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04 Oct 2024

Star Bandz Taps Veeze for ‘Yea Yea (Remix)’ Video

Star Bandz is newest youngin’ on the scene.

The teenage rapper out of Chicago has been doing her thing for a couple years, but she caught a little wave earlier this year with her breakout song “Yea Yea” where she had clever lines like, “Had to show ’em how to run the game, he got caught tryna be a player/Black truck like I’m Obama, tell ’em vote SB for mayor” and “I hardly come outside, I’m like a villain in my lair/If I catch her broad day, I’m like Buffy, I’m a slay her.” So, it’s only natural that she would go bar for bar with arguably the most clever rapper doing it right now in Veeze.

In the video, directed by Sergio Esparza, the Detroit rapper goes in over CYRUSXO production. Bars like, “Can’t find you, I’ma hit your bro/I don’t got time for hide-and-seek” and “We beat opps like 3-0/Grab the broom it’s time to sweep/Star Bandz just like D-Rose/Youngest ever MVP” prove why he’s been climbing up the Rap Power Rankings since releasing his critically-acclaimed debut album Ganger in 2023.

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You can catch Star Bandz — who’s song “Bigger Better Badder” is No. 22 on the TikTok Top 50 — live when she opens for Veeze when he embarks on “The Worst Tour Ever,” which was reschedule because he’s working on his sophomore LP. “Tour rescheduled. I’m super, super sorry, guys. Don’t kill me, but I wanna have the album out before I tour again. I hope y’all understand,” he said on social media in late August.

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We’ll keep you updated when new dates are announced.

04 Oct 2024

No. 1 Songs That Have Been Accused of Plagiarism or Copyright Infringement | Billboard News

With the recent news of Miley Cyrus’ No. 1 hit “Flowers” being accused of copying Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man,” we’re looking at 5 times No. 1 songs were accused of plagiarism or copyright infringement.

Tetris Kelly
With the recent news that Miley Cyrus’s Hot 100 No.1 hit “Flowers” has been accused of allegedly copying Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man,” we’re taking a look back at five other Hot 100 No.1s that have been accused of plagiarism or copyright infringement. Olivia Rodrigo saw a ton of chart success in 2021 and earned her second No.1 on the Hot 100 that year with “good 4 u.”

But Olivia’s success didn’t come without controversy, as many thought, “good 4 u” sounded a lot like Paramore’s “Misery Business.”

Olivia retroactively gave writing credits to Paramore’s lead singer Hayley Williams and ex guitarist Josh Farro for “good 4 u.” The ‘Sour’ singer had already faced plagiarism accusations for her song “Deja Vu,” after mentioning how the “Deja Vu” bridge was inspired by Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” while writing the song.

Olivia Rodrigo

But I wanted, like, the last bridge to kind of like, go crazy, and I love “Cruel Summer” It’s one of my favorite songs ever.

Tetris Kelly
Another Hot 100 No. 1 hit with plagiarism claims is Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts.” The song hit No. 1 in September 2019 nearly two years after its release, becoming Lizzo’s first No.1 on the chart. As the song rose up the charts in 2019 Lizzo was accused of plagiarizing the opening lyrics of the song by two different parties.

Watch the full video above!

04 Oct 2024

3 Beyoncé-Inspired Drinks: Here’s How to Make Queen Bey’s Signature SirDavis Cocktails

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It’s happy hour at Billboard HQ! If you’re a Queen Bey fan, you know, Beyoncé has a lot to celebrate. The star celebrated her 43rd birthday early this month and released her SirDavis Whisky online on the same day (Sept. 4).

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Get ready for happy hour with Billboard’s Tetris Kelly and bartender friend Rachel Hale as they guide you through making three signature Beyoncé whiskey-inspired cocktails. Join them step-by-step to create a smooth and delicious drink.

