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And we’re back! After a very Cowboy Carter Christmas courtesy of Beyoncé — and a New Year’s Day that quickly gave into allegedly LeBron James-subbing Drake freestyle by way of Conductor Williams — it’s time to start 2025 off on the right foot when it comes to running down the latest in new hip-hop and R&B music.
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Lil Baby (WHAM) and Bad Bunny (Debí Tirar Más Fotos) kicked off the new year with two major full-length releases that are sure to battle for the top of the Billboard 200, while Ice Spice (Y2K: I’m Just A Girl) and SZA (SOS Deluxe: LANA) offered expanded editions of their own hit records. The holiday period also saw the arrival of Young Thug‘s first two Slime Season mixtapes on streaming, as well as a star-studded “Denial Is A River” music video from Doechii.
Things will pick up in February between the Grammys and the Super Bowl, both of which will surely be major moments for Kendrick Lamar ahead of his forthcoming North American Grand National stadium tour.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from GloRilla’s reboot of a years-old OMB Peezy banger to G3’s instantly viral new track. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
G3 (LiAngelo Ball), “Tweaker”
If “Tweaker,” is anything to go by, 2025 is shaping up to be another Y2K-obsessed year. After a snippet of the early ’00s hip-hop-informed track went viral, G3 (aka LiAngelo Ball, the second of the three Ball Brothers) uploaded the full joint on WorldStarHipHop’s YouTube channel — a move that’s poignantly reminiscent of the pre-streaming days, just like the song itself. “I might swerve, bend that corner, woah-woah/ B—h, hold on tight ’cause I tweak and this b—h, start lettin’ s—t go/ And I heard that she wanna show-ow/ Me who she be, I’m kinda f—kin’ with it, show me some mo’,” he spits over production that recalls ’00s NOLA rap and begs for a remix by an artist of that era. It may be too early to tell if “Tweaker” is the start of a fruitful rap career for Ball, but he undoubtedly has scored the first viral hip-hop hit of 2025. — KYLE DENIS
SahBabii, “Show Off”
It’s beautiful to see SahBabii getting his flowers. NFL star Jahmyr Gibbs even hit Sah’s “Viking” dance in the endzone after scoring a touchdown. King Squad delivered his Saaheem (A Lu Bit More) deluxe, and he shocked the music community when teaming up with an uncredited Clairo for the unlikeliest of collaborations on “Show Off.” The alt-pop singer-songwriter’s soothing background vocals blend with SahBabii’s croon, as the ethereal single feels like a branch off Young Thug’s pioneering Beautiful Thugger Girls tree. — MICHAEL SAPONARA
OMB Peezy & GloRilla, “Lay Down” (Remix)
Late last year, OMB Peezy’s seven-year-old breakout song, “Lay Down” experienced a streaming resurgence thanks to a viral TikTok dance trend. That momentum turned into a genuine revival of the song, culminating in a new Glorilla-assisted remix, which arrived on Dec. 27, 2024. “All of that cheatin’, lyin’, connivin’ s—t, had to drop that b—h/ He must’ve thought I was gon’ stay ’round,” Big Glo spits in the intro to her brief, but effective, verse. Her Memphis accent sounds right at home next to Peezy’s Mobile, Ala. drawl over Drum Dummie’s synth-laden beat. — K.D.
Mozzy & Kalan.FrFr, “Where I Come From”
Sacramento meets Los Angeles here, as Mozzy’s grimy street tales mesh with Kalan.FrFr’s melodic croon for the 10 tracks making up Lucky Her. The sentimental “Where I Come From” finds the duo putting their West Coast ties on the table and thanking the harsh times in the Golden State for molding them into the successes they are today – in a way that doesn’t border on being corny, either. “I left the hood in my 30s/ Feel like I’ve seen enough,” Mozzy admits about turning a new leaf in life. He could’ve spun the block for a second poignant verse too. — M.S.
Little Simz, “Hello, Hi”
After landing on Billboard’s Best Rap Albums of 2024 with her genre-expansive Drop 7 mixtape (No. 12), Little Simz kissed 2024 goodbye with a new straightforward rap tune called “Hello, Hi.” “I ain’t gotta be what they on or be in the latest drop/ I just want my ends, and I want Miu Miu with the same damn bop/ Tell me, why they all dress the same? Carbon copy thesis/ I cut you with a Japanese silhouette, I know you ain’t never seen these pieces,” she rhymes over SHYY and Rigas’ guitar-inflected, London hip-hop production. Drill snares ricochet in the background as Simz draws parallels between her ascendance in music and high fashion, setting the stage for even more career milestones in 2025. — K.D.
