Lainey Wilson was filled with gratitude as she welcomed her Houston, Texas fans to the Whirlwind World Tour over the weekend. The country superstar came out stronger than ever before for the rescheduled date that was postponed earlier this fall.
When she finally returned to Houston, the moment hit her hard. In a video captured from the crowd by Houston’s 92Q Country, Wilson can be seen kicking off the night with an emotional speech, in which she thanked the packed crowd at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion for sticking by her.
“I just want to say thank y’all so much for showing back up tonight,” Wilson told the crowd, her voice full of gratitude as cheers echoed through the venue. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I was in a bind. So thank you so much for understanding and I’m feeling one hundred percent, so I’m going to give it 190% tonight.”
Photo Courtesy of Lainey Wilson
She went on to gush over her loyal listeners, noting that she has the “best fans in the entire world.”
“Y’all are good people with good hearts, and I love y’all so much, for real. It broke my heart that day to have to do that. And I know that it broke y’all too. So I love y’all and thank you so much. Welcome to the Whirlwind World Tour, y’all.”
With that, she brought the energy back up and explained the empowering mission behind her 2025 headline tour before diving into her next anthem of the night, “Watermelon Moonshine.”
“I know it feels like life can be a whirlwind a lot of the time, and we’re all just trying to keep one put on the ground. I know it, but tonight we’re going to lay it down. We’re going to celebrate it. We’re going to embrace it, and I think the best way to do that is by singing about some ‘Watermelon Moonshine.’”
The concert also featured plenty of laughs when she decided to pull off a hilarious prank on her opening act, Muscadine Bloodline. Before the duo returned to the stage to join Wilson for an acoustic portion of her set, the Louisiana native told the crowd, “I’ve been wanting to do this prank for a long time.”
Meanwhile, members of her team were seen carrying out and cleaning a pair of toilet seats instead of the usual benches that appear on stage for the singer/songwriters.
“Muscadine Bloodline, come out here I want you to sit on your throne and sing a song with me,” she said, calling to the duo.
Wilson also assured them that the toilets were brand new.
“I was thinking about it…I was like if I ever do an acoustic part of my show, where I’ve got somebody come out, I’m gonna make them sit on a toilet and do it…I think y’all are the sh**. That’s why I really wanted to do this.”
She continued to gush over the band, adding, “When I tell you I’m the biggest fan I’m so thankful and proud to have y’all out here with us.”
Gary Stanton, one half of the duo, returned the praise for Wilson as he told the crowd, “We’ve been on this tour for five weeks and it’s been an absolute blast playing in front of Lainey’s fans she has the best fans in country music.”
Muscadine Bloodline, Lainey Wilson; Photo Courtesy of Lainey Wilson
This memorable night was originally supposed to take place in September, however Lainey Wilson informed fans at the time that she had fallen ill and was unable to perform. So, she made the tough decision to reschedule the show. Since she was clearly heartbroken to have to disappoint the fans who were waiting to see her, Wilson was determined to make it right and she did just that on Saturday, Nov. 1.
“Hey y’all, I’m so sorry to do this,” she said in the emotional video. “but I’m gonna need to reschedule tonight’s show in Houston to Saturday, November 1. All previously purchased tickets will be honored for the new date…I was hoping that I would have a voice by showtime, but the truth is, it’s only gotten worse, and I want to give y’all the best show that I possibly can.”
She ended the clip by blowing a kiss to the camera.
The Whirlwind World Tour is nearing the end, with only two dates left. Wilson will wrap things up with performances in Tampa, FL on November 7 and Orlando, FL on November 8.
It’s a crisp fall afternoon in Nashville when Lauren Alaina welcomes us into her cozy home for the Pupdate, introducing us to her two adorable dogs, Nola and Opry, while sharing updates on life as a new mom, new music, and getting back on the road, this time with a baby in tow.
All smiles, Alaina settles into her couch for a chat, her pups nearby. Nola quickly finds a comfy spot to nap while Opry listens intently to every word. Before welcoming baby Beni Doll—her first child with husband Cam Arnold—in June, the couple’s lives revolved around their pets, including their cat, Kitty Wells, who roamed the house during our visit.
