Entertainment

Entertainment Stills from Four More Shots Please season 4 trailer Updated on :  12 Dec 2025, 6:49 am Siddhi, Umang, Damini and Anjana are back for a last and final round of shots. The trailer for the fourth and final season of Four More Shots Please was unveiled by Prime Video on Friday. In the trailer, the girls decide to give each other six months to work on one thing that needs to change in their lives. For Siddhi, the goal is to be a little less spoilt. For Umang, the girls request her to stop looking at everybody she dates as her potential soulmate. Anju is asked to stop being an “aunty ji”. And Damini is asked to learn to stop self-whipping. The trailer shows each other trying to overcome their quirks and become better, but it only comes with a fair share of drama. The series is created by Rangita Pritish Nandy and Ishita Pritish Nandy and directed by Arunima Sharma and Neha Parti Matiyani. Four More Shots Please stars Kriti Kulhari, Sayani Gupta, Bani J, Maanvi Gagroo, Lisa Ray, Prateik Smita Patil, Rajeev Siddhartha, Ankur Rathee and Milind Soman in pivotal roles. Four More Shots Please is written by Devika Bhagat with dialogues by Ishita Moitra. It tells the stories of four flawed women from different walks of life facing issues and standing together in their problems. The first season of the show premiered in 2019 and was directed by Anu Menon. The second season was released in 2020 and was directed by Nupur Asthana. The third season aired in 2022 with Joyeeta Patpatia as the director. Four More Shots Please season 4 is produced by Pritish Nandy Communications. It is all set to premiere on Prime Video on December 19. Read More

Entertainment (L Bottom) Rajinikanth with PM Modi; (L Top) The actor with CM Stalin; (R) The actor with Kamal Haasan Updated on :  12 Dec 2025, 6:21 am Superstar Rajinikanth turned 75 on December 12, and social media was flooded with love from colleagues, friends, political leaders and fans. The milestone birthday, which also coincides with his 50th year in cinema, saw some of the biggest names across industries celebrating the legendary actor. Kamal Haasan shared a photo of the two together, marking both the personal and professional milestones. “75 years of a remarkable life. 50 years of legendary cinema,” he wrote, adding a warm birthday wish to his long-time friend. Mohanlal echoed the sentiment, thanking Rajinikanth for being a guiding force for generations. His message read, “Warmest birthday wishes to dear Rajinikanth Sir. As you celebrate 50 remarkable years in cinema, thank you for inspiring generations with your values, strength, and extraordinary spirit. May God bless you always with peace, good health, and boundless joy.” Warmest birthday wishes to dear Rajinikanth Sir.As you celebrate 50 remarkable years in cinema, thank you for inspiring generations with your values, strength, and extraordinary spirit.May God bless you always with peace, good health, and boundless joy.@rajinikanth — Mohanlal (@Mohanlal) December 12, 2025 Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extended his greetings in Tamil. “Greetings to Thiru Rajinikanth Ji on the special occasion of his 75th birthday,” he wrote. “His performances have captivated generations… This year has been notable because he completed 50 years in the world of films. Praying for his long and healthy life.” திரு ரஜினிகாந்த் அவர்களின் 75-வது பிறந்தநாள் எனும் சிறப்பான தருணத்தில் அவருக்கு வாழ்த்துகள். அவரது நடிப்பாற்றல் பல தலைமுறைகளைக் கவர்ந்துள்ளது; பரவலான பாராட்டைப் பெற்றுள்ளது. அவரது திரையுலகப் படைப்புகள் பல்வேறு பாத்திரங்கள் மற்றும் பாணிகளில் பரவி, தொடர்ச்சியான முத்திரைகளைப்… — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 12, 2025 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin penned a rather long note in Tamil, extending his warm wishes to Rajinikanth. “Rajinikanth = Charisma that Conquers Age! Eloquence that delights everyone when he ascends the stage! A heart free of deceit and pretense, speaking one thing inwardly and another outwardly! From six to sixty, captivating for half a century—my friend #SuperStar @rajinikanth, heartfelt birthday wishes! May he continue to deliver many more victorious creations upon me, and may his victory flag keep flying with the love and support of the people!” ரஜினிகாந்த் = வயதை வென்ற வசீகரம்!மேடையில் ஏறினால் அனைவரையும் மகிழ்விக்கும் சொல்வன்மை!