It's The Boombap

Source: David Peters / Courtesy of Dreamville

Now that J. Cole's latest album The Fall-Off is out and available for public consumption, the rapper from the Tar Heel State is ready to showcase his rumored final project on the world stage and is prepping for his first global tour since 2017's 4 Your Eyez Only World Tour.

Setting things off in his hometown of North Carolina, J. Cole's The Fall-Off Tour will hit multiple continents, as it will begin in the United States this coming July before making its way to Europe and Africa throughout the fall and winter months of 2026. With more than 50+ shows planned in just a span of six months, 15 countries will be treated to one of America's greatest rappers as he winds down his career and blesses the world with his swan song of a tour.

You really have to wonder if Drizzy will be in attendance for Cole's visit to Canada given Drizzy's reaction to J. Cole apologizing to Kendrick Lamar in the midst of Drake's and K. Dot's classic rap battle. Are Drake and Cole cool again, or is Drizzy still a little salty about how things played out in 2024? Guess we'll have to wait and find out.

Tickets for the upcoming North America leg of the tour will be available Feb. 17 via an artist presale before going live Friday, Feb. 20 at 11 a.m. local time at thefalloff.com. Tickets for his UK, Europe and Africa dates will be going out via artist presale on Feb. 18 at 9 a.m. local time before going live Feb. 20 at 9 a.m. on thefalloff.com.

Check out the list of tour dates below and let us know if you'll be trying to score some tickets in the comments section.

Sat Jul 11 - Charlotte, NC - Spectrum Center

Tue Jul 14 - Miami, FL - Kaseya Center

Wed Jul 15 - Tampa, FL - Benchmark International Arena

Fri Jul 17 - Atlanta, GA - State Farm Arena

Mon Jul 20 - Philadelphia, PA - Xfinity Mobile Arena

Thu Jul 23 - Baltimore, MD - CFG Bank Arena

Sat Jul 25 - Montreal, QC - Bell Centre

Mon Jul 27 - Toronto, ON - Scotiabank Arena

Fri Jul 31 - Brooklyn, NY - Barclays Center

Tue Aug 04 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden

Wed Aug 05 - Queens, NY - UBS Arena

Fri Aug 07 - Boston, MA - TD Garden

Tue Aug 11 - Chicago, IL - United Center

Sat Aug 15 - Cleveland, OH - Rocket Arena

Sun Aug 16 - Detroit, MI - Little Caesars Arena

Tue Aug 18 - Minneapolis, MN - Target Center

Wed Aug 19 - Kansas City, MO - T-Mobile Center

Fri Aug 21 - Denver, CO - Ball Arena

Mon Aug 24 - Vancouver, BC - Rogers Arena

Tue Aug 25 - Seattle, WA - Climate Pledge Arena

Thu Aug 27 - Sacramento, CA - Golden 1 Center

Sat Aug 29 - Oakland, CA - Oakland Arena

Tue Sep 01 - Los Angeles, CA - Crypto.com Arena

Thu Sep 03 - Inglewood, CA - Intuit Dome

Sun Sep 06 - Las Vegas, NV - T-Mobile Arena

Wed Sep 09 - San Diego, CA - Viejas Arena

Thu Sep 10 - Phoenix, AZ - Mortgage Matchup Center

Sun Sep 13 - San Antonio, TX - Frost Bank Center

Mon Sep 14 - Austin, TX - Moody Center

Wed Sep 16 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center

Sat Sep 19 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center

Wed Sep 23 - Fayetteville, NC - Crown Coliseum*

Wed Oct 07 - Berlin, DE - Uber Arena

Fri Oct 9 - Zurich, CH - AG Hallenstadion

Mon Oct 12 - Amsterdam, NL - Ziggo Dome

Thu Oct 15 - Cologne, DE - LANXESS Arena

Sat Oct 17 - Antwerp, BE - AFAS Dome

Mon Oct 19 - London, UK - The O2

Tue Oct 20 - London, UK - The O2

Thu Oct 22 - Dublin, IE - 3Arena

Sun Oct 25 - Birmingham, UK - Utilita Arena

Mon Oct 26 - Glasgow, UK - OVO Hydro

Wed Oct 28 - Manchester, UK - Co-op Live

Sat Oct 31 - Nottingham, UK - Motorpoint Arena

Thu Nov 05 - Paris, FR - Accor Arena

Sun Nov 08 - Hamburg, DE - Barclays Arena

Mon Nov 09 - Copenhagen, DK - Royal Arena

Wed Nov 11 - Stockholm, SE - Avicii Arena

Thu Nov 12 - Oslo, NO - Unity Arena

Wed Nov 25 - Brisbane, AU - Brisbane Entertainment Centre

Sat Nov 28 - Melbourne, AU - Rod Laver Arena

Tue Dec 01 - Sydney, AU - Qudos Bank Arena

Sat Dec 05 - Auckland, NZ - Spark Arena

Sat Dec 12 - Johannesburg, ZA - FNB Stadium

via: https://hiphopwired.com/3046059/j-cole-the-fall-off-tour

Source: David Settle / other

On Monday, Feb.16, the Hip-Hop world paused to honor DJ Michael "5000" Watts.