Lauren Alaina with her Daughter, Beni Doll, and Dogs, Nola and Opry; Photo by Osprey Media
Alaina admits she wasn’t sure how her dogs would react when they brought baby Beni home, but thankfully, everyone adjusted just fine.
“They actually both love her now, but it was an interesting adjustment. They were not sure what to think about her,” she revealed. “They would go up and kind of sniff her and try to figure out what she was. And now I’m trying to constantly make sure they’re not licking all over her face. They’re obsessed with her, but I think she was so little and then they’ve never been around a baby and they weren’t sure, but now they love her.”
Becoming a mom has brought big changes, especially now that Alaina has returned to touring. Laughing, she said, ”We traded beer bottles and wine glasses for baby bottles and shakers.” But with a smile, the “All My Exes” singer quickly added, “I wouldn’t change anything about it.”
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Having her daughter on the road feels like a full-circle moment for the Georgia native. “My mom’s actually been traveling with me as well,” she said. “When I started doing this, I was 16, and my mom went on the road with me. It’s kind of amazing to have her back out there. I’m like a little kid and I have a baby.”
Alaina also has some helpful friends guiding her through life on the road with a newborn. Thanks to HARDY and his wife, Caleigh, who welcomed their daughter Rosie in March, Beni has her own tour bus setup.
Lauren Alaina with her Daughter, Beni Doll; Photo by Osprey Media
“Rosie outgrew her bassinet before Beni did…they took it off their bus and gave it to us,” she revealed. “ So we have a hand-me-down bassinet for the babies, but it was so awesome to have them in my corner because I had no idea how to take a baby on the bus and they told me all the things to do and Caleigh was wonderful.”
She also credits friends like Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild, Russell and Kailey Dickerson, and Martina McBride for sharing their parenting wisdom.
Looking ahead, 2026 is shaping up to be a big year. Alaina will reunite with Rascal Flatts for the band’s Life Is a Highway Tour 2026, after spending much of 2025 on the road with the trio.
“I’m really looking forward to going back out on the road with Rascal Flatts. We go back out in January. So Beni’s going to go on the road. I’m sure my husband will go as well. He loves them too. And we’ll take these pup-peronis out there and be one big happy family,” she said. “But I’m just excited. I grew up listening to Rascal Flatts, so to be on tour with them is a dream. And then for them to be such good uncles to my baby girl, I mean, it’s crazy. It’s going to be so funny because I was so pregnant the last time I saw all of them. I was eight and a half months pregnant when we finished the tour…so very pregnant and now I’ll have the proof.”
Lauren Alaina with her Daughter, Beni Doll; Photo by Osprey Media
With a thriving career, a supportive husband, and a beautiful new baby, Lauren Alaina says life feels like a fairytale come true. Amid all these changes, she’s experienced an internal shift that’s completely redefined her version of success.
“I always dreamed of being on stage and dreamed of touring and doing all of this and I wanted to be a mom, but I didn’t see how that would fit in and never, I didn’t know how I would meet the right guy or do any of those things,” she explained. “And it’s so funny now my dream is them. They are my dream and the other part is the bonus.”
Lauren Alaina with her Daughter, Beni Doll; Photo by Osprey Media
She continued, “It’s interesting, it’s completely flipped for me, but I think that for me mentally has put me in a really safe place to create and to, I mean I still have anxiety and I’m like, where are we going on tour next year and what are we doing and when’s the album coming out and all of that. But at the end of the day, I look at Benny and she smiles at me and I’m like, well, whatever. It’s all going to be great as long as we can provide for her and give her a beautiful life. That’s what matters to me now.”
Balancing motherhood, marriage, and music, Lauren Alaina is stepping into a new season with a full heart, and she’s only just getting started. Fans can expect exciting new music updates in the coming months.
Gavin Adcock had fans talking after an unforgettable show in Winnipeg on Wednesday (Oct. 29), but the buzz online wasn’t just about his music. The 27-year-old had a bit of a fall off the stage while performing his hit song “Deep End”, creating a memorable moment for the crowd.
A fan who captured the moment during the show, shared a video across TikTok that shows Adcock, shirtless and rocking a cowboy hat and jeans. He makes his way towards the edge of the stage at the Burton Cummings Theatre while holding what appears to be a bottle of liquor.