உள்ளொன்று வைத்துப் புறமொன்று பேசாத கள்ளம் கபடமற்ற நெஞ்சம்! ஆறிலிருந்து அறுபதுவரைக்கும் அரைநூற்றாண்டாகக் கவர்ந்திழுக்கும் என் நண்பர் #SuperStar @rajinikanth அவர்களுக்கு உளம் நிறைந்த பிறந்தநாள்… pic.twitter.com/txEn7pHwKE — M.K.Stalin – தமிழ்நாட்டை தலைகுனிய விடமாட்டேன் (@mkstalin) December 12, 2025 Industry colleagues joined in with their own notes of admiration. Actor Simran praised the superstar’s impact, saying, “From redefining mass cinema to inspiring generations. Thank you, @rajinikanth sir, for everything. Wishing you a very happy birthday!” Raghava Lawrence shared a warm photo of himself embracing Rajinikanth, adding, “Happy Birthday Thalaiva @rajinikanth! I pray to Ragavendra Swamy for your good health. May you live a long life. Guruve Saranam.” Yogi Babu posted a still from a film set with a simple, affectionate message: “Wish you happy birthday, superstar @rajinikanth sir.” Director Lingusamy also joined the chorus, writing, “Wishing our superstar @rajinikanth sir a happy 75th birthday. Wish you have great health and keep inspiring us sir as always.” Read More

Entertainment Ranveer Singh in Dhurandhar Updated on :  12 Dec 2025, 6:11 am Ranveer Singh’s spy-thriller Dhurandhar has been banned by some Middle East countries over its content. As per a report in Bollywood Hungama, the Aditya Dhar directorial has been blocked across six Gulf countries — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE — after authorities reportedly objected to its anti-Pakistan messaging. According to reports, the makers attempted to secure a theatrical release across the Gulf, a crucial market for Bollywood, but clearance was denied everywhere. “There were apprehensions that this would happen as the film is perceived as an ‘anti-Pakistan film’. The team still made an attempt, but none of the countries approved the film’s theme. That’s why Dhurandhar hasn’t been released in any Gulf territory,” a source told Bollywood Hungama. Previously too, films like Fighter (2024), Sky Force (2025), The Diplomat (2025), Article 370 (2024), Tiger 3 (2023) and The Kashmir Files (2022) have faced similar restrictions across parts of the Middle East. Even Fighter, initially released in the UAE, was pulled within a day, and a revised cut was rejected. Dhurandhar also stars Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal and R Madhavan. Read More

Entertainment Stills from The Night Manager season 2 trailer Updated on :  12 Dec 2025, 5:52 am Jonathan Pine is drawn back into danger once again, as Tom Hiddleston reprises his role in the newly released trailer for season two of The Night Manager. Now posing as Alex Goodwin, a seemingly insignificant MI6 employee living quietly in London, Pine’s cover is shattered when he recognises a former Richard Roper mercenary—a moment that pulls him straight into the orbit of Colombian arms trafficker Teddy Dos Santos, portrayed by Diego Calva. Angela Burr, once again played by Olivia Colman, urges Pine to step back into fieldwork. Their partnership, however, shows clear strain. As Pine attempts to infiltrate Dos Santos’ network, he enlists the reluctant help of Roxana Bolaños (Camila Morrone), a sharp-witted businesswoman who guides him into the criminal operation. What begins as a covert mission quickly becomes a fight for survival as Pine uncovers a scheme involving the training of a guerrilla army — and finds himself navigating double-crosses on all sides. According to the producers, Pine must expose a conspiracy capable of destabilising an entire country, forcing him to question every alliance and decide which loyalties are worth risking his life for. Prime Video and the BBC will launch the first three episodes on January 11, with new episodes arriving each Sunday until the February 1 finale. The series will stream worldwide on Prime Video and air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK. Hiddleston also joins the executive producer roster this season. Season two adds Indira Varma, Paul Chahidi and Hayley Squires in new roles, while returning cast members include Alistair Petrie, Douglas Hodge, Michael Nardone and Noah Jupe. Based on characters created by John le Carré, the new season is spearheaded by creator and executive producer David Farr and directed by Georgi Banks-Davies. The show is produced by The Ink Factory in association with Character 7, Demarest Films and 127 Wall, alongside a co-production with Spain’s Nostromo Pictures. Executive producers include Stephen Garrett, Stephen Cornwell, Simon Cornwell, Michele Wolkoff, Tessa Inkelaar, Joe Tsai, Arthur Wang, Adrián Guerra, Banks-Davies, Hugh Laurie, William D Johnson, Nick Cornwell, Susanne Bier, Chris Rice and Gaynor Holmes. Read More

