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17 Oct 2024

Kanye Divorce Rumors A Plot To Distract From Assault Lawsuit, Allegedly

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The recent rumors of Kanye West and Bianca Censori divorcing recently made headlines. Some say that this was a plot so Ye can divert the attention away from his ex-assistant suing him for assault.

As spotted on Page Six, an unnamed individual is claiming that the speculation of the celebrity couple parting ways is actually fake news. An alleged insider told Daily Mail that the hearsay was concocted by Kanye and his team. “Kanye is concerned that his new lawsuit will drag him down to Diddy’s level and he has been speaking to his legal reps,” the tipster said. “He is paying attention to what is going on with Diddy and some believe that the publicity stunt was a way of overshadowing the details of the harrowing lawsuit.”

Kanye West’s former assistant Lauren Pisciotta says she was drugged and taken advantage of by her former boss during a recording session at a studio where Diddy was present. She claims she was offered a beverage “laced with an unidentified drug.” She then says she felt “disoriented” and in “less control of her body and speech.” She woke up the next morning with very little memory of the day prior but says Kanye later admitted to her that the two had hooked up.

“Still to that day, up until that conversation and revelations of true facts and actions taken that night, Plaintiff did not know or think she was sexually assaulted that night, as Plaintiff only thought she was roofied by a studio assistant, likely embarrassed herself and then took the blame,” the lawsuit reads. While Pisciotta says Diddy was at the recording session, he is not accused of any wrongdoing.

Back in June, the rapper’s lawyers responded to the lawsuit calling it baseless. Kanye West and Bianca Censori have been married since 2022.

17 Oct 2024

Cardi B Teases Delayed Sophomore Album ‘Is Coming Really, Really Soon!’

Cardi B is taking care of some business with a nine-day trip to Los Angeles. The Bronx native hopped on X Spaces on Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 16) to discuss her plans while on the West Coast, which include tending to her long-awaited sophomore LP.

“I’m also in L.A. because I have to do something pertaining the album. I know you guys are gonna be like, ‘What the f–k, b—h?’ But it’s something that’s gonna be done really f–king quick,” she said. “It’s just gonna be a one-two. I did it when I was pregnant, and nothing came out how I wanted it to come, out so we gotta do it again.”

Cardi continued without saying exactly what she had to do for the LP. “It’s gonna be amazing and unique because everything I do it gotta be amazing and unique,” she promised. “I’m sorry for the delay. It’s not gonna be a crazy delay. It’s gonna come out amazing. I’m gonna be out here for nine days.”

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It’s been more than six years since 2018’s Invasion of Privacy and Cardi has teased the album for 2024, but the calendar days left in the year are dwindling.

“Album is coming really, really soon, announcements is coming really really soon,” she promised later on. “Things are getting more done now! I’m not pregnant no more.”

Cardi delivered a pair of singles with Billboard Hot 100 hits “Enough (Miami)” and “Like What (Freestyle)” earlier this year, but then cooled off and leaned on a few assists while hopping on Rob 49’s “On Dat Money” and Megan Thee Stallion and GloRilla’s “Wanna Be (Remix).”

The 32-year-old also gave birth to her third child with estranged husband Offset in September. Following her filing for divorce from the Migos rapper at the end of July, Cardi is enjoying her new chapter in life.

“Life has been really weird,” she added. “I’m single and I’ve been having fun, but I feel like me being single and me having fun, I have to stop it because I don’t want it to get in the way of my work. I’m paranoid to give people my time, I’m just playing around right now,” she said with a laugh. “I just want peace.”

Listen to the full Spaces session below.

17 Oct 2024

Simon Cowell’s ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ Postpones Auditions Following Liam Payne’s Death

Auditions for Simon Cowell‘s Britain’s Got Talent were postponed Thursday (Oct. 17) in light of Liam Payne‘s shocking death the day prior.

The decision was confirmed by Applause Store, which handles ticketing for the talent competition show, on X the morning auditions were set to take place in England. “Due to the tragic passing of Liam Payne, BGT has decided to postpone today’s auditions in Blackpool,” the company wrote. “We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.”

According to the audition venue’s website, Thursday was supposed to have been the final of three back-to-back days’ worth of auditions in the city. At press time, the show has not indicated when the auditions will be rescheduled.

