NEWS
Trey Songz and Keyshia Cole became the center of a brief but public misunderstanding following Cole’s 20th anniversary concert of The Way It Is. The confusion unfolded on social media after Cole expressed frustration about Songz appearing onstage without her prior knowledge or approval.
In a now-deleted Instagram Story, Cole shared a clip of Songz performing during her set. Instead of welcoming the gesture, she criticized her team for the unplanned appearance.
“Whoever brought Trey out without letting me know weird asf,” she wrote. “If it happens again, you will be fired asap. Don’t bring nobody back out on my stage without me able to give them a FORMAL INTRODUCTION. I APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO COMES TO SHOW LOVE. 20th anniversary of The Way It Is. Y’all weird asf.”
Songz responded to the backlash with a more measured tone. In his own Instagram Story, he wrote, “Waited for you b4 and after. Show was incredible!!!!”
The post appeared to express both disappointment and support, suggesting he had made an effort to connect before and after the event.
Cole later softened her tone in a follow-up Story, writing, “I wasn’t able to say hello or goodbye @treysongz. But thank u for coming,” accompanied by a hashtag celebrating her album’s two-decade milestone.
Still, she reiterated her frustration with her team, writing, “Fact!!! They tacky for that. I be busy but not enough to not know what’s going on, on my stage.”
The miscommunication emerged during a significant moment in Cole’s career, as she continues her anniversary tour for the 2005 debut that helped define 2000s R&B. Her comments emphasized the importance she places on presentation, precision, and respect in live performance settings. Songz’s unexpected cameo, though seemingly well-meant, conflicted with that standard and triggered an internal rift that quickly spilled online.
While the exchange appears to have calmed, it reflects how even veteran performers face logistical missteps under the scrutiny of social media. For fans, the incident offered a glimpse behind the curtain of live production—and a reminder that even well-intentioned surprises can backfire without clear communication.
NEWS
Oliver Tree’s team has provided a new update following the singer’s death in a helicopter crash on June 14, confirming that a new artist grant will soon be established in his memory to help creatives secure funding, a plan he had detailed in his will before his passing.
Accompanying a collection of photos highlighting Tree’s performances, travels and creative work through the years, a post shared Sunday (June 21) on his Instagram account revealed that the musician’s remains have been brought back to California, the state he called home and where he will be laid to rest. “His legacy will live on through his foundation/endowment named ‘Dr. Oliver Tree’s Extremely Epic Grant For Baby Geniuses’ coming soon,” the caption reads. “This is something that Oliver had put together before his passing.”
“We will make sure his wish comes to fruition so that more joy, love and art can be spread into the world, that was his final wish,” the statement continued, adding that “the constant love, support and positivity” shown by fans throughout the past week has helped his “family, friends and collaborators make it through these extremely difficult times.”
Tree was among six people who lost their lives in a helicopter collision in Rio de Janeiro. The musician was in Brazil for his The World’s First Tour run and had performed what would ultimately be his final concert on June 6 in São Paulo. The other victims of the crash were identified as passengers Lucas Vignale, Gaspar Prim and Lucas Brito Chaves, along with pilots Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac.
Just months before his death, Tree discussed his plans to direct his fortune and future earnings from his music toward a grant program for artists during an appearance on the Zach Sang Show. “I take no credit for anything I’ve ever done,” he said during the April interview. “Furthermore, I don’t believe that any of the wealth or things that get made from it is mine. So when I die … my will is set up so that when I pass, my family, nobody is going to get a penny.”
“If I have a wife or kids or anything, they’re not getting a penny,” he added at the time, explaining that the initiative would focus on helping artists create work rather than funding education. “I’ll get my kids through college, that’s the agreement, but there’s not gonna be a silver spoon. All the money is going to go back to artists.”
