The wedding bells are growing louder for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce (and those in their inner circle) as they allegedly get ready to say “I do” this summer. There’s been, of course, a lot of curiosity around where the couple will have their big day. Now, one insider revealed where he thinks they'll hold their ceremony, and it has connections to how Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s own wedding went down back in 2008.

Scooper Rob Shuter went on Fox 5 New York to share that, based on the insight that he’s gathered, the couple is allegedly going to get married on July 3rd in a city that Taylor Swift totally has a song about. In his words:

According to Shuter, Taylor Swift’s apartment in Soho is “like the TARDIS” and much bigger than one would expect – especially since she’s apparently bought four apartments in the complex. If this does happen, it could be a very intimate and cozy day for the pair, who are famous for doing their jobs in the biggest venues one can go to for an occasion.

Across the last few months, we’ve heard a lot of alleged information about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding that seems to change on a dime. For example, the couple was previously expected to be tying the knot on June 13 before word came in that it might occur during Swift’s favorite holiday, where she’s hosted star-studded parties before. There was also a rumor that the couple would be getting married in Rhode Island, where Swift has also hosted a lot of her famous friends for the same holiday.

However, now there are claims it could happen in New York City in her home. So, it's hard to know exactly what will happen. However, if this scooper is right, it would feel like the pop star is taking a page from Beyoncé's playbook.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z got married on April 4, 2008, at Jay-Z’s Manhattan apartment in an affair where recording was prohibited and guests entered on the down low. There were also other sweet elements about the wedding that you might not expect from the rapper and pop star, like Beyoncé’s minimalist gown that was designed by her mom, and only having 40 guests in attendance. But, of course, there were celebrities on deck like her Destiny’s Child sisters, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, as well as Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, per People.

We’ve heard Taylor Swift is taking inspiration from Elizabeth Taylor for her wedding dress, and can guess some obvious names on the guest list like Ed Sheeran, Selena Gomez, the Haim sisters and Jack Antonoff. But how many guests can she fit into her apartment? We’ll of course leave it up to the happy couple to come up with the details and hope they share some photos after they enjoy their day in peace and happiness.

The currently incarcerated Sean “Diddy” Combs has been wrapped up in various legal issues in recent years, including various lawsuits from different plaintiffs. One such suit was filed by a Jane Doe near the end of 2024, who accused both Combs and fellow rapper Jay-Z of sexually assaulting her. Jay-Z denied the claims and, in February 2025, the case was dismissed. The “99 Problems” rapper has since filed a defamation suit against his accuser, though, and is now evoking Diddy in order to make an argument.

Why Did Diddy Come Up During Jay-Z’s Defamation Case?

One of the biggest issues that 56-year-old Jay-Z (whose real name is Shawn Carter) and his legal team have with this Jane Doe right now is the anonymity she currently possesses. With that, the rapper’s lawyers filed arguing against her identity being confidential. AllHipHop reports that in the newly filed paperwork, Jay’s camp cites a ruling related to Diddy as a reason why the woman’s name should be revealed amid the defamation lawsuit.

In that matter, a Second Circuit court judge in New York ruled that several of Combs’ accusers could not conceal their identities while making claims against him. The judge determined that none of them were able to prove that they were in serious danger by revealing their names. With that, Jay-Z and co. argue that the same principle applies here and that the accuser has yet to prove that she’ll be in harm’s way by revealing her name. There are also concerns that, as it stands, Jay and co. can’t look into Doe’s background.

The initial lawsuit from that unnamed woman came down in October 2024, at which point she claimed Jay-Z and Diddy raped her in 2000 when she was 13 years old. Per the filing, the alleged incident took place at a house party in New York after that year’s MTV Video Music Awards. The plaintiff was also being represented by attorney Tony Buzbee, who also oversaw various other cases against Combs, including the women who were part of the ruling Jay-Z is now citing. When L.A. Superior Court Judge Mark H. Epstein dismissed the case last year, he argued that Buzbee engaged in “egregious misconduct” while making his case.

On that note, much of Carter’s latest filing is predicated on audio recordings that came by way of a private investigator. In those recordings, Jane Doe purportedly admitted she fabricated the claims against Carter and did so after being instructed by Buzzbee. With that, it’s alleged that Doe said it wasn’t her intention to bring Carter into the suit. A judge has yet to rule on whether the “Empire State of Mind” performer’s argument has merit. In the meantime, Diddy is still dealing with his post-trial reality.

What’s Going On With Diddy Nearly A Year After His Sex Trafficking Trial?

Sean Combs’ trial began in May 2025 and ended in July of that same year with him receiving a mixed verdict. The jury found Combs guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted him on sex trafficking and racketeering (RICO), which held heavier penalties. By the fall, the “Bad Boy for Life” performer was sentenced to four years (or 50 months) in prison and eventually transferred from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey to serve his time.

As Diddy remains at Fort Dix, he and his legal team are also seeking to appeal his sentence. The basis of their argument is the assertion that Judge Arun Subramanian came to a decision on the ruling that outweighed the offenses he was charged with. As a result, Combs’ lawyers asked for his immediate release in their latest filing, though prosecutors have argued against that and filed to further validate Subramanian’s ruling. Right now, both sides are set to meet in court on April 9 to present oral arguments.

Simultaneously, there are still numerous lawsuits swirling around Diddy despite the fact that he’s seen a few wins on that front. It’s far from clear how those situations might be resolved, and the same goes for Jay-Z’s defamation suit.

Kanye West’s social media tirades have garnered significant attention over the last several months. The polarizing rapper has used his platform to share brutally honest thoughts on current events as well as fellow celebrities. 47-year-old West drew backlash in a major way months ago after he made inflammatory comments about Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s kids. In time, West apologized for what he said and, more recently, he shared a post that would seem to suggest he’s still remorseful for his statements.

In an all-caps post shared to X in March, Ye (as shared by The Source) questioned why the public rarely if ever sees Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s two younger children – daughter Rumi and son Sir. The “Good Life” rapper then said that the kids are “retarted” and that “this is why artificial insemination is a blessing.” He also declared that “having retarded children is a choice.” Ye doubled down on his sentiments in several other posts, in which he shared more comments.

The Grammy winner apologized for his sentiments around this past April by way of another post. At the time, he said, “I’m sorry Jay Z. I be feeling bad about my tweet…” It would seem that the viral comments are still on Ye’s mind, as he shared a since-deleted post (via The Source) this past weekend: In it, he simply said the following:

Years ago, Kanye West and Jay (whose real name is Shawn Carter) were actually quite close. They also collaborated, with arguably their most famous piece of work being the 2011 album Watch the Throne. Said compilation would prove to be their only team-up until 2021’s Donda. Years later, West named some of Carter’s lyrics on the track “Jail” as the reason for them not collaborating since that latter album. The relationship between the two seems to have fizzled out at this point, though.

A few other notable music industry veterans have been caught in the crosshairs of Ye’s social media habits as well. In one post, the “Amazing” singer notably name-dropped Taylor Swift and mused that she wouldn’t have sex with him due to his race. (Swift reportedly sought to file a cease-and-desist order against the rapper.) The Yeezy brand founder also weighed in on Kid Cudi testifying at Sean “P. Diddy” Combs’ sex-trafficking trial, saying that he wished Cudi wouldn’t have taken the stand.

Kanye West has also drawn backlash for making inappropriate comments towards people belonging to the Jewish faith. Weeks ago, however, West claimed to be done with antisemitism and asked for forgiveness. That aside, he’s also made comments about himself, even claiming that he had an incestous relationship with a cousin when he was younger. Such comments have apparently worried West’s ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, who’s apparently taken measures to protect themselves and the four children they share.

When it comes to Ye’s comments about Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s kids, neither member of the celebrity couple has publicly addressed the situation. The songstress’ mother, Tina Knowles, did seemingly defend her family after the initial posts went viral. Also, Tina’s ex-husband, Matthew Knowles, suggested that Ye could face legal repercussions for what he posted. Though Kanye West has apparently changed his tune, it remains to be seen whether the law will become involved in this matter.

In 2011, Jay-Z and Kanye West released Watch The Throne, and it seemed like it was only the start of the biggest rap crossover collaboration of all time. Years passed without additional team-ups, however, with tensions flaring until an unexpected follow-up collab on Ye's 2021 album Donda. Since then, the tension has returned, and Yeezy explained that a song lyric is essentially what led to this latest cold-shoulder era.

Not long after details surfaced about his "hooligan choir," which followed the release of a song addressing an incestual relationship with his cousin, Ye addressed in a since-deleted post on X why fans never got to hear a follow-up to Watch The Throne. Here's what apparently had the rapper so upset about Jay-Z's verse on Donda's "Jail":

Kanye West is referring to Jay-Z's "Stop all of that red cap, we goin’ home" lyric, which is a pointed reference to Ye's support of President Donald Trump and the MAGA movement. The Georgia-born rapper didn't want to include the political line in the song, but it was apparently the only way to make the Jay-Z collaboration happen.

Kanye West and Jay-Z's professional relationship initially began in the 2000s, when the former worked as a producer on several hit songs for H.O.V.A. Once West's rap career started to flourish, they had more collaborations, ultimately leading to the release of their album Watch The Throne. The album had a couple of radio hits, and it seemed the famous friends would conquer the music industry.

Unfortunately, the relationship became strained in subsequent years, and it seems as though the two are no longer friends. West took offense at Jay-Z and Beyoncé not attending his wedding ceremony to ex-wife Kim Kardashian, and the two had traded vague jabs with each other through songs leading up to the surprise collaboration in Donda.

This latest post came a month after Kanye West made offensive comments about Jay-Z's children, which continued his streak of controversial posts on the internet. Jay-Z has not publicly commented on what Ye had to say about the lyrics, and given his limited presence on social media, I don't see it happening unless he's asked in an interview.

Other celebrities have reportedly taken legal action against Kanye West for his comments, which have been scrutinized for their legitimacy. Claims ranging from having sex with Taylor Swift to blaming demons for a string of anti-Semitic tweets he made. The self-alleged billionaire hasn't been the most PR friendly person to be around as of late, so even if Jay-Z wanted to make another song with the rapper, chances are he wouldn't.

CinemaBlend will keep an eye out for what Ye is up to next, as well as all celebrities in the industry. Plus, there's a big summer of movies coming just around the corner, so stick with us for news about what to watch as we approach blockbuster movie season.

There’s been much that has been spoken about Diddy’s parties in recent months, as many of these events have allegedly tied in with the racketeering and coercion charges he is facing in court. Among these, the most famous of his parties were his “White Parties,” held during Labor Day weekend for more than a decade.

Celebrities attended. All guests invited were tasked with wearing white, seemingly a nod to the old phrase, “No white after Labor Day.” But new details are highlighting how over-the-top and opulent these events could really be, and yes, the Declaration of Independence was once even involved.

In 2004, Diddy Brought The Declaration Of Independence As His White Party Date

While all celebrities are different, plenty of them are known for throwing over-the-top parties. SNL is known for raucous after parties. (I particularly enjoy Fallon’s story about the SNL 40 after party.) And there are reports Justin Bieber allegedly makes people sign NDAs before they show up for parties at his house, so it’s not just Diddy who has been known for wild partying behavior in the a-lister crowd.

But in 2004 (via USA Today), reports indicate Diddy flew in on a helicopter and brought a copy of the Declaration of Independence as his "date." He noted at the time it was a bit of an ostentatious thing to do, saying to his rapt a-lister audience:

Over time, some major names attended his White Parties, including Jay-Z, Kim Kardashian, Aretha Franklin and Justin Bieber (who would later rise to fame in 2009.) Leonardo DiCaprio was once spotted near Diddy as he held champagne. The likes of Howard Stern and Regis Philbin attended. Jennifer Lopez, Jimmy Iovine, Demi Moore, Tyrese Gibson, Jonah Hill and so many more were also spotted at parties like these. Professional photographers were even on hand to catch the stars in action.

Yet decades later, many of those same names are attempting to distance themselves from Diddy after his arrest. This is particularly true of Jay-Z, who was until recently cited in one of the lawsuits, but who was removed after the mogul proved he was not present.

So Why White Parties?

More recently, we’ve been hearing about Diddy’s “freak offs” and "Wild King Nights," which were allegedly held inside in more intimate settings outside of some of the rapper’s larger parties. Allegations about drug use and even the appearance of a large amount of baby oil have sparked the public's attention as this case has wound its way through the court system.

In ID's The Fall of Diddy docuseries (which you can stream with a Max subscription), the all-white dress code was also mentioned to be a way for the rapper to break into "mainstream culture" and not just "Black hip-hop culture."

Starting in 1998 and running through 2009, Diddy's White Parties were a celebrity milestone. Being invited was no mean feat. But now we're at the point where the likes of Will Smith are joking about "baby oil" to distance themselves from those days.

The era of the White Party has been over for a while, but its legacy remains. Diddy will officially go on trial starting on May 5th, 2025.

While P. Diddy is facing several federal charges as he awaits trial, the embattled hip hop mogul is also at the center of more than a few lawsuits. Diddy’s legal team responded to the numerous suits – which involve claims of sexual assault, sex-trafficking and more – and denied the claims on behalf of their client. Now, someone else is suing the Grammy winner, who was arrested in New York back in September 2024. Jay-Z, LeBron James and other stars were mentioned in the suit and, now, their teams are issuing statements.

What Is Diddy Being Accused Of In This Latest Lawsuit?

The plaintiff in this particular case is Manzaro Joseph, who apparently crossed paths with Diddy – whose real name is Sean Combs – at a birthday celebration for the rapper’s son, King Combs. In the suit, which was obtained by TMZ, it was alleged Joseph also was drugged and “transported against his will” to the party, which was apparently held at Miami's Star Island in April 2015. Joseph also claims that at some point during the affair, he was paraded around while wearing a thong bikini bottom and black, leather mask.

Also, Manzaro Joseph claimed that early on during the event, he was dragged into the back entrance of a mansion owned by Gloria and Emilio Estefan. Gloria supposedly asked that an ambulance be called after she saw Joseph in a “drug-induced stupor.” After Emilio allegedly waved off his wife’s concerns and moved with her to another area, Joseph supposedly was taken through a hallway, where he saw LeBron James. Per the suit, James – who was allegedly in a bath towel – saw Joseph and asked that something be done about him.

During the night, former porn star Adria English allegedly led Joseph to a spacious area in Diddy’s mansion, where he purportedly regained consciousness. It was there that he allegedly saw Jay-Z with wife Beyoncé, who asked, “Why is this half-naked white man with a cock mask standing here in front of me?” One of Diddy’s associates supposedly said that they were teaching Joseph a lesson regarding what happens to “snitches.”

Several defendants are named in the lawsuit, including Brendan Paul – an alleged drug mule of Diddy’s as well as Emilio Estefan and Adria English (who filed a sex-trafficking suit against Diddy in 2024). Manzaro Joseph is reportedly suing on the grounds of human trafficking and, in the aftermath of his filing, several reps are speaking.

How Did The Representatives Respond To The Latest Lawsuit Involving Sean Combs?

In a statement shared with TMZ, Brendan Paul’s lawyer, Brian Bieber, said the claims against his client were “are 100% false and literally impossible to have occurred.” LeBron James’ spokesperson denied the allegation against the professional basketball player as well. James was previously called out by UFC alum Brandon Goodwin for a past “Diddy Party” comment and, on the heels of this latest situation, his rep said the following:

As for Jay-Z and Beyoncé, they weren’t named defendants in this case either. However, Jay – whose real name is Shawn Carter – was named in a rape lawsuit, involving a woman he claimed to have been sexually assaulted by both men in 2000, when she was 13 years old. Carter vehemently denied the allegations and, by February 2025, the case was dismissed. As for this suit from Manzaro Joseph, Carter’s attorney, Alex Spiro, had this to say:

Additionally, a representative for Emilio and Gloria Estafan shared a statement. The person said:

Freak Off parties have been at the center of a number of suits facing Sean Combs. At these events, guests were allegedly treated to sex acts by women, who’d been weighed and coerced or hired to perform them. Combs’ Wild King Nights have also been discussed, with those events allegedly involving sex toys, drugs, copious amounts of baby oil and more.

P. Diddy’s trial is set to begin on May 5, and he’s been charged with sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution, racketeering, arson and other offenses. The rapper is currently awaiting the legal proceedings at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Only time will tell just how the trial plays out as well as the slew of lawsuits.

Kanye West’s disturbing tweets about Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s kids have now seemingly caught the attention of Tina Knowles. Following Ye posting a message about the mental capacities of the couple’s young twins, their grandmother – who has never been one to shy away from addressing hateful comments about Beyoncé and her family online – seemingly responded subtly.

What Kanye West Said About Jay-Z, Beyoncé And Their Kids

On Tuesday night, West uploaded a post on X that called out Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s youngest kids. It used explicit and disturbing language and has since been deleted, per Page Six. After that, Ye posted a tweet saying he did “feel bad” about the post, but then proceeded to call out the couple for not supporting him.

In the post where he said he felt bad about his initial words regarding the kids, Ye claimed that the rapper did not come to his “first wedding.” He also claimed that Jay-Z put “Kendrick on the Super Bowl over me,” and he said he felt like the couple “could have helped me have more leverage with my kids.” He then ended his post noting that he felt hurt by the couple, writing “so fuck both of them cause when I needed them it was fuck me.”

Now, after that aggressive moment on X, Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles has seemingly responded.

What Tina Knowles Posted After Kanye’s Tweets

Not long after Kanye West’s posts about Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s children went viral, Tina Knowles came onto Instagram to tell a “corny joke.” While no names were named, the timing of this came right after Ye’s X posts, and her caption stated that “no weapon formed against me or my family shall prosper.”

Then, in the video she told a joke about what happens when “a snowman throws a tantrum,” saying:

In the comments, @etaylorrr stated “clock that tea in a subtle way,” and @roni.scales wrote that she was “picking up what you putting down mama Tina.”

Again, no names were named, however, Knowles did speak up to clearly defend her family, and it happened right after Kanye West explicitly called out her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren.

In the past, Knowles has addressed her social media use, noting that she’s “a protector of my kids.” Her caption made it clear that she was defending her family and calling out claims made against them.

All of this comes amid a particularly turbulent time for West, who has gone on multiple social media rants before this.

Earlier this year it was alleged that Kim Kardashian and her ex-husband are not in a good place. Then, among the many controversial tweets he wrote about Beyoncé's kids and more, he also accused the Kardashians of sex trafficking, TMZ noted. This came after an emergency hearing last week about North, which happened after Kim Kardashian “abruptly pulled the plug while North was visiting her dad” because she learned that Andrew and Tristan Tate were with him at the time. Reportedly, Kardashian does not want North or any of her kids associated with the Tates or Diddy, who West spoke to recently.

Overall, this latest social media rant from Kanye West covered many topics, and he made many disturbing and controversial claims. Seemingly, Tina Knowles addressed the posts regarding her family, and as we learn more about how others respond to Ye’s latest X rant.

