Beginning Friday, June 5, Philadelphia artist and community organizer Grand Agent, self-described as “The Official Rapper of America’s 250th Birthday,” will launch a 30-day social media campaign asking a question he believes Hip-Hop can no longer afford to ignore:

After fifty years of shaping global culture, where is Hip-Hop’s collective power?

Against the backdrop of a deeply divided political climate and the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States, the campaign, titled “Consolidating the Power of Hip-Hop,” will invite members of the Hip-Hop generation and the broader Hip-Hop nation into a public conversation about influence, ownership, economics, political coordination, and the future of the culture.

“For the last fifty years, Hip-Hop has been at the helm of the culture,” says Grand Agent. “We changed language, fashion, marketing, music, sports, and global popular culture itself. We built billion-dollar industries and turned the voices of marginalized communities into the dominant soundtrack of America. So the question is: why haven’t we figured out how to collectively leverage that influence into lasting political and economic power?”

Through daily conversation starters posted across Instagram and Facebook under the hashtag #250Bars, Grand Agent will challenge followers to think beyond the endless debates over “who’s the GOAT” and what homage is owed to whom, and instead consider what an adult version of the movement might look like.

 

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Topics over the 30-day countdown to July 4th will include:
• collective ownership
• political influence
• economic coordination
• community investment
• generational wealth
• cultural responsibility
• the next fifty years of Hip-Hop

The campaign draws from Grand Agent’s own experience using the networking, branding, storytelling, and organizing skills learned through Hip-Hop to help build Philly Truce, a Philadelphia-based violence prevention and community engagement initiative.

Rather than positioning itself as a political campaign or music rollout alone, “Consolidating the Power of Hip-Hop” aims to test whether there is real appetite for the Hip-Hop generation, particularly those now in their 40s, 50s, and 60s who helped build the culture as both creators and consumers, to evolve from cultural influence into coordinated civic and economic influence.

The campaign will culminate around July 4th alongside the release of Grand Agent’s forthcoming EP, 250.

Follow the conversation: #250Bars
Instagram: @GrandAgent

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BET announced that Ms. Lauryn Hill will receive the Living Legend Icon Award sponsored by Sprite at the “BET Awards” 2026.

Culture’s Biggest Night will broadcast live on Sunday, June 28 at 8 PM ET/PT, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with Druski as host.

The Living Legend Icon Award honors the pioneers who mastered their craft and never let go of the culture. This distinction belongs to the artists and creators whose body of work has remained essential not because the culture held on to them, but because they never stopped holding on to it.

A singular voice across hip-hop, R&B, soul, and reggae, Ms. Lauryn Hill first captured the world’s attention as a member of The Fugees, whose 1996 album The Score topped the charts and turned songs like “Killing Me Softly” and “Ready or Not” into generational anthems. In 1998, she stepped forward with her debut solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, an intimate, genre-defying body of work exploring love, faith, motherhood, self-worth, and Black womanhood that was immediately recognized as a masterpiece and went on to sell more than ten million copies.

The album reshaped the industry’s understanding of what hip-hop and soul could be, and its influence has only deepened with time. Decades later, her catalog still feels like the present tense, studied, sampled, and sung back word for word, and claimed as inspiration by generation after generation of artists. From sold-out stages around the world to her continued work as a performer entirely on her own terms, Ms. Lauryn Hill remains one of the most singular and enduring forces in music.

“Ms. Lauryn Hill is the very definition of a living legend,” said Connie Orlando, EVP, Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy, BET. “Across every era, she has never chased the moment; she has shaped it. Her artistry redefined what was possible in our music and gave a generation permission to be fearless, spiritual, and free. Her influence is woven into the fabric of the culture, and it is a profound honor to celebrate her legacy on Culture’s Biggest Night.”

The “BET Awards” 2026 airs live Sunday, June 28, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, hosted by Druski.