Cowell launched Britain’s Got Talent in 2007, three years after he started the U.K. version of The X Factor. The late “Strip That Down” singer — who died at 31 years old Wednesday (Oct. 16) after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina — got his start in 2010 on the latter talent program, which placed him in the group One Direction with fellow contestants-turned-bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson. The band went on to have four No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and six top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 before parting ways in 2015, after which Payne embarked on a solo career.

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In the wake of his death, The X Factor shared a touching tribute to the late pop singer. “We are heartbroken by the sad passing of Liam Payne,” read a message posted to the show’s social media accounts Wednesday. “He was immensely talented and, as part of One Direction, Liam will leave a lasting legacy on the music industry and fans around the world. Our thoughts are with his friends, family and all who loved him.”

Countless musicians, entertainment industry peers and fans have also taken to social media to mourn Payne in the past 24 hours, including Zedd, Paris Hilton, Charlie Puth, the Backstreet Boys, Ty Dolla $ign and more. The “Get Low” artist’s family shared a statement with the BBC Thursday. “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul,” the message read. “We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”

See Applause Store’s tweet below.

17 Oct 2024

Liam Payne’s Death: Hotel Manager Reported ‘Aggressive Man’ Possibly Under Influence Before Singer’s Fall

Prior to Liam Payne‘s death on Wednesday (Oct. 16), a hotel manager in Buenos Aires, Argentina called 911 to report a guest who was “overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol,” adding, “he’s destroying the entire room and, well, we need you to send someone, please.”

According to the Associated Press, the caller’s voice grew more anxious as the call continued, with the hotel manager noting that the room had a balcony. Former One Direction and solo star Payne, 31, was found dead on Wednesday after officials said he sustained “extremely serious injuries” in a fall from the third-floor balcony of his room — approximately 42-45 feet from the ground — at the Casa Sur Hotel in the Palermo neighborhood of the nation’s capital city.

While the initial reports stated that Payne fell, the AP reported that Buenos Aires Security Ministry spokesperson Pablo Policicchio told the news service in a statement that Payne “had jumped from the balcony of his room.”

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Police were dispatched the to scene following the emergency call around 5 p.m. local time on Wednesday according to Policicchio, after being told by hotel staff that there was an “aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.” Officials are reportedly still investigating the circumstances of Payne’s death, with an autopsy under way.

In the days since, fans have gathered in a vigil outside the hotel for the beloved boy band star, lighting candles and singing 1D’s “Night Changes” and “Story of My Life,” while his music industry peers and family have shared their grief over the shocking loss.

Payne’s rise to stardom began in 2010 at age 17 when he was paired with the other members of what would become One Direction by Simon Cowell after the quintet’s singers all auditioned for the British X-Factor as solo acts. Along with Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik, Payne was thrust into instant global adoration in 2012 after the late 2011 release of the band’s debut single, “What Makes You Beautiful,” which went to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 in the UK.

The song memorably opens with one of Payne’s most beloved, iconic vocals, in which he sings, “You’re insecure, don’t know what for/ You’re turning heads when you walk through the door/ Don’t need makeup to cover up/ Bein’ the way that you are is enough.” During the band’s subsequent six-year run they scored four No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and six top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits.

After the group hit pause, Payne — who never headlined his own tour — released his lone solo album, 2019’s LP1, as well a string of singles, including the 2017 Billboard Hot 100 No. 10 Hit “Strip That Down” (featuring Quavo), “Get Low” (feat. Zedd, No. 23, 2017), “Bedroom Floor” (No. 35, 2017), “For You (Fifty Shades Freed)” (feat. Rita Ora, No. 37, 2018) and “Familiar” (feat. J Balvin, No. 25, 2018). He also released the 2018 EP First Time, as well as singles with Jonas Blue and Lennon Stella (“Polaroid,” 2018), A Boogie Wit da Hoodie (“Stack It Up,” 2019), Cheat Codes (“Live Forever,” 2019) and Dixie D’Amelio (“Naughty List,” 2020).

His final single, “Teardrops,” co-written by former *NSYNC member JC Chasez, was released in March.

After the group went on indefinite hiatus in 2016, the singer was open about how the dizzying rush of fame overwhelmed him, leading to a yearslong substance use struggle. In July 2023, he posted an eight-minute video in which he revealed that he was almost six months sober following a 100-day stay in a Louisiana rehab facility.