All was going well until he stepped into the crowd, lost his balance and tumbled forward. On the way down, the microphone picked up the sound of him hitting some stage equipment before briefly disappearing from view, causing a collective gasp to erupt from the crowd.
But before fans could even react, Adcock had bounced back up with the mic and bottle still in hand. He may have lost his hat in the process, but that didn’t slow him down as the native was able to continue out the song like nothing had just happened. Fans also went right back into rocking out with the hard-hitting tune.
The caption of the fan’s video read, “@GavinAdcockMusic hope you’re good after that fall, few too many 🍻”
Luckily, Adcock was able to make light of the situation as he replied “It happens 🤙🏻🤙🏻.”
Plenty of users also commended the “Own Worst Enemy” singer on his ability to continue the show without missing a single beat.
They wrote things like “Took it like a champ,” “Not his first rodeo 💪” and “he was still rocking it out, what a legend.💯💯.”
Gavin Adcock; Photo via Instagram
A few days later, he took to his Instagram to share that the fall resulted in a massive bruise forming on his leg. Standing on the front porch wearing just his robe and a pair of shorts, Adcock addressed the incident and then showed off his battle wound.
“Well, a lot of y’all saw me bust my a** off the stage the other night, so I just wanted to show y’all the results of that,” he said before lifting up his clothes to reveal a “big old bruise right there.”
Adcock has had several notable moments both on stage and backstage throughout the year, including an altercation with fellow country singer Zach Bryan and a fan that had to be tackled by security after storming the stage. It’s safe to say that there’s never a dull moment at a Gavin Adcock show.
His latest incident took place during his headlining Need To Tour. The trek launched in May and is set to run through December, with a final set of shows taking place Las Vegas, NV.
The next show on Adcock’s tour schedule is a KASE 100.7 Star Party taking place at Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos, TX on November 10.
Rising star Noah Rinker has been quietly building something special over the past few years, and it all comes to fruition on his new EP, The Pines, out now via Warner Records. The six-song project delivers a mix of country storytelling and folk-rock warmth that captures the beauty of where he grew up and the emotions that come with the ups and downs of life.
Through this collection, Rinker taps into his upbringing in Yosemite, California to give fans a peak into where he’s come from and the kind of artist he’s evolving into. Listeners will hear him share raw stories of love, loss, growth, and reflection, all tied together with the earthy, natural sounds inspired by his roots.
Noah Rinker; Photo Provided
From the piano-driven opener “Restless Eyes” to the hopeful closer “Don’t Give Up on Me,” and the heart of it all, the title track, The Pines EP captures Rinker’s knack for turning simple moments into something profound. These tracks, plus “Rodeo,” join previously released tunes, “Tumbleweed” and “Matches & Gasoline.”
Rinker’s rise has been steady but organic and full of excitement. He’s attracted hundreds of thousands of followers online, generated multiple viral moments and earned over 8 million likes across TikTok alone. His career then jumped to new heights last year when he signed with Warner Records.
He recently crossed off a milestone when he made his sold-out headline debut at the Troubadour in L.A., and is now set to hit the road for tour dates with Wyatt Flores and Sam Barber, separately, plus has a slot at Stagecoach next spring.
In this Q&A, Noah talks about finding himself as an artist, how The Pines came to life, how growing up in Yosemite shaped his songwriting, and more.
How old were you when you began leaning into your passion for songwriting?
I started writing pretty bad songs when I was 16 and just like anything, you kind of figure out you can start to do it out of free will. Like, oh, I guess I can make a song, put some lyrics to a melody and I just started listening to a lot of music and deepening my musical knowledge. And so from 16 on I started and I think that I really found a lot of who I am as a songwriter after I had the big one, the relationship that had ended that really triggered a lot of my first kind of real emotions. And that’s when I really started to find myself as a songwriter.
You got your voice out into the world through social media. What has that journey been like for you?
