Month: October 2025

Michael Ward appeared in a London courtroom on Friday, where his legal team announced plans to seek dismissal of multiple sexual assault charges stemming from an alleged 2023 incident.

The 27-year-old actor, known for his role as Jamie in the Netflix drama Top Boy, faces five charges, including two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault. The allegations involve one woman and date back to January 2023.

Ward’s attorney made the unexpected request during what was originally scheduled as a plea and trial preparation hearing at Snaresbrook Crown Court. The court agreed to set a dismissal hearing for December 5.

The BAFTA-winning performer was first charged in July and granted bail after appearing at Thames Magistrates’ Court on August 28. He was released under the condition that he not contact the alleged victim.

Following the announcement of the charges, Ward issued a public statement maintaining his innocence.

“I deny the charges against me entirely. I have cooperated fully with the police throughout their investigation and will continue to cooperate,” he said. “I recognise that proceedings are now ongoing, and I have full faith that they will lead to my name being cleared. Given those proceedings, I am unable to comment further.”

Ward confirmed his identity during the brief August hearing, stating his full name, date of birth and address. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for December 5 at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

​AllHipHop

Summer Walker dropped a surprise announcement with a polygraph twist to confirm the release date of her third studio album, Finally Over It, arriving November 14 via LVRN/Interscope Records.

The Atlanta singer revealed the news through a six-minute YouTube video, where she answered a string of yes-or-no questions while hooked up to a lie detector. The unconventional rollout not only confirmed the date but also closed the loop on her Over It trilogy, which began in 2019.

“Finally Over It” lands four years after her sophomore effort Still Over It, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in November 2021. That album moved 166,000 equivalent units in its first week, making it the first R&B album by a woman to top the chart in over five years, according to Billboard.

Her 2019 debut Over It also made waves, topping the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and helping cement her as a major voice in modern R&B. Critics praised her raw lyrics and vocal delivery, which resonated with listeners navigating love, heartbreak and healing.

The decision to announce the album through a lie detector test reflects Walker’s flair for nontraditional marketing. The video, which has already sparked conversation online, adds a layer of humor and honesty to a rollout that could have easily been a standard press release.

Walker has kept a relatively low profile in recent months, making this announcement a major moment for those who’ve been waiting for her next move. With Finally Over It marking the end of a trilogy, the project is expected to tie together the emotional threads she’s explored since her debut.

The album’s mid-November release date positions it in the thick of the fourth-quarter music rush, a period often reserved for high-stakes drops and Grammy hopefuls.

​AllHipHop