Timbaland is stepping boldly into the future of music with the launch of Stage Zero, his new AI-focused entertainment company. This move marks a fresh chapter for the Grammy-winning producer as he introduces TaTa, an AI-generated artist designed to pioneer a genre he calls “A-pop,” or artificial pop. According to Rolling Stone, Stage Zero was co-founded by Timbaland and film producer Rocky Mudaliar, who describes TaTa as a first glimpse into blending cutting-edge technology with music artistry. Timbaland’s fascination with AI music began last year when he started working with Suno, a generative AI music tool created by a company where he now serves as creative director. He shared how he uploaded unfinished song demos and was immediately captivated by the AI-generated voice. “It came to a point where I’m like, ‘Yo, this voice, it’s amazing.’” While the release date for TaTa’s debut single remains under wraps, the team behind Stage Zero is already crafting her identity as a fully realized digital artist. A striking image of TaTa, featuring a young woman with vibrant pink hair, has been released, and the company plans to build her presence across social media platforms to connect with fans. AI’s role in music remains controversial, with many in the industry still wrestling with the implications for creativity and copyright. Suno itself is facing legal challenges from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), which accuses the platform of training its AI models using millions of copyrighted songs without permission. Given this backdrop, Timbaland’s commitment to AI-generated music has sparked mixed feelings among fans and industry insiders alike. Despite the debate, Timbaland is clearly committed to pushing boundaries—and the era of A-pop may be just getting started.

SiR recently claimed that he was caught in the middle of Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s beef, which caused a scheduled concert in Toronto last year to be cancelled. While on stage at a live show in Canada, SIR spoke to his fans about the cancellation and how he was caught in the crosshairs of one of the most epic rap battles of all time.  “So the venue in Toronto, which was partially owned by Drake, cancelled the show completely,” SiR revealed to the crowd. “Then when we tried to switch venues, the next venue was like, ‘Nah we ain’t f**cking with it, I ain’t taking no motherf**cking chance.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by DJ Akademiks (@akademiks) At the time of cancellation of the show, SiR took to Instagram to apologize to fans for the unfortunate situation. “So sorry to my Toronto fans. The show has been cancelled. We’re working on rescheduling for a later date,” he wrote on social media. “For those wondering, we sold that show out. It was cancelled by the venue. Not sure why. My apologies again to those that came just to see me.” But SiR wasn’t the only Top Dawg Entertainment artist to have trouble keeping shows in Canada. Last year, ScHoolboy Q had one of his shows in Toronto at the height of K-Dot and the 6 God’s war of words. “They just cancelled my show in TORONTO,” followed by a laughing emoji. “CANADIAN POLICE DON’T WANT NOBODY FROM TDE PERFORMING.”

Jurors in the ongoing federal trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs heard another day of searing testimony, as witnesses painted conflicting portraits of the music mogul’s private world. Allegations of abuse, manipulation, and transactional relationships have emerged, offering a deeper look into the lifestyle prosecutors describe as exploitative and predatory. Bryana “Bana” Bongolan, a designer and friend of Cassie Ventura, testified that in 2016, Diddy allegedly lifted her over a hotel balcony and later threw her against a coffee table. She recalled feeling disoriented and fearful, stating the mogul told her, “I’m the devil, and I could kill you.” The jury was shown photos of the bruises she claims were caused by the incident. Another woman, using the pseudonym Jane, testified to what she described as a slow descent into a controlling relationship with Diddy that began on a Miami trip in 2020. While she initially welcomed the attention and luxury—jewelry, vacations, and cash—she said the dynamic shifted when she was pressured into sexual acts with other men, often under the guise of what they referred to as “hotel nights” or “debauchery.” Coercion Claims and Defense Disputes Fuel Courtroom Tensions Prosecutors argue that Diddy used his influence and resources to lure women into relationships under false pretenses, only to entrap them in a cycle of control and abuse. Jane testified that she feared her rent and financial support would be cut off if she refused his demands. At one point, she claimed 90% of their sexual encounters involved coercion. The defense has challenged the credibility of the witnesses, questioning the timing of their accusations and highlighting inconsistencies in their statements. During cross-examination, Diddy’s attorneys pointed to Bongolan’s previous civil suit and implied ulterior motives behind her testimony. Bongolan maintained that she is testifying “to seek justice” and said she was subpoenaed to appear. Tensions in the courtroom escalated when the judge warned Diddy against making suggestive gestures toward the jury—behavior that could result in his removal from the room. The trial, which remains under intense public scrutiny, continues to unravel a tangled web of testimony, power, and contested truth.