Joey Bada$$, “The Ruler’s Back”
Joey Bada$$’s poetry in motion mixed with Conductor’s grainy yet gleaming production is like a match made in heaven. Hopefully, there’s an EP in the stash of the bodega basement. Joey set the tone with “The Ruler’s Back” putting the rap game on notice as the West Coast’s ears collectively perked up. “Too much West Coast d–k-licking, I’m hearin’ n—as throwin’ rocks, really ain’t s–t sticking,” he raps in an homage to fellow Brooklyn legend Jay-Z’s 1996 track “22 Two’s.” Last year brought the competitive spirit back to hip-hop, and that has spilled into 2025. — M.S.
Hurricane Wisdom & Polo G, “Giannis Remix”
Nothing was promised for Hurricane Wisdom hailing from North Florida. The Havana native broke down the regional barriers of Tallahassee with the twitchy “Giannis” in August, which picked up momentum like the Milwaukee Bucks superstar on a fast break to close out 2024. Hurricane narrates his gritty come-up but also delivers witty one-liners making light of his situation. He compares guns to the size of Giannis Antentokounmpo and jokes about not being good at math, but keeping problem-solvers around – if you catch his drift. Wisdom caught the ear of Polo G, who connects Chicago to Florida with a glossy assist to power the “Giannis Remix,” and ensure Hurricane gusts into the new year. — M.S.
King George & Snoop Dogg, “Unbelievable”
It’s not the star-studded menacing cast from Death Row’s 90s golden era, but Snoop Dogg has assembled a strong roster of versatile artists for the revamped label, with the West Coast icon at the helm. The Death Row Revue compilation project arrived last week and Snoop makes an appearance on the groovy “Unbelievable” alongside South Carolina’s King Geroge, which finds the Doggfather harping on the importance of loyalty. “Loyalty is rare/ So when you find that special someone, makes sure you stay locked and loaded/ Because it’s unbelievable what could happen,” he says. — M.S.
After years of keeping their relationship under the radar, Spider-Man costars Zendaya and Tom Holland are engaged. People magazine confirmed that the 28-year-old actors are preparing to tie the knot after Holland reportedly proposed at one of Zendaya’s family homes over the holidays; TMZ was first to report the news about the holiday proposal. Z […]
Naomi Osaka and Cordae have broken up after more than five years together, the tennis champ announced Monday (Jan. 6). In a straightforward letter posted to her Instagram Story, Osaka revealed that she and the rapper — with whom she shares 18-month-old daughter Shai — have called it quits, but emphasized that there’s “no bad […]
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Love is dead, long live love. Rapper Cordae and pro tennis player Naomi Osaka have reportedly broken up.
Naomi Osaka shares she is no longer in a relationship with Cordae:
“No bad blood at all, he’s a great person and an awesome dad. Honestly really glad our paths because my daughter is my biggest blessing and I was able to grow a lot from our experiences together ❤️” pic.twitter.com/dpJYyL1BXH
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) January 6, 2025
Osaka took to the 2025 platform of choice for official announcements, Instagram, to let the world know that she is living single.
“Hi everyone, just want to say that Cordae and I are no longer in a relationship.” said Osaka on her IG Story. “No bad blood at all, he’s a great person and an awesome dad, Honestly really glad our paths crossed because my daughter is my biggest blessing and I was able to grow a lot from our experiences together.”
The now ex-couple started dating way back in 2019, and welcomed a baby, a girl named Shai, in 2023.
Recently, Osaka was forced to retire from Auckland Classic due to an injury. which put her participation in the forthcoming Australian Open in jeopardy. As for Cordae, he dropped his thired proper album, The Crossroads, last November.
This story is developing.
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January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol was attacked by a mob of largely white domestic terrorists operating under the orders of Donald Trump as part of his “Stop The Steal” movement. On the fourth anniversary of the heinous attack on democracy, many on X are remembering the January 6 insurrection just as Trump is gearing up for a second term in the White House.
