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Brett Young Gets Real On The Importance Of Making Time For Conversations That Matter With Wife Taylor

Brett Young and his wife, Taylor, are in the thick of raising their two young daughters Presley, 5, and Rowan, who turns 4 this month. Like many parents, they’ve learned that staying connected with each other amid the chaos is the key to maintaining a happy and healthy relationship.

“Where we’re at in our relationship and in our life with young kiddos and stuff, I think the one thing that kind of takes a back seat is checkin’ in with each other and talking. Something that you just don’t make time for because once the kids go to bed, you’re ready to sleep,” he explained.

Brett Young with Family; Photo Courtesy Brett Young
Brett Young with Family; Photo Courtesy Brett Young

Between Young’s time on the road and the demands of parenting back home, their schedules are filled with long days and late nights. As a result, he acknowledges that it would be easier to their keep thoughts and emotions bottled up, simply because there’s often not enough time in the day. Still, the country act believes it’s crucial to carve out space for just him and his wife to reconnect.

“As a young parent, you have an inner monologue all the time of, whether it’s things that you’re enjoying about having these beautiful young children or if it’s things that you’re frustrated about, or whatever you’re going through. You kind of keep it to yourself, not because you’re not willing to talk about it, but just because you’re going 100 miles an hour,” he said. “And so, I think it’s important to check in and kind of pull off the band-aid for a second and be vulnerable with each other. And I think it’s important to know how each other’s feeling.”

So when it comes to date nights, he encourages couples to be intentional about their plans, opting for places that allow them to truly check in with each other. In doing so, Young has learned that love grows stronger when you make time to listen to each other.

Brett Young, Taylor Mills; Photo via Instagram
Brett Young, Taylor Mills; Photo via Instagram

“Don’t go to a noisy restaurant, don’t go to a movie, go somewhere where you can sit and reconnect and check in with each other and you’re able to have good conversation,” he suggested.

This moment of reflection comes hot on the heels of the release of Brett Young’s new project, 2.0. These songs capture the same sentiment of his recent statement, as he gives fans a personal look into his current chapter of life as country singer, husband and a father.

“I just started thinking through where I’m at in my life and what the last year and a half has been like, what’s been significantly different or seemed significant in general. And the thing that really stuck out is health and wellness and the perspective shift of focusing on being healthy and being around for my family. And so ‘2.0,’ not only being the new version of ‘In Case You Didn’t know’ that we have on the record, but also kind of 2.0 being Brett 2.0, the chapter of life that I’m in,” he previously explained to Country Now.

Brett Young; 2.0
Brett Young; 2.0

The album, out now, was co-written entirely by Young and features collaborations with Lady A, George Birge and Hannah McFarland as well as his current single, “Drink With You.”

Brett Young recently enjoyed some much-needed time off with the famly in celebration of the fourth of July. He posted a series of photos recapping their trip to Sun Valley, Idaho.

“Happy 4th of July from the Youngs,” he wrote in the caption.

The California native will return to the road on July 19 for a performance at Cheyenne Frontier Das 2025, followed by more dates of his Back to Basics World Tour 2025. He’s set to make stops across Virginia, Ohio, California, and back to Ontario, Canada before heading overseas for shows in Sweden, Denmark, the UK, and more through November.

The post Brett Young Gets Real On The Importance Of Making Time For Conversations That Matter With Wife Taylor appeared first on Country Now.

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Music

Nate Smith Cancels More Shows As Vocal Struggles Continue: ‘I’m Not 100% Yet’

Nate Smith’s vocal struggles continue to sideline the rising country star, forcing him to cancel several more shows as he recovers.

In an emotional message shared with fans late Monday afternoon (July 8), Smith revealed that his vocal rest has been extended and that he’s unable to perform at several upcoming concerts.

“As you know, I’ve been laying low over the past month on strict vocal rest. I truly thought I could hit the ground running, but after the first show back in Rushville Illinois (y’all were amazing by the way), the reality is, I’m not 100% yet and need more time to stay on the road to recovery,” he wrote. 

