Chris Brown received an honorary Ph.D. in Visual and Performing Arts from Harvest Christian University on May 23, 2026, joining a growing list of R&B and hip-hop icons including Busta Rhymes, T.I., and Tank who have been recognized by the Dallas-based institution.

This week in hip-hop and R&B: Drake drops three albums and Spotify issues a correction on his streaming records, Cardi B leads the 2026 BET Award nominations with six nods, Pooh Shiesty gets a July trial date in the Gucci Mane robbery case, and Wiz Khalifa lands on Romania's international wanted list. Here is every major story you need to know.

This week's best new hip-hop and R&B releases include 6LACK's soul-baring album Love Is the New Gangsta, JPEGMAFIA's 25-track EXPERIMENTAL RAP, the Lizzo and Sexyy Red collab "HOES," and the long-awaited French Montana and Max B reunion project. Here is everything worth streaming this New Music Friday.

Rob Base, the Harlem hip-hop legend behind the 1988 platinum classic "It Takes Two," passed away on May 22, 2026, at 59 after a private battle with cancer. HitsCulture honors his life, music, and lasting cultural impact.

The 2026 BET Awards Album of the Year race is one of the most unpredictable in years. From Cardi B's commercial dominance to Clipse's long-awaited return, here is a full breakdown of every nominee and who has the best shot at taking the crown on June 28.

Don Toliver, Baby Keem, DESTIN CONRAD, and GloRilla are defining hip-hop and R&B in 2026. Here's why you need to add them to your playlist before the algorithm catches up.

From a basement in East Point, Georgia to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, OutKast's story is the definitive deep dive into how André 3000 and Big Boi rewrote the rules of hip-hop, legitimized Southern rap, and created a catalog that still sounds unlike anything else ever made.

Drake dropped three albums at once, broke a Spotify record, and still found time to film a funny Nike ad with Kevin Durant. Here's the full breakdown of the Iceman era.

Playlists and short-form video now control which hip-hop and R&B songs break, but the system is more engineered than fans realize. Here's who runs it, how it works, and how to find music on your own terms.

Millions of streams and still struggling to pay the bills? This deep dive breaks down how streaming royalty structures actually work, what artists are really earning per play, and the smarter revenue moves that working artists are making alongside their DSP presence in 2026.

Jay-Z's business moves are still the gold standard for artist-entrepreneurs in 2026. From Roc-A-Fella to Roc Nation, Tidal to Armand de Brignac, here is a breakdown of the specific strategies that built one of entertainment's most powerful ownership portfolios and what today's artists are getting right and wrong when they try to follow the same path.

Janet Jackson turns 60 on May 16, 2026. From Control to Rhythm Nation, a $190M empire, and a global publishing deal, here is the full story of one of music's most enduring icons.