State Champ Radio Author: djfrosty
Page: 145
Source: Ray Tamarra/Taylor Hill / Getty
If we wanna talk about elite taste in Hip-Hop, Doja Cat might know a little something.
On a recent Instagram live stream, the popstar broke down Phonte’s verse on Little Brother’s “Whatever You Say” record. Safe to say, Doja got the backpack rap community grinning from ear to ear. Also, crowning it one of the best verses in Hip-Hop history, “Bruh, that’s one of my favorite verses in the entire f*cking history of rap ever. That was so smooth. He didn’t rhyme one f*cking word. I don’t care what anybody says.”
Making it clear that the verse was so fire that Phonte didn’t need to rhyme every bar.
The timing of this couldn’t have gone better as Big Pooh and Phonte just wrapped up the final dates of Little Brother’s farewell tour. Pooh also made a statement, making it clear where the group stands, “I wanted to let the people know, me and Phonte, we super good. We had a chance to reconcile, come back, and I believe, put Little Brother to bed the proper way.”
Phonte also added how making the group’s story come full circle was important, “We came back after a decade and got our first No. 1 record, we did our own movie, we did our own block party and regained control of our catalog. Our work is complete. Our mission as Little Brother is complete. Pooh and I were really able to not just rebuild but also cement our brotherhood.”
The group was able to solidify their bond as brothers while giving fans one last dance.
Source: Ray Tamarra/Taylor Hill / Getty
If we wanna talk about elite taste in Hip-Hop, Doja Cat might know a little something.
On a recent Instagram live stream, the popstar broke down Phonte’s verse on Little Brother’s “Whatever You Say” record. Safe to say, Doja got the backpack rap community grinning from ear to ear. Also, crowning it one of the best verses in Hip-Hop history, “Bruh, that’s one of my favorite verses in the entire f*cking history of rap ever. That was so smooth. He didn’t rhyme one f*cking word. I don’t care what anybody says.”
Making it clear that the verse was so fire that Phonte didn’t need to rhyme every bar.
The timing of this couldn’t have gone better as Big Pooh and Phonte just wrapped up the final dates of Little Brother’s farewell tour. Pooh also made a statement, making it clear where the group stands, “I wanted to let the people know, me and Phonte, we super good. We had a chance to reconcile, come back, and I believe, put Little Brother to bed the proper way.”
Phonte also added how making the group’s story come full circle was important, “We came back after a decade and got our first No. 1 record, we did our own movie, we did our own block party and regained control of our catalog. Our work is complete. Our mission as Little Brother is complete. Pooh and I were really able to not just rebuild but also cement our brotherhood.”
The group was able to solidify their bond as brothers while giving fans one last dance.
Trending on Billboard
Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
This week: Kehlani eyes a big chart move thanks to a new pack of remixes, a surreal viral trend helps put a rising singer-songwriter on the streaming map, basketball’s greatest soundtrack makes a comeback and more.
Tame Impala’s ‘Dracula’ Sinks Its Teeth Into the Halloween Season
This year, Halloween fell on a weekend, meaning the partying was perhaps even a little more widespread than usual — and the songs that provide the annual soundtrack for such festivities exploded were even more explosive on streaming. On DSPs, the top-ranking songs were the usual perennial favorites, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters” and Bobby “Boris” Pickett’s “Monster Mash” of course among them. But a little lower on those listings was another much-newer spooky-season favorite: “Dracula,” the current electro-pop breakout hit for psych-dance vets Tame Impala.
“Dracula” has already proven a chart sensation, debuting on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 55 in October and hitting a new peak of No. 33 last month following the release of its parent album Deadbeat – his first-ever entry on the chart, since joined by two of its Deadbeat tracklist mates. It may hit a new peak on the Hot 100 on next week’s chart (dated Nov. 15), after the (loosely) vampire-themed and (vaguely) eerie-sounding track racked up over 1.8 million official on-demand U.S. streams on Oct. 31 — up 49% from the previous Friday, according to Luminate, a massive gain for a song already pulling daily streams in the seven digits.
Will the song endure to become a Halloween staple like those aforementioned proven classics? Time will tell, but early signs are encouraging for “Dracula” becoming a holiday immortal.
