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25 Nov 2024

Bésame Mucho Festival Cancels 2024 Los Angeles Edition

The 2024 edition of Bésame Mucho in Los Angeles will not move forward, the festival announced on social media on Monday (Nov. 25).

The third annual iteration of the one-day event was supposed to take place Dec. 21 at Dodger Stadium and headlined by acts like Shakira, Pitbull, Enrique Iglesias and Los Tigres del Norte. The news comes a month after headliner Shakira announced she was updating her U.S. arena tour to stadiums, and moving her dates to next year.

According to an official statement, Bésame Mucho was canceled “due to circumstances beyond our control.” Adding, “We take great pride in our annual celebration of exceptional music and culture, connecting generations in a way no other event can. After working tirelessly all year to bring you another unforgettable show in December, we are deeply disappointed to share this news.”

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The first-ever Bésame Mucho, produced by Frias Entertainment, was received with much fanfare, offering fans a lineup that showcased the best of the ’90s-’00s Latin pop, rock, banda, norteño, cumbia and merengue acts. Then, tickets to the inaugural 2022 event sold out in 12 minutes. Last year, after a successful run in Los Angeles, Bésame Mucho expanded to Austin, Texas.

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While the Los Angeles edition may be cancelled, Bésame Mucho confirmed that event set for April 5 in Austin is still taking place. That edition’s lineup includes Carín León, Peso Pluma, Banda MS, Pepe Aguilar, Tito Double P and Bronco, among many others. (See the complete lineup here.)

Read Bésame Mucho’s official statement below:

25 Nov 2024

Universal Music Group Responds to Drake Legal Filing Over ‘Not Like Us’: ‘Offensive & Untrue’

Universal Music Group (UMG) has responded to allegations by UMG artist Drake that it conspired with Spotify to artificially boost the popularity of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” in a blockbuster legal filing on Monday (Nov. 25).

“The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue,” to said the company in a statement sent to Billboard. “We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns. No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.”

In the filing, Drake’s Frozen Moments LLC accused UMG — where the rapper is signed via the company’s Republic Records — of embarking on an illegal “scheme” to inflate the popularity of Lamar’s hit song, which served as an attack on Drake amid the two stars’ ongoing feud. Lamar’s company pgLang is licensed through UMG’s Interscope Records, which distributed “Not Like Us.”

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Among other claims, Drake’s attorneys accused UMG of charging Spotify reduced licensing rates in exchange for the streamer recommending “Not Like Us” to users of the service who had searched for “unrelated songs and artists”; paying influencers to boost the song on social media; and hiring bots to fraudulently boost the song’s numbers. He also alleges that UMG paid Apple to have its Siri voice assistant “purposely misdirect users” to the song (notably, Apple is not named as a respondent in the filing).

In the petition, Drake’s lawyers also claimed that the rapper raised the issue with UMG before going to court, but said the company has “no interest in asking responsibility for its misconduct” and instead tried to conceal its alleged wrongdoing, including by firing staffers loyal to Drake. Additionally, the petition claimed that UMG insisted he sue Lamar instead of the label when he complained.

Monday’s filing, which also accused Spotify of wrongdoing, is not yet a lawsuit but rather a “pre-action” petition — a procedure under New York law with the aim of securing information before filing a lawsuit. Parties named in those petitions will not necessarily be targeted in an eventual lawsuit.

25 Nov 2024

Kelly Clarkson Dances at the ‘Pink Pony Club’ With Chappell Roan Cover

Kelly Clarkson is going to keep dancing at the “Pink Pony Club,” taking on the Chappell Roan hit for her latest Kellyoke cover during her daytime talk show on Monday afternoon (Nov. 25).

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Dressed in a pink sweater dress, Clarkson belted the lyrics as her instrumentalists and backup singers, lovingly called My Band Y’all, supported her during the anthemic chorus. “I’m gonna keep on dancing down in West Hollywood/ I’m gonna keep on dancing at the Pink Pony Club,” she belts at the hook.

“I’m so excited for Chappell, who was nominated for six Grammys a couple of weeks ago. So amazing,” Clarkson said after the performance. Roan is nominated for best new artist, while her Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess is up for album of the year and best pop vocal album. Meanwhile, the project’s breakout hit, “Good Luck, Babe!,” received nods for song of the year, record of the year and best pop solo performance.

