Author: Rap Hooks

CBS and the Recording Academy have announced separate upcoming Grammy Salute specials celebrating the music of Earth, Wind & Fire and Cyndi Lauper.

Both specials were filmed at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and run two hours; both will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+. Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, was among the executive producers of both specials.

In a clever touch, the salute to Earth, Wind & Fire will air on “the 21st night of September,” to borrow a line from one of their most famous hits, “September.”

A Grammy Salute to Earth, Wind & Fire Live: The 21st Night of September will air Sunday, Sept. 21 (8-10 p.m. ET/PT). The legendary band is joined by the LA Philharmonic, as well as Stevie Wonder, Jonas Brothers, Jon Batiste and Janelle Monáe. Ben Winston, Patrick Menton and Mason jr. are executive producers. Fulwell Entertainment and Grammy Studios are producing. Wonder was the subject of his own Grammy Salute special in 2015, Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life – An All-Star Grammy Salute.

A Grammy Salute to Cyndi Lauper: Live From The Hollywood Bowl will air two weeks later, on Sunday, Oct. 5 (8-10 p.m., ET/PT). The special celebrates Lauper’s music as she concludes her yearlong Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour. Special guests include Joni Mitchell, Cher, Angelique Kidjo, John Legend, SZA, Mickey Guyton, Trombone Shorty and Jake Wesley Rogers, with a video tribute from Brandi Carlile. Ken Ehrlich, Cyndi Lauper, Mason, Brian Burke and Lisa Barbaris are executive producers. Ken Ehrlich Productions and Grammy Studios are producing.

Earth, Wind & Fire and Lauper are both multiple Grammy winners (six for the band; two for Lauper). In addition to EWF’s six Grammys, the group’s mastermind, Maurice White, won a seventh award for his inventive arrangement of The Beatles’ “Got to Get You Into My Life.” EWF’s version of that classic made the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978. (White died in February 2016 at age 74.)

EWF and Lauper have both been voted into the Rock & Roll and Songwriters Halls of Fame. Lauper has also won a Primetime Emmy and a Tony.

Mark David Chapman, the man shot shot and killed music icon John Lennon, has been denied parole for a 14th time.

In an update to the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision’s digital records, it was revealed that Chapman appeared before a parole board on Aug. 27, where the convicted murderer was denied parole. Chapman will continue serving his 20 yea`r-to-life sentence at least until his next parole hearing, which is set to take place in Feb. 2027.

During a 2020 appeal for parole, Chapman expressed deep regret for shooting Lennon, telling officers that he deserved the death penalty for the “despicable” act he committed. ““I assassinated him … because he was very, very, very famous and that’s the only reason and I was very, very, very, very much seeking self-glory. Very selfish,” he said in a 2020 parole hearing. In 2022, Chapman reiterated his point, saying that he had a “selfish disregard for human life” in murdering Lennon.

John Lennon was famously shot by Chapman on Dec. 8, 1980, as the Beatles member was returning to his New York apartment building The Dakota, alongside his wife Yoko Ono. Chapman was arrested shortly after shooting Lennon, when he was found on 72nd Street reading a copy of J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye.

Meanwhile, fans of the Beatles are gearing up to listen to the re-release of the band’s iconic Anthology collection, which is due to be released this fall. The new collection, which will also feature a refurbish of the original Anthology book, will include a re-release of the original 1995 TV series on Disney+.

Beef isn’t on the menu for DJ Khaled. The We The Best mogul joined Joe & Jada for an episode on Thursday (Sept. 11), where he explained why he didn’t step in when Drake was feuding with Future and Rick Ross last year.

“I love Drake, I love [Rick] Ross, I love Future,” Khaled responded to Fat Joe’s questioning. “What it feel like I didn’t get in that energy. There’s two energies I’m not gonna get in: hate.”

Joe followed up: “How do you deal with hate, brother?” Khaled fired back as if it was a rhetorical question: “I don’t.”

Khaled continued: “And then when you speak about all those great legends you just talked about… Those are my brothers. You can’t question my friendship. How? Ain’t nobody like DJ motherf—ing Khaled. Joe, you know that.”

DJ Khaled chalked much of the feuding up to a “misunderstanding” and a lack of communication, but he ultimately would “love” to be the common thread between the parties and squash the beef.

