In the federal criminal trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, prosecutors have begun stitching together an intricate web of evidence—personal communications, financial records, and explicit video footage—meant to support claims that the hip-hop mogul orchestrated a sex-trafficking operation. Tuesday’s proceedings added new depth to a case that has already captivated the public, with new material surfacing that deepens the questions surrounding Diddy’s inner circle. Central to the courtroom’s focus was a resurfaced video from 2016 that allegedly shows Diddy assaulting his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, in a hallway of a Los Angeles hotel. While jurors had previously seen the footage, Monday’s testimony brought attention to the communications that followed the incident. In a series of text messages exchanged between Diddy, Cassie, his chief of staff Kristina “KK” Khorram, and his longtime bodyguard D-Roc, the aftermath took shape. Diddy wrote Cassie, “about to be arrested,” urging her to return to the hotel. She declined, saying she would not come back and adding that the male escort involved in the night’s events had also left. Jurors were also shown roughly 20 minutes of video footage that prosecutors say depicts a series of sex-fueled gatherings—known in the trial as “freak offs”—dating back to 2012 through 2014. These videos, prosecutors argue, are key to establishing a pattern of behavior at the center of the case. Brendan Paul, a former assistant to Diddy, is expected to testify on June 18. According to filings, Paul is prepared to speak about his role in allegedly sourcing narcotics like GHB for these events. Though he was arrested last year for possession of cocaine and marijuana edibles, those charges were later dismissed. He now holds an immunity deal that protects him if his testimony remains truthful. Defense Presses Consent Claims as Trial Tensions Mount The defense has aimed to reframe Cassie’s role in the “freak offs” as consensual and even participatory. During cross-examination of Special Agent DeLeassa Penland, Diddy’s attorneys introduced text messages that suggest Ventura Fine helped coordinate escorts and logistics. One exchange from Diddy read, “You make the decision please.” Cassie later testified, “I would give that money back if I never had to have ‘freak offs,’” referencing her $20 million civil settlement. Pressure in the courtroom increased when defense attorney Teny Geragos challenged the scope of the digital evidence. She questioned why Agent Penland had not requested full message threads rather than select excerpts. Penland responded that her job was to authenticate the submitted evidence, not to independently pursue additional texts. Additional texts introduced in court highlighted the involvement of Diddy’s staff in the aftermath of the 2016 hotel assault. Khorram was seen coordinating with hotel security to obtain footage, while D-Roc downplayed the severity of Ventura Fine’s injuries in a message to Diddy. Financial records presented showed lavish spending tied to hotel stays and services surrounding these events. Judge Arun Subramanian, overseeing the case, voiced concern over recent leaks of sealed material to the press. He demanded clarity from both legal teams about how the information may have reached tabloids, underscoring the importance of protecting the trial’s integrity. As the prosecution approaches its final days of testimony, the trial continues to raise complex questions around consent, power, and accountability within a high-profile circle. With both sides presenting sharply different narratives, the weight of the evidence and testimony will fall to the jury to interpret.

Suge Knight said that Diddy will drop names of celebrities if he ever takes the stand in his federal trial. Speaking on Aubrey O’Day’s Covering The Diddy Trial, O’Day asked if the Bad Boy Records founder would agree to testify in court. “He might be stupid sometimes, but he’s not dumb,” Knight said. “If they give Puffy the opportunity to humanize himself, it’ll be the best thing for the culture of hip-hop. It’ll be one of the biggest power moves of the US.” “They shouldn’t let him get washed up,” Knight continued. “Does he deserve to get something? He deserves to get something. I don’t think they should give him a lot of time. Let’s be honest.” As the interview went on, Knight made it clear that he wants Diddy to take the stand.  “Cut the deal first,” Knight said. “Get a situation where, wherever you say on the stand, they use against you. When you get on that stand, fix hip-hop, fix the culture of our people.” Knight’s comments come after he recently said that watching Diddy physically abuse Cassie Ventura “disturbed” him and that he deserves to be in jail for incident. “I never said he should walk away a free man. He does deserve [prison],” Knight said. “I don’t mean like… ‘Oh, you beat the shit out of Cassie, so, oh well.’ No, she’s a woman. You should never disrespect a woman like that […] I think everyone should be held accountable — even myself. I don’t care who it is. Anybody who does those horrible things to women deserves their issue.”

