Music legend Gladys Knight says she is “healthy and happy” despite recent claims from her son, Shanga Hankerson, that her husband, William McDowell, has been mentally and financially abusive. Hankerson also alleged that his 81-year-old mother’s demanding touring schedule was harmful to her well-being and confirmed he filed a complaint with authorities in North Carolina earlier this month. Knight, who has been recently performing on The Queens Tour alongside Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, and Stephanie Mills, pushed back on her son’s statements. In a message to fans, she insisted her health had been misrepresented, saying she has enjoyed time with loved ones and is eager to return to the stage. “I’m healthy and happy,” Knight said, adding that she was excited to continue the tour later this year. Hankerson, meanwhile, told PEOPLE he remains concerned, citing instances where he believes Knight showed memory lapses and questioning why she continues to perform. In response, Knight’s publicist said she and her team were “greatly saddened by Shanga’s unfounded allegations,” noting he has had little contact with her in recent years. The Department of Human Services in Buncombe County, N.C. has not commented on the ongoing case.

Singer Sean Kingston is asking a federal judge for a reduced sentence and the chance to serve his time at home following his conviction in a multimillion-dollar wire fraud case. Kingston, currently free on a $100,000 bond, was found guilty alongside his mother, Janice Turner, of defrauding multiple businesses out of more than $1 million. Turner has already been sentenced to five years in federal prison. Court guidelines suggest Kingston could face a similar five- to six-year term, but in new legal filings obtained by TMZ, the “Beautiful Girls” artist requested a sentence of less than three years. He also asked the court to allow him to serve the time under home confinement, citing his lack of prior jail time and extensive charitable work as grounds for leniency. According to the documents, Kingston’s legal team submitted evidence of his community contributions, including several photos and letters from acquaintances attesting to his character. His sentencing is scheduled for August 15, when the court will determine whether his plea for reduced time and home detention will be granted.

A high-profile publishing dispute has erupted between R&B singer Al B. Sure! and Simon & Schuster over the content of his upcoming memoir, Do You Believe Me Now?. The book was initially set to reveal explosive claims about music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, including Sure!’s belief that Diddy may have been connected to his 2022 coma. Announced in May ahead of Combs’ trial, the memoir has now been pulled from the publisher’s website, removed from Amazon’s preorder listings, and delayed to an improbable release date of Dec. 31, 2050. Sure!’s attorney, Robert J. Hantman, says “creative differences” about how much the book should focus on Diddy are at the heart of the standoff. Sure! and Diddy’s history dates back to the early 1990s at Uptown Records, where Sure! was a top star and Combs was an intern. Sure! was once married to Kim Porter, who later became Diddy’s longtime partner and the mother of three of his children. The singer has been among Combs’ most vocal critics amid the rapper’s ongoing sexual assault allegations, publicly questioning the official account of Porter’s 2018 death and linking his own near-fatal health crisis to Combs. Simon & Schuster’s initial press release promised a memoir that would chronicle Sure!’s medical ordeal, his relationship with Porter, and “shocking ties to Sean Combs.” Hantman has suggested that outside forces may have played a role in the book’s sudden shelving, hinting at possible interference to suppress its claims. He says they may enlist private investigator Bo Dietl to look into the matter. Meanwhile, sources have claimed industry insiders treat Sure! with caution, describing him as “mentally unstable,” an assertion Hantman strongly rejects. Combs has never publicly commented on Sure!’s allegations, and the future of the memoir remains uncertain.

Singer and actress Teyana Taylor is stepping away from the spotlight temporarily to focus on her health. On August 6, the “Gonna Love Me” artist revealed via Instagram that she will undergo emergency surgery to remove a benign growth on her vocal cords. “I’ve been quietly dealing with some vocal challenges for a while now,” she wrote, sharing that the noncancerous growth has been causing discomfort and affecting her voice. Though treatable, the condition requires a period of rest and healing. In light of the surgery, Taylor has canceled her upcoming appearance on Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson’s IMO podcast to prioritize her recovery. However, she confirmed that the release of her fourth studio album, Escape Room, remains scheduled for August 22. “It’s the most personal body of work I’ve ever created,” she wrote. “Just as I was getting ready to finally share this with you, life handed me my own unexpected 'escape room.'” This isn’t Taylor’s first health scare. In 2021, she spoke candidly on her reality show We Got Love Teyana & Iman about having dense, benign tissue removed from her breasts. With a history of cancer in her family, the experience was particularly frightening. Despite the challenges, Taylor remains resilient. “I can’t wait to be on the other side of this—stronger, softer, and singing again,” she said, emphasizing her determination to return even more empowered and purpose-driven.

Legendary producer Hitman Howie Tee, born Howard Thompson, has passed away at age 61. Known for helping shape the sound of Hip-Hop and R&B in the late '80s and early '90s, his cause of death remains unknown. Raised in Brooklyn by Jamaican parents, Howie Tee made an early mark with U.T.F.O.’s hit “Roxanne, Roxanne.” Over his influential career, he launched the careers of artists like Special Ed, Chubb Rock, and The Real Roxanne, and produced major records for Whistle, Color Me Badd, and others. As an in-house producer for Select Records, he delivered classics like “I Got It Made” and “Treat ’Em Right,” while also remixing for stars like Madonna and Heavy D. Tributes poured in after news of his death, including one from The Roots drummer Questlove, who called him an “unsung hero” and a “superproducer.” From shaping early Hip-Hop to crossing into pop success, Hitman Howie Tee’s legacy remains vital to the genre’s foundation.

In a surprising move, BET has officially suspended both the BET Hip Hop Awards and the Soul Train Awards indefinitely, leaving two of the most culturally impactful nights in Black music without a clear future. The network confirmed there is currently no set date for either show’s return, nor any guarantee they will continue in their traditional forms. The announcement marks a major shift for BET and the music industry at large. Since 2006, the BET Hip Hop Awards has been a cornerstone of rap culture, famous for its high-energy performances and iconic cyphers. The Soul Train Awards, which debuted in 1987, has long been a celebration of R&B and soul excellence, honoring legends while spotlighting rising stars. Their indefinite suspension raises questions about how Black music and culture will be represented in mainstream award spaces moving forward. BET CEO Scott Mills addressed the decision, stating, “It’s not about them being over. It’s about reimagining how we deliver them in today’s fast-changing media landscape.” He emphasized that the network is exploring new ways to present these shows, potentially beyond traditional television formats, as viewing habits continue to evolve across platforms.