Pharrell Williams can add another prestigious honor to his long-list of accolades. The multi-Grammy winner was named a Knight of the Legion of Honor in France. The recognition is  France’s highest civilian honor, “recognizing his contributions to public and cultural life.” Williams received the honor for his trailblazing his work in fashion, particularly his role as Louis Vuitton’s Men’s Creative Director, and for his broader cultural influence. The award was announced as part of the Bastille Day celebrations. Pharrell Becomes A Knight Thanks To Award Created By Napoleon Bonaporthttps://t.co/kDSAy1A5qi pic.twitter.com/GgvbggipMp — AllHipHopcom (@allhiphopcom) July 13, 2025 According to a report The Straits Times  on Sunday, July 13, Williams was one of 589 people to be named knights of the Legion of Honour.  In 2023, Williams became creative director fo Louis Vuitton’s menswear division and was the visionary behind the brand “seamlessly blending streetwear, luxury, show business, and celebrity culture.” Beyond Vuitton, he has collaborated with other LVMH brands, including releasing a limited-edition Moët & Chandon bottle and a jewelry collection for Tiffany & Co. Since his appointment, Williams has relocated to Paris with his wife and four children Created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, the honor  consists of five degrees that are split into three ranks, Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), Commandeur (Commander), and two dignities, Grand Officier (Grand Officer) and Grand Croix (Grand Cross). ALong with being a Knight, Williams is fresh off the release of Let God Sort Em Out, the Clipse first album in 16 years. The album has garnered critical acclaim and many have hailed it as the best album of 2025. As one half of production duo the Neptunes, Pharrell Williams helped propel Clipse to stardom, and is back on board,” Alexis Petridis wrote in his review of the project on The Guardian. “If Drake doesn’t warrant a mention, notice is nevertheless served that getting on the wrong side of Pusha T remains best avoided: on So Be It Pt II, rapper Travis Scott is eviscerated in no uncertain terms.

Teyana Taylor is expressing her feelings for her new beau, Aaron Pierre. Speaking with Complex’s Jordan Rose, the multi-hyphenate shared how much she enjoys being with Pierre. “I feel like you gotta handle me like a cup of tea. How would you walk with a cup of tea versus how you would walk with a bottle of water?” Tayloe asked. “A cup of tea, you walk slower, you’re more calm, you’re more delicate, and even when you sip it, what happens if you sip the tea too fast? Burn your tongue.” “I am a cup of tea, and I feel like he handles me as such. He’s very, very gentle. It allows me to feel warm and to feel safe, and not be in survival mode,” she continued. After speculation began to swirl, they confirmed in May in a short film for Teyana’s upcoming album, Escape Room which is slated for release in August. The project will be her first  since 2020’s The Album. In addition to her budding relationship, recently revealed that she has enrolled in culinary school.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jimmy Neutch (@teyanataylor) “Went into my first day of Culinary school with a banggggggg! s/o to my Twinskiiiiiii Junebuggggggg!,” she said in an Instagram post. She then went on to share how much she loves cooking. “Cooking and baking have always been more than just hobbies for me; they’ve been my passion, my peace, my therapy,” Taylor wrote. “Since I was a little girl, I remember being glued next to whoever was in the kitchen while the other kids played around! Lol watching all the amazing women in my life cook all our favorite meals with so much love and joy. I must say I def got a cooking a** family lol That’s where it all started.” “And by the time I was 13/14, I was the “hood Betty Crocker” in Harlem baking cakes for the neighbors and anyone who asked,” she revealed. “Ya girl was ah hustlaaaaaahhhh & that spark never left me.”

