Snap & Snare

Author: Alicia Cypress

  • Grabba Leaf Presents Best of the Best Music Fest Announces Full Lineup for Sunday May 24, 2026

    Grabba Leaf Presents Best of the Best Music Fest Announces Full Lineup for Sunday May 24, 2026

    Best of the Best Music Fest, widely recognized as North America’s premier Caribbean music festival, will return Sunday, May 24, 2026, during Memorial Day weekend in downtown Miami, organizers announced.

    This year’s lineup features a mix of established icons and emerging acts, including Sizzla Kalonji, Beenie Man, Capleton and Tarrus Riley, alongside 450, Tifa and Kkrytical.
    Additional performers include Skeng, Shaneil Muir, Vanessa Bling, RajahWild, and Kraff.
    Soca artist Voice will make his debut appearance at the festival. Known for a catalog of hits and a strong 2026 Carnival season, his inclusion reflects the event’s continued expansion across Caribbean genres.

    The official countdown to the 19th annual staging began Monday night (April 27) with a press launch event in Miami, where performing artists Beenie Man, Tifa, and Shaneil Muir were in attendance, joining media, partners and stakeholders to preview what’s to come for this year’s festival.

    Beenie Man
    Tifa
    Shaneil Muir


    The 2026 staging will be presented by Grabba Leaf as title sponsor, signaling an expanded global platform for Caribbean music and culture.“At Grabba-Leaf, LLC we pride ourselves in staying true to our roots while focusing on continued growth and a commitment to excellence,” said Michael Robinson, president and CEO of Grabba-Leaf, LLC. “Partnering with Best of the Best has been a tremendous opportunity to engage with a respected brand, cultural icons, and individuals who share the same values and vision for the future. We’re looking forward to this year’s celebration.”

    Michael Robinson, president & CEO of Grabba-Leaf, LLC at Best of the Best Press Launch

    For nearly two decades, Best of the Best has served as a cultural mainstay, bringing together multiple generations through reggae and dancehall music. The move to Maurice A. Ferré Park (Museum Park) marks a new phase for the festival, offering an expanded footprint and waterfront backdrop while maintaining its focus on Caribbean heritage and community.

    Best of the Best Music Fest is a family-friendly event that spans reggae, dancehall and soca, offering a multi-generational experience rooted in Caribbean culture. Children 12 and under are free with adult admission (except in VIP, Children 12 and under must have a ticket purchased by their guardian for the VIP section as this is a seated section). Tickets are on sale now.

  • Fia Gets All The Love on Tour

    Fia Gets All The Love on Tour

    Fia, five-time Island Music Award winner from Nanakuii, Hawai’i, is on his first ever North American tour titled The Love Me Tour. Named after his breakout seven year released single “Love Me,” fans gathered at Terra Fermata in Stuart, FL to see FIA and his openers Chante and Johnny Suite last Friday March 20. 

    International reggae artist Chante pumped up the crowd with seamlessly blending popular party songs such as “This is How We Do It” and his original music. Island reggae singer-songwriter Johnny Suite takes the stage next with entertaining dance moves we couldn’t imagine he was pulling off at his build. Johnny Suite’s cover of Usher’s “My Boo” and sharing relatable stories in between the songs including a song dedicated to his wife highlighted Suite’s connection with the crowd. After a strong start of the concert the fans patiently waited for Fia to grace the stage.

    Fia is known for blending R&B, soul, and reggae into a style that connects across generations and Friday night was no different. For example, Fia mashed “All About You” from his 2018 debut EPThe Artist and R&B classic “I Wanna Know” by Joe. His songs “Fly Away” and “Be Better” highlight emotional storytelling and uplifting themes. These songs were a breath of fresh air to hear through the speakers. One highlight of Fia’s set was his R&B corner. Fia states he always wanted to be Chris Brown growing up, covering Brown’s hits “Take You Down” and “Residuals.” He did not leave out the women of R&B with covers of SZA’s “Snooze” and Kehlani’s “Folded.” Towards the end of his set he performed his debut single “Come Around” blending in 4 Non Blondes’s “What’s Up,” and capping off the night with “Love Me” x Bruno Mars’ “Treasure.”