At the 2025 American Black Film Festival in Atlanta, Jermaine Dupri teased his forthcoming docuseries, Magic City: An American Fantasy. At the panel discussion, Dupri was joined by Cole Brown, who also executive-produced the series, and they spoke about the highly anticipated project with journalist Jemele Hill. According to the synopsis of the docuseries, Magic City: An American Fantasy is a five-part docuseries “that delves into the storied history of Magic City, a legendary strip club in Atlanta, and its immense influence on hip-hop culture, sports, and Black culture over nearly 40 years.” 2 Chainz, Nelly, Shaquille O’Neal, Quavo, Killer Mike and Big Boi share their firsthand Magic City in the series. “Magic City: An American Fantasy is a riveting behind-the-curtain look at one of the most unique places in Black culture,” said Kathryn Busby, president of original programming at Starz said in a statement. “The docuseries’ unprecedented insider access and history unveiled from those who built its empire is a perfect complement to Starz’s slate of adult, culture-driving shows.” During the Red Carpet of the BET Awards, Dupre shared how the project came to be. “It started as a soundtrack, and then as I started making the records, I’m like yo, this really a Jermaine Dupri album with a whole bunch of artists that I’ve never worked with, and I also started saying Im going to put artists from Atlanta on this,” Dupri said “So, it’s me making records with artists I never worked with, that’s from the same city that I’m from. That’s exciting to me.” “People keep saying bridge the gap, I’m just trynna put my city on. We gon rock out. It’s an Atlanta summer,” he continued. Magic City: An American Fantasy premieres on Starz on August 15 at 10 p.m. ET/PT in the U.S., following the season finale of BMF.

Cam Newton and K. Michelle recently sat down for a powerful, emotional exchange that’s sparked major conversation online. The two got real about family dynamics, generational cycles, and the struggles many Black families face when it comes to maintaining stable households. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Funky Friday (@funkyfriday) The conversation came shortly after Jasmin Brown, Cam’s current partner, revealed on Mother’s Day that she’s expecting their second child together, his ninth overall. As the news circulated, K. Michelle took the opportunity to ask Cam some tough but honest questions about his role as a father and partner. K. Michelle asked directly whether Cam intended to build a long-term, two-parent household with Jasmin. In response, Cam opened up about how things haven’t always gone as planned in his relationships. “Every situation that I’ve ever been in, I thought this was the last one. My goal has never been to have multiple significant others, it just worked out like that,” he explained. When asked about his ideals around family structure, Cam said he believes both a male and female presence in the home are essential. In his view, boys and girls benefit in different ways from their parents. He said, “Boys need to learn from a man,” emphasizing the importance of gender balance in parenting. K. Michelle, visibly emotional at times, reflected on her own upbringing and how far removed things have become from the examples of strong marriages she saw in her family. “At what point in the Black community do our men create real homes?” she asked. She pointed out how often Black women are left to carry the burden and called on men to take more responsibility. “Black men are attacking Black women, and it’s not cool. They’re not creating homes,” she said, urging change. For K., the conversation wasn’t about blame; it was about accountability and building better futures.

On Monday, June 16, jurors in the federal sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs were shown video footage for the first time—marking a significant turning point in the high-profile case. Until now, the courtroom had been dominated by audio recordings, still images, and hours of emotional testimony. But the introduction of graphic visual evidence brought the allegations into sharper focus. The footage, which prosecutors say depicts drug-fueled group sex encounters known as “freak offs,” had been referenced repeatedly throughout the trial. Witnesses described how assistants booked hotel rooms, sourced oils and lubricants, coordinated with escorts, and handled large cash payments. The videos themselves, however, were played only for the jury and essential courtroom staff, who listened through headphones. Defense attorneys were excluded from viewing the clips on their screens, a rare procedural move that underscored the sensitivity of the content. Testimony from Special Agent DeLeassa Penland accompanied the footage. She guided the jury through hotel receipts, flight logs, and text messages dating back to October 2012. At the center of those exchanges was Cassie Ventura, Diddy’s on-and-off partner between 2007 and 2018. According to Penland, Ventura used aliases—“Janet Clark” and “Frank Black”—to book hotel rooms for encounters involving male escorts. The location: Trump International Hotel in Manhattan. Juror Removed as Texts Tie Diddy’s Team to Drugs and Party Culture Earlier in the day, the court dismissed a juror for what Judge Valerie Caproni described as a “lack of candor.” The defense pressed for more clarity, concerned about the impact of the dismissal on the jury’s impartiality. An alternate has since taken that juror’s seat. Prosecutors also presented a series of charts compiled by paralegal specialist Ananya Sankar, mapping out years of text messages related to the case. The communications, many involving Diddy’s chief-of-staff Kristina Khorram, suggested her awareness of both the events and the substances tied to them. One 2016 message referenced drugs stashed in a car trunk. Another, sent shortly before Ventura filed her lawsuit in November 2023, showed a participant pulling away from the lifestyle: “I’m not doing anymore hard partying…no more ‘hotel nights’ and all that stuff.” Defense attorney Teny Geragos challenged the narrative, arguing the charts presented only a narrow slice of an eight-year timeline. “These are just select messages across eight years,” she told the court, urging jurors to consider context. In a separate revelation, prosecutors pointed to a February 2024 outreach Diddy made to a former assistant named Mia, who left his circle in 2017. While the government framed the contact as suspicious, the defense maintained it was simply an attempt to reconnect with someone from his past. Diddy, who has pleaded not guilty, faces five federal charges, including sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for prostitution. With more witnesses expected—among them Brendan Paul, a former assistant accused of acting as a “drug mule”—the court continues to weigh whether the evidence supports the government’s sweeping allegations or reflects the blurred lines of a celebrity lifestyle.