Ahead of a “Cowboy Carter Tour” stop in Atlanta, Beyoncé’s tour plans, unreleased music, and other secret materials were stolen last week in Atlanta out of a car belonging to her choreographer and one of her dancers. Other items that went missing included laptops, sunglasses, clothing, and a pair of AirPods Max headphones, which gave investigators some clues, as they used Apple’s “Find My” feature in an attempt to locate the headphones. Local station WSB-TV reports that on July 8, the theft took place in a parking deck near Krog Street Market. Choreographer Christopher Grant and dancer Diandre Blue found that two suitcases were taken from a Jeep they were renting. “Mr. Grant advised he was also carrying some personal sensitive information for the musician Beyoncé,” a police incident report reads. “…[H]ard drives for her upcoming show in Atlanta were also stolen. The hard drives contained watermarked music, some unreleased music, footage plans for the show, and past and future set lists.” “He advised that he was her choreographer and Mr. Diandre Blue was a dancer for her, and that her hard drives for her upcoming show in Atlanta were also stolen. The hard drives contained watermarked music, some unreleased music, footage plans for the show, and past and future set lists,” the report continued. Law enforcement also reported that several suspects were questioned about the theft, as they were in a car that was “moving at the same time as the tracking on the AirPods.” Michael Seiden, or WSB-TV’s an arrest warrant was issued on Monday (July 14). No one has yet been charged.  On another note, JAY-Z brought some good vibes as he made his second Cowboy Carter Tour on Sunday (July 13). The power couple performed their classic   “Crazy In Love​” together before Hov performed “Public Service Announcement​.”​  After her final show in Atlanta on Monday,  Beyoncé is heading to Las Vegas on July 25 and 26 to close out the tour. 

21 Savage and Young Thug sparked laughs across social media this weekend after getting into a playful roast session on Instagram. The two rappers traded jabs by sharing unflattering and hilarious pictures of each other, keeping fans entertained with their friendly rivalry. View this post on Instagram A post shared by No Jumper (@nojumper) Young Thug kicked things off by uploading a snapshot of 21 Savage standing beside Taylor Swift, along with another image showing him proudly posing in front of a sneaker wall. Not one to back down, 21 fired back with an old photo of Thug—set to the emotional soundtrack of Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come”—which quickly became the standout moment of their digital roast battle. Once their posts started circulating, fans flooded the comments with reactions. “If I was Thug, 21 would’ve had to see me wit these fists after that picture,” one user joked. Another chimed in, “That’s the type of pic that turns a play fight into a real one.” After the jokes, 21 Savage shifted the focus back to music by sharing footage from his high-energy performance at London’s Wireless Festival. He joined Drake onstage as one of several surprise guests during the rapper’s headlining set. Other artists making appearances included Skepta, Central Cee, Latto, and Sexyy Redd. Drake set the tone for the night with a bold statement: “All that sweetheart, singing sht? That sht is over tonight. This is for my motherf*cking dogs. I see my dogs came out tonight.” While 21 has been lighting up stages, Young Thug is in album mode. He’s prepping for the release of UY Scutti, his first full-length project since taking a plea deal in the YSL RICO case. The album’s lead single, “Money on Money,” dropped in April, but no official release date has been confirmed yet.

Drake made waves in London over the weekend, using his headlining performance at the Wireless Festival on Saturday, July 13th, to reignite his feud with Kendrick Lamar. The crowd at Finsbury Park didn’t hold back, erupting into a chant directed at Kendrick, which Drake acknowledged without hesitation. View this post on Instagram A post shared by HOT 97 (@hot97) As the audience chanted an explicit diss aimed at his rap rival, Drake smiled and turned to his longtime security guard Chubbs, saying, “Grab me a shot. I’ll drink to that.” The crowd roared louder, showing clear support for the Toronto rapper amid one of hip-hop’s most talked-about beefs. Though tensions between Drake and Kendrick have been brewing for years, they reached a boiling point when Kendrick dropped “Not Like Us,” a diss track that accused Drake of serious misconduct. The song earned major attention, going viral and sweeping the Grammys, with industry peers even singing along as Kendrick took home awards. Drake’s performance in London also sparked conversation for another reason—fans noticed a tattoo switch. He appeared to have covered up a previous tattoo of LeBron James, who had publicly supported Kendrick during their lyrical standoff. In its place? A portrait of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from the Oklahoma City Thunder. The rapper added fuel to the fire by reviving altered lyrics from his track “Nonstop,” a move he first made earlier this year to hint at a fallout with LeBron. This time, the change landed with even more impact in front of a fired-up U.K. audience. While critics in the U.S. have been quick to call out Drake in recent months, his reception overseas tells a different story. If anything, the Wireless Festival crowd proved the rapper’s fanbase is still solid—and ready to back him in his ongoing war of words.