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Director: child.
Executive Producer: Tashi Bhutia
Producer: Marquitta Davis

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The Living Legends Foundation has announced Black Promoters Collective (BPC) as a recipient of the prestigious A.D. Washington Chairman’s Award at its 35th Anniversary Awards Dinner & Gala, taking place Friday, October 2, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.

The honor recognizes BPC’s continued impact on the live entertainment industry and its role in shaping culture through groundbreaking tours, festivals, and live experiences. The award will be accepted by BPC’s leadership team, including Shelby Joyner, Gary Guidry, Troy Brown, William “Bill” Ingram, Sulaiman Mausi, Shahida Mausi, Lionel Bea, Janice Cotton, and Walt Reeder Jr.

Hosted by the Living Legends Foundation, the annual gala celebrates influential leaders and change makers across music, media, radio, and entertainment. This year’s honorees include Louis Carr (BET), Greg Street, Kenny Smoov, Phylicia Fant, Ted Lucas, Ralph McDaniels, and others.

ABOUT BLACK PROMOTERS COLLECTIVE

Since launching its first tour in 2022, the Black Promoters Collective (BPC) has rapidly ascended to become one of the most influential forces in the global live entertainment business. In just four years, BPC climbed to No. 14 on Pollstar’s 2026 Top 50 Worldwide Promoters Grosses chart, signaling a swift rise into the industry’s top tier. BPC is the only wholly Black-owned company consistently ranked on Pollstar’s Global Top 100 Promoters list and has been recognized as the No. 3 Global Top Urban Promoter/Producer. Its touring portfolio continues to drive both revenue and cultural impact, with The Millennium Tour 2025, Brandy & Monica’s The Boy Is Mine Tour, and The Queens Tour all earning major Pollstar Award nominations—underscoring the company’s strength in delivering commercially successful, culturally resonant live experiences. The company’s momentum is further validated by repeated inclusion on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players and Touring Power Players lists, with CEO Gary Guidry recognized among the executives shaping the future of live entertainment. Included on Essence’s Power Players list, BPC is a coalition of nine leading independent promoters, founded in 2020 that produces large-scale tours and festivals bridging legacy and contemporary artists across genres. With a business model rooted in cultural authority and audience alignment, BPC continues to redefine how live entertainment is created, marketed, and experienced.

ABOUT THE LIVING LEGENDS FOUNDATION®, Inc.

Founded in 1991 and incorporated in 1992, the Living Legends Foundation® Inc, is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization and has been funded primarily with corporate contributions and individual donations. The 35-year-old organization has expanded its mission to assist those who have served the music industry and who have a confirmable need. This assistance is provided in a manner that maintains the dignity of those who may receive financial help. Many former music industry employees worked during a time when 401Ks and retirement packages were not available – and even today, in this era of downsizing and mergers, the uncertainty of career stability within the industry has grown.

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Universal Music Group N.V. (“UMG” or “the Company”) today announced that it has repurchased 14,156,285 of its ordinary shares as part of the disposition of the entire position owned by various Pershing Square funds. The Company acquired the shares at a price per share of €17.66 for a total consideration of approximately €250 million.

The repurchase was executed outside of the Company’s existing €500 million share buyback program but pursuant to the previously announced additional €500 million share repurchase authorization of the Board of Directors of the Company as granted at the UMG Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held on May 13, 2026.

The Company intends to use the repurchased shares to meet its obligations under the 2022 Universal Music Group Global Equity Plan, and subplans thereof, and/or to reduce the share capital of the Company. The maximum number of shares that can be used for purposes of the equity plan will remain unchanged.

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Today, Wyclef Jean and Vevo share a new episode of Vevo Footnotes, going behind the scenes of The Fugees’ defining anthem “Ready Or Not” to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of their landmark album The Score. The song became one of the group’s biggest international hits, charting in the Top 10 in more than 15 countries worldwide. Widely considered one of the standout records from The Score, “Ready or Not” showed the group’s ability to merge mainstream appeal with a deeper message.

