In this episode: For the first time in Billboard chart history, no black artists topped Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart in all of 2013. Perhaps even more shocking: For 44 out of 56 weeks of 2013, white artists topped the R&B chart. We look at how and why this happened with pop chart writer Chris Molanphy and political analyst and writer Keli Goff.

Then: Born in Benin, based in Brooklyn, but a true citizen of the world, singer Angelique Kidjo numbers Desmond Tutu and Bill Clinton among her friends. She plays songs from her latest album Eve live in the Soundcheck studio, talks about her new memoir about a life in music and as a UNICEF ambassador.

And: Last week, rapper Rick Ross sued the pop band LMFAO over a lyric in their mega-hit “Party Rock Anthem” -- “Every day I’m shufflin’” -- because it’s similar to his famous lyric “Every day I’m hustlin’.” Soundcheck talks with our copyright go-to, intellectual property lawyer Jonathan Reichman (a.k.a. The Copy Cat) about whether Ross has any legal ground to stand on.