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A New York judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed against Mary J. Blige by her former friend and stylist Misa Hylton, issuing a sharp rebuke over the plaintiff’s failure to defend her claims. In a ruling entered Tuesday, Judge Phaedra F. Perry-Bond granted Blige’s motion to dismiss after Hylton missed the deadline to respond. The judge said Hylton’s inaction amounted to an abandonment of her allegations and warned against filing high-dollar lawsuits based on inflammatory accusations only to walk away when challenged. “The court in no way condones parties filing lawsuits claiming millions in damages based on inflammatory accusations, only to have those very same parties abandon their allegations when faced with a motion to dismiss and sanctions,” Judge Perry-Bond wrote. While stopping short of imposing sanctions, the court cautioned that the written warning could weigh heavily in any future application should similar conduct continue. Hylton, who helped style Blige during the early 1990s, including the rollout of the singer’s 1992 album What’s the 411?, filed suit on April 29 accusing Blige of trying to coerce Harlem rapper Vado (born Teeyon Winfree) into leaving her management company. Hylton alleged Blige sought to move the artist to her own company, Beautiful Life Productions, and intentionally excluded Hylton from meetings held in “intimate and inappropriate” settings, ultimately sabotaging her relationship with the musician. Blige’s attorneys countered that Hylton had no viable case, arguing her company was not a valid New York corporation and that she was not a licensed talent agent. They also contended the lawsuit was filed out of personal animus and lacked legal merit. Neither Hylton, Winfree, nor their attorney responded to requests for comment following the ruling.

Eritrean-American R&B artist Yoni’s new single “Climate,” from DOMSUPNEXT, arrives with quiet confidence, blending West Coast–inspired grooves and alternative R&B emotion. Built on a rich piano melody and a soft yet steady 808 pulse, the track feels both intimate and expansive. Directed by Dominic Bernabe, the accompanying video complements the song’s reflective mood. “Climate” explores the bittersweet reality of loving someone who must leave, choosing appreciation over heaviness. Its calm, modern production allows the emotion to linger, making it ideal for late-night drives and thoughtful R&B playlists.

Harlem, NY rapper A$AP Rocky released a dark, surreal video for his new single “Punk Rocky,” offering a fever-dream preview of his Tim Burton–assisted album Don’t Be Dumb, due Jan. 16. The chaotic visual features actress Winona Ryder, versatile singer/songwriter Thundercat, and composer Danny Elfman, with imagery that feels distinctly Burtonesque. Ryder appears in eerie domestic scenes as Rocky dives into mosh pits, clashes with police, raps from jail, and spirals through punch-drunk romance, violence, and fantasy. The video underscores Burton’s creative influence on the album’s music, visuals, and accompanying film.

South African DJ duo TxC have released a single, “Nakupenda,” meaning “I love you” in Swahili. The track unites South African artists AI Xapo and Scotts Maphuma with Nigerian stars Davido, Zlatan and Shoday, blending playful rhythms, hooks and multilingual verses. Nigerian pidgin and South African languages create a celebratory pan-African sound. Composed of Tarryn Reid and Clairise Hefke, "Nakupenda" has risen to the top of Nigeria's Apple music charts.

Sevyn Streeter taps into classic ’90s R&B on her new single “97,” delivering confident, grown-woman energy that feels inspired, not nostalgic. Marking her first release since last September's “Assumptions" single, the track finds Streeter in her Janet Jackson bag, boldly expressing desire and self-assurance. While quiet on solo releases, Sevyn’s stayed busy behind the scenes, writing for Normani and FLO and lending background vocals to Givēon’s BELOVED.

From her latest EP, Feline’s Return Act I I, British pop/soul singer Natanya unveils the visuals for her single “On Ur Time.” The video captures Natanya reflecting on a past love, artfully juxtaposing vivid memories of the relationship with moments unfolding in the present. Soulful at its core yet daring in execution, “On Ur Time” blends experimental production, genre-bending influences, and raw emotion—further cementing Natanya as one of the most promising up-and-coming artists in music today.

Brandon Banks continues his thoughtful evolution with Sonnets, a self-produced two-track EP that distills his immersive R&B style into a hushed, introspective dreamscape. Known for blending folkloric soul with lo-fi textures, the Los Angeles singer-songwriter uses stream-of-consciousness writing to explore rest, reflection, and escape from chaos. Built from guitar and keys, Sonnets feels patient and intentional, capturing Banks at his most meditative and emotionally precise to date.

Doechii closes out 2025 with “girl, get up.,” a defiant new single featuring SZA that channels resilience and hard-earned confidence. Produced by Jay Versace and sampling Birdman and Clipse’s “What Happened to That Boy,” the track finds the Florida rapper exhaling her haters after a breakout year. Over sharp bars, festive drums and soulful energy, Doechii directly confronts “industry plant” accusations, turning criticism into motivation alongside her longtime collaborator and TDE labelmate.