Toni Braxton Proves ‘Man Enough’ for a Streaming Boost, Thanks to Kayla Nicole and an Upcoming Movie
A week after throwing Kehlani an assist on “Folded,” Toni Braxton is experiencing a mini-streaming revival for one of her own hits. Thanks to a spicy Halloween costume from Kayla Nicole, Travis Kelce’s ex, and a flurry of motion from the Braxton world, streams for 2000’s “He Wasn’t Man Enough” are way up.
According to Luminate, on Oct. 31, “Man Enough” (which reached No. 2 on the Hot 100) earned 106,000 official on-demand U.S. streams. After Nicole shared her costume, which tributes the track’s sultry music video, on Halloween, the Grammy-winning song jumped 87% to over 200,000 official streams (Nov. 1). By Nov. 2, “Man Enough” leapt a further 32% to over 265,000 official streams, with the following day (Nov. 3) giving way to a 38% boost, resulting in 366,000 official streams. Over that four-day period, streams for Braxton’s smash exploded over 242%.
To her credit, Braxton also kept her name in the headlines all by her lonesome, which only further propelled “Man Enough.” On Oct. 28, New Edition confirmed it would head out on a 2026 tour alongside Braxton and Boyz II Men, by Oct. 30, all three acts performed a medley on Good Morning America, with Braxton crooning “Man Enough.” Furthermore, the latest season of The Braxtons, a reality show following Braxton and her famous family, premiered on We TV on Oct. 10, with clips quickly going viral across social media. Also on Oct. 28, Lifetime shared the first look at He Wasn’t Man Enough, an original TV movie starring and executive produced by Braxton based on her hit song.
During the first four days of the week preceding Halloween (Oct. 24-27), “Man Enough” logged over 313,000 official on-demand U.S. streams, with that number jumping just under 200% to over 938,000 official streams over the equivalent period the following week (Oct. 31-Nov. 3). In addition to its streaming boost, “Man Enough” also returned to the iTunes U.S. top 30. — KYLE DENIS
Drake and the Toronto Blue Jays: Still Definitively ‘Not Like Us’
For the second straight autumn, the Los Angeles Dodgers ended the baseball season on top of the mountain. After defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in a classic seven-game World Series — with the seventh game (on Saturday, Nov. 1) going to extra innings and ending on a bases-loaded double play — the Dodgers became the first team since the New York Yankees of 25 years earlier (’99-’00) to repeat as MLB champions.
And just like it was last year, the most frequent song of celebration for Los Angelenos was Kendrick Lamar‘s forever-triumphant, forever-sneering “Not Like Us.” The Grammy-winning, Hot 100-topping classic diss track from L.A.’s most esteemed modern hip-hop representative rang out across Southern California over the weekend, pulling a combined 1.8 million official on-demand streams across the two days (Nov. 2-3) following the Dodgers’ clinching victory — up 16% from the same period the week before, according to Luminate.
And of course, helping to make the victory and its soundtrack extra sweet: The Blue Jays’ most high-profile celebrity representative at the series was of course the 6 God himself, Kendrick’s 2024 foe Drake. The FOX network even tweeted a mocked-up photo after the game of a trophy-donning Lamar speeding away from Drake on the baseball diamond, right next to the all-caps caption, “THEY NOT LIKE US.” — A.U.
Trending on Billboard
Daniel Caesar attains his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart as Son of Spergy begins atop the list dated Nov. 8. The set, released on Oct. 24 through Hollace/Republic Records, opens with 43,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in the week of Oct. 24-30, according to Luminate.
Of its starting sum, Son of Spergy generated 26,000 units from streaming activity, equaling 34.1 million official audio and video streams of the album’s tracks. 17,000 units derive from traditional album sales, with minimal activity from the third contributing metric, track-equivalent units from song sales. Thanks to its activity in the relevant metrics, Son of Spergy arrives at No. 4 on the Top Album Sales chart and No. 11 on the Top Streaming Albums ranking.
Son of Spergy — the title is a nod to the nickname of Caesar’s father, gospel singer Norwill Simmonds — is the fourth album by the singer-songwriter. It follows his breakthrough, 2017’s Freudian, which peaked at No. 16 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, 2019’s Case Study 01 (No. 10), and 2023’s Never Enough (No. 6).
In addition to its triumph on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Son of Spergy likewise starts at No. 1 on the Top R&B Albums chart and is Caesar’s first leader there. Breakthroughs continue with its No. 4 launch on the all-genre Billboard 200, where the singer scores his first top 10 visit.