Entertainment Hema Malini along with daughters Ahana (left) and Esha at Dharmendra’s prayer meetPTI Updated on :  12 Dec 2025, 5:20 am A prayer meet was hosted in Delhi by actor and politician Hema Malini for her late husband, veteran actor Dharmendra on Thursday. The legendary star, known as Hindi cinema’s ‘He-man’, passed away on November 24 after a prolonged illness. He was 89. Several members from the political and the film fraternity attended the meet and honoured the late legend. Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, MP Anurag Thakur and actress and politician Kangana Ranaut were spotted offering condolences to Malini and her daughters, Esha and Ahana Deol, at the prayer meet. During the ceremony, an emotional Malini stepped up to the podium and said, “I never imagined that a moment would come in my life when I would have to host a prayer meeting, especially for my Dharam ji. The whole world is mourning his passing, but for me, it is an inconsolable shock,” “The person I pretended to love on screen, I fell in love with him in real life. Our love was true so we had the strength to surpass any obstacles. He always had my back,” Malini added. VIDEO | Delhi: BJP MP and actress Hema Malini hosts a public prayer meeting in memory of late actor Dharmendra. She says, “The whole world is mourning Dharmendra’s passing away, but for me, it is an inconsolable shock. The snapping of a companionship that stood the test of… pic.twitter.com/nu7LFjTuKA — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 11, 2025 She also spoke about Dharmendra’s unfinished dream of writing a book and reminisced about his innate gift for poetry and how he longed to turn his heartfelt words into a published work. “Over time, a hidden aspect of his personality emerged when he started doing Urdu shayri. I often told him he should write a book – his fans would have loved it. So, he was very serious about it and was planning everything but that work was left pending,” she said. Amit Shah said that completing a 60-year career without a single blemish shows what a pure-hearted person Dharmendra was. “Dharmendra ji carved a place in the hearts of the countrymen with his acting skills, and his artistry transcended the boundaries of language and region to reside in the hearts of one and all. The Indian film world will always miss this unparalleled actor,” he said. Recalling an interaction with the Bollywood star, the minister said he had never met the actor personally but when he was the party president and Hema Malini was contesting from Mathura in 2014, the Sholay star had called him. धर्मेंद्र जी ने अपनी अभिनय कला से देशवासियों के दिलों में स्थान बनाया और उनकी अदाकारी भाषा व क्षेत्र की सीमाओं को पार कर जन-जन के मन में बस गई। भारतीय सिनेमा जगत को इस अद्वितीय अभिनेता की कमी हमेशा खलती रहेगी। आज दिल्ली में आयोजित उनकी श्रद्धांजलि सभा में उनका स्मरण कर उनकी… pic.twitter.com/80vDch6Uil — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 11, 2025 “His health did not allow him to walk on dusty roads or campaign in such conditions for Hema ji, but the concern he expressed over the phone was not a mere formality. I could genuinely feel how worried he was that Hema ji should win the election,” Shah said. Dharmendra had dabbled in politics briefly, winning the Lok Sabha seat from Bikaner on a BJP ticket in 2004. “Dharmendra ji is the BJP’s pride; he will continue to inspire people of the country,” Nadda, also a Union Minister, said. “Dharmendra Ji came from a small village and achieved tremendous success. Whenever I think of him, I always remember the smell of the village and its soil. Despite his fame, he remained a very simple person, deeply connected to his roots,” actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut. Dharmendra will soon be seen on the big screen for one last time. He is a part of Sriram Raghavan’s upcoming film Ikkis. It releases on December 25. Read More

Entertainment From Superhero desk job simulator Dispatch to fighting for your life in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to killing Time in Hades II From indie titles becoming breakout hits and cementing their place in gaming history to veteran developers returning with hard-hitting sequels, it’s been a jam-packed year for gaming. Buttons were mashed, controllers were smashed, consoles and PCs overheated long enough to rival a massive star. Now, as 2025 draws to a close, with our wallets feeling significantly lighter, here’s a look back at the best video games of 2025, listed in order of their release date.    