The legendary DJ's private funeral service was held at Luke Humble Church in Houston, Texas. Special guests, including Slim Thug, Mike Jones, Paul Walls, and others, were in attendance to pay their respects to the Swisha House founder.

Members of his radio family from 97.9 The Box also showed up, including J-Mac and DJ J-Que. Watts was a regular presence on the station, holding down the midday 5 O'Clock Mix as well as his own Swisha House Mix on the weekends, both staples in H-Town radio. 

Following the private service, family and friends at The Bell Tower for "King's Day," a celebration of life fitting for Houston royalty.

Popular Houston soda brand Exotic Pop created a signature Seamoss drink for the occasion, with proceeds set to benefit 5000's family. The venue was filled with plaques, awards, and photos highlighting the legendary DJ's decades-long impact. DJ J-Que, DJ Mr. Rogers, and DJ Mankind delivered a live tribute mix that kept the energy true to Watts' legacy.

Congressman Christian Menefee addressed the crowd between mixes, and DJ Michael Watts' wife, Tammie, shared heartfelt words about her husband.

After the tributes concluded, the Swisha House legend was carried in a procession of 100 slab cars, with a horse and carriage following behind as he was taken to his final resting place, a true H-Town sendoff.

Days before Houston gathered to celebrate his life, DJ J-Que spoke with Hip-Hop Wired about the profound impact Watts had on the culture:

"Innovator, creator, a leader, he was always changing the game. He [Watts] was always five steps ahead of everyone. It's like he had one of those glass balls, and he knew what was going to happen years later. He would jump on it then."




Also adding what he would like people to remember most about his close friend, Michael Watts:

"How he changed the culture, not just for Houston but for the whole wide world. I've seen a lot of people learning more about Watts. There were quiet some people who knew Watts was big but didn't know how big of a global brand he was until he passed. Seeing him mentioned at the Grammys, a lot of people say, 'Man, I knew he was big, but I didn't know he was that big.' You had people all over the world who loved Watts, loved the Swisha House, loved his mixes."


via: https://hiphopwired.com/3046058/dj-michael-watts-funeral

President Donald Trump was connected to the late Rev. Jesse Jackson during the former business mogul's early days in New York. Taking to his Truth Social platform, President Donald Trump praised Rev. Jesse Jackson, but also used the moment to take digs at President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party.

On Tuesday, shortly after the announcement of Rev. Jesse Jackson's passing, President Donald Trump shared a Truth Social post that was largely glowing in honor of the civil rights leader.

"The Reverend Jesse Jackson is Dead at 84. I knew him well, long before becoming President," Trump began. "He was a good man, with lots of personality, grit, and "street smarts". He was very gregarious - Someone who truly loved people!"

Trump added, "Despite the fact that I am falsely and consistently called a Racist by the Scoundrels and Lunatics on the Radical Left, Democrats ALL, it was always my pleasure to help Jesse along the way."

The president went on to share that he provided office space for Jackson's Rainbow Coalition organization and worked alongside the leader on several issues, including criminal justice reform, funding for HBCUs, and more.

However, the post took a turn when Trump took a major swipe at President Obama for reasons we're unable to ascertain from the post, stating that Jackson helped propel him to the White House, claiming that there was a rift between the two.

"Jesse was a force of nature like few others before him. He had much to do with the Election, without acknowledgment or credit, of Barack Hussein Obama, a man who Jesse could not stand," Trump said.

Rev. Jesse Jackson was 84.

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Photo: Getty

via: https://hiphopwired.com/3046055/president-donald-trump-rev-jesse-jackson-praise-obama

Source: jean-Louis Atlan / Getty

According to NewsOne, Jesse Jackson, the civil rights icon and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 84. His family confirmed his death in a social post.





Jackson had been battling complications from progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare neurological disorder.