Next month, Clarkson is set to return for her second year as host of NBC’s annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center telecast on Dec. 4. Besides hosting, Clarkson is also set to perform some festive hits at the tree-lighting ceremony.

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Watch Kelly Clarkson’s cover of Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” below.

25 Nov 2024

Kai Cenat Gifts Snoop Dogg $24,000 Robot from 1X Technologies

Before Kendrick dropped his new video for “squabble up” and news hit that Drake was suing UMG and Spotify, Rap Twitter was affixed on Snoop Dogg‘s appearance on Kai Cenat “Mafiathon 2” stream.

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The West Coast legend visited Cenat on Sunday (Nov. 24) for some shenanigans that included an AI-assisted robot and blunts. First, the streamer couldn’t believe his eyes when Snoop rolled a blunt in less than 30 seconds. After being asked how fast he could roll a blunt, the legendary weed advocate unfurled a Backwood, emptied out the guts, sprinkled weed inside, and rolled it back up before Cenat could get his timer ready.

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Cenat then gifted Snoop an AI-assisted robot from 1X Technologies that has been a popular side character on the “Mafiathon 2” stream. “This is yours yours. It’s going to be yours. It going to be yours,” Kai told the rapper as Snoop was telling the chat that the robot greeted him when he arrived. “Snoop-Bot” as they started calling it, was then asked to hold the blunt Snoop rolled, but dropped it and looked confused when the room got mad at it.

Snoop loved his gift and was amazed by how quickly it learns things. “He know who his master is, that’s the cold part about it,” an impressed Snoop said. “Bow down, n—a. Bow down to your master! You hear me? You understand me? Real sh—t, this is my guy right here. Adding, that he’s going to get Snoop-Bot some companionship. “I can’t wait take you with me, man, we going to have us some real fun. I’m gonna get you a robo-b—h, know what I’m talking about?”

25 Nov 2024

Lawyer Up: Drake Accuses UMG Of Cooking Kendrick Lamar “Not Like Us” Spins, Social Media Fries Drizzy

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Anyway you spin it, Drake is looking funny in the light. The 6 God’s lawyers have reportedly filed a motion against Universal Music Group, accusing their client’s own record label of inflating Kendrick Lamar’s streaming numbers.

Before we get started, yes, Drake’s people are suing the same people responsible for promoting his own music. And yes, social media took this as essentially Drake asking to speak to the manager or even calling the cops after Kendrick Lamar hit him with the lyrical fade that is “Not Like Us,” which is up for a Grammy Awards.

Yes, there are Drake fans who still believe it was the Toronto rapper who actually won the battle. We just can’t take said acolytes seriously, respectfully.

As for that lawsuit, Drake claimg UMG and Spotify conspired by using bots to inflate the “Not Like Us” plays. Reports the UK’s Independent.

In an eyepopping court filing obtained by The Independent, Drake, born Aubrey Drake Graham, says Universal Music Group (UMG) used a network of bots, in conjunction with a so-called pay-to-play scheme, to “manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves” with Lamar’s smash hit song “Not Like Us,” all to Drake’s detriment.

The filing accuses UMG, which has deals with both performers, of paying Spotify to recommend “Not Like Us” to users “who are searching for other unrelated songs and artists,” claiming the label also paid Apple to have Siri “purposely misdirect” users requesting songs from Drake’s catalog, serving up “Not Like Us” in its place. UMG’s ploy, the filing argues, created “the false impression that the Song was more popular than it was in reality.” Making matters even stickier, Drake says in the filing that UMG has tried to hide its alleged propping up of Lamar at Drake’s expense “by terminating employees associated with or perceived as having loyalty to Drake.”

Reportedly, UMG has refusing to entertain Drake’s claims, going as fas as saying his beef is with K. Dot, so he should sue the Compton rapper.

Welp.

Since the suit went public, a Drake “source” has told the media that Drake is mad with UMG’s business practices, and not Kendrick Lamar. Yeah, well, the damage has already been done, and social media is frying Drizzy for acting like a Hip-Hop Karen, allegedly.