“I just kind of feel like I’ve got more of a grip on life and everything that was getting away from me, I just feel like I’ve got more of a handle on it,” Payne said at the time. “I just needed to take a little bit of time out for myself actually because I kind of became somebody who I didn’t really recognize anymore. And I’m sure you guys didn’t either. I was in bad shape up until that point and I was really happy to kind of put a stopper to life and work.”

In a 2019 interview, Payne admitted that he had trouble adjusting to 1D’s Beatles-like level of fan adoration at the height of the group’s success, frequently leaning on alcohol to cope with the stress. “It’s almost like putting the Disney costume on before you step up on stage and underneath the Disney costume I was pissed quite a lot of the time because there was no other way to get your head around what was going on,” he said. “I mean, it was fun. We had an absolute blast, but there were certain parts of it where it just got a little bit toxic.”

Then, in a Diary of a CEO podcast appearance in 2021, Payne talked about struggling with depression and substance use disorder during the chaotic 1D years. “I was worried how far my rock bottom was going to be. Where’s rock bottom for me?” the singer told host Stephen Bartlett. “And you would never have seen it. I’m very good at hiding it. No one would ever have seen it.”

He described how the pressure and intense fan attention during the height of the group’s fame transformed him into an “angry person” who turned to prescription pills and alcohol to numb his anxiety and fear. When host Bartlett asked if that period included “suicidal ideation,” Payne said it did, explaining, “There is some stuff that I have definitely never, never spoken about. It was really, really, really severe. It was a problem. And it was only until I saw myself after that I was like, ‘Right, I need to fix myself.’”

Payne said the substance use continued for “many years” and then returned during England’s COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, when he took a break from recording solo songs for a few months due to exhaustion, only to find himself drinking more and more, and earlier and earlier in the day. “What I’ve found more than anything with the alcohol is boundaries. If you’re on Zoom you can probably get away with being a bit tipsy, when you’re not supposed to be,” he said at the time.

After catching a glimpse of one of his performances on TV looking bloated and unwell, he said he began working out, attending meetings and going to therapy.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health or substance abuse disorders, reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration‘s national helpline 24/7 at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for confidential treatment referrals and information. For those who are experiencing suicidal thoughts and/or distress, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 by texting 988.

17 Oct 2024

Wellness-Focused Conference Returns to Los Angeles With Keynote Speakers Michelle Jubelirer, Kei Henderson & More

The music’s industry’s newest leadership and wellness conference, organized by jump.global, will return for its second year Nov. 17-20 in Los Angeles. Today (Oct. 17), the conference announced its final keynote speaker, Kei Henderson.

Henderson will deliver a featured interview on Nov. 19, sharing stories about music management, founding a label and also the importance of taking time off – in 2019, Henderson took a partial hiatus from the music industry to prioritize her mental health. 

“Conferences like this are more than necessary for the music industry, and I feel incredibly honored for the opportunity to share my journey with like minds,” Henderson said in a statement to jump.global. “We need more spaces that are not just about the highlight reel, but the real.”

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Henderson joins a previously announced lineup of speakers including Michelle Jubelirer, former chair and CEO of Capitol Music Group, and Jacqueline Saturn, president of Virgin Music Group North America and evp of global artist relations. Jubelirer will speak with Bandier Program director, Bill Werde, while Saturn will speak with her sister Samantha, appearing together on stage for the first time. 

Launched last year, the jump.global Annual Summit operates as an end-of-year personal and professional development conference and retreat for the music industry. The conference brings together coaches and professionals to lead workshops, keynotes and panels on topics such as financial wellness, mental health, effective leadership and more.

Most notably, the summit does not list any speakers or attendees with their titles or company names on-site, aligning with its guidelines and tagline that “your first and last name matter more than your job title.”

“The summit is [provides] the rare opportunity to focus on executive development, instead of artist development,” says jump.global Founder Nick Maiale. “We’re so excited to return for a second year and provide a safe space for everyone — whether you’re part of a music team, longtime friends from your internship days, a consultant growing your business, an HR professional, or someone seeking inspiration.”

Badges can be purchased here.

17 Oct 2024

Black Conservative Evokes Malcolm X Quote, Says “Field Negroes” Should Vote For Trump

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CNN Sara Sidner Shelly Wynter

Malcolm X might be the last historical figure to come to mind as it relates to the politics of Republican Party presidential hopeful, Donald Trump. However, a Black conservative evoked one of Malcolm X’s most famous quotes regarding “House Negroes” and “Field Negroes,” saying that those in the field are “going for Trump.”

