Back on February 14, a lawsuit accusing Jay-Z and Diddy of sexually violating an underage girl was voluntarily dropped. Since then hip-hop heads have had their eye on the lawyer behind the filing. Well, so has a New York judge.

Today (February 22), Tony Buzbee has reportedly been denied the ability to practice law in New York. According to legal journalist, Meghann Cuniff, the Committee on Grievances for the Southern District of New York is responsible for the ruling.

In documents obtained (viewable here) by Cuniff, after investigating complaints of attorney misconduct the committee learned that Buzbee failed to ask for permission to practice in the district.

As a result, Buzbee no longer has permission to practice law in the Southern District of New York (which includes the entirety of New York City and its five boroughs as well as Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, and Sullivan counties).

Although the case Buzbee filed against Jay-Z has already been dropped, his multiple cases against Diddy within New York City’s jurisdiction could now be in jeopardy. The courts have reportedly advised Buzbee to seek “pro hac vice” admission or special permission from the legal body to proceed in those matters.

Tony Buzbee has not yet issued a public response to the reports.

Uproxx cover star Chlöe’s sophomore album, Trouble In Paradise, was a joyous moment in the “Boy Bye” singer’s solo career. Unfortunately, months after its release, the project is now tied up in a heated legal battle.

According to Billboard, Chlöe is currently being sued for copyright infringement, fraudulent misrepresentation, violations of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), civil conspiracy and deceptive business practices.

Yesterday (February 21), documents obtained by the outlet state songwriter Melvin “4rest” Moore accused Chlöe of failing to “appropriately credit or compensate” him for the tracks “Favorite,” “Might As Well,” and “Same Lingerie.”

Moore’s attorney Tyrone Blackburn argues that although he penned the records alongside Chlöe, he “did not grant consent to the commercial exploitation of the [songs].” Blackburn also claimed that Moore was not granted the opportunity to “engage in good-faith negotiations” as it relates to payment arrangements and credits on each track.

While Moore’s name appears in the songwriter details on “Same Lingerie” and “Might As Well,” the same can not be said for “Favorite.”

Moore went on to slam Chlöe as well as her labels Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia as “modern-day swindlers.” He says he has tried to privately resolve the matter for nearly “200 days” but to no avail.

Moore has made several demands in his filing. Firstly, he is asking for a court order to stop further commercial use of the songs. Next, he is requesting an investigation into Chlöe, Parkwood and Columbia’s revenue from unauthorized use of the songs. Lastly, Moore is asking that all defendants publicly retract their claims and properly credit him.

On the monetary side, Moore is requesting repayment of all profits gained from the songs, monetary damages up to $150,000 for each intentional violation, and $5 million in punitive damages.

Chlöe, Parkwood Entertainment nor Columbia Records have released a public statement regarding the filing.

Bennifer is legally no more. Although Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce from Ben Affleck back in August 2024, the former couple were still married in the court’s eyes.

According to AP, the superstars’ relationship status has officially and legally been updated. Based on documents obtained by the outlet, yesterday (February 21), Los Angeles County Superior Court finalized Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s dissolution of their marriage. Following the signature of a judge, the entertainers have now been declared legally single.

While Lopez and Affleck reportedly reached a settlement in their divorce on January 6, their marital status did not budge. Due to a California statue, Lopez and Affleck’s divorce dissolution could not go into effect until six months after its filing (which was February 21).

Elsewhere in the court documents, Lopez and Affleck amicably reached a settled through mediation back in September. Limited of that settlement have been revealed.

One of the first notes claim Lopez has dropped Affleck from her legal name. Also, neither party will pay the other spousal support.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck tied the knot in July 2022. Nearly a year before Lopez’s August 2024 divorce filing, the filing states the pair had already separated. Despite their divorce, the former couple have reminder amicable or so their public sightings suggests.

The Boys and Gen V have worked out a symbiotic relationship, wherein viewers don’t need to watch both shows to enjoy either selection, but seriously, if you enjoy one, you’d dig the other. Prime Video/Amazon’s superhero-skewering shows continue to soar in popularity even while the MCU and DCU work to get their groove back, and Eric Kripke has Vought Rising on the horizon, too. Let’s zero in on what we can expect from The Boys‘ fifth and final season.

Plot

For starters, things will get bloody and gruesome. Jack Quaid has provided Instagrammed evidence of Hughie absolutely drenched in bodily fluids, and he should be forgiven for hitting caps lock because, well, look at that picture: “WORK’S BEEN GOING GREAT, YOU GUYS!”