Pusha T is not hiding his feelings about Drake’s new music. Featured in Complex‘s cover story to promote the first Clipse album in 16 years, Let God Sort Em Out, the pair took questions from fans. One question asked the duo’s feelings about Drake’s newest track, “What I Miss.” He responded with a decisive “no.” “It’s just not for me,” he went on. The beef between Pusha T and Drake has continued to cook almost 10 years later. In 2018, after sending subliminal shots on several records, Push unleashed the scathing “Story of Adidon,” which is hailed as one of the best diss tracks of all time. Pusha T’s honest thoughts on Drake’s WHAT DID I MISS? “NO.”pic.twitter.com/jnI5U4whFV — NFR Podcast (@nfr_podcast) July 12, 2025 Also during the interview, Pusha addressed N.O.R.E., saying he yelled at Pharrell, who was complimentary to Drake during his appearance on Drink Champs. When we had Pharrell on the show [ Drink Champs], it was the first time I ever heard Pusha T raise his voice,” N.O.R.E. said on the Bootleg Kev podcast. “I said to Pharrell, ‘Pusha T or Drake,’ and he said ‘both.’ I don’t know if I’m supposed to say this, Pusha. I’m sorry, man, but I’m in the zone right now. Pusha called me like, ‘How the f**k is our boy doing this? How’s he doing that? How’s he saying both of us? ‘Drake wouldn’t have picked both of us; Drake would have picked him!’ And I’m like ‘Pusha, this is the one time I’m shutting the f**k up. I’mma let you vent.” “That same conversation I had with N.O.R.E., I had it with P,” he said. “I feel like N.O.R.E. made it feel like […] I just had a conversation with him. Like, no, it wasn’t all parties involved,” Pusha said. “I have no clue why he talked about it to that guy. It’s rollout time, though, man. Everybody wants a part of the clickbait.” 

Clipse continued their masterful rollout of their long-awaited album Let God Sort Em Out, with an epic performance on NPR’s “Tiny Desk.” Released on Friday, July 11, to coincide with the release of the album, No Malice and Pusha T proved why they are among the greatest rap duos of all time. With vivid storytelling and hard-hitting production, their 16-year hiatus proved just how much they contributed to the culture and how much they were missed. The two performed songs from their new album, Let God Sort Em Out, for the first time, and left the audience wanting more. But the performance went to another level when they concluded with their classic “Grindin.” Bobby Carter, producer of ‘Tiny Desk,” shared the dynamic duo’s creative vision for the performance. “At first, I didn’t know exactly what they were looking for, in terms of sonics, but it clicked when I was told what they didn’t want: no jazzy renditions of their music. They meant no disrespect to jazz at all, and if you follow the duo’s music, it boils down to hard drums and even harder synths,” Carter explained.  “Hybrid drummer Daru Jones, who played on last year’s Tiny Desk for the LOX, was the first choice because of his unique ability to mix traditional and electronic drum sounds,” he continued. Produced solely by Pharrell Williams,  Let God Sort Em Out has already garnered rave reviews. The project features appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Stove God, Tyler, the Creator,  Check out the setlist below: “Virginia” “Keys Open Doors” “Momma I’m So Sorry” “Chains & Whips” “Birds Don’t Sing” “Grindin”

The late and legendary Fatman Scoop is still receiving his well-deserved flowers. The Freeman Family, NYC Council Member Dr. Yusef Salaam, and the Forever Fatman Scoop Foundation have announced the official street co-naming ceremony honoring Grammy Award-winning artist and Harlem native, Isaac “Fatman Scoop” Freeman III. The intersection of 109th Street and 5th Avenue will be officially co-named “Isaac ‘Fatman Scoop’ Freeman III Place.” The ceremony takes place on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at 2:00 PM. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fatman Scoop (@fatmanscoop) This ceremonial renaming recognizes Freeman’s decades-long impact on music, entertainment, and community empowerment. Known for his unmistakable voice, high-energy performances, and cultural relevance, Fatman Scoop is not only a global entertainer but also a proud son of Harlem whose roots remain deeply planted in the neighborhood. Kendell “Sav” Freeman, Scoop’s brother, expressed his gratitude for the prestigious honor. “Scoop has always represented Harlem with pride,” Freeman said. “This co-naming is a tribute not just to his artistry, but to his ongoing commitment to uplifting the community that raised him.” The ceremony will “bring together friends, family, local leaders, and community members in a celebration of legacy, culture, and Harlem pride.’ Born and raised in Harlem, Fatman Scoop was known for his booming, raw vocal presence and high-energy performances and rose to prominence with his 1999 single “Be Faithful” (featuring the Crooklyn Clan). An instant club classic, the song became a number one hit in the UK and Ireland in 2003, and also charted in Denmark and Australia. Throughout his career, he collaborated with some of the industry’s biggest artists, including Missy Elliott’s “Lose Control,” which won a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video, and Mariah Carey’s “It’s Like That.   Scoop passed away on August 31, 2024, at the age of 56.