Shelly Wynter, who refers to himself as a Traditionalist conservative, was a guest on CNN this week with anchor Sara Sidner and were having a discussion about the upcoming election race between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Wynter referenced Malcolm X’s famous 1963 speech in which the civil rights leader presented a comparison of two types of so-called Negroes, a widely used term at the time to describe Black people in America. In the speech, X lays out that the house Negro was partial to the slave owner and wanted his favor, while the field Negro held the slave owner in contempt.

Wynter, perhaps misunderstanding or misrepresenting X’s quotes, shocked the CNN panel by saying that the “field African American” to use his words would pull the lever for Trump.

“Let’s be honest here, and let’s really be clear what’s being said,” Wynter began in the now viral c. “If you’re an African American man, look, let me boil this election down in the African American community to a very simple [way]. I’ll reference the great Malcolm X. This race is between house African Americans and field African Americans, and a field African Americans going for Trump.”

Wynter added, “I’m talking about your men who build, your men who put things together, your men who work with their hands, your men who do things, not the men who push paper or the men are connected to power and want to continue to be connected to power, I’m talking about the men in our community who are doing the work.”

Sidner was taken aback by Wynter’s analysis and attempted to offer some pushback but was met with overtalking with Wynter deftly evading her question asking if he was putting down Black men with white-collar professions. Michael Blake, the former DNC Vice Chair and an aide to President Barack Obama, didn’t allow Wynter to own the moment and challenged his assertions.

“Is Shelley the house one or the field one?” Blake said. “I’m just trying to understand that part, I’m just trying to understand the one that’s spitting talking points right now. Are you the house Negro and the field Negro that you’re referring to? I’m just trying to make sure. Your question was about denigrating Black people, that literally was your question. You have a Republican fool who was talking right now. You literally just said Black men, this is an election about house or field. This is the nonsense that we are listening to right now by those that are supporting Donald Trump.”

The clip is still making its rounds across social media with many sharing their thoughts on why Shelly Wynter used Malcolm X’s speech to hammer his point him. We’ve got the clip in question and responses from the X platform below.

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Photo: Screengrab/CNN/X/Getty

17 Oct 2024

Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ ‘Maps’ Spends Second Week Atop TikTok Billboard Top 50

Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “Maps” earns a second week at No. 1 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart, while five songs – four of them debuts – break into the top 10 of the Oct. 19-dated ranking.

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The TikTok Billboard Top 50 is a weekly ranking of the most popular songs on TikTok in the United States based on creations, video views and user engagement. The latest chart reflects activity from Oct. 7-13. Activity on TikTok is not included in Billboard charts except for the TikTok Billboard Top 50.

“Maps,” from Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ 2003 album Fever to Tell, peaked at No. 87 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2004. Its TikTok resurgence has pushed the song to new heights on chart-reporting music streaming services; the song racked up 1.9 million official U.S. streams in the week ending Oct. 10, up 23%, according to Luminate.

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The tune remains driven by a pair of trends on TikTok. One is a dance, while the other features creators using a filter to remove their facial features, only to have said features float back onto their face, sometimes in the wrong spot. A sped-up version of “Maps” has contributed to the song’s success on TikTok as well.

Alphaville’s “Forever Young,” which reigned on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 dated Oct. 5, rebounds 3-2 on the latest list, followed by a debut in John Mackk’s “Pose for Me,” featuring Natalie Nunn, which bows at No. 3.

“Pose for Me” was originally released in March, but a remix dropped on Sept. 6 that has driven the lion’s share of the activity since. With its eponymous command, the song has spurred a variety of pose-related dance moves on TikTok, generally centered on Nunn’s verse that continues, “Baddies, pose for me/ A– fat, slim thick, no tummy.”

“Pose for Me” marks the first appearance on a Billboard chart for both Mackk and Nunn. The song earned 736,000 streams in the week ending Oct. 10.

Gracie Abrams’ “I Love You, I’m Sorry” isn’t new to the TikTok Billboard Top 50, rising as high as No. 34 in September. But the Oct. 19 ranking finds it reaching new heights, re-entering the chart at No. 4. That’s concurrent with a return to Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart; it re-entered at No. 49 on the Oct. 12 list and vaults to a new peak of No. 23 on the latest ranking, thanks to 11.5 million streams, up 41%.