Plot, though? C’mon. Showrunner Eric Kripke has admitted that even he isn’t sure about the precise plot of the fifth season, which started filming last year after Thanksgiving. He has, however, stressed that this isn’t unusual for the series, especially after the fourth season finale had to scrap its title, “Assassination Run,” due to certain current events. And the series as a whole must (again) successfully satirize the world that we live in, and that world has grown has increasingly absurd as the show has evolved.

The Boys‘ fourth season managed to pull off the delicate balance of also entertaining, even as the real-life parallels were at-times uncomfortable. So, here’s what Kripke told Forbes about how every character’s climax has been in the writers’ “back pocket for a while,” and “the main bones of it stays pretty similar,” but the fifth season’s scripts are vey much in flux:

“They’re about half-written. I mean, look – things adjust all the time. That happened in season one when like the “Me Too” movement broke in the middle of the season and we had to go back and rethink a lot of things. So, we’re sort of used to this organic movement of the scripts always transforming a little bit, based on what’s happening in the world. So, that doesn’t really scare us. That’s pretty par for the course. You’re always rewriting these things right up until the day before they shoot, and sometimes, the day they shoot. So, we’re used to changing things as the world changes.

Of course, the final season does have many known threads to resolve. Not only must Starlight, A-Train, and possibly Ashley work to free Hughie, MM, Kimiko, and Frenchie, but Butcher and Kessler are in the wind with their own weapon of mass destruction. Additionally, Sister Sage will likely still be maneuvering for Homelander (because it’s fun, not because she is loyal to him), who is now the de facto president and has confined his enemies.

Yet Starlight’s abilities have returned, and she appears to be more powerful than ever. Also, Homelander will be compromised by his own self-hatred, and even obliterating the source of his childhood trauma hasn’t changed anything about the way that he operates, as Kripke told Variety:

“He’s literally all trauma. I think what he plays so beautifully about it is he wants to be a god, but he’s a man. And it’s kind of slowly, or maybe not so slowly, driving him insane. So dealing with things like aging, dealing with insecurity, dealing with a need for love — all very normal human things, these are all things he finds detestable. He needs them, but he’s revolted by them all at once.”

With all of that said, anybody and everybody can die in this final season because Kripke no longer has to use plot armor. We do know that Jack Quaid wouldn’t mind some plot armor to keep him from showing his butt again, as Quaid declared to Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused: “My butt’s had a lot of screen time and it’s not a great one, you know what I mean.” And please, Eric Kripke, do not hurt any more cakes during the making of The Boys. Also, allow MM to take a Silkwood shower after his Love Sausage reunion.

In all seriousness, though, Homelander’s status as “free world” leader didn’t stop him from being a teary mess when learning that Soldier Boy was still alive, on ice, and right in front of him. There will be showdowns to come in between sperm donor and “knock off”/”upgrade,” and I’ll be rooting for Ashley to kill both of them after apparently Hulking out from Compound V.

Cast

New cast members include Daveed Diggs in a mystery role. Jared Padalecki has also confirmed his involvement to bring more Supernatural reunion flavor while joining Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Joe Kessler (who will likely be back, literally living rent free in Butcher’s head) and Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy, who will be part of the final season (along with the upcoming Vought Rising), and Homelander probably won’t handle it well.

Other returning cast members include Jessie T. Usher as A-Train (whew), newly independent from The Seven and perhaps teaming up with Colbie Minifie’s newly Supe-d up Ashley.

On the Seven side of the equation, the show brings back Antony Starr (Homelander), Chace Crawford (Deep), Susan Heyward (Sister Sage), Nathan Mitchell (Black Noir), and Valorie Curry (Firecracker). Cameron Corvette returns as Homelander’s son, Ryan, so we’ll probably see at least one scene with ghostly Becca Butcher (Shantel Van Santen).

The totally screwed characters (at least to begin the fifth season) are still portrayed by Jack Quaid (Hughie), Karen Fukuhara (Kimiko), Laz Alonso (Mother’s Milk), and Tomer Capone (Frenchie). Presumably, Erin Moriarty’s Annie January/Starlight) will work to free them while Karl Urban’s Billy Butcher keeps cooking his own brand of mayhem up.

Unconfirmed returns include Cindy (Ess Hödlmoser) and Gen V‘s Cate (Maddie Phillips) and Sam (Asa Germann).

