As we reported here, the 2020 Essence Fest – which originally boasted Pop megastars Janet Jackson and Bruno Mars as headliners – was cancelled due to the global health crisis.

However, much like with the BET Awards, the event’s organizers still assembled some of Black music’s best and brightest to carry the show forward virtually.

Creating a cultural event that featured musical performances, entertainment, and empowerment series, this year’s fest featured names like Patti Labelle, Ledisi, India.Arie, PJ Morton, Tamela Mann, The Clark Sisters, Erica Campbell, Kierra Sheard, and many more.

Have you missed any of the action from the last two weekends? No worries; we’ve got you covered.

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Readers of That Grape Juice know what avid music lovers we are – especially of hits past.

So, as our retrospective segments, ‘From the Vault’ and ‘TGJ Replay,’  allow us the chance to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday of one artist, our newest feature Chart Rewind serves as a variation of our Retro Rewind assay to salute an entire era of music history.

This week, we’ll revisit 1986 to ode Patti Labelle & Michael McDonald‘s classic hit, ‘On My Own.’

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Trina is taking accountability.

Yesterday, the rapper made headlines the world over when she branded those rioting in protest of George Floyd‘s death “animals.”

Speaking on her Miami radio show, she went on to implicitly bemoan Black on Black crime and suggest that it was Black people ruining Black businesses – including that of her friend.

Now, after trending for almost 24 hours, the femcee is speaking up and out.

Hear her apology below…

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Trina may be under fire, but she’s seizing the moment to take a dig at longtime foe Khia.

Full story below…

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As we reported here, Lana Del Rey got tongues wagging when she took to social media Thursday (May 21) to announce her new album – the follow-up to 2019’s ‘Norman F*cking Rockwell’ – would be arriving this fall.

In a lengthy post, the GRAMMY-nominee outlined the LP’s hold-up has been due in part to criticism she’s fielded regarding some of the subject matter of her depressing emotional songs.  Along the way, however, she probably lost support when she specifically name-dropped Beyoncé, Camila Cabello, Nicki Minaj, and Doja Cat (among others) as fellow female acts who ‘wear no clothes’ and ‘sing about f*cking.’

“Now that Doja Cat, Ariana, Camila, Cardi B, Kehlani, Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé have had number ones with songs about being sexy, wearing no clothes, fucking, cheating etc. – can I please go back to singing about being in love even if the relationship is not perfect, or dancing for money – or whatever I want – without being crucified or saying that I’m glamorizing abuse?????” – Del Rey, 2020

Her emphasis on Urban acts, opting to omit the Lady Gaga‘s, Katy Perry‘s, Taylor Swift‘s, and co., was certainly unappreciated by some music fans and – as a result – made her one of the day’s lead trending topics on Twitter.

Practically pissing off every major stanbase in music simultaneously, Del Rey was dragged mercilessly.

Highlights inside:

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Jason Derulo has moved on to pastures new.

For, in a recent interview, the Pop star shared that he is no longer with his record label.

Full story below…

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Megan Thee Stallion trots to yet another victory in the ongoing, highly publicized legal battle with her record label, 1501 Certified Entertainment.

Over a month after the imprint attempted to use the courts to help them block the release of her latest top 10 EP, ‘Suga’ (as we reported here), now they’ve suffered another loss at the hands of the justice system.

Details inside:

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The release of her latest EP, ‘Suga,’ may have signaled proof Megan Thee Stallion had won a legal battle against her label, but the war is far from over.

After a failed attempt to reverse the restraining order she has against them and block the project’s March 6 debut (as we reported here), 1501 Certified Entertainment returned to the courts to request the Rap diva’s civil suit against them be dismissed.

More inside:

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Megan Thee Stallion has been a fixture in the headlines this week after launching a legal battle against her first label, who she says have her signed to unfathomable terms.

With the case seemingly evolving by the hour, the femcee stopped by Hot 97 to address the drama and more.

Sitting down with Ebro and Laura Stylez, the rapper says she’s simply seeking fairer terms and added “I don’t want to be treated like a slave.”

She also spilled on incoming project ‘SUGA’ – which clarified to be an EP, not her debut album.

All this and more after the jump…

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“Tried to be myself but they won’t AKA me, AKA a pop star AKA a problem.”

The inspiration behind the quote above, lifted from Tinashe‘s 2018 tune, ‘No Drama,’ continues to be a talking point for the songstress despite having established herself as one of Urban music’s most consistent stage-blazers.

Speaking on the topic of ‘being pitted against every Black girl [in the industry],’ the 27-year-old – rocking a Janet Jackson t-shirt – took to E! News’ ‘Just the Sip’ to dish on “stan culture” and how comparisons to the likes of Aaliyah, Beyoncé, Cassie, Jhené Aiko, FKA Twigs, and more have plagued different junctures of her career.

Elsewhere in the candid sit-down with Justin Sylvester, she also addressed her former label woes, the joys of being an independent artist, and so much more.

Look below to see it:

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Megan Thee Stallion will be trotting to digital record shelves Friday (March 6) with her long-awaited EP, ‘Suga,’ thanks to a recent decision rendered by a Texas judge denying her label’s attempt to block it.

As we previously reported, Carl Crawford – CEO of Stallion’s label home (1501 Certified Entertainment) – took to the courts to reverse the ‘Hot Girl Summer’ hitmaker’s temporary restraining order against him and the imprint.  Despite a clause in her contract expressly requiring her to get the company’s approval before releasing new music, the restraining order allows her to bypass the condition to release music without his consent.

The 25-year-old isn’t wasting any time celebrating the win, as evidenced by a recent Instagram post.

See what she had to say about the good news inside:

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Megan Thee Stallion fans, affectionately called #Hotties, are breathing sighs of relief after a judge denied her record label’s latest attempt to block the release of her new project, ‘Suga’ (due March 6).

Details inside:

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