In this Billboard’ SirDavis Cocktails Recipes video, you’ll learn how to make three Beyoncé-inspired cocktails, including the honey bee, the SirDavis old fashion, and the whiskey lemonade. “We are going to start with the cocktail that is named after the Queen Bee herself, the honey bee,” Hale said. The honey bee is started off with two ounces of the Sir Davis whiskey, three quarters of fresh lemon juice, and half an ounce of house made honey syrup. Then, add some ice, get a cocktail shaker to shake up your drink, use your strainer, and pour it on your favorite ribbed cocktail glass. Twist a slice of lemon peel and garnish the rim of your glass for an added burst of flavor.

The next Beyoncé-inspired cocktail featured in the video is the SirDavis Old Fashion Cocktail. In this drink, you’ll also add two ounces of the SirDavis Whisky and your honey syrup. Unlike the first drink, this one includes two dashes of Angostura Bitters. You can add some ice, mix it up with a stainless steel cocktail spoon, pour it into your favorite glass coffee mug, and you can garnish this one with an orange peel. You can also drop the orange peel into your drink. According to Hale, the bitters add some spice. “It’s a concentrated alcohol,” she said.

Finally, you’ll be making the whiskey lemonade cocktail. This one also includes two ounces of the SirDavis Whisky. “This will probably be the easiest one because we’re going right into our glass,” Hale said. There is also no shaker needed for this one. Add four ounces of freshly squeezed lemonade. Yes, if you’re a part of the beehive member, this one is completely on brand. You can play Beyonce’s Lemonade studio album while making this one. Then, add a little splash of your favorite honey syrup and stir it up.

What are you waiting for? Make one or more of these Beyoncé-inspired cocktails to your list and celebrate the end of a long work week.

For more product recommendations, check out these Beyoncé-approved cowboy boots, Beyoncé’s Exclusive Renaissance Tour Merch, and four additional SirDavis whisky cocktails to make in honor of Queen Bey. 

04 Oct 2024

Tupac Shakur’s Family Hires Team to Investigate Potential Link to Diddy

The family of the late Tupac Shakur has hired New York attorney Alex Spiro to investigate an alleged link between the rapper’s death and Sean “Diddy” Combs, Billboard can confirm.

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Shakur was 25 years old when he was shot and killed while driving Las Vegas in September 1996. The legendary rapper ultimately succumbed to his injuries six days later on Sept. 13, 1996. Former gang leader Duane “Keefe D” Davis was arrested in September 2023 and charged with one count of murder with a deadly weapon in connection to the attack. Davis, whose trial begins in March 2025, has previously claimed that Combs offered him $1 million for a hit on Shakur.

Since then, the alleged connection between the two has appeared in pop culture, most recently in Eminem’s 2024 collaboration with JID, “Fuel,” in which he raps, “Notorious B.I.G.’s death was the domino effects of Tupac’s murder, like facial tissue, who’s clock should I clean next? Puff’s? ‘Til he’s in police handcuffs, guilty, will he step up?”

Back in 2008, Diddy denied any connection to Tupac’s attack. “The story is a lie,” the hip-hop mogul said in a statement, following a report from the Los Angeles Times reporting that Diddy’s associates were responsible for the incident. “It is beyond ridiculous and completely false. Neither (the late rapper Notorious B.I.G.) nor I had any knowledge of any attack before, during or after it happened. I am shocked that the Los Angeles Times would be so irresponsible as to publish such a baseless and completely untrue story.”

Once one of the most powerful and influential figures in music, Combs was indicted by federal prosecutors last month on multiple charges that allege he was the figurehead of a massive criminal operation for decades aimed at satisfying his need for “sexual gratification.” To date, 12 victims have filed civil sexual abuse cases against Combs over the past year.

04 Oct 2024

Chinese Music Streamers Again Lead Music Stocks in Mixed Week for Markets

Chinese music streaming companies had another big week after authorities unveiled an economic stimulus plan that will encourage the purchase of Chinese equities, with Cloud Music gaining 10.7% to 134.50 HKD ($17.32) and Tencent Music Entertainment rising 9.9% to $13.48. Last week, Cloud Music and Tencent Music gained 31.5% and 24.6%, respectively. 