While P. Diddy sits in prison awaiting his trial date on federal charges of sex trafficking and other crimes, the case against Jay-Z in a lawsuit accusing him and Diddy of the alleged rape of a minor in 2000 were dropped earlier this month. Now a defamation lawsuit filed by the “Empire State of Mind” artist against Tony Buzbee, the lawyer who filed the suit, is likely going forward, and Diddy’s lawyers have added their own claims regarding Buzbee’s alleged “egregious misconduct.”

Tony Buzbee previously said he was representing more than 120 clients in civil lawsuits against Sean “Diddy” Combs, including one alleging the rape of a 13-year-old after the 2000 MTV VMAs. Jay-Z (real name Shawn Carter) filed a suit against Buzbee in November. While L.A. Superior Court Judge Mark H. Epstein refused in a tentative ruling on February 25 to pursue extortion claims against the Houston-based lawyer, per documents via Deadline, the rapper’s defamation case is likely to move forward. Epstein said:

P. Diddy was named in the lawsuit filed in October on behalf of the then-13-year-old, but two others were unnamed — a male Celebrity A and female Celebrity B. Judge Epstein said that Tony Buzbee “liked” social media posts that claimed Jay-Z was Celebrity A, which could indicate a degree of malice that would be required to pursue a defamation case.

Meanwhile, Diddy (aka Sean Combs) and his legal team also filed paperwork on February 25 against Tony Buzbee, saying he presented a false picture of his ability to practice law in the Southern District of New York, where the lawyer reportedly has about a dozen cases against the music mogul. In an opposition memorandum to Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil, Diddy’s lawyers wrote:

The mentioned pro hac vice request would have allowed the Texas-based attorney in the court in the jurisdiction where he can’t practice, Deadline reported.

These legal moves against Tony Buzbee come nearly two weeks after the case involving the 13-year-old and the post-VMAs party was dropped on February 14. Jay-Z responded with a stern message posted to Roc Nation’s social media, which read, in part:

Time will tell if the system will find wrongdoing in Tony Buzbee’s actions against Jay-Z, with the next step being Judge Epstein’s final ruling on the rapper’s defamation lawsuit.

A hearing date is set for late March, and we'll be sure to keep you updated on the situation.

Since Sean Combs’ arrest this past fall, various reports have swirled around him. The man also known as P. Diddy is currently behind bars at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center and facing federal charges and multiple lawsuits. When it comes to the suits, Diddy along with Jay-Z has been accused of raping a 13-year-old over two decades ago. Both have denied the claims and, amid their legal woes, former Bad Boy Records artist Mark Curry is chastising them with his personal thoughts.

The now-53-year-old Mark Curry recently participated in an Instagram Live session, during which he fielded questions from fans. While he discussed a number of topics, the veteran rapper also discussed former collaborator P. Diddy as well as Jay-Z (whose actual name is Shawn Carter). Curry admitted in the video that he doesn’t talk about either of his fellow hip hop veterans these days, yet he did go on to criticize them and allege that their rises within the industry are merely due to them short-changing others:

Back in 1997, Mark Curry signed with Bad Boy Records, where he found success in the music industry. Amid his accomplishments with the brand was the hit 2001 single, “Bad Boy for Life,” which he performed with Puff Daddy and Black Rob. However, Curry also had his share of issues with Diddy, many of which he outlined in his 2009 book Dancing with the Devil. As was the case with that publication, Curry didn’t mince words when sharing other thoughts during his IG Live, even chastising Jay for not supporting him:

Various Diddy-related lawsuits began to trickle down near the end of 2024 and, around October, the Grammy winner was accused of raping a minor after the MTV Video Music Awards in 2000. That suit was refiled in December to include Jay-Z, who’s been accused of taking off the young woman’s clothes at a house and raping her, before Diddy allegedly also sexually assaulted her. Shawn Carter denied the claims via a statement he shared shortly after the refiling.

Most of Sean Combs’ famous friends have remained mum on his legal issues as of late, with only a handful choosing to speak out. Combs’ rest came months after his homes were raided as part of a federal investigation into purported sex-trafficking activity. The feds seized numerous items from the rapper's houses, including 1,000 bottles of lubricant. Combs is currently facing charges of sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution, arson, racketeering and more.

It remains to be seen whether Mark Curry will share more thoughts on either P. Diddy or Jay-Z. But, for now, their lawsuit remains ongoing, and Diddy’s sex-trafficking trial is set to commence on May 5.

When it comes to the dangers of social media use, Jay-Z knows better than anyone considering the rapper and entertainment mogul has been the subject of a number of scandals that have been heavily discussed on social media. Oftentimes, the best way to handle it is refraining from joining in or trying to combat the chaos. It seems like his mother-in-law, Tina Knowles, doesn’t always follow that course of action herself, despite Jay-Z’s frequent reminders about the harm social media can cause.

Tina Knowles recently was a guest on the Vogue podcast, The Run-Through, where she revealed that sometimes the noise and hateful comments on social media towards her family gets to her. Her daughter, Beyoncé, has been in a high-profile relationship with Jay-Z for decades, and they have often been the subject of media scrutiny and rumors. While her family has advised her to stay off of social media and ignore negative rhetoric, Knowles admitted that she often has the urge to defend and protect her family on the internet. She said (via People):

This advice was probably given due to the numerous times Knowles has come to her family’s defense in the past. She defended Beyoncé on social media when people claimed the pop star was trying to lighten her skin on the red carpet. She also recently called out people on Instagram who had anything negative to say about her daughter’s Christmas Day Halftime performance that streamed on Netflix. Clearly, Knowles is fiercely supportive, and doesn’t take lightly to people coming after the people she loves.

Even though Knowles is there to fiercely fight for her family, the media scrutiny and social media comments likely won’t let up anytime soon. Jay-Z has come under fire recently due to alleged involvement with P Diddy and illegal activities that occurred during parties at his residence. Jay-Z has denied any wrongdoing, however this hasn’t stopped social media from reacting strongly to the allegations. Also, his involvement with other controversial artists like Kanye West continue to receive criticism, and his marriage to Beyoncé and allegations of infidelity continue to plague his public image.

Nevertheless, Jay-Z and Beyoncé continue to stand by each other and the family they have built together. It seems like Bey’s mother is also loyal to her son-and-law, and probably wants to publicly defend him even more than she already has. The instinct to protect your family is understandable, but sometimes adding to the social media chatter causes more harm than good. Maybe it’s best for Tina Knowles to take Jay-Z’s advice on this one, especially considering current circumstances.

Even in the midst of controversy, Jay-Z and Beyoncé show a united front personally and professionally. You can see him in Beyoncé’s directorial feat, Homecoming, which is currently streaming now with a Netflix subscription. For more information on other projects streaming on the platform, make sure to check out our feature on the best films available on Netflix now.

The full cast of the 2019 Lion King remake already felt rich having chart-topping singer Beyoncé Knowles cast as the voice of Nala. In the Disney prequel Mufasa: The Lion King, another addition to the Carter family joined the cast, with the Grammy winner’s daughter Blue Ivy cast as Simba and Nala’s daughter Kiara. As the nepo baby debate continues to surge when news surfaces of kids working with their famous parents, director Barry Jenkins confirms that “her parents were not involved.”

Blue Ivy Carter has been featured in her mother’s music videos starting from when she was only a year old in “Blue.” Now at the age of 12 years old, Carter will be making her film debut playing the voice of Kiara in the new Disney movie Mufasa. While it’s easy to assume that Blue Ivy was cast because her famous mother, who is reprising Nala, Barry Jenkins told People at the Mufasa L.A. premiere that is not the case:

We can’t deny that from the moment that cute Blue Ivy was born she was deemed “the most famous baby in the world.” However, I’d like to believe Barry Jenkins wouldn’t have cast the youngest BET Award winner if he didn’t think she’d do a good job. As the Moonlight director said, he was sold with Carter’s narration of the children’s audiobook Hair Love, which won her Best Voiceover at the Voice Arts Awards. Jenkins also made sure to mention that her addition to the Disney prequel would help a young audience see themselves in Kiara.

The young singer/actress wouldn’t be the only celebrity to get cornered into the nepo baby debate. Actresses like M3GAN’s Allison Williams, daughter of news anchor Brian Williams, talked about how unfair it was to be compared to an actress with zero connections. It's a shame that stars with famous parents have to defend the hard work and talent they put into each performance.

Cindy Crawford’s daughter, Kaia Gerber, also joined in on the debate with her honest take being that having a famous mother helped her gain a source of information and advice about the modeling industry close to home. However, acting is a different story because it’s about talent, kindness and being easy to work with. And like Lily Collins’ stance on her success, no one would question the child of a doctor for following the same path as they still need medical school training to get there. As Blue Ivy’s father, Jay-Z, previously said about his kids going into show business, he claimed he wouldn’t push the entertainment industry on his children, but would support whatever path they chose for themselves.

Not only is Blue Ivy Carter talented like her mother, but apparently has the same work ethic. Barry Jenkins continued to send praises to his Mufasa actress about what it was like working with:

It’s clear that Blue Ivy Carter learned from the best. 2023 was a very big year for Beyoncé’s young daughter who joined her mother onstage for the first time to sing “Brown Skin Girl.” Carter also was featured as a dancer for her mom’s Renaissance World Tour. The way that Blue Ivy danced during Beyoncé’s 2022 Oscars performance, she'd have to be part of her mother's act, as social media users thought they were twins! Therefore, it’s proof that the child star is just naturally gifted like her parents are.

With Barry Jenkins saying that Blue Ivy Carter's famous parents "were not involved" in her getting cast in Mufasa, it shows the American filmmaker's casting choice was based on talent compared to any family connections. Considering what an incredible voice the gifted star has, it’s evident that Carter has earned her spot as Kiara. You can see why critics are feeling the love for The Lion King origin story with the 2024 movie release of Mufasa in theaters now.

As basketball season rolls along amid the 2024 TV schedule, Inside the NBA continues to air. So far, viewers have been treated to the usual antics involving Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and co. The group of pundits enjoy poking fun at each other but, at times, they can surprise audiences by making a joke at someone else’s expense. In many cases, those can be celebrities and, during the show’s latest installment, Barkley took a jab at Jay-Z’s recent controversy. The quip was brief, but it had the panel cracking up.

What Did Charles Barkley Say About Jay-Z On Air?

The Inside crew had some intense games to discuss this past Tuesday night, and there were some spirited debates as a result. And, of course, the jokes were flying as well. At one point, Kenny “The Jet” Smith attempted to make a point and evoked the “99 Problems” rapper’s name. That’s when the Round Mound of Rebound tapped Smith on the arm and offered a word of advice to him. Check out the X clip to see exactly what "Chuck" said that left his co-stars laughing:

It’s no surprise to see Shaq laughing, as he’s known to enjoy a joke, though I can’t say I would’ve expected him to get out of his seat and go into a corner. Also, the fact that Ernie Johnson – who can typically keep his composure when a remark like this one is made – broke definitely tells you something. Few people have Sir Charles’ timing, and he certainly didn’t waste time chiming in when the Grammy winner was mentioned.

This actually isn’t the first time this season that the crew has taken a shot at a celebrity in some shape or form. Just a few weeks ago, guest host Jalen Rose roasted Drake over his drama with Kendrick Lamar. Rose referenced Drake’s recent lawsuit against Lamar and mused that Inside the NBA could be sued as well for playing the latter’s new music on air. That aforementioned legal drama is still in motion as is the drama involving the “Empire State of Mind” singer.

Jay-Z Is Currently Facing A Lawsuit Involving Alleged Sexual Assault

Last weekend, Jay-Z – whose actual name is Shawn Carter – was named as a defendant in a refiled lawsuit involving Sean “P. Diddy” Combs. A Jane Doe alleges that following the MTV Video Music Awards in 2000, both Carter and Combs raped her during a house party when she was 13 years old. Combs’ legal team previously denied the allegations that he’d sexually assaulted a minor, and Carter has denied the claims as well.

Shawn Carter shared a statement after the filing was made public, and he called the allegations both “heinous” and “idiotic.” While sharing thoughts, the entertainer also expressed “heartbreak” over the impact this matter could have on his loved ones. Just earlier this week, Carter attended the premiere of Mufasa: The Lion King alongside his wife, Beyoncé, their daughter, Blue Ivy and his mother-in-law, Tina Knowles. Their collective presence seemed to suggest the family was maintaining a united front.

As Jay-Z continues to make headlines, it’s hard to say how talk show hosts or other pundits might approach or avoid the news. However, based on what happened on the latest Inside the NBA episode, it may be fair to assume that Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson and co. will opt to steer clear of the topic from this point on.

Sean “P. Diddy” Combs is facing various lawsuits, as he remains in jail ahead of his sex-trafficking trial in 2025. Much of these suits have been overseen by Houston-based attorney Tony Buzbee, who previously claimed to have been representing around 120 clients with grievances against Combs. Now, another suit has been refiled by a Jane Doe who claims to have been raped by Combs and fellow rapper Jay-Z as a minor over two decades. Now, the latter Grammy winner is responding to the accusation.

The Jane Doe’s lawsuit was formally filed this past October in New York, though it was refiled on Sunday to include Jay-Z – whose real name is Shawn Carter – as a defendant alongside Diddy. Per the filing, the woman specifically claims that the two music artists raped her in 2000 when she was 13 years old. She asserts that the purported assault happened when she was being driven to a house party following the MTV Video Music Awards in New York.

Shawn Carter’s statement on the matter was shared with NBC News along with other outlets. The 55-year-old mogul and father of three vehemently denied the allegations, calling them “idiotic.” He also referred to them as being “heinous,” before asking that a change be made to the filing:

Tony Buzzbee also wrote in the suit that Shawn Carter was approached before the filing in an attempt to broker a mediation session, though the “Run This Town” performer ultimately filed his own suit against his accuser’s legal team. Carter asserted that Buzzbee and co. “have made a terrible error in judgement thinking that all ‘celebrities’ are the same.” Carter sees this as a “blackmail” attempt, and Buzzbee (who's facing a suit as well) shared a response on X:

According to the lawsuit, back in 2000, the Jane Doe was allegedly dropped off at Radio City Music Hall for the VMAs by a friend. Following several failed attempts to gain access to the show or an afterparty by talking to limousine drivers, one chauffeur – who allegedly worked fo P. Diddy – supposedly invited her to a party after saying that she “fit what Diddy was looking for.” Later that evening, the same driver reportedly picked her up and drove her to a house, where she signed what she thought was a non-disclosure agreement.

It’s later outlined in the legal docs that the young woman was allegedly offered a drink that made her feel “woozy, lightheaded and felt [like] she needed to lie down.” Sometime later both Sean Combs and Shawn Carter allegedly entered the room in which she was resting. From there, the plaintiff claims Carter removed her clothes, held her down and raped her, while Combs and an unnamed female celebrity watched, before Combs himself raped her. When responding to these accusations, Jay-Z also said the following:

As for the unidentified woman, she says she was coerced into performing oral sex on Combs before leaving the premises and making her way to a gas station to call her father. She’s currently seeking unspecified damages. Diddy’s legal team previously responded to this suit involving the alleged rape of a 13-year-old and denied the claims.

Since 54-year-old Sean Combs’ arrest in September, he’s been behind bars at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. In addition to the lawsuits, he’s facing charges such as alleged sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution, racketeering, arson and more. These came down months after his homes were raided as part of a federal investigation. His trial is currently set to begin on May 5, 2025. Time will tell whether other lawsuits come down the pipeline or if they’ll include another high-profile star like Jay-Z.

Being a Saturday Night Live musical guest makes you popular. Performing on the show a second time makes you beloved. Performing on the great sketch comedy TV show three times or more just might make you a legend. That’s how we would describe the following 32 pop stars, rock bands, and masters of the rhyme who have brought the house down at Studio 8H as memorable SNL musical guests on multiple occasions.

Billy Joel

The "Piano Man" himself first performed at Studio 8H in Season 3 on an episode hosted by Chevy Chase, which was also the first time the short-lived SNL cast member came back to host. After a return in 1981, Billy Joel's third time on the show was eight years later in 1989, which saw him perform "We Didn't Start the Fire."

Foo Fighters

Following two appearances with Nirvana and a third as an impromptu drummer for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Dave Grohl made his SNL debut as frontman of Foo Fighters in December 1995, a year after the release of their debut album. The rock band (which has gone through a vast rotation of members since) also performed with Mick Jagger as special guests in 2012 and some of the best SNL sketches featuring musicians have involved Grohl.

Miley Cyrus

Having become famous as a TV star (while leading Disney Channel's Hannah Montana) before her music career really took off, it makes sense that Miley Cyrus made her SNL debut as a host in 2011 before returning as both host and musical guest two years later. Some of the Grammy winner's most notable performances on the show include the SNL 40th Anniversary Special and a pre-taped rendition of "Wish You Were Here" that aired during the Covid-era "SNL At Home" days.

Justin Timberlake

A celebrity who qualifies for SNL's Five-Timers Club as both a host and musical guest is Justin Timberlake, who might be one of the best SNL hosts we have ever seen for that matter. His first time performing music on the show, however, was in 2000 with NSYNC but some of his especially memorable musical moments on the show have been his raunchy collaborations with Andy Samberg.

Coldplay

A year after releasing their hit debut album, Parachutes, in 2000, British rock band Coldplay was booked on SNL for the first of several gigs. Lead singer Chris Martin is known for appearing in a few sketches – including one of the most popular SNL clips on YouTube, in which he helps Andrew Garfield finish The Amazing Spider-Man 2's kissing scene – and performed solo for the first Covid-era "At Home" episode.

Beyoncé

If you include her two appearances as part of Destiny's Child and her special guest appearance alongside her husband, Jay-Z, Beyoncé has performed on SNL five times between 2001 and 2008. She also appeared in a sketch offering a humorous dramatization of the making of the "Single Ladies" video and has been impersonated countless times by SNL and Groundlings alum Maya Rudolph.

Randy Newman

The second-ever episode of SNL marked the show's first appearance by Randy Newman, who would perform five more times up until 1988. The singer-songwriter would expand his audience when he wrong captivating, award-nominated songs for several beloved Pixar movies, including Toy Story's "You Got a Friend in Me."

Eminem

Most of Eminem's many SNL performances have been collaborative efforts. For instance, the rapper made his 1999 debut on the show with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, performed "Stan" with Dido the following year, and would bring Skylar Grey along for two separate occasions – for "Survival" in 2013 and a medley of "Walk on Water," "Stan," and "Love the Way You Lie" in 2017.

Taylor Swift

Any of the several times that Taylor Swift has appeared at Studio 8H has been a notable occasion. This not only includes her many appearances as a musical guest (the second of which doubled as a hosting gig) but also her jaw-dropping SNL cameos, such as her impromptu introduction of Ice Spice in the Season 49 premiere.

Paul Simon

No one has appeared on SNL as a musical guest more times than Paul Simon, who was also one of several performers when he hosted the show's second ever episode. Many of his 15 gigs (as of 2018) were shared with musicians like George Harrison, his wife Edie Brickell, and Alicia Keys.