Entertainment Urban Myth Dissolution Center  Developer: Hakababunko  Platforms: PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch  Photo: Hakababunko Has your life been overturned by a curse? Are spirits wreaking havoc in your home? Is there something sinister afoot in your neighbourhood? The afterimage of a murder? If so, then don’t hesitate to contact the Urban Myth Dissolution Center, your one-stop shop to debunking or dispelling any cryptid, otherworldly entity. Taking on the role of Azami, the newly hired part-timer who shows strong potential as a psychic, you must investigate threats, solve cases and get to the bottom of every mystery, existential or otherwise, before it gets you. This pixelated detective game is a joy to play for every conspiracy theorist and aspiring occultist out there.     Entertainment Split Fiction   Developer: Hazelight Studios  Platforms: PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S  Photo: Hazelight Studios Split Fiction is the ultimate buddy adventure with your go-to gaming pal. Here, your friend and you control Mio and Zoe — two writers who have been trapped in a machine that is trying to steal their story ideas. Now, stuck in a world of their own making, they must work together to break out. How hard can it be to overcome threats you’ve written? Too bad, you both wrote science fiction and fantasy, so good luck! If stories have taught us anything, it’s that the power of friendship is unbeatable, but is it? Your couch and controllers will soon find out. The best part is that this game supports cross play, so no matter the console, your friend cannot have an excuse.  Entertainment Blue Prince  Developer: Dogubomb  Platforms: PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X/S  Photo: Dogubomb Rogue-lite and puzzles aren’t often used in a single sentence to describe a game, but that’s the best description of Blue Prince. Simon’s great-uncle has just bequeathed him his vast Mt Holly Estate, but it comes with a catch: he must find the 46th room in the mansion. Sounds easy? Well, the mansion only has 45 rooms. It also changes floorplans every day, so each time you set foot inside it, your progress is undone. But Room 46 is not the only thing Mt Holly Estate is hiding amongst its shifting walls. Can Simon unearth the secrets and claim his inheritance? That’s up to you. Keep a notebook and pen handy for this one, it tickles the little grey cells just right.  Entertainment Clair Obscur: Expedition 33  Developer: Sandfall Interactive  Platforms: PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X/S  Photo: Courtesy of Sandfall Interactive Hard to believe this breakout hit is developer Sandfall Interactive’s debut title. This is a game that feels and sounds like a Baroque painting. The Paintress rouses from slumber each year to paint a number on her monolith, and all who match the age of the number turn to dust and fade away. Every year, Expeditioners try and stop her, and every year they fail. This is Expedition 33; can they stop the Paintress from painting death? Featuring a unique blend of real-time and turn-based mechanics, with the most entrancing soundtrack and a strong plot,– Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will make you want to step into its painting and never leave.  Entertainment Death Stranding 2: On the Beach  Developer: Kojima Productions  Platforms: PlayStation 5  Photo: Kojima Productions  Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding, aka the post-apocalyptic delivery simulator, has a sequel now. Sam Porter Bridges (Norman Reedus) is back and takes one final job as a porter to save humanity by establishing connections between the isolated survivors and the “chiral network” (the communication network). The running joke is that describing what Death Stranding is exactly about, is a herculean task — it’s one of those games that you just have to experience. The easiest explanation without giving away the story beats is that the first game was a movie (with a star-studded cast- Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, Margaret Qualley, Troy Baker, Guillermo del Toro) disguised as a walking simulator. The sequel has more gameplay elements but still primarily functions as a thinly veiled film disguised as an open-world game. Most of the original cast reprise their roles, this time joined by Elle Fanning and Shioli Kutsuna, among others. Kojima collects Hollywood A-listers akin to collecting Pokémon cards, and pushes the boundaries of film and games until it becomes an undecipherable amorphous mass. Nevertheless, it’s an amorphous mass that’s meant to be experienced.   