The Billboard Global Music Index (BGMI) increased 0.4% to 1,964.44, a fourth-consecutive weekly gain and the third straight week the index set a new record high. With winners and losers evenly split amongst the index’s 20 stocks, the BMGI improved its year-to-date gain to 28.1%. 

Outside of China, where the Shanghai Composite Index rose 8.1% to 3,336.50, stocks were generally muted this week as investors were uncertain about how the widening war in the Middle East would affect the global economy. Oil prices increased 10% this week in part due to President Joe Biden’s comment that the U.S. was discussing possible strikes by Israel on Iranian oil production sites. Prices remained well below levels reached following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, however.

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In the U.S., the Nasdaq composite rose 0.1% and the S&P 500 gained 0.2%. In the U.K., the FTSE 100 fell 0.5% to 8,280.63. South Korea’s KOSPI composite index dropped 3.0% to 2,569.71. 

iHeartMedia was the BGMI’s biggest gainer of the week, rising 15.2% to $1.97; the radio company’s shares have fallen 3.9% year to date but have risen 142% since hitting a 52-week low of $0.813 on May 28. Elsewhere, the index’s most valuable companies had either modest gains or losses. Live Nation gained 2.0% to $110.87. Spotify rose 0.6% to $371.45. HYBE increased 0.3% to 173,500 KRW ($128.82). Universal Music Group fell 2.0% to 23.37 euros ($25.66). 

Sphere Entertainment Co. shares rose 4.4% to $45.26 as Wolfe Research upgraded the company on Wednesday (Oct. 2) to “outperform.” The company’s flagship venue, Sphere in Las Vegas, has added more shows to existing residencies. The Eagles will perform four additional shows in February, bringing its residency to 24 dates. In addition, Anyma added dates on Jan. 10 and 11 — the seventh and eighth shows at the venue for the Italian producer, who will break a string of legacy rock bands to become the first EDM artist to perform at Sphere.

Guggenheim reiterated its “buy” rating on Warner Music Group (WMG) and slightly lowered its estimate for ad-supported streaming revenue ahead of the company’s fiscal fourth-quarter earnings. BofA Securities downgraded WMG to “underperform” from “neutral” on Friday and lowered its price target to $30 from $33. WMG shares finished the week at $31.14, down 0.2%. 

LiveOne shares fell 35.8% after the company lowered its fiscal 2025 guidance following a revised partnership with Tesla in which the auto manufacturer will no longer subsidize some customers’ in-auto streaming platform powered by LiveOne’s Slacker Radio. The Los Angeles-based company’s stock has fallen 51.4% year to date. 

K-pop stocks, which have fallen sharply in 2024, were muted this week. HYBE, YG Entertainment, SM Entertainment and JYP Entertainment fell by an average of 0.1%, which nudged their average year-to-date loss down to 32.0%.

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04 Oct 2024

Ye Thanks Drake Before Performing ‘Yikes’ in China

Ye and Drake have had a love/hate relationship over the years.

The two had a friendly rivalry up until he produced Pusha T‘s “Infrared” song in 2018 where the Virginia rapper brought up Drake’s ghostwriting allegations. The Toronto rapper took shots at both of them on “Duppy Freestyle,” and mentioned that he had written for Kanye in the past. And then “The Story of Adidon” followed, and the rest is history. Drake felt betrayed by some of the information in Push’s scathing diss record, and his and Ye’s relationship really hasn’t been the same since.

However, in a recent trip to China, where he performed, Ye thanked his rival for penning the hook for his song “Yikes” off the Chicago rapper’s Ye album that was released in 2018. “I wanna thank Drake for writing this chorus for me,” he said as the song started to play.

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Footage of Drake recording a “Yikes” reference for Ye surfaced on his 100 Gigs purge.

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This isn’t the first Ye extended an olive branch to Drake. While performing in South Korea in August, he dedicated a performance of Graduation’s “I Wonder” to him. “This one for Drake,” he said as the song started playing.

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This is about four months after Ye tried to get in on the Drake Hate train with his own “Like That” diss where he rapped, “Where’s Lucian? Serve your master, n—a/You caught a little bag for your masters, didn’t ya? Lifetime deal, I feel bad for n—s/Y’all so outta sight, outta mind I can’t even think of a Drake line.”