[embedded content]
Ten of the album’s tracks reach the 50-position Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, led by the No. 23 debut of “Who Knows.” The entrance gives Caesar his best result as a lead artist. He previously scored two No. 1s in featured capacities: on Justin Bieber’s seven-week champ “Peaches,” also featuring Giveon, in 2021, and by supporting Tyler, The Creator on last year’s “St. Chroma,” which ruled for one week. He likewise assisted Tyler, The Creator on the No. 16-peaking “Take Your Mask Off,” also featuring Latoiya Williams.
Two previous releases, “Have a Baby (With Me)” and “Call on Me” return for their second weeks on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The former reaches a new peak of No. 31 after it debuted at No. 36 in August, while the latter matches its No. 40 high.
Plus, Caesar notches his first No. 1 on the Hot Gospel Songs chart, as “Rain Down,” featuring Sampha, blasts in at the top. The track owes its start to 3 million U.S. streams, with negligible amounts of radio airplay or sales.
Here’s a rundown of Daniel Caesar’s Son of Spergy tracks on this week’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart:
No. 23, “Who Knows”
No. 28, “Root of All Evil”
No. 31, “Have a Baby (With Me)”
No. 37, “Baby Blue,” feat. Norwill Simmonds
No. 38, “Rain Down,” feat. Sampha
No. 39, “Emily’s Song”
No. 40, “Call on Me”
No. 41, “Moon,” feat. Bon Iver
No. 46, “Touching God,” feat. Yebba & Blood Orange
No. 49, “Sign of the Times”
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Trending on Billboard
Coach has enlisted the help of i-dle’s Soyeon for its latest holiday campaign, and it’s a star-powered one indeed.
Soyeon, a South Korean K-pop idol, joined the likes of fellow music acts Griff, Ravyn Lenae and Kōki along with actors Elle Fanning and Charles Melton. The campaign, titled The Gift for New Adventures, saw each star modeling Coach’s latest offerings, from the brand’s classic shoulder and tote bags — such as the Brooklyn and Nolita and the iconic Soho sneaker — in a winter wonderland setting.
Soyeon was a major fixture in the campaign, drawing younger audiences to the brand. While she’s best known for her strong rapping abilities as a member of girl group i-dle, she’s now a global brand ambassador for Coach and has been since September of this year.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
If you’re looking to achieve the star’s look from the campaign, we’ve got the inside scoop. Below, you can shop for some of the pieces Soyeon wore in all available on Coach’s website. This is a great opportunity for K-pop and Coach fans alike to try their hand at some of the brand’s most iconic styles. Each piece is also pretty great for the fall and winter seasons, what with the muted color palettes and the emphasis and cozy silhouettes.
Brooklyn Shoulder Bag 28
A brown suede shoulder bag.
Tabby Shoulder Bag 20
A black shoulder bag with gold hardware.
While Soyeon modeled a bunch of bags in the campaign, two of the standout styles for us were the Brooklyn Shoulder Bag 28 in suede and the ever-versatile Tabby Shoulder Bag 20 in black. The Brooklyn Shoulder Bag 28 retails for $295 and immediately caught our eye for a few key reasons. We’re dubbing this one “the perfect workbag” because it’s extremely spacious with a length and height of 11 inches and a 3.35 inch width.
This means you can store everything from laptops, notebooks and all of your other work essentials in this tote without having to cram it all in. You’ve also got an inside snap pocket for storing keys or your wallet, along with a sturdy magnetic snap closure that keeps your belongings sealed up tight. The shoulder strap is also a big plus, sitting comfortably over the shoulder thanks to a 10.5-inch drop, giving users ample room to slip their arm through. Lastly, the suede composition gives the bag a luxe finish. The Brooklyn is a hobo style, meaning it’s slouchy and more relaxed than something like the Nolita or Tabby, meaning you can wear it for both formal or casual occasions.
The Tabby Shoulder Bag 20 is a more dressy option that we’d dub “the party bag” simply because it’s a bag that needs to be shown off. Retailing for $350, this bag is constructed of durable, polished pebble leather in black along with fabric lining to give it more structure. Unlike the Tabby 26, the 20 has a longer strap, sitting more comfortably on the wearer’s shoulder.
