Busta Rhymes Unearths Unreleased J Dilla, D’Angelo Collaboration for New Album

'Dillagence II' created from nearly 300 unheard Dilla beats, with “This Woman” featuring a session the legendary producer did with D’Angelo about 20 years ago

Busta Rhymes performing in Atlanta in June

Busta Rhymes’ new album full of previously unreleased J Dilla beats also features a posthumous feature from D’Angelo.

Rhymes made Dillagence II out of almost 300 unreleased beats that Dilla gave him before the legendary producer died in 2006. One of those beats came from a session Dilla and D’Angelo did about 20 years ago that never materialized into a proper project. “They started something and it just never got finished,” Busta recently told The New York Times. “I love both of them, so I just want to do my part in delivering in that way — not just for the culture, but for them and for all of us.”

What the pair made together now serves as the gentle chorus on “This Woman,” featuring what appears to be a scratch vocal of D’Angelo interpolating Sister Nancy’s legendary dancehall track “Bam Bam.” “This woman, never troubled no one / But if you trouble this woman, it will be a…” D’Angelo croons in his immaculate falsetto before trailing off into a version of “Bam Bam”’s famous, wordless hook. Of course, even a D’Angelo scratch vocal makes for a pristine chorus, especially over a Dilla groove elegantly textured with prickly guitars and burbling marimbas.

“This Woman” will also get an official music video, directed by Hype Williams. The visual is slated to drop later today at 12 p.m. ET.

Though they were friends for decades, Busta and D’Angelo never released any music together while D’Angelo was alive. After D’Angelo died last October, Busta released a tribute song, “Magic,” in which he rapped about meeting D’Angelo for the first time while in the studio with A Tribe Called Quest, and celebrated the power of D’s music and life.

“I feel like the Earth shifted when D came to do music,” Busta said in an accompanying interview with Okayplayer. “He was the embodiment of some shit that was a complete balance of what our ancestors created, to where he took it. There’s nothing under the sun that hasn’t already been done. But it’s a whole other thing to make it your own and combine what has already been done with what hasn’t been done yet.”

Along with D’Angelo on “This Woman,” Dillagence II boasts an array of features across its 19 tracks, including Lil Wayne, Common, Big Sean, Anderson .Paak, Ludacris, and Jon Batiste.

Donald Trump in the Oval Office in August 2026.

President Donald Trump told the Department of Justice to settle its antitrust suit with Live Nation after meeting with CEO Michael Rapino in the Oval Office in late February, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The new story digs into the lobbying efforts and behind-the-scenes maneuvering that preceded Live Nation’s surprise settlement with the DOJ in early March, just one week into the company’s federal antitrust trial. While some co-plaintiff states signed onto that deal, many continued with the case, and a jury ultimately found Live Nation liable for operating as a monopoly in April.

The Wall Street Journal previously reported that the settlement was reached after a meeting at the White House on March 5 attended by Rapino, the company’s lawyers, and DOJ officials (including former Attorney General Pam Bondi). But Rapino had also met with Trump a few weeks earlier.

According to the report, Rapino’s Feb. 27 meeting at the Oval Office primarily centered around Trump’s efforts to overhaul the Kennedy Center, and the president’s desire to enlist Live Nation to handle the venue’s operations. But during the meeting, the president also asked Rapino why the company hadn’t settled its antitrust case with the DOJ yet. After, Trump reportedly directed the DOJ to strike a deal.

Reps for Live Nation did not immediately return requests for comment. Lauren Bis, a White House spokesperson, said, “Unlike Joe Biden, President Trump has not weaponized the Department of Justice against his political foes or used it to help his friends. The Department is focused on restoring law and order and keeping Americans safe.”

The DOJ’s settlement with Live Nation has drawn significant criticism, both for how the deal was reached, and the terms it contains. While it did force some concessions from Live Nation on key issues involving its amphitheater business and Ticketmaster’s exclusivity contracts, many claimed it did not go far enough to address the company’s alleged monopoly over the live entertainment industry. For instance, the plaintiff states are currently seeking to force Live Nation to divest from Ticketmaster following their victory in court.