Peep some of the more obtuse reactions in the gallery.

6.

25 Nov 2024

Here Are the BRITs’ Nominees for 2025 Rising Star Award

The BRIT Awards has announced the three shortlisted artists for its Rising Star Award. Elmiene (Polydor/Def Jam US), Good Neighbours (Polydor) and Myles Smith (RCA) comprise the all-male field of contenders. The winner will be announced on Dec. 5 on BBC Radio 1’s New Music Show With Jack Saunders.

This is only the second time that the field of contenders has consisted entirely of male artists or groups. James Bay, George the Poet and Years & Years were the 2015 finalists.

The award is voted on by a panel of music journalists, heads of music at radio and music TV stations, songwriters, producers and live bookers. The award is open to British artists who have not yet achieved a top 20 placement on the Official Albums Chart, or achieved more than one top 20 single on the Official Singles Chart before Oct. 31 of this year.

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The Rising Star Award (previously called Critics’ Choice) originated in 2008 and was most recently collected by baroque-pop group The Last Dinner Party. Previous winners include Adele, Sam Smith, Sam Fender, Ellie Goulding, Florence + The Machine, Griff and FLO, while Dua Lipa, Anne-Marie, Lewis Capaldi, Cat Burns, Michael Kiwanuka, Mabel and Years & Years have also all been finalists.

Elmiene released his most recent EP, Anyway I Can, in October, fusing his love of R&B, jazz and pop. He has performed at Glastonbury and collaborated with Stormzy, Syd, Sampha, BADBADNOTGOOD, A$AP Ferg and more, and recently headlined a 3,000-capacity show at London’s Troxy. 

Speaking on his nomination, Elmiene said, “If I could put the feeling of being nominated into words, I would say it’s like being completely satisfied with a meal you bought and then finding out it comes with dessert and a drink. Didn’t know it could get any better.”

Myles Smith’s single “Stargazing” has had considerable success in the U.K. and abroad this year. The pop song, first released in May, peaked at No. 4 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart and reached No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. Smith recently released his second EP, A Minute…, and had a debut U.S. TV performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

In a press release, Smith said, “Growing up in Luton, I started playing pubs and open mic nights when I was just 12 and music quickly became my way of understanding the world and connecting with others. This recognition feels like a reflection of that journey – the highs, the challenges and the incredible people who’ve supported me along the way.”

Indie-pop duo Good Neighbours have had a triumphant year following their TikTok hit “Home,” which has topped 322 million streams on Spotify alone. The song peaked at No. 26 in the U.K., and rode the Hot 100 for 11 weeks, reaching No. 77.

The pair said of the nomination: “The BRITs have always been a huge dream for both of us growing up. We started Good Neighbours purely for the fun of it, so to be up for an actual BRIT award at this stage in our career is the biggest honour. Thank you.”

The winner will be recognised at the BRITs ceremony on March 1 at London’s O2 Arena. The ceremony will be broadcast on ITV and ITV X.

25 Nov 2024

Rauw Alejandro’s ‘Cosa Nuestra’ Debuts at No. 1 on Top Latin Albums & Latin Rhythm Albums Charts

Rauw Alejandro has much to celebrate this week as Cosa Nuestra, his fifth studio album, debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts (dated Nov. 30). The set also launches at No. 6 on the overall Billboard 200, marking his highest charting set, and first top 10, among five career entries. Plus, the complete set pours onto the Hot Latin Songs chart.

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Cosa Nuestra was released Nov. 15 via Duars/Sony Music Latin. The 18-track effort, an amalgam of Latin rhythmic, salsa and pop songs, invites big names into the mix, with Pharrell Williams, Romeo Santos, Laura Pausini and Bad Bunny, while Timbaland is one of six producers on the James Brown-sampling “Sexxxmachine.”

The album earns Rauw Alejandro his second No. 1 –and seventh straight top 10– on Top Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts, after Vice Versa gave the Puerto Rican a first No. 1 (21,000 equivalent album units earned in its first week in the U.S. in 2021, according to Luminate).

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Cosa Nuestra launches with 67,000 equivalent album units in its first week (ending Nov. 21), the artist’s largest week by units earned. Of that sum, traditional album sales contribute 1,000, streaming activity comprises 66,000 units, while the remaining negligible number of units stem from track-equivalent album units.

