Entertainment Gists
Italian Open: Novak Djokovic To Play Rafael Nadal in Final
World number one Novak Djokovic set up an intriguing final with Rafael Nadal after a 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 victory over Diego Schwartzman at the Italian Open.
Djokovic, who saved two match points in his quarter-final win over Juan Martin del Potro, beat a spirited Schwartzman in Rome in two hours 31 minutes.
Defending champion Nadal reached his 50th Masters 1000 final with a 6-3 6-4 win over Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece.
His majestic forehand dominated as he won in one hour 42 minutes.
Djokovic’s win in three hours one minute over Del Potro had finished at 1.05am local time on Saturday morning and his evening semi-final provided another stern test against another Argentine, Schwartzman, who played a series of impressive drop shots.
The Serb had won their two previous meetings, the last of which was at Roland Garros in 2017, and he claimed the first break in the seventh game when Schwartzman netted a forehand.
But having lost the opening set in 36 minutes, Schwartzman, in his first Masters 1000 semi-final, kept in contention and a superb backhand down the line gave him a break in the fifth game of the second set.
It was the first of four successive breaks in a fluctuating set that went to a tie-break, which Schwartzman, winner of two ATP titles, quickly took control of.
Djokovic, 31, seized the key break in the sixth game of the decider to reach his ninth Italian final as he bids to repeat last week’s victory at the Madrid Open.
He leads 28-25 in his duel with Nadal that began in 2006, winning their most recent encounter in the first Grand Slam of this year, the Australian Open in January, but the Spaniard has dominated their clay court matches 16-7.
Nadal, 32, had lost in the semi-finals of his last four tournaments, including a defeat against Tsitsipas last weekend in Madrid.
It is his first clay court final of the year and he will look to continue a fine record in the Masters 1,000 Series.
Since 2005, the Spaniard has won at least one of the nine events in the calendar every year except 2015.
In overcast, breezy conditions in the Italian capital, Nadal built a 3-0 lead and took the opening set in 49 minutes.
He continued to work the athletic Tsitsipas, who won this month’s Estoril Open and lost in the Madrid final to Djokovic last week, with some typically stylish, precise groundstokes into the corners.
Tsitsipas, who moved into the last four by virtue of Roger Federer’s withdrawal through injury, had not dropped a set in the tournament and was seeking a fifth final this season, which would have taken him to fifth in the world rankings.
But Nadal was in masterful form and recorded his fourth win in five matches against the powerful world number seven.
Josh2Funny’s Album Has Fans Talking — But Should He Stick To Music Or Skits? 😂🎶
Nigerian comedian and content creator Josh2Funny has taken his comedy game into music, and Nigerians are definitely having something to say about it.
The comedian released his 15-track album, “On Behalf of Josh,” on July 10, 2026, but instead of fading away after release, the project has continued to generate conversations on X.
And the big question now is:
Should Josh2Funny continue with music or go back to skits? 😂
Fans have been divided. While some listeners openly criticized the album and told him to return to comedy, others found songs they genuinely enjoyed.
One X user joked:
“Josh2Funny stopped doing skits and started music, Everybody wan chop this music money 😂”
Another simply said:
“This Josh2Funny Album no enter make he just go back skit abeg 😂”
But then came “Lembe.” 🔥
The track caught fire on X and eventually became a trending topic in Nigeria. The #LembeChallenge also gained momentum as creators began jumping on the song.
Josh2Funny later announced ₦1 million for winners of the challenge, giving the song another major push.
And it didn’t stop there.
‘INTERNATIONAL’ FT. ICE PRINCE ALSO TRENDED
On another day, “International” featuring Ice Prince generated its own buzz on X.
One fan even called it their favourite song from the album, while praising the collaboration. The post itself pulled thousands of views, showing that people weren’t only talking about Lembe.
From album criticism to trending songs and challenges, “On Behalf of Josh” has kept Josh2Funny’s name in the conversation.
Whether you love the album or think he should return to skits, one thing is clear:
Josh2Funny has succeeded in getting Nigerians talking. 😂🔥
So, let’s settle this once and for all:
Should Josh2Funny continue with MUSIC 🎶 or return to SKITS 😂?
Music or Skits? Drop your answer! 👇
RUAN-Badkid.96 is a Nigerian recording artist whose music refuses to live inside a single genre. Blending Afrobeat, Afrofusion, trap, hip-hop, melodic rap, R&B, and global influences, he creates records that move effortlessly between raw street energy, soulful storytelling, and infectious melodies. Whether delivering hard-hitting bars, emotional love songs, or rhythm-driven African records, his sound is defined by authenticity rather than limitation.
Inspired by both African culture and international music, RUAN-Badkid.96 embraces the confidence and ambition of global hip-hop while staying deeply connected to his roots. His lyrics explore love, heartbreak, betrayal, friendship, social injustice, hope, and the everyday realities of life. He doesn’t create music to follow trends, he creates music to reflect truth, emotion, and human experience.
Behind his fearless image is an artist who believes in kindness, equality, justice, and genuine human connection. His appearance may be intimidating, but his message is rooted in compassion and authenticity. Every record carries a piece of his journey, proving that strength and vulnerability can exist in the same voice.
For RUAN-Badkid.96, music is more than entertainment, it’s a language, a testimony, and a lifelong mission to connect with people through honesty, versatility, and unforgettable sound.
Entertainment Gists
Meet the Man Who Turned Hype Into a Science: Emmy Blaq, Nigeria’s G.O.A.T. of Hype
If you have ever been at a Nigerian event and found yourself on your feet before the main act even stepped on stage, there is a good chance a hype man was responsible. But not just any hype man. Emmy Blaq, born Ikechukwu Emmanuel Chima and raised in Auchi, Edo State, has spent the last few years quietly becoming the most talked-about name in that profession, and the Nigerian press has taken notice. Punch, Vanguard, The Guardian Nigeria, The Nation, and Independent Newspaper have all sat down with him, and every conversation leads back to the same thing: this man does not just make noise; he makes moments.
What makes Emmy Blaq different is the journey behind the energy. Before the stages, the collaborations with Waje on her “Waje 2.0” album, DJ Consequence, and DJ Kaywise on the massively streamed “Joor Party Mix” series, he was repairing generators, cutting hair, and sewing clothes in Auchi. His first professional hype gig happened at a local fast food spot called Valchi, and the crowd response that night changed everything. He told The Nation directly: “My passion for entertainment and desire to make people happy led me into the craft.” Punch also captured his bigger mission when he said that hype men deserve more than what they currently earn, a statement that sparked a real conversation across Nigerian entertainment circles.
With over 1.7 million TikTok followers, 23.6 million TikTok likes, a viral “Wife Material” challenge that landed on Pulse Nigeria’s top ten social media moments of 2021, and an international performance at the Cameroon International Music Festival that Cameroonian media described as electrifying, Emmy Blaq is not building toward something. He is already there. The G.O.A.T. of Hype is not a title he gave himself and hoped would stick. It is one the rooms keep confirming every single time he grabs the mic.
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