Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, announced the establishment of the Berry Gordy Music Industry Scholarship at The Herb Alpert School of Music. In partnership with The UCLA Foundation, UMG has endowed a new scholarship, which will support high-potential students studying in the school's Music Industry Program.
Wind Creek Casino & Hotel, located in the Chicago Southland, is calling all vocalists to the stage with Sing Your Way to $100K, a live, multi-phase singing competition offering a $100,000 cash grand prize and more than $165,000 in total cash rewards. Pre-registration is open now, and interested contestants are encouraged to sign up now at singyourwaychicago.com to secure their spot. The competition kicks off this month with in-person and video auditions and culminates in a high-energy finale on Saturday, August 23, 2025.
This summer, Chicago will experience a powerful celebration of culture, creativity, and community healing as the IBUKUN Hip Hop Art & Culture Fest takes over the Zhou B Art Center (1029 W. 35th Street, Chicago) on Saturday, July 26, 2025 from 3:00pm - 8:00pm. The event is hosted by Ibukun Comprehensive Community Services and is more than a cultural event, this all-day festival is also a fundraiser dedicated to supporting mental health services for disadvantaged youth, families, and underserved communities across the city.
ALL ARTS the streaming platform and TV channel dedicated to the arts, will premiere The Darkroom MCs, a five-part documentary series created, directed, produced and co-hosted by photographers Russell Frederick and Anderson Zaca. Episodes will debut Wednesdays through July 16 on the ALL ARTS website, YouTube channel and free streaming app. Broadcast airdates will be announced at a later date.
The highly anticipated The Boy Is Mine Tour was officially announced on CBS Mornings by Brandy and Monica. The iconic GRAMMY Award-winning artists will embark on their first-ever co-headlining run this fall. Produced by Black Promoters Collective, the 24-city arena tour kicks off October 16 and travels across the U.S. through December 7. It also marks a historic moment more than 25 years in the making, building on the legacy of their 1998 game-changing duet "The Boy Is Mine," which spent a record-shattering 13 consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a defining cultural touchstone of late '90s R&B. The song also placed them in an elite group of artists — including Whitney Houston (14 weeks with "I Will Always Love You") and Mariah Carey (16 weeks with "One Sweet Day") — who have commanded the Hot 100's top spot for 13 weeks or more.
BET Media Group, the largest media company dedicated to championing Black culture, and SpringHill, the award-winning studio within Fulwell Entertainment, proudly announce 106 & Sports—a bold new weekly series where the biggest stories in sports meet culture, fashion, and real conversation. Officially unveiled live on stage during the 106 & Park 25thAnniversary celebration during the "BET Awards," the show will be hosted by NFL MVP and media personality Cam Newton and CBS Sports Analyst/Host/Reporter Ashley Nicole Moss.
On the evening of June 4, Sun Records and the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) came together to celebrate the music and legacy of Linda Martell—on her 84th birthday and in honor of Black Music Month and the 55th anniversary of her groundbreaking album Color Me Country.
At a landmark moment in The Apollo Theater's nearly century-long history, Kwanza Jones, nine-time Billboard-charting music artist, impact investor, and philanthropist, took the stage at the 2025 Apollo Spring Benefit to introduce the first-ever Innovator Award and its honoree, fellow multi-hyphenate Teyana Taylor.
Princess Cruises has announced the addition of Academy Award-nominated actor and entrepreneur Taraji P. Henson's beloved Moscato, Seven Daughters, to its Love Lines Premium Liquors Collection. Known for its vibrant, lightly sweet flavor, Seven Daughters is designed to elevate the onboard beverage experience with its tropical fruit and honeysuckle notes.
Three-time Anthem Award-winning activist, writer, and Reiki Master Lisa Hurley announces the release of her début book, Space To Exhale, a powerful and poetic ode to rest as the foundation of radical self-love for Black women. Timed intentionally, the book will launch on June 17, 2025, to align with celebrating Juneteenth, Caribbean-American Heritage Month, and the second anniversary of The Great Exhale, the wellness community founded by Hurley that centers Black women's healing, joy, and rest.
Vision Films, Inc. ("Vision") has announced the Transactional VOD release of the Black relationship drama A Season for Love from writer and director Terrance McLeod on June 3, across North America. The film will also have a day and date release in the UK. Filmed in and around Charlotte, NC, the feature was produced by Trey Daughtrey and executive produced by Robert Salone Jr. and McLeod.
Divorce can be one of life's most isolating experiences, especially for Black and brown women who often lack access to culturally relevant resources and support. That's why Livd, a multi-platform community, is stepping up to change the narrative. With the launch of its new website and online community, Livd has become a one-stop shop, offering a robust resource hub featuring vetted lawyers, mediators, mental health practitioners, fitness experts, books, helpful apps and more—all designed to empower women as they navigate separation and rebuild their lives with confidence.
TIME revealed the 2025 TIME100, its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. The issue has five worldwide covers, each highlighting a member of the TIME100: actor and producer Demi Moore, artist and entrepreneur Snoop Dogg, former tennis player and entrepreneur Serena Williams, singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, and co-founder and CEO of Google DeepMind Demis Hassabis.
Marvin Sapp was recently in the news over a misinterpretation of his words while he was taking up offering at the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World 2024 National Convocation. Sapp was vilified on the internet and received threatening messages at his church from people who were angry over a video clip that showed him telling the ushers to “close the doors.”
Miami Dolphins star linebacker Jaelan Phillips, a former University of Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman and University of Miami alumnus, and a music producer at heart, today surprised students at the Frost School of Music when he walked into their recording session and then personally mentored them in music production and engineering. As part of The Jaelan Phillips Foundation's new partnership with the Donna E. Shalala MusicReach Program, Phillips is helping high school students record and produce music - just as he once did while pursuing his own passion for music at the Frost School.