Nate Smith; Photo by Kaiser Cunningham
Nate Smith; Photo by Kaiser Cunningham

Smith apologized to fans for missing his scheduled performance at Summerfest and announced the cancellation of four more shows: Québec, QC (July 8), Craven, SK (July 10), West Salem, WI (July 12), and Rhinelander, WI (July 13).

“I am so sorry that I couldn’t perform at Summerfest (it actually broke my heart) and sad to say that I will need to cancel my next four shows (Canada fam I love you and will I’ll be back soon),” he promised. 

The chart-topping singer went on to thank fans for their support and patience during this challenging time.

“To everyone, thank you so much for your support and patience and I promise we will get this thing dialed in asap!!! Love, Nate,” he wrote in closing. 

This news comes after Nate Smith’s June 4 message to fans where he revealed that he was going to have to cancel all shows and appearances planned through the end of June. This included his shows on his “dream tour” with Jason Aldean. 

“We’ve all come to the decision that the best way to get my voice fully back is to rest it for the first time in almost five years,” he said at the time. 

Nate Smith; Photo by Kaiser Cunningham
Nate Smith; Photo by Kaiser Cunningham

“…it breaks my heart knowing that I won’t be there to see all of you!” Smith added. “My commitment to everyone is to truly rest so I can get back out to do what I love more than anything.

If all goes according to plan, Smith is expected to return to the road on July 17 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for a show with Jason Aldean.

The California native is currently climbing the charts at country radio with his latest hit single, “Fix What You Didn’t Break.” 

The post Nate Smith Cancels More Shows As Vocal Struggles Continue: ‘I’m Not 100% Yet’ appeared first on Country Now.

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Music

Sam Hunt Welcomes Third Child With Wife, Hannah Lee Fowler

Sam Hunt is officially a father of three! The country star and his wife Hannah Lee Fowler officially welcomed their third child, a baby boy named Weyman Allen Hunt, on May 21, 2025.

The news was first shared by Cedartown First Methodist Church in Cedartown, Georgia in a post that revealed baby Weyman weighed 8 lbs. 6 oz. and measured 20 ½ inches at birth. So far, the couple has not shared the announcement on their personal social media accounts.

Sam Hunt and Family; Photo via Instagram
Sam Hunt and Family; Photo via Instagram

The caption read, “It’s a Boy! Hannah & Sam Hunt announce the birth of their son, Weyman Allen Hunt, born May 21st, weighing 8lbs & 6oz, and 20 1/2 in. long. The proud grandparents are Joan & Allen Hunt. Congratulations to the entire Hunt Family!”

Hunt first shared that Hannah was expecting again during an interview with iHeartCountry ahead of the 58th CMA Awards in November of 2024. At the time, he admitted that news of baby No. 3 led to an unexpected shift in his fall hunting plans.

“Well, I did in the heat of the touring season, I started booking a bunch of these hunting trips, this fall, bird hunting trips, and I found out about two months ago that we’ve got a baby on the way. So Hannah started feeling really sick, and so I was gone for three or four days at a time. She’s at home with two kids, sick, so I’m having to rearrange some of my plans, but she’s still going to let me..not let me. I’m still going to get out and do a couple abbreviated versions of them,” he said.

Regardless, the country star was more than happy to step up and adjust. He also admitted to being “obsessed” with dad life.

“I just feel very blessed to have another one on the way,” he added. 

The couple are also parents to Lucy Louise, born in May 2022, and Lowry Lee, who arrived in October 2023. As a father of three, Hunt has started to open up more in recent years about family life, something he used to stay more private about in the past.

Sam Hunt with Family; Photo Courtesy Sam Hunt
Sam Hunt with Family; Photo Courtesy Sam Hunt

He recently gave fans an inside look at his world with the release of the music video for “Country House,” which features appearances by his wife, kids, parents, brothers, and nieces and nephews. Much like the track itself, the video showcases a softer side of Hunt and reflects his evolving priorities.

“Country House” is one of the tracks off his four-song Locked Up EP and is currently sitting in the Top 5 at country radio.

