When RnB Tomi curates a playlist, you know the selection is going to hit different. The music curator has put together a collection of 140 songs spanning 1998 and 1999, two years that fundamentally shaped the sound of contemporary R&B and hip-hop. These weren’t just any years in music—they represented a golden era when artists were pushing creative boundaries while maintaining the soul and authenticity that made Black music resonate across generations.
RnB Tomi understands that 1998 and 1999 gave us some of the most iconic R&B moments we still reference today. From smooth vocals to innovative production, from late-night romance anthems to tracks that defined entire summers, this era captured something special. It was a time when R&B artists weren’t afraid to experiment, collaborate, and create music that felt both timeless and urgently of-the-moment.
What makes this curation significant is how it honors a period when Black artists were at the absolute forefront of popular music, setting trends that would influence decades to come. Those late 90s records weren’t just songs—they were cultural moments that shaped how we understood love, rhythm, and self-expression. For anyone who lived through that era or discovered it later, these 140 tracks represent a masterclass in what made R&B the soundtrack to our lives. This is the kind of playlist that reminds us why we keep coming back to those years, why those songs still matter, and why the artistry of that period continues to inspire today’s musicians.
Pierre Thomas, Quality Control Music cofounder, is recovering in a Las Vegas hospital following a heart attack, with sources saying his condition is improving. The music executive, who alongside co-founder Kevin “Coach K” Lee built the label into a hip-hop force, helped launch the careers of Migos, Lil Baby, and City Girls.
P remains hospitalized as his health trajectory continues on an upward path. Quality Control Music released a statement requesting prayers for the executive during his recovery.
Pierre Thomas was admitted to the ICU after suffering the heart attack on Friday. The news prompted an outpouring of support from the music community and fans alike.
Since establishing Quality Control Music in 2013 with Coach K, P has been instrumental in shaping the sound and success of modern hip-hop. The label’s roster represents some of the genre’s biggest names, making his leadership instrumental to its rise.
The recovery news is welcome in an industry where P’s influence remains deeply felt. His peers and the artists he’s worked with have sent well-wishes as he continues healing.
For now, the focus remains on P’s continued recovery and his return to full health.
Reality TV drama just hit different when receipts are on the table. Jax Taylor is stepping up to defend himself after Brittany Cartwright aired some serious accusations on live TV.
During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Brittany alleged that Jax missed scheduled time with their son Cruz while he was in Canada with Lori Krebs—the former couple’s ex-publicist who’s now dating Jax. The tension is real, and reality TV drama like this reminds us why family matters require more than just social media posts.
“I have NEVER missed my scheduled parenting time with Cruz,” Jax, 47, fired back on Instagram Wednesday. He claimed he returned to Los Angeles by Tuesday and had plans to see their 5-year-old son the next day. According to Jax, Brittany prevented the visit due to personal conflict between them.
Jax promised transparency ahead of an emergency court hearing. “The truth will come out about everything when I finally have the opportunity to speak,” he wrote, signaling that legal proceedings would sort through the allegations.
Brittany filed for divorce back in August 2024, and the situation has only gotten messier. She’s called Jax and Lori’s relationship a betrayal—especially since Lori had been “like a sister” to her for a decade. When photos of the new couple’s Mexico vacation dropped, Lori supposedly texted Brittany just two hours before, writing, “She knows I will feel betrayed.”
A source connected to Lori pushed back on Brittany’s version, claiming the two women had actually grown distant and rarely talked outside of work before any romance happened. It’s that classic he-said-she-said situation that keeps custody disputes heated and complicated.
With court hearings looming and both sides ready to present their cases, this custody battle shows how personal betrayals can turn ugly fast. When you’re dealing with co-parenting responsibilities and broken trust, the stakes feel even higher—especially when children are involved. Jax says the receipts will speak for themselves soon enough.
Blueface Detained by Police in Los Angeles After Apparent ‘Swatting’ Incident
Blueface had another brush with the law over the weekend, getting detained by police in California during an apparent “swatting” incident. Law enforcement sources confirmed to BlkCosmo that the rapper was inside a restaurant in Santa Clarita on Sunday night when Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies responded to an emergency call reporting “severe violence.”