Jackson's importance in American history can hardly be overstated. Rising to prominence as a protegé of Martin Luther King Jr., he brought both religious passion and sharp political instincts to the Civil Rights Movement. Through the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, he pushed for voting rights, economic justice, and corporate accountability, while his 1980s presidential runs brought racial inequality into the national spotlight. His unmistakable speaking skills (part sermon, part rally cry) made him one of the most influential voices of his era.

That same voice helped shape the early political spirit of Hip-Hop. Artists like Public Enemy took Jackson's energy, urgency, and moral clarity and channeled it into a new cultural language, creating music that felt like movement-building in real time. KRS-One echoed those themes through educational activism and the Stop the Violence Movement, reflecting the same community-first essence Jackson championed. His speeches and slogans didn't just ring out in churches and rallies; they reverberated through boom boxes and block parties.









As the genre matured, younger generations carried that torch in their own ways. Killer Mike's economic-justice activism and Kendrick Lamar's introspective protest anthems show how Hip-Hop's political edge has expanded beyond slogans into deeper explorations of identity, power, and liberation. While the tone has shifted, the foundation laid by civil rights leaders like Jackson remains apparent. His influence helped make Hip-Hop not just a musical movement, but a political one.

Jackson's impact continues to ripple through activism, culture, and music. His life's work demonstrates how powerful a single voice can be, and how its reverberation can shape generations of artists, organizers, and everyday people committed to justice. Big ups to Jesse Jackson! The culture is grateful.

RELATED: The Lasting Impact Of A Legend: Why 2Pac Still Rules Hip-Hop Culture

via: https://hiphopwired.com/2913440/what-jesse-jackson-taught-hip-hop

Cardi B and Stefon Diggs looked to be the next top power couple, but rumors persisted around Super Bowl LX that the couple was no longer an item. BIA took a shot at Stefon Diggs last week, prompting Cardi B to seemingly confirm the end of her relationship with Diggs and to fire back onstage and defend her child's father in the process.

The beef between Cardi B and BIA has been ongoing since 2024, and the Bronx superstar dissed her rival on the track "Pretty & Petty" from her sophomore album, Am I The Drama?

On X last week (February 12), a Cardi fan account, IconicTaex, wrote, "Name five Bia songs gun pointed to ya head!? #LittleMissDramaTour Cardi B Pretty and Petty," garnering a response from BIA, who responded with, "Can u name someone with more bms than receiving yards? I can! and I know that... ykwnvm."




Cardi, who is always patently aware of the haters, took to the stage during the Los Angeles stop of her tour and confirmed that she and Diggs are done but that BIA needs to mind her business.

"Just because I ain't fcking with my bd doesn't mean you get to talk about my bd.. this for you btch!" Cardi said over the weekend before launching into "Pretty & Petty."




Stefon Diggs, whose New England Patriots fell short against the Seattle Seahawks, hasn't mentioned the split from Cardi B in interviews and is currently battling allegations of assault.

The pair welcomed a baby boy together in November of last year.

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Photo: Getty

via: https://hiphopwired.com/3046036/cardi-b-stefon-diggs-split-bia-diss

Source: Gary Gershoff / Getty

BIA is putting a stop to a "whole lotta" online rumors.

A social media user recently asked the Massachusetts MC, "is it true you slept with J. Cole?" She quickly shut the claim down, calling cap and responding, "No & I have never slept with a married man ever. Fake tea."




J. Cole and BIA previously collaborated on the 2022 track "LONDON," and she recently revisited how the record came together during an interview. According to BIA, the collaboration was strictly professional from start to finish:

"He (J. Cole) had me go to the studio for a different song. I cut a verse for something when I went there and met him. On my way out, I asked him if we can play him something. We played him 'LONDON,' and he was 'I love this song, this is my favorite song'. A week later I sent him the song telling him, 'just sending this if you need something to listen to.' He had said 'can I take a stab at this?' And we were like take a stab? You can have it."




Showing that the collab came organically, and Cole was rocking with the song beforehand.

During that year, the Grammy Award winner was handing out features like candy. Appearing on record such as Benny The Butcher's Johnny P's Caddy" and YG's "Scared Money."

With the rumors addressed and the backstory clarified, BIA made it clear there was never anything more than music behind her collaboration with J. Cole.

via: https://hiphopwired.com/3027914/bia-j-cole

Source: Matthew Stockman / Getty

Cardi B may not have had herself a big night at the Grammys (she was only nominated for one award), but she did have herself quite the weekend as the special musical guest on Saturday Night Live this past Saturday night (Jan. 31).