Its resurgence is partially tied to a new version of the song; Abrams played a live take of the song for Vevo Extended Play, uploading it to her YouTube on Oct. 2. Recent TikTok uploads again zero in on Abrams’ “lay on the horn to prove that it haunts me” lyric, with the majority relating in some way to relationships past and present.

KSI’s “Thick of It,” which features Trippie Redd, debuts at No. 6 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50, concurrent with the song’s debut at No. 84 on the Hot 100. Some say all publicity is good publicity, and in the case of “Thick of It,” many of the top-performing TikTok uploads reference the negative reviews the song has received.

Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” bows at No. 7, albeit a remix of the song that was featured in the trailer for the film Wrath of Man. Its usage on TikTok in the latest tracking week revolves around uploads showcasing the devastation of Hurricane Milton in the U.S. (and previously that of Hurricane Helene).

It’s Cash’s second top 10 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 in 2024; “The Chicken in Black” peaked at No. 6 in May.

The final top 10 debut of the week belong’s to Akon, whose “Akon’s Beautiful Day” starts at No. 8. It’s a new song from the veteran singer-songwriter, released on Oct. 4 after being teased on TikTok in the weeks leading up. Many of the top uploads are from Akon himself, along with other usages.

@akon

Wow, thank you for all the amazing videos you’re creating to ‘Akon’s Beautiful Day’! Can’t wait to share the official release with the world on October 4th. Let’s keep the gratitude flowing!

♬ Akon’s Beautiful Day – Akon

See the full TikTok Billboard Top 50 here. You can also tune in each Friday to SiriusXM’s TikTok Radio (channel 4) to hear the premiere of the chart’s top 10 countdown at 3 p.m. ET, with reruns heard throughout the week.

17 Oct 2024

Morgan Wallen to Launch Sand in My Boots Festival in Alabama in 2025

Morgan Wallen is set to bring his own music festival to the beaches of Gulf Shores, Ala., next year, when the 15-time Billboard Music Awards winner launches his three-day Sand in My Boots Festival running May 16-18, 2025. Wallen has teamed with AEG Presents (producers of Stagecoach, California’s Country Music Festival and Hangout Music Festival) and the Hangout Festival to hold his event at the same site that hosts the annual Hangout Festival.

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The full talent lineup and ticketing details for Wallen’s Sand in My Boots Festival will be revealed in coming weeks, but the lineup will be multi-genre and will feature some of the country star’s closest friends, favorite artists and musicians he has always wanted to perform with. The festival shares its name with Wallen’s 2022 No. 1 Billboard Country Airplay hit.

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Wallen said in a video posted on social media, “Morgan Wallen here to share some exciting news me and my team have been working on for a while for y’all. We’re heading south to the beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama and I’m bringing some good friends with me. Mark your calendars for May 16 – 18, 2025 for the Sand In My Boots Fest. Stay tuned and we’ll get you some more info soon!”

Stacy Vee, executive vp of Goldenvoice and Producer of Stagecoach, said in a statement, “Creating a Festival with Morgan has been a dream come true … and some of the most fun I have ever had booking a show! I can’t wait for fans to come and experience one of the most eclectic and electric lineups and on-site experiences the world has ever seen.”

AEG Presents and Hangout Festival Producer Reeves Price added, “The opportunity to bring Morgan’s world to life on the beach in Gulf Shores is something very special. The fact that it coincides with the 15th anniversary of the Hangout Festival only makes it more special. We can’t wait to see everyone back on the beach in May.”

The upcoming Sand in My Boots festival isn’t the only festival Wallen has had a hand in spearheading recently. Earlier this year, he and Eric Church teamed up to launch and curate the Field & Stream Music Festival, which had been slated for Oct. 4-6 in Winnsboro, S.C., with a lineup to include Church, Lainey Wilson and ZZ Top. However, the inaugural festival had to be postponed due to the widespread damage of Hurricane Helene. The Field & Stream Music Festival is part of Wallen and Church’s acquisition of the outdoor lifestyle brand Field & Stream, announced earlier this year.

17 Oct 2024

Could Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ Becomes His Fifth Song to Win Best Rap Song & Performance Grammys?

Kendrick Lamar already has 17 Grammys to his name, and he could add several more if “Not Like Us” dominates next month’s Grammy nominations announcement (Nov. 8).

A strong contender for both record and song of the year, the Billboard Hot 100-topping diss track is also a frontrunner in the rap field categories of best rap song and best rap performance. Should “Not Like Us” take home the gold in both of those categories, it would become the fifth Lamar track to pull off the feat following “I” (2015), “Alright” (2016), “Humble” (2018), and “The Heart Part 5” (2023).