One unit equals to one album sale, 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams for a song on the album.

Biggest Streaming Week for a Latin Album in 2024: Cosa Nuestra generated 66,000 in streaming equivalent album units in its first week, which equates to 87.7 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs, marking the biggest streaming week for any Latin album in 2024. It surpasses the 87.5 million generated by the first full chart tracking week of Peso Pluma’s Éxodo (July 6 chart).

Second-Largest Week for a Latin Album in 2024: As Cosa Nuestra opens with 67,000 units, it yields the second largest weekly sum for a Latin album in 2024, after Kali Uchis’ Orquídeas opened at No. 1 on Top Latin Albums with 69,000 units.

Third-Highest Charting Latin Album on the Billboard 200 in 2024: Cosa Nuestra marks the third-highest charting Latin album on the overall Billboard 200 this year, following the debut frames of Kali Uchis’ Orquídeas (No. 2 in January) and Peso Pluma’s Éxodo (No. 5 in July). On the Billboard 200, Rauw Alejandro secures his highest charting performance among five career entries. Previously, the Puerto Rican reached a No. 17 high through Vice Versa in 2021.

It’s a Hot Latin Songs Splash: As Cosa Nuestra arrives, the complete album pours onto the Hot Latin Songs chart, which combines streaming data, digital sales and radio airplay into its formula. Out of those, 15 songs debut while three re-enter the multi-metric tally, including leading single “Touching The Sky” at No. 38, after its previous No. 22 high in June.

The album also yields five top 10s debuts with “Que Pasaría…,” with Bad Bunny, leading the pack at No. 2. The latter is also the album’s most-streamed song for the week, with 12 million official U.S. streams, enough for a No. 25 start on the overall Streaming Songs chart and a subsequent No. 2 debut on Latin Streaming Songs. The song likewise becomes the most sold track of the week, with 1,000 downloads sold and a No. 1 debut on Latin Digital Song Sales.

Here’s the full review of those cuts:

No. 2, “Que Pasaría…,” with Bad Bunny (debut)
No. 3, “Khe?” with Romeo Santos (debut)
No. 6, “Tú Con Él” (debut)
No. 7, “Se Fue,” with Laura Pausini (debut)
No. 8, “Revolu,” with Feid (debut)
No. 11, “Déjame Entrar” (re-entry)
No. 12, “Ni Me Conozco” (debut)
No. 14, “Baja Pa’ Acé,” with Alexis y Fido (debut)
No. 15, “Committed,” with Pharrell Williams (debut)
No. 16, “Espresso Martini,” with Marconi Impara & Yan Block (debut)
No. 18, “Amar de Nuevo” (debut)
No. 20, “Cosa Nuestra” (debut)
No. 24, “Mil Mujeres” (debut)
No. 26, “IL Capo”
No. 29, “2:12 AM,” with Latin Mafia
No. 30, “Pasaporte,” with Mr. Naisgai (re-entry)
No. 38, “Touching The Sky” (re-entry)
No. 40, “Sexxxmachine”

While “Que Pasaría…,” with Bad Bunny, is the album’s most-sold and streamed track, “Tú Con Él,” a faithful rendition of Frankie Ruiz’s ‘80s gem, stretched globally as Rauw Alejandro performed the song at the Global Citizen Festival.

While the late salsa icon died in 1998, he scored a Billboard chart entry earlier in 2024. Victor Manuelle’s “Otra Noche Más” includes Ruiz’s vocals from his 1989 song “Deseándote,” and gave him featured artist billing. The track reached No. 3 on Tropical Airplay and a No. 15 on the overall Latin Airplay chart.

All charts (dated Nov. 30, 2024) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, Nov. 26). For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

25 Nov 2024

Shaboozey Celebrates Making ‘History’ as ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’ Spends 19th Week at No. 1 on Hot 100

Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” notched a record-tying 19th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, claiming the same amount of weeks at the summit as Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” (featuring Billy Ray Cyrus), which previously held the longest reign in the chart’s 66-year history.

