News › Sep 29, 2026

This Week in R&B / Hip-Hop: News Roundup (Sep 29, 2026)

September 29, 2026 ・ Previous roundup (Sep 23)

Photo: Runawaymo / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The biggest stage this week was Sunday's MTV VMAs, where Cardi B and Kehlani's "Safe" took Best Hip-Hop over Drake and Travis Scott. The same night, Drake popped up unannounced at Karol G's Houston show. On streaming, Jay-Z and Rick Rubin's conversation series "JAŸ-Z In 8" hit its halfway point and split opinion, and Friday's releases put Tinashe on track for her best opening week yet. 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

Cardi B and Kehlani's "Safe" wins Best Hip-Hop at the VMAs over Drake and Travis Scott

Photo: Runawaymo / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

At the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles on Sept. 27, Cardi B's "Safe" featuring Kehlani won Best Hip-Hop. It beat a strong field: Drake's "Janice STFU," Travis Scott's "DUMBO," Tyler, the Creator's "SUGAR ON MY TONGUE," Megan Thee Stallion's "LOVER GIRL" and Don Toliver's "E85."

Snoop Dogg hosted the show, which aired live on CBS, MTV and Paramount+. Pop owned most of the night — Madonna took a leading seven awards and Taylor Swift won Video of the Year for a sixth time — so hip-hop didn't collect many trophies. Cardi B still walked away with the genre's headline category.

Source: HotNewHipHop / Billboard

Jay-Z's "JAŸ-Z In 8" reaches its halfway point — and Rick Rubin's interviewing divides viewers

Photo: NYS Senate Media Services / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

"JAŸ-Z In 8" on HBO is an eight-episode docuseries built around a one-on-one conversation between Jay-Z and producer Rick Rubin. Episodes 1 and 2 premiered Sept. 18, with two more every Friday; episodes 3 and 4 arrived Sept. 25, putting the series at the halfway mark. It walks through his life and songwriting in his own words.

Reaction is split. Charlamagne Tha God said on his show that Rubin's questions were weak and failed to draw much out of Jay-Z, and plenty of social media agreed. Meanwhile, Complex reported ahead of time that episode 6 (due Oct. 2) has Jay-Z calling Kanye West (Ye) one of the most brilliant creatives we'll ever see, and breaking down his verse on Ye's "Jail." Off-screen, REFORM Alliance, the criminal-justice reform group Jay-Z co-founded, announced a free 10-week program in Pennsylvania preparing 70 young adults on probation or parole for union building-trades apprenticeships.

Source: HotNewHipHop / Variety / HotNewHipHop (episode 6 preview) / HotNewHipHop (REFORM)

Drake surprises at Karol G's Houston show, performing "Ahí" live for the first time

Photo: Junta de Andalucía / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

On Sept. 27, Drake made an unannounced appearance at Colombian star Karol G's stadium show in Houston. He rose up from under the stage, bowed to her, and the two performed their collaboration "Ahí" (from her album "No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto") live together for the first time.

Drake stayed on to run through his own "Janice STFU" and "One Dance." Houston has long been a second home for him, and on the same night he missed out at the VMAs, he made his presence felt on stage instead.

Source: Billboard / HotNewHipHop

Tinashe's "Popstar" arrives, projected for her biggest opening week

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

Tinashe released her new album "Popstar" on Sept. 25. Early chart projections put her first week at around 20,000 units (streams and sales converted into album equivalents), which would be the biggest opening of her career. The official placement will come on the Billboard 200 dated Oct. 10.

The same Friday brought Leon Bridges' "Happiness Anytime," Tank's "Experience" and DDG's "HIT-A-THON." HotNewHipHop noted that this stretch of the year, as the Grammy eligibility window closes, tends to be light on major albums — and this was a quiet, singles-heavy Friday.

Source: Ratings Game Music / HotNewHipHop

Tee Grizzley drops "They Forgot"

Photo: HOTSPOTATL / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

Detroit rapper Tee Grizzley also released a new album on Sept. 25: "They Forgot" (300 Entertainment, 16 tracks). The artist best known for his 2016 breakout "First Day Out" uses the title as a reminder of where he stands.

With few big-name releases this week, solid projects like this one had more room to get noticed. Its chart result, like Tinashe's, lands with the Oct. 10 chart.

Source: iHeart

Chicago unveils "Dr. Donda West Way," with Kanye West in attendance

Photo: David Shankbone / Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

On Sept. 22, part of 78th Street in Chicago was renamed "Dr. Donda West Way" after Kanye West's (Ye's) mother. Donda West was an English professor and educator who died in 2007; Ye's album "Donda" is named after her.