Rihanna

Surprisingly, it was not until 2009 when Rihanna made her SNL debut, featuring guest Young Jeezy for her performance of "Hard." She would go on to show up at Studio 8H several more time, two of which saw her appear in SNL Digital Shorts with Andy Samberg as "Shy Ronnie."

Sting

The Police had already broken up by the time Sting made his SNL debut in 1987. Before the end of the 20th Century, he would appear five more times, including one gigs doubling as host and musical guest and another as just the host, featuring performances by Veruca Salt.

Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire had the pleasure of performing alongside Mick Jagger as special guests when the Rolling Stones frontman hosted in 2012, which we will also count as their third SNL gig. The indie rock outfit has also appeared in a few sketches, such as an SNL Digital Shorts and a game show-style bit challenging host Tina Fey to guess who is a new cast member or a member of the band.

Jack White

On the same night Woody Harrelson was inducted into the Five-Timers Club, Jack White was also given a robe for preforming on SNL for the fifth time in February 2023. This would include when he made his debut in 2002, billed alongside former bandmate Meg White as The White Stripes.

Leon Redbone

Before his death in 2019, Leon Redbone appeared as a musical guest on SNL four times, first in 1976 and lastly in 1983. While the blues musician would go on to do some acting, such as voicing Leon the Snowman in the 2003 Christmas movie classic, Elf, he never appeared in any sketches during any of his visits to Studio 8H.

Linda Ronstadt

After making her Studio 8H debut in a cold open cameo in 1977, Linda Ronstadt would first perform on SNL two years later with co-musical guest Phoebe Snow. She shared her next three gigs with the cast of The Pirates of Penzance in 1980, The Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán in 1987, and Aaron Neville in 1989.

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

Rock and roll icons Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers performed on SNL eight times. The last time was in 2010 – for which Petty appeared in an SNL Digital Short opposite Andy Samberg and host Alec Baldwin – before the frontman's death in 2017.

Bonnie Raitt

As of 1994, Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famer Bonnie Raitt has been an SNL musical guest four times. Her debut was in 1978 but the three subsequent appearance would all occur in the early 1990s.

Aerosmith

Despite breaking out a few years before SNL premiered, Aerosmith would not appear on the show until 1990, when they also starred in a legendary "Wayne's World" segment with Tom Hanks as Barry, their roadie. The rock quartet would perform on the show three more times, the last occurring in 2001.

Neil Young

A surprising late bloomer to SNL is Neil Young, who made his debut in 1989 after being impersonated by Dana Carvey a couple of years earlier. The folk singer and part-time Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young member returned for his third time more than a decade later in 2000.

Mariah Carey

One of the most esteemed pop divas of her generation, Mariah Carey, first appeared on SNL as a musical guest in 1990. Her fourth time, in 2008, saw her joined by T-Pain for a performance of "Migrate."

Beck

After his 1993 hit single "Loser" made him a star, Beck debuted on SNL in 1997. This was the first of several appearance for the alt rock hero, the second of which saw him act in a sketch framed as a Behind the Music episode about Fat Albert & the Junkyard Gang.

Maroon 5

Pop rock band Maroon 5 made their first of several appearances in 2004, shortly after making their mainstream breakthrough. Frontman Adam Levine (also known as a judge on NBC's The Voice) has also appeared on the show solo to host in 2013 and join Kanye West in a performance of "Heard 'Em Say" in 2005.

Prince

Unless you count his performance of "Electric Chair" at SNL's 15th Anniversary Special in 1989, Prince was only a musical guest on the show three times. However, after his untimely death in 2016, the show aired a special featuring clips of all his Studio 8H sets, highlights of the recurring "Prince Show" sketches featuring Fred Armisen as the pop star, and anecdotes shared by host Jimmy Fallon.

Natalie Merchant

Natalie Merchant's first two appearances on SNL were as the lead singer of the indie rock group 10,000 Maniacs in the late '80s and early '90s. Her two subsequent gigs as a musical guest occurred in 1995 and 1998 after she had gone solo.

Justin Bieber

Following his breakthrough as a teen pop sensation, Justin Bieber made his SNL debut at 16 years old in a 2010 episode which also saw him participate in a sketch with host Tina Fey. The Canadian artist went on to double as host and musical guest for his second gig in 2013 and also made a few unexpected cameos, such as in a Church Lady revival from 2011 and in 2012 for the 100th SNL Digital Short.

Lizzo

Lizzo made her Studio 8H debut in a big way, performing as the musical guest on an episode hosted by the legendary Eddie Murphy making an epic SNL return in 2019. A couple years later, she returned as both musical guest and host and, while she could not stop laughing during some sketches, she was pretty stone-faced for a bit that demonstrated her talent for simultaneously twerking and playing the flute.

Green Day

Green Day emerged as one of the biggest bands of the '90s but would only perform on the SNL once during that decade. The punk trio would, however, return twice more during the 2000s, first following the success of their Grammy-winning album, American Idiot, in 2005 and again in 2009 to promote 21st Century Breakdown.

Billie Eilish

A non-actor who killed it at as an SNL host for the first time in 2021 is Billie Eilish, who also served as a musical guest for her second time that night. The Grammy and Oscar-winning pop sensation has gone on to participate in sketches in her subsequent appearances as well, such as when she joined Barbie cast member Kate McKinnon for a music video for the Season 49 Christmas show.

James Taylor

James Taylor had the rare opportunity to perform three songs in multiple episodes: when he made his SNL debut in 1976 and both times he appeared in the '90s. He would also play a song during host Michael Palin's monologue in 1979 and once served as a co-host and co-musical guest with Paul Simon in 1980.

Jay-Z

Jay-Z qualifies for this list by his solo appearances as an SNL musical guest alone. However, he has taken the stage at Studio 8H for a few special appearances, such as when he joined wife, Beyoncé, for "Crazy in Love" in 2003 and when he performed his rap on Justin Timberlake's "Suit & Tie" in 2013.

Kanye West

Kanye West's debut SNL performance in October 2005 was preceded by a cameo by Mike Myers, reference their awkward appearance together at a telethon benefitting victims of Hurricane Katrina. He would later be joined by Pusha T to perform "Runaway" for his fourth gig and memorably performed "I Love It" with Lil Pump dressed as water bottles for his seventh appearance in a 2018 episode that would end in controversy when the rapper went on an unexpected political tirade.

Several celebrities are trying to distance themselves from Sean “Diddy” Combs as he sits in jail awaiting trial on charges including sex trafficking and racketeering. Kevin Hart, for one, avoided questions about the rapper, while Beyoncé And Jay-Z were forced to go on the defensive after being accused of similar behavior on Piers Morgan’s show. The Carters’ lawyer slammed the journalist for allowing the “false accusation” to be broadcast.

The interview in question aired on Piers Morgan’s Uncensored on October 3, where singer Jaguar Wright claimed powerhouse couple Jay-Z and Beyoncé had more “victims” than P. Diddy. The couple’s lawyer Alex Spiro spoke on TMZ Live, revealing that the team had issued an ultimatum to Morgan to take down the interview or face legal action. Spiro said:

Piers Morgan did remove the clip from his interview with Jaguar Brown and apologized to Jay-Z and Beyoncé on the October 8 edition of Uncensored, which Alex Spiro called a “wise choice.” The interview aired just days after 120 alleged victims filed civil suits against P. Diddy, accusing him of crimes including sexual assault — in one case of a 9-year-old — over the course of three decades.

Despite Piers Morgan acting “accordingly” by editing his show, Alex Spiro still had sharp words for the former Daily Mirror editor, questioning his integrity for airing the comment that compared his clients to Diddy at all. Spiro said:

On Uncensored on Tuesday, Piers Morgan addressed the Jaguar Wright interview. After pointing out that she has an audience with or without using his show, he said:

The Carters — who are longtime friends of Diddy — haven’t spoken out since the rapper’s September 16 arrest.

Sean Combs continues to try to get released on bond as he awaits his trial. After being denied twice in his attempts to post a $50 million bail, Combs’ legal team filed another appeal this week, explaining why he is not a flight risk. It was unknown when a ruling would come on the latest request.

So much Black talent has made unforgettable movie breakthrough performances with a positive impact on TV, music, sports, television creation, and more. Outside of the roles you know them for, many Black celebrities created businesses to make things better for the masses with a sharp focus on people of color. In honor of Black Business Month, here are 15 celebrities who’ve come up with successful businesses.

Tracee Ellis Ross

You know Tracee Ellis Ross for starring in one of the best sitcoms of all time, black-ish, and as the daughter of famous celebrity parent Diana Ross. What you may not know is that she founded Pattern Beauty in late 2019. Inspired by her hairstylist’s suggestion for clients to wear wigs to look like Ross, she was instead focused on creating products for textured, curly hair. 

Ross' Pattern Beauty started with four people, seven products, and Macy’s as the only retail partner. It has since grown to 30 employees, over 50 products, and 10 retail partners, including Sephora and Ulta Beauty. The High Note actress credits her business’s marketing strategy with focusing on celebrating hair compared to solving problems using standout products like the Pattern Blow Dryer specifically for textured hair.

Kevin Hart

American comedian Kevin Hart, known for making us laugh in his best movies, founded Laugh Out Loud Productions in 2007 to create and distribute comedy content. Originally a subscription comedy streaming service, it partnered with platforms like Plex, Pluto TV, Peacock, YouTube, and more. Taking a big career step, Hartbeat Productions merged with LOL Productions to create Hartbeat to diversify global comedy. Hartbeat Studios produces films like Netflix’s Lift and Hartbeat Media focuses on digital content, music, and events. 

In 2022, Kevin Hart also entered the alcohol industry, teaming up with 11th-generation tequila producer Juan Domingo Beckman to create the tequila brand, Gran Coramino. Inspired by his experiences in Mexico, the Fatherhood actor’s goal was to make a smooth tequila that consumers would love. $1 from every smooth-flavored tequila bottle sold is donated to support diverse entrepreneurs and small businesses across the U.S. and Mexico.

Gabrielle Union

When Gabrielle Union noticed that on-set hair stylists didn’t know what to do with her hair, she took mental notes on effective hair products and launched Flawless by Gabrielle Union in 2017. Once those ten successful products of hers sold out, the Bring it On actress revamped the business to be “100% Black-owned, Black-led and Black-marketed.” Union worked with a team of chemists to develop new products for textured hair using naturally derived ingredients. 

Inspired by her daughter Kaavia’s skincare struggles when she was three, Union also decided to create Proudly, with her husband Dwyane Wade, to make products for children with melanated skin. Launched online in April 2022, Proudly expanded nationwide to Target in September of that year.

Snoop Dogg

The Grammy nominee responsible for singles like “Gin and Juice” and “Drop It Like It’s Hot” has embraced being typecast as a weed enthusiast to create many cannabis-based businesses. Snoop Dogg founded the cannabis-focused digital platform Merry Jane which normalizes discussions about the business and politics of the cannabis industry. 

The brand Leafs by Snoop provides fine-quality cannabis like flowers, concentrates, and edibles. The rapper made history as the first celebrity to brand and market legal marijuana products. In July 2024, Snoop Dogg launched L.A.’s first legal marijuana shop S.W.E.D (Smoke Weed Everyday) to provide top-shelf premium products and services for cannabis experts, with August plans to expand in Amsterdam.

Serena Williams

Grand Slam winner Serena Williams, who retired from tennis in 2022, successfully transitioned into the business world with Serena Ventures. This venture capital firm came about after discovering only 2% of venture capital went to women and less to people of color. 

Through Serena Ventures, the former athlete has invested in more than 85 companies with 79% under-represented founders, 54% women founders, 47% Black founders, and 11% Latino founders. Serena Williams' portfolio includes innovative companies like AI-platform custom wig company Parfait, plant-based meat company Impossible Foods, weight loss app Noom, and more. Remarkably, 14 of these businesses have even reached Unicorn status, being valued at $1 billion or more.

Jay-Z

Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter is widely considered one of the best rappers of all time, not only because of his chart-topping music but for shaping the entertainment industry with his businesses. After parting ways with Def Jam Records, he founded Roc Nation in 2008 which evolved from a record label into artist management, supporting athletes, and music publishing and distribution. A lot of musicians have benefited from Roc Nation, like Rihanna, Demi Lovato, DJ Khaled, and more. 

Jay-Z is also the first rapper to own a champagne label, acquiring full ownership of Armand de Brignac. In 2014, the “99 Problems” rapper bought the remaining stake and it sold more than 500,000 bottles five years later.

Oprah Winfrey

You see trailblazing media mogul Oprah Winfrey’s name all over the place whether it’s on TV, in movies, on book covers, the radio, and more. A fun fact about Winfrey is that she’s the first Black billionaire, which is unsurprising considering her success with The Oprah Winfrey Show, O Magazine, and Harpo Films. With all of the other businesses Winfrey has, why not have her own television network called…OWN? 

In 1992 after a conversation with her life partner Stedman Graham, Winfrey immediately envisioned OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network). Although she co-founded Oxygen, The Color Purple actress wanted complete control of her network. In 2007, Discovery head David Zaslav loved Winfrey’s magazine and proposed to create a channel with a similar vibe. The network launched in 2011 with its first shows The Haves and the Have Nots and Love Thy Neighbor.

Dwayne Johnson

Moana’s Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, known for blowing up the entertainment industry with his top-ranked movies and as a professional wrestler, expanded his influence into business. For example, he merged the XFL with the United States Football League to form the United Football League and co-founded ZOA Energy Drink. 

However, Johnson's most significant project was Teremana Tequila, a brand named after the Polynesian word “teremana” meaning “Spirit of the Earth.” Despite launching during the pandemic, the tequila quickly gained popularity, selling 30,000 cases in 2020, 600,000 cases a year later, and the wild stat of selling a million cases last year within the past 12 months.

Patti LaBelle

“Godmother of Soul” Patti LaBelle is acknowledged for her seven-decade-long singing career. But, her first passion has always been cooking. The “Stir It Up” singer would offer to cook for various musicians like Prince, Elton John, and the Rolling Stones and would label her dishes so people would know they were hers. 

Fifteen years ago, LaBelle launched her own food brand, Patti’s Good Life, starting with homemade hot sauces and barbecue sauces. The food brand has since expanded to frozen meals and baked goods like sweet potato pie, mac n’ cheese, collard greens, and peach cobbler. With plans to introduce a breakfast line soon, Patti’s Good Life grossed nearly $200 million in sales through partnerships with Target and Walmart in 2022.

Dr. Dre

Seven-time Grammy winner Dr. Dre has made his mark on the music industry as a rapper, the founder of Aftermath Entertainment and Death Row Records, and a record producer helping other artists make a name for themselves. In 2006, The Super Bowl LVI halftime show performer helped music enthusiasts listen to music the way he does in the studio with Beats by Dre. 

Collaborating with Interscope Records co-founder Jimmy Iovine, the “Let Me Ride” rapper’s dream of bringing the sound in a professional recording studio to his premium headphones came true. By 2011, Beats dominated over 64% of the $100+ premium headphone market and was acquired by Apple in 2014. 

Rihanna

Chart-topping artist Rihanna, one of the best-selling female artists of the 21st century, has made a great impact on the beauty industry with Fenty Beauty. Launched in 2017 and named after her surname, Fenty made history as one of the first brands to cater to all kinds of skin tones with its 50 shades of foundation. The business has since expanded to haircare, lipstick, eye makeup, skincare, and more. 

In 2018, Rihanna expanded her beauty services to fashion with Savage x Fenty, a lingerie brand designed to empower men and women “to feel sexy and have fun doing it.” There were even eight limited edition items that were Super Bowl LVII themed when the R&B singer performed for the halftime show. With Fenty Beauty worth $2.8 billion and Savage x Fenty worth $1 billion, the Grammy winner’s business ventures have put her at billionaire status.

Lenny Kravitz

American singer-songwriter Lenny Kravitz, known for his catchy music and unique style, has home designing talent through Kravitz Design Inc. As The Hunger Games actor said that he’d be a designer if music didn’t work out, Kravitz decided to put his designer skills to the test by creating a relaxing atmosphere for his clients with his interior and furniture designs. Kravitz Design Inc.'s clients include Morgans Hotel Group, The Setai Resort and Residences, Delano South Beach, and more.

Berry Gordy Jr.

Before Berry Gordy Jr. became a renowned music industry entrepreneur, he worked a lot of jobs like boxing, assembly line worker, record store owner and more. While already a songwriter, Gordy Jr. set out in 1959 to use the lessons he learned in his previous careers to create and manage musical groups and solo artists. 

He founded Motown Records in Detroit in 1960 with just $800 from his family’s savings, combining the words “motor” and “town” to represent the city. Berry Gordy Jr. used his great ear to make music a universal language, breaking down racial barriers with chart-topping songs like “Money (That's What I Want),” “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Dancing in the Street,” and more.

Shonda Rhimes

Award-winning television creator and producer Shonda Rhimes took the television world by storm with her global media company Shondaland, creating the best shows to binge-watch on Netflix like Grey’s Anatomy and Bridgerton. Launched in 2005, Shondaland broke new ground by featuring strong female lead characters and prioritizing diversity and inclusion for people of color and the LGBTQ+ community. 

Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and Scandal made Rhimes the first woman to have three TV dramas achieve the 100-episode milestone. Her company has since expanded to shondaland.com, a platform providing articles to empower women and TV show updates, and Shonda Audio, which offers scripted and unscripted podcasts.

Tyler Perry

Inspired after watching an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show that spoke of the therapeutic power of journaling, Tyler Perry discovered his writing talent and transitioned from stage productions to founding Tyler Perry Studios in 2005. The studio now rests on 330 acres of the former Fort McPherson army base in the heart of Atlanta, which he bought in 2015. 

Perry’s films, starting with the Diary of a Mad Black Woman, have opened doors to aspiring actors, writers, and film directors of color. On a busy day, Bloomberg reports that nearly 5,000 people work at the studio, providing plenty of employment. The cast of his BET+ series, Ruthless, said there’s “beauty” and “freedom” working at Tyler Perry Studios in representing people of color and feeling unstoppable on the property. He is seen as the first African-American to own a major film production studio.

These empowering Black celebrities have used their big names and fame to build empires that service the world outside of entertainment. Through their innovative ideas, A-listers have found ways to promote diversity to ensure that everyone benefits from services like hair care, skincare, entertainment networks, venture capital for businesses, and more. The lesson that everyone can learn from their inspirational stories is that if you see an industry where the change you make can have a positive impact on humanity, don’t hesitate to make a difference. 

Make sure to look at our 2024 movie schedule and our 2024 TV releases so you’re updated on the following celebrities’ future projects.

Jay-Z graced the 66th Annual Grammys with his presence after watching his wife, music superstar Beyoncé become the most-awarded musician in the show's history at last year’s ceremony. Of course, there’s been friction between the Recording Academy and the rapper, dating back to the early days of music career. This year, the music mogul received a career-defining award at this year’s ceremony. And, in keeping with his persona, during the show, the mogul drank champagne out of his latest Grammy Award, giving me the Big Hova Energy I didn’t know I needed in the process. 

