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This Week in R&B / Hip-Hop (Aug 11, 2026)

August 11, 2026 ・ Previous issue (Jul 31)

Photo: State of California DMV / Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

This was a courtroom-heavy week. The 2Pac murder trial finally opened in Las Vegas as jury selection got underway. Roc Nation quickly shut down a report that JAY-Z's album was finished, and Megan Thee Stallion teased a new project, "ACT III." NBA YoungBoy said he's stepping away from music for health reasons, and Kanye West (now going by "Ye") drew unexpected headlines with his tour. Here are the week's 10 biggest stories, ranked by our own editorial judgment.

🎤 This Week in R&B / Hip-Hop

2Pac murder trial opens as jury selection begins

The trial of Duane "Keffe D" Davis, 63, opened Monday, August 10, in Las Vegas, with jury selection now underway. It's the first murder prosecution ever brought in 2Pac's 1996 killing, and roughly 75 prospective jurors were summoned. Selection could take several days; the trial itself is expected to run about a month. Davis has pleaded not guilty to murder with a deadly weapon.

Prosecutors don't claim Davis pulled the trigger. They describe him as the man who organized and gave the order for the attack. Hours earlier, Davis' nephew Orlando Anderson had been beaten by 2Pac and members of the Death Row Records entourage inside the MGM Grand on September 7, 1996. In apparent retaliation, a white Cadillac pulled alongside the BMW driven by Suge Knight and someone inside opened fire on 2Pac, who was in the passenger seat. He was struck four times and died six days later at 25. Knight was wounded but survived. Prosecutors say Davis was riding in the Cadillac.

The case hinges largely on Davis' own words. Authorities long considered him a suspect but said they lacked the evidence to charge him — until Davis started talking. In his 2019 memoir "Compton Street Legend" and in interviews, he placed himself in the Cadillac's front passenger seat and described handing a gun to the men in the back. The defense argued that a detailed 2008 police interview should be excluded because it was given under a cooperation deal, but Judge Carli Kierny ruled in July that prosecutors can play the recording for jurors. Under Nevada law, someone who knowingly joins a murder plot can be convicted even if another person fired the shots. If convicted, Davis faces life without parole.

Photo: Nick Leisure / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Suge Knight, who was seated right next to 2Pac, is refusing to testify. In an interview with ABC he said forcing him to the stand "don't look good" for whoever calls him, adding, "Leave me out of it." To point someone out from the witness stand, he said, is "worse than taking a gun and shooting that man in the head" — because a snitch, in his words, makes the person "die a million times." He also insisted his "loyalty to 2Pac can never be compromised," and said Keffe D "already told on himself" through his statements and memoir. Prosecutors have listed Knight as a possible witness, but whether he takes the stand is unclear.

Source: HotNewHipHop / HotNewHipHop

Roc Nation denies a report that JAY-Z's album is done

Photo: Joella Marano / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Over the weekend, industry figure Ray Daniels claimed JAY-Z's next album is finished, and that Hov is sitting on it while he looks for a partnership — without which, Daniels said, it won't come out. Roc Nation quickly pushed back, calling the report "fake news" in an Instagram story. JAY-Z has been running his "Reasonable Doubt" 30th-anniversary shows, his most visible stretch since "4:44," with dates still to come in France, England and Los Angeles. Then again, "4:44" was a complete surprise before it landed, so it's not impossible the denial is misdirection.

Source: HotNewHipHop

Megan Thee Stallion teases new project "ACT III"

Photo: jack (Vimeo) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

After a quiet stretch on the music front, Megan Thee Stallion posted images on X and Instagram reading "ACT III" and "I'M BACK," signaling that new music is on the way. It follows "MEGAN" and "ACT II." There's no release date or lead single yet, so fans will have to wait for more. It comes after a rough run for Megan — the fallout from the Tory Lanez case, ongoing court battles, and her public split from Klay Thompson — which only sharpens the anticipation for a comeback record.