As can be the case across genres, there has been a fair amount of overlap between performance and songwriting categories in the rap field over the years. Since the best rap performance category was introduced in 2012 – several more specific categories were condensed in a major rehaul of the ceremony — eight songs have triumphed both there and in best rap song, which was introduced in 2004. In addition to Lamar’s victories, the other winners include Jay-Z & Kanye West‘s “N—as in Paris” (2013), Macklemore & Ryan Lewis‘ “Thrift Shop” (2014), Megan Thee Stallion & Beyoncé‘s “Savage” (2021) and Killer Mike, Future, André 3000 and Eryn Allen Kane‘s “Scientists & Engineers” (2024).

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Before the categories were restructured, two best rap song winners — Jay-Z, Rihanna and West’s “Run This Town” (2010) and Jay-Z & Alicia Keys‘ “Empire State of Mind” (2011) — also won best rap/sung performance (now called best melodic rap performance). In 2004, Eminem‘s “Lose Yourself” won best rap song — making him the inaugural winner in that category — and best male rap solo performance.

But what tracks could block “Not Like Us” from a rap field sweep? Let’s break down the leading contenders in both categories.

Best Rap Song

First, there’s the question of “Like That.” If Lamar’s Hot 100-topping collaboration with Future & Metro Boomin wins both best rap song and best rap performance, Lamar would still earn his fifth double-whammy. In the event that both “Not Like Us” and “Like That” earn nods in best rap song, Lamar would increase his tally to 10 career nods in this category — the fourth most of all time. A nod for “Like That” would earn Future his fourth nomination in this category and Metro Boomin his first.

Two non-Lamar Hot 100 chart-toppers could also earn nods here: Megan Thee Stallion’s “Hiss” and Ye & Ty Dolla $ign‘s “Carnival.” Megan remains the first and only female rapper to win this category, and a nod for “Hiss” would be her first nomination in this category for a solo song. Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) has the most wins in the history of this category (7); a nod for “Carnival” here would be his seventeenth — the most of all time — and Ty Dolla $ign’s first. “Carnival” could also earn career-first Grammy nods for Don Toliver and Playboi Carti, who are credited songwriters and featured artists on the track.

Carti is also in contention by way of Travis Scott‘s “FE!N,” which reached No. 5 on the Hot 100 in 2023. The duo performed the track at the 2024 Grammy telecast, where its parent album, the Billboard 200-topping Utopia lost best rap album to Killer Mike’s Michael. Between his globe-trotting Circus Maximus Tour and a historic re-release of his decade-old Days Before Rodeo mixtape, Travis has remained a consistent presence this year. Killer Mike, on the other hand, could bookend his 2024 victory in this category with “Humble Me.”

Two other massive 2024 Hot 100 hits — Jack Harlow‘s “Lovin On Me” (No. 1) and Tommy Richman‘s “Million Dollar Baby” (No. 2) — are also very strong contenders. Richman is looking for his first Grammy nod, while Harlow is looking to earn his second nod in this category following “Churchill Downs” (with Drake) in 2023.

There are also a number of other notable Hot 100 hits that are in contention, including: Sexyy Red‘s “Get It Sexy” (No. 20), Nicki Minaj‘s “FTCU” (No. 15), GloRilla‘s “Yeah Glo” (No. 28), Flo Milli‘s “Never Lose Me” (No. 15), Doja Cat‘s “Demons” (No. 46), Lil Baby & Central Cee‘s “Band4Band” (No. 18), Cardi B‘s “Enough” (No. 9) and 21 Savage‘s “Redrum” (No. 5). Both Lil Baby and Cardi B are seeking their second nominations in this category, while Minaj and Doja are each aiming for their third. 21 Savage, who won this category alongside J. Cole for “A Lot” in 2020, is looking to earn his fourth nomination in this category. Out of these contenders, Hot Girl Summer tourmates Megan Thee Stallion and GloRilla are likely the strongest contenders, but both have a more favorable history in best rap performance.