This bag also comes with a detachable strap with 21.50 inch drop, so you can also wear it crossbody, giving you more styling options. The gilded hardware gives this bag a more polished look, especially when compared to the stripped-down look of the Brooklyn. While it is less spacious than the Brooklyn, the Tabby is more formal, great for wearing to dinner parties or any upcoming Thanksgiving potlucks.
Soho Sneaker
A white low-top sneaker with Coach logo detailing.
On the footwear front, Soyeon was styled in Coach’s Soho Sneaker, a classic white sneaker silhouette with tons of personality. Retailing for $145, the sneaker features white leather uppers accompanied by fabric lining and a plush EVA, or Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate, plastic midsole that gives the style flexibility. Finally, rubber soles round out the set, giving the sneaker a non-slip finish.
The Soho is your standard versatile white sneaker with branded Coach accents that draw the eye down. We’d shell out on these because of the quality. While you can buy cheaper white kicks, these ones are sure to last you a long time. Plus, the branding will make you feel a little more boujee than your average silhouettes.
In a press release, the brand noted of the campaign, “The holiday season brings with it a host of fresh starts and opportunities for change — whether that involves embarking on a trip, revisiting an old hobby, finding time for solo inspiration or gathering with friends and family. In the suite of stories at the core of the campaign, our lead characters are all faced with a defining moment where they choose to explore a new path and they carry their Coach bags closely beside them as symbols of confidence, security and self-expression as they pursue that something new.”
Trending on Billboard Marc Anthony will “definitely” be at the Super Bowl LX to cheer on his friend and fellow hitmaker, Bad Bunny, who is headlining next year’s halftime show. The Puerto Rican salsa star spoke with Rolling Stone about the significance of Bad Bunny’s upcoming Super Bowl performance and some words of advice he’s […]
Trending on Billboard
The Killers, Guns N’ Roses, Tyler, The Creator, and Deftones are set to headline the 14th edition of the Pa’l Norte festival, the massive musical celebration held annually in Monterrey, Mexico. The 2026 lineup, announced on Wednesday (Nov. 5), features other major international acts such as Kygo, Interpol, Halsey, Jackson Wang, Zoé and Grupo Frontera.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
The acclaimed festival, founded by Apodaca Group, will take place March 27-29 at Parque Fundidora. Other performers include Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, The Lumineers, Morat, Turnstile, Cuco, 31 Minutos and Omar Courtz, as well as Myke Towers, Simple Plan, Judeline, DJO, The Blaze (DJ Set), Cypress Hill, Purple Disco Machine and Molotov, among many others.
In a statement, organizers announced that ticket sales will begin on Nov. 11 at 2 p.m. local time through Ticketmaster.
In partnership with promoter Ocesa, acquired by Live Nation in 2021, Tecate Pa’l Norte has become one of the largest and most diverse festivals in Mexico. The 2026 edition will feature more than 100 musical acts across eight stages, according to organizers.
The three-day event gathers around 100,000 attendees per day, a few thousand more than the electronic music-focused EDC, one of the most crowded festivals in Mexico. It annually attracts fans from all over the world, with attendance exceeding other major festivals in Mexico City such as Vive Latino and Corona Capital, which gather around 80,000 people per day, according to their organizers.
The festival lineup celebrates a rich fusion of genres ranging from rock and indie to Mexican regional music, reggaeton and electronic music, showcasing some of the biggest international stars. Over the years, Pa’l Norte has established itself as the “most important musical entertainment event in northern Mexico,” according to the Ministry of Tourism of Nuevo León.
Previous editions of the festival have featured acts such as Billie Eilish, Foo Fighters, Muse, Tame Impala, The Killers, Maná, Caifanes, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs and 50 Cent. This year it was headlined by pop superstars Olivia Rodrigo and Justin Timberlake, Charli xcx and Green Day.
Check out the full 2026 Tecate Pa’l Norte lineup below:
Trending on Billboard
Harlem has itself another rap star.
Liim seemingly came out of nowhere and dropped a critically acclaimed project in Liim Lasalle Loves You, a coming-of-age, genre-bending debut that has caught the attention of the likes of Tyler, The Creator. Signed to veteran record exec Sickamore’s three times LOUDER (IIIXL) label, Liim’s rise has been fast.