The events of January 6 were an example of how unchecked power in the White House could be dangerous, and how the lack of checks and balances might essentially doom our democracy. Under Trump’s guidance and fueled by misinformation and conspiracy theories from the darkest corners of the Web, the mob of Trump supporters swarmed the Capitol under the veil of misguided justice in the name of their leader.
The group, sparked by politically motivated bloodlust, was sent to attack Vice President Mike Pence for failing to block the confirmation and there were clear intentions to harm any elected official who was a perceived enemy of Trump. This mob felt ordained to carry out Trump’s justice as wayward vigilantes fighting under a false flag.
Given the level of meddling Trump engaged in on the state level regarding losing votes over what he thought would be shoo-ins for his reelection, the weaponizing of his base to enact a coup of sorts should have had its day in court before winning the election last fall. Even members of Trump’s party sought a path where the president-elect would face the facts of his actions.
However, procedural delays, political hand-wringing, and an unprecedented move by the United States Supreme Court empowered Trump and will most likely allow him and the January 6 insurrectionists to sidestep justice unscathed. The embers of hope that Trump would have his day in court were effectively snuffed out after Department of Justice Special Counsel Jack Smith filed to have felony charges against Trump dropped.
The election interference matter Trump has been accused of was marred by the typical tug-of-war of politics, with Trump supporters stating that the DOJ was on a “witch hunt” and a true denial of any sort of accountability from Trump. It is sobering that Donald Trump yet avoided penalties for his actions yet again, and the populace at large is bracing for another four years under Trump’s reign.
On X, formerly Twitter, many are remembering the January 6 insurrection attack, and the reactions are centered on the truth of what happened, not centering on any political side.
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Photo: Getty
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Source: Tom Williams / Getty / Elon Musk
Elon Musk announced that his platform X will undergo more changes because he feels “too much negativity” is being pushed on it. Hilariously, he continues to be one of the culprits.
Phony Stark, aka Elon Musk, posted on his fledgling platform that an “algorithm tweak” was coming in response to “too much negativity” on X timelines.
Musk, who reluctantly purchased Twitter in October 2022, said in a post on his X account that he wanted to “maximize unregretted user-seconds. “Keep in mind Mr. Positivity also reinstated accounts of conservative accounts notorious for pushing negativity, like his new buddy President-Elect Donald Trump, who was banned on multiple social network platforms for inciting the January 6 riots at the capitol.
“Algorithm tweak coming soon to promote more informational/entertaining content. We will publish the changes to @XEng Our goal is to maximize unregretted user-seconds. Too much negativity is being pushed that technically grows user time, but not unregretted user time,” Musk wrote.
What made Musk’s announcement hilarious is that not too soon after it, he became one of the people he was trying to squash on X.
In response to a post from Joni Askola, a Finnish PHD candidate, that said, “Elon Musk is rapidly becoming the largest spreader of disinformation in human history, hijacking political debates in the process. The EU must take action!,” In reply to the post Musk wrote “F u retard.”
F u retard
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 6, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
So much for positivity.
Social Media Roasts Elon Musk
Social media has also criticized Musk for not being able to practice what he preaches on his own platform.
“I understand Elon Musk wants positive posts here now. So I’m positive that Elon Musk is a f***ing idiot,” one user on X wrote.
Another post read, “This would mean something if X wasn’t the home of some of the most racist, homophobic, ignorant trolls and Russian bots on the planet.”
Welp.
The gallery below contains more reactions to Elon Musk’s announcement and his failure to practice what he preaches.
1. This X user is on to something
2. Maybe this post will be pushed due to its positivity
5. Possible jig spotted
6. Well damn
Ariana Grande is continuing to embrace her natural beauty despite jokingly shouting out Botox and Juvederm during her Rising Star acceptance speech Friday (Jan. 3) at the Palm Springs International Film Awards.
In a red-carpet interview with Entertainment Tonight, the singer-actress clarified that she was only kidding when, at one point in her speech, she quipped, “I never thought at the age of 31 I would be hearing the words ‘rising star’ again, so I wanted to start by thanking my two friends: Botox and Juvederm.”
“Oh my gosh, my joke,” Grande remarked to the outlet, laughing. “My bit.”