Source: HotNewHipHop

Kanye West (Ye)'s two Tampa shows bring in $3.44M

Photo: David Shankbone / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

Kanye West (who now performs as "Ye") played two shows at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa that brought about $3.44 million to the Tampa Sports Authority — well past the roughly $2 million it had expected from the pair. The shows drew 63,200 people the first night and 56,000 the second. Ahead of the dates, Florida Senator Rick Scott had objected loudly, pointing to Ye's past praise of Hitler. The shows still went on because Ye had written a clause into his contract barring cancellation "based upon artist identity, prior or past public statements, public perception, political viewpoints, or the anticipated or actual content of the performance." He has tried to apologize, but plenty of fans don't feel he's earned it back.

Source: HotNewHipHop

NBA YoungBoy says he's stepping back from music over heart trouble

Photo: Million Dollaz Worth Of Game / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

NBA YoungBoy, one of the most prolific artists in the game, says he's stepping away from music for health reasons. In an upcoming Funny Marco interview ("Open Thoughts," out Tuesday, August 11), he was asked how many albums he has left and replied, "Music is not something I'm focused on. The doctor told me the left side of my heart was swollen." He turns 27 later this year. His 2026 output has already slowed — he dropped "ML2" in June and "Slime Cry" a few months earlier. He likely has a vault of unreleased material, but whether any of it surfaces during this stretch is up to him.

Source: HotNewHipHop

Tyler, The Creator throws a $5 dance party in Atlanta

Photo: Raph_PH / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

On Monday, August 10, Tyler, The Creator threw a $5 "DON'T TAP THE GLASS" dance party at Enspire Mercantile in Atlanta. It grew out of a promise: a year earlier, a fan asked him to bring one of the gatherings closer to Atlanta, and on August 10, 2025 he replied, "You have my word." The 1,500-capacity venue sold out. He also revived the old rule — "Don't come if you aren't going to dance." Last July's "DON'T TAP THE GLASS" album came from Tyler noticing that friends had stopped dancing in public for fear of being filmed, and the party is an extension of that same idea.

Source: HotNewHipHop

Pooh Shiesty drops "Last Man Breathin," announces album "All Eyes On Shiest"

Photo: Million Dollaz Worth Of Game / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

Pooh Shiesty, still behind bars and awaiting trial, released a new single, "Last Man Breathin," on August 5 — a steady-flowing, high-energy track. It's part of his newly announced album, "All Eyes On Shiest," revealed the same day, with more singles likely to follow.

Source: HotNewHipHop

Kodak Black turns himself in as surrender video surfaces

Photo: Million Dollaz Worth Of Game / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

A roughly 15-minute video showing Kodak Black turning himself in to police has surfaced, capturing him stepping out of an SUV, getting patted down and being cuffed. The surrender relates to a May charge — fleeing and eluding officers — that stems from a February 27 incident. His attorney, Bradford Cohen, argues Kodak is being repeatedly targeted, describing a pattern of "weak" arrests followed by more charges after months-long "investigations." Separately, Kodak has pleaded not guilty in a drug case involving MDMA allegedly found in his car.

Source: HotNewHipHop

Drake's "20v1" stream sparks debate

Photo: The Come Up Show / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Drake's "20v1" dating-show stream on Kick (a live-streaming platform popular for gaming) drew mixed reactions over the weekend. Wayno, the former "Everyday Struggle" host, called it "disappointing" and "corny" in a video — and Drake's fans promptly pushed back at him. Drake himself seems unbothered, and since the streams are tied to his deal with the betting service Stake, he's unlikely to stop anytime soon.

Source: HotNewHipHop

Chrisean Rock and Blueface appear to reconcile

Photo: Bhriss / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

The on-again, off-again pair Chrisean Rock and Blueface seem to be back together. Chrisean Rock professed her love for Blueface, and the two look to have reconciled. Whatever the truth, their relationship is once again lighting up social media.

Source: HotNewHipHop

Each news item is summarized by our editors based on the linked sources. Photos are CC-licensed images from Wikimedia Commons (credited per image); we do not repost album covers or press photos. The running order reflects our editorial judgment based on breadth of coverage, hard numbers, artist scale and recency. Items involving active litigation reflect the parties' allegations and are not findings of fact. Release dates and case statuses are current as of publication (August 11, 2026); please check the official sites and original sources for the latest.