Social media is such an interesting thing because it’s such an amazing tool and I have such a great relationship with it as a tool to expand, discover and have new people learn about my music.But really, I was posting for a long time and I didn’t really know what my thing was. Then I remember a couple falls ago, I came back home and I set up my phone outside in my backyard, a place that I’d never thought to record a video, and started giving people a little bit of an insight onto what my life was and playing songs that I had written just literally outside in my environment.Thatseemed to have grabbed people’s attention a little bit more because I think it showed a lot more of who I am and where I’m from and what it all feels like and put an energy to the music as well. So it’s been really fun to expand that world.
Posting those videos led you to signing a record deal last year. How has impacted your career in just this short amount of time?
It is so awesome to have help with things, I think. I started making everything myself. My first EP was entirely self-produced, mixed and mastered. And so, you know, having the help of Warner Records and everyone on the team really makes it a lot easier for me to finish the songs and work with producers and mixers and great mastering engineers that help bring my visions to life in a bigger way than I could have done by myself, which is such an amazing thing. It’s been such a crazy journey to learn the music business and how it all works coming from where I come from.
How has growing up inYosemite, California influenced your music in general and shaped the way you wrote for your new EP, specifically?
When you grow up in such a quiet, lonely place, you know, there’s not a lot of friends and peers up here. I worked for my parents’ propane company up in the mountains for years before I got into music. And you just start noticing little details. And obviously I write from my perspective of life, you know? So through that I see little details. Just like thinking about if we lived as long as a huge pine tree, you know? What are the things we would see and what would it be like to live a few hundred years and in a romantic context, thinking about how with the right person, even that is not enough time. And just little details like that really shaped so much of writing for this project.
What was your ultimate goal when working on The Pines collection?
So this project really is the closest thing to home that I’ve really felt, and that’s why, you know, it’s titled The Pines. I’m from a town called Shaver Lake, California, which is in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and most of the music was made up here in the mountains where I live. It’s just very special to be able to collect a bunch of songs over the past couple years that just really felt the most like me and the most like home into a little EP.
Noah Rinker; The Pines
The project starts off on a deeply emotional note with “Restless Eyes.” Can you share a bit of background on this story?
Yeah, that one’s deep. That, I think, is my personal favorite on the record, and I wrote that one actually two or three falls ago. I don’t remember, but it was this time, a couple years ago. And I remember the first thing that came into my mind was that first line, “I’ve been walking on the edge of who I am and what I’ll be,” and that to me meant so much ’cause I was just starting to post a bunch of videos on social media and things were kind of picking up from me and labels were reaching out over the course of the next couple months. And I really felt like this emotional terror between who I am, what I’ll be, and how it pertains to the breakup and the relationship that ended, that inspired a lot of the songs that I’ve made and just describing that tension was really, really crazy. And that song really doesn’t have a form. I took a risk because it’s a very, you know, simple song in the beginning that explodes into this big massive wall of sound at the end, which I wanted to design that just, I mean, it felt like how I felt in that moment.
This song is also one of a few solo writes on this project.So how does your process differ writing along verses with other writers?
There are two very different sides of my brain. I love writing with other people. It’s a lot more like mechanical in my brain. It’s putting pieces together with other great creative minds and kind of aligning on certain things I wanna dive into. But writing alone in the mountains, whether it be on the tailgate of my truck out in the middle of the forest, or you know, in my hometown bedroom that I’ve lived in since I was a little kid. It’s just, that’s a flow state. It’s unpredictable. Whatever comes, comes out and flows and whatever I’m feeling in that moment gets to be painted that day and I try to capture it the best I can.
How would you describe your sound for this project in particular and how you feel like it has kind of evolved from your past projects?
I really enjoyed putting this project together because I feel like there’s something for everyone on the EP. The song “Rodeo” is such a, I mean, it’s pretty much just like an indie pop song, essentially. I produced that by myself in Logic Pro and it’s very different from everything else, but it still has these themes that are so real to me in my life and I wanted to make it sound different and very like vibey. I think across the whole EP I wanted to color it as what my musical taste is, which is a mix of country elements, a mix of pop stuff, a mix of folk and Americana, and really my first instrument that I’ve played since I was four is the piano so with this project really being able to include a lot of my roots in the piano elements was really cool and shapes it kind of beyond the scope of country music. But also has so many themes that I love, “Tumbleweed,” “Rodeo,” all of these kind of images of a rural country life that I’ve lived my whole entire life.
What else do you have on the horizon that you want to share with fans?
