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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is drawing strong reactions after spending time with inmates at Rikers Island during a World Cup watch party that was organized as a reward for good behavior. The gathering took place inside a jail gymnasium, where eligible inmates watched the match while enjoying a catered meal featuring salmon, chicken parmesan, penne alla vodka, salad, and Snapple. The event was designed as an incentive for positive conduct behind bars. Department of Correction Commissioner Stanley Richards, who previously served time in prison himself, has defended initiatives like the watch party as part of a broader effort…

Physical CDs are so back. On Wednesday (July 15), Luminate published their annual midyear report, revealing compact disc sales jumped 16 percent during the first half of the year to 16.3 million units. The surge significantly outpaced vinyl, which saw a 2.4 percent increase over the same period.BTS’ massive ARIRANG album helped drive the CD boom, but the format’s resurgence isn’t solely tied to K-pop. After removing BTS and the broader K-pop catalog from the numbers, CD sales were still up 6.7 percent year over year.The numbers point to a larger revival of physical music overall. Sales of physical albums,…

When 36 Mudd received his first major rap check, he made a life-changing decision. He left his hometown of Cairo, Illinois and relocated to Chicago, a move that opened new opportunities while helping him grow his fanbase. The results speak for themselves. His music is now being played in 26 states, with support coming from cities across Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Georgia, New York, Texas, Minnesota, California, and more. Yet despite his growing national audience, Cairo remains his No. 1 city for streams and support—a testament to the loyalty of the place that raised him. Memphis has become another strong market,…

We have seen B2K come back a few times now since their initial breakup in 2004, but this latest resurgence is by far the most exciting time for R&B fans. The legendary group announced recently that they’ve been in the studio cooking up their first project since “Pandemonium!” back in 2003. YouKnowIGotSoul had a chance to talk to Omarion, J Boog, Raz-B and Fizz about their comeback, their upcoming project which includes the lead single “Mileage” as well as their plans for B2K in the future. We also tapped into B2K recently returning to the studio with The Underdogs (who…

Smoke from Canada’s relentless wildfire season is spreading far beyond its borders, creating dangerous air quality conditions across large parts of the United States while firefighters continue battling hundreds of blazes. Terrifying footage shows the view from inside a train as it becomes surrounded by raging wildfire flames near Armstrong, Ontario. pic.twitter.com/3XKiKArjAw— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) July 15, 2026 As of July 16, Canada is dealing with 859 active wildfires, with more than 700 still considered out of control. The largest concentration of fires is burning across northwestern Ontario, Quebec, and the Northwest Territories, where emergency crews are stretched thin. The Canadian…

In the vibrant, ever-evolving world of hiphop and fashion, few stories capture the perfect blend of creativity, business savvy, and community building quite like that of **Sweetheart** (formerly known as Jana Barros). What began as a relatively underground presence in rap circles was forever transformed when the **Sweetheartz Hiphop Fashion Blog** spotlighted her work. The blog didn’t just feature her—it *sealed* her status as a hiphop legend, turning heads and building a devoted following that bridged style, sound, and substance. Since that pivotal moment, an official **Sweetheart band** has emerged, curating a rich catalog of tracks and steadily building authentic…

36 Mudd took his first big check from rap & decided to move from a very very small town, which is his hometown Cairo, IL… he moved to a bigger part of Illinois known as Chicago, IL & it not only gave him more opportunity but it built his fanbase. As of right now there are 26 states playing his music and 10 of them are have well known cities in them. Even though Cairo, IL is small he it’s still ranking number 1 as far as where the love comes from. It’s great having your hometown support you. Memphis,…

Lizzo had one of the standout moments from Kai Cenat’s Streamer University after opening a surprise OVO care package that immediately sent the livestream into buzz mode. Lizzo makes it clear she’s Team Drake and gets hyped after finding out he sent her a full OVO package for Streamer University 🦉🔥“do I get OVO sh*t? that’s all I wanna know” pic.twitter.com/K4CN7NMSi8— keeno ✧ (@ayekeeno) July 15, 2026 The Grammy-winning singer was on hand as one of the celebrity professors for the exclusive content creator boot camp, where aspiring streamers spent several days learning from some of the biggest names in…

The 2026 XXL Freshman class is ready to prove what they’re made of in front of a live audience at Rémy Martin Presents XXL Freshman Class 2026 LIVE, featuring special guest performances from members of the legendary 2016 XXL Freshman Class.As XXL celebrates the 10th anniversary of its iconic 2016 Freshman Class, the brand is spending the summer looking back at the group’s lasting impact on hip-hop with a special anniversary campaign powered by Rémy Martin, the perfect partner to honor success driven by intention, authenticity and personal calling. The celebration culminates at this year’s Freshman concert: a one-night-only event…

For years, fans have known J.T. Hiskey for his relentless work ethic in music, but on July 11, 2026, the independent artist reminded everyone that creativity doesn’t stop at the recording studio. During a meetup with Travis Barker in San Diego, Hiskey personally gifted the iconic Blink-182 drummer a towering portrait painting that required five days of meticulous work from start to finish. The moment reflected a growing artistic journey that has become increasingly important to Hiskey while balancing life on tour. Instead of viewing painting as simply a hobby, he has embraced it as another form of storytelling, dedicating…