Five episodes in, an underrated comedy special, an independent artist you need to know, and a month in urban news that had everybody talking
What I’m Watching: TV/Film Highlights
The Testaments Exceeds Every Expectation
As a longtime Handmaid’s Tale devotee, I’ve been counting down to The Testaments with equal parts excitement and trepidation. Would the story land from this new angle? Would it hold up against its predecessor, especially in today’s political climate? Five episodes in, I can say definitively — it has exceeded expectations.
Chase Infiniti Is Having a Moment
It’s genuinely thrilling to see Chase Infiniti in such a radically different role. After her Oscar-sweep run with One Day After Another — what many consider her breakout — she’s now inhabiting something far more layered, complex, and submissive. The contrast showcases her range in a way that feels deliberate and commanding.
Watching The Testaments alongside Euphoria Season 3 (which, let’s be honest, is nothing like the previous two seasons) feels like witnessing a Hollywood ‘It Girl’ handoff — Zendaya, Hollywood’s reigning it girl, running parallel with Chase Infiniti, the newest contender.
And completely unrelated to anything on screen — her government NAME.
Chase INFINITI.
Her parents FULLY understood the assignment. It sounds expensive, inaccessible, and unmatched. That same high-level energy is exactly what she’s bringing to The Testaments on Hulu every week.
Trevor Noah’s Joy in the Trenches Deserves More Attention
My wife and I also caught Trevor Noah’s latest Netflix special, Joy in the Trenches, and I’m genuinely confused why it isn’t dominating more conversations. It’s one of the best comedy specials released in the past year.
What I appreciate about Trevor is his evolution. With each special, the subject matter grows more culturally significant and expansive, while the punchlines and parodies become sharper and more precise. Too many comedians —particularly comedians of color — default to low-hanging fruit, the LGBTQIA+ community being an exhausted example. It’s recycled, lacking range, lacking creativity.
Trevor does the opposite. He leans into politically relevant, often triggering material with intelligence and social responsibility. He doesn’t avoid the obvious; he runs toward it, and he does so in a way that feels both brave and genuinely funny. That’s increasingly rare, and I appreciate it every time.
What I’m Listening To: Yaya Bey and Kehlani
Yaya Bey’s Fidelity Is Everything — and More People Need to Know Her Name
One of my favorite artists, and someone I believe is incredibly underrated, just dropped a new album. If you follow me, you already know I’m talking about Yaya Bey and her album Fidelity.
Yaya is an artist who exhibits a level of social responsibility for her craft that I genuinely believe is lost in so much of today’s artistry. She makes music that is culturally relevant to the moment — honest and vulnerable, even when it hurts. And with every project, the production and harmonies have continued to elevate in ways that feel intentional and earned.
She’s independent. And I hate that independent artists so often receive far less acclaim and public acknowledgment than their label counterparts, but because of that, I feel a real responsibility to mention her name on every platform I have and to every person who will listen.
Yaya blends jazz, soul, and dance music in the most beautiful way. Listening to her albums feels less like a passive auditory experience and more like a full physical and mental body experience. I always feel seen on the first, second, AND third listen. The replayability of her projects is arguably higher than 95% of the artists across any of my streaming platforms.
So if you haven’t already, please give Fidelity a listen with open ears and an open heart. I promise you will discover something that speaks to you and stays with you long after the lyrics and melody go quiet.
Kehlani’s Self-Titled Album Marks a Return to Form
I originally intended to highlight just one album in this post, but when Kehlani dropped her self-titled project last Friday, that plan went out the window lol.
Kehlani, her fifth studio album, may honestly be my favorite since SweetSexySavage. It feels like a true return to form, back to the core of what made so many of us fall in love with her in the first place. The classic R&B foundation is back, but it’s refined, elevated, and intentional.
For her day-one fans who have grown with her over the years, especially those who have been quietly yearning for this exact moment, this album feels like a full-circle experience.
