NEWS
Nicki Minaj is at home in her native Trinidad for their annual Carnival celebration – and she has been giving her country a show!
The Young Money rapper performed her new verse on Machel Montano and Destra’s “Shake The Place (Remix)” during one of her appearances, and shared the high-energy footage to Instagram on Wednesday (February 22).
Quite fitting for the occasion, the opening bars of the track start off with, “Trinidad my country, the greatest carnival of all time/I’m reppin’ that red, that white, that black/ I’m reppin’ my real flag.”
Check out the footage below.
The day prior, Minaj shared a video alongside Montano and Destra and said she wished her late father could witness the legendary moment.
“LEGENDARY FOOTAGE WITH THE GREATS OF MY COUNTRY,” she captioned the video. :I COULDN’T BE MORE PROUD IF I TRIED. I REPPIN DAT RED DAT WHITE DAT BLACK I REPPIN MY REAL FLAG. wish my grandmother was alive to see this. Wish daddy was alive to see this. See you tmrw, Trinidad.”
Seemingly off hiatus, Nicki Minaj also announced the March return of her fan-favorite, Queen Radio.
Queen Radio initially launched on Beats 1 Radio in 2018 to promote her fourth studio album of the same name. In a 2021 interview, she reveled she left the network but would be bringing the show elsewhere.
According to Nicki, Apple Music’s Global Creative Director Larry Jackson gave his blessing for the rapper to explore new channels, and she announced last March that she’d be bringing the radio program to the Amazon app in an exclusive partnership.
“#QueenRadio 3/3 @3pm PST Bad gyal don’t die die die. Hunnit rounds on dat gratata,” Nicki wrote on Instagram alongside a thirst trap in a blue bikini.
Queen Radio will now live on Amazon’s new live audio app called Amp, which launches February 22.
NEWS
Jacob Alon recently opened up to NME about collaborating with longtime inspiration Kae Tempest, while also sharing why they continue to admire artists who speak openly on political and social issues.
The Scottish singer songwriter spoke with NME backstage at the Ivor Novellos last Thursday, May 21, where they picked up both the Rising Star award and Best Song Musically and Lyrically for ‘Don’t Fall Asleep’.
The recognition follows a huge year for Alon, who also earned the Critics’ Choice Award at the 2026 BRITs and became the first Scottish artist to win BBC Music Introducing’s Artist of the Year title.
The success arrives alongside the release of their highly praised debut album ‘In Limerance’, which came out last year and led to a support slot on Kae Tempest’s recent ‘Self-Titled’ tour. During those shows, the pair performed a moving rendition of George Michael’s ‘Freedom’ together. Speaking backstage at the Ivors, Alon also confirmed that they have recently been in the studio with Tempest working on new music.
“Kae is one of my absolute heroes,” they said. “We’ve been in the studio this week actually, writing together. I’ve never felt closer to another creative mind before.”
Although Alon avoided revealing too much about the collaboration, they described the experience as “the biggest privilege to witness his genius and to be in the presence of something raw and beautiful”.
They went on to say they are “really excited for the world to witness” the music they have been creating together.
The ‘Of Amber’ artist also spoke with NME about the importance of using their platform to stand up for causes they care deeply about. In recent months, Alon held a Palestinian flag during the BRITs and appeared at the Trans Mission event in London, where they defended those being “scapegoated by people who want to distract everyone from the real problems in society”.
“I’m endlessly inspired by those that use their voices and their platforms to speak out about what matters. I’m trying to do that myself,” Alon explained to NME. “It’s not easy to know what the right thing to say is sometimes, but I think the effort made to do that is always worthwhile.”
The remarks echo comments Alon previously shared with NME at the BRITs earlier this year, where they said they believe “music is important and can make a difference”, while also teasing a brighter direction for future releases compared to their emotional and introspective debut album.
“Going into making something new, it’s already different. It’s a different place to create from because now I know what’s out there,” they shared, joking that the next era may lean into punk influences and that all the praise might finally go to their head.
Later this summer, Alon is set to join the packed line up for Lewis Capaldi’s headline performances at BST Hyde Park. The concerts take place on Saturday July 11 and Sunday July 12, with Conan Gray, The Vaccines, Absolutely, Nieve Ella and more also appearing across the weekend. Find any remaining tickets here.
At the 2026 Ivor Novellos, other major winners included CMAT for Best Album, Fraser T Smith and Kae Tempest for Best Contemporary Song, and Sam Fender taking home Songwriter Of The Year.
Rosalía was named International Songwriter Of The Year, while Radiohead’s Thom Yorke received the Academy Fellowship award presented by Harry Styles. George Michael was also honored posthumously with the Academy Fellowship award.
