AV’s R And B Minute On R Kelly, Jay Z And More

R. Kelly Asks Trump To Commute His 30-Year Prison Sentence

(Butner, NC)  —  R. Kelly is asking President Trump to commute his 30-year prison sentence.  The disgraced R&B star made the formal request for clemency, stopping short of seeking a full pardon.  The request comes after his attorney pushed for his release last year over claims his life was in danger.  Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in 2022 after being convicted in New York on federal racketeering and other charges related to recruiting women and minors for sex.

Pharrell Williams Fuels Speculation About Potential Upcoming Jay-Z Album

 (Undated)  —  Pharrell Williams is fueling speculation about a potential new album from Jay-Z.  The producer was one of several guests who made an appearance during the rapper’s weekend residency at Yankee Stadium.  White on stage, Williams gave Jay-Z his flowers and told the crowd that he’s “getting ready to go to work.”  Rumors about a new Jay-Z album began last year after Memphis Bleek and Cash Cobain claimed he was working on new music.  Jay-Z has yet to confirm a new album. 

Alvin And Chipmunks Reboot In The Works

 (Los Angeles, CA)  —  Alvin and the Chipmunks are returning to the big screen.  A report in the “Wall Street Journal” says the untitled reboot will not hit theaters until late 2028, but that fans will be seeing a lot of their favorite chipmunks on social media starting later this year.  Big Shot Pictures, who will be producing the new film, says it wants to cultivate a fanbase on social platforms ahead of the movie, targeting a younger audience that gets most of its entertainment online.  The last four Chipmunks movies made over a billion dollars worldwide.

T. Rex Fossil Sells For Record $50.1 Million At Auction

(New York, NY)  —  A 67-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil named Gus hit the auction block Tuesday.  Opening bids at Sotheby’s in New York started at 19-million-dollars and soon soared to a record-setting 50-point-one-million.  The previous record for a fossil sold at auction was a Stegosaurus that went for just shy of 45-million-dollars back in 2024.  Gus was found in South Dakota in 2021 and restored over the course of several years.  It’s considered one of the most complete T.rex fossils ever discovered.