Dan Wall, Live Nation’s executive vice president of corporate and regulatory affairs, touted the terms of the deal in a new statement shared with the WSJ. “Our critics are comparing this settlement to the irrational hope of breaking up Live Nation and Ticketmaster,” Wall said. “For the actual claims in this case, the DOJ and settling states got as much or more as they could have expected to win in court.”

He also defended Live Nation’s actions as it worked to reach a settlement with the DOJ: “The only reason we went above the Antitrust Division to senior DOJ leadership is because no one there would speak to us. When you’ve been unable to get a meeting for six months, you have every right to try something else.”

Live Nation made significant efforts to lobby the DOJ and Trump administration into dropping, or settling, the antitrust. The company worked closely with many people close to the president, including Kellyanne Conway and MAGA influencer-lawyer Mike Davis (who previously helped lobby the DOJ to drop its challenge to a $14 billion merger between Hewlett Packard and Juniper Networks). And Trump involved himself reportedly after hearing about the case from prominent people.

According to the WSJ, Live Nation’s efforts also included hiring top law firm Sullivan & Cromwell to lead its settlement talks. The Sullivan & Cromwell team reportedly included two antitrust experts, but also a lawyer named James McDonald, who had little antitrust experience, but was representing Trump in his criminal cases in New York. (In July, Trump appointed McDonald to lead the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York.)

Additionally, two top political appointees at DOJ reportedly had an influence over an early set of proposed settlements. One pushed the lawyers at the antitrust division to remove language forcing Live Nation to sell Ticketmaster from a draft response; he and the other appointee also reportedly echoed talking points Live Nation had unsuccessfully tried in court.

As for the case itself, it’s now in the remedies phase, during which Judge Arun Subramanian will decide what kind of punishment Live Nation will receive. Subramanian also has to review and approve the DOJ’s settlement with Live Nation, and decide whether it was reached in the public interest. In a July letter to the judge, the plaintiff states said said they had “significant concerns” that it was not in the public interest, and asked the DOJ to share new details about how the settlement was reached.

Canadians who wish to participate in the next Eurovision competition will be able to apply starting next week, CBC/Radio-Canada announced this morning.

Earlier this summer, the Crown corporation announced that Canada would be joining the Eurovision Song Contest next year, after it joined the European Broadcasting Union. The 71st edition of the world's biggest song competition, watched by hundreds of millions of viewers across the globe, will take place in May 2027 in Bulgaria.

Submissions for participants open on August 31 and will close on September 9. Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents to be eligible. Further details will be announced next week on CBC's Eurovision platform.

After the submission period ends, a shortlist will be selected internally by the broadcaster. Then, a public vote will be open to all Canadians to select who will represent the country at the prestigious competition. Finalists will then be reviewed by a panel of music industry experts, where a single artist will be selected and paired with some of the Canada's top musical talent to craft the song that will enter the competition in May 2027.

“We are seeking a magnetic Canadian performer with a genuine passion for representing Canada and a proven track record of captivating very large live audiences, whether through exceptional vocal power, electrifying stage presence, or truly original artistry,” said CBC's Executive vice-president Doug Smith.

This will be the very first time Canada will be officially represented at Eurovision. However, several Canadian artists have competed on behalf of other countries in the past. Notably, a 20-year-old Céline Dion wowed the world and became a global sensation when she represented Switzerland in 1988. More recently, Québec singer La Zarra represented France in 2023.

In October 1965, seven months before he left the Toronto folk scene to move to Los Angeles, Neil Young recorded the ballad “Casting Me Away From You” in the attic of his high school buddy, Comrie Smith. Young revisited the melody for the 1968 instrumental track “The Emperor of Wyoming,” which kicks off his self-titled solo debut LP, and the line “we found things to do in stormy weather” was used in his 1976 classic “Long May You Run.”

Earlier this year, when Young was in Malibu, California, recording his new LP Second Song with the Chrome Hearts, he found himself out of new songs after recording the five he wrote for the project. His mind went back to Smith’s attic all those years ago, and he decided to re-record “Casting Me Away From You” for the album.

Young shared the new version of “Casting Me Away From You” on the Neil Young Archives (click here to check it out) that he paired with a vintage video of him driving across Broken Arrow Ranch in California, where he lived for several decades. “[My son] Zeke’s mom, Carrie Snodgress, is riding her horse along with Timer, our dog,” Young writes, “who’s riding as we cross the beautiful ranch on a new road.”