The RZA recently shared that he would take GZA over any MC in a rap battle. Appearing on the latest episode of the Drink Champs podcast, Prince Rakeem was asked to choose between GZA and Nas, a close colleague and friend. Without hesitation, he picked The Genius. “For MC-ing, my favorite, best MC is the GZA,” RZA said. “I don’t think no MC could beat the GZA. I think what GZA has written for Hip-Hop, no other MC can compare.” The RZA went on to include Rakim as one of the greatest ever, but no one can touch his fellow Wu-Tang Clan member. “Even if you go look at Rakim, who is one of the greatest, to most people, one of the greatest. Nas is one of the greatest. If you go look at what GZA offered to hip hop, look at what he spawned.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by REVOLT (@revolttv) “He spawned me, Meth (Method Man), Rae (Raekwon), Ghost (Ghostface Killah) — these are all from GZA, the enlightener,” he continued. According to RZA, what the GZA has brought to hip-hop will last forever, and no one has yet to surpass it.   “What the Wu offered lyrically is what no one has mastered yet,” Bobby Digital boasted. In 1991, GZA released his debut, Words from the Genius, on Cold Chillin Records. He would depart from the after soon afterwards. In 1995, he released his sophomore album, Liquid Swords, which was hailed as an instant classic. Along with being a part of the Wu projects, GZA has released several more acclaimed albums and LPs.

Will Smith shared that he realized what the biggest mistake he made as a parent. Speaking on Heart Breakfast with Jamie and Amanda, Smith said that “radical honesty” was not the best method to parent his kids. “We made a very, very, very terrible mistake with our children, and we went with radical honesty. But don’t do it, I’m not advocating for it, I’m not advocating for it,” Smith said. “We made a deal from really young with our kids. The deal was if you tell the truth, you won’t get in trouble. When it came to Jaden and Willow, radical honesty came back to haunt him and his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith. “The only way you can get in trouble in this house is if we find out you did something and you don’t tell the truth. It’s a mistake, it’s terrible. Because they do whatever they want and then just come tell you. It’s awful, don’t try it. You want your kids to lie, definitely, you don’t want to know some of the stuff your kids are thinking of doing.” The actor and rapper shares his eldest son, 32-year-old Trey, with ex-wife Sheree Zampino, and 26-year-old Jaden and 24-year-old Willow with Jada. Along with his parental advice, Smith recently released his latest album in 20 years, Based on a True Story – Season 1: Rave in the Wasteland. 

Chrisette Michele revealed that she’s been diagnosed with autism.  Taking to social media on Sunday (June 15), the Grammy Award winner opened up about her condition to her followers. “I just learned I’m autistic. Official diagnosis. They used the word ‘severely,’” Michele wrote. “I’ve been quiet on here. But… I’ve been outside. Singing. … but learning to strip the mask. One show at a time. (The ir ony) Just… coming to grips with a lot and giving myself room to take it all in.” My life and its challenges finally make sense,” her post continued. “So so much sense. Autistic. Would you get a load of that… I’ll talk more soon. Just wanted to say hi… from stage side. View this post on Instagram A post shared by chrisettemichele (@chrisettemichele) In the comments section, many show Michelle support and encouragement after learning of her diagnosis. “Neurodivergent babes unite,” one person wrote. “There’s so much freedom in knowing, and it’s truly like unlocking a whole nother level of understanding in yourself. Give yourself grace and love as you unmask, wishing you the best, babe!” Beyond her diagnosis, Michelle hosts her eponymous podcast, and her last project was 2018’s Out of Control. The LP came after she was embroiled in controversy for performing at Donald Trump’s inauguration. “The first thing I thought was that I have an opportunity to get in front of these people who don’t seem to understand who they’re talking to and show them what we look like,” she told Billboard about her decision in 2017. “I felt automatically committed to making sure that I stood up for the women who’ve felt disrespected and the minorities who felt disrespected, communities that felt that they weren’t being heard or understood,” she continued. “I thought that it was almost my responsibility to not just say yes but to say yes with purpose, so that was my reasoning. And no, I didn’t think twice about it.”

