On June 19, the 3rd Wave Music Awards – Honor Ceremony concluded splendidly at the Beijing Performing Arts Center. Initiated by the Wave Music Committee and hosted by the Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME), this year’s Awards upheld the principle of “Jointly Establishing Artistic and Aesthetic Standards for the Music Industry,” with work quality as the sole evaluation criterion, aiming to create a professional, fair, and authoritative annual music event, and ultimately recognizing the finest Chinese music and artists of 2024.

At the ceremony, prominent creators such as Sandee Chan, Gu Jianfen, Zhang Yadong, and Yee Kar Yeung served as award presenters. They were joined by numerous musicians and bands, including Tanya Chua, Hanggai Band, and More Feel, along with nearly a hundred media representatives from home and abroad, including those from People’s Daily and Xinhua Net, all witnessing a landmark moment for the Chinese music scene.

The highly anticipated Big Three Honors — Song of the Year, Production of the Year, and Album of the Year — were awarded to Zhou Shen’s “Little Bliss” (小美满), Shan Yichun’s “Chun Girl” (纯妹妹), and Khalil Fong’s The Dreamer (梦想家). Notably, Zhou Shen’s “Little Bliss” also won Best Composition and Best Film/TV Song. In terms of artist honors, Khalil Fong was awarded Best Male Singer in recognition of his outstanding musical contributions during his lifetime, while Tanya Chua was named Best Female Singer. The Best Duo/Group and Best New Artist went to Hanggai Band and JUD Chen, respectively.

To encourage excellence in music creation and production, the Wave Music Awards introduced dedicated honors to celebrate the contributions of behind-the-scenes professionals. Among them, “Factory” (工厂) by the God of Henan Rap (河南说唱之神) became the biggest winner, taking home awards for Best Single Production, Best Music Video, and Best Rap Song.

In addition, in the language and genre honors that highlight the diverse development of Chinese music, the Wave Music Awards conducted a selection across various styles, including pop, rock, folk, and electronic. Tibetan singer Gongba’s album Flower of Life (生命之花) and Ma Di’s single “Life Park” (人生公园) won Best Minority Language Album and Best Folk Song, respectively.

What’s worth highlighting is that at this year’s Wave Music Awards ceremony, over ten different artists/musician groups delivered exquisite stage performances in various styles. Tanya Chua’s “Finland” (芬兰距离) conveyed the loneliness of being so close yet so far in modern love through its chilly and ethereal melody. Wang Yitai performed “Incompetent Genius” (不称职的天才) from his Best Rap Album Love Me Later, expressing his outlook and reflections on the world through lyrics and composition.

Hanggai Band delivered a live performance of the title track “Turn the Tide” (时来运转) from their Best World Music Album, recreating the majestic vitality of grassland music. These diverse musical performances further showcased the rich and multifaceted creative landscape of Chinese music.

Khalil Fong’s final album, The Dreamer, earned him the honors of Album of the Year and Best Male Singer. Khalil Fong’s family attended the event to accept the honors on his behalf, and the heartfelt stories and spirit of Khalil they shared in their speech touched both industry insiders and many in the audience.

This year’s Wave Music Awards not only provided a shining stage for outstanding artists and exceptional works but also set a high-level aesthetic reference and a professional value benchmark for the entire industry. Looking ahead, the Wave Music Committee will continue to explore the essence of music creation, going upstream in the surging tide of the era, leading Chinese music to continue growing upward.

Even though the Los Angeles Dodgers lost to the lowly Washington Nationals on Saturday (June 21), it was still a good day.

L.A. hosted an Ice Cube bobblehead giveaway for fans walking through the Dodger Stadium turnstiles on Saturday night, which set a single-game attendance record for the Dodgers’ 2025 season so far.

Per Dodger Blue, 54,154 fans came out to the ballpark on June 21, breaking the previous 2025 record of 54,031, which happened when the Dodgers and New York Yankees matched up on Sunday Night Baseball on June 1.

As shown off by The Bobble Foo on Instagram, Ice Cube’s bobblehead finds the West Coast icon in a matching Dodgers jersey and jacket featuring the team’s decals along with the signature Dodger fitted cap.

Fans seemed to lend their stamp of approval to the Cube bobblehead as well. “Yeah they cooked with this one,” one person wrote in the comments.