Earlier this month, Young released the 11-minute title track to “Second Song.” The full album – which also includes a re-recording of Young’s 1964 extreme deep cut “I’ll Love You Forever” – will be released on September 19.

“Those two old songs, they just seemed to fit with the new ones,” Young told fans in July. “There was no concept. [The album] is a couple of old songs, and lot of new ones. With the length of the new songs, we could have knocked out the old songs and still had an album, for length. But we went ahead and added the two old songs. That’s what this album is about. It’s about the new songs vs the old songs. The old songs offer some sort of reflection and juxtaposition or something. They all seem to fit together.”

Young originally planned on touring Europe this summer with the Chrome Hearts, but he cancelled all of the dates in February. “Everything is OK,” he told fans. “Just needed a break. Listening to my body.”

He’s remained almost completely absent from concert stages this year, appearing only for a brief set at David Suzuki’s 90th birthday show May 22 in Vancouver. But he’s playing two shows on a double bill with Wille Nelson – September 22 in Bridgeport, Connecticut and September 24 in Philadelphia – as a warmup to Farm Aid in Virginia Beach on September 26.

It’s unclear if he plans on playing additional shows, but don’t expect to see him at Madison Square Garden, the Beacon Theater, Radio City Music Hall, or any other venue that use facial recognition technology. “Neil Young will not be playing venues utilizing the facial recognition surveillance,” reads a recent post on the Neil Young Archives.

Late Punjabi rapper Sidhu Moose Wala will once again send concertgoers into frenzy, as his estate has confirmed that a hologram arena tour has been planned.

First rumoured to be in the works last year, the superstar's father has confirmed that around 10 dates are planned on this tour, and that he will personally be in attendance at the first representation, set to take place at Toronto's ScotiaBank Arena on October 8th. Entitled the 'Signed to God' tour, the holographic performances will also travel to cities including London and Los Angeles.

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''Through state-of-the-art 3D holography, fans will see Sidhu walk the stage, make eye contact with the crowd, deliver his powerful lyrics, and relive his most iconic moments. Every performance is synced with live lighting, sound, and stage effects, making the experience feel personal and unforgettable,'' reads a statement on his website. ''This isn’t a recreation. This is resurrection through art and technology — the chance to stand in the presence of a legend, to sing along, to feel the energy, and to witness Sidhu Moose Wala in a way that feels real, raw, and revolutionary.''

Few details have been released about the technology partners involved in making this event a reality. Despite having been around for over a decade, holographic performances remain rare. The most notable example was when the technology was used at Coachella in 2012, when a digital version of late rapper Tupac popped up onstage during Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg's performance, to join them for a rendition of ''Hail Mary'' and "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted".

Sidhu Moose Wala was one Punjab's greatest exports and will be remembered as a trailblazing rapper. An at times controversial figure, loyal to his political convictions, he was shot dead in May 2022.

Bret Michaels

Bret Michaels has canceled the remainder of his 2026 tour dates in order to fully recover from recent surgeries the Poison singer underwent.

Michaels, a Type 1 diabetic who recently had a kidney stone removed as well as a ureteral stent placed, returned to the stage following the surgery with a gig Friday night in Sugar Hill, Georgia. However, soon after the show, it was apparent that he hadn’t fully healed from the operation.

“Following Bret Michaels’ comeback show [in Sugar Hill], doctors and paramedics determined immediately after the show that he still needs additional rest and recovery from his recent surgeries,” Michaels’ reps wrote in a statement on social media. “Bret will be taking the next several months off to heal and get back to 100%.”

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“We will be pulling Bret off the road for the time being,” Michaels’ doctors added. “He wanted to attempt this show, but we feel there is a much-needed period of rest and slow recovery ahead, especially considering the heat and humidity during the summer months and the effect it can have on his blood sugar levels.”

Michaels wrote separately on social media, “In my nonstop spirit to go out & do what I love − which is to play music and to see all of you, all my family, friends and fans & meet everybody … it’s what I truly love − I may have just chosen to go sooner than I should have. We will come back better than ever.”

The singer had six more dates booked on his Live and Amplified Tour for August and September — including his canceled headlining appearance Saturday at Gatlinburg, Tennessee’s The Mountain Music Festival — as well as a pair of gigs in November.