Lauren Pisciotta, the women who accused Kanye West of rape,m is reportedly in hiding. Arick Fudali, her attorney, released a statement noting that his client is afraid for her life. “Lauren, as I’ve said in public before, is basically in hiding,” Fudali told Complex. “She is very afraid of Mr. West and Mr. West’s circle and Mr. West’s supporters. She’s received an enormous amount of online backlash and ridicule, and hatred. Really ugly, gross stuff. So she literally is currently in hiding, and I can’t reveal even the vicinity of where she lives. That’s how serious it is for her right now.” In a lawsuit filed last year, Pisciotta alleges she was invited to a studio session by Diddy, who is facing sex trafficking charges in New York. Rolling Stone reported that she and her clients were told to consume alcohol if they wanted to remain in the studio. After West’s assistant gave her the drink,  he served it to her himself. Following a few sips, “Pisciotta said she began to feel disoriented.” The next day, Pisciotta said she woke up the next day and had no idea of what occurred the night before. She “admitted to feeling ashamed and embarrassed.”  According to Pisciotta, she didn’t know she was sexually assaulted until West brought the alleged incident up several years later. “Women love to say they don’t remember,” she said, West told her.

Vic Mensa recently opened up about the emotional weight artists carry in today’s streaming-driven music industry. On June 3rd, the Chicago rapper shared a vulnerable moment on social media, describing how the devaluation of music impacts mental health. “I just broke down in the shower. I was thinking about the weight of being an artist in a time when work is so devalued and appreciated,” he said, tears visible in his video. Vic discussed James Blake’s Vault platform, which allows artists to sell unreleased tracks directly to fans. He recalled reading a comment questioning why anyone would pay $10 for a single artist’s music when they could get access to “all artists ever” for the same price on streaming services. “At the time, I was like, you know, that’s so fried of a mentality,” he explained. But later, he realized how deeply that attitude hurts artists. “People feel like that s**t not worth $10. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s hilarious at the same time.” He was candid about the mental health challenges many artists face. “Artists are already people that are predisposed to suicide,” Vic said. The financial struggles only add another layer. “It’s not funny, but that’s real. To add into that a dimension of economic inequity so profound that not even the record labels know what to do about this. Like, they don’t even know how to get the money right now.” In his caption, Vic admitted he was nervous about sharing his feelings but felt it was necessary. “I was just feeling this way today, and I felt like, I’m feeling this way, and I’m blessed to have touched millions of people with my art. I have a wonderful life. If I’m feeling this way, then I know there are many smaller artists and larger dealing with the same things, man.” His message sheds light on the harsh realities behind the music industry’s glittering surface.

