November 13, 2024
Olivia Rodrigo’s music resonates deeply with Gen-Z. Her songs—raw, fierce, and honest—are filled with fear, anger, and anxiety, emotions that define the reality of today’s teens. As much as we’d...
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Taylor Swift’s success is no accident; it's built on an unmatched knack for songwriting. According to Toby Koenigsberg, Associate Professor and Chair of Popular Music, Swift’s songs are both...
Read moreNovember 11, 2024
In today’s music landscape, live concert broadcasts have grown increasingly predictable, packaged, and polished. But at this year’s Coachella, Frank Ocean shattered the mold with a performance that...
Read moreNovember 11, 2024
The Chicago rapper Lil Durk is out with his ninth studio album Deep Thoughts on 22nd November 2024. This album is a follow-up to his album Almost Healed (2023) and will have no shortage of eager...
Read moreNovember 11, 2024
Morgan Wallen's country music career has been one of hustle, raw talent, and the sort of sound that has changed the genre. Wallen began his career as a small-town visionary but his music never...
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Pharrell Williams' journey from a McDonald's employee to a global music icon, fashion mogul, and cultural influencer is a testament to talent, resilience, and innovation. His story is not just...
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In a world where pop icons often aim for flawless personas, Charli XCX has taken a different route, embracing a new brand of "brattiness" that redefines what it means to be....
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In a stunning display of theatrical flair and raw talent, Chappell Roan captivated audiences with her Saturday Night Live debut, performing her new country ballad, “The Giver.”...
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In a move that caught the music world by surprise, Addison Rae’s latest single, Diet Pepsi, has reshaped her image and proved she’s more than just a social media star....
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Coldplay has been a cornerstone of the pop-rock scene for over two decades, with their sound evolving from melancholic, guitar-driven ballads to vibrant, arena-filling anthems that defy genre...
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In the music industry, some of the most famous songs weren’t performed by the artists who wrote them. Think of classics like Dolly Parton’s "I Will Always Love You" or Sia’s "Diamonds."...
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Quincy Jones, the legendary music titan, has left us at 91, but his spirit endures through every note, melody, and rhythm he touched. From his groundbreaking production on Michael Jackson’s Thriller..
Read moreHoward University announced on Friday that it would revoke Sean “Diddy” Combs’ honorary degree, originally conferred in 2014, in light of recent revelations concerning the disgraced rapper and music mogul. The university’s board of trustees unanimously voted to rescind the degree following the release of a 2016 video showing Combs attacking his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. “Mr. Combs’ behavior as captured in a recently released video is so fundamentally incompatible with Howard University’s core values and beliefs that he is deemed no longer worthy to hold the institution’s highest honor,” the board’s statement read. “The University is unwavering in its opposition to all acts of interpersonal violence.”
The disturbing video, which surfaced last month, depicts Combs running out of a hotel room in a towel and chasing Ventura toward the elevator. He is seen grabbing her by the neck, throwing her to the floor, kicking, shoving, and dragging her by her sweatshirt. Later, he returns to kick her again and throws an object from a nearby table at her. In addition to revoking his honorary degree, Howard University has also terminated a 2016 gift agreement with Combs, disbanding the scholarship established in his name, returning his $1 million contribution, and canceling a 2023 pledge agreement with the Sean Combs Foundation. The statement clarified that no payments had been made toward the 2023 pledge, so no funds needed to be returned. Combs attended Howard from 1987 to 1989.
Following the video’s release, Combs issued an apology via Instagram. “It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you got to do that,” he said. “I was fucked up — I hit rock bottom — but I make no excuses. My behavior on that video is inexcusable.” Combs and Ventura were romantically involved for over a decade. Last November, she accused him of repeated rape and physical abuse throughout their relationship. The lawsuit, which also implicated Combs’ label, Bad Boy Records, and Sony Music, alleged that Ventura was “trapped by Mr. Combs in a cycle of abuse, violence and sex trafficking.” Though the case was settled shortly after filing, Combs faces multiple new lawsuits this year, accusing him of rape, sexual assault, and sex trafficking, which he denies. In March, his homes in Miami and Los Angeles were raided by Homeland Security.