    From delivering strong performances and genuine connection with fans proves that Fia can headline and sell tickets, with a couple of sold out shows under his belt. If you weren’t a fan coming into this show or the past shows, you definitely left a fan. Looking forward to the next chapter of his, Johnny Suite, and Chante while continuing to expand exposure of Island music everywhere they go.

  • CORTIS New Mini Album Coming Soon

    CORTIS New Mini Album Coming Soon

    On March 6 CORTIS announced via global super fan platform Weverse that their second mini-album GREENGREEN will be released on May 4. Prior to this, they will first release the title track on the 20th of next month at 6 p.m. to ignite the momentum for their comeback.

    The surprise-released new song ‘YOUNGCREATORCREW’, unveiled through the ‘NBA Crossover Concert Series’ headliner performance, will also be included in the second mini-album. A few days after their first stage, a video utilizing parts of the song and choreography was posted over 10,000 times on the global short-form video platform TikTok.

    @cortis_bighit

    너무 웃거버려서 난 영ᄏᄏ #CORTIS #코르티스 #CORTIS_YOUNGCREATORCREW

    ♬ YOUNGCREATORCREW – CORTIS

    CORTIS was recognized as the ‘best rookie’ representing 2025. Their debut album COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES entered the Billboard 200 at 15th place, setting the highest debut ranking for a K-pop group excluding project-based teams. Thanks to consecutive hits ‘GO!’, ‘What You Want’, and ‘FaSHioN’, they surpassed 400 million cumulative streams on the global audio and music streaming platform Spotify within five months of release.

    With this fierce momentum, attention is focused on the impact they will make in the global market with this comeback. We are excited for what this Young Creator Crew is cooking up the next few months.

  • Review: Bebe Rexha Finds “New Religion”

    EMPIRE

    Bebe Rexha continues her thrilling DIRTY BLONDE album rollout with the electrifying focus track ‘New Religion’.

    Sampling Faithless’ iconic “Insomnia,” “New Religion” weaves the original’s hypnotic bassline into Rexha’s commanding vocal performance, transforming a 1995 dance landmark into a sleek, modern club record. The track does a wonderful job honoring the legacy of the original while reintroducing its pulse to a new era.

    Bebe said: “‘New Religion’ is really my salvation on the dance floor. It’s about letting go and getting lost in the music. I was in a dark place when I wrote it, and I realized music had always been the one thing that never left me — it’s always had my back, even in a tough industry and a heavy world. 

    “I wanted to write a love letter to music itself. When the bass hits, you feel it in your chest and suddenly you feel alive again. That’s what this song is about for me — feeling safe in the music and remembering that spark. I hope when people hear it, it makes them want to get up and dance, but more than that, I hope it makes them feel alive.”

    After a few listens of the track you can’t help but get lost in the music blaring in your eardrums. From Bebe Rexha’s vocals to the bass build up, you just want to get up and get loose on the dance floor in a club or at home. No wonder fans hail “New Religion” the song of the summer. We can’t wait what Bebe Rexha has in store with her upcoming album as a newly independent artist.

  • Gorillaz Make Saturday Night Live Debut

    Gorillaz Make Saturday Night Live Debut

    Gorillaz made their long-awaited debut as musical guests on Saturday Night Live since formation of the band 30 years ago.

    Making up for lost time, Damon Albarn dedicated the night’s first performance to the band’s 2001 debut single, “Clint Eastwood.” Del the Funky Homosapien was, of course, on hand to deliver his verse on the classic track.

    Gorillaz then turned to their ninth album, The Mountain, performing the title track with guest appearances from Asha Puthli, Black Thought, and Anoushka Shankar.

    Later this fall, Gorillaz will embark on a 22-date North American headlining tour. Get your tickets here.

  • Jill Scott Announces World Tour

    Jill Scott Announces World Tour

    Jill Scott has announced a 2026 world tour in support of her latest album, To Whom This May Concern. Released in February, this album marks Scott’s first studio album in more than a decade.