While Sam Hunt might still be adjusting to life at home with a newborn alongside their two kids, he still has a slew of tour dates booked throughout the summer. Coming up next, he will perform at the Lallycooler Music Festival in Sioux Falls, SD on July 11 followed by an appearance at the ND Country Fest in New Salem, ND on July 12.  

The post Sam Hunt Welcomes Third Child With Wife, Hannah Lee Fowler appeared first on Country Now.

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Hip Hop

6ix9ine Thrown Out Of Club, Handcuffed, Rages At Cops After Altercation

6ix9ine was removed from a nightclub in Hialeah and briefly detained by police after a heated confrontation with another patron on July 6, adding to his growing list of public incidents.

Officers responded to a disturbance at Playpen 2 around 4 a.m., where the rapper was involved in a dispute with another individual. Both men were escorted out by police.

Video captured outside the venue showed 6ix9ine in handcuffs, though he was released shortly after. He can be seen in the footage raging at at least a dozen cops.

No one was arrested due to what authorities described as a lack of cooperation from those involved.

The incident comes just weeks before 6ix9ine is scheduled to appear in court for violating the terms of his supervised release.

In March, law enforcement raided his Florida home after receiving a tip from a confidential informant about drugs and firearms on the property.

During the search, officers found three MDMA pills and a bag containing cocaine residue. A Glock 9mm handgun, fentanyl, marijuana and other controlled substances were also seized.

6ix9ine was detained for six hours while the property was searched.

He later admitted to possessing both MDMA and cocaine, which led prosecutors to agree to drop two other violations related to the fentanyl and firearm.

The plea deal is expected to help him avoid a full evidentiary hearing originally set for July.

6ix9ine is currently serving a five-year term of supervised release stemming from his 2019 federal conviction. That case involved racketeering, firearms offenses and violent crimes linked to his role in the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods.

He cooperated with federal prosecutors by testifying against several gang members, which earned him a reduced sentence of two years in prison and 1,000 hours of community service.

The nightclub scuffle is the latest in a string of public incidents that have followed Hernandez since his release. His legal team has not commented on whether the Hialeah altercation could impact his probation status.

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Hip Hop

Joyner Lucas Mocked By Skepta In Brutal Rap Battle Snub

Joyner Lucas didn’t hesitate when Skepta called for a lyrical face-off between UK and US rappers, jumping in with a tweet offering himself up for the showdown: “The moment I’ve been waiting for… say the word, Joyner Lucas vs Skepta.”

But Skepta wasn’t exactly impressed.

The British MC dismissed Lucas’s enthusiasm, sarcastically calling him a “brave man” and repeatedly misnaming him “Jonah” in a video response.

Skepta said he respected Lucas for stepping up but made it clear he wasn’t planning to waste much energy on him.

“I didn’t do all the work I did just for Joyner Lucas to be saying my name,” he said. “I got diss tracks on YouTube with 30 million views.”

Instead, Skepta said he’d only give Lucas “two bars” in a diss track primarily aimed at A$AP Rocky and would let one of the “Young Gs” handle the rest.

Lucas wasn’t having it. He reposted Skepta’s video with the caption, “I want whatever drugs he’s on,” and followed it up with a clip of comedian Aries Spears poking fun at British rappers.

Skepta clapped back, “I was wondering who’s perspective you were gonna diss me from, never would have guessed Aaron Spears.”

Joyner Lucas Claims Skepta “Not Built Like That”

Despite all the online back-and-forth, Lucas seemed to backpedal in a now-deleted tweet.

He recalled a conversation with his manager who allegedly told him Skepta wouldn’t “Single you out and make a whole record about you” because “he’s not built like that.”

Lucas added, “I hope he don’t do no sucka s### like that becuz I might not even respond. I’m tryna really trash this n#### and settle this debate.”

So far, the war of words has stayed confined to social media. No official diss tracks have dropped.

Skepta originally pitched the idea as a lyrical sparring match, not a personal feud.