In the episode, Wyclef reflects on the making of the song and its music video, which was created before AI and relied on real helicopters, real explosions and physically demanding stunts that he performed himself. He recalls intense moments during the fight scenes that almost dislocated his shoulder, as well as the underwater sequence that had him terrified and secured with clamps due to his inability to swim. He also credits Lauryn Hill for deepening his appreciation of soul music and the Delphonics sample, and shares that he discovered the Enya “Boadicea” sample while watching the movie Sleepwalkers.

Wyclef also reflects on the Fugees’ identity as more than just a music group and emphasizes their role as a voice for the community. He describes the “Ready or Not” video as one of the most fun experiences he ever had, comparing it to The Fugees’ version of “The Avengers.” Closing the episode, he remembers the Fugees’ philosophy: “We’re not going to do music.” “We’re going to be a movement. Because the movement is going to be bigger than the music. So no matter where anybody is in any part of the world, they can feel like they’re part of the movement.”

EPISODE FULL TRANSCRIPT:

:08 – Wyclef Jean: Fugees always lived in that space of imagination. And at the time, remember, that’s when everyone was doing these super big videos. And this is like the era before AI. You needed the actual helicopter there. You needed to put them explosives there. I had no stunt man. I did my own stunts.

:35 – Wyclef Jean: The Delfonics sample, that’s what made the Fugees amazing. That’s straight up Lauryn Hill. She’s just amazing. She literally put me up on soul music. I think that that was her genius. I have my genius in doing the beats and sampling freaking Enya out of Ireland. And she’s singing Delfonics.

1:05 – Wyclef Jean: I remember the guy that I was fighting. Those guys were real fighters. I almost dislocated my arm.

1:20 – Wyclef Jean: I don’t have a favorite line. I just love my verse. The expression of yourself and being able to just tell y’all what’s really going down in the community. That was it.

1:45 – Wyclef Jean: With the Fugees, there’s always two parts to it: we love to entertain, but at the same time there’s always a sub-message. The group Fugees is short for refugees. It was just the idea of anything or anybody that needed a sense of comfort, refuge, or didn’t have a voice to speak, that we’d be there for you.

2:30 – Wyclef Jean: This was the most fun I’ve ever had. I think the three of us could have been like action figures. So “Ready Or Not” was just like our version of, like, The Avengers, you know what I’m saying?

2:50 – Wyclef used an Akai MPC60 to sample Enya’s “Boadicea.” He came across the track while watching the 1992 film ‘Sleepwalkers.’

3:15 – Wyclef Jean: As far as the video, I was terrified. Because at the time I couldn’t swim and the director was like, going to put me in the water. And I was like, “yo, I ain’t going in the water.” He put me in the water! I was so terrified. They had to put clamps on me. So if I gave a signal, they could just pull me back up.

3:45 – Wyclef Jean: One thing I always remember and these words echo ‘til today, “We’re not going to do music.” “We’re going to be a movement. Because the movement is going to be bigger than the music.” So no matter where anybody is in any part of the world, they can feel like they’re part of the movement.

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By: Todd “DG” Davis
Rapindustry.com

___

Chicago has always respected people who really put time into their craft — not just rappers, but builders. That’s what makes LSTREETZ different. She comes from a city where lyricism, hustle, swagger, and survival all collide, and somehow found a way to merge rap, gaming, tech, and culture without it ever feeling forced.

Before gaming and streaming became industry buzzwords, LSTREETZ was already building PCs, sharpening her pen, and grinding through Chicago’s unforgiving music scene. Raised on artists like Shawnna, Twista, Ye, and Da Brat, she carries that same raw city mentality into everything she does: skill matters, authenticity lasts, and respect is earned.

Whether she’s trading bars with Shawnna, landing records inside the NBA 2K universe, building custom rigs for rap legends, or stepping into her Blanco era, LSTREETZ feels bigger than one lane. She represents where hip-hop, gaming, and culture are headed next — unapologetically Chicago, digitally connected, and fully self-made.