Deputies detained several people at the scene, including Blueface, but released everyone after determining no crime had occurred. The incident was flagged as a swatting call. A witness livestreamed the entire ordeal, capturing footage of Blueface and his baby mama, Nevaeh Akira, during the chaotic scene that unfolded outside the restaurant.
Video footage circulating on social media shows Blueface being ordered by police to step outside, where a sizable contingent of deputies stood positioned near patrol cars. One deputy asked if Blueface was with his baby mama. Nevaeh, who appeared to be holding a child, responded with visible concern in her voice. Blueface told her to take his phone and return inside while he approached the officers with his hands raised. He was handcuffed while on his knees but was not arrested and was ultimately released.
This marks the third police encounter for Blueface in August alone. Earlier in the month, he was caught on video kicking pregnant Nevaeh into a pool at his Santa Clarita home. Days later, he was pulled over in San Diego for equipment violations. Neither incident resulted in an arrest. A representative for Blueface has not yet responded to requests for comment about the swatting incident.
MS Jwilly graces the pages of Bustle in this stunning editorial that captures raw talent and authentic style. Photographed by Erik Carter and directed by the creative vision of Shanelle Infante, this feature showcases why MS Jwilly continues to command attention in the entertainment and fashion space.
The shoot brings together a powerhouse team that understands the assignment. Miles Jeffries crafted the hair, while Tasha Reiko Brown created the makeup look that feels both polished and effortlessly cool. Ashirah Katrice handled fashion styling with precision, and Kii Brown managed production to ensure every detail landed perfectly. This level of collaboration celebrates the infrastructure of Black creatives working together to elevate talent.
What makes this feature resonate is its commitment to centering Black excellence across every department. From the photographer to the hair and makeup artists to the fashion stylist, this shoot is a masterclass in representation done right. For readers who’ve watched the industry slowly shift toward more inclusive productions, seeing this level of Black creative leadership behind the camera matters. It’s not just about who’s in front of the lens—it’s about who’s behind it, making the decisions, setting the tone, and ensuring that excellence is the standard, not the exception.
Jordyn Woods and Karl-Anthony Towns just gave us the wedding of the summer. Their intimate Malibu ceremony on August 15 drew a star-studded guest list—Jaden Smith, Kylie Jenner, Gayle King, Michael B. Jordan—yet managed to feel genuinely private. But the real story isn’t the guest list. It’s the eight-and-a-half-year journey that led them to the altar, rooted in friendship, loss, and what Jordyn Woods describes as divine timing.
Starting as Friends
Woods and Towns met through mutual friends in Los Angeles roughly eight years ago. They were just that at first: friends. Good ones, by her account. But something shifted when Towns’ mother, Jacqueline, fell ill.
In a recent interview with Allure for her bridal beauty trial, Woods opened up about the moment everything changed. “When his mom got sick and passed away suddenly, with me having experienced what loss of a parent is like, it just grew our bond a lot deeper,” she said. “And now it’s been six years, and now we’re getting married.”
Both Knew Grief Early
Jacqueline Towns died in April 2020 from COVID-19 complications after spending a month in a medically induced coma. In a YouTube video later that year, Karl-Anthony reflected on the impossible choice he had to make. “I gave her all the time, and I made the hardest decision you can make. I called my sister. I told her what the decision I made was,” he said. “You’ve got to live with that.”
Woods had walked a similar path. Her father, John Woods, died in January 2017, just two weeks after his cancer diagnosis. She was 19 years old. On Instagram at the time, she wrote: “Last night heaven got another angel. My Daddy. Just two short weeks ago, he was diagnosed with cancer, and by that time it was too late.”
That shared understanding of loss became the foundation of something deeper than friendship.
From Friendship to Something More
After Jacqueline passed, Woods traveled to Minnesota where Towns was playing for the Timberwolves. What happened next felt inevitable, though Woods was careful about it. “When you cross that boundary with a friendship, it can really go any way, and I just never wanted to lose him as a friend; he’s such a pure and amazing person,” she told Allure. “But I also felt maybe this is what God is putting in front of me, and maybe we should explore that.”
She has a theory about what brought them together. “I do think it was a higher power of both of our parents orchestrating things and putting us in each other’s lives.”
