As rising R&B stars go, few can rival the excitement that surrounds August Alsina.

The New Orleans native has been on a steady ascend since the release debut album ‘Testimony’ in 2014 and cemented his status as one Urban’s top tier talents with last year’s follow-up ‘This Thing Called Life.’

Both projects have garnered the 23-year-old a gargantuan global fanbase, as such it wasn’t surprising to see London turn all the way up for his headline show at KOKO last night [June 14th].

Mirroring the minimalist motif of Alsina’s movement, there wasn’t much in the way of spectacle, pomp, or pageantry. Instead, the crooner – armed with a mic and a DJ (who was dynamite) – offered an honest set that was lapped up by crowd at the iconic Camden venue.

Over the course of the hour-long show, the star – who won Best New Artist at the 2014 BET Awards – journeyed through hits such as ‘I Luv This,’ ‘Kissing On My Tattoos,’ and ‘No Love,’  All of which sent London into a fervent frenzy.

To watch Alsina is to watch an artist whose music, message, and momentum transcends race, culture, and location.

A reality which makes his future all the more luminous.

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Missy Elliott is to be honoured  by ‘Hip Hop Honors: All Hail the Queens.’

Good news for the ingenious singer/rapper after the leap…

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A$AP Rocky‘s convivial relationship with fashion’s elite continues to see him soar in the competitive realm.

How so?

He’s been handpicked by Dior’s CEO, Sidney Toledano, to serve as as an ambassador for the fashion house.

Fantastic news below…

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If you thought D∆WN‘s previous musical and visual efforts were “out of this world,” wait until you get a load of her latest.

A 3D virtual reality experience, ‘Not Above That’ sees the former Danity Kane leader launch above the stars to treat fans to a fantastical visual chock full of psychedelia, some fancy footwork, and cutting edge animation.

Always one to push the envelope when it comes to her videos, see Miss Richard outdo herself below with the newest inclusion to her impressive collection:

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Drawing inspiration’s from Aaliyah‘s classic ‘4 Page Letter’ video, Keke Palmer takes the concept to new heights with the visual for her latest single ‘Yellow Lights.’

Undoubtedly the triple threat diva’s most talked about offering to date, between the song’s bass heavy thump and the video’s hard-hitting choreography, it’s not hard to see why.

Could this be the release that finally sees Keke lifted to her highest heights on Billboard charts? See her shine in ‘Yellow Lights’ below and tell us:

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Stepping out in striped style today was Beyonce.

Hard at work on her latest live show, ‘The Formation World Tour’, the entertainer stopped traffic as she made her way around New York City as her new LP ‘Lemonade‘ takes on Drake‘s melodic ‘VIEWS’ on the Billboard 200.

More below…

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NeNe Leakes is to rejoin ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’ for its ninth season.

Full story below…

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Zayn Malik may be averse to fulfilling his performing commitments, but the former One Direction star isn’t squandering all his opportunities.

The ‘Pillow Talk’ singer, who dramatically cancelled his Wembley Stadium performance at the last minute citing “anxiety,” continues his quest for solo stardom by posing for print publication Dazed.

Cutting a dapper and dashing figure on the Collier Schorr lensed shoot, the 23-year-old will need to deploy damage control 101 t0 turn the tide in his favour again.

For now, peep the video for ‘Like I Would’ – the latest single from Malik’s ‘Mind Of Mine’ – album below…

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With the 2016 BET Awards set for next week Sunday (June 26th), organisers for Urban music’s biggest calendar night have announced a slew of new performers.

Previously announced stage blazers included Alicia Keys and Maxwell, as well as a star-studded tribute to Prince courtesy of D’Angelo, Janelle Monae, The Roots, and Sheila E.

More on who’ll be joining the line-up below…

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One is a ‘Team’ playing rapper behind one of 2014’s biggest hits.

The other is a sporting legend with 21 Grand Slam wins to her name.

Together, Iggy Azalea & Serena Williams make for a very impressive pair, striking a pose at the premiere of the documentary ‘SERENA.’

The EPIX original documentary was celebrated at The Standard hotel in New York last night and saw Iggy, who is still working on her second studio album ‘Digital Distortion’, step out to honour Williams alongside Vera Wang and Serge Ibaka.

Snaps below…

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Kanye West is hitting the road in support of his latest album – ‘The Life Of Pablo.’

Released in January exclusively on TIDAL, the project has had a wildly unorthodox roll-out.

Still not available to buy – physically or as a download, it’s only been made available to stream. First, as mentioned, on TIDAL and on other platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music three months later. The latter practice helping it score a brief stint at #1 based on streaming all.

It’s birthed all sorts of questions as to how the elaborate rapper plans to recoup spend for the 20-track set, which has yet to spawn a hit or resonate critically as perhaps intended.

The answer, so it seems, has manifested in the form of ‘The Saint Pablo Tour’ – an arena trek which blends the names of the album and West’s newborn son with wife Kim Kardashian – Saint West.

Set to kick off in August, tickets go on sale June 17th (with a pre-sale for American Express users set for June 14th).

Dates for the US and Canada leg await below…

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The good people of Orlando, Florida continue to come to terms with the homophobic massacre of partygoers at Pulse nightclub.

Rocked by news that the murderer, Omar Mateen, visited the club frequently and interacted with gay men on gay dating apps, their shock has been acknowledged by the performer Lady Gaga who delivered a speech she hoped will comfort them during this troubling time.

Watch below…

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