Essence Festival 2025 returned to Louisiana with star power and cultural pride, but this year’s edition revealed growing pains beneath the surface. The Essence Festival is an annual event that celebrates the beauty and richness of Black culture during the Fourth of July weekend in New Orleans, often referred to as “the Big Easy.” This year, Hot 97’s Bryson “Boom” Paul provided coverage of the event, which is commonly known as “Your Auntie’s Festival.” Boyz II Men, Lauryn Hill, Maxwell, Jill Scott, and Babyface headlined a stacked lineup, with Maxwell’s soulful midnight set earning widespread acclaim. The Isley Brothers and Buju Banton added legacy and energy, electrifying the Superdome crowd. DAY 1 Day 1 began with dysfunction in production; however, festivalgoers received a warm welcome from brands, pop-ups, and activations across the festival showroom at the Convention Center. The long lines displayed excitement, positivity, and appreciation. Celebrities submerged themselves in the festival and spent the day partying with fans. New Orleans would treat travelers like family, while locals showcased their pride through cultural attractions. On the grounds and social media, many expressed their enjoyable experience at the recommended eateries. The evening concert experienced delays, which led to concertgoers choosing to stay at the Caesar’s Superdome until 4 AM. The continuous technical difficulties made the show uneasy. While the legends delivered satisfactory performance, the out-of-our-control issues made the experience forgettable, as fans didn’t desire an encore. DAY 2 Day 2 was perfect from beginning to end. Fans called it “soul-nourishing,” praising the daytime lineup’s depth and energy. But by nightfall, enthusiasm gave way to complaints about poor scheduling, backstage confusion, and weak promotion. Social media reactions ranged from disappointment to calls for refunds. Still, solo festivalgoers enjoyed the lively atmosphere and activations, salvaging an otherwise uneven experience. DAY 3 The afternoon highlights included a raw, candid discussion with reality stars Shamea Morton, Yandy Smith-Harris, and Quad Webb, praised for its honesty. Food critic Keith Lee closed out the festival as one of the biggest draws in the fandom. Technical difficulties returned but were overshadowed by the unforgettable surprises. LL Cool J stole the show with his surprising set that proved his iconic stature. Bringing back a nostalgic atmosphere, the evening featured heartfelt performances by Babyface, Yolanda Adams, and Boyz II Men. Master P’s farewell delivered the signature New Orleans bounce that had been missing all weekend. Despite lingering delays and lackluster VIP perks, Day 3 ended on a high. OVERVIEW Despite standout performances, the overall atmosphere felt subdued. Fans and vendors noted smaller crowds, lower energy, and logistical hiccups. Lauryn Hill’s set, announced late and delayed until 2:30 a.m., unfolded to a sparse audience. Organizers took responsibility and praised her professionalism, while fans responded with mixed reactions. Economic factors also shaped the weekend. Travel costs and the July 4th holiday led to a drop in hotel occupancy and vendor pullouts. Still, curated spaces like BeautyCon, Suede Men’s Lounge, and the Food & Wine series offered memorable moments, blending style, wellness, and culture. Organizers defended attendance numbers, cited over $300 million in local impact, and promised improvements in scheduling transparency. Though not without flaws, the 2025 edition affirmed Essence’s enduring role as a celebration of Black music and identity. The festival continues to evolve, even as it holds tightly to its cultural roots.

Coco Jones and Donovan Mitchell announce their engagement. Mitchell shared the news via Instagram. “Yaaaaaayy!! So happy for you guys!” commented Ciara. WNBA star, Angel Reese said, “stopppp CONGRATS SIS!” in celebration of the announcement. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) Coco previously confirmed their relationship during an interview with Shannon Sharpe on Club Shay Shay in March 2025. When asked about their relationship, Jones expressed, “I love the internet because they definitely clocked my tea. Little spies everywhere. I’m happy and I will say, my music is my outlet where I tell my stories and my truth. Some things I keep for myself because this is my life, too. I say some things and you can hear it on my album.” She continued, “secrecy is not what I prefer. I don’t want to feel like I have to be somebody secret. I don’t want to make anybody feel like they’re mine. For me, I’m trying to protect myself, and I’m trying to protect my family and those I love, so I am more private.” Congratulations to the lovely couple.