A Ring Full of Meaning
Towns proposed on Christmas Eve—a detail that took on another dimension when Woods realized her own parents had gotten engaged on the same date. He designed her ring with intention, incorporating their birthstones: her sapphire and his orange garnet (a nod to the New York Knicks, his current team). The band also features both their parents’ birthstones, a tangible symbol of two families—and two legacies of loss—becoming one.
Screenshot: Instagram (@Jordynwoods and @Karltowns)
What makes their story resonate isn’t the celebrity or the perfect details. It’s that they turned shared heartbreak into something solid. They took eight years to become what they needed to be for each other—and it took losing people they loved to understand what they had all along.
Reality television is getting a shake-up. Amanda Frances is leaving The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills after just one season, and she’s calling her brief Bravo run one of the “boldest” choices of her life.
“My time on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is complete,” Amanda, 40, wrote on Instagram Wednesday. The financial adviser thanked the women, viewers and fans who supported, criticized or discovered her work during season 15. For Amanda, reality television became more than just a platform—it was spiritual work. “It was a ministry, honestly,” she wrote.
Amanda joined the series alongside Rachel Zoe and friend Natalie Swanston Fuller. Her debut season included raw conversations about her upbringing in a religious cult and clashes with Bozoma Saint John over their professional accomplishments. Some of the Housewives accused her of being a fraud and failed to gel with the rest of the cast.
“While this show gave me an incredible platform, a platform is not the same thing as a foundation,” Amanda wrote. She’s moving forward with intention and authenticity.
Her next chapter includes the release of Holy F***: God Wants You to Have It All, which is expected to explore more of her religious background and offer what feels like a cultural meditation on faith, wealth, and freedom struggle. She and husband Eddie Tsivislavsky are also planning an October reception after secretly marrying in late 2025.
Jennifer Tilly wished Amanda well in the comments. “You are so funny and sweet and smart,” Jennifer wrote. “We will miss you.”
Bravo has not yet announced the complete season 16 cast.
Wilson Isidor graces the pages of Tomorrow Magazine in this stunning editorial captured by the visionary lens of Mind of JR. The shoot celebrates emerging talent through a carefully curated creative vision that brings together some of the industry’s most talented collaborators. From styling to production, every detail was intentional and purposeful.
Wilson Isidor embodies the fresh energy that Tomorrow Magazine consistently showcases—a platform dedicated to highlighting voices and faces that represent the future of fashion and culture. With the creative direction of Belati S. Ali, styling by Glo and Suki, and the meticulous eye of executive producer Danielle H. Styles, this editorial is a masterclass in collaborative excellence. Photo assistant Kid Myriad and the PR efforts of Mrs. Wanda rounded out a team that understood the assignment.
This moment matters because it represents the continued investment in Black and Brown creative talent across all roles—from behind the camera to the boardroom. It’s a reminder that visibility in spaces like Tomorrow Magazine isn’t just about representation; it’s about building sustainable careers and centering BIPOC creativity at every level of production. This is what intentional, inclusive storytelling looks like.
The federal government is making moves to permanently control Sean “Diddy” Combs’ mysterious “Ibiza Tapes,” and honestly? The contents are still locked down tight. Prosecutors just filed papers requesting final forfeiture of Sony DVCAM cassettes seized from Diddy’s Miami home during a March 2024 federal search. But here’s the thing—nobody’s saying what’s actually on these recordings, when they were made, or if they even have a real connection to Ibiza Tapes at all.
The mystery deepens when you consider what else investigators pulled from his property—phones, computers, tablets, flash drives, hard drives, and surveillance equipment. It’s a lot. And while jurors watched other explicit recordings during Diddy’s federal trial, the filing doesn’t confirm whether these particular cassettes were used as evidence. For context on Ibiza Tapes, Diddy was convicted of two prostitution-related transportation offenses but cleared of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson laid it out simply: “The Government respectfully requests that the Court enter the attached Final Order of Forfeiture.” Prosecutors noted that Diddy’s ownership rights had already been forfeited, and no individuals or companies submitted claims seeking the property during the public notice period that ran from Oct. 15 through Nov. 13, 2025.