We’ll be sure to update once we figure out what happened between then and now.

04 Oct 2024

RBD Members Settle Financial Dispute With Ex-Manager: ‘The Truth Is On Our Side’

RBD‘s five members — Maite Perroni, Christian Chávez and Christopher von Uckermann — announced on Friday (Oct. 4) that “the matter has concluded.”

Rosas and RBD parted ways in January after the Mexican band’s ultra-successful Soy Rebelde World Tour. In May, RBD revealed in a statement issued by its lawyers that there were “significant irregularities” revealed in a forensic accounting investigation led by Critin Cooperman — a services firm that acted as a business manager for the tour and had also conducted a financial audit.

In a statement shared on Friday (Oct. 4) — known to fans as World RBD Day — Perroni, Chávez and von Uckermann wrote: “As set forth in the final agreement, T6H, through its owner Guillermo Rosas, was claiming that Guillermo’s company was entitled to $10,072,811.00 in connection with Guillermo and his company’s management of RBD’s live performance tour in the U.S., Mexico, Brazil and Colombia. Following our filing of a complaint against Guillermo and his company in both Federal Court and with the California Labor Commissioner, in addition to a thorough audit we commissioned, T6H agreed as part of the final settlement agreement to accept the sum of $4,723,591.00, an amount which is $5,349,220.00 less than what Guillermo was claiming to be owed.”

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Notably, RBD’s other two members, Anahí and Dulce María, did not sign on to the letter. An RBD representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment on their absence.

In December, RBD wrapped its massive world tour, which as of Nov. 30 had grossed $197.1 million since launching in August. Rosas also worked with the band as a concert promoter from 2006 to 2008. Under a new business model designed for RBD’s comeback tour, the group’s first trek in 15 years, the five members and Rosas were deemed equal partners in a new joint venture, splitting all new revenue, including for music.

The statement continues: “This is why we made the decision to take action in this situation. We felt a responsibility to address the challenges that can arise in the industry, with our priority being the protection of artists rights. This is a reminder for young artists to have the courage to stand up for themselves and demand respect. We are very satisfied with the outcome of our action and will continue to advocate for justice and respect in the artistic world.”

Billboard reached out to Guillermo Rosas but had not heard back at press time.

Read Perroni, Chávez and von Uckermann’s statement below in Spanish, Portuguese and English:

04 Oct 2024

BLACKPINK’s LISA Premieres New Song ‘Moonlit Floor’ at Global Citizen | Billboard News

BLACKPINK’s LISA drops a new song “Moonlit Floor” and performs it for the first time at Global Citizen festival. The song interpolates 90’s classic Sixpence None the Richer’s “Kiss Me” but the K-Pop icon gives it her own LISA twist.

Tetris Kelly
It’s Lalisa with a new track and a sick interpolation, and she’s already taken it to the stage, and we’re breaking it down in music you should know. The BlackPink queen has done it again as her voice slides over brand new track “Moonlit Floor.” And if you thought it sounded familiar, you’re right. The song interpolates “Kiss Me” from Sixpence None the Richer. But of course, she adds her swag and brings it right to your area.She shook Blinks everywhere when she premiered the new track at Global Citizen. The track is officially available for streaming now you.

04 Oct 2024

Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter & More Had to Choose Which Hit to Enter in 2025 Grammy Record of the Year Category: What They Picked

One of the very best problems an artist can have is having to decide which of their many hits to enter in the Grammy competition for record of the year. (They can enter them all, but most artists and their camps are aware that it’s a far better strategy to select what you think is your strongest entry, rather than running the very real risk of splitting your votes.)

Sabrina Carpenter had three strong choices – “Espresso,” her breakthrough smash; “Please Please Please,” her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100; and “Taste,” her current smash. Her camp went with “Espresso.”