The rap music icon was honored with the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at the 2024 Grammy Awards, in recognition of his decades-long career and impact on the music industry. He attended with his superstar wife and oldest daughter, Blue Ivy. Of course, the superstar had to celebrate the momentous occasion by making a toast with his friends at the music awards ceremony. CBS and the Recording Academy captured the celebratory moment, posting it on their Instagram accounts and congratulating the artist in the process:

Hova drinking from the trophy is just so on-brand, but I certainly appreciate his enthusiasm. It's honestly infectious, and you can also understand why he'd be so eager to celebrate. It seems the Global Impact Award is simply another award to him, given he's the most-awarded rapper in Grammy history (with 24 wins). As a fan, I've seen Jay-Z be somewhat blasé about awards ceremonies for years and rarely ever attend them without a reason. He was never seemed to put in stock in recognition from governing bodies but, to me, it feels like he still appreciates them.

The music mogul has dropped the tough guy persona from his early career to that of a more relatable and self-aware businessman. Still, drinking champagne from a Grammy is just the norm, as Hov even referred to music’s top honor as a “sippy cup” for his then-year-old daughter at the 2013 Grammys.

As mentioned though, the relationship between Jay-Z and the Recording Academy hasn’t always been friendly. After his mainstream breakthrough with his third album, Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life, the rap star protested the 1999 Grammys after the ceremony didn’t nominate fellow New York rapper DMX. Hova went home empty-handed in 2018 despite being the most-nominated artist that year. Of course, he’s won more Grammys since then.

This year, he used his Grammy speech to call out the organization for having never not awarded Beyoncé the coveted Album of the Year Grammy. Watch his brutally honest (and somewhat funny) full-circle speech in the clip below.

If there's one thing that's clear at this point in time, it's that Jay-Z is going to be him, and I'm not mad at him. I can't say that I'll ever drink alcohol straight out of a trophy of some sort, to be clear. However, that's the kind of upbeat boss energy that just about anyone could apply to their lives. Here's to continued success on his part!

Now that the Grammys are done, Jay-Z can focus back on his other ventures. He produced the mostly well-received biblical comedy The Book of Clarence, which is currently in theaters. He’s also gearing up to produce the Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show featuring music superstar Usher , which airs on Sunday, February 11 at 6:30 p.m. ET as part of the 2024 TV schedule. It'll be a match-up between the San Francisco 49ers and the Taylor Swift-associated Kansas City Chiefs,. You can also stream the event using a Paramount+ subscription.

What’s Jay-Z up to these days? As fans of the legendary rapper know all too well, it’s been quite a few years since he’s put out a new album, but he has more recently been doing a lot more work in the world of Hollywood as a producer. Jay-Z’s latest producing effort is Jeymes Samuel’s The Book of Clarence, and CinemaBlend spoke to the film’s lead, LaKeith Stanfield, about working with the “Run This Town” icon. 

Jay-Z finds himself behind the production of The Book of Clarence following the rapper previously working on 2021’s The Harder They Fall alongside Jeymes Samuel and LaKeith Stanfield. Here’s what Stanfield had to say about his collaboration with Jay-Z on one of the upcoming 2024 movies set to hit theaters this weekend: 

After LaKeith Stanfield was part of The Harder They Fall cast as American outlaw/cowboy Cherokee Bill, the actor has continued work with both Samuel and Jay-Z on the biblical epic that is The Book of Clarence. The comedy has Stanfield playing the titular Clarence, who is an outlaw in his own right in terms of owing a lot of money and deciding to con a community into believing he’s a new Messiah as Jesus Christ’s popularity blooms in Jerusalem in 33 A.D. 

Stanfield recalls his run-ins with Jay-Z as being in a “regal” and “mystical” presence, and he shares a lot of respect and gratitude for what the rapper provided the production with behind the scenes. On the other hand, Jay-Z is very much still a mystery to Stanfield’s co-star RJ Cyler, who plays his best friend Elijah in the new release. In Cyler’s words: 

Between The Book of Clarence’s booming soundtrack and bold swings, it certainly feels like the movie is right up Jay-Z’s alley, even if what he specifically brought to the production remains rather underwraps. As the movie hits theaters this weekend, critics are saying positive things about the movie overall, including CinemaBlend’s own The Book of Clarence review, where Mike Reyes gave the movie 3.5 out of 5 stars. He said “All the viewer needs is an open mind and a taste for the cinematic flare that mixes old fashioned with contemporary.” 

While Jay-Z’s own life may be shrouded in mystery, you can enjoy his latest producing effort only in theaters starting January 12. 

Super Bowl LVII provided viewers with a number of great moments, from some hilarious commercials to Rihanna’s halftime show, and even a pretty competitive football game. Perhaps the highlight of the whole ordeal, however, came well after the Kansas City Chiefs had raised the Vince Lombardi Trophy — and I’m not talking about Travis Kelce’s Saturday Night Live appearance. The residents of Arcadia Senior Living in Bowling Green, Kentucky, went viral with their own amazing rendition of Riri’s performance, which even earned praise — and flowers! — from the singer herself, as well as Jay-Z.

A number of TikTok users took to the platform to recreate one of the Rihanna show’s most memorable moments, but perhaps none those attempts was as good as the Arcadia Senior Living’s, and nearly a month later, they still seem to be basking in their newfound TikTok fame, as the senior facility’s Facebook page showed off the flowers they received from none other than Rihanna herself, with a note that read: 

The card was signed from Rihanna and Roc Nation, her record label that was founded by Jay-Z. The seniors’ viral TikTok video apparently made it all the way up to the rapper too, because another Facebook post from the Arcadia Senior Living Bowling Green page showed a large bouquet of red roses, gifted to them by the 24-time Grammy winner. The local florist who fulfilled the order showed off the gift on their Instagram: 

His message, which read, “We Love The TikTok Here At Roc Nation,” apparently came with 100 red roses, according to what Paige Oakes, the facility's director of community relations, told Insider. 

The Arcadia Senior Living Bowling Green’s TikTok account was started fairly recently, but has amassed over 116,000 followers, thanks in large part to its Super Bowl video. It features a handful of other fun videos of its residents dancing or doing skits with the accompaniment of pop artists including Miley Cyrus. As of this writing, their viral TikTok video had been viewed 30.8 million times, garnering 3.6 million likes. In case you’ve somehow missed it, check out the awesomeness below:

Rihanna’s Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show, which came nine months after she and A$AP Rocky welcomed their baby boy, proved why the singer and fashion designer is a legend (as if these iconic performances weren’t enough already). Not only did the singer not play it safe for national television — kicking the show off with "Bitch Better Have My Money" and most assuredly making TV censors a bit nervous with some of the choreography — but she also used the platform (literally and figuratively) for perhaps the most epic pregnancy announcement of all time.

If you weren’t able to watch it the first time around, or just want to relive an iconic moment, see how to replay the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show from anywhere. Also be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what new and returning shows are premiering soon. 

Oh, biopics. If there was ever a genre with “Oscar-bait” written all over it, it’s this one. Whether it’s one of Forest Whitaker's best performances playing Idi Amin, or Renee Zellweger's transformation into Judy Garland, biopics are usually a surefire way to get Oscar buzz.     

The same rationale apparently doesn't apply to rap biopics, as even though we’ve gotten movies about Biggie and 2Pac, with the films being Notorious and All Eyez on Me, respectively, as well as the N.W.A. movie, Straight Outta Compton, none of the actors or actresses involved in those films were nominated for their performances.   

Now, you could argue that none of those performances were comparable to, say, Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles, or Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash, and I wouldn’t necessarily argue with you. That said, with Snoop Dogg getting his own biopic, it made me think of five other rap biopics that I would love to see get made. And maybe, just maybe, if Hollywood ran with any of these biopics, we might see one of these actors up there on the stage one day thanking the Academy for awarding their performance.   

Jay-Z 

H to the Izzo, a.k.a., Shawn Carter, would have a really interesting life story, mostly because of the massive amount of hustle involved to get him to where he is today. His first album, the classic, Reasonable Doubt, debuted when the artist was at the ripe old age of 26 (which is downright ancient in the world of rap), and it was preceded by—you probably guessed it if you listen to his music—years of drug dealing.  

But, what I’d REALLY love to see is a film that showcases Jay-Z in his prime. I’m talking the formation of Roc-A-Fella Records, his verbal beef with Nas (which, I’m sorry Nas fans, that Jay won), and even his marriage to Beyoncé. And, you want drama? How about we actually get into Jay cheating on Queen B? I mean, honestly, forget who’s going to play Jay-Z. That can be hashed out later. What I really want to know is who would play the now 40-year-old Beyoncé. Because you know she can’t be played by just anybody. Sheer royalty requires only the best.   

Beastie Boys 

Okay, so, there’s already been a really good Beastie Boys movie called Beastie Boys Story. But, that was a documentary by Spike Jonze. That said, as good as it was, I’d really like to see actors play the Beastie Boys, as the documentary really showcased how the three friends (Adam Yauch was only in it through archival footage because he passed away in 2012), grew up together and evolved throughout the years. 

If anything, I might like to see a movie about the Beastie Boys’ earliest years when they were more of a punk band struggling to find their eventual rap identity. I love, love, love a lot of the later Beastie Boys albums, like Hello Nasty, To the 5 Boroughs, and Hot Sauce Committee Part Two, but I’d really like to see a biopic that maybe ended with the release of Licenced to Ill. Because sometimes, I prefer biopics that focus more on MAJOR EVENTS (like the movie Selma) rather than being a full life story.  

Queen Latifah 

While she wasn’t the very first female rapper to break onto the scene (M.C. Lyte would take that title with 1988’s Lyte as a Rock, making her the first female rap artist to release a solo rap album), Newark’s own Queen Latifah was probably the first to really make a major splash with a general audience. But, unlike with the Beastie Boys, I would really love to see a full life story, from her beat boxing days, all the way up to her acting work on The Equalizer.  

The really cool thing about a Queen Latifah biopic, though, would be that it could showcase all the waves she made with her explosive introduction into the rap world, as well as all the artists she influenced who followed after her. And, here’s the best part—I would want Queen Latifah to play herself. I mean, look. If Eminem could basically play out his life story in 8 Mile, then I don’t see why Queen Latifah—an Academy Award nominee—can’t play herself in her own biopic.    

MF DOOM 

When my favorite rapper, MF DOOM, died, it really hit me hard. And, apparently, I wasn’t alone, as many people paid tribute to the late rapper, who died at 49. The thing is, MF DOOM had a pretty tragic life, losing both his brother and his son, neither of which he ever really recovered from.   

That said, I think there is much to be said for a man who goes on to wear a mask (with pride) and to declare himself a supervillain, going so far as to not even show up to some of his concerts and to instead send DOOM Imposters. I would really love to see a film about why Daniel Dumile (who even had an alliterative name like a comic book character) decided to take on the identity of DOOM in the first place. Honestly though, I really just want to hear “Rapp Snitch Knishes” on the big screen, and maybe finally learn who Mr. Fantastik is.    

Kool Keith

Last but not least, I want a Kool Keith biopic. Now, if you don’t know who Kool Keith is, I don’t entirely blame you, since the rapper has probably had more identity changes than any other rapper in history. He started out in the rap group The Ultramagnetic MCs, but then went on to have his own solo career, first coming out as Dr. Octagon, and then becoming Dr. Dooom (where he killed off Dr. Octagon), then Black Elvis, and then…you know what, I have no idea what identity Kool Keith has right now. The dude has built a career on being an enigma. 

That said, I would want an enigmatic biopic to go along with the rapper's eccentric career. Something along the lines of the Bob Dylan movie, I’m Not There, where different actors play different aspects of the musician himself. Because if any rapper deserves a bizarre, out-there biopic, it’s Kool Keith.

Which rappers would you love to see get a biopic? For more news on upcoming rap biopics, make sure to swing by here often.  

Before all those recent Renaissance controversies, Beyoncé broke the internet back in April 2016, when she dropped her sixth album Lemonade, and called out her husband Jay-Z for his infidelities, which he later admitted to. This includes the viral lyric “you better call Becky with the good hair.” As news of the rapper’s past with cheating was made public knowledge, famous women became part of the rumor mill, including Rita Ora. 

What Were The Rita Ora / Jay-Z Cheating Rumors 

Just following the release of the lyric in Beyoncé’s track, “Sorry,” fans were digging up evidence to gather their own theories about who the singer was referring to. In one tweet, Rita Ora was pictured hugging Jay-Z in a photo at an event. Another photo had Ora wearing a bra with lemons on them and a “J” necklace was posted around the same time. Fans also put together that Rita Ora was signed to Jay Z’s record label Roc Nation at the time as well. 

Rita Ora’s Response To The 2016 Rumors 

Ora was recently asked about it by BBC, with the interviewer asking if she wore the necklace on purpose to add fuel to the rumor mill. She had this to say: 

Once the rumor took hold back in 2016, Ora took to Twitter to say “I never usually address tabloid gossip but let me be clear, these rumours are false.” Ora continued: 

Additionally, at the Met Gala not long after the rumors took hold, Rita Ora posted a happy selfie with Beyoncé at the star-studded event and captioned it “family.” 

Who Was Becky With The Good Hair? 

Aside from Ora, fashion designer Rachel Roy was the other prime suspect after she posted and deleted a post where she said she had “good hair, don’t care.” But, then Beyoncé’s songwriter Diana Gordon said the lyric was simply a symbolic representation of infidelity or someone having a side chick. Since Jay-Z admitted to cheating on Beyoncé in the past, the meaning of “Becky with the good hair” is not completely fictional, but “Becky” itself is not referring to a certain person to be revealed. 

No wonder Beyoncé sets social media boundaries these days, she’s such a huge star there’s always something else. As far as Rita Ora goes, the singer recently got married to Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi who she is “very much in love” with. Ora is set to continue her acting career in 2023 movie releases too, including a thriller called Tin Soldier with Jamie Foxx and Robert DeNiro. We’ll keep you updated as the release gets closer.  

Beyoncé Knowles and Jay-Z are notoriously private when it comes to their children, rarely sharing photos or updates concerning Blue Ivy (10) and their 5-year-old twins Sir and Rumi. The boundaries the Lemonade singer has set admittedly make it particularly exciting for fans when fans do get glimpses of the little ones — like in that BTS footage from Beyoncé’s Disney+ visual experience Black Is King or when Blue Ivy joined her mother's performance at the 2022 Academy Awards. That latter appearance is gaining attention all over again, after side-by-side videos have fans going crazy about Blue Ivy’s dance moves.

Bey’s mother Tina Knowles shared a post on Instagram showing Blue Ivy dancing to “Be Alive,” Beyoncé’s Oscar-nominated song from King Richard next to a video of the Destiny’s Child singer doing the same moves 30 years earlier. She noted how they were “twinning,” and joked that Beyoncé gave birth to herself. Check out the similarities between the mother and daughter below:

It was already cool to see Blue Ivy performing on stage while her mother sang at the Oscars, but it’s straight-up mind-boggling to see just how Beyoncé’s dance moves were inherited by her daughter. That fam must share the most on-tempo genetics out there. 

Apparently the Internet agreed with Tina Knowles’ assessment that her granddaughter was “killing it,” as multiple fans shared their loved over seeing Blue Ivy channel her mother’s energy:

• Definitely reincarnated 😍😍 her goooooo blue 🔥🔥🔥 — the_regal_mane
• So TRUE!! She Got Her Moves!! #BlueIVY💙 — shantasomerville
• Blue ivy did it better 🤷🏾‍♀️🗣😂❤️ — leecebby

This isn’t the first time the mother-daughter resemblance has been pointed out. Back when Blue Ivy was 7 years old, Beyoncé shared side-by-side pics of the kiddo and herself at the same age to show just how much of a resemblance they share. With Tina Knowles’ post pointing to the mother-daughter's choreography connections, as well as their looks, one commenter (presumably jokingly) couldn’t even tell who was who in the videos, saying:

Yes, in case you wondered the same thing, Blue is on the right. The 10-year-old has shown the ability to steal the spotlight from her superstar parents for years now, of course. A clip of her ordering her parents to stop clapping during Camila Cabello’s 2018 Grammy’s speech went viral, and she’s also been known to draw attention away from the stage during her parents’ concerts. Did we really expect anything less from the daughter of the “Run the World (Girls)” singer?

So should fans expect to see more of Blue Ivy and the other Carter children following in their mom and dad’s footsteps? Jay-Z broached that topic a few years ago, saying that his kids growing up in a loving environment was more important than trying to force them into a specific business plan. That honestly sounds like the best answer a dad could give, because it means that anything we see Beyoncé’s look-alike and her two younger siblings do in the future, we know it will have been their decision and their passion. 

Disney+ subscribers can catch Beyoncé Knowles on Black Is King, a complement to the 2019 remake of The Lion King, in which Queen Bey voices Nala.

Social media can be an extremely effective tool. It allows us to connect with people from all over the world. It allows small businesses to promote themselves and for content creators to reach a wider audience. However, social media can also become a breeding ground for negativity and criticism. More recently, the concept of being "cancelled" has become a consideration. Rapper and bona fide cultural icon Jay-Z shared his perspective on it.

The hip-hop star is notable for his lack of presence on social media. He has a Twitter account, although it’s barely updated, and he doesn’t have an Instagram account at all. Compared to other celebrities of his stature, such as reality star Kim Kardashian and music icon Britney Spears, it seems odd at first glance. After all, why wouldn’t an artist want to use social media to promote themselves?

Speaking with The Sunday Times in a rare interview (via Black Enterprise), Jay-Z discussed his avoidance of social media, saying:

When you’re as famous and well-respected as Jay-Z, one wrong tweet could signal the end of a career - or a least some serious backlash. It has happened in many other cases for high-profile figures, including Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling getting blowback on Twitter last summer, Jeopardy GOAT Ken Jennings apologizing for past offensive tweets, and Justin Timberlake even received backlash for Hulu's Britney Spears documentary.

Jay-Z has simply chosen to avoid social media in general. He’s focused on his family and his various business deals, including his upcoming campaign for Puma. Kids Blue Ivy, Sir, and Rumi took up most of Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s time in lockdown, as he went on to explain (via People):

All things considered, it sounds like Jay-Z has his mind in a good place, even if he's unlikely to start sharing all his thoughts on social media any time soon. There can be no doubt that plenty of other celebrities will stick with Twitter for their commentaries, and some will surely be more well-received by fans than others.

Imagine being a celebrity before you were even born? That’s the case for superstar couple Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s daughter Blue Ivy Carter. While her parents have made references to their eldest daughter in music, the younger Carter has shown signs of musical talent. As talented as she may be, the real question is this: will their eldest daughter get into showbiz?Jay-Z opened up about the potential future of his and Beyonce’s kids.

Over the years, Blue Ivy Carter has popped up on her parents’ musical output, even winning awards such as a Grammy. But why wouldn’t she have given who her parents are? Even with her talent, Jay-Z and Beyoncé aren’t pushing their eldest daughter to pursue a music career. The business mogul is applying that philosophy not only to his daughter but all his kids. The hip-hop icon stated:

It was refreshing to hear Jay-Z and Beyoncé not pushing Blue Ivy Carter and their twins Sir and Rumi to pursue music as a career. They’re more about raising and nurturing well-rounded children to become productive adults. As a father, the hip-hop mogul is more concerned about being supported and loved by him and his wife. As evident by the couple’s social media profiles, their children’s happiness is their top priority.