If Judge Arun Subramanian signs off on this order, federal officials will decide what happens next—whether those cassettes get retained, destroyed, or otherwise disposed of legally. The lack of transparency around what’s actually on these tapes raises real questions about accountability and the legal process.
LAS VEGAS, NV – SEPTEMBER 19: Rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs (L) and radio personality Elvis Duran (C) attend the 2015 iHeartRadio Music Festival at MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 19, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bryan Steffy/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)
Growing up Black in church meant absorbing a whole catalog of sayings—repeated so often they felt like gospel truth. “God don’t like ugly.” “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” “Let go and let God.” We heard them in sanctuaries, in living rooms, whispered as warnings. They shaped our behavior, kept us in line, and somehow just made sense. The catch? Much of it wasn’t actually Scripture.
Some of these sayings came from general biblical principles. Others borrowed from historical teachings before getting remixed for easier digestion or simplified over generations. Black church sayings have become part of our cultural fabric, passed down so seamlessly that questioning their origins felt almost sacrilegious. We wanted to dig into thirteen of the most common ones, break down which actually made it into the Bible, what the original teachings meant, and which have evolved into wisdom all their own.
“God Don’t Like Ugly”
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Let’s get straight to it: “God don’t like ugly” is not a Bible verse. But it worked. This one probably drew inspiration from Galatians 6:7, which teaches that a person “reaps what he sows”—in other words, bad behavior catches up with you eventually.
“God Is Good All the Time, and All the Time God Is Good”
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This one brings Black folks together in almost any room. While the saying itself isn’t biblical, it carries a sentiment that absolutely is. The reassurance that God remains good and faithful echoes throughout Scripture, including Genesis and Mark 10:18, where Jesus emphasizes that God alone is truly good. We just gave it swag.
“Cleanliness Is Next to Godliness”
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This one got preached like it came straight from Leviticus. It didn’t. The Old Testament had teachings about being “clean” and “unclean,” but nothing to do with cleaning our rooms. Still, it worked.
“The Lord Works in Mysterious Ways”
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Not in the Good Book, but a popular expression used to explain that God’s plans may not always be clear to us. Isaiah 55:8 gets closer to the source material: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…”
“Let Go and Let God”
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Our elders cooked with this one. But it’s not Scripture. The real inspiration is “Do not be afraid” or “fear not,” which appears about 365 times throughout the Bible.
“God Makes a Way Out of No Way”
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Deeply rooted in Black religious language, this isn’t a direct Bible verse. But look to Daniel, when he and his friends get thrown into a fiery furnace. Spoiler alert: God makes a way, and they survive.
“This Too Shall Pass”
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The sentiment is biblical, but the famous phrase itself isn’t. Several stories credit it to Jewish legends about King Solomon, who faced political and spiritual challenges despite his wisdom and wealth.
“If He Brought You to It—He’ll Bring You Through It”
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I’m convinced this was carefully crafted for those “turn to your neighbor and tell them…” church moments. But you won’t find these exact words in the Bible. Isaiah 43:2 gets closer: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned.”
“God Gives His Toughest Battles to His Strongest Soldiers”
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Another commonly remixed saying. While not exactly biblical, it’s meant to offer comfort during hard times. For something closer to the source, try 1 Corinthians 10:13: “And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
“What God Has for You Is for You”
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This one feels like it should be Scripture, but it’s more of a modern Christian aphorism built around biblical themes. Scripture gives us plenty of examples of God’s promises being fulfilled despite the obstacles along the way.
“Money Is the Root of All Evil”
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This one is biblical, but often misquoted. 1 Timothy 6:10 actually says the “love of money is a root of all kinds of evil”—not money itself. There’s a significant difference.
“God Knows My Heart”
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This one usually comes with that sideways look. Folks say “God knows my heart” when they’re cutting up, doing something they shouldn’t be doing. But yes, it is biblical. 1 Samuel 16:7 says “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart”—meaning people around you may not get it, but God does. Black church sayings often work this way, grounded in Scripture but deployed in very human moments.
“No Weapon Formed Against Me Shall Prosper”
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This one is absolutely biblical, straight from Isaiah 54:17. And yes, Black folks have been quoting it with full conviction for generations, usually when trouble is brewing. It’s a declaration through faith that trials and hardship won’t have the final word in your story.