Release Date

This franchise has adopted a staggered release schedule with Gen V arriving sometime this year. In turn, The Boys will finish its run in 2026, presumably with Vought Rising coming later, probably in 2027. If The Boys: Mexico does get greenlit, Eric Kripke has been upfront about the show happening far into the future.

Trailer

Since no trailer could possibly be available yet, revisiting this Homelander vs. Soldier Boy fight (from the third season) could be useful to consider the rematch sure to come.

Asap Rocky’s post-assault trial acquittal celebration continues. Yesterday (February 21), the “Tailor Swif” rapper’s latest fashionable gig was revealed to fans.

In an official Instagram post (viewable here), luxury eyeglass and sunglass brand Ray-Ban announced Asap Rocky to be its inaugural Creative Director.

“Introducing A$AP ROCKY as the first Creative Director for Ray-Ban,” wrote the company.

To echo the new chapter in the company’s journey, Ray-Ban’s president Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio issued a statement. “Today, we are welcoming A$AP Rocky into our family; he’s a visionary artist and creator,” he wrote. “His ability to push the boundaries of the diverse worlds he explores, aligns with the Ray-Ban DNA. We are reinforcing the brand’s values of innovation, pioneering spirit, and courage. Let the future begin!”

Supporters of the brand expressed their excitement with what’s to come with the collaboration. Many even joked about the timing of Ray-Ban’s announcement.

“Ray-Ban knew he was being framed the whole time,” joked one user.

“Framed by Rocky ,” penned another.

“[His] court glasses were Ray-Bans… him & Robyn are money magnets,” chimed another.

“The way the universe is on asap rocky’s back [right now] is insaneeeee. so many Ws,” added another.

Asap Rocky has not shared his forthcoming plans for the company, but fans are lining up to spend their money.

There are countless rumor surrounding Rihanna’s return to music. The only whisper that has been confirmed his her contribution to the Smurfs Movie Soundtrack (which Rihanna is set to star in). Even the “Umbrella” singer has had fun trolling fans about her studio plans (or lack thereof).

But during an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Rihanna spilled some serious updates about her long-awaited R9 album. The most nerve racking for fans was that they shouldn’t expect the project to be “commercial or radio digestible.”

“I’ve been in the studio the whole eight years,” she said. “But it didn’t hit me. I was searching for it. I went through phases of what I wanted to do. ‘This kind of album, not that album.”

She continued:”I know it’s not going to be anything that anybody expects. And it’s not going to be commercial or radio digestible. It’s going to be where my artistry deserves to be right now. I feel like I’ve finally cracked it, girl!”

Now, users online are sounding off.

“I’m a little scared omg,” wrote one user.

“She doesn’t need to make a radio friendly album as she has proven herself as a hitmaker. She would be better off doing more artistic work,” penned another.

“She’s gonna try to explore her music artistically and people will call it a flop bc it won’t be topping charts,” nervously chimed another.

“Well, considering no one’s expecting an album period, she’s right!! ,” snarked another.

Later in the chat, Rihanna shut down reports that R9 would be a reggae album. “Way off,” she said. “There’s no genre now… I have to show them the worth in the wait. I cannot put up anything mediocre. After waiting eight years, you might as well just wait some more.”

The waiting game for R9 continues.

Alternative rock band Wednesday will officially be downsizing. Well, at least for their future live shows. Yesterday (February 21), MJ Lenderman, the group’s longtime guitarist, revealed that he won’t be touring alongside Wednesday anymore.

During a conversation with GQ, the “Please Don’t Laugh” musician snuck in the announcement. While discussing the five piece’s growing success, Lenderman confessed that he and lead singer Karly Hartzman had romantically split.

Lenderman joined Wednesday in 2020 at the behest of lead singer Karly Hartzman, who had launched the band as a solo project in 2017. The two musicians also dated for a number of years, but they are no longer in a romantic relationship.

That break as well as him losing his home to Hurricane Helene, MJ Lenderman to reflect on his life and by extension his legacy.

“With every new phase of my ‘career,’ or whatever visibility I have, I have to make new adjustments to protect what I am doing,” he said. “It’s easy for an artist to get wrapped up in how you’re going to be thought about, even remembered down the line, your legacy. I’ve had to figure out how to get rid of that noise, because nothing’s going to happen if you don’t write anything at all.”

Although you won’t catch Lenderman on stage with Wednesday, you will hear his contributions to their future releases. In a statement to Pitchfork, sources confirmed that Lenderman still will “make recorded music with the band.”