Coming up in Chicago, what did you hear in the streets, the clubs, and the culture that made you realize your sound had to hit harder than just “local artist” energy?

I came up hearing artists like Ye, Twista, Shawnna, Lupe Fiasco, Bump J, Da Brat, Crucial Conflict, Do or Die — those are staples in the city. They raised the bar so high it made me take my craft seriously and understand the importance of having quality records and real skills.

How much of “PSA” feels like a warning shot versus a mission statement for everything coming next with Blanco?

It was definitely a mission statement — basically saying, “I’m coming.” I want people to know I’m not playing when it comes to skill, lyrics, songwriting, and even performing. I really go hard. I want to be part of the legacy of the greatest artists to ever come out of Chicago and eventually be mentioned alongside those names.

Shawnna built her name in an era where women had to out-rap everybody just to get respect. What has learning directly under her taught you about survival in this industry?

It taught me that skill still matters. Shawnna got signed at 19 and we’re still talking about her in 2026. That says everything about what she means to hip-hop culture and Chicago culture, especially for women. Real music and real talent have longevity and live forever.

Guy Entertainment Group feels bigger than a label right now — does it feel more like family, legacy, or unfinished business for Chicago hip-hop?

All of it. I’m a grassroots artist, and Shawnna has had me under her wing since I was young. Of course, we went years without making music or doing business together, but once we locked back in, the chemistry was unmatched.

What was the first moment you realized people weren’t just reacting to your image or personality anymore — they were really listening to your bars?

When people started repeating my lyrics back to me instead of just posting my pictures or talking about my image. That’s when I realized they were really connecting with my story and what I was saying beyond the surface. Seeing the response whenever I post music lets me know people are paying attention for real.

Churchboy Scotty has a reputation for making records knock with purpose. What did he pull out of you creatively on “PSA” that maybe wasn’t there before?

He pulled a different level of emotion and focus out of me — not just making a hard record, but making people actually feel what I’m saying. He challenged me to slow down, dig deeper into my story, and deliver every line with intention. “PSA” showed a more mature side of me creatively.

Chicago rap has always balanced pain, swagger, humor, hustle, and chaos all at once. Where do you feel you fit inside that lineage?

I feel like I fit right in the middle of the hunger, resilience, and evolution of Chicago rap. The city has always been bigger than one sound — it’s pain, survival, confidence, storytelling, parties, real life, and turning struggle into motivation all at once. I come from that same energy, but I bring my own perspective as a woman who’s been grinding in this industry for years and never stopped believing in her moment.

What separates me is that I can tap into the rawness and hustle while still keeping it fun, confident, and relatable. I’m not trying to copy what Chicago already did — I’m adding to the legacy from my own lane.

Run It Back with Shawnna felt aggressive, cinematic, and unapologetic. Did making records like “Counterfeit” change your confidence as an artist?

Definitely. Records like “Counterfeit” elevated my confidence because when you’re making music that aggressive and unapologetic, you can’t second-guess yourself — you have to fully stand in who you are. Working with Shawnna pushed me creatively too because she comes from an era where female rappers were fearless and said exactly what they wanted.

“Counterfeit” helped me stop overthinking and trust my instincts more. After records like that, I started approaching music with a completely different level of confidence.

How surreal was it hearing your music attached to the NBA 2K universe, knowing gaming culture and hip-hop culture practically move together now?

Honestly, it was surreal. Growing up, NBA 2K wasn’t just a game — it was part of the culture. People discover music through it, artists break records through it, and gamers really connect with songs because they hear them every day while competing and creating memories with friends.

Knowing music tied to NBA 2K25 and NBA 2K26 is reaching people globally gave me a different level of motivation. It showed me the music can live beyond playlists and radio — it can become part of people’s everyday experiences.

You’ve managed to bridge esports, streaming culture, and rap without it feeling forced. Do you think the music industry still underestimates how powerful that crossover really is?