The Harlem rapper grew up in a strict Muslim household where secular music wasn’t allowed to be played. This made him curious which then led to him discovering his natural calling. He’s been putting out music since about 2022, with the release of his single “Pupils,” while also doubling as a model for Supreme — and was noticed in 2023 by an IIIXL A&R in one of the skate brand’s ads. “I don’t know,” he answers, after being asked what made the upstart label sign him. “But I know one of the A&R’s, Ezana [Atakli], said he seen me in a Supreme thing, and then he clicked on my s—t and heard my music. I had a song called ‘Mary J’ at the time.”
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
And while he’s been actively putting out records for the better part of three years, it wasn’t until he began making this particular project that he found his sound. Producer Shamshawan DM’d Liim wanting to work and the two hit it off immediately. “From there, I started recording everyday,” he said. “It was crazy, because I never been in that type of mentality with music. I wasn’t struggling at all. I didn’t have to write nothing. I was just spitting. It was just working out for me.” He’s now found himself among the new rising talent here in the city that started this rap thing, alongside the likes of his labelmate Laila! and sexy drill aficionado Cash Cobain.
Liim stopped by the Billboard office in New York City with his management to talk about his influences, the crafting of his debut album, and growing up in a city full of opportunity for a kid like him.
Check out our convo below.
I peeped that Tyler co-signed you — and let me know if I’m buggin’, but I hear his influence in this album. Is that true?
How do you feel like you hear the influence?
Just some of the melodies, like “Why Why” reminds me of some of his R&B stuff.
I feel like what it is — [from what] I’ve seen from Tyler’s interviews or whatever — when he talks about his influences in music, we got pretty similar ones. And if not me and him having similar ones, him and my producer, Shamshawan, they both love the Neptunes and s—t. So the production is kind of in that world. I f—k with a lot of bossa nova music and s—t like that, so the first track is kind of bossa nova, then it goes into a kind of Pharrell-y vibe. I don’t think I take direct inspiration from him.
Well, I mean some of the tracks just reminded me of some of his. You’re also into Max B, so it’s a mix of all these influences that you have. And what’s interesting is that you say you grew up not being able to play certain music in your house because your mother is Muslim. Can you talk about that?
No music. All you heard was the Quran playing in the crib.
Did that make you more curious about music?
Facts.
So, how does she feel about you career choice?
She’s proud of me. As I got older, I was like, “That don’t make no sense.” And my mom is on her Dīn and whatnot, but she’ll listen to my music just to support.
You had told Kid Mero that Max B reminded you of your late father because he was a Harlem dude. How did you get put on to Max?
It’s funny, even though growing up in Harlem and s—t, I never really heard kids my age listen to Max B ever. But when I started skateboarding, it was them n—as — the older skaters were fans, and always had Max B playing.
Skaters are an underrated subculture within rap music. A lot of them have good taste when it comes to music and style. I also noticed that you use a camcorder aesthetic in some of your videos. You used to run around with a camcorder?
I used to film skateboarders sometimes before I was making music. I just know how to use that camera. A lot of my earlier videos I shot by myself type s—t, or I would tell my homie to hold the camera like this. My goal is to do high-budget videos, but the camera’s mad cheap.
You must be a fan of that era because you’re hella young and dress like you could be in Dipset, and even though you’re not making “traditional” New York music, I can still tell that you’re from the city.
I don’t know. I feel like the music that was coming out as I was getting older, like the drill and all that s—t… I’ve made a few drill songs and s—t like that, but I was like, this s—t is kind of ass, bro. Everybody’s saying the exact same thing. And then I was thinking about it, and all my music really changed. I don’t know how n—s want to call it? Woke? I don’t know, just conscious of my people, Black people and s—t like murder music, and where that came from. We didn’t make murder music. That’s lowkey some s—t white people say, and that’s not really us. We had Marvin Gaye. We had Stevie [Wonder], all these n—as that sing about love. I feel like I’m trying to bring love back into music.
Oh, okay, so you’re a lover boy?
Most definitely. I’m going on a date tonight.
How would you describe your sound? How did you land on this for this specific album? How did it come together?
If I’m being real, I kind of just let the beats dictate what I was saying. I freestyled most of the song and whatever came out came out. I wasn’t thinking too hard about it. I wasn’t listening to any music similar. The whole time this album was being made, I was listening to Saaheem, SahBabii’s album. I was listening to that just now before I came in here. I feel like I wouldn’t know how to really describe my song. I just feel like, I don’t know, It’s kind of like introspective, coming of age music.