    The 36-date “To Whom This May Concern World Tour” kicks off on June 4th with a two-night stand in Nashville, followed by other multi-night engagements in Washington, DC, Atlanta, Brooklyn, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The US leg wraps up on September 3rd in Irving, Texas, before Scott continues through the UK, Europe, and South Africa.

    A Citi cardmember pre-sale and an artist pre-sale (sign up here for access) both begin Tuesday, March 10th at 10:00 a.m. local time. A Live Nation pre-sale for select dates will follow at 12:00 p.m. local time. Fans can sign up for Live Nation’s free All Access membership to receive pre-sale access. Finally, the general on-sale is set for Wednesday, March 11th at 10:00 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster.

  • Bruno Mars’ ‘The Romantic’ Hits #1 on Billboard 200

    Bruno Mars’ ‘The Romantic’ Hits #1 on Billboard 200

    Bruno Mars, ‘The Romantic’ (Atlantic Records)

    Mr. Bruno Mars “just might” be ecstatic about his latest chart success.

    His new album, The Romantic, has entered the Billboard 200 album chart at #1, marking his first #1 debut moving 186K units, and his first #1 album since 2013’s Unorthodox Jukebox. Overall, this album is Bruno’s fifth top-10 album, including his last project with Silk Sonic bandmate Anderson .Paak An Evening With Silk Sonic.

    The Romantic‘s first single, “I Just Might,” debuted at #1 as well. The Romantic Tour starts April 10 in Las Vegas.

  • ENHYPEN’s Heeseung Announces Departure From Group

    ENHYPEN’s Heeseung Announces Departure From Group

    Belift Lab made a statement shared in English confirming Heeseung official withdraw from group ENHYPEN after six years.

    ENHYPEN’s Future Activities

    Hello, this is BELIFT LAB.

    We would like to express our gratitude toward ENGENE for their unwavering support for ENHYPEN and provide information on ENHYPEN’s future activities.

    BELIFT LAB has given much thought and consideration into ENHYPEN’s future direction and goals. Through in-depth discussions with each of the members about the future they envision and the direction of the team, it became clear that HEESEUNG had his own distinct musical vision and we have decided to respect it.

    As such, HEESEUNG will be parting ways with ENHYPEN, and ENHYPEN will continue official activities henceforth as a group of six members.

    It’s difficult to relay the whole process through a short notice, but this decision comes after extensive deliberation. We understand that this news is a lot to process and may be received with mixed reactions. Nevertheless, we hope you understand that this decision was made for the future of ENHYPEN and HEESEUNG.

    ENHYPEN remains committed to sharing energetic performances with ENGENE. HEESEUNG will be preparing a solo album as an artist under BELIFT LAB.

    We ask for ENGENE’s continued love and support for ENHYPEN and HEESEUNG as they start a new chapter of their journey.

    Thank you.

    -BELIFT LAB

    Shortly after the announcement, HEESEUNG posted a handwritten letter to fans via Weverse. In the letter, he addressed the surprising news and explained the matter to ENGENE.

    Weverse

    “Hello, this is Heeseung.

    First of all, I’m sure many ENGENE were surprised to hear the news about me, and I imagine many of you may have questions about the sudden news.. That’s why I wanted to speak directly to ENGENE.

    The past six years have been filled with moments that are so overwhelming and precious that they’re hard to fully put into words. Thanks to the members with whom I shared countless emotions, and to ENGENE who always filled the empty spaces, I was able to take step after step toward a dream that once felt impossible to reach.

    Those times will remain some of the most shining moments of my life that I will never forget. I want to be someone who never forgets those moments and continues to support ENHYPEN more than anyone else.

    While sharing the work I’ve created with the company, I spent a long time discussing with many people about the best way to present it. After thinking deeply for a long time, I made a big decision to follow the direction suggested by the company so that I can approach ENGENE with a better side of myself.

    As you know, I’ve been continuing my personal projects and have spent a lot of time hoping that I could show them to ENGENE one day. There were so many things I wanted to show you, but I also didn’t want to put my own ambitions ahead of the team.

    I know about the worries and many conversations that have been going around. I’m preparing diligently so that I can meet you all again as soon as possible. My wish to return and greet you with a better version of myself is completely sincere.