Entertainment Hollow Knight: Silksong  Developer: Team Cherry  Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Linux, macOS, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S  Photo: Team Cherry  This was one of the most anticipated sequels of the decade, originally planned as a DLC for Hollow Knight. For a long time, people firmly believed that Silksong ever seeing the light of day was a pipe dream. Originally announced back in 2019, this 2D platformer’s long development cycle caused it’s fanbase to descend into the depths of insanity. On Sept. 4, their hopes and dreams were finally realised, curing them of their brain rot. This beautiful hand-drawn insectoid Metroidvania has you stepping into the shoes of Hornet, a hunter who finds herself trapped in the ruined kingdom of Pharloom. Its citizens suffer from the “Haunting”, causing them to be violent puppets controlled by the game’s antagonist Grand Mother Silk, even in death. Can Hornet save the bugs and restore Pharloom? Only one way to find out. Fair warning, the difficulty is amped up in the sequel as compared to Hollow Knight.  Entertainment No, I’m not a Human  Developer: Trioskaz  Platforms: Microsoft Windows  Photo: Trioskaz Something strange is going on with the sun: its scorching rays are burning people alive. If that wasn’t bad enough, the mysterious Visitors have risen from deep beneath the ground. These Visitors look and sound human but are, in fact, not. They camouflage themselves as the very beings whose houses they infiltrate and kill. Isolation is not an option because that is the only deterrent. But who’s human and who’s a Visitor? This game does zero handholding and plays on your trust issues. With its distinctly unsettling art style and unnerving atmosphere that keeps you on edge, will you let the right one in?   Entertainment Hades II  Developer: Supergiant Games  Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Microsoft Windows   Photo: Supergiant Games  In Hades, Zagreus was trying to break out of the Underworld by defeating his father. In its sequel, his younger sister, Melinoë, is trying to break into the Underworld to defeat her grandfather, Chronos, the Titan of Time. Meanwhile, her Olympian relatives seek her aid as Typhon wreaks havoc at Mount Olympus. Battle out foes plucked from the Greek mythos and save your family with the might of Olympus at your back. Slick, stylized and with a killer soundtrack (Scylla and the Sirens especially outdo themselves), this god-like rogue-like game is much bigger than its predecessor. Good luck killing Time.  Entertainment Silent Hill f  Developer: NeoBards Entertainment Ltd.  Platforms: PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X/S  Photo: Konami After being starved for years, Silent Hill fans are finally eating good. Despite the title, we aren’t returning to the

Entertainment The British rock legends will stop by Mumbai, Bengaluru and Shillong as part of the Bandland on Tour concert series Joe Elliott and Phil Collen of Def Leppard perform onstage during Radio 2 In The Park at Hylands Park on September 7, 2025 in Chelmsford, England. Photo: Katja Ogrin/Getty Images U.K.’s legendary rock band Def Leppard will make their way down to India for three shows in March 2026, marking their long-awaited debut shows in the country. Def Leppard–comprising vocalist Joe Elliott, guitarist Phil Collen, bassist Rick Savage, guitarist Vivian Campbel and drummer Rick Allen–will perform in Shillong at JLN Stadium (Polo Grounds) on Mar. 25, 2026, in Mumbai at Jio World Garden on Mar. 27 and close in Bengaluru at NICE Grounds on Mar. 29 as part of the Bandland on Tour concert series produced and promoted by BookMyShow Live. The band announced their India debut on Instagram and said, “This one’s been a long time comin’ – Very excited to announce three new shows in India this Spring.” Previously, Def Leppard were slated to perform in India as part of a two-city run of shows in October 2008, but canceled the shows, possibly due to security concerns, according to The Times of India. With more than 110 million albums sold worldwide and two prestigious Diamond Awards in the U.S., Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Def Leppard are best known for definitive Eighties rock albums albums including the 14x Platinum Hysteria and 11x Platinum Pyromania featuring songs like “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” “Love Bites,” and “Rock Of Ages.” Releasing albums through the years right from the Seventies, Def Leppard most recently put out their 12th album Diamond Star Halos and are working on their next album for release in 2026. Interestingly, the band released their latest single “Just Like 73” featuring guitarist Tom Morello, who will also make his India debut later this month with a three-city tour. Tickets for Def Leppard’s India tour will go on sale on Dec. 13, 2025 at 12 pm IST via BookMyShow. Get Def Leppard Shillong, Bengaluru and Mumbai tickets here. Read More