As always, there are also a few dark horses for which to keep an eye out. Rapsody, a previous nominee in this category for “Sassy” back in 2018, could pull off a nomination for “Asteroids,” while ScHoolboy Q could earn his first nod in this category with “Thank God 4 Me.” Eminem is the inaugural winner of this category, and he’s since added four additional nominations. “Tobey” (with Big Sean and BabyTron) could earn Slim Shady his first best rap song nod since 2019, when his Joyner Lucas-assisted “Lucky You” earned a nomination. Lucas is also in contention with his Jelly Roll duet, “Best for Me,” which earned a nod for best video for good at the MTV Video Music Awards last month. Finally, Common could earn his second nomination in this category with “When the Sun Shines Again” (with Pete Rock and Posdnuos).

Our Fearless Forecast

So, which five songs have the best chance to be nominated in this Grammy category? The rap field is always unpredictable, but here goes nothing: “Not Like Us” (Kendrick Lamar), “Lovin On Me” (Jack Harlow), “Like That” (Future, Metro Boomin & Lamar), “Asteroids” (Rapsody) and “Carnival” (Ye, Ty Dolla $ign, Don Toliver & Playboi Carti)

Best Rap Performance

Given the history of overlap between best rap song and best rap performance, most of the aforementioned songs are also contenders in this category. Some other Hot 100 hits to keep an eye on include Bryson Tiller‘s “Whatever She Wants” (No. 19), Eminem’s “Houdini” (No. 2) and Megan Thee Stallion and Yuki Chiba‘s “Mamushi” (No. 36). A nod in this category would be the first for Tiller and Chiba. Also in contention here with “Hiss,” Megan is looking to add to her two previous nominations in this category. Eminem has earned 12 career nods across rap performance categories; he has won best rap solo performance three times in addition to one triumph in best male rap solo performance and two wins in best rap performance by a duo or group.

Other strong contenders include Doechii‘s “Nissan Altima,” Latto‘s “S/O to Me,” LL Cool J & Eminem’s “Murdergram Deux,” Big Sean‘s “Yes” and ScHoolboy Q’s “Blueslides.”

Our Fearless Forecast

So, which five songs have the best chance to be nominated in this category? I predict: “Not Like Us” (Kendrick Lamar), “HISS” (Megan Thee Stallion), “Like That” (Future, Metro Boomin & Lamar), “Murdergram Deux” (LL Cool J & Eminem) and “Yeah Glo” (GloRilla)

17 Oct 2024

MAGA Rapper Forgiato Blow Claimed “Most Black Men Hate Kamala”

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Sometimes the only people who are as obnoxious as Donald Trump are his supporters. Specifically, Forgiato Blow, the face-tatted MAGA rapper who turns stale Republican talking points into the wackest of wack “bars,” proving one can fit all of his political knowledge into a thimble with room to spare.

During a Tuesday Trump rally in Atlanta — where the ex-president declared that Black and Latino voters who are planning to vote for Kamala Harris “gotta have your head examined” — Blow told reporters that women who won’t vote for Trump are “Trump bigots” after offering his Caucasian opinion that “most African American men hate Kamala,” Raw Story reported.

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“I know one thing, I know most African American men hate Kamala,” the white supremcee said. “You know, there’s a lot of women out here that just think Trump’s this and that. They’re just Trump haters, Trump bigots.”

First, let’s address Blow’s bloviating nonsense about how “most African American men hate Kamala.” White MAGA supporters have gotten themselves all in a Miss Millie frenzy over a single New York Times poll that suggests around 20% of Black male voters will vote for Trump. Even if one were to believe that singular poll and ignore the various polls that suggest otherwise, it would still leave around 80% of Black men who will cast their ballots for Harris. We certainly don’t need white men like Blow to whitesplain who we do and don’t hate, especially when his math doesn’t come anywhere near mathing.

As for the female Harris supporters Blow laughably calls “Trump bigots,” maybe the Republican nominee would be doing better with women if he weren’t an accused rapist who pays hush money to prostitutes and has bragged about grabbing random women by the genitals — all while boasting about giving the states control over women’s reproductive rights. That doesn’t make them “bigots,” it makes them voters who don’t vote against their own interests. Hell, Blow once wrote and performed a whole rap song to “show love” to Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who, lest we forget, was under DOJ investigation over allegations of sex trafficking and having sex with minors. Maybe he’s not the one to speak on women and their reluctance to vote for accused predators. 

It’s bad enough that Blow is appropriating Black culture while whitesplaining to Black people that we should hate Harris and love his white nationalist MAGA messiah, now he’s mansplaining to women that they’re bigots if they don’t vote for his favorite demonstrable bigot. Make it make sense.

https://x.com/cturnbull1968/status/1836193169479729178