Halle Bailey is cooking up new music in the studio and she’s doing so with a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer.

For, the songbird is nesting in the lab with none other than Missy Elliott.

Full story below…

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It’s once again time to hop aboard the Soul Train!

BET presents the 2023 Soul Train Awards on November 26, so what better way to incite excitement than to reveal the official list of nominations?!

An eclectic array of names lead the ballot this year, with Usher, SZA, and Summer Walker leading the noms with 9 each, while 21 Savage follows with 8, and Victoria Monét and Coco Jones nabbing 6 apiece.

Set to take place in Las Vegas, the show will simulcast on BET and BET Her at 8 PM ET.

Check out the full list of nominees below…

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‘The Color Purple’ is being brought to the big screen anew – this time as a musical movie.

Set for release in US theaters on Christmas Day (December 25), the promotional machine is firing up for what many have deemed the year’s must-see offering.

The latest stop is the cover of Essence Magazine, which features the cast – Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, and H.E.R. – alongside producer Oprah Winfrey.

Head below for pics and a powerful excerpt:

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Despite having already amassed quite a collection of collaborations (see: ‘Iced Out My Arms,’ ‘Picasso,’ ‘Pajama Pants,’ and more), Atlantan Hip-Hop superstars Quavo and Future recently added a new entry to the trove with their latest link: ‘Turn Your Clic Up.’

Produced by Atake, Basobeats, Sluzyyy, and MacShooter49, the hard-hitting cut was delivered Friday (July 14) and made headlines for featuring a diss to NFL star Russell Wilson (the stepfather of Ciara and Future’s child).

“Big dawg status, bill hopper / I ball in his mall for my brothers / Goyard bag, tote the cutter I got it out the field, f-ck Russell,” he raps on the track set for Quavo’s new album ‘Rocket Power‘ (dedicated to fallen Migos star Takeoff). “Go and ask Lori about the Patek, then go and ask Jordan, ask Dess Phillipe water, tryna drown a b-tch, it’s a habit trickin’ on a b-tch.”

Shortly after the tune’s arrival came its official music video filmed in Miami.  See the Magic City action inside.

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Monica sent her diehard fans into a frenzy June 30 when she dropped her latest single, ‘Letters,’ with little warning.

Believed to be the latest taste of new music from the GRAMMY winner’s serially delayed 9th studio album ‘Trenches,’ ‘Letters’ was penciled atop real-time sales tallies just 24 hours after its inaugural listing on streaming and digital download platforms – a reign it enjoyed well into the week.

As a result, its weeklong commercial performance saw the Ciara, Alicia Renee Williams, and Brian “Killah B” Bates-penned tune enter the updated Billboard R&B sales chart as the week’s top premiere.

More inside.

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Monica dropped jaws Friday (June 30) by releasing her new single, ‘Letters,’ with little warning.

Co-penned by fellow GRAMMY winner Ciara, the tune – reportedly among the gems set to line her long-awaited ninth studio album ‘Trenches‘ – tells the tale of missing the love of a man serving a prison sentence – a tale many know is close to Mo’s personal story.

“Тhеу ѕее уоu аnd ѕее а thug / І ѕее уоu аnd ѕее mу lоvе / Yоu rоll uр thеу runnіng ѕсаrеd / Вut mе І’m runnіng tо уоu wіth mу fеаrѕ / Аіn’t fоund nо оnе thаt саn mеаѕurе uр tо уоu,” she croons on the Tasha Catour-produced cut.

Just hours after she began raking in critical acclaim for the new cut, the songstress lifted the lid on its official accompanying music video starring Rap superstar The Game.

Conceptually reminiscent of her 2004 smash hit ‘U Should’ve Known Better’ (starring rapper Young Buck), see the cinematic ‘Letters’ visual inside.

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Cop a gander at Monica!

The veteran R&B diva, in full promotion mode in celebration of the June 24 premiere of her long-awaited Apple Music Radio show ‘Mo Talk,’ is expecting to hear even mo talk about the happenings of her career thanks to a stunning spread in ‘Essence‘ and the premiere of a brand spankin’ new single, ‘Letters.’

Details inside.

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Big Freedia may be enjoying the recent viral success of his supercharged remix of the classic nursery rhyme ‘Row Your Boat‘ on children’s show ‘Gracie’s Corner‘ as well as the warm reception of the FUSE reality series ‘Big Freedia Means Business,’ but now the GRAMMY-nominated Queen of Bounce is ready to bounce back to music charts.

The latest effort to do so comes courtesy of the sizzling ‘El Niño,’ supercharged with appearances by fellow New Orleans-based superstars Lil Wayne and Boyfriend.

“‘El Niño’ is about going hard in any storms that come in your life and conquering them!” Freedia said in a statement. “It’s one of my favorite songs on this record, it features my longtime collaborator Boyfriend, and it’s also my first collab with Lil Wayne, who I’ve wanted to work with for a long time. We put it down for our city, and this song is gonna have everyone blowin down!”

‘Nino’ is the fourth single from Freedia’s June 23-due album, ‘Central City,’ which also boasts appearances from Kelly Price, Ciara, Faith Evans, and other notable names.

Ahead of its arrival to digital shelves, hop inside to hear the Wayne and Boyfriend-assisted bop.

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Tributes to the legendary Tina Turner continue to flood following the icon’s death on May 24.

As reported, the pioneering superstar passed away aged 83 after a prolonged illness.

Since the news broke, emotion has run high on a global scale, with fans and notable names alike racing to social media to pay homage to the ‘The Best’ belter.

The salutes continue, with the likes of Celine Dion, Toni Braxton, Patti LaBelle, U2, and more honoring Turner. Yet more proof of the diva’s unprecedented impact across multiple mediums, genres, and generations.

The latest words on Turner await below…

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Halle Bailey is leaving no stone unturned in the promotional push for ‘The Little Mermaid.’

Disney‘s revival of the beloved classic sees the 23-year-old star as Ariel.

Breaking new ground, actioning change, and inspiring a whole generation, the star will shine as the first Black woman to take on the coveted role.

With just days to go before the movie swims onto screens worldwide on May 26, Bailey stuns on four (yes, FOUR) covers of Glamour Magazine. 

The spread also comes on the heels of the unveiling of ‘The Color Purple’ – in which Bailey also stars in as young Nettie.

Check out the additional covers after the jump…

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As Summer Walker fans patiently await news on her new album – the follow-up to her chart-topping, 2021 sophomore LP – ‘Still Over It‘ –  she’s giving them new music to tide them over.  Enter: ‘Clear 2: Soft Life.’

The conceptual successor of her inaugural EP, 2019’s ‘Clear,’ ‘Soft’ comes as a 10-song effort that boasts high-profile features from Childish Gambino as well as production from fellow R&B chart-toppers Solange and Steve Lacy.

After ample teasing (including an EP trailer and more), stream ‘Soft’ inside courtesy of Apple Music and Spotify.

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Chloe Bailey may be no stranger to garnering critical acclaim for her soaring vocals, but recently the GRAMMY nominee doubled down on her desire to literally take to the sky by breathing new life into the highly coveted role of X-Men’s Storm.

Details inside. (more…)