Entertainment British blues guitarist Matt Schofield will return alongside rising American artists like D.K. Harrell and Altered Five Blues Band, who will make their India debut on Feb. 14 and 15, 2026 in Mumbai Eric Gales and Shemekia Copeland return for Mahindra Blues Festival in 2026. Photos: Tim Mosenfelder/WireImage, Erika Goldring/Getty Images The Mahindra Blues Festival is back on Feb. 14 and 15, 2026 and with it come familiar and stalwart names in the blues world. Multi-Grammy nominee and blues powerhouse vocalist Shemekia Copeland, American guitar great Eric Gales and British guitarist Matt Schofield will all return to the festival after several years, performing at Mumbai’s Mehboob Studios. Joining them is India’s favorite instrumental blues act, Blackstratblues, with bandleader Warren Mendonsa making his way down from New Zealand. The 14th edition of the long-running music festival also brings in American blues artists like D.K. Harrell and Altered Five Blues Band for their debut performances in India. The headliners, however, are no strangers to India. Copeland performed at the inaugural Mahindra Blues Festival in 2011 and returned in 2017. The latter year also saw Eric Gales debut at the festival, performing as part of the Supersonic Blues Machine alongside the likes of Billy F. Gibbons of ZZ Top. Schofield—the first guitarist inducted into the British Blues Awards Hall of Fame—performed at the 2011 edition of the festival and now returns nearly 15 years later. In addition to the international artists on the lineup, the festival will also kick off its Big Blues Band Hunt to add new talent to the Garden stage in the coming weeks. Like the past two editions, the Mahindra Blues Festival will continue its tradition of giving a platform to the young artists through the Kanakia Beatz Crew and Nanhi Kali Choir. Mahindra Group’s vice president of cultural outreach Jay Shah says in a statement, “We are witnessing a growing interest in blues. This cultural shift is significant, as there are so many talented individuals and pioneers who are striving to preserve and propel the magic of this genre. We at Mahindra Group are always happy to join in this movement to preserve and propagate a genre that has healed so many hearts with its honesty and hope. This year’s lineup is as diverse as it can get, an act from the homeland, a British act, along with veterans and the future voices. This gives us hope that through our efforts, the globe is becoming a unified village, basking in the glory of the blues.” Tickets for Mahindra Blues Festival 2026 are available on BookMyShow and currently priced at ₹4,000 per day, with a season pass priced at ₹6,000. Get Mahindra Blues Festival 2026 tickets here. Read More

Entertainment From comeback albums by established legends to more experimental offerings from the younger generation, 2025 was a marquee year for rap, streaming numbers be damned We’re at the end of yet another year where commentators and fans speculated on the health of the rap world. In October, it was reported that, for the first time in 35 years, there were no rap songs in the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100. This spurred a familiar discourse around the current “lack” of rap superstars. J.I.D, whose excellent album God Does Like Ugly was among the year’s best, noted that the genre had simply gone back underground, and there would appear to be some evidence of that. Where 2025 might not have had the kind of mainstream commercial rap hit we’ve grown accustomed to — especially from a certain rapper from Toronto — the year was as dynamic as we’ve seen in recent history. For one, we saw the return of many of the genre’s legends. Clipse released their first album in 16 years, and Slick Rick returned to the mic with his signature vivid storytelling. New-generation stars like OsamaSon and Che expanded the range of the “rage-rap” universe, introducing melodic textures that prove the sound is more than a fleeting trend. Earl Sweatshirt delivered one of the most lyrically compelling projects of the past several years, and MIKE provided more evidence that he’s among the leaders of today’s indie-rap scene. All of which is to say that if you