And the feature list is arguably the strongest of her entire career. We’re talking Missy Elliott, Lil Wayne, Big Sean, Brandy, Clipse, Usher, T-Pain, Lil Jon, Cardi B, and Leon Thomas.
Seeing that lineup instantly took me back to the early 2000s, when R&B albums were stacked with A and B-list collaborations featuring the hottest rappers of the moment. It feels intentional, like a direct nod to her millennial fanbase, the same audience that grew up with these artists and still holds that era close.
There’s a clear level of care and sincerity in how this album was constructed. It manages to stay tapped into the current pulse of urban music while also pushing against it.
For the past few years, rap has dominated urban music, and rightfully so. But in 2026, the shift feels undeniable. There’s a growing need for music that leans softer, more intentional, less triggering, more rooted in healing, sensuality, sexuality, and love.
And this project delivers exactly that.
I’m already looking forward to hearing these records live, and I’m hoping a tour announcement follows sooner rather than later.
What I Paid Attention To: News Highlights
The Gucci Mane Situation — And What It Really Says
At the top of this month, Gucci Mane was held up at gunpoint at a Dallas recording studio during what was supposed to be a business meeting. The alleged perpetrators were a group of men, one of whom was Pooh Shiesty, who had been released from prison less than six months prior. Eight of the nine individuals involved were found and arrested within the same week of the kidnapping and armed robbery, and are now awaiting trial. By week’s end, Gucci had released a diss track titled “Crash Dummy,” taking direct shots at the armed men— and specifically at Pooh Shiesty, who remains signed to Gucci’s 1017 label.
When Street Logic Enters a Business Space
What’s disheartening about this entire situation is something that goes beyond the incident itself. Regardless of the life an artist lived before signing on the dotted line, the music industry is, at its core, a business. Matters of money, contracts, and management are expected to be handled accordingly — as business matters, through proper channels, with professional standards. This situation was not handled that way. And people are facing serious legal consequences because of it.
On a broader scale, it’s also difficult to watch Gucci Mane’s pattern over the years — signing artists who clearly reflect his own past, his own life before his most recent prison stint, seemingly offering them a genuine opportunity to establish themselves under a label he built from the ground up. That intention, on the surface, is admirable. But too many of those stories have ended in tragedy. Multiple artists signed to 1017 have faced serious charges, gone back to prison, or lost their lives. The most recent chapter of that story, being this armed robbery, only adds to what has become an unfortunate and recurring cycle.
It raises real questions about the intersection of the streets and the industry — and what responsibility, if any, a label owes to the artists it brings in (Especially when they’re still connected to the streets and haven’t yet let go of that mindset). There are no easy answers. But it’s a conversation worth having.
What I’m Looking Forward to in the Month Ahead: May 2026
There’s always new inspiration on the horizon, and thank God for that. Because truthfully, being an American in this current chapter of history can feel both daunting and exhausting.
Nonetheless, in the midst of all of that, there’s still so much to look forward to.
When it comes to TV and film, I’m most excited to continue Season 1 of The Testaments and to see the return of The Chi for its eighth and final season. The Chi is easily one of my favorite shows of all time, and I already know I’ll be diving deeper into it next month, whether that’s episode-by-episode breakdowns or multiple blog posts paired with podcast conversations.
I’ll be honest, though, my spirit is still not fully recovered from the loss of Jada last season. So while I’m excited, I’m also very aware that I’m not emotionally prepared for this show to return and ultimately come to an end.
On the music side, May is stacked.
I’m especially looking forward to Bernarr by Durand Bernarr, dropping May 1st, followed by Iceman from Drake on May 15th. Toward the end of the month, Young M.A is set to release Kween on May 29th, the same day Latto drops Big Mama.
So yes, a lot is coming, and even more to unpack.
With that being said, there will be plenty to discuss in May, and I’m looking forward to having you all join me in the conversation space.
That’s the April Rundown.
Always remember, Art over algorithms. Culture over Clout. And Taste over Trends.
Easy Listening, The Urban Music Enthusiast
Urban Music Enthusiast 
Leave a comment