So, all hope isn’t lost for Wednesday fans.

The last of Pop Smoke’s killers has been sentenced. According to Rolling Stone, Corey Walker, the sole adult at the time of Pop Smoke’s murder, was sentenced to 29 years in prison for his role in the rapper’s death after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter and home invasion robbery with gun and gang enhancements two weeks ago. Walker was primarily responsible for driving the other three defendants, all minors at the time, to Pop Smoke’s Airbnb in the Hollywood Hills, where the others broke in, pistol-whipped the rapper, and shot him to death on February 19, 2020.

Walker expressed remorse for his role, telling the court, “Even though the Jackson family isn’t here in court today, I would like to sincerely apologize for my unforgivable actions, although there’s no apology that amounts to the taking of someone’s life. I would also like to take this opportunity to apologize to my family for the pain and embarrassment that they have endured over the last five years, as well as an apology to my community… Today, I take responsibility for my dreadful part in these crimes, and as I begin my road to rehabilitation, I assure you that I will steer clear from negative behavior.”

The other defendants in the case had all pled guilty to various charges, with Walker’s reluctance to accept a plea holding up the case last year.

James Wan cannot and will not quit producing movies about evil dolls that refuse to be tossed into the garbage. Such is the case with The Monkey, which has trolled UPROXX [waves to the cursed doll], is helmed by Longlegs director Osgood Perkins, and is based upon Stephen King’s short story that lurks in his Skeleton Crew collection. The film also stars Theo James as twin brothers who encounter this toy in the attic, and much hell breaks loose.

For this popcorn crunching title, Perkins returns to his Neon stomping grounds (after Longlegs‘ success via masterful marketing skills) and has promised that the movie is very much a horror-comedy throwback: “People blow up, people explode; it’s very extreme but it’s very funny… it’s very touching, it’s very nostalgic, it’s very Stephen King.” Very. Now for the logistics.

Is Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey Streaming Online Yet?

Not yet. When it does stream, however, chances are good that it will land on Hulu, which is where Longlegs now lives.

For now, The Monkey is taking off in theaters, where it already scored the best horror opening of the year. Is the year young? Yes, but horror movies tend to be plentiful in the January/February realm, so a “best” qualifier ain’t nothing to sniff at. From the film’s synopsis:

Based on the Stephen King short story, and produced by James Wan (The Conjuring, Saw), The Monkey is a new trip from Longlegs writer/director, Osgood Perkins.

When twin brothers find a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tear their family apart. Twenty-five years later, the monkey begins a new killing spree forcing the estranged brothers to confront the cursed toy.

The Monkey further stars Tatiana Maslany, Christian Convery, Rohan Campbell, Colin O’Brien, Elijah Wood, and Sarah Levy.

The Best New Hip-Hop This Week includes albums, videos, and songs from J. Cole, Rico Nasty, and Doechii.

I don’t know what was going on for the past seven days, but this week’s column is a doozy. To be fair, a sizable portion of this week’s absurd number of new releases have been sitting in my inbox for at least a month. Still, something seems to have kicked the creative minds of hip-hop into high gear. Here are a few examples:

Rico Nasty made a return to form (a common theme this year, for sure) with the thrash-rap single, “Teethsucker.”

J. Cole ended the drought with an introspective bar-fest called “Clouds,” released via his new blog.

2024’s breakout artist of the year, Doechii, teamed up with Blackpink rapper Jennie on “ExtraL,” a standout lyrical display for both artists.

IDK announced the deluxe edition of his 2024 album, Bravado + Intimo, with the video for “Mario Coins.”

And Quavo got back in his street rap bag with “Trappa Rappa.”

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending February 21, 2025.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

Dave East & Ransom — The Final Call

I’ve posted about this one a couple of times during its rollout. Two of New York’s most dedicated purveyors of punchlines team up for a gritty, witty display of good, old-fashioned concrete hard battle rap. As Funk Flex would say, “THAT’S BARS, SON!”

Eem Triplin — Melody Of A Memory

Due to the packed nature of the past week of projects, I didn’t get the chance to highlight this one the way I wanted, but don’t let that stop you from checking out one of rap’s most unique modern voices. If you took a little 2013 SoundCloud rap and sprinkled some of Tyler The Creator’s secret sauce from the last three albums on it, it’d sound a lot like Eem Triplin.

Hurricane Wisdom — Perfect Storm

Another mid-week release that truly deserved a little more shine, picture a less problematic Kodak Black or a more polished-but-street-rooted Luh Tyler, and you’ll get a pretty reasonable bead on where this Florida native is coming from.

