Music News

New Music Fridays 2026: J. Cole Releases ‘The Fall-Off’, Ella Mai & Lecrae Drop, Vol. 2 It’s the first weekend of Black History Month, and several artists are returning to music with new drops this Friday, Feb. 6. From rap, R&B and contemporary gospel, there is a little bit of everything for people this week […]

Rap mogul J. Cole has revealed the tracklist for his double album The Fall-Off, set to release this Friday, Feb. 6. The rapper said that he has intentions for this album to be his last. The double album features 24 songs in total, with eleven tracks plus one bonus track on each album. The two […]

Raleigh R&B fans have something big to look forward to this summer. GRAMMY-nominated singer Ari Lennox is hitting the road in 2026, and the Triangle is officially on the list. The soulful powerhouse will bring her highly anticipated North American tour to The Ritz on Wednesday, June 3, giving local fans a chance to experience […]

Ahead of the release of his new album, The Fall-Off next week, rapper J. Cole dropped a surprise EP of freestyles hosted by DJ Clue to celebrate his 41st birthday on Jan. 28. Birthday Blizzard ’26 is for sale for $1 or on a pay-what-you-want basis on his website. Among the freestyle tracks is one […]

Ne-Yo and Akon announce co-headlining 'Nights Like This' global tour, bringing early 2000s R&B/hip-hop nostalgia to Raleigh in July.

New Music Fridays 2026: Ari Lennox, IDK, Flo Milli & T.I. Drop, Vol. 1 As many of us on the East Coast prepare for a wintry mix over the weekend, several artists have dropped highly-anticipated releases this week that will keep us a little busy while we’re stuck in the house during the storm. Starting […]

Clipse and Pharrell are bringing Let God Sort Em Out to the Grammy stage. Clipse, the brother rap duo from Virginia Beach, has five nominations for their highly acclaimed comeback album, including album of the year and best rap album. Joining the rap duo on the Grammy stage is award-winning producer Pharrell Williams, who produced […]

Nearly 25 years after her untimely death in a plane crash at the age of 22, Aaliyah is still considered a major songstress in R&B with an unwavering influence on pop and music culture. When people reminisce about the late singer, the conversation often centers around her songs that have influenced a generation, from “Try […]

Hip-hop mogul J. Cole’s long-awaited album, The Fall-Off, is set to release in early February. On Wednesday, the Dreamville founder and NC native shared a cinematic teaser video of his highly anticipated release on Feb. 6. “Everything is supposed to go away eventually,” a voice says over shots of J. Cole throughout the video. “You […]

R. Kelly remains one of the most polarizing figures in music, and a recent prison recording has reignited debate about whether his career should ever be revisited. Despite years of public backlash and widespread criticism surrounding his criminal convictions, a small group of supporters are once again pushing for a musical comeback. According to HotNewHipHop, […]

2025 gave us several iconic, memorable moments in music. It marked several musical returns, like the highly anticipated Clipse reunion, a Cardi B comeback, and even legendary songstress Mariah Carey ended her sabbatical with her first album in seven years. As we get well into 2026, there are several artists that we hope to bless […]

1996 was a pivotal year for rap. Hip-hop had already cemented itself in culture, shifting the sound within regions, be it East Coast, West Coast, or Southern rap. The genre was experimental with its sound, adding unique layers of soul blends, funk and deep and harsh storytelling. And from any region, hip-hop was everywhere and […]