In his interview with The Times, Jay-Z spoke on how he and his pop superstar wife nurture their family. He gave some insight into what it is like growing up in the Carter household. The hip-hop billionaire stated the following about nurturing his children:

Reading Jay-Z’s words spoke to a father who doesn’t want to push his dreams and goals onto his children. As the rapper pointed out, parents act as guides for their children. As seen in videos and photos, the hip-hop icon loves being a father to his children.

Unlike some celebrity children, Jay-Z and Beyoncé rarely ever show Blue Ivy Carter or the twins on film or social media. Their actions speak to normal parents trying to raise their children in love despite their past marriage difficulties. So, if the younger Cater wanted to pursue a music career, it would be on her terms, not her parents.

Steadily, Issa Rae is becoming a Hollywood go-to actress for unique and quirky romantic movies. Rae has shown her versatility, vulnerability, sexiness, and relatability in various film and TV projects, so it’s no wonder that her star is even more on the rise. 2020 has been a great year for Issa Rae projects. She has appeared in two highly anticipated romantic movies of 2020, the most popular one being The Lovebirds. She stars opposite Kumail Nanjiani in this recently Netflix-acquired flick. The Lovebirds is a movie about a couple on the brink of breaking up, but they are forced to stay together and work together to solve a murder mystery.

The Lovebirds is a highly enjoyable comedy that is sure to make you question whether you and your significant other could really win The Amazing Race. It showcases both Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae’s ability to keep viewers engaged, laughing, and rooting for them. For some, The Lovebirds is their first time being introduced to the actress, but Rae has been creating, producing, and starring in TV shows and movies for nearly 10 years.

If you need a crash course on some of her best work, here are a few projects to check out.

Insecure

Insecure is the hit HBO series starring Issa Rae and Yvonne Orji. It was co-created by Rae and Larry Wilmore. The series follows Issa Dee (Issa Rae) and her friends as they try to figure out the next chapters in their lives. Each season deals with a major element of self-discovery, from the end of a relationship to the beginning of one, to new jobs to losing jobs, to babies, marriages, starting a business, and so much more.

Insecure creates complex characters who rarely have it together. It’s about their journeys and all the ways they get it wrong-and then sometimes figure it out and get it right. The series is a hilarious look at issues faced not only by modern black women and men, but universal issues that everyone faces on the path to growing up.

The Misadventures Of Awkward Black Girl

This web-series follows J (Issa Rae), an awkward 20-something black girl who tries to navigate the awkwardness of everyday situations, like mean co-workers, new relationships, and friendships. The series started in 2011, and had two seasons. Most of the episodes are under five minutes long. The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl is what initially got people to take notice of Issa Rae’s comedic style and fresh voice. The series clearly helped influence some elements that she uses in Insecure.

Misadventures is good to watch as an evolutionary study. You see how The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl has matured and evolved into Insecure. Also on its own the web-series is a quick watch that’s very funny, a different take on the image Hollywood presents of the black girl, and it has a ton of distinct and hilarious characters.

Little

Issa Rae co-stars with Regina Hall and Marsai Martin in Little, a story about a woman who reverts back to her childhood self after being cursed for being mean to a little girl. It’s Big and 13 Going on 30 in reverse. Rae plays April, Jordan (Regina Hall)’s assistant who ends up having to watch 13-year old Jordan (Marsai Martin).

This is an entertaining film that let’s each of the leads shine. Along with the main plot, it’s a story about April trying to be taken more seriously and have more responsibilities at work. Little has hilarious moments with each of the leads, making it a good watch if you want some lighthearted comedy.

The Hate U Give

The Hate U Give is a drama based on the best selling book of the same name. It follows teen Starr (Amanda Stenberg) as she witnesses the murder of her unarmed black male friend, Khalil (Algee Smith). Khalil is murdered by a police officer, and the incident sparks unrest for Starr and her community.

Issa Rae plays April, a civil rights lawyer who encourages Starr to speak up about Khalil’s death, and the police’s involvement in it. The film takes a hard look at the injustices faced by black people, especially when it comes to police brutality. Rae’s part is small, but vital as she’s one of the people that helps inspire Starr to stand up for her rights and not let the police officer get away with Khalil’s murder.

Hair Love

Hair Love is the Academy Award winning best animated short about a father trying to figure out how to do his young daughter’s hair. Rae narrates the short as the mother. Spoilers coming ahead.

The mother character is first only seen through a video watched by the daughter and father. By the end of the short, it’s revealed that she is in the hospital and has lost all her hair due to some type of illness. The father and daughter show her that she’s still beautiful and a queen even without hair. Hair Love makes you feel so many emotions in a short span of time, such as sadness, joy, inspiration, and triumph.

The Photograph

The Photograph is a romantic drama that follows two love stories, one set in the past and another in the present. The present one follows Mae (Issa Rae) and reporter Michael (Lakeith Stanfield). They meet because Michael is writing a story about a man who used to know her mother. The past love story follows Mae’s mother, Christina (Chante Adams) and Isaac (Y'lan Noel).

The Photograph is about Mae learning Christina and Issac's love story, and using them as an example so that she won’t repeat their mistakes with Michael. The film focuses more on the characters than plot, and Rae does a great job of projecting Mae’s uncertainty about leaping fully into this new relationship.

BoJack Horseman

Issa Rae lends her voice to two episodes of BoJack Horseman Season 5. She plays Dr. Indira, Diane (Alison Brie)’s therapist. The first episode that she appears in is “The Dog Days Are Over,” which is only a brief appearance. In the episode, Dr. Indira not-so-subtly name drops some of her famous clients. She then has a larger role in “NT. SUB.” She has dinner with her wife, Mary-Beth (Wanda Sykes), and she shares an encounter that she had with Bojack Horseman (Will Arnett) and Diane.

The episode revolves around many of the main characters being turned into weird versions of themselves, because both spouses try to share their stories and encounters with these characters while trying to conceal their identities.

Jay-Z’s Moonlight Music Video

“Moonlight” features many young prominent black actors taking on roles of Friends characters. Issa Rae plays Rachel, the role made famous by Jennifer Aniston. The song and video address the La La Land and Moonlight Oscars controversy. The one where Moonlight won Best Picture but La La Land’s name was read by mistake.

Many have spoken about Moonlight’s big win being overshadowed by the controversy of the whole situation. Jay-Z’s song takes it further by discussing the constant struggle of black artists and art to receive the same acclaim and recognition as white artists and art, even if it’s the exact same thing or better.

Drake’s Nice For What Video

Drake’s “Nice For What” features famous women in various settings. Some of the women shown are Misty Copeland, Olivia Wilde, Rashida Jones, Tiffany Haddish, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Issa Rae. In Issa Rae’s scenes, she is at the head of the table in a room full of white, old men.

The song and video act as a tribute to strong independent women. It’s a cool video to watch for all the cameos, editing, and look at the variety of respected women in various fields, especially the entertainment industry.

If you can’t get enough of Issa Rae, she has a series with HBOMax called Rap Sh*t expected to premiere in 2020. Her hit HBO series Insecure is airing it’s fourth season every Sunday on HBO. The Lovebirds is also currently available to stream on Netflix. Stream it here.

For many of us, there is nothing that compares to a great music video. There's a special art to being able to tell a story or evoke emotions by brining visuals to a popular song, an art that requires someone with a great deal of skill and an eye for the dramatic. Much like David Fincher's 1990 music video for the Madonna song "Vogue." But Fincher isn't alone.

There are dozens of directors who have either gotten their start in the music video industry or jumped over to the medium after finding success on the big screen or television. Names like Spike Lee, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Spike Jonze have all made some of the most culturally significant and eye-catching videos of all time. But some of us may forget, or don't know, that some of our favorite videos were directed by the biggest names in Hollywood. But fear not, as I have you covered…

David Fincher - Vogue, Madonna (1990)

Before creating some of the most important films of the last 25 years with the likes of Seven, Fight Club, and The Social Network, David Fincher got his start in the music video business by creating groundbreaking videos like the 1990 black-and-white masterpiece that is Madonna's "Vogue." This iconic and the visionary video is filled with the technical precision and artistry that the English director would bring to his movies just a few years later and showed what he was capable of pulling off. It also didn't hurt that this was the third time Fincher and Madonna had teamed up after collaborating on "Express Yourself" and "Oh Father," a year earlier.

Spike Jonze - Weapon Of Choice, Fatboy Slim (2001)

Younger audiences may know Spike Jonze for his 2013 science fiction romance drama Her, but the Academy Award-winning filmmaker made quite a name for himself with his cinematic and revolutionary music videos in the 1990s. Collaborating with artists like Beastie Boys, Weezer, and R.E.M. for some of most memorable music videos of the decade, Jonze's most notable work arguably comes from his pairing with Fatboy Slim for the Grammy Award-winning "Weapon of Choice" video starring Christopher Walken dancing in a deserted hotel lobby. You can see elements of Jonze's signature style peppered throughout the dreamlike nearly four-minute video.

Martin Scorsese - Bad, Michael Jackson (1987)

There are music videos directed by legendary filmmakers and there is the Michael Jackson's "Bad." Directed by Martin Scorsese, this 18-minute music video plays more like any one of the acclaimed directors feature films. By combining elements from West Side Story with flash and style of in-his-prime King of Pop, Scorsese created one of the most groundbreaking videos of the 1980s. Remarkably, this is one of only two music videos the director of Goodfellas, Raging Bull, and The Irishman directed throughout his career. Oh, it also features a young Wesley Snipes, who only had a few acting credits at this point in his career.

Spike Lee - Fight The Power, Public Enemy (1988)

The Public Enemy track "Fight the Power" was originally created to serve as the anthem of Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, so it was only fitting that the director created the empowering music video in 1989. Made to look like a political rally, the "Fight the Power" video is a seven-minute affair showing thousands of extras in the streets of New York walking behind the revolutionary and politically-charged rap group. You can see the director's style throughout the video, which came out a few years before Denzel Washington gave a career-defining performance in the Spike Lee joint Malcolm X.

Gus Van Sant - Under The Bridge, Red Hot Chili Peppers (1991)

Anyone who was alive and conscious in the early '90s will never forget the groundbreaking and breathtaking video for the Red Hot Chili Peppers song "Under the Bridge," but until recently, I didn't know that auteur Gus Van Sant was responsible for this MTV mainstay. Having just finished work on My Own Private Idaho, in which RHCP bassist Flea had a role, Van Sant was asked by the band to provide his talents and signature style to create a music video. By combining elements of realism and fantasy, the video has a distinct feel to it, which is probably why it's still held in such high regard nearly 30 years after it was first released.

Brian De Palma - Dancing In The Dark, Bruce Springsteen (1984)

Mostly known for one of the first appearances from future Friends star Courteney Cox, Bruce Springsteen's 1984 video for "Dancing in the Dark" remains one of the most popular MTV mainstays from the 1980s. The video, shot over the course of two nights at the beginning of The Boss' "Born in the USA" tour, is the only one shot by director Brian De Palma over the course of his 50-plus-year career. Known for his action and attention to detail in films like Scarface, The Untouchables, and Mission: Impossible, De Palma's video has a laser-focus on Springsteen and Cox throughout this well-lit and masterfully directed spectacle.

Ava DuVernay - Family Feud - Jay-Z Ft. Beyoncé (2018)

Ava DuVernay is responsible for one of the most star-studded and visionary music videos in quite some time with her video for the Jay-Z and Beyoncé song "Family Feud" from the rapper's 4:44 2018 album. At nearly eight minutes in length, the video jumps through time dissecting a number of issues affecting society before ending in a massive cathedral where the power-couple provide and intimate and powerful performance to an empty room. The director of Selma, A Wrinkle in Time, and the Netflix series When They See Us brings a breath of fresh air to the format in her first and only music video.

Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris - 1979, Smashing Pumpkins (1996)

Trying to decide which Smashing Pumpkins video from Jonathan Dayton and Varlie Faris (Little Miss Sunshine, Ruby Sparks) to include on this list was no easy task, but it had to be the music video for the band's 1996 song "1979." Sure, "Tonight, Tonight," is probably the more iconic collaboration, but the vague lyrics and close-up camera angles of the cast of characters featured in the "1979" video creates an atmosphere and feeling that is unmatched 22 years later. I remember being a kid and being transfixed by the imagery of a group of friends holding onto their fleeting innocence before adulthood stripped it away.

Paul Thomas Anderson - Across The Universe, Fiona Apple (1998)

Paul Thomas Anderson is mostly associated with actors like Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix, and Daniel Day-Lewis, but the American filmmaker also had a fruitful professional (and intimate) relationship with singer-songwriter Fiona Apple from the late 1990s to the early 2000s. This resulted in a series of striking music videos, including Apple's 1998 cover of The Beatles song "Across the Universe." Much like many of PTA's movies throughout his career, the music video plays with the contrast of beauty and madness as the singer softly recites the famous lyrics while complete chaos unfolds behind her.

Mark Romanek - Shake It Off, Taylor Swift (2014)

Unlike pretty much everyone else on this list, Mark Romanek is a music video director that just so happened to make a few movies along the way. On the movie side, Romanek is mostly known for the chilling thriller starring the late Robin Williams One Hour Photo, but his music video work is unmatched by probably anyone not named Hype Williams. Winning over 20 MTV Video Music Awards for his long list of contributions to the medium, Romanek has worked with artists like Nine Inch Nails and Taylor Swift for her "Shake it Off" video. That may sound like a crazy jump from NIN to T. Swift, but you can see elements of the director's previous entries in the 2014 music video, especially the off-putting look of the symmetrical ballerinas and cuts to figures moving in slow motion.

I hope you have had just as much fun watching this old videos and looking back on their legacy as I have had putting this together. There is something about a great music video that makes me all nostalgic and think about those lazy afternoons watching the best videos MTV (and VH1) had to offer. If you think I missed a video or have one you'd like for people to see, drop it in the comments below.

This year's Super Bowl LIV went off without any hitches that reached the scandalous apexes of Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction back in 2004, but there were still controversial moments. Though largely celebrated, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira's pro bono halftime show was criticized for being too racy, and much earlier in the evening, a key member of the musical interlude's production company, the rapper mogul Jay-Z, caught flak along with superstar wife Beyoncé for sitting down during Demi Lovato's national anthem. But the Roc Nation founder says it wasn't done in protest.

After footage made its way online of Jay-Z (real name Shaun Carter) and Beyoncé (Knowles-Carter) being planted in their seats during Demi Lovato's "Star-Spangled Banner" performance, the couple face much scrutiny online from those who questioned the presence of political motivations behind the act. Speaking at New York's Columbia University on Tuesday (via TMZ), Jay-Z was asked if staying seated in that moment was meant to convey a message. In Jay-Z's words:

Granted, Jay-Z wasn't exactly in a prime position to make grand protests against the NFL, seeing as how he'd only relatively recently signed the Roc Nation deal with the League to produce the Super Bowl entertainment. In fact, Jay-Z says both he and Beyoncé were entirely wrapped up in the behind-the-scenes production elements of all the performances that it completely took over their brains.

After Beyoncé shared that she was nervous for Demi Lovato, having previously performed during the big game herself, the musical couple discussed the audio volume being at a proper level to make everyone on the floor/stage really "feel the music," among other topics. Then it was time for the nation anthem. According to Jay-Z:

That was the point when Jay-Z realized just how he and his family looked by sitting down during the national anthem, at a time when Colin Kaepernick's kneeling protests still resonate quite loudly within the NFL and its viewing public. Roc Nation's deal with the NFL took on a lot of flak on its own at the time, with many of the rapper's fans being quite displeased by the team-up, despite the goals that Jay-Z set and felt he attained with this year's lineup of artists.

Jay-Z used that lineup as proof of the waves he's already making within the NFL. After explaining that he and Beyoncé wouldn't put their also-present daughter Blue Ivy in that position – he joked she wouldn't be able to patiently wait for any pre-planned protests anyway – Jay-Z said that sitting during the national anthem wouldn't be his style of protesting.

You can check out the video below for a look at Jay-Z and Bey staring intently at Demi Lovato's performance.

Will this be the last word on the matter? Is there ever a last word on anything? Here's hoping next year's Super Bowl halftime show entertainers (and pre-game anthem performers) bring just as much excitement as Jennifer Lopez and Shakira did. Also, if we could get 100% fewer creepy Jason Momoa commercials, that'd be great.

When you see Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z on stage together, you can expect a fulfilling concert experience. The artists have spared no expense when it comes to their On the Road II tour, providing spectacle and extravagance in equal measure. But that wasn't enough for one fan. Apparently, there was a fan who wanted to have a more, shall we say, immersive interaction with the stars of the evening, and this fan decided to run up onstage in the middle of a concert performance in Atlanta. Thankfully, neither Jay-Z nor Beyonce were harmed by the fan. You can see an audience member's video from the concert, including the moment the fan decided to bolt onto the stage to get more than his money's worth from this full-fledged concert-going experience.

From the video above, it's hard to know what exactly happened when the fan rushed onto the stage at the end of Beyonce and Jay Z's concert. CNN, however, has a few details that clarify what went down. As the musicians were finishing up their final song for the evening -- a rendition of their chart-topping single "Apeshit" -- while being accompanied on the stage by numerous backup dancers, Beyonce and Jay-Z began exiting the stage. This is when one fan decided to enter the mainframe. He ran up the steps with impressive speed and he seemingly tried to make his way to the performers, for reasons unknown, when the dancers still on the stage made their way toward the intruder, seemingly hoping to stop him before he made contact with Jay-Z and/or Beyonce. Thankfully, Bey and Jay appear to be fine.

You can see the altercation from another angle thanks to this social media video, although the person who recorded it claims that they didn't "see a fight," which hopefully suggests that the person who fled onto the stage didn't have violent intentions with Jay-Z or Beyonce Knowles.

Thankfully, despite this snafu at the end, the concert appears to have been a resounding success. And there's no denying that it was a spectacle. Still, this concertgoer intrusion did put a bit of a damper on the proceedings, with fans worrying if the stars they just watched for the past two-and-a-half hours were hurt. Thankfully, however, Yvette Noel-Schure, Beyonce Knowles' publicist, assured the fans by saying everything was fine on her Instagram account, letting them know that despite this unexpected (and unwanted) fan encounter, nobody appears to be hurt by the fan making their way onto the stage.

This moment isn't the only mishap to arrive during Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z's ongoing concert. During their concert visit to Warsaw, Poland, Beyonce's floating stage had a mishap, and it resulted in Queen B needing a ladder to get back down onto the stage for the end of the concert. Thankfully, she handled it gracefully, as she typically does even when things don't go according to plan. Meanwhile, we'll continue to keep you posted on the latest concert developments with Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z right here at CinemaBlend.

