This Week in R&B / Hip-Hop: News Roundup (Sep 5, 2026)

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

This week a case that went unsolved for nearly three decades finally reached a verdict, while New Music Friday delivered a run of big names. As we noted last issue, the Las Vegas 2Pac murder trial ended Monday with a first-degree murder conviction for Keffe D. Then Friday, September 4 brought Beyoncé's 20th anniversary deluxe of B'Day (released on her birthday), French Montana with Max B, a Travis Scott feature on Nemzzz's "Gass," and a new Wiz Khalifa single — and Drake set a date to finally reveal his mysterious "FOMO" project. Here are 11 stories, ranked by our own editorial judgment — reach of coverage, hard numbers, scale, and how central they are to this week.

🎤 This week in hip-hop and R&B

2Pac murder trial: jury convicts Duane "Keffe D" Davis of first-degree murder

Photo: Nick Leisure / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0). Suge Knight, seated beside 2Pac that night, declined to testify.

As we noted last issue, closing arguments were set for Monday — and on August 31 the jury returned its verdict, convicting Duane "Keffe D" Davis, 63, of first-degree murder (with the added factors of a deadly weapon and gang involvement). Shakur was stopped at a red light in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996, when a white Cadillac pulled up and shots were fired. It took the jury only about three hours to reach a guilty verdict, and Davis faces a possible life sentence.

Prosecutors never alleged Davis pulled the trigger; their case was that he planned the attack and directed it. Under Nevada law, taking part in a killing plot can bring a murder conviction even if someone else fired. Suge Knight (pictured), who was seated next to 2Pac that night, refused to testify to the end and never took the stand. Davis raised a fist as he left the courtroom and asked for an appeal, signaling that the decades-long case may not be fully over even with a verdict in hand.

Source: CNN / NPR

Beyoncé drops a 20th-anniversary deluxe of B'Day on her birthday, with a posthumous Selena duet

Photo: Raph_PH / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

On September 4 — her 45th birthday — Beyoncé released a 20th-anniversary deluxe edition of her 2006 album B'Day. The set balloons to 27 tracks with B-sides, Spanish-language versions and a 60-page commemorative booklet; the digital version reportedly expands to 31 tracks with previously unreleased material and remixes. The songs and videos were remastered, with the visuals recolored and finished in 4K.

One highlight is "Irreemplazable (Como La Flor)," which pairs Beyoncé's Spanish version of "Irreplaceable" with the late Selena Quintanilla's "Como La Flor" — a posthumous duet made with the permission of Selena's estate. There's also a new song, "Morning Dew (DONK)," written by Beyoncé with Pharrell Williams, The-Dream and Darius Dixon. Reworking a two-decade-old classic rather than simply reissuing it made this the week's biggest release.

Source: Billboard / Variety

Lil Durk's federal trial: prosecution case winding down in Los Angeles

Photo: JD Sports / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

The trial of Lil Durk (Durk Banks, 33), which began August 20, continued this week, with prosecutors in Los Angeles entering the most consequential stretch of their case and leaning on testimony from people who once operated inside the rapper's orbit. The charge is a murder-for-hire scheme — hiring someone to carry out a killing. Prosecutors say Durk used "coded language" to hire a crew that carried out a shooting in Los Angeles in August 2022.

The intended target was rapper Quando Rondo, but the shots killed his cousin, Saviay'a "Lul Pab" Robinson. On trial alongside Durk are five associates from his Only the Family (OTF) label. Durk has pleaded not guilty and faces a possible life sentence, and whether his lyrics can be used as evidence remains in play. No verdict has been reached yet.

Source: The Source / Los Angeles Magazine

Diddy's release date moves up again as his sentence appeal continues

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

Sean "Diddy" Combs' projected release date moved up again on September 3, reportedly to February 5, 2028, from the federal facility in Fort Dix, New Jersey — about two weeks earlier than the February 20 date cited a month ago. Combs was convicted at his 2025 federal trial on two counts of transporting people for prostitution across state lines, and acquitted of the more serious racketeering (RICO) and sex-trafficking charges. His sentence is four years and two months.

He was also reportedly involved in a fight with another inmate and spent a short time in solitary confinement. His legal team is challenging the sentence; appeals judges heard about two hours of arguments but did not rule, calling it an "exceptionally difficult" decision. These are ongoing matters, not settled facts.

Source: TMZ / AOL / AP

Drake sets a September 15 livestream for his mysterious "FOMO"

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

Drake announced a "FOMO" livestream on YouTube for 9 p.m. ET on September 15. FOMO stands for "Fear of Missing Out." The tease started in mid-August with a family photo dump captioned "FOMO 2026," followed by a shot of a CD case reading "Fear of Missing Out" — all without revealing what the project actually is.

Fans are split on whether it's an album, a tour, or a visual project. He only just released Iceman in May 2026, but many now suspect a new album could be coming. Whatever it turns out to be, it's one of the year's most effective mystery campaigns, and the answer is expected during the September 15 stream.