Hitting the stage to perform her latest hit, "Bodega Baddie," the Bronx representative got in touch with her Latina roots as she strutted out in a custom dress that not only showcased her dangerous curves, but also her Dominican heritage. After showing what her hips could do, Cardi then got laced up in a more familiar leather look to get the crowd hype as she performed "ErrTime" in an outfit that left little to the imagination.

But the real entertainment came when Cardi made a cameo in the "Immigrant Dad Talk Show" skit. She showed her comedic acting chops, which could lead to a future in acting, at some point, as the culture has now soured on Nicki Minaj following her public show of support of the orange dictator in the White House.

Check out Cardi B's performances on Saturday Night Live below and let us know which was your favorite in the comments section.







via: https://hiphopwired.com/3028020/cardi-b-shines-on-saturday-night-live

Getty Images / Xbox Live / Jeffrey Epstein

The Justice Department sloppily dropped a trove of Epstein-related emails that revealed that the disgraced financier couldn't even hop on Xbox Live.

Yup, you read that correctly, Microsoft permanently booted Jeffrey Epstein from its online gaming platform, Xbox Live, because he was an accused sex trafficker.

According to emails reviewed by Xbox Era, the ban was imposed in December 2013 for "harassment, threats, and/or abuse of other players." 

Another email revealed that Epstein was banned because he was a registered sex offender, and Microsoft was also working to purge creeps from its network as part of a coordinated effort.

Per Raw Story:

The official email to Epstein reads, "Dear Xbox LIVE member, This message is to notify you that Xbox LIVE has permanently suspended the Xbox LIVE account associated with this email address. This action is based on the New York Attorney General's partnership with Microsoft and other online gaming companies to remove New York registered sex offenders from online gaming services to minimize the risk to others, particularly children."

The notice added, "As a result, any Xbox LIVE account associated with this email address will not be able to connect to Xbox LIVE. If you have an Xbox LIVE Gold subscription, or any unused Microsoft points, we are refunding the remaining value of those to you within 30 days."




Jeffrey Epstein Was On Xbox Live As A Reigstered Sex Offender For 14 Months

The Verge reports that even though Epstein had registered as a sex offender years prior, he didn't join Xbox Live until October 2012, six months after Microsoft committed to purging sex offenders from the platform.

Microsoft's delay in banning him allowed Epstein to be on the platform for 14 months before his account was shut down.

While it remains a mystery if Epstein was a gamer, at one point in July 2014, after he was given the boot, he asked, "Do we have an Xbox 360 Kinect?"

In 2016, there was a message about purchasing an Xbox 360 for a boy, and in 2019, he complained about mysterious Xbox charges on his account.

Yikes.

It doesn't help Microsoft that its former owner, Bill Gates, is also caught up in this situation, but that's another story.

You can see some reactions below.


via: https://hiphopwired.com/3028086/microsoft-banned-jeffrey-epstein-xbox-live-reactions

Source: DANIEL SLIM / Getty

On Sunday (February 1), President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social media platform that the Kennedy Center For The Arts would be closed for two years. "The Trump Kennedy Center will close on July 4th, 2026, in honor of the 250th Anniversary of our Country, whereupon we will simultaneously begin Construction of the new and spectacular Entertainment Complex," the post began.



via: https://hiphopwired.com/3028053/trump-to-close-kennedy-center-citing-renovations

Druski sparked romance rumors after the funnyman was spotted sitting courtside with a notable adult performer. During the New York Knicks' Sunday night (February 2) game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Druski was seen witting with Bri Sky, although it isn't known the status of their relationship.

As spotted by TMZ Sports, Druski, 31, and Bri Sky, 26, were seen entering Madison Square Garden ahead of the Knicks and Lakers showdown, which boasted several other celebrities, including Fat Joe, Ben Stiller, Spike Lee, and the usual suspects.

While it isn't known if the pair were out on a date night, the chatter is certainly going to go up from here, considering the Atlanta-based comedian's large profile. Druski had a brief but high-profile dating period with Rubi Rose, which kicked off in 2024.

Bri Sky has been linked to YouTuber Nick Nayersina and has also been linked with Jake Paul. The two sat down next the aforementioned Lee, so there were plenty of cameras zooming in to see what's what.

Druski's profile is larger than ever with spots with T-Mobile, Prize Picks, and GoPuff under his belt. He also got the attention of some so-called "megachurch" pastors for a hilarious video he posted spoofing the spectacle at some of these establishments.




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Photo: Getty

via: https://hiphopwired.com/3028054/druski-knicks-courtside-adult-star-bri-sky