It was only yesterday when Gwyneth Paltrow was refuting an old label that she's The World Most Hated Celebrity. As the actress admits, she doesn't understand why people believe that's the case, but she's not going to get caught up in the noise anymore. But Paltrow will respond to allegations that she's the notorious Becky with the Good Hair. Yep. That's right. That's the rumor being spread this week, referring to Beyonce Knowles' infamous final lyric in "Sorry," the most disputed part of her acclaimed visual album Lemonade. While everyone and their mother had a guess for who the unknown individual might be, Amber Rose claims Gwyneth Paltrow is actually the person in question. Case closed? Let's investigate and see what we uncover.

The comment came up when Amber Rose appeared on Spencer and Heidi Pratt's podcast, Make Speidi Famous Again. During the conversation, Rose made the following remark, one which people are claiming is just a joke. But other listeners remain skeptical. Here's what the famous model said.

Of course, Amber Rose is not saying that she's absolutely, positively, 100 percent certain that it's Gwyneth Paltrow; the media personality merely has a hunch that it's the founder of The Goop. That's simply her guess -- although, because she is as famous and interconnected in the Hollywood scene as she is, her thoughts are earning quite a bit of attention and controversy. But Gwyneth Paltrow is, of course, denying the validity of this statement. As it was reported by People earlier today, Paltrow is putting her foot down and saying no, she's not Becky with the Good Hair. Or, at least, that's what a representative for Gwyneth Paltrow is saying for her client today. As we alluded to earlier, Paltrow is a busy woman, and she has other things going on.

As the representative for Gwyneth Paltrow said in a statement earlier today, Amber Rose's Becky with the Good Hair allegations are "completely absurd" and "100 percent false." The representative also wanted the record to show that Paltrow and Jay-Z are "still very close friends," and they haven't had their relationship destroyed by the release of Lemonade, which the representative firmly believes will stop this fiery rumor from spreading.

But once the rumor mill starts spinning, it's not going to stop anytime soon. While Gwyneth Paltrow and her team want nothing more than to put this whole thing behind them, there's a good chance that people are going to keep talking about it for some time. But we'll have to wait and see. Of course, it has been two whole years and we're no step closer to figuring out who the mysterious woman is. Maybe we have our answer? Maybe we're still nowhere close to figuring out Becky's true identity. If we get any more information about the identity of the mysterious adulterer, we'll keep you posted.

If recent allegations are true, Jay-Z might be in serious trouble. Recent reports reveal that Tidal, the music streaming service primarily owned by Jay-Z, has allegedly inflated its subscriber numbers-- notably for Beyonce's visual album Lemonade and Kanye West's 2016 release The Life of Pablo, which were both originally offered exclusively on their service. As a result, Tidal has been paying an inflated number of royalties to the labels of these artists. While the company has denied such allegations, the reports continue to come in. We'll provide what information we know about these pressing accusations below.

Music Business Worldwide reported on this story. Founded in 2014, Tidal grew to prominence in 2016 with the release of Beyonce and Kanye West's newest albums. They were the primary destination to watch and listen to Lemonade, and the service had the six-week exclusive on Kanye's album. Although Tidal (like most streaming services) wasn't keen on sharing its data publicly, it claimed that Beyonce's acclaimed album was streamed 306 million times during its first 10 days in April of 2016. Likewise, Tidal said Kanye's music was streamed 205 million times during its first 10 days of release that February.

According to the Norwegian newspaper, this information should be called into question because Tidal, at that point in time, only had 3 million subscribers. By their estimations, every single subscriber would have to listen to the albums an average of eight times a day for that math to add up. And while that's not impossible, it does seem a bit unlikely, by their account. Moreover, when the paper began to investigate further and look deeper, it found that Tidal was also likely inflating its subscriber numbers, as the number of streaming subscribers was estimated to be closer to one million globally.

If these subscriber numbers were, indeed, falsified, then Tidal generated "massive royalty payouts at the expense of other artists." Not a great look. As for how the publication obtained these numbers in the first place, they claim they found the data on a hard drive that contained billions of rows of data found on Tidal's internal data. While Tidal is denying these allegations, Music Business Worldwide believes it lines up with information released by the labels. In any case, while this information is nowhere near confirmed, it definitely raise some potential suspicion into the inner business of this newfound streaming service.

In response to these recent number-inflating allegations, Tidal released the following statement to Variety.

Since this story is still developing, we'll keep you posted on any updates when they arrive.

NBC's iconic Saturday Night Live is heading into Season 43 for the 2017-2018 television season, and while the show will be very different this year without any major elections to cover and some notable cast departures, you can bet that those behind the long-running, Emmy-nominated sketch series are working hard to guarantee that there's a solid parade of celebrity guest hosts and musical acts scheduled to perform on the program every week.

While we don't yet know about all the surprises that will await us in Season 43 of SNL (what fun would that be, anyway?), we can probably bet on a few new cast members to fill in for Sasheer Zamata, Vanessa Bayer and Bobby Moynihan, who all left the late-night staple after Season 42. And, with many interesting developments in politics happening on an almost daily basis, we're likely guaranteed continued impressions of those in our top offices as the new season gets underway. We've even already heard that the team at SNL and Alec Baldwin, who has been lauded for his Donald Trump impression, are (wisely) not planning to give that popular part of the show up any time soon. Baldwin has noted that, even though he's got several projects in the pipeline, he is game to be around for as many Trump sessions on Saturday Night Live as possible this season.

While we wait for word on new not-ready-for-primetime players and when we can expect Alec Baldwin to hit the SNL stage again, the show is (finally) starting to let us in on who will be hosting and performing on each live episode. Be sure to check this guide regularly to see when your favorites will be appearing on the show, as we'll update it when SNL releases new information. Read on to see who you can watch this season!

Upcoming Episodes

May 5 - Donald Glover With Musical Guest Childish Gambino

Alright, technically SNL is pulling double duty on this one, because when actor/writer/comedian Donald Glover hosts the show on May 5, he will also appear as musical guest under his hip hop moniker Childish Gambino. Glover has become a force to be reckoned with in the years since his star-making turn on the comedy Community. He created and writes, produces, directs and stars in his hit FX show Atlanta, and will be seen in Solo: A Star Wars Story when it opens on May 25. As a rapper/singer, he's released three studio albums, with the most recent, Awaken, My Love!, scoring several Grammy nominations.

May 12 - Amy Schumer With Musical Guest Kacey Musgraves

Comedian and actress Amy Schumer will return for her second hosting stint on SNL on the May 12 show. The Trainwreck and Snatched star will hit the stage a few weeks after her new film, I Feel Pretty, opens in theaters. Country singer/songwriter Kacey Musgraves will appear as musical guest in support of her third studio album, Golden Hour.

May 19 - Tina Fey With Musical Guest Nicki Minaj

Wrapping up Season 43 of Saturday Night Live will be frequent host and former head writer/cast member Tina Fey. The 30 Rock and Whiskey Tango Foxtrot star launched the Mean Girls musical on Broadway in October 2017. Rapper Nicki Minaj is set to tear up the stage in support of her upcoming fourth studio album that same night.

Previously Aired

September 30 - Ryan Gosling With Musical Guest Jay-Z

The Season 43 opener will see actor Ryan Gosling host for the second time. Gosling, also known as the guy every dude's girlfriend is not-so-secretly in love with, was most recently seen in the Oscar winning film La La Land, for which he was nominated for Best Actor. His next movie is the highly anticipated sequel Blade Runner 2049, with Harrison Ford and Jared Leto, which opens on October 6. Jay-Z, who's performed three times previously, will be along to promote his recently released 4:44 album.

October 7 - Gal Gadot With Musical Guest Sam Smith

The first Saturday in October will see Wonder Woman herself, Gal Gadot, host SNL for the first time. She is, of course, coming off a major summer when her solo outing as the hero wowed audiences and critics alike. Her appearance on the show comes a little over a month before the November 17 debut of Justice League, in which Gadot also stars. The night's musical guest, Sam Smith, will be taking the stage in his second stint on the show. The Grammy winner has been working on his second album, and just released a new single, "Too Good at Goodbyes," earlier this month.

October 14 - Kumail Nanjiani With Musical Guest Pink

Also making his SNL debut during Season 43 is Kumail Nanjiani, who stars on the HBO comedy Silicon Valley. He recently gained even more praise for writing and starring in the film The Big Sick, which came out earlier this year. Singer/songwriter Pink, also the winner of multiple Grammy Awards, is due to release her seventh album, "Beautiful Trauma," on October 13.

November 4 - Larry David With Musical Guest Miley Cyrus

SNL will launch its November episodes with Larry David hosting the show for only the second time, with his first stint being back in February 2016. David, who is best known for helping to create Seinfeld and guide the show to the heights of comedy over many of its nine seasons, as well as for creating and starring in his (recently revived) HBO hit Curb Your Enthusiasm, appeared on Saturday Night Live several times during the election cycle to play candidate Bernie Sanders. Miley Cyrus, who hosted in 2011 and then took on both hosting and musical guest duties in 2013 and 2015, will return to perform and promote her most recent album, "Younger Now."

November 11 - Tiffany Haddish With Musical Guest Taylor Swift

The breakout star of the summer hit film Girls Trip, comedian Tiffany Haddish will get her first go 'round as an SNL host when she steps on stage for the November 11 episode. Haddish is also known for her work in Real Husbands of Hollywood, The Carmichael Show and in the film Keanu, and has several new projects currently in development. Taylor Swift will appear to perform songs from her new CD, "Reputation," and has been on the show several times before, including a 2009 stint where she served as both host and musical guest.

November 18 - Chance the Rapper With Musical Guest Eminem

Also marking his first stint as host in November will be Chance the Rapper, who's made several appearances as musical guest over the past few years. His third mixtape, "Coloring Book," was released in May 2016 and won three Grammy Awards, including Best Rap Album. It is also the first streaming-only album to get a Grammy nomination and win. Chance was also nominated for an Emmy this year for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for "Last Christmas," which was written for and performed on SNL. Eminem will perform on the show to promote his new album, "Revival," which debuts on November 17.

December 2 - Saoirse Ronan With Musical Guest U2

SNL's December kicks off with two-time Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan hosting the comedy. Ronan, who received nominations in 2008 and 2016, is once again getting Oscar buzz for her role in Lady Bird, which was released in early November. U2, which has won a whopping 22 Grammy Awards, will perform on the show to promote their soon-to-be-released CD, Songs of Experience.

December 9 - James Franco With Musical Guest SZA

Jack of all trades James Franco takes on SNL hosting duties for the night of December 9. He's currently starring in the HBO drama The Deuce and can be seen on the big screen in The Disaster Artist. R&B singer SZA will make her debut on Saturday Night Live that evening. The five-time Grammy nominee will perform to promote her debut studio album, Ctrl.

December 16 - Kevin Hart With Musical Guest Foo Fighters

Making his third appearance as host, actor/comedian Kevin Hart will hit the SNL stage on December 16. His film Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle will be released on December 20 and he has five projects coming up soon. Seven-time musical guests Foo Fighters will rock the show once again, this time in support of their new CD, Concrete and Gold.

January 13 - Sam Rockwell With Musical Guest Halsey

Actor Sam Rockwell is primed to host SNL for the first time when the show returns from its holiday break on January 13. Rockwell is currently gaining much praise for his role in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, having been nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance, which is also getting Oscar buzz. Singer Halsey will be hitting the SNL musical stage for the first time to promote her most recent CD, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom.

January 20 - Jessica Chastain With Musical Guest Troye Sivan

Molly's Game star Jessica Chastain takes on hosting duties for the first time when she hits the SNL stage on January 20. The actress, who received Oscar nominations for her work in The Help and Zero Dark Thirty, has become a force to be reckoned with on screen. Since 2010, she's gotten a remarkable 110 nominations for her roles in films like Miss Sloane, A Most Violent Year and Take Shelter. Troye Sivan will perform on the show for the first time to promote his debut studio album, Blue Neighbourhood.

January 27 - Will Ferrell With Musical Guest Chris Stapleton

Funny man Will Ferrell hits his old stomping grounds again when he returns to host Saturday Night Live for the fourth time. After making a name for himself with impressions of personalities like James Lipton, George W. Bush and Alex Trebek, Ferrell, of course, went on to take his wacky characters to the big screen in films like Anchorman and Talladega Nights. Grammy-winning country artist Chris Stapleton will make his second appearance on the show to promote his third solo album, From A Room: Volume 2.

February 3 - Natalie Portman With Musical Guest Dua Lipa

Hosting for her second time as the comedy moves into February is Oscar winner Natalie Portman. After being most recently seen in Jackie and Song to Song, Portman's next big screen effort, the sci-fi thriller Annihilation, debuts on February 23. Singer Dua Lipa makes her first appearance as musical guest to promote her self-titled debut album, which features the hit single, New Rules.

March 3 - Charles Barkely With Musical Guest Migos

March will bring NBA legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley back to SNL for his fourth hosting gig. The Emmy winner can be seen as an analyst for TNT's Inside the NBA and NCAA March Madness coverage on CBS. Hip hop trio Migos will head to the show for their first stint as musical guest, and will perform in support of their new album Culture II, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

March 10 - Sterling K. Brown With Musical Guest James Bay

This Is Us star Sterling K. Brown will make his hosting debut on March 10. The Golden Globe, SAG and Emmy winner can currently be seen on the big screen in Black Panther, and will be back in theaters later this year in The Predator. Singer/songwriter and three time Grammy nominee James Bay will hit the stage for the first time to support his upcoming sophomore album that night.

March 17 - Bill Hader With Musical Guest Arcade Fire

Emmy winner and Saturday Night Live vet Bill Hader returns to the show for his second hosting gig on March 17. Hader's HBO hitman comedy Barry, which he is the creator/executive producer/director and star of, will premiere on March 25. Arcade Fire will join the show for their fourth appearance as musical guest during the broadcast. Their single, "Everything Now," from the album of the same name, recently became their first to hit No. 1 on any Billboard chart.

April 7 - Chadwick Boseman With Musical Guest Cardi B

SNL decided not to let Season 43 pass by without a visit from everyone's favorite Black Panther, as Chadwick Boseman will hit the stage for his first hosting gig on April 7. Known around the world for his part in the massive hit Black Panther, Boseman will next be seen on the big screen in Avengers: Infinity War when it opens on April 27. Cardi B will appear as the musical guest to promote her debut studio album Invasion of Privacy.

April 14 - John Mulaney With Musical Guest Jack White

Comedian and former SNL writer John Mulaney will make his first appearance as host on the April 14 episode. Mulaney is best known for helping write all those insane Stefon sketches with Bill Hader and he sometimes popped up on the Weekend Update segment of the show during his time there. Jack White will perform to promote his third solo studio album Boarding House Reach.

Remember, be sure to bookmark this guide so you can stay up to date on all the hosts and musical guests Saturday Night Live has to offer in Season 43. For an in depth look at what else you can watch this fall, take a look at our fall premiere schedule and Netflix premiere schedule, as well.

Not the most likely stage-mates, Jay-Z and David Letterman had an in-depth discussion about the iconic rapper's life on Letterman's Netflix series My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, but their conversation was not all about hip-hop. The multi-nicknamed entertainer, whose real name is Shawn Carter, also spoke about his family life, and his mother's coming out as a lesbian. Expectedly, Jay-Z got emotional describing how he felt the moment she finally acknowledged it in front of him, and the pride and happiness for his mom were very apparent throughout.

As Jay-Z told David Letterman, the tear-jerking moment sent him back in the studio the next day, at which point he recorded the song "Smile" for his Grammy-nominated album 4:44. The audience gasped at the revelation that Carter's mom had only openly discussed her sexual orientation with him for the first time so recently. Of course, the rapper said he always knew it inside, but the fact that his mother finally felt comfortable enough to talk about it in front of him was an incredibly emotional moment that got him crying tears of joy. Which was a big deal, since Jay-Z apparently does not believe in crying when he's happy.

David Letterman has long been an amazing interviewer for his ability to draw personal stories out of celebrities like that, but he wouldn't be worth much if he didn't also discuss the subject that Jay-Z's biggest fans want to hear him speak about: rap and hip-hop. Letterman listened intently as Jay-Z explained some of the hallmarks that make a good rapper, and two key traits he thinks create a successful MC:

Like most artists at the top of their game, Jay-Z didn't waste breath talking about rappers he thinks are doing it wrong, but rather pointed out some positive strengths of rappers he's familiar with. He also kind of snubbed some of the younger MC's in his wake by only referencing older contemporaries like Snoop Dogg and Eminem, but perhaps he will indeed reference some fresher voices in the full episode of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction. If not, Jay-Z may have just dropped the most subtle and non-melodic diss track of all time by snubbing the younger generation in describing what makes a good rapper. Beef!

David Letterman's My Next Guest Needs No Introduction is currently streaming on Netflix, with Jay-Z's episode dropping on Friday, April 7. For a look at other things coming to the platform, visit our Netflix premiere guide. For a more general listing of upcoming television shows, visit our midseason premiere guide and summer premiere guide.

If you just met Beyonce, you're gonna tell everyone -- and I mean everyone. And if you're Tiffany Haddish, your story will probably be funnier than most. The comedian and Girls Trip standout recently made an appearance on TV One's Uncensored, and in a newly released clip from the upcoming series, Haddish spilled the beans on the celebrity-to-celebrity encounter, while not hiding one iota of her bubbly enthusiasm about meeting Queen Bee herself. You can watch the highly entertaining recount below.

As seen and told in the uncensored clip from TV One, Tiffany Haddish was introduced to Beyonce during an after-party for a Jay-Z concert. Beyonce and Haddish went back-and-forth complimenting one another, with Beyonce saying how funny Tiffany is and Haddish almost breathlessly overwhelmed with nice things to say to Beyonce. But it was shortly after their interaction that Haddish caught some first-hand drama right on the scene.

Tiffany Haddish doesn't reveal any names, but the comedian says that another actress also started talking to Jay-Z, and while doing so, she began to touch Jay-Z's chest. Beyonce, of course, wasn't having any of that. She walked straight up to the unnamed actress and basically told her, through her demeanor and her tense body language, that she better get her hand off "my man's chest." From there, Bey and the actress continued talking, and it doesn't sound like things got pleasant. Haddish isn't at liberty to disclose what went down, but she promises that "it's gonna be on the streets" and "we'll know about it" soon.

It's no secret that Beyonce and Jay-Z have had their share of marriage difficulties. Jay-Z opened up about his infidelities only a couple months ago, and he notes that he's currently trying to fix his relationship. But even when their marriage is rocky (we have to assume you've seen and listened to Lemonade by now, right?), Beyonce and Jay-Z continue to work through their troubles. They've been together for close to ten years now, and they share three children together, 6-year-old Blue Ivy and the eight-month twins, Rumi and Sir.