As Diddy’s sex trafficking trial continues, more shocking allegations are being revealed.  On Wednesday (June 4), fashion designer Bryana “Bonna” Bongolan testified that Diddy described himself as “the devil” and dangled her from a 17th-floor balcony. The alleged incident took place in September 2016 and “held” her on the rail of the balcony of Cassie Ventura‘s 17th-floor Los Angeles apartment, adding that it lasted for around 10 or 15 seconds. “He basically came up from behind me,” she said. “He lifted me up and had me on top of the rail. I was trying not to slip and pushing back… For a split second, I was thinking that I was going to fall,” Bongolan said. “Do you know what the f**k you did?” she recalled Diddy asking her, Then he tossed her onto some furniture nearby. Following the incident, Bongolan experienced back and neck pain, was bruised on her leg, and photographs of her injuries taken by an ex-girlfriend were shown to the jury. Bongolan also testified that she continues to “have night terrors and paranoia as the result of the alleged incident.” “I used to scream a lot in my sleep,” she said. Last year, Bongolan filed a $10 million lawsuit against Diddy over the incident. She testified that she sued the Bad Boy Records founder  to “seek justice for what happened to me on the balcony.” Diddy’s attorney, Nicole Westmoreland, who cross-examined Bongolan, got her to admit that she and Cassie Ventura frequently had used drugs together. She also said she sold drugs on a “weekly basis.” She explained that both of them loved what she called “coco puffs,” which is cocaine sprinkled inside of marijuana blunts. Bongolan cross-examination continues on Thursday, June 5.

Day 20 of the federal trial against Sean “Diddy” Combs brought disturbing allegations to the stand, as Bryana Bongolan—a longtime friend of Cassie Ventura—recounted a harrowing 2016 incident in which Diddy allegedly dangled her over a 17th-floor balcony. The moment, she said, left her “overwhelmed with fear” before he allegedly slammed her into a glass coffee table. “I was incredibly unwell,” she told jurors, her voice cracking as she recalled the injuries she says she suffered. Bongolan’s testimony reinforced a broader narrative the prosecution has been building: that beneath Diddy’s public persona existed a private life marked by control, coercion, and violence. Prosecutors allege he orchestrated drug-fueled “freak-offs” and retaliated against women who refused to comply. Diddy has denied all criminal wrongdoing. Witness Details Harrowing Abuse Allegations as Defense Challenges Credibility and Motive During questioning, Bongolan told the jury that Diddy once shouted, “I’m the devil, and I could kill you.” Her account included descriptions of Ventura showing up with black eyes and bruises, including one alleged assault at a Los Angeles hotel captured in video footage later aired by CNN. Forensic analyst Frank Piazza testified that the video, entered into evidence, had not been altered. Defense attorneys pushed back hard, questioning Bongolan’s credibility by pointing to her admitted history of drug use, including while working with Ventura. They noted she filed a civil lawsuit last year seeking $10 million in damages, which Diddy declined to settle. Bongolan stated she appeared under subpoena and received immunity in exchange for her testimony—one of three witnesses granted such protection by prosecutors. She described the moment leading up to the alleged balcony incident: a knock on Ventura’s apartment door, a blunt on the balcony, and then Diddy allegedly approaching from behind. “He had me over the railing,” she said. “I thought I might fall, but I was mostly focused on his yelling.” After fleeing the apartment, she said she felt “sick” and discovered significant bruising, which jurors were shown in photographs. With the trial ongoing and tensions rising, the court continues to hear graphic accounts of alleged abuse, weighed against a defense arguing that what happened—however violent—does not meet the threshold of racketeering or trafficking.

Everybody knows that Fat Joe is one of the most entertaining storytellers in the world. For his latest, the Bronx legend said that he ran into Desiigner just before his indecent exposure incident. Speaking on the latest episode of Joe and Jada, Fat Joe recalled seeing Desiigner at an airport before the unfortunate situation took place. During the conversation, Fat Joe and Jadakiss were discussing the benefits of being a one-hit wonder in hip-hop when Jada brought up Desiigner’s breakthrough hit “Panda.” “Oh, yo, ‘Panda, Panda,’ is the one,” Joe laughed. “He sold 10 million on that, right?” Jada said that Desiigner made “a shit load of money” off the track, to which Joe then mentioned Desiigned “jerking” on an airplane. “You know what’s crazy? I seen him in Dubai at the airport that day,” Joe said. “The same f**king day. He seemed so normal. I’m like, ‘Yo, what’s up, man?’ Then the next thing I know, when I arrive in the States … Tumblin’ dice.” In 2023, Desiigner pleaded guilty to indecent exposure” after he bared himself to a flight attendant on an airplane journey from Tokyo to Minneapolis.” Also, he was accused of masturbating and ordered to register as a sex offender. Interestingly, he said that his vegan diet was the cause of the incident. In an interview with Adam22 of No Jumper, the Brooklyn-born artist said he was “fully tweaked out” during the plane journey and wasn’t fully aware of his behavior. “I didn’t know what I was doing. I was fully tweaked out of my mind.” He continued, “when I was vegan, I didn’t have enough sugars and stuff like that, so it was like I was out of my body.” “I was on medication and just went to sleep on the plane. I’m, like, out of my body saying wild sh*t.”