Ye attended the unveiling in sunglasses, applauding alongside community leaders, and then visited his childhood home. Drake liking a video of the ceremony also got attention — a small sign that the once-feuding pair are on calmer terms.

Source: HotNewHipHop / HotNewHipHop (Drake's reaction)

Meek Mill officially posts two leaked songs — "Am I Wrong" gets a rough reception

Photo: AlfredGoodach / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

After two new songs leaked over the weekend, Meek Mill acknowledged the leaks and posted both as music videos on YouTube on the evening of Sept. 27: "Philly Heathens" and "Am I Wrong."

Reactions split cleanly. "Philly Heathens," about street violence and young people in his hometown, drew praise for its lyrics. "Am I Wrong," which interpolates (re-uses the melody and lyrics of) Nico & Vinz's 2014 hit of the same name, drew criticism mostly aimed at Meek's sung hook, though some fans enjoyed it as a blog-era throwback. With his back-and-forth with DJ Akademiks (covered last issue) still simmering, this at least pulled the conversation back to music.

Source: HotNewHipHop

Rod Wave hints at a stadium tour with NBA YoungBoy

Photo: Michealjordan45 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Early on Sept. 27, Rod Wave replied on X to a post wishing for a joint tour with NBA YoungBoy, saying he'd told YB they're "going stadium." Both have huge, devoted fan bases, and fans have wanted a joint run for a while.

Nothing is official yet. YoungBoy is reported to be living outside the U.S. for now, so logistics would need to be worked out. Rod Wave is currently on his "Don't Look Down" tour.

Source: HotNewHipHop

Lil Uzi Vert teases the next album as "one of the best"

Photo: Icebox / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

Lil Uzi Vert posted gym photos to an alternate Instagram account and promised the next album will rank among their best work. It would follow this year's "Maverick 'Almost Forever'" EP with a full-length.

No title or release date has been announced. Some outlets guess "Maverick" could end up as the album name, but that's speculation for now.

Source: HotNewHipHop

Quavo responds to the AI "Hotel Lobby" parody trend; his album lands Oct. 2

Photo: Tripsdubs / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

AI-edited versions of Quavo and Takeoff's 2022 COLORS performance of "Hotel Lobby," with other celebrities swapped in, have gone viral. Quavo responded on X with a gentle reminder that he and Takeoff are the originals. Takeoff died in November 2022, not long after the song came out, which makes the footage especially meaningful to fans.

Quavo's own new album, "QRÖMELIFE" (14 tracks, executive-produced by Pharrell), is due Oct. 2.

Source: HotNewHipHop / Rolling Stone

Update: Lil Durk's Oct. 5 trial reportedly postponed; bond hearing set for Nov. 4

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

Last issue we listed Lil Durk's other federal trial (racketeering-related murder and firearms charges) for Oct. 5. Several outlets now report it has been postponed. The judge, at the defense's request, set a bond review hearing for Nov. 4. No new trial date has been given.

Durk was acquitted on all counts in the separate murder-for-hire case on Sept. 11 but has remained in custody since October 2024. Note that Complex, reading the same scheduling order, says the trial is still set for Oct. 5, so reports conflict. We'll update when it's confirmed.

Source: HotNewHipHop / Complex

Coming up: October's release run, plus court and streaming dates

Oct. 2 is the first big release day, with Victoria Monét's "Frequency of Love" and Quavo's "QRÖMELIFE"; Lalah Hathaway's "Made In Chicago" lands the day before, Oct. 1. Joyce Wrice's "Machiko" follows Oct. 9, and Oct. 23 brings John Legend's "Muse" (produced entirely by Pharrell) and Anderson .Paak and Cordae's joint album "Heavy Is the Crown."

On streaming, "JAŸ-Z In 8" episodes 5–6 arrive Oct. 2 and the final episodes 7–8 on Oct. 9. In court, sentencing for Keffe D (Duane Davis), convicted in the killing of 2Pac, is scheduled for Oct. 13. Fans are also waiting on the halftime lineup for the February 2027 Super Bowl, though no announcement date has been set.

Source: Billboard / Rated R&B / Universal Music Canada / The Source / NBC News

Each news item is a summary by the editorial team based on the original reporting. Photos are CC-licensed or public-domain images from Wikimedia Commons (credited per photo); album covers and press photos are not reproduced. Ordering reflects the editorial team's judgment on reach of coverage, hard numbers, scale, and how central a story is to this week. For pending matters, statements are the claims of the parties involved and not established facts. Release dates, chart data and case statuses are current as of the time of writing (September 29, 2026); check official sites and sources for the latest.