Meanwhile, Tiffany Haddish is celebrating a great year. She broke out in a big way with Girls Trip and its smash success over the summer, and she'll be in a slew of new movies, including All Between Us, Night School and the currently-filming The Oath, the directorial debut of The Mindy Project's Ike Barinholtz. She'll also soon appear in the TV series The Last O.G., and she can be heard in the Comedy Central animated series Legends of Chamberlin Heights. She also had a hit Showtime stand-up special released in August. Additionally, Haddish also recently published her first book, the memoir The Last Black Unicorn, which is currently sitting on the New York Times Bestseller list. So, yes, it's a good time to be Tiffany Haddish right now. And did she mention that she met Beyonce?! She's more than happy to let you know.

There are few stars quite as shiny as Beyonce. The singer/actress has been captivating music fans for decades, and she's not showing any signs of slowing down. And with her upcoming role as Nala in the live-action Lion King, Queen B will soon return to the silver screen for the first time since voicing a role in 2013's Epic. As such, most of us normal folks would likely lose our minds when trying to interact with the legend. Model/TV personality Chrissy Teigen apparently geeked out hardcore when she spoke with Bey at the Grammys. Specifically, she started speaking like an extra on Game of Thrones, with Beyonce being the Queen. She recently revealed,

Not even a badass kween like Chrissy Teigen is free from becoming star struck. And in the grand scheme of things, there are few stars quite as bright as Beyonce's. So we can probably given the Lip Synch Battle co-host a pass this time.

Chrissy Teigen's hilarious story comes to us from her recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. After she and Fallon caught up and spoke about her pregnancy, the subject pivoted over to last week's Grammy Awards. Teigen and her husband John Legend left the ceremony early (partly because she couldn't drink), but Teigen was determined to interact with Beyonce. But no one expected her to go full lady-in-waiting on the singer. Whoops.

Of course, meeting Beyonce would be a similarly disarming experience for most. Because she's been in the public eye for two decades, her fame level is pretty substantial. As such, there are man fans who would be freaked out when meeting her. We'll no doubt be treated to plenty of these moments when she starts doing press for her role in The Lion King, so that's something to look forward to.

You can check out Chrissy Tiegen tell the story herself below.

This story is just the latest hilarious story to come from Chrissy Teigen. While she first came onto the scene as a model, her romance with John Legend and her personal Twitter page are probably what she's best known for nowadays. Her signature sense of humor has delighted fans, and elevated her to a larger prominence in pop culture. And with her humility showing in moments like her bizarre interaction with Beyonce, it's likely that Tiegen is going to remain pop culture royalty for quite some time.

Last night, the Grammy's were filled with statement-making costumes and over-the-top performances, but there was one young lady in attendance who wasn't having it. Joining her parents at the 2018 Grammys was none other than Blue Ivy, who certainly seemed to be calling the shots when she asked her parents Jay-Z and Beyonce to stop clapping during the event. The moment went viral, and you can check out one variation of a person being amused about it on the Internet, below.

During the event, former Fifth Harmony member and solo artist Camila Cabello was called onstage. She was tasked with introducing U2 so the band could perform during the event. However, she used the opportunity to talk about DREAMers and immigrants coming to the United States to make a new life. Jay-Z and Beyonce clapped at Camila Cabello's words, and the camera panned over to the famous celebrity couple, just in time to catch Blue Ivy shushing her famous parents. The clip seriously only lasts a few seconds, but it was a moment that a lot of people on the internet latched onto, and will likely be remembered for a while.

Blue Ivy hasn't been in the limelight much over the years, but she dressed to the nines for the 60th annual Grammy Awards, in a white frock and silver shoes to boot. The 6-year-old gained attention from her look alone, but the fact that she basically told her uber famous parents what to do is a pretty noticeable thing. I know my mother would have been displeased if I had shushed her in public, but it's hard to tell from the clip if Blue Ivy was just having trouble hearing Camila Cabello or was displeased about the clapping in general. The end result, however, added a little flair to an otherwise emotional Grammys.

Jay-Z has formerly spoken out about how he imagined his daughter would end up being a little bit spoiled. After all, her name is trademarked, and she's not exactly the average girl, or even the average celebrity's kid. Jay-Z and Beyonce have one of the most famous marriages in Hollywood, and the ups and downs in their relationship have been chronicled in their music and more. She's only six right now, but we'll have to wait and see where her fame -- and her famous parents -- take her in the future.

For now, stay tuned for more Grammys coverage, or check out the full list of Grammy winners. In addition, be sure to stay tuned as Jay-Z and Beyonce continue to dominate headlines, perhaps with Blue Ivy in tow more in the future. After all, shushing your parents at the age of six is not a bad way to start your society debut.

Beyonce and Jay-Z recently got the last laugh when they allowed the cameras to capture them in an elevator, a photo-op that harkened back to the infamous moment when Solange struck Jay-Z in an elevator three years ago at the 2014 Met Gala in New York City. The recent photo-op took place in an elevator on the ground floor of the Angelika Film Center in New York City, where Beyonce and Jay-Z were celebrating Jay-Z's 48th birthday. Take a look:

Reportedly, Queen Bey had set up a private screening of Woody Allen's film Wonder Wheel for herself and her husband to enjoy. On the way down from the theater, Jay-Z reportedly asked his bodyguard to step off of the elevator ahead of him and his wife so that the photographers could get the shot. Entertainment Weekly says Jay-Z could even be heard telling the photogs to "come and get it," indicating he and Beyonce knew what the paparazzi wanted to capture and why.

In recent years, both Beyonce and Jay-Z have released albums full of candid revelations about the hard side of their marriage. Beyonce's Grammy Award-winning Lemonade album showcased the emotional arc of a wife who notices, uncovers, processes, and recovers from infidelity in her marriage. Jay-Z's 4:44 album from this year is not a direct response to his wife's record, but it does cover a lot of ground including the admission of infidelity. Jay-Z's 4:44 is up for eight Grammy Awards this year, and it contains revealing lyrics about that infamous elevator ride, such as,

But before the albums, what really kicked off the whole narrative about trouble in Beyonce and Jay-Z's marriage was the infamous elevator moment. As the world watched the grainy elevator camera recording of Solange lunging at her brother-in-law, a lot of us wondered what Beyonce, herself, asked on "Hold Up" from Lemonade--"Are you cheating on me?" Well, not on "me," but on Bey. Then came the albums, and now Jay-Z has continued the conversation in recent interviews.

For example, Jay-Z delved deeper into the topic of infidelity in his marriage. In Dean Baquet's interview with Jay-Z for the New York Times, Jay-Z suggested that he saw problems like cheating as manifestations of unresolved inner turmoil. The rapper explained how easy it is to "shut down emotionally" in different areas of life, but how doing so leads to heartache and pain that re-emerges as bad behaviors like cheating.

In fact, back in September Jay-Z told Rap Radar about how he and Solange are on good terms these days. He said they have always had "a great relationship," but they had "one disagreement"--presumably the one we all saw go down in that elevator at the Met Gala. Regardless, Jay-Z said,

Those are pretty amazing words for him to share about Solange. Moreover, it is incredible how far this family, especially Beyonce and Jay-Z themselves, have come since those days. If only they could have convinced Solange to join them for the party. Imagine how huge that photo-op would have been.

This year, Jay-Z released his latest studio album, 4:44. It examined a wide variety of complex matters, including his observations on money, race, connections in the music industry, and, yes, infidelity and marriage. In some ways, 4:44 was a reply to his wife Beyonce's Lemonade album, which explored the arc of emotions a person feels upon recognizing, uncovering, and processing infidelity in a long-term relationship. Ultimately, Queen Bey ends on forgiveness, and now Jay-Z has provided extra insight into how his behaviors changed him. From the sounds of it, he is better (and more grateful for his marriage) than ever. In a recent interview, the 47-year-old rapper broaches unfaithfulness by saying,

Jay-Z jumped into the topic of cheating while talking about how he embraced his emotions and realized how connected people's behaviors and feelings are. What got him on the subject in the first place was the topic of emotional distress people face when they go into "survival mode," and try not to connect with others. Jay-Z gave the example of noticing the pain in someone else's eyes, but knowing that person probably wanted to put up a shield to avoid talking about hurt feelings. He used this point to touch on his cheating, which gives us the sense he had to recognize his hurt to see how he was hurting others (i.e. Beyonce) through bad behavior.

Later in the New York Times interview, Jay-Z mentions how the only way out of the pain he caused was to go through it. He revealed that it was hard and painful to listen to his wife's Lemonade album, the same applying with her listening to his album 4:44. But they pressed on through the challenges because, as he says, "the best place is right in the middle of the pain". Instead of tiptoeing around sensitive and upsetting subjects, they dove in and dealt with them together as a couple. The newspaper hopped on social media to post a snippet of Jay-Z discussing the topic. Take a look:

Hearing Jay-Z speak this way is profound, and watching Beyonce and Jay-Z explore these touchy topics has been moving to say the least. It seems like Jay-Z found a true catharsis through the process of apologies and forgiveness he and Beyonce evidently worked on these past few years (perhaps starting back when Solange flipped out in the elevator--just a guess). Jay-Z and Beyonce have always spoken with a particular eloquence, but nowadays, their approach is much more enlightened, and you can definitely tell how Jay-Z has evolved as a man. Here's hoping Beyonce gives a candid interview like this one sometime soon.

The Weinstein Company is in for some rough sailing, what with the re-branding that the company will be undergoing in light of recent events. But there's already a party interested in buying out the portion of the company that's held by the now fired Harvey Weinstein. With projects already in the stable of what's still currently TWC, musical mogul Jay-Z is looking to take his Hollywood game to the next level, which could be a pretty interesting development; should it happen.

Jay-Z would be at the head of a group of investors that are looking to pick up 23% of The Weinstein Company, which would be a sweetheart deal for the recording artist and husband of Beyonce, as he's currently producing a movie and miniseries project in-house. But this acquisition is also a good thing for the now in-the-lurch production company, as it would manage to solve problems for more than a couple parties both internally and outside of the doors.

With some TV projects already in development at other studios like Amazon, as well as whatever film projects the company's current catalog entails on the line, The Weinstein Company is going to need some fresh capital in order to make up for whatever losses the alleged recent events have incurred. Not to mention, Harvey Weinstein's reputation was one of enormous clout, up until his firing by the company, having been known as an Oscar-whisperer. If Jay-Z were to slot into TWC, however, the clout issue becomes a thing of the past, as he has tons of connections and a lot of people on his side.

Perhaps the greatest advantage of Jay-Z potentially buying out Harvey Weinstein's share of The Weinstein Company is the fact that a person of color would have a pretty powerful position to help Hollywood with becoming a more diverse industry. He and Beyonce are already two of the biggest figures in the music world, so obviously their touch transferring to the world of motion pictures and television would be a good deal. Their eyes for talent and material would only help the studio, which seemed to already be floundering before the allegations of misconduct had hit the news.

The news that TMZ broke from their various sources is all, of course, in early days. But the possibility of a Jay-Z-led buyout is obviously going to spark up some other suitors' interests, as well as some internal discussion of where The Weinstein Company is heading in its tumultuous future. As soon as we hear any new information regarding the possibility of this sale, we'll report back.

Jay-Z and Kanye West might be ready to set aside their differences after months of hostility that culminated in a multimillion-dollar battle at Jay-Z's record label, Tidal. Not long ago, the rumor mill said West wanted to terminate his contract with Tidal because it allegedly failed to deliver on promises of advances and bonuses in the amount of $3.5 million. Supposedly, the missing money gave West reason to air grievances with Jay-Z and Tidal, but the problem boiled down to machismo and pride.

Jay-Z and Kanye West moved from friends to frienemies after a string of nasty incidents that began when Kanye West had a public meltdown onstage during what would become the final show of his Saint Pablo tour. As TMZ tells it, Jay-Z was furious when West infamously went on a lengthy rant about the state of the world and his acquaintanceship with Jay-Z and Beyoncé. But problems had been bubbling up for a while, at least in West's opinion.

Not only did Kanye West say damaging things about Queen Bey and Blue Ivy, but he also accused Jay-Z of having "killers," perhaps meaning assassins, and then he inisinuated he was surprised Jay-Z had not put a hit out on him. After nearly half an hour West stormed out of the arena and doctors placed him on an involuntary psychiatric hold for emergency evaluation. The baffling moment happened on the heels of other devastating incidents in West's private life, including the abduction and assault of his wife, Kim Kardashian, by gun-toting robbers during Paris Fashion Week.

Perhaps in response to Kanye West's biting words, Jay-Z penned the diss track "Kill Jay-Z" and put it as the lead track on his new album, 4:44. In the lyrics of the song, Jay-Z raps critical lines, such as,

Moreover, Jay-Z took Kanye West to task, rapping,

However, last month, Jay-Z told the podcast Rap Radar that he refused to have ongoing fights with other people in the rap industry. Granted, Jay-Z was talking about a purported feud that began between himself and rapper Fat Joe back in the early 2000s, but Jay-Z still said,

Jay-Z has spoken candidly about Kanye West, too. He said West most likely knew he had "crossed the line." Jay-Z explained that he and West had been through ups and downs in the past, so the fact that West had not reached out to make amends signaled to him that West felt embarrassed about what happened.

So, now reports say Jay-Z would be open to talking to Kanye West about the issues. Furthermore, because Jay-Z and Beyoncé have moved to California, they are practically neighbors with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian. Reports say squashing the drama might be as easy as the two guys getting together to hash out the details. We'll have to stay tuned to see if that happens.

Jay-Z's latest album, 4:44, has arguably been as successful as fans expected it to be, winning over critics and selling like hotcakes. And the Grammy winner took on another massively popular piece of pop culture for his newest music video, which is a particularly strange quasi-spoof of the hit sitcom Friends, with all of the original actors replaced by some of the most talented black actors and actresses out there, including Jerrod Carmichael and Issa Rae. Check out a clip below, as shared by video director (and Master of None co-creator) Alan Yang.

Why is it so much fun to see all these recognizable celebs aping Friends' ridiculous opening credits? I don't know, but it is. Above, we see The Carmichael Show's Jerrod Carmichael as Ross, Insecure creator and star Issa Rae as Rachel, Girls Trip star Tiffany Haddish as Phoebe, Get Out's Lil Rey Howery as Joey, Westworld's Tessa Thompson as Monica, and Atlanta's LaKeith Stanfield as Chandler. (That's MS. Chanandler.) It's kind of awesome that such a thing can be replicated so well over two decades after the original opening was filmed.

Following the opening, "Moonlight" hits upon the classic Friends episode "The One Where No One's Ready," from Season 3. In the ep, Ross is stressing about nobody being ready for a function being held at the museum he works for, and Jay-Z's version has the actors all playing the Friends roles straight, performing the same dialogue and getting the same live audience laughs. The full video for "Moonlight" is currently only available to Tidal customers, as hinted at in the tweet above, but you can check out another clip from the video on Tidal's website right now, for which Jerrod Carmichael is a more enjoyable Ross than Ross was.

For a quick side-note, it is absolutely worth pointing out how bizarre it is that Carmichael is acting out a part from a popular NBC sitcom just ONE DAY after NBC execs laid out their explanations for why The Carmichael Show was cancelled at the end of June. Plus, we're less than a week away from the series finale airing. Timing, right?

In any case, the "Moonlight" video ends up taking a left turn that involves an appearance from Hannibal Burress, and while I won't spoil anything, suffice to say there's a statement being made about the general state of black entertainers in Hollywood. A purposeful lack of subtlety involved, too, made extremely clear when the song samples the infamous Oscars flub where Warren Beatty announced the wrong Best Picture winner.

While you're waiting for "Moonlight" to drop everywhere other than just Tidal, check out our summer premiere schedule and our fall TV schedule to see what new and returning shows are hitting the small screen soon.

Today Beyoncé shared an iconic photo of herself with her baby twins. The picture was the perfect way to introduce her son, Sir Carter, and her daughter, Rumi Carter, to the world. The iconic singer wore a beautiful robe made of blue and purple fabrics, and she stood in front of a flowery alter in a garden on a sunny day. She looked radiant holding her two sons as the sun kissed her skin. Check out the photo here:

Beyoncé shared the photo with her 104 million followers on Instagram in the wee hours of Friday, July 14. The image has racked up more than 6 million likes since the 35-year-old R&B star posted it. With this photo, Beyoncé shut down all of the rumors about the pregnancy and birth. She wrote that the twins were born one month before the picture, which means news reports of their birth in June were correct.

When the babies were born, questions abounded because Beyoncé and Jay-Z kept quiet about the news. In fact, almost no one in the famous musicians' inner circle said a word. Beyoncé's dad, Mathew Knowles, hopped on Twitter to post a congratulatory image of balloons with a loving message on the day the news of the birth broke. However, everybody else kept quiet. Even Beyoncé's mom, Tina Lawson, kept the excitement to herself until now. After Beyoncé had posted the picture with the twins, Lawson took to Instagram to say,

The pair is notoriously private and secretive when it comes to family matters, and instead of announcing their news right away, they allow their personal stories to influence their creative works. For example, discretion has helped to amplify the poignancy of works such as Beyoncé's Lemonade, in which she revealed the complexities of her marriage after infidelity on the part of Jay-Z.

The brand-new picture looks like a follow-up to the pregnancy announcement photo Beyoncé shared back in February. That particular photo is the most-liked photo of all time on Instagram. She posed kneeling in front of a wreath of flowers while wearing a veil over her face. After posting it, Beyoncé performed at the 2017 Grammy Awards in a beautiful showcase with a mom theme.

As for the twins' dad, Jay-Z has been promoting his latest album 4:44 in recent weeks. On the album, the 47-year-old rapper expresses his gratitude for the "natural twins," which indicates how Beyoncé and Jay-Z conceived them.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z reportedly filed documents to try to trademark the names of their newborn sons. With names as unique as Rumi and Sir, it might seem like a wise move. The power couple tried but failed to trademark their eldest child, Blue Ivy's name when she was born in 2012. An events company in Boston already held the legal rights to the name.

This photo is instantly iconic. Beyoncé's pregnancy announcement might not be the most-liked photo on Instagram for long.

Many of Jay-Z's fans have heard the lyrical content on his latest album, 4:44, as a response to Beyoncé's Lemonade album, which suggested infidelity in the power couple's relationship. Now, in a new video, the 47-year-old rapper is opening up about the flaws in his marriage and how he worked to fix them. From the sounds of it, Jay-Z had to move mountains to get back in Beyoncé's good graces, perhaps after he snuck around with "Becky with the good hair." In the video, Jay-Z said,

The confessional is part of Jay-Z's Footnotes, and it can be seen on his Tidal platform along with 4:44. In the video, Jay-Z suggests he never had a great father figure to show him how to love his spouse the correct way. The rapper reunited with his estranged father before his father passed away in 2003, and in Footnotes, Jay-Z says he felt open to love once he met with his dad. However, he still did not have all of the means to make something of his desire to love someone else. This lack of tools and sensitivities contributed to his relationship problems down the road.