I just shot my first ever full production music video with Gus Black the other weekend. That’s gonna be like a movie. So we’re expanding the visual world using this place and using it all for the greater good…It was my first one ever so obviously it was really nerve wracking kind of being an actor for the first time, but it was so beautiful and it came really naturally. Gus Black has done a bunch of stuff with the Warner Records team, and he came up and he scouted for a few days and we spent a bunch of long, long days just capturing the beauty and the story of a couple songs that, I can’t say which ones we did, but it was a really beautiful experience to make it with a crew and just feel like we were all responsible for making something really, really beautiful that I had never made anything like before.
You headlined the Troubadour recently, which was another big moment in your career. What was kind of running through your head as you took the stage that night?
It’s so surreal. I’m still processing it because it’s been such a busy week. I couldn’t believe that we sold it out. It’s such an iconic venue. So many amazing people in the folk world have made their LA debuts there and just knowing the history and knowing how much it meant to me, literally the entire Warner Records staff came out and a bunch of people from UMPG, my publisher and all the fans were singing the songs back. It was just so surreal to play this music and get to feel that with the energy of people that have been living with my music for a while, and I can’t wait to go on tour or more next year.
Blake Shelton was the longest-serving coach on NBC’s The Voice, having guided contestants every season from 2011 through 2023 and earning nine wins along the way. While he played a monumental role in helping a slew of hopeful artists launch their careers, none have ever reached true superstar status. Looking back, Shelton admits how disappointing that reality is to him.
The country superstar recently co-hosted Country Countdown USAwith Lon Helton, where he reflected on this chapter of his career and revealed how that lack of major success inspired him to start his own TV talent contest, The Road.
Blake Shelton; Photo by Robby Klein
When Helton asked whether it bothered him that The Voice never produced a major star, Shelton didn’t hold back in his response. He acknowledged a few flaws in the show that stood out to him and explained that in his eyes, those issues ultimately kept contestants from fully thriving after their time in the competition.
He said, “It bothered me more than it bothered the TV people. It’s easy to see why. By the time the artist wins the show, they’ve already moved on to the next season. But also, that show was more about the coaches, and that’s why it was so popular, and not as much focus on the artists.”
Now, the “Stay Country or Die Trying” singer is aiming to change that with The Road, a new TV competition series which stars Keith Urban (who also serves as executive producer) and features Gretchen Wilson as the “tour manager.”
Keith Urban, Gretchen Wilson, Blake Shelton; Photo Provided
The series follows 12 up-and-coming musicians competing for a shot at becoming country music’s next big star. In each episode, the contestants perform as opening acts for Urban at venues across the U.S., while feedback from live audiences and special guest judges, including special guests Jordan Davis, Karen Fairchild, Dustin Lynch, and Brothers Osborne, determines which artists advance to the next city in the competition.
The journey will come to an end when one lucky winner takes home a life-changing prize package: $250,000 in cash, a recording contract with Country Road Records (a division of 101 Studios in partnership with Thirty Tigers), and a performance on the iconic Mane Stage at the 2026 Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California.
Thanks to Red Bull, the winner will also earn a spot at Red Bull Jukebox in Nashville. Meanwhile, the two runners-up will each receive five recording sessions at Red Bull Studio in Los Angeles.
Shelton created the unique show concept alongside his co-executive producer, Taylor Sheridan, who he noted had a major impact on the series fans can watch on TV now.
“I met him through a mutual friend. He’s an amazing guy to work with. He’s a creative genius. He can have a huge impact on the way a show looks. He has done a lot with music on Yellowstone, and he really wanted to be part of a music competition show,” Shelton said of Sheridan.
Once the ideas started to flow for their new show, he called up his fellow country act, Keith Urban, asking him to join them in their search for stars.
“I got Keith on the phone, and told him our idea, and we came up the same way. That’s how this show was developed. Once he heard the idea, he was in. It’s a fun way to do a show.”
Keith Urban. Photo: Lauren “Lo” Smith/CBS
Now that the show is in full swing, Helton asked Shelton if they’ve done something that really works this time, and the country act appeared confident in the show’s ability to launch new talent.