Source: HotNewHipHop / Rolling Stone AU

French Montana and Max B return with the disco-leaning Night To Remember

Photo: MILLION DOLLAZ WORTH OF GAME / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

New York's French Montana released Night To Remember, made with Max B, on September 4 via Coke Boys. It's billed as a disco-inspired record that folds dance textures into hip-hop, following the lead single "Cheat Code," which reunited the two. Max B lost years to a long prison term, but recent stretches have brought a steady run of collaborations between the pair.

Rather than chasing the charts, the album leans on a distinctly New York feel and the duo's chemistry, with a light, end-of-summer touch throughout.

Source: BroadwayWorld / Apple Music

Nemzzz drops LOCKED IN, with a talked-about Travis Scott feature on "Gass"

Photo: Frank Schwichtenberg / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Guest feature Travis Scott.

UK rapper Nemzzz released his album LOCKED IN on September 4, and the track drawing the most attention is "Gass," featuring Travis Scott. It's a UK-meets-US pairing built on heavy bass, crisp drums and a dark, atmospheric beat, with the two artists' contrasting deliveries playing off each other.

Travis Scott also hinted on the song that he's "dropping soon," and many are calling it one of his stronger guest verses in a while. It's a clear example of a new UK generation reaching a global audience by teaming with American stars.

Source: HotNewHipHop

Wiz Khalifa releases "Yiccen" and teases a Cool Azz Summer EP

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

Wiz Khalifa released a new single, "Yiccen," on September 2. Recorded in his hometown of Pittsburgh and produced by longtime collaborators Sledgren and Bardex, the track sits over a Memphis-style beat with a screwed sample (a tape-slowed, pitched-down effect) and Wiz rapping in his usual relaxed mode over darker sounds. It was featured on Apple Music's New Music Daily with Zane Lowe.

He also announced an upcoming EP, Cool Azz Summer. Wiz has been prolific this year — with Khaotic, the Drop Tops series with Curren$y, and a joint tape with Machine Gun Kelly — and this single caps that momentum as summer winds down.

Source: The Music Universe / That Eric Alper

Rakim, Kurupt and Masta Killa's The Godbody LP unites East and West Coast legends

Photo: Flowizm / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Rakim, a founding-era legend, teamed with the West Coast's Kurupt and Wu-Tang Clan's Masta Killa to release a new single and video, "DPG Wu-Tang, Wu-Tang DPG," on August 31 from their joint The Godbody LP. The album itself arrives September 18, with all 15 tracks produced by Rakim and Nick Wiz. Guests include Snoop Dogg, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, KRS-One and Kool G Rap, and Eminem and Jay-Z are reportedly on an interlude.

The project is said to be inspired by the late 2Pac's "One Nation" idea of uniting the coasts. It's a striking coincidence that a record built around 2Pac's vision is rolling out the very week his murder case reached a verdict, our top story above.

Source: DubCNN / The Source

Pusha T says a Pharrell-produced solo album is done, with a new Clipse album in the works

Photo: James Willamor / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

On September 3, Pusha T told The Breakfast Club that his next solo album is already finished. Asked about the producer, he reportedly answered, "Pharrell. Only Pharrell." He also said Clipse — his group with brother No Malice — is working on a new album, and left the door open to a possible No Malice solo record.

Clipse only just delivered Let God Sort Em Out in 2025, their first proper full-length together since 2009. That the follow-up is once again moving with Pharrell handling production is welcome news for longtime fans. No release date yet, but there's plenty to look forward to.

Source: HipHop-N-More / The Source

Nicki Minaj named a judge for a small-business pitch competition, with a Sep 18 D.C. finale

Photo: Pure DOPE Magazine / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

Nicki Minaj was named to the judging panel of the U.S. Small Business Administration's "Million Dollar Pitch Competition." An August 31 announcement listed her alongside investor Grant Cardone and Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, with actor Dean Cain hosting. The finale is set for September 18 in Washington, D.C., where five small businesses pitch for growth capital in an Apprentice-style format.

It's not a new-music story, but it drew wide coverage as a notable move by a major rapper. First place carries a $400,000 prize, followed by $250,000 and $150,000, and the five finalists reportedly come from fields like defense technology and metalworking. There's a political context here, so reactions have been mixed.

Source: Billboard / TheGrio

Looking ahead: Drake's "FOMO" stream and notable new releases

Next week's biggest question mark is Drake's "FOMO" livestream, set for September 15 (ET), which should finally reveal whether the project is an album, a tour, or something else. On the release side, Rakim, Kurupt and Masta Killa's The Godbody LP arrives September 18 — the same day as the D.C. finale of the pitch competition Nicki Minaj is judging.

After a week dominated by courtroom news, the music side looks set to move back to the front. We'll round it all up in the next issue.

Source: HotNewHipHop

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