“It’s not beef, Rocky is my family,” he said when asked if he had issues with his former collaborator. “Rap is a sport, same way we have dissing matches on the block we can do it on record.”

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Hip Hop

Russell Wilson Pushes For Baby No. 5 While Celebrating Nine Years With Ciara

Russell Wilson marked his ninth wedding anniversary with Ciara on Sunday (July 6) by doubling down on his lighthearted campaign for a fifth child—this time with a playful plea: “Give me Cinco.”

The New York Giants quarterback shared a sentimental video montage on Instagram, filled with throwback moments from their relationship, along with a heartfelt message to his wife. 

“]Happy Anniversary, my queen @ciara,” he wrote in part. “You light up my life in ways words can’t explain. Here’s to the journey we’ve walked…and the one we’re still writing together. I love you, endlessly.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Russell Wilson (@dangerusswilson)

Ciara replied in the comments, “I love you so much, baby! I’m so thankful that we get to do life together! It feels like the beginning all over again.”

She also posted her own tribute, pairing a romantic highlight reel with Nicki Minaj’s “Your Love.” 

In one clip, the singer wished Wilson a happy anniversary, prompting him to respond with a cheeky “Give me cinco.” 

Ciara burst into laughter as Wilson added, “You’re breaking my heart.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ciara (@ciara)

Her caption read, “Baby, thank you for loving me the way you do. In your arms is my truest and safest place! There is absolutely nothing I wouldn’t do for you! I’m so excited to keep loving you more each day! Happy Anniversary @dangerusswilson here’s to forever more! I love you so much!”

Wilson’s playful push for baby number five—nicknamed “Cinco”—has been a running theme since last year when he began dropping hints on Ciara’s Instagram. 

On Mother’s Day 2025, he posted, “You’re so good at this Mom thing—let’s have another… Cheers to the idea of Cinco!”

The couple met in March 2015 at a basketball game in Wisconsin and tied the knot on July 6, 2016. 

They share three children—Sienna, Win and Amora—along with Ciara’s son, Future Zahir, from a previous relationship with rapper Future.

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Hip Hop

Young Noble’s Family Launches GoFundMe After Tragic Suicide

Young Noble, the final artist handpicked by Tupac Shakur to join the Outlawz, died by suicide on July 4 in Atlanta, prompting his family to launch a GoFundMe to help cover funeral costs and related expenses.

The 47-year-old rapper, born Rufus Lee Cooper III, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to multiple sources. His death was confirmed by fellow Outlawz member E.D.I. Mean in a social media post.

The fundraiser, organized by Jacqueline Lesane on behalf of the Cooper family, aims to raise $22,000. As of press time, the campaign has collected almost than $7,000.

Noble’s family is leaning on the Hip-Hop community and longtime supporters to help them navigate the aftermath of his sudden passing.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by E.D.iMean (@edidono4l)

The campaign highlights his influence on those close to him and his lasting impact on the culture.

Young Noble joined the Outlawz in 1996, shortly before Shakur’s death. He featured prominently on the posthumous album The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, appearing on numerous tracks, including the timeless classic “Hail Mary.”

The Outlawz, formed by Tupac Shakur in the mid-1990s, were known for their raw lyrics and loyalty to the late rapper’s vision. Young Noble remained active in music and continued to release solo projects and collaborations in the years following Shakur’s death.

The GoFundMe campaign also serves as a space for supporters to share memories and condolences. Tributes flooded in after news of his death broke.

“I’m am processing this as well. I wish him peace and comfort. Condolences to you and all of the families involved. Tragedy,” Xzibit said.

“Damn cuz. Sending prayers to the family,” Snoop Dogg said, while DJ Premier added, “This is so sad to get this news Edi. Damn I’m speechless right now. My dude Noble.”

Many have left messages honoring Noble’s contributions to Hip-Hop and his role in preserving Tupac Shakur’s legacy.

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Hip Hop

KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, Rakim Supergroup Dream Is Already Over

Not long ago we told y’all there was a potential supergroup in the works called Mount Rushmore. The lineup? Legends only: KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap and Rakim. One close source even said Slick Rick might bless a couple tracks.