Jay-Z admits he let Beyoncé listen to the new album before he shared it with the world. He said the experience was somewhat uncomfortable. However, he explained that they are at a point in their marriage where complete honesty is crucial, and nothing can ever be false between them. In fact, he said,

The Footnotes clip is packed with other gentlemen in Hollywood, including Chris Rock, Will Smith, Michael B. Jordan, Jesse Williams, and Aziz Ansari. Throughout Footnotes, the stars discuss the complicated nature of love and relationships and what plays into how men love their spouse. For example, Jay-Z also talked about realizing he might lose Beyoncé one day. He described the moment as a sort of existential moment when he and Beyoncé were on a boat, and she had to leave. He realized that he did not want her to go, and that moment was a turning point in his love for his wife.

Luckily for Jay-Z, he and Beyoncé have renewed their commitment to each other and their marriage and family. It sounds like the parents of three both have reached a space of genuine peace.

It sounds like Beyonce and Jay-Z have decided to name their newborn twins Rumi Carter and Sir Carter. Of course, we cannot know for certain if that is the case just yet because the Carters are such private people, and they have had the birth of the twins on lockdown all of these months. However, we can glean the information from reports that say Jay-Z recently filed applications to copyright the two names to ensure nobody else in the world could make money with them.

Five years ago, the Carters attempted to trademark the unique name of their first child, Blue Ivy. However, the power couple received a notice that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office declined their bid because the copyright for Blue Ivy already belonged to Blue Ivy Events, an events planning firm based in Boston.

Regardless, it was a smart move on the part of the Carters, and people believed they would probably try again with the twins. So when the two names showed up in applications around the due date of the twins, people could guess the stars from whom the forms came. Plus, according to The Guardian, the applications came from the same California address as the one filed on behalf of Blue Ivy Carter back in 2012. (Ding! Ding! Ding!)

So, let's talk about the names. Sir seems pretty cut and dried. It is an honorific used as a word tailored-made for a gentleman. Here's hoping he grows up to be so important that he is brought to Buckingham Palace and knighted. Then he will be Sir Sir Carter.

Rumi, on the other hand, was the name of several Japanese women of historical importance, so it's a pretty cool name for a girl. This notion has people wondering if the "Beybies" are a boy and a girl. However, the thirteenth-century Persian mystic and poet whose named Rumi was a man, so there is speculation the twins could both be boys.

Interestingly, among the many important lyrics on Jay-Z's latest album, 4:44, there is a line that some fans see as a nod to the poet Rumi. Jay-Z raps:

So far, there is still no official word from Beyonce or Jay-Z regarding the babies or their names. Technically, the most official word the world received about the birth was when Beyonce's dad stepped outside the privacy zone by tweeting congratulations to his daughter and son-in-law to welcome the twins.

Perhaps if Beyonce and Jay-Z get the names trademarked, those twins could give Kylie Jenner a run for her money as the youngest person on the Forbes list of the world's highest paid celebrities.

Ring the alarm --- it's a Bey-mergency! We all know that Beyonce loves to surprise us with huge announcements --- her self-titled album and Lemonade are proof enough of that --- and she just did it again in a major way. Beyonce just shocked all of her fans by revealing she's pregnant, and not just with one baby, but two! That's right; there's going to be two more people in this world descended from Queen Bey herself. We are not worthy!

Beyonce made the announcement on her Instagram page on Wednesday afternoon, posting an intricately planned photo of herself bearing her baby bump along side the announcement that she is expecting twins. Although the news is incredible, the photo is... a bit strange. Beyonce is covered in a translucent veil in front of a large wreath of flowers as she caresses her belly. I mean, to me the backdrop looks more like a promo poster for Pushing Daisies than anything else, but I loved Pushing Daisies so I'm not mad about it! (Where my Pushing Daisies fans at!?)

The picture may be a tad bizarre, but the message that Beyonce wrote beside it is joyous. In it, she confirms that she's pregnant with twins, writing "our family will be growing by two."

At this point, we're all very well aware that Beyonce loves a surprise reveal. Not only did she make the Internet explode when she surprise-released her last two albums, but she also shocked her fans with a hugely memorable moment when she announced her first pregnancy five years ago. After performing "Love On Top" at the 2011 Video Music Awards, Beyonce unbuttoned her sequined jacket on stage to reveal her baby bump in front of the roaring crowd. Here's a little reminder in case you somehow forgot about that amazing moment.

Of course, that baby bump became Blue Ivy Carter; Beyonce and Jay Z's firstborn daughter. Now Blue Ivy, who just turned 5 years old in January, is going to have not one but two little siblings to play with and look after. Is it to early for me to start pitching some name ideas for Bey and Jay? How about Kelly and Michelle if they're both girls to pay tribute to Bey's Destiny's Child past? Or they could complete the color wheel by naming them Red and Yellow! (That's a joke, I promise I'm not insane).

Anyway, congrats to Beyonce and Jay Z! I think I speak for everyone when I say we can't wait to meet the twins!

Your favorite celebrities went ALL OUT with their Halloween costumes this year. Get a look at everything that the stars dressed as this year.

Kylie Jenner - Christina Aguilera in her "Dirrty" video

It's about time for her arrival! Kylie Jenner took us all the way back to 2002 with a pitch-perfect portrayal of Christina Aguilera's look in the music video for "Dirrty." Aguilera herself gave the costume her stamp of approval, tweeting "Get it girrrl!!!"

Scott Eastwood - Clint Eastwood in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Scott Eastwood kept it all in the family this year. The up-and-coming young star paid tribute to his famous father Clint Eastwood by dressing up as one of his most famous characters: the bounty hunter "Blondie" from 1966's The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

Amy Schumer - Dustin from Stranger Things

Amy Schumer cashed in on the trendiest Halloween costume concept of the year by bringing the kids from Stranger Things to life. But rather than going as the superpowered girl Eleven, the comedian instead opted to channel the lovable little boy Dustin.

Colton Haynes - Miss Piggy

Arrow and Teen Wolf star Colton Haynes continued his dominance over all of Halloween this year by applying mounds of prosthetics and going out as Miss Piggy. In the past, he'd been known to go similarly all-out as Ursula from The Little Mermaid and Shrek's Princess Fiona.

Katy Perry - Hillary Clinton

Colton Haynes wasn't the only celeb to use prosthetics to create a perfect costume. Katy Perry looked unrecognizable after transforming herself into presidential candidate Hillary Clinton this year.

Bette Midler - Winifred Sanderson

Bette Midler definitely gave the people what they wanted this Halloween! The star of stage and screen resurrected her famous 1993 Hocus Pocus witch Winifred Sanderson to properly celebrate the night.

Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas - Dorothy and the Scarecrow

Besties and tourmates Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas got cute in a couples costume. Of course, they kept the theme musical, with both singers dressing up as main characters from The Wizard of Oz.

Beyoncé - Salt-N-Pepa

Beyoncé took it back to the '90s to pay homage to hip hop pioneers Salt-N-Pepa with her costume. And the whole Knowles-Carter family got in on the throwback fun, including mom Tina Knowles, daughter Blue Ivy, and husband Jay-Z.

Mindy Kaling - Tom Hanks in Sully

Leave it to Mindy Kaling to come up with the most creative, hilarious, and pop culture-relevant Halloween costume of all. The Mindy Project star donned a white mustache, wig, and a pilot's outfit to portray not famed pilot Sully Sullenberger, but Tom Hanks playing the pilot in his new film Sully. Talk about layers.

Paris Hilton - Supergirl

Paris Hilton is known to go all out on Halloween, and this year was no different. The socialite changed her costume each day of the weekend, dressing up as Supergirl, Alice from Alice in Wonderland, and Little Red Riding Hood.

Miranda Cosgrove - Daphne from Scooby-Doo

Jinkies! Miranda Cosgrove had a mini iCarly reunion with former costar Jennette McCurdy to channel the groovy, mystery-solving team from Scooby-Doo. Cosgrove sported a long red wig as Daphne, and McCurdy put some glasses on to be the group's Velma.

Ariel Winter - Emma Stone from Easy A

Like Paris Hilton, Modern Family star Ariel Winter also switched up her costume various times over the Halloween weekend. Along with dressing up as a nurse and a bunny, the young star paid homage to Olive Penderghast --- better known as the slut-shamed high schooler that Emma Stone portrayed in 2010's Easy A.

Kourtney Kardashian - Corpse Bride

The oldest Kardashian sister added some gore to a wedding gown when she went out for a viewing of Tim Burton's classic film A Nightmare Before Christmas (though, Corpse Bride may have been more fitting). She also had a more kid-friendly costume for hanging out with her children, dressing up as the Red Ranger from Power Rangers.

Jenna Dewan Tatum - Unicorn

Jenna Dewan Tatum lived out a truly magical fantasy for her Halloween girls' night out. The actress covered herself in sparkles and placed a horn on her head to embody a unicorn.

Taylor Lautner and Nina Dobrev - Ryan Lochte

Another trendy costume this year is to go as disgraced Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte, and apparently more than one celebrity had this idea. Both Taylor Lautner and Nina Dobrev showed up at a party with the same silver hair and gold medal.

Martha Stewart - Marilyn Monroe

Martha Stewart didn't just celebrate Halloween by baking some cookies --- the lifestyle guru also get all dolled up as Marilyn Monroe for the holiday. Stewart also shared a much less glamorous costume earlier as a bloodied nurse.

Khloe Kardashian - Storm

Ryan Lochte wasn't the only silver-haired costume in Hollywood. Khloe Kardashian powered up as the X-Men hero Storm.

Zoë Kravitz - Princess Peach

Zoë Kravitz turned the Halloween party she popped up at into the Mushroom Kingdom, and claimed the thrown as Princess Peach. There's no Mario in sight, but Luigi made an appearance!

Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson now owns the most expensive mansion in Beverly Hills. The designer paid a whopping $70 million for the 23,000 square-foot estate.

"Entertaining will be a snap with vodka and tequila bars, a candy room, an 18-seat tiered screening room, a state-of-the-art kitchen and an exquisite 18-foot onyx dining room table for 24 that includes place settings by Roberto Cavalli at a cost of $3,700 each," says the press release from real estate brokerage John Aaroe Group. "Three high-definition 90-inch television screens bring panoramic views of Los Angeles from the roof into the down stairs lounge – especially breathtaking at night, says De Los Reyes."

There are eight bedrooms and 15 bathrooms throughout the mansion. The bathrooms feature Toto Neorest toilets that cost $5,600 apiece.

The home also came furnished with some unusual art. These pieces include a replica of James Dean's motorcycle and a chromed machine gun. No word on whether Persson will actually keep that stuff.

Persson managed to beat out some other high-profile buyers for the mansion. A report from the first week December said that Jay-Z and Beyonce were the top bidders at the time. It sounds like Persson came in with a late bid and closed the deal in just six days.

He has more than enough money to afford the house. Microsoft purchased his development studio Mojang and Minecraft franchise for $2.5 billion earlier this year. As majority shareholder, Persson profited greatly from the transaction. His estimated net worth is around $1.5 billion.

As flashy as Persson's new home is, he's actually been retreating from the spotlight in recent years. He handed off lead development duties on Minecraft to a fellow Mojang employee in 2011. However, he found that he kept receiving hate from fans for controversial decisions. This led him to leave Mojang altogether this fall.

"I don’t want to be a symbol, responsible for something huge that I don’t understand, that I don’t want to work on, that keeps coming back to me," Persson said in September. "I’m not an entrepreneur. I’m not a CEO. I’m a nerdy computer programmer who likes to have opinions on Twitter."

Persson departed the company as soon as the purchase went through. He doesn't seem to have any interest in creating another studio in the United States. Instead, he's looking forward to a more low-key future.

"[I will] go back to doing Ludum Dares and small web experiments. If I ever accidentally make something that seems to gain traction, I’ll probably abandon it immediately."

On Thursday, he tweeted a picture of himself relaxing at his new mansion:

You can see more photos from his ridiculous new home in the gallery below.

Jay-Z and Beyoncé have been on the run for quite some time, after putting together a collaborative stadium tour that cracked over $100 million dollars across its first 19 dates, has continued for months, and will soon be hitting Europe. If you didn’t have the massive cash flow necessary to land a seat at one of the power couples’ big tour dates, HBO has big plans to broadcast the concert, calling the footage the On The Run Tour: Beyoncé and Jay-Z.

If you have followed any of the advertising for the On The Run tour, Jay-Z and Beyoncé have employed all sorts of criminal looks harkening back to their 2003 single “03 Bonnie & Clyde.” The trailer for On The Run is pretty similar, featuring black and white footage of Beyoncé singing the Nancy Sinatra tune “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” while Jay-Z watches his sultry lady, smoking all the while. The footage is sexy, but it doesn’t give us much of a glimpse of what On The Run is all about.

Luckily, the rest of the trailer in the video does. In less than a minute we get to see Beyoncé hop from costume to costume at a rapid pace. It’s not just the costume changes that are frenetic, her dance moves are too, and it's pretty amusing to see the shots of Bey, hair swirling, juxtaposed with Jay-Z just chilling onstage. Oh wait, there’s one shot of Jay-Z working with the crowd to get their arms swaying. Nice to see he's not a complete zombie onstage.

I may be big on teasing Jay-Z, but honestly, the On The Run Tour has been a pretty big event for both Jay-Z and Beyoncé, not only because both are massive headliners and moneymakers, but also because the tour has helped to combat rumors that the couple are having marriage problems and may be on the way to divorce town (also to combat the rumors that Bey had a surrogate when she was supposedly pregnant; the list goes on). I guess when the celebrity gossip gets tough, it’s nice to know a couple can still share their love in/of the spotlight.

Honestly, though, On The Run looks like it should be an interesting watch, and Beyoncé has already proven that she can be a big earner for HBO, thanks to the success story that is her HBO documentary, Life is But a Dream. That program did nearly 2 million total viewers during its first run, which may not seem like a ton of eyeballs, but is pretty good business for a documentary on a subscription cable channel. Obviously, the network is looking to repeat with the On The Run footage, and from the looks of things, the concert program should do pretty big business for HBO.

If you’ve been wanting to see Jay-Z and Beyoncé in action, you can catch HBO's On The Run on Saturday, September 20 at 9 p.m. ET.

Jay-Z’s much-hyped tenure as a partial owner of the Brooklyn Nets is reaching its conclusion. The hip-hop star has reportedly agreed to sell his whopping .067% stake in the team to new coach Jason Kidd for $500,000. It’s unclear when exactly the deal might go through, but given all of Kidd’s on-the-court commitments and the time sensitive nature of the reason why Jay-Z is selling, this transaction will need to occur pretty quickly.

By all accounts, Jay-Z loved owning a fraction of the Nets. He played a big role in marketing. He helped convince various players to come to Brooklyn. He was a very good owner in a figurehead kind of way, but recently, he decided to get into the sports agency business. Partnering with an acclaimed firm and licensed agents, he quickly signed Yankees great Robinson Cano and Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant. Had he limited his business to baseball, he could have continued owning the Nets, but because he’s now involved in basketball, that’s a conflict of interest that requires he get rid of his stake in the Nets.

As a former Net legend, a future Hall of Famer and the team’s new coach, Kidd is an ideal candidate to step in. In fact, according to The New York Post, the team’s other minority owners convinced Jay to choose Kidd among the thousands and thousands of other New York residents who would have no doubt jumped at the chance to own a piece of a professional basketball team.

Kidd won’t bring quite as much buzz to the ownership box as Jay-Z and his wife Beyonce did, but if the team is able to make a deep run in the playoffs this year, everyone involved will be pleased as punch. With an older roster and high expectations, the time to achieve is now, and if they can beat the hated Knicks in the process, all the better.

If there’s one thing that can be said about Jay-Z, it’s that he’s a hard worker. The man hasn’t slowed down an iota since initially announcing his 12th studio album, Magna Carta Holy Grail, back in June. On Friday, the 43-year-old rapper released the brand new music video for his single “Holy Grail,” which offers fans another incredible collaboration with Justin Timberlake (following JT's big song “Suit & Tie).

The artist’s performance in the video is a little bit similar to one that Jay-Z put on in New York City at the Pace Gallery a few weeks ago. You can tell the rapper generally gets emotionally invested in his performances, even if he is only lip synching for a music video. This time, Jay-Z is in a moody mansion that’s both a little dirty and a little barren. At one point, things get even more weird as barely-clothed individuals pop their legs out from under sheets in a move that changes them from looking like covered furniture into looking like eerie ghosts.

Interestingly, Jay-Z partnered up with another big corporation to get the new music video out to the masses. A few months ago, the man enlisted the help of Samsung to get copies of Magna Carta Holy Grail to Galaxy users for free. This time around, the man opted to partner with Facebook, a site that premiered the music video, holding the rights to exclusively air it for 24 hours. According to Billboard, it’s the first partnership of its kind between Facebook and a major music star, although artists like Macklemore and Timberlake have premiered some content via the Instagram video app on Facebook in recent weeks. Facebook’s looking to become a major contender in the music video release business, and the “Holy Grail” video could go a long way to cement the service as a player in that industry.

The new video popped up right around the time that Showtime released the trailer for another enterprise of Jay-Z’s yesterday. In the past year, the man has worked on a documentary highlighting his work with the Made In America festival. Footage from last year’s big event is shown in the trailer, as well as plenty of philosophical musings. Jay-Z executive produced the film alongside Ron Howard, who directed the endeavor. The Made in America doc will air on Showtime on October 11. I told you Jay-Z is a busy guy.

Sometimes music documentaries and concert performances do quite well on television while other times they come and go without making waves. A few months ago, pop singer Beyoncé put together a successful documentary for HBO, and now her husband Jay-Z will follow suit with another subscription cable network, Showtime. On Friday, the network put out the first trailer for the documentary, which is rolling with the title Made In America, which follows a festival the prolific rapper and producer put together on Labor Day weekend last year—and is repeating this year.

The documentary is set to hit Showtime’s schedule on October 11, and the trailer fills us in on a little bit of what we can expect from the new endeavor. In the promotional clip, Jay-Z talks a lot about the shared experience of humanity (which shouldn’t shock anyone who has seen the man’s philosophical musings before). Additionally, we get to see some concert footage from a bunch of big names, including Jay-Z, Pearl Jam, Run DMC, and plenty of the other artists that collaborated for the festival.

Jay-Z’s got pretty big shoes to fill. In February, Beyoncé: Life Is But A Dream premiered to 1.8 million total viewers during its first run on HBO, making it the most highly-watched documentary the subscription cable network rolled out in over a decade. Showtime’s audience is typically a little smaller than HBO’s, as well, so Jay-Z has his work cut out for him.

Luckily, he seems to have a pretty damn good team to back him up. We’ve known since August of 2012 that Ron Howard was putting together a Jay-Z documentary. At the time, he was busy editing the film Rush and the project seemed to be a lofty idea. However, the director took his sweet time with the Made in America documentary, and more than a year later, fans will actually get to see the footage. The documentary was also produced by Jay-Z, along with RadicalMedia and Participant Media.

Concert footage can often feature a lot of fun, emotional performances and since that event has been chronicled with Howard’s capable eye, it should be a pretty exciting watch. Deadline is reporting that Showtime’s President of Entertainment David Nevins would agree.

I suggest you forget all of that “resilience” crap and watch Made in America for its window into an event that took plenty of planning and thought but didn’t disappoint.