Following a recent fan interaction, Doja Cat claims she was “manhandled” in a social media post, sparking an online debate about her approach to engaging with fans. A video is circulating online of Doja Cat and a fan having a seemingly innocent interaction filled with smiles and hugs— however, in a now-deleted X post, the Planet Her rapper claims that wasn’t the case. “bottom line is i’ll smile at you, but it doesn’t mean I f*ck w you,” the post begins. “don’t touch me and man handle me when you don’t even f*ckin know me. iykyk.” She added, “i honestly think I need to stand up for myself in the moment sometimes. and he didn’t even know my fuckin name to be touching me and kissing me on my face like that is crazy.” Doja Cat addresses recent fan interaction that left her feeling uncomfortable: “i honestly think i need to stand up for myself in the moment sometimes. and he didn’t even kno my f**kin name to be touching me and kissing me on my face like that is crazy.” pic.twitter.com/nrblr0Ni7v — Buzzing Pop (@BuzzingPop) June 14, 2025 Doja Cat Reveals She Threw Fan’s ‘Musty A** Shirt’ Away After Interaction During the odd interaction (per Doja), the fan gave her the t-shirt he was on his back, and she later followed up her initial post, saying that she “threw that musty a*** shirt away.” The fan did speak out in a TikTok video, noting that he was completely unaware that the “Woman” rapper was uncomfortable and was trying to promote a new t-shirt collection he dropped. Following the fan’s response, he released another capsule of t-shirts with the phrase “Musty A** Shirt” across the front. While many people have come out in support of Doja Cat, noting that she has a right to set boundaries, some have accused her of being mean to her fans. “well first issue is being a fan of doja cat to start with. she has some bops but she’s been openly telling yall she’s a genuinely disgusting horrific person for like a decade now, and continues to be,” one person wrote in an X post. “F*ck Doja Cat, that ignorant racist a**,” another fan wrote. “We aint forget her hatful tweets towards arabs and other ppl, now she disrespecting a fan and yall blaming HIM? Nah.” You can see more tweets below: how can you be a doja cat fan without realizing she hates her fans. i swear that’s her whole thing is being two faced and mean https://t.co/gQatJamPfJ — seanm (@SeanMombo) June 14, 2025 Hot take: Doja Cat is COMPLETELY in the wrong here. Establishing boundaries is perfectly fine, but that is an overexcited fan that clearly isn’t a mind reader and she was reciprocating his energy. Shit talking him after the fact is fucked up, full stop https://t.co/b0t8RMXDxw — Xzamilloh (@Xzamilloh) June 14, 2025 This is like… So mean?? Like, ofc you can have boundaries but you don’t have to be so mean, especially when people know who you’re talking about. Her fan was so excited and she just shit all over it in the most disrespectful way. Doja Cat just hates her fans and this is NOT new. https://t.co/kw28dIAa2n — _Taffylu_ (@Laffyyy_Taffyyy) June 15, 2025

Just in time for summer, Drake shows off his toned-up body in a recent post that’s been circulating online. On June 14, Drake shared a photo to his Instagram Story of him hitting the gym, flexing off his big guns, while rocking an all-black Nike outfit with white Nike sneakers — which shouldn’t be surprising since he’s been collaborating with the brand since 2013. The rapper also shared a post on his story of attending a friend’s wedding, writing “Congratulations” as he stood next to a picture of the couple. Instagram.com/champagnepapi Drake Becomes First Artist With 10 Diamond Singles Last month, Drake just hit another milestone, and this one puts him in a league of his own after the RIAA officially confirmed that the Toronto superstar has earned his 10th Diamond certification, more than any other artist in history. “Drake has the most RIAA Diamond Certifications of any artist, ever,” the organization shared on social media, alongside a graphic displaying all 10 of his Diamond plaques. Two of his fan favorites, “Hold On, We’re Going Home” and his breakout hit “Best I Ever Had,” are the latest tracks to reach Diamond status, meaning they’ve sold over 10 million units each in the U.S. Drake’s elite Diamond collection also includes “God’s Plan,” “Hotline Bling,” “One Dance,” “Life Is Good” with Future, “No Guidance” with Chris Brown, “Love Me” with Lil Wayne, and Travis Scott’s “SICKO MODE.” And he’s not done yet. “Nice for What,” from his 2018 album Scorpion, is already 9x Platinum and inching closer to Diamond. This puts Drizzy ahead of country legend Garth Brooks and Post Malone, who each hold nine Diamond certifications. Drake is the first artist to reach double digits across both singles and albums.