How involved was Sicamore, in terms of helping you put this together?
The way Sic works…I feel like he’s not the most hands on, like, “Yo, you should do this, you should do that.” He’ll drop in suggestions, but he’s mostly a supportive n—a. He’ll be like, “Yo, you about to be a star.”
He lets you do your thing.
Yeah, because he’s trying to help you build the trust in yourself, that you don’t need too much help. He helps when I gotta figure out how I’m gonna shoot this video or get my music to people.
How old were you when you decided that you wanted to be a rapper?
Honestly, bro, like young. I always had a desire for music because I didn’t have it around type s—t. I could show you a video right now of when I was a little n—a freestyling. There was this challenge on YouTube called #The10ToesDownChallenge.
I wanted to ask you about that. You mentioned the video in the Mero interview. How old are you there? Like f—kin’ 14?
Younger than that. Probably like 11. You already had that bug in you. Exactly. You can’t really hear what I’m saying because I’m recording off the ‘droid and for YouTube at the same time. [Laughs.]
So, how long did it take you to make this project?
It’s funny because when I signed in 2023, I made an album with concepts and all this s—t, and I scrapped the entire thing. There were like 20 songs and I was like, “D–n, what am I gonna do now?”
Why did you scrap it?
I just didn’t like it. It was ass, bro. It just sounded basic. I don’t even know if I even have any of the songs.
I’m assuming it sounded way different from your most recent project. Were there any remnants of this project in there?
None. It was completely different. I just didn’t know what I wanted it to sound like. It wasn’t too far from my sound but it was kinda boring, you know? I felt like it wouldn’t change anybody’s life or anybody’s perspective. I was working on music for a long ass time, maybe about a year just working on random s—t. I was out of the studio for a while, I had gotten a job managing a warehouse, bro, like a real job [Laughs.]
When was this?
I quit in August of last summer and and after I quit, I started going back to stu again, then I met up this n—a Sham who produced most of the album. He DM’d me about getting in the studio and for some reason all the beats he sent me just hit. I had an idea for everything. I was roughly done with the songs in maybe six months? The mixing process took mad long. So, in terms of recording, it took like six months to make the album and in terms of it being ready to be released, it took a full year.
I peeped that you mentioned that your studio is aesthetically pleasing. Walk us through that. What does that mean? What’s in the studio?
Got the nice warm light. I’m into my spaces. I don’t f—k with the studios that have the f—king LED lights and all that bulls—t. Some suave s—t.
What do you want to get out of your career?
I just want to make an impact, bro. That’s really it. I just want to make an impact in the youth to where they make music that’s not bulls—t. I want to make passionate music. Another artist I feel like I see doing that is Nourished by Time. He makes like ’80s-influenced R&B. You should check him out.
The name of the album was inspired by Stevie Wonder?
Yeah, facts. “Steve Wonder Loves You.” I saw a shirt he had that said, “Stevie Wonder Loves You.” I was like, “I want to do that for my merch.” And then it went from a merch idea to being the name of the album.
Are you already plotting out your next project?
Yeah, facts. I got the name already, bro. I got concepts down. Has the response to this tape inspire you to to keep working? I mean, definitely, but I was already working on this s—t before this. I’m grateful. I’m just glad n—s like it, but I really made it for myself at the end of the day. I’m just happy with the music. I can actually listen to it and be like, “Oh, this hard.”
Liim is heading out across the pond for a “European Excursion.” You can find tickets here and can check out the dates below.
Friday, Nov. 7 – Jumbi – Terrace, LondonTuesday, Nov. 11 – Paradiso – Basement, AmsterdamThursday, Nov. 13 – Fifty Lab Festival, BrusselsFriday, Nov. 14 – Jah Jah, Paris & Soho House, Paris
Trending on Billboard
Spotify is facing a class action lawsuit claiming its Discovery Mode and editorial playlists are a “modern form of payola” that allow record labels and artists to secretly pay to promote their music.
The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday (Nov. 5) in New York, alleges that Spotify’s recommendation tools are a “deceptive pay-for-play” program, but that the streamer misleads consumers into trusting that they are neutral and based on personal musical tastes.