“I think we found stars. Because they will perform an original song. Some of those original songs will take off and go viral. Whether they win or not. Their music will be available when the show airs, so they won’t have to wait for the end of the show to buy their music,” he explained.
THE ROAD’s extended premiere aired Sunday, Oct. 19 on the CBS Television Network. New episodes continue to air every week on the network and is also available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+*.
NLE The Great dropped a bombshell revelation that has Hip-Hop fans doing double takes after releasing his NBA YoungBoy diss track “KO” – he actually wants to embrace his target.
The Memphis rapper, formerly known as NLE Choppa, sat down with Rolling Stoneto break down his controversial track that samples 2Pac’s legendary “Hit ‘Em Up” and takes direct aim at NBA YoungBoy.
But in a twist that nobody saw coming, The Great revealed his true feelings about the Baton Rouge star.
“I love him. I would love to give that brother a hug. I would love to shake hands with that brother, I would love to make music with him personally, but how could I if he won’t?” The Great explained during the interview, his words carrying genuine emotion despite the aggressive nature of his recent release.
The track “KO,” which dropped October 30th, features The Great channeling multiple personas, including 2Pac, Michael Jackson and Prince, while delivering bars like “You poison the youth” aimed directly at YoungBoy.
The song’s theatrical video shows The Great in various costumes, paying homage to the legendary artists he claims to channel.
But The Great insists his motivations stem from a higher calling rather than personal animosity.
“This is my fourth time, fifth time sharing this story, so sometimes it’s not as fresh sharing it – but I was awakened out of my sleep with a vivid dream,” he revealed, describing a gruesome vision that he interpreted as divine instruction to create the diss track.
The dream featured him “holding a young boy’s head in my hand” with “flesh hanging off the skull, mosquitoes, and gnats, and biting at his flesh as it was deteriorating.”
The Great said he went into prayer about the vision and received clarity about his mission.
“It’s not him personally. It’s what’s controlling him exoterically and esoterically,” The Great explained about his issues with YoungBoy. “I’m a firm believer that sometimes it’s not us for real, but it’s still things that we choose.”
The name change from NLE Choppa to NLE The Great reflects what he calls a spiritual evolution.
“Choppa is gone. It’s like he’s not gone in a manner where I don’t use that same rap, that same era, that same thing that makes me a dog,” he said. “I feel like I was the voice for that, for the people that have died standing firmly behind truth.”
Despite the aggressive nature of “KO,” The Great maintains that his ultimate goal is restoration rather than destruction.
“I don’t hate YoungBoy. He simply wants him to make different choices,” he stated, positioning himself as someone trying to hold his peer accountable rather than tear him down.
The track represents phase one of The Great’s upcoming project, with the full album not expected for several months.
“This song is coming out October 30th. November, December, January, February, March. It’s five months ahead. I think that this is just an appetizer,” he explained.
Mariah Carey is bringing her holiday magic to four major cities this November with the return of her festive pop-up bar experience.
The Grammy-winning superstar has partnered with Bucket Listers to launch “Mariah Carey’s Holiday Bar” in Los Angeles, New York City, Miami and Las Vegas throughout November 2025.
The month-long pop-up events will transform select venues into what organizers describe as “a festive, fully-decorated holiday oasis” for fans 21 and older.
“We are honored to once again work with Mariah Carey, bringing her holiday world to life on an even grander scale,” said Bucket Listers founder and CEO Andy Lederman. “There is no better way to celebrate the season than with the Queen herself.”
The immersive experience will feature cocktails made with Carey’s signature Black Irish cream liqueur, along with interactive photo opportunities, including Santa’s sleigh, displays of the singer’s album artwork and an awards wall showcasing her achievements.
Fans can also write letters to Carey with their holiday wish lists while singing along to her Christmas classics.
Each location will offer exclusive holiday merchandise and limited-edition vinyl records, including copies of her latest album, Here For It All.
The pop-up tour kicks off on November 13 at the Mondrian Sky Bar in Los Angeles, followed by New York’s UNTITLED at 3 Freeman Alley on November 14.
The experience then heads to Miami’s Ray’s Hometown Bar on November 20 before concluding in Las Vegas at On The Record on November 28.
This marks the second year for the holiday bar concept, which previously appeared only in New York City. The expansion to four cities reflects the growing popularity of the festive experience among Carey’s devoted fanbase.