Absolutely. Gaming, esports, streaming, and music are all connected now, but a lot of people in the industry still underestimate how powerful that crossover is. Fans don’t just listen to your music anymore — they watch your personality, hear your music while they game, and connect with you in real time.

I never wanted it to feel forced because gaming is something I’m genuinely into. Fans can tell when somebody is really part of the culture versus just marketing to it.

A lot of artists chase viral moments. Your movement feels more rooted in identity and consistency. Was that intentional from day one?

Yeah, that was intentional from the start. Everybody wants moments that connect and go viral, but I never wanted my career to depend on trends or temporary attention. I wanted to build something lasting that people connect to beyond one song or one viral clip.

Consistency built my confidence. Even when things weren’t moving fast, I kept creating, evolving, and putting myself in different spaces — music, gaming, content, performances, collaborations. That’s why when opportunities started coming, everything felt organic instead of manufactured.

When people look back years from now, what do you want the LStreetz story to represent: Chicago resilience, women in rap leveling up, gamer culture evolving, or somebody who refused to be boxed into one lane?

I want my story to represent all of it together. Chicago resilience is a huge part of me because this city teaches you how to survive, adapt, and keep going no matter what. I also want it to represent women in rap evolving without having to shrink themselves or fit into one stereotype.

Most importantly, I want people to see somebody who stayed consistent, stayed authentic, and built her own lane without waiting for permission.

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ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, today announces that British songwriting trio FLO will be honoured with a special award at its 2026 ASCAP London Celebrates Songwriters and Composers event.

At the invite-only celebration, FLO will be recognised with the ASCAP Vanguard Award, commemorating breakthrough artists who are shaping the future of music. The London-based trio continue to go from strength to strength having recently won the MOBO award for Best R&B/Soul Act. ASCAP Vanguard Award honourees have included Dua Lipa, Victoria Monet and St. Vincent.

“FLO are redefining R&B with incredible chops and style,” said ASCAP Chairman of the Board and President Paul Williams. “As they continue to build on their remarkable creative achievements, we’re proud to honor FLO with the Vanguard Award.”

FLO
After debuting in 2024 with UK R&B chart-topping album Access All Areas, which made them the highest-charting British R&B girl group in over two decades, FLO have established themselves as a beacon of the UK’s R&B revival. Latest single “Leak It” saw them develop their pop sensibilities, with a viral music video and dance routine which has amassed over nine million views on YouTube, and their ascent has shown that the UK is still on top form when it comes to new R&B talent.

ASCAP will celebrate its winning UK songwriters and composers who have achieved success in the US for their work in music, TV and film at the private event on Tuesday 16th June 2026 with FLO in attendance. The night will also celebrate the UK writers of the 2026 Song of the Year, Top Hot Dance / Electronic Song, Top Box Office Film of the Year and many more.

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Today, NFL star, artist and mental wellness advocate Darren Waller teams up with producer and artist JRod for their latest single, “Bases Loaded,” a soulful anthem about enduring hard times without giving up, backing down or letting anyone stand in the way of continuing to swing for the fences. The track arrives alongside a music video featuring both artists performing on a baseball diamond while rocking hometown jerseys. “Bases Loaded” is featured on their upcoming collaborative project Cadillac Problems, due out this summer.

Previously released singles from Cadillac Problems include “Choose Myself,” a smooth and introspective track blending R&B and hip-hop with themes of self-worth, healing and personal growth. “Streets Get Cold” which offers an intimate reflection on the aftermath of a breakup through heartfelt lyrics and smooth melodies. And “Mind Games,” an intoxicating track in which Waller reflects on life decisions and the importance of following your heart instead of getting caught up in overthinking.

The new release follows Waller’s last month’s stand alone single “Baron Davis,” a hard-hitting track packed with bravado, confidence and unstoppable momentum released alongside a music video filmed in Las Vegas weaving together performance footage with highlights from the NBA player’s career. And “In The Valley,” a track that chronicles redemption and resilience with a visual shot along California’s Big Sur coastline.

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