Billie Eilish had two top five hits on the Hot 100 during the eligibility year – the sexually provocative “Lunch” and the pretty ballad “Birds of a Feather.” Her camp went with “Birds of a Feather.” Eilish has a strong history in this category. She won record of the year two years running 2020-21 with “bad guy” and “Everything I Wanted.” She is one of only three acts in Grammy history (following Roberta Flack and U2) to win in that high-profile category two years in a row. This would be Eilish’s fifth nomination in this category.

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Taylor Swift had many hits during the year, but there was little question that her camp would select “Fortnight,” her collab with Post Malone that entered the Hot 100 at No. 1 in May, becoming her 12th No. 1 hit. And that is indeed her pick. It’s vying to become Swift’s sixth nomination in this category (a category she has yet to win).

It’s also not surprising that Ariana Grande’s camp went with “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” rather than her previous hit, “Yes, And?” Both singles entered the Hot 100 at No. 1, becoming her eighth and ninth No. 1 hits, but “We Can’t Be Friends” sustained on the chart longer. This is vying to become Grande’s second nomination in this category, following “7 Rings.”

Nor is it surprising that Beyoncé went with “Texas Hold ’Em” rather than “II Most Wanted,” her collab with Miley Cyrus, or “Jolene.” “Texas Hold Em” became her ninth No. hit on the Hot 100. It’s vying to become Bey’s ninth nomination in this category (a category she, like Swift, has yet to win).

Here are the records other artists who had multiple top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chose to represent them in the Grammy record of the year competition:

Future: “Like That,” his Hot 100-topping collab with Metro Boomin and Kendrick Lamar.

21 Savage: “Redrum.”

There were a few surprises in the record of the year submissions. Megan Thee Stallion is entered for “Mamushi” (featuring Yuki Chiba) rather than her No. 1 smash “Hiss.” J. Cole is entered with “H.Y.B.” (featuring Bas and Central Cee) rather than his top 10 hit “7 Minute Drill.”

Teddy Swims is entered with an alternate version of his No. 1 smash “Lose Control,” because the original version was released prior to this eligibility year. He is entered with “Lose Control (The Village Sessions).”

A few artists who had top 10 hits during the year aren’t entered in the category at all, including Zach Bryan (“Pink Skies”), Drake (“Family Matters”) and Cardi B (“Enough (Miami)”).

04 Oct 2024

David Henrie Thanks His ‘Sis’ Selena Gomez for Supporting His New Movie: ‘Always Grateful’

Selena Gomez and David Henrie may not actually be brother and sister, but the duo still supports one another like family.

The Rare Beauty founder recently attended a screening for the actor’s new film Monster Summer and posed with her former Wizards of Waverly Place costar in a photo, after which Henrie took to Instagram to thank Gomez for all the love Friday (Oct. 4). “Sis… I am always grateful for your support and your belief in me,” he wrote on his Instagram Story, which the “Lose You to Love Me” singer reposted. “So happy you loved the film.”

Henrie also shouted out Gomez in a lengthier post on his feed, revealing, “The first thing she said was ‘Why don’t they make movies like this anymore! I loved it!’”

“@monstersummermovie is in theaters TODAY nationwide just in time for Halloween viewing!” he continued, sharing a photo of Gomez posing with him at the screening with her arm lovingly draped on his shoulder. “It’s an ideal Halloween event for the whole family, or if you’re a nostalgic millennial like Sel and I, it’ll be perfect for you too haha.”

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The pair have been good friends for over 17 years, first coming together as onscreen siblings Alex and Justin Russo on Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place. The show ran from 2007 to 2012, more than a decade after which Gomez and Henrie would reunite to produce a reboot for Disney+ titled Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.

The Only Murders in the Building star will reprise her role as Alex in guest appearances on the series — which premieres Oct. 29 — while Henrie’s character will lead the show. In late September, Disney+ dropped a trailer that gave fans a peak at the reboot’s storyline, which will show Justin’s family life being turned upside down when Alex tasks him with training a young wizard named Billie.

“I truly feel like it was the place I started, and I will always be grateful for that time,” Gomez said of Wizards in a recent interview with People. “I just hope that this new chapter can bring a whole new audience joy the same way that we did when we were younger.”