Flava Flav brings his legendary Hip-Hop energy to the ballroom as ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” welcomes the Public Enemy co-founder as a guest judge for Tuesday’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night episode.
The 65-year-old rapper will evaluate celebrity contestants alongside regular judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli during the November 4 broadcast at 8 P.M. ET/PT.
The themed episode celebrates music legends with performances set to iconic tracks from Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees.
Producers selected Flava Flav to represent Hip-Hop’s influence on the Hall of Fame, with the show opening to a mashup of Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me” and Public Enemy’s “Fight The Power.”
The episode features live performances from Grammy-winning Hall of Fame inductees Kool & the Gang and Chicago. Additional musical tributes include a tour number to OutKast’s “Hey Ya!” and a troupe dance to Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground.”
Co-hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough will join competing teams for the first time this season, adding another layer of excitement to the competition format.
Flava Flav’s television appearance comes during an active period for Public Enemy. The group recently released new music for Grammy consideration, including their latest project, Black Sky Over the Projects, which was released in June 2025.
Young Bleed, the Baton Rouge lyricist who helped define Louisiana Hip-Hop in the late 1990s with his storytelling style and early collaborations with Master P, has died following complications from a brain aneurysm, according to his son. He was 50.
“Rip to the biggest legend I kno…. Young bleed!!!” he wrote in the caption. “Love u Dad so much and will definitely miss u… but imma carry the torch from here I got u #youngbleed #mydad # #myfather @therealyoungbleed I’m glad he went out in style!!!! One time fa the one time.”
Born Glenn Clifton Jr., Young Bleed rose to prominence under the No Limit banner with his 1998 album My Balls and My Word, which peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 and became one of the label’s signature releases. The project featured the regional hit “How Ya Do Dat,” a collaboration with C-Loc and Master P that helped bring Baton Rouge’s rap scene to national attention.
Bleed collapsed in Las Vegas last week following his performance at the Cash Money vs. No Limit Verzuz event at ComplexCon. He was placed on a ventilator after being diagnosed with a brain aneurysm caused by internal bleeding.
Bleed had continued performing and releasing independent projects through his Trapdoor Entertainment imprint, maintaining a cult following for his Southern-fried storytelling and soulful delivery.
On social media, tributes poured in from Louisiana artists who credited him with opening doors for Baton Rouge Hip-Hop long before the rise of figures like Boosie Badazz and Kevin Gates.
Xania Monet cracked the Billboard Adult R&B Airplay chart at No. 30 with “How Was I Supposed to Know,” becoming the first AI-created artist to do so, igniting debate across the music industry over the role of artificial performers on traditional platforms.
The track, which jumped 28% in airplay between October 17 and 23, was played on 15 reporting radio stations nationwide.
Xania Monet is the digital brainchild of Mississippi poet Telisha Jones, who used the Suno platform to build the AI artist’s voice and persona.
Romel Murphy, who manages Monet, credited the song’s success to its relatability. “Her song is resonating with the masses. That was our simple formula,” he said. “If you had a, let’s say, traditional, artist and were a label and marketing executive, radio would be a piece of the promotion strategy.”
Before hitting the airwaves, the song first gained momentum on TikTok, eventually surging to No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B Digital Song Sales chart in September and peaking at No. 20 on the Hot R&B Songs chart.
That attention reportedly led to a lucrative deal with Hallwood Media, following what insiders described as a competitive bidding war.
Still, not everyone is applauding the AI artist’s rise. SZA and Kehlani have both voiced concerns, with Kehlani publicly criticizing the deal on social media.
Their reactions reflect broader unease in the music world about the growing presence of artificial performers.
Murphy, however, is urging listeners to focus on the art itself. “Be it a radio programming director, be it a music fan, be it our peers, colleagues, artists,” he said, “just listen to the songs. Listen to the lyrics. And then make your judgment.”
Monet has already appeared on multiple Billboard charts, including Hot Gospel Songs with “Let Go, Let God.” Her team is now pushing for a full radio campaign with hopes of climbing higher.
“Our goal is to continue to grow, continue to connect and hopefully get to No. 1,” Murphy said.