Related
“Spotify exploits that trust by marketing itself as a platform that offers organic music recommendations — whether through its algorithmic or curated playlists — only to secretly sell those recommendations to the highest bidder,” reads the lawsuit, obtained by Billboard.
The case was filed by a Spotify subscriber named Genevieve Capolongo, who seeks to represent “millions” of other users who were allegedly misled by Spotify’s offerings. Her lawyers say she used the platform’s personalization features for years, but “kept hearing the same major-label tracks” that “bore little resemblance to her listening habits.”
In a statement to Billboard, a spokesperson for Spotify called the accusations “nonsense” and pointed to its detailed explanation of the program.
“Not only do they misrepresent what Discovery Mode is and how it works, but they are riddled with misunderstandings and inaccuracies,” the company said. “Discovery Mode is a feature artists can use to flag priority tracks for algorithmic consideration in limited contexts: Radio, Autoplay, and certain Mixes. It doesn’t buy plays, it doesn’t affect editorial playlists, and it’s clearly disclosed in the app and on our website.”
Related
The new case is the latest to claim that major labels are buying placement on Spotify to boost their artists. The high-profile lawsuit filed by Drake over Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” included accusations that Universal Music Group used bots and payments to juice the song’s popularity on many platforms, including Spotify. Another case, filed earlier this week, claims that Spotify “turned a blind eye” to bots and other forms of fraudulent streams designed to inflate certain artists.
First unveiled in 2020, Discovery Mode allows artists and labels to get boosted on Spotify in return for accepting reduced royalties. It was initially met with scrutiny, including a Congressional investigation, over its similarities to payola, or the practice of secretly paying radio stations for airplay. But it has become a popular industry marketing tool around the release of new music.
Much of Wednesday’s lawsuit is focused on the extent to which Spotify discloses the exact parameters of Discovery Mode to its users. Though listeners are offered a link to an “About Recommendations” explainer when using it, Capolongo’s attorneys say that isn’t enough.
“Telling users that ‘commercial considerations may influence’ recommendations does not reveal which songs are being promoted commercially and which are being recommended organically,” her lawyers write. “Without that specificity, users cannot distinguish between genuine personalization and covert advertising.”
Related
The lawsuit also claims that Spotify’s editorial playlists, like the hugely influential Today’s Top Hits and RapCaviar, are also subject to pay-for-play. But it fails to offer any concrete examples of such payments, citing only unnamed “industry insiders” confirming that it happens and circumstantial evidence about the “disproportionate” rates of major-label music on such playlists.
In technical terms, the lawsuit claims Spotify’s conduct violated New York state law with deceptive practices and false advertising. It also claims Capolongo was fraudulently induced to subscribe and that Spotify was unjustly enriched by its behavior.
In more straightforward language, Capolongo says she simply wouldn’t have paid for Spotify if she had “known the truth” about the service: “That Spotify’s playlists and recommendations are shaped by undisclosed pay-for-play arrangements and hidden commercial incentives, not by her listening history alone.”
Trending on Billboard
Kenshi Yonezu’s “IRIS OUT” continues to dominate the Billboard Japan Hot 100 for the seventh consecutive week, on the chart released Nov. 5.
While overall chart points for the Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc theme dipped slightly compared to last week, karaoke performance increased to 116%. The track sits at No. 1 for streaming, video views, and karaoke, while hitting No. 3 for downloads, No. 9 for CD sales, and No. 13 for radio airplay, extending the hitmaker’s longest-running stay atop the Japan Hot 100.
At No. 2 is Sakurazaka46’s “Unhappy birthday Koubun,” which jumps from No. 15. The girl group’s 13th single sold 614,231 copies to take No. 1 for sales, and comes in at No. 10 for downloads, No. 9 for streaming, No. 70 for radio, and No. 61 for video.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
Three songs debut in the top 10 this week. LE SSERAFIM’s “SPAGHETTI (feat. j-hope of BTS)” sold 92,621 copies to arrive at No. 3, BE:FIRST’s “I Want You Back” rules radio to bow at No. 4, and Travis Japan’s “Disco Baby” lands at No. 7 after topping downloads.
In other chart moves, several songs by veteran band back number see renewed momentum. “Blue Amber” rises 35-32, “Takaneno Hanakosan” 72-56, “Suiheisen” 79-77, while “Koi” returns at No. 87.
The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.
See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account.
