as a talker before arriving in Tampa last year, but he revived his career (and recaptured his swagger) through mature leadership. Meanwhile, nobody would have blamed superstar wide receiver Mike Evans if he wanted to explore free agency and sign with a team primed to contend for a Super Bowl, but he proved his commitment to spend his entire career with the Bucs by re-signing on a two-year deal. The Bucs have expertly maneuvered these bridge years post-Tom Brady — remaining in the mix rather than totally bottoming out.
lmaoooo I don’t know why it took this long for me to see this video of Baker Mayfield dancing to Migos but it is LEGENDARY pic.twitter.com/d1C9Eciclg
Titans fans are going to need patience. Yes, Tennessee made free-agency splashes with L’Jarius Sneed, Calvin Ridley, and Tony Pollard, but first-year head coach Brian Callahan will need time to build out his program in the wake of Mike Vrabel. The Titans have been in “slow burn” territory regarding quarterback for quite awhile. Heading into 2024, it’s far from guaranteed that Will Levis is the guy at quarterback.
Washington Commanders
Liz Phair — “Why Can’t I?”
Washington took 20-plus prospects on a group date to Topgolf, but, as NFL reporter Tom Pelissero relayed on The Rich Eisen Show, “One of those four quarterbacks who visited for the Topgolf trip got picked up by [head coach] Dan Quinn, and the other ones took a shuttle bus to the hotel.” I enjoy envisioning an awkward group date during which reigning Heisman-winning LSU quarterback Jaden Daniels and Commanders brass locked eyes intermittently with an unspoken anticipation for their inevitable partnership, beginning with the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Washington has butterflies for Daniels, who symbolizes the dawn of a hopeful future after finally breaking free from a toxic 24-year relationship with former owner Dan Snyder.
Rihanna’s been teasing R9 for so long now that nobody knows what to believe anymore. At this point, it’s anyone’s guess when or if the album is indeed coming. The most recent mention of the album came during a red carpet event for her Fenty makeup line in Los Angeles on April 28th. During this appearance, she teased R9 once again, saying “It’s gonna be amazing.” She also went on about how much the album would showcase her evolution as an artist.
It’s been eight long years since Riri blessed us with a body of work. During this time, however, she’s dropped a handful of singles, including the Oscar-nominated “Lift Me Up” from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack. She has primarily focused on her fashion and beauty empire, and since it’s raking in billions, we can’t really blame her. Until definite information is put out, here’s a chronological list of all the information Riri (and others) has put out about R9 since 2018.
The first time Rihanna stirred excitement among her fans about the release of her ninth studio album was in 2018. In an Instagram reply, she shared that fans should expect the album in 2019, sparking anticipation for new music, following her last album, ANTI, released in January 2016. The album was also rumored to be a double-disc release, with one disc featuring chart-friendly songs and the other comprising moody and experimental tracks.
As time passed, rumors surfaced that Rihanna’s upcoming album would involve producer Supa Dups, known for his work with Beenie Man and Sean Paul. With this information, R9 became subject to reggae and dancehall speculations. These rumors and sporadic updates continued to keep the conversation about R9 alive for a while. Moreover, twice in early 2019, Rihanna shared studio session photos on Instagram.
The first time was in January when she posted a video showing her at work in the studio. She did it again in March of the same year when she shared a photo of her best friend and project manager Jennifer Rosales’ baby in the studio. Rosales would repost the baby pic on her own Instagram with this caption: “When tia @badgalriri gives you the first listen . #newmusic.” No one knows whatever became of these studio visits, however.
Further along in the year, in an extensive interview with the New York Times Magazine for a cover story in May, Rihanna confirmed that she was working on a reggae sound. ANTI had featured the iconic hit “Work,” and so fans were thirsting for more. People soon speculated that the album could drop at any moment. Ultimately, this never materialized. The period coincided with her promotion of the Fenty fashion line, and amidst the album buzz, Rihanna was named by Forbes as the richest female musician in the world, and everyone forgot about R9 for a moment.
Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, some still held out hope that this would be the year Rihanna releases R9. Why? In May 2020, she graced the cover of British Vogue, and made history as the first person to wear a durag on the magazine cover. Rihanna spoke about her multifaceted career and balancing her music with her business. She then mentioned how she was “very aggressively working on music.” However, she did not disclose a release date. Like a true artist she said: “There are no rules. There’s no format. There’s just good music, and if I feel it, I’m putting it out.”