But now, let me be the first to tell you: that dream has crumbled. The whole thing has fallen apart before it could ever become real. In the original rumor report, it was mentioned that one of the MCs hadn’t signed on just yet. That mystery rapper remained a “holdout.” After our story hit, folks reached out to him and it went left. He didn’t even know about the group. Major red flag.

What we didn’t realize at the time was there was actually another person in the lineup, who had quietly decided they weren’t rocking with it either. And that sealed the deal. I wish I could say more about this, but I can’t. It would only make this worse.

Bottom line: the Mount Rushmore supergroup is officially a wrap.

If anything changes, you’ll be the first to know. But for now, chalk this one up as another Hip-Hop “what if.” Just know, for a very short time, something real was forming.

This is the rumors section for a reason. Oh well.

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Hip Hop

Soulja Boy’s L.A. Store Vandalized & Looted Overnight In Brazen $25K Heist

Soulja Boy discovered his Los Angeles flagship store had been broken into early Monday (July 7) with thieves reportedly causing $25,000 in damage and stealing exclusive merchandise.

As reported by TMZ Hip-Hop, the break-in occurred at the SODMG storefront on Melrose Avenue, where intruders forced their way through the front entrance, shattering glass and leaving the door tagged with fresh graffiti. The store has remained boarded up throughout the day as the damage was assessed.

According to a source familiar with the situation, the burglars used bolt cutters to break the locks, leaving behind chipped red paint on the steel frame. Investigators could possibly be collecting DNA evidence from the scene.

The stolen items include limited-edition SODMG apparel such as hoodies, T-shirts and hats, along with rare Bearbrick collectibles. The thieves also took a custom leather jacket belonging to Soulja Boy and a PlayStation console.

Soulja Boy’s team responded by hiring a 24-hour security patrol to monitor the property moving forward.

The SODMG brand, short for Stacks on Deck Money Gang, was launched by Soulja Boy in the late 2000s as both a record label and lifestyle brand. Over the years, it has served as a platform for emerging Hip-Hop artists and a hub for exclusive merchandise tied to the rapper’s identity and career.

The store’s location on Melrose has become a physical extension of the SODMG brand, offering fans a place to purchase gear and connect with the culture Soulja Boy helped shape.

As of Monday, no arrests have been made and the investigation remains ongoing.

Soulja Boy already had enough on his plate. The outspoken rapper, widely known for his 2007 hit “Crank That (Soulja Boy),” was recently found liable in a civil trial for sexual assault, battery and abuse against a former personal assistant.

In April, a California jury ordered him to pay more than $4 million in damages after determining he was responsible for sexually assaulting and physically and emotionally abusing the woman during their nearly two-year relationship.

The plaintiff, who has remained anonymous, began working for Soulja Boy in 2018 and alleged that what started as a professional relationship quickly turned romantic and then abusive, involving repeated acts of violence, sexual assault, threats and unpaid wages.

The jury didn’t find him liable for false imprisonment but did hold him responsible for intentional infliction of emotional distress and gender-based violence. Soulja Boy, whose legal name is DeAndre Cortez Way, has consistently denied all allegations and his legal team has indicated plans to seek post-trial remedies.

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Hip Hop

Grip, Twist, Rock: Getting the Most Out of Your Guitar Knobs

Had you ever seen a guitarist ever nonchalantly rotate a knob during a solo and suddenly drop a gritty tone so thick it can eat steel, you know the power of guitar knobs at work. Most of these smaller and generally overlooked devices of hardware are not mere accessories, but a necessity for adjusting your sound in real-time.

No matter what stage you have reached in learning about the components of a guitar, or even if you need to tweak your sound, learning how to use and upgrade your knobs is a strong step in the right direction. So, what are they, how can you make the most out of them, and why are brands like Guyker worth a look when you’re ready to level up?

Guitar Knobs: The Knob Basics.