    Because ENGENE have always given endless love and support to someone like me who still has so many shortcomings, I also feel very sorry knowing that you may be surprised and worried. But I believe you feel this way because of how much you care about me. I will continue running ahead while keeping the abundant love that ENGENE have given me engraved deep in my heart.

    ENGENE, thank you and I love you.”

    We wish HEESEUNG the best future endeavors as a solo artist.

  • Woman Arrested After Allegedly Firing Shots at Rihanna’s Residence

    Mike Lawrie Getty Images

    UPDATE March 10: Authorities identified 35-year-old Ivanna Lisette Ortiz as the female suspect accused of firing gunshots into Rihanna’s home on Sunday. Ortiz was booked for attempted murder, with bail set at $10,225,000. She remains in custody.
    UPDATE March 10: Authorities identified 35-year-old Ivanna Lisette Ortiz as the female suspect accused of firing gunshots into Rihanna’s home on Sunday. Ortiz was booked for attempted murder, with bail set at $10,225,000. She remains in custody.

    Weeks before the shooting, on February 23, Ortiz allegedly posted a strange Facebook message about Rihanna, writing … “@badgalriri Are you there? Cause I was waiting for your AIDS 5-head self to say something to me directly instead of sneaking around like you talking to me where I’m not at.”

    Investigators are reviewing social media accounts believed to belong to Ortiz. Some posts reference religion and contain statements about celebrities, including Rihanna.

    In one post, a person using Ortiz’s name wrote: “Listen Rihanna, when you die, God is taking me to my future.” No motive has been immediately discovered.

    A woman in her 30s has been arrested after allegedly firing multiple shots from a vehicle at Rihanna’s Beverly Hills, California home on Sunday, March 8. Rihanna was home at the time of the incident. No injuries were reported in the incident, according to Police Sgt. Jonathan de Vera, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department.

    Investigators arrived on the scene around 1:21 pm. The LAPD radio dispatch for the incident said that “approximately 10 shots” had been fired at the residence from a vehicle across the street from the property’s gate. The vehicle, a white Tesla, then fled south on Coldwater Canyon Drive, per the dispatch audio.

    As police searched for the Tesla, they relayed details over the radio: The suspect’s hair was in braids; she wore a cream-colored blouse; her car was dirty on the bottom. Officers soon caught sight of her vehicle and followed it to a shopping center parking lot in Sherman Oaks, where they arrested her around 30 minutes after the 911 call came in, according to radio correspondence reviewed by The LA Times.

    She has been with her partner, rapper A$AP Rocky, since 2020, and they share three children. It is unknown if Rocky and their children were home at the time of the incident.

  • BTS Unveils 14-Track ‘Arirang’ Album Ahead Of March 20 Release

    BTS Unveils 14-Track ‘Arirang’ Album Ahead Of March 20 Release

    On Tuesday (March 3) BTS has revealed the tracklist for their upcoming album ARIRANG, which is scheduled to be released March 20. Inspired by the traditional Korean folk song of the same name, the project reflects the group’s roots while capturing where they stand in 2026.

    BTS had creative control on this album, with each member shaping the sound and emotional core of each track.

    RM is credited on every song except the interlude, while SUGA and j‑hope contributed to multiple cuts, including Body to Body, Merry Go Round, and NORMAL. Jimin appears on they don’t know ’bout us and Into the Sun, V co‑wrote 2.0 and the closing track, and Jung Kook played a key role in four songs, among them Hooligan.

    The lead single SWIM explores the determination to keep moving through life’s turbulence, framing perseverance as an act of self‑love rather than resistance. With the group’s leader RM leading the songwriting, the track leans into the reflective, philosophical tone that has defined much of BTS’ recent work.

    ARIRANG also brings together an impressive roster of global producers and songwriters, including Mike WiLL Made‑It, Flume, El Guincho, JPEGMAFIA, Diplo and Ryan Tedder, signalling a wide‑ranging sonic palette.

    The anticipated album has been positioned as a major release for both the group and industry itself. Shortly after the release BTS will embark on their world tour.