The Dodgers also lit up the sky with an Ice Cube-themed drone show at Saturday night’s game to honor the legendary rapper.

While Ice Cube couldn’t be in the building to celebrate his bobblehead day, TMZ caught up with the N.W.A alum in the airport, and Cube gushed about the collectible.

“It felt great. Amazing — something I never expected to have. Sorry I can’t be there,” he said.

It’s a rare feat for a non-player to receive a bobblehead, as L.A. dignitaries such as Kobe Bryant have had their own Dodger collectible.

Cube bleeds blue and has long been a die-hard Dodgers fan. He performed before Game 2 of the 2025 World Series against the Yankees, as the Dodgers went on to win another championship ring.

The federal sex-trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs is winding to a close. Jurors have seen all the evidence, and a verdict could come soon now that the disgraced music mogul has officially decided not to take the stand in his own defense.

Combs has been on trial for over a month on the bombshell charges that he used violence, money and blackmail to force women to participate in drug-fueled sex shows called “freak-offs.” The rapper, who maintains his innocence, could face a potential life sentence if convicted on all counts.

Prosecutors rested on Tuesday (June 24) after a Homeland Security agent finished testifying, the New York Times reports. The government has built its case with videos, text messages and dozens of witnesses – most crucially, singer Cassie Ventura and an anonymous women known as “Jane,” both ex-girlfriends of Combs who testified that they were coerced into participating in the freak-offs.

Combs’ lawyers did not call any witnesses of their own and spent less than half an hour reading text messages into the record before resting the defense case as well. Combs opted not to testify, a common decision made by the majority of criminal defendants due to the risks that come with opening oneself up to cross-examination.

As is typical in these situations, Judge Arun Subramanian asked Combs himself to confirm that he had personally chosen not to testify and understood the right he was forfeiting.

“That is solely my decision,” Combs said, adding as an aside to the judge, “I wanted to tell you, thank you, you’re doing an excellent job.”

Though Combs’ lawyers didn’t call witnesses, they’ve made the case throughout the trial that the rapper’s sex parties were entirely consensual. The defense presented this perspective through intense cross-examination of Ventura and Jane, focusing on text messages where the two women seemed to convey enthusiasm for Combs’ freak-offs.

Defense lawyer Alexandra Shapiro reiterated this argument while making a motion for acquittal as a matter of law to Judge Subramanian on Tuesday. According to CNN, Shapiro acknowledged that Combs was “regrettably violent” towards Ventura but said domestic violence is not the same as sex trafficking.

“A person in Mr. Combs’ position clearly would’ve understood that, on the contrary, she enjoyed the sexual activity and did not feel coerced,” Shapiro said.

The judge reserved his decision on the acquittal motion. Such motions are rarely granted, but useful for defense attorneys who want to build a strong trial record for appeal.

Jurors get a day off now, as the lawyers are slated to spend Wednesday (June 25) hammering our legal instructions with Judge Subramanian. Closing arguments are slated to begin Thursday (June 26) and last for at least an entire day.

The judge will then have to read his lengthy legal instructions to the jury, a process that often lasts multiple hours. This means deliberations could start either late in the day Friday or Monday morning – though how long it will take the jury to agree unanimously on a verdict is anyone’s guess.

Offset is looking to get into the “Good Graces” of Sabrina Carpenter after naming the pop star as his current celebrity crush.

The Migos rapper stopped by Complex, and magician Anna DeGuzman had Set think of his celebrity crush before narrowing it down to the woman being an artist. Offset didn’t appear to know any of her songs when asked, but said, “I feel like, artistically, like she got it all together.”

DeGuzman handed Set a piece of paper with her correct guess of “Sabrina Carpenter” written down, which boggled the rapper’s mind. “How you get this right? She just guessed this, that’s crazy,” he replied in shock.

Plenty of fans hopped into the comments, stunned at Set going with Sabrina as his pick, while others figured this could be a publicity ploy for an upcoming collaboration between the pair.

“Lmao this press for a collab or something? They must be doing a song together,” one person wrote. Another added: “Anyone is his type!”

A fan proposed the idea of Cardi B inviting the “Espresso” singer into the mix to team up on her Am I the Drama? album. “Imagine a Sabrina /Cardi collab,” they said.