In February 2023, Rihanna shared insights about her much-anticipated album R9 in an interview for her Vogue UK cover story. During the interview, Rihanna expressed her desire to release the album in 2023, saying, “I want it to be this year. Like, honestly, it’d be ridiculous if it’s not this year.” She also emphasized how much fun she had to have with her music and the importance of aligning the album with her creative vision.
However, the interview took place shortly after Rihanna’s performance at the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show, and the announcement of her second pregnancy with A$AP Rocky. Evidently, there was little hope it was coming out that year. Shockingly Capital FM reported that Rihanna was “quietly planning” a huge comeback world tour for 2024 and 2025. However, despite the speculation, insiders eventually clarified that “no tour has been confirmed.”
For her Interview Magazine cover story, Rihanna explained how her creative process for R9 had “a lot of visual ideas,” but “no songs for them yet.” Again, on April 28 and 29, 2024, she made headlines with updates about her personal style and her long-awaited album. She also recently hinted that ASAP Rocky has had some hand in helping with the project’s development. At a Fenty Beauty event, Rihanna shared more about her upcoming album, reiterating that it will be “amazing,” and that the delay in its release is because she wants it to truly represent her evolution. All we can do is wait.
At this point, what does everyone expect Rihanna to say? Rihanna has been asked ad nauseam about the status of what would be her first album since 2016’s ANTI. Rihanna has not released any new music, save for “Lift Me Up” for the 2022 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack, but she was asked about new music again over the weekend.
“It’s gonna be amazing,” Rihanna told Extra at her Fenty Beauty Soft’lit launch in Los Angeles. “It has to be — that is the only reason it’s not out yet. If I’m not feeling it, and I’m not feeling like it represents the evolution, the time I spent away. There should be a show of growth, right? I want to play, and I feel like music is a playground, and I want to have fun with it and show truly where I am at.”
These comments came less than 10 days after Rihanna spoke about unreleased music while attending her Fenty x Puma Creeper Phatty Earth Tone launch event in London.
“I already got stuff that I feel like I could make hits out of,” Rihanna told Entertainment Tonight earlier this month. “Me and [her partner, ASAP] Rocky are really trying to figure out who’s gonna use what because it’s so good.”
Rihanna’s transition into motherhood has been a sight supporters have loved to witness. The “Umbrella” singer and her partner, fellow musician Asap Rocky’s family, could be expanding soon. Well, that’s what fans continue to speculate online.
However, the conversation grew from whispers to screams following a now viral clip of Rihanna at a Fenty Beauty event. Yesterday (April 26), while celebrating the latest of the company’s latest product, soft’lit naturally luminous longwear foundation, Rihanna seemed to fan the flames even more. Instead of downing the glass of champagne offered to her, Rihanna aired on the side of caution.
On the gold carpet, Rihanna pretended to take a sip. Now, users believe that she is secretly pregnant with her and Asap Rocky’s third child. Although neither party have confirmed yet along hinted at the expansion of their family, that hasn’t stopped users online from running with the assumption. View a few of their responses below.
“This lets me know Asap Rocky just wasting time and resources with his antics lately LOL,” joked another referring to the rapper’s lyrical back-and-forth with Drake.
this lets me kno Asap rocky just wasting time & resources with his antics lately lol
For years now, the most iconic part of Rihanna’s online identity has been her Instagram profile image. You know the one: It’s a simplistic and relatively crude illustration of an expressionless character with curly hair on its head. As Vulture notes, the image dates back to 2014, so it was there for Anti, it was there for the launch of Fenty Beauty, and it was there for the births of Rihanna and ASAP Rocky’s two children.
Now, we are at the dawn of a new era: Over this past weekend, Rihanna changed her Instagram profile image. Now, instead of the classic doodle that has graced her account for a decade, we have a photo of a Fenty product, being held by what looks like a stick-figure hand, perhaps belonging to the beloved illustration.
After nearly a decade, Rihanna has changed her Instagram profile picture to a Fenty Beauty product. pic.twitter.com/XtuDD1Ptl8
There is a degree of devastation among Rihanna’s fans over this change. One shared an “In Loving Memory” video that has racked up 2.8 million views, reading, “I was deeply saddened to hear of your loss. Please know that you have my heartfelt condolences. In this time of grief, may you find strength and solace in the embrace of family and friends who care deeply for you.”
pic.twitter.com/CvvsHmbNMC
With a sense of confidence she could basically bottle and sell, our cover star is poised for the kind of stardom we rarely see from breakout talent these days. Read 
(@AronYohannes) 
. #newmusic.” No one knows whatever became of these studio visits, however. 
ﾒ𝟶 (@AbelFentyy) 