When it comes to making films, Taraji P. Henson does not need a lot of time to give an amazing performance. Speaking to PEOPLE at the Special New York Screening of Tyler Perry’s Straw, said she filmed her new Netflix film while shooting her hit Peacock true-crime series Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist. “[While filming Straw], I was also at the time working on Fight Night,” Henson says, adding, “They worked it out with my schedule.”  “I went and shot this for four days and went right back to Fight Night,” she continued. Perry, who wrote, produced, and directed the film, incredibly got all of Henson’s footage in a limited time frame. “It’s a great team that we all know what to do,” the Oscar-nominated explained. “Taraji only had four days, so we figured it out in those four days.” In previous films, Henson worked with Perry on  Acrimony (2018),  I Can Do Bad All By Myself (2009), and The Family That Preys (2008). For this project, Henson said it was “a no-brainer”  to work with Perry again, although she had a tight schedule.   “He continues to challenge me and himself every time he sends me a script,” Henson said. “He ups the ante every time. And I appreciate that because he knows I love a good challenge.” Henson also said she loves to play roles that “scare the hell out of me,” and her character of Janiyah fit the bill. “Janiyah did scare me a lot…,” she admits. “I was drawn to this character because I love giving a voice to the voiceless. I want anybody out there who identifies with Janiyah to know that they’re not alone, and you are seeing and I see you.” The film also stars Teyana Taylor, Sherri Shepherd, Glynn Turman, Sinbad, and Rockmond Dunbar. Tyler Perry’s Straw premieres on Netflix on June 6.

Eddy Garcia took the stand on the 15th day of testimony in Diddy’s federal racketeering and sex trafficking trial in New York City. At the time, Garcia supervised security at the InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Los Angeles, where Cassie’s assault video was filmed. In mid-March 2016, someone alerted Garcia about an incident involving Diddy. He reviewed the security footage, recognized the music mogul, and later learned Cassie Ventura was the other person involved. Garcia confirmed that the police were never called because Cassie decided not to involve law enforcement. Shortly after, Garcia received a phone call from Kristina Khorram, Diddy’s chief of staff. She asked about the assault video and said Diddy was intoxicated during the incident and didn’t remember what happened. According to TMZ, the judge barred this statement after the defense objected. Garcia advised Khorram to take the matter up with hotel management. Later, she showed up at the hotel asking for the footage. Garcia stood firm, saying she would need a subpoena or approval from management. Privately, he warned her the video contained disturbing material. Garcia said Khorram later called back and connected him with Diddy, who nervously demanded the video and implied he could “take care” of Garcia to get it. After speaking with his supervisor, Bill Medrano, Garcia learned Medrano was willing to retrieve the footage for $50,000. Diddy arranged a meeting in West Los Angeles to collect the video on a USB drive, ensuring no copies existed online. During a FaceTime call, Cassie expressed her desire to keep the assault video private due to an upcoming movie. Diddy asked for identification from Garcia and other security officers to secure the deal. Garcia explained that they prepared NDAs carrying a $1 million penalty. He witnessed Diddy counting $100,000 in cash, which included bribes for Garcia and another officer. Garcia used some of the money to buy a used car. Years later, Garcia saw the video publicly and deleted all related messages, admitting he initially lied to investigators to avoid involvement.