“A lot of this sh– is a misunderstanding and a lot of not [communicating]. And that’s what it be about. When it comes down to DJ Khaled, I’m gonna be the one that tries to fix it,” he added. “I love my brothers and my brothers know that. I would love to squash it.”

Khaled has an extensive collaborative history with Drake, Future and Rick Ross, and it remains to be seen if any of the trio will make an appearance on his Aalam of God album.

Back in February, Drake seemed to play dumb when Khaled revealed he had a pair of Drizzy tracks slated to land on his album. “Must be Drake Bell,” the 6 God wrote on social media.

Khaled has kicked off his Aalam of God rollout with a pair of singles. The first being “Brother” featuring a clash from Post Malone and NBA Young Boy, and a dance hall-tinged track titled “You Remind Me,” which features a line-up of Bounty Killer, Buju Banton, Kaylan Arnold, Mavado, Rorystonelove and Vybz Kartel.

Watch the full clip below.

Dame Dash has responded to the news of 50 Cent and Cam’ron teaming up to develop and produce a television series based on the 2002 cult classic Paid in Full.

50 recently announced that he purchased the rights to the movie and has Cam attached as an executive producer. “I now have the rights to PAID IN FULL, im developing it into a premium Tv show,” he captioned on Instagram. “If you like God Father of Harlem your gonna love this. Cam set to Executive produce along side me, if you want in get at him I’m out of the country.”

After the news was announced, Dame took to his Instagram to congratulate Cam and wished them the best of luck. Well, sort of.

“Cam just made a post, major announcement,” Dash said in a video. “I wanna congratulate him for making 50 his new boss. So, congratulations, Cam, 50 is now your new boss and you’re proud of it. Congratulations, my n—a.”

Paid in Full was loosely based on teenage Harlem drug kingpins Azie “AZ” Faison, Rich Porter and Albert “Alpo” Martinez and was executive produced by Dash and starred Cam’ron as Rico. which was a character based on Alpo.

In fact, earlier this year, the Harlem rapper told a story about randomly running into Alpo before the former drug kingpin was killed in a road rage incident back in 2021 and said Martinez critiqued his portrayal in the movie. “I meant to tell you, man,” Alpo apparently said. “You did a great job in the movie, your movement was off a little bit. You wasn’t movin’ exactly how I move, but you did a good job.”

Nicky Jam and Beéle‘s “Hiekka” ascends 5-1 on Billboard’s Latin Rhythm Airplay chart dated Sept. 13. The track marks Nicky Jam’s return to the top spot after more than three years and gives Beéle his first No. 1 there.

“Heikka,” released May 2 on Nicky Jam/Virgin Music Latin, is Jam’s first Latin Rhythm Airplay entry under his new label, since signing a global deal with Virgin Music Group in February. The track also secures a first No. 1 since the partnership, adding to his tally of 14 prior chart-toppers achieved during his time with Sony Music Latin.

“Heikka” leaps from No. 5 to the top of the Latin Rhythm Airplay chart boosted by a 17% growth in audience impressions, to 7.2 million, earned in the United States, during the Aug. 28-Sept. 4 tracking week, according to Luminate. The favorite among Latin rhythmic radio stations, also marks a milestone for Virgin Music Latin with its first entry and No. 1 on the chart.

Nicky returns to the No. 1 spot on Latin Rhythm Airplay after a three-year hiatus, since “Ojos Tristes” led for one week in 2022. In between, he secured four top 10s (33 overall), including the No. 3-peaking “Toy a Mil” in 2023.

“Heikka” marks Beéle’s first No. 1 hit, following three previous top 10 Latin Rhythm Airplay entries, two of which charted in 2025: “Me Refe,” with Ovy on the Drums (peaked at No. 8 in April), and “La Plena (W Sound 05),” with W Sound and Ovy on the Drums (No. 9 high in July).

Elsewhere, “Heikka” takes Jam to a new high in over three years on the overall Latin Airplay chart, where it climbs 9-3. Beéle scores his highest since “Vagabundo,” with Sebastián Yatra and Manuel Turizo, landed at the summit for one week in 2023.

Beéle made headlines on Tuesday (Sept. 9) when a sexually explicit video appearing to include the Colombian singer and his ex Isabella Ladera leaked online. While Ladera accused her ex of leaking the video, Beéle’s lawyer released a statement to Billboard saying he “did not leak said material nor participate in its dissemination.”

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