were looking for chart-topping hits this year, you might’ve been disappointed, but if you were looking for good hip-hop music, 2025 was one of the best years to be a rap fan. Here are our picks for the best hip-hop albums of the year. —J.I. Photographs in Illustration: Thibaut Grevet; Brian Ziff; Scott Dudelson/Getty Images; Amy Sussman/Getty Images Entertainment 25. Open Mike Eagle, ‘Neighborhood Gods Unlimited’ Chicago-raised, Los Angeles-based rapper Open Mike Eagle has been making albums filled with observational comedy, self-deprecating wit, and quietly devastating tragedy for nearly two decades. Neighborhood Gods Unlimited marks a new creative peak. That’s partly due to excellent production from Child Actor, Kenny Segal, and others, who complement Mike’s “Dark Comedy Television” with softly insistent bops that fit him like a pair of comfortable shoes. Then there’s his own charms, which include imagining himself as a shift worker who transforms at night into a Superman-like bedroom rapper. —M.R. Entertainment 24. Cardi B, ‘Am I the Drama?’ On Am I the Drama?, Cardi B makes up for lost time with a massive comeback triumph. She’s got a long list of scores to settle, enemies to crush, crowns to claim. As always, she brings so much larger-than-life personality to the party that she could coast on charisma if she wanted. But Cardi’s been in the news lately for everything except her music, so it’s a trip to hear her finally get to cut loose and have fun. She’s out to remind everyone she’s looser, wilder, less predictable, and just plain funnier than anyone else in the game. As she declares, “All of my cars is chauffeured/I ain’t touched door handles in years!” —R.S. Entertainment 23. Aesop Rock, ‘Black Hole Superette’ At its best, Black Hole Superette elevates rap-for-rap’s-sake into an ennobled Zen practice. Its guests include Billy Woods and ELUCID of Armand Hammer on “1010 WINS,” and Woods is particularly game for Aesop Rock’s lyrical shadow play as he raps, “Luckily or unluckily for me, my brain discrete analgesics.” “So Be It” is anchored by Open Mike Eagle’s sung chorus, while “Charlie Horse” co-stars Homeboy Sandman and Lupe Fiasco. The contrast between Lupe and Aesop Rock is notable. The former fights against injustice, whether in national politics or the music industry, through deftly rendered yet sentimental opuses like last year’s Samurai. However, Aesop Rock finds joy in observing the strangeness of life, even as he remains aware of how brutal we can be toward one another. —M.R. Entertainment 22. Mobb Deep, ‘Infinite’ Mobb Deep’s Infinite represents the best-case scenario for a posthumous album. Havoc and the Alchemist built each song from the late Prodigy’s verses and hooks, arranging them atop production that upholds the classic Mobb Deep aesthetic. His bars aren’t the stitched-together, bottom-barrel verses that often plague posthumous albums — tracks like the Nas-featured “Pour the Henny,” and “Clear Black Nights,” with Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, are missives from beyond. True to that album title, Mobb Deep have made a boundless impact that will resonate as long as human history itself. —Andre Gee Entertainment 21. Central Cee, ‘Can’t Rush Greatness’ Central Cee’s proven a reliable Gen Z hitmaker with the streaming stats to back it up, all before dropping a debut album. With Can’t Rush Greatness, he’s out to show that he can live up to the hype, and at 17 tracks spanning a range of sounds and styles, the album makes his case mightily. On opener “No Introduction,” Cench flexes the international scale of his appeal, making a quick melody of the countries he’s famous in — “Sweden, Norwegian, New Zealand/Australian, Arab, Armenian, even Asia and Indonesian.” You’re inclined to believe him. To debut the record, he joined the ascendant Twitch streamer Plaqueboymax, playing the album live for more than 200,000 people. A true representative of his generation (“Gen Z Love” has the makings of an anthem for an era), Cench is as attentive to the music as the optics surrounding it, and his acumen for both is what makes his debut album a success, and why his reign is likely just getting started. —J.I. Entertainment 20. Drake and PartyNextDoor, ‘$ome $exy $ongs 4 U’ Billed as an R&B album in time for Valentine’s Day, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U is the first official project, albeit a collab, from Drake after a year of basically the entire world dragging his name through the mud. It’s a savvy diversion, given it was only a few weeks before its release that the entire country wondered if he’d get called a pedophile at the Super Bowl. That in mind, the LP is a clean, well-executed production of Drake’s signature product meant to