Carpenter has only worked with one rapper in her career to date, joining forces with Saweetie in 2019 on “I Can’t Stop Me,” while Set has dabbled in pop as he notched a collaboration with Madison Beer for “Hurts Like Hell.” When the Migos were together, the ATL trio aligned with pop stars like Katy Perry and Justin Bieber.

Cardi B filed for divorce from Offset last August and the proceedings remain tied up in New Jersey court. The Bronx rapper has since moved on and is currently dating NFL star Stefon Diggs.

As of press time, Carpenter had yet to publicly react to the video. Watch the clip below.

Contemporary Christian music group Newsboys has reportedly been dropped by its record label, Capitol Christian Music Group, after recent allegations of sexual assault and drug and alcohol abuse were brought against the group’s former lead singer, Michael Tait.

In a video taken during the group’s performance at Elevate Music Festival at Highlands Church in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Sunday (June 22), Newsboys bandmember Adam Agee told members of the audience, “We’ve been dropped from our record label. We’ve had radio stations pull our music. We’ve been canceled by promoters and venues all over the world.”

Agee was joined onstage by his fellow bandmates Jody Davis, Jeff Frankenstein and Duncan Phillips as they addressed the fallout that the band has experienced in the weeks since.

“A few weeks ago, our world was rocked by the devastating news about what…that confession and what that double life really was,” Agee said. “We were shocked because in January, he had mentioned a few things about substance abuse, and some personal struggles he was having at home when he wasn’t on the road, but never anything of the magnitude of what we read and what was reported and never anything, ever, just anything that could have ever made us think that he could possibly be a danger to others or anything like that.”

Agee added, “He was our brother…he was a friend to our families…it just has been devastating for us. Our families have felt like our names [have] been dragged through the mud because of all this, and it’s really, really hurt our kids.”

Representatives for Capitol Christian Music Group have not responded to Billboard‘s request for comment. For the label, the group released the albums Stand in 2021, World Wide Revival Pt. 1 in 2024, and World Wide Revival (Deluxe) in May.

Tait abruptly exited the band in January, just before the group’s Worldwide Revival Tour dates for 2025 were set to begin. Earlier this month, The Roys Report issued the result of what it called a more than two-year investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse, along with drug and alcohol abuse, that had been brought against Tait. That report included accounts from three people, each claiming that Tait groomed and sexually assaulted them while on tour or at Tait’s home. The accusers alleged that the incidents took place between 2004 and 2014, while the report cited other sources that claimed Tait had also been involved in drug use.

The Newsboys issued a statement on June 4 regarding the allegations against Tait, urging others who have been impacted to come forward and saying, “We are horrified, heartbroken and angry at this report and in many ways, we feel as if we and our families have been deceived for the past fifteen years.”

On June 10, Tait broke his silence with a lengthy Instagram post in which he said, “Recent reports of my reckless and destructive behavior, including drug and alcohol abuse and sexual activity, are sadly, largely true. For some two decades, I used and abused cocaine, consumed far too much alcohol, and, at times, touched men in an unwanted sensual way. I am ashamed of my life choices and actions, and make no excuses for them. I will simply call it what God calls it– sin. I don’t blame anyone or anything but myself. While I might dispute certain details in the accusations against me, I do not dispute the substance of them.”

Tait also said in the statement that after his departure from Newsboys, he spent six weeks at a treatment center in Utah.

This month, The Guardian also published the results of a separate investigation in which multiple persons also came forward with allegations of sexual abuse.

Following the allegations, some radio stations, including CCM radio giant K-LOVE, pulled Newsboys’ music from their rotations, with a representative for K-LOVE telling Billboard in a statement, “We are aware of the allegations against Michael Tait, former frontman of the Newsboys. As the investigation proceeds, our thoughts and prayers are with all those involved. There are many factors that go into radio programming decisions, including the curation of playlists. At this time, there are no Newsboys songs in our rotation. We have rested Newsboys and DC Talk from our decades’ streams online.”

Last week, CCM festival Kingdom Bound announced that the group Passion would be replacing Newsboys on its festival lineup. In a statement on Instagram, organizers for the festival stated, “In recent weeks, concerns have come to light regarding allegations surrounding The Newsboys. After prayerful reflection and discussion, our team, alongside our Board of Directors, has made the decision to move in a different direction from the band for this year’s festival. While these situations are never easy, our heart is to create a space that honors Christ and encourages every person who walks through our gates. We ask that you join us in praying for everyone affected, as well as for the band during this time.”