“I’m still clean, I’m still clean,” she then clarified in regards to the beauty treatments. “But when I start going again, I’ll let you know. I mean it. I really want to be transparent as a beauty founder, as the founder of R.E.M. Beauty — I think it’s important to have transparency.”
“I love it, I support it,” the “Yes, And?” singer added of fillers. “But I am still four years clean.”
Grande’s comments echo what she previously revealed to fans in a 2023 beauty secrets video with Vogue, saying at the time that she’d had a “ton” of lip filler and Botox injections over the years before stopping cold turkey in 2018. “For a long time, beauty was about hiding for me, and now I feel like maybe it’s not,” she said in the emotional clip. “It was just like, ‘Oh, I just want to see my well-earned cry lines and smile lines’ … These are just thoughts that I feel like we should be able to discuss when we’re talking about beauty secrets. F— it, let’s lay it all out there.”
The two-time Grammy winner earned the Palm Springs ceremony’s Rising Star honors thanks to her performance in Wicked, in which she stars as Glinda opposite Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba. Grande was full of jokes at the award show, with the Victorious alum also comically faking like her trophy was too heavy for her to carry after accepting it from Jennifer Coolidge — something she also laughed about with ET.
“I was doing a bit on stage, but I’m scared people actually thought it weighed me down,” Grande said.
Two days after the Palm Springs International Film Awards, Wicked won cinematic and box office achievement at the 2025 Golden Globes.
Watch Grande clarify her joke about Botox below.
SZA is keeping fans on their toes to kick off 2025. While the Lana deluxe is expected to receive new songs and mixes in Monday’s update (Jan. 6), she also teased a separate fresh track on Instagram. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Solana posted the unreleased […]
Selena Gomez didn’t go home with any hardware at Sunday night’s (Jan. 5) Golden Globe Awards, but the Only Murders in the Building co-star had absolutely no complaints about her big night out with fiancée producer Benny Blanco.
In addition to being nominated for a best supporting actress award for her role in the musical Emilia Pérez — with her co-star, Zoe Saldaña, taking home the prize — Gomez was also overcome with emotion when she had an unexpectedly sweet encounter with a fellow A-lister before the show. During a pre-show red carpet stroll, Gomez was shocked when House of Gucci star Salma Hayek interrupted her live spot with carpet co-host and Variety senior culture and events editor Mark Malkin, to give Sel, 32, a hug.
According to video posted by Variety, Hayek not only embraced the singer/actress, but insisted that Gomez take the mic and chat with Malkin as well. “No, no, no… I refuse,” Hayek said, swatting away Malkin’s hand as he tried to get her to hop up and do a dual interview with Gomez.
Gomez clearly appreciated the kind gesture, bowing down and giving Hayek a kiss on her hand as she fought off tears that threatened to muss her perfect makeup.
“That just made me cry! She’s who I’ve looked up to,” Gomez told Malkin. “It’s actually the sweetest thing ever,” Gomez told Malkin. “I love her. I looked up to her. My dad’s crush was her. Everything.”
In a different interview with Malkin at this weekend’s Variety 10 Directors to Watch & Creative Impact Awards, Gomez admitted that she’s super anxious about the idea of performing songs from Emilia Pérez at the 2025 Oscars. When Malkin asked her if she would be up for performing songs from the musical alongside Saldaña, Selena said she’d rather defer to the Avatar star.
“I hope that all goes on Zoe,” she said, noting that she has not performed live for quite a while. Then Malkin reminded Gomez that Saldaña recently said she wants both of them on stage on March 2 to do a “big homage to Mexico with both (Emilia Pérez) songs,” asking “will you do it?”
“I don’t know if I could, Gomez responded. “I’m not as… I’m not there, it’s just different.” The announcement of the 2025 Oscar nominations are less than two weeks away and assuming Emilia Pérez continues its winning ways — it also took home best motion picture – musical or comedy, best original song (“El Mal“) and best non-English language motion picture at the Globes — it’s likely it’s musical numbers will get nods; the songs nominated for the best original song Oscar are typically performed during the ceremony.
Two-time Grammy winner Dennis Scott is the 15th recipient of The ASCAP Foundation’s Joe Raposo Children’s Music Award. Honoring the best in children’s music since 2010, the award is presented by the family of Joe Raposo, one of the co-creators of Sesame Street and the show’s longtime musical director. “I feel honored to be among […]