Entertainment Tamra Davis’ The Best Summer, featuring Beastie Boys, Sonic Youth, Foo Fighters, and more will also premiere alongside Marianne Faithfull documentary Broken English Edward Lovelace/Sundance Institute; Brat Summer lives on at Sundance Film Festival, where Aidan Zamiri’s The Moment starring Charli XCX will make its premiere. The film is based on an original idea by the musician and interrogates the layered complexities of pop stardom. Following “a rising pop star [that] navigates the complexities of fame and industry pressure while preparing for her arena tour debut,” it imagines how Charli’s blockbuster album era might have played out had she made different decisions. Balancing out the metafiction of The Moment, Sundance 2026 will also see the premiere of Antiheroine, an “unfiltered and unapologetic” documentary about Courtney Love. Directed by Edward Lovelace and James Hall, a logline for the film reads, “Now sober and set to release new music for the first time in over a decade, Courtney is ready to reveal her story.” More music history will be captured through the world premiere of Tamra Davis’ documentary The Best Summer, an “all-access view inside an era-defining moment in music” with behind-the-scenes footage featuring Beastie Boys, Sonic Youth, Foo Fighters, Pavement, Rancid, Beck, The Amps, and Bikini Kill. Davis previously helmed 2010’s Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child, and directed Britney Spears in Crossroads. She also produced the Kathleen Hanna documentary The Punk Singer in 2013. The singer and songwriter Marianne Faithfull, who died earlier this year at age 78, will see her story captured in Broken English. The film from Jane Pollard and Iain Forsyth premiered at the Venice International Film Festival this summer, but will make its U.S. debut at Sundance. Broken English takes its title from Faithfull’s 1979 New Wave comeback album. “Made with her full involvement, Broken English is an intimate and unflinching exploration of a fractured yet unbreakable life shaped by fame, creativity and relentless public scrutiny,” a description of the film reads. Broken English stars Tilda Swinton, George MacKay, Sophia Di Martino, Zawe Ashton, and Calvin Demba. It features appearances from Nick Cave, Warren Ellis, Jehnny Beth, Courtney Love, Suki Waterhouse, and Beth Orton. Sundance 2026 will see director Joanna Natasegara make her documentary feature debut with The Disciple, which provides a look inside the making of Wu-Tang Clan’s supposedly one-of-a-kind album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. “It’s like the Mona Lisa,” RZA told Rolling Stone about the album in 2018. “It’s got its own folklore.” “An outsider fueled by relentless determination works his way into the inner circle of the Wu-Tang Clan, where his ambition and creativity converge in the making of an album poised to ignite global controversy,” the logline for the release reads. William Greaves will take the festival back to a different moment in time with Once Upon a Time in Harlem. The film, which as of this September was still incomplete, according to The New Yorker, surfaces footage from a 1972 reunion of figures from the Harlem Renaissance, which gathered passionate and creative minds with nuanced and critical insights into race, politics, art, and more. Greaves helmed the event and captured it all on film, but died in 2014 at the age of 87 without ever releasing the footage. His wife, Louise Archambault Greaves, chipped away at the project until her death in 2023. Once Upon a Time in Harlem was then passed on to the couple’s son David, who directed the version premiering next year. Figures that appeared at Greaves’s party, and made it into the film, include Eubie Blake, James Van Der Zee, Gerri Major, Jean Blackwell Hutson, Richard Bruce Nugent, and others. Also premiering at Sundance 2026 is Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story. Directed by Judd Apatow and Neil Berkeley, the documentary builds on the comedian’s candid explorations of mental health. “Blurring the line between performance and personal crisis, comedian Maria Bamford turns her mental health journey into material that’s riotously funny and ultimately inspiring,” a description of the film reads. “What emerges is a portrait of an artist transforming vulnerability into creative strength through honesty.” From Rolling Stone US. Read More