Morray — Long Story Short

Right when I was starting to wonder, “Where’s Morray been?” his new PR team reached out to let us know he was working on a new album AND this mixtape, which explains exactly what he’s been going through as he recalibrated his business and took fellow Fayetteville native J. Cole’s advice about scrapping his old work.

Nardo Wick — Wick

Another rapper who’s been flying under the radar recently, the viral sensation whose debut garnered co-signs from the likes of Future, Lil Baby, 21 Savage, and more returns. And wouldn’t you know it, he hasn’t lost a step, reconnecting with two of the three, while Sexyy Red steals the show on their collaboration.

Smif-N-Wessun — Infinity

Despite what some of our readers might think, I wouldn’t call myself an “old head” just yet… but there will always be certain acts that ring the knell that tells me such a designation ain’t so far off in my future. I refuse to apologize. This is Real Hip-Hop, as determined by one of those listeners old enough to remember when “backpack rap” was a literal description.

Stalley — Gamla Kyrkogatan

I remain fascinated by the evolution of the Ohio rapper who once counted Rick Ross and Wale among his associates. His independent stuff has been sharp, innovative, and unusual, but I never really see his name in online rap convos anymore. This is a true crime, and you can do your part to correct this egregious oversight by giving his latest a spin.

Singles/Videos

310babii — “Bad” Feat. James Brown

The “Soak City” rapper puts a fresh spin on one of rap music’s go-to interpolations, turning those beloved James Brown ad-libs into a turnt-up anthem. For those ready to cry “blasphemy,” keep in mind, this song probably isn’t quite as far removed contextually speaking from what Brown was doing back in the day.

AZ Chike — “Whatx2”

Fresh off his appearance alongside Kendrick Lamar on “Peekaboo” from GNX, South Central’s AZ Chike takes his first steps into the mainstream from the LA underground with the a new single and a new deal with Warner Records. He’s been grinding for a minute; it’s nice to see the work pay off for him.

Curren$y — “Dream Machines” Feat. Premo Rice

Do I really have to sell you on Curren$y and Harry Fraud? Get serious. Press play on this ode to the holy grails of automobiles and watch a lit doobie magically appear between your fingers.

Deante’ Hitchcock — “Runaway Bride”/”On The Edge”

My guy Deante’ has been out of the spotlight for a little minute, but please believe he’s been working on that pen. Today’s double release kicks off his 2025 campaign in earnest, and the soulful, introspective bar work promises another shining body of work coming down the pike.

Joey Fatts — “STK”

Long Beach, California has produced its fair share of rap superstars, but its pulsars and quasars shouldn’t be ignored. Joey Fatts has long been one of those, flying below the radar thanks to his adamant indepent release policy. The bluesy, introspective “STK” appears on Fatts’ new EP, Blood In My Eye, which you can check out here.

Lelo — “Kudos”

Lelo’s got something. The Detroit rapper hasn’t yet lit on the Big One that’ll launch his career beyond the borders of his Midwestern home, but there’s an easygoing, natural charisma there that suggests he just needs to hit the right gear at the right time in the right lane and things will come together for him in a hurry.

Lexa Gates — “What You Wish For”

A standout from Gates’ recent album, Elite Vessel, “What You Wish For” is a smooth-grooving self-reflection with some low-key humblebrags that comes with a creative video that perfectly displays Gates’ acidic sense of humor.

Lola Brooke — “You The One”

Maybe it’s a week late for V-Day, but Lola’s lovey-dovey latest has a timeless quality that makes its romantic content easy to slot onto playlists for birthdays, anniversaries, date nights, and any other occasion where you want to show love… but without letting your thug slip.

Partyof2 — “All 4 The Best”

Formerly known as Grouptherapy, Partyof2’s new represents the group’s new composition as a duo, while “All 4 The Best” displays their revamped chemistry as a result. Positioned as a conversation, it makes excellent use of the give-and-go flow we all know I’m such a fan of, employing boom-bap and earnest empathy for an approach to hip-hop I’m not convinced we’ve ever seen before.

YTB Fatt — “Ghetto Fox” Feat. Rio Da Yung Og

Buckle your seatbelts, the Arkansas and Detroit natives grasp a breakneck beat in their latest collab and hang on for dear life, slinging guffaw-inducing punches all over the place. Expect to hear this bumping out of a lot of tinted-out Chargers this summer.