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To celebrate, the 29-year-old star (born Collins Obinna Chibueze) shared a video with Billboard on Monday (Nov. 25), in which he’s beaming over the much-deserved accomplishment. “I just wanted to say thank you to the fans, to everybody. We made history,” he shares. “We spent 19 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s freakin’ incredible. It’s freakin’ unbelievable. Thank you guys so much for listening to the song, buying the song, radio for playing the song. I can’t believe it. I spent so much of my life working and just trying to get here, and because of you guys, my life is forever changed. Thank you guys so much, thank you Billboard, thank you to the fans, thank you everybody. Love y’all. Cowboys are forever.”

He also took to his Instagram Stories to commemorate the milestone, noting that “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” hit No. 1 for 19 weeks “and counting,” adding to his supporters, “Love y’all.” See the Stories here.

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His Hot 100 accomplishment is just the cherry on top of a massive month for the breakout star. He snagged five nominations for the 2025 Grammys, including best melodic rap performance for his “Spaghettii” duet with Beyoncé, and a “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” was recognized for best country solo performance, best country song and song of the year. He’s also up for best new artist at the ceremony.

25 Nov 2024

Lizzo Mimics Kendrick Lamar While Screaming Out ‘Mustard’ During Kai Cenat Stream

Kendrick Lamar’s booming shout-out to Mustard on GNX‘s “TV Off” has taken social media by storm and even brands like McDonald’s have absorbed the trend.

Lizzo is clearly a fan of the move and she pulled up to Kai Cenat’s stream over the weekend with SZA and broke out into a Lamar imitation giving Mustard a shout-out of her own.

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“She’s glowing,” Lizzo began. “Mustard!” The scream drew a laugh out of Cenat and SZA along with the thousands virtually watching along in the Mafiathon 2 chat.

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“That vibe was EVERYTHING. Lizzo, Kendrick, SZA unstoppable trio,” one fan wrote.

Another added: “Kendrick just made another trend!”

“TV Off” has been crowned an early standout off Lamar’s GNX album and should be making a lofty debut on the Billboard Hot 100 next week. Billboard caught up with Mustard, who co-produced the track and claimed the first part’s beat was a continuation of “Not Like Us” in some ways.

“That first half was definitely in the same realm of me making things like ‘Not Like Us.’ And the second half was a beat that I was doing for this other theatrical album that I’m trying to make,” he said. “And I was just like, ‘Man, let me see if Kendrick would like this.’ I sent it to him and he was like, ‘This is crazy.’”

He appreciated the shout-out from K. Dot too. “That s— was elite,” Mustard lent his stamp of approval. “So fire. Like, is that a new tag? I can’t wait to perform that song and just hear people just saying that, ‘cause everybody’s going to say that like crazy.”

Watch Kai Cenat’s full Mafiathon 2 stream featuring SZA and Lizzo below.

25 Nov 2024

Nas Says He’s ‘Always Inspired’ by His ‘Brother’ Kendrick Lamar

Nas has once again shown love to Kendrick Lamar.

When Kendrick surprised the rap world with a new album last Friday (Nov. 22), the Queens rapper posted GNX‘s album cover with the caption, “Always inspired by my brother KL. Keeping the essence of this sh—t alive and at the forefront. Salute King!”

This is after the Compton rapper revealed on his song “wacced out murals” that the rap legend was the only peer to congratulate him on headlining the Super Bowl after he mentioned Lil Wayne‘s disappointment video and Snoop reposting “Taylor Made Freestyle“. “Used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud/Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down,” he rapped. “Whatever, though, call me crazy, everybody questionable/Turn me to an eskimo, I drew the line and decimals/Snoop posted “Taylor Made”, I prayed it was the edibles/I couldn’t believe it, it was only right for me to let it go.”

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Adding, “Won the Super Bowl and Nas the only one congratulate me/All these n—-s agitated, I’m just glad they showin’ they faces/Quite frankly, plenty artists, but they outdated/Old-a– flows, tryna convince me that you they favorite.”

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After Kendrick announced that he would be headlining the this upcoming Super Bowl, Nas took to his Instagram Story to tip his cap by reposting the announcement video and adding, “Congratulations to my brotha, Kendrick Lamar. Can’t wait to watch the party die,” referencing Dot’s untitled loosie that he released solely on his Instagram account.