Guitar knobs are experience knockers in plain terms; these are the dials on the body of your guitar. An electric guitar will most likely have a range of one to four knobs usually volume and tone depending on the make. However, there is nothing complicated about it (not that this is a bad thing at all); these tiny devices can radically change your sound by simply turning once.

They are a part of the electric circuit of the guitar and are directly related to parts such as potentiometers (pots) and capacitors. They modify your signal before it even reaches your amp. When you look at your guitar and question yourself which knob is doing what and it is more like you want to know which one it is then you are at the right place and here is a basic breakdown to the knobs:

Volume Knob 

Adjusts the volume of your output signal. Turning it down will lower the signal sent to your amp.

Tone Knob

Adjusts the treble areas through bleeding overflow high-end frequencies into the ground. The lower the setting, the warmer and darker you can sound, and the higher you can make it, the crisp and sharp it is. Based on the electronics, other guitars also have blend knobs, push-pull knobs, or coil-split rooms.

Fitting in the Knobs

Guitar knobs can be confusing, and to comprehend them, it is better to look at them about other parts of the instrument. Here is a brief rundown of the components of a guitar (electric this time) that interacts very closely with the knobs:

Pickups: These coils also act as magnets that receive vibrations of the strings and pass them through your knobs to distort them.

Control Cavity: An enclosed area beneath the pickguard or the body where the wiring and the electronic pieces are fitted.

Output Jack: The last point where your tone visits before reaching the amp- made up by the settings you have already dialed using your knobs.

These knobs function in effect as filters between the raw signal that your pickups pick up and the result pumped out via your amp or pedals. Their location and intent may seem fundamental, but they impact a wide range of audible opportunities.

Real-time tone tweaks

Guitarists are likely to disregard their knobs, thinking that any adjustments to the tone should be made with the amp or pedals. However, with a little knob know-how, you will save yourself a great deal of tap-dancing and frustration of tone. When you need a clean, softer sound, adjust your volume knob instead of muting the volume using your pedalboard or amp, as this matches the purpose of an intro or a soft bridge.

Treble Cutting: 

To warm up your sound, reduce the tone knob to achieve a rounded, jazzy sound. It does well with neck pickups.

Gaining Edge:

Turn up the tone control to cut lead and rhythm crunch.

Mixing Pickups:

When using more than one volume knob on a guitar (such as a Gibson Les Paul) you can mix the bridge and neck pickup by balancing the volumes to your taste.

The harder you learn to spin one of these knobs, the easier it gets to think of all of them as variables that can be dialed rather than simply fixed at whatever they are set to.

Hardware Upgrade You Didn’t Know You Lacked

As the adage goes, you get what you pay for, and it is nice to know that in taking that gamble you might end up with a knob falling off mid gold gig or those tone pots going sticky and scratchy. Here is where companies such as Guyker fit in.

Guyker deals with quality aftermarket guitar parts, offering an extensive line of great-looking, comfortable, and ruggedly designed guitar knobs. Whether you’re looking for old-fashioned metal domed knobs, vintage-looking Bakelite, or modern knurled finishes, Guyker offers both 

form and functionality.

Guyker knobs unique features:

  • Fits most standard pots and shafts.
  • Knurling and handle-like designs make on-the-fly control, even during song, very simple.

Your knobs can be plain grey, matte black, to super shiny chrome, or clear acrylics – stylish does not have to be out of the question.

A slight difference can make a big one, and simply changing your knobs can help achieve that, both in terms of appearance and responsiveness, as well as target control comfort.

All guitarists require default factory settings. After you’re accustomed to what knobs have to offer, you may want to make your layout a bit more personalised.

Conclusion 

Whenever you are jamming next time, make it a point to fiddle with your guitar knobs. Experience how a little turn of the tone knob can alter the sentiment of a riff, how adding the right amount of volume-reduction before what can be an epic solo can set the piece up exactly the way you want it.

The knobs on your guitar are not simply an inert element, but an interactive tool that allows you to control your tone. And not only tone, but the whole playing comfort can be improved through quality upgrades such as those provided by Guyker. Well, grab those knobs, turn them vigorously, and continue to rock. You have earned your tone.

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