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23 Sep 2024

Shaboozey Adds 11th Week at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100, Chappell Roan Reaches Top 5

Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” earns an 11th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, extending 2024’s longest command.

The hit, which became the Virginia-born singer-songwriter’s first Hot 100 No. 1 in July, is one of just five songs to reign for 11 or more weeks this decade, and the first since another country/pop crossover smash, Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night,” dominated for 16 weeks in March-August 2023.

“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” also furthers the longest No. 1 run on the multimetric Hot Country Songs chart this year, logging a 15th week in the top spot.

Plus, Chappell Roan notches her first top five Hot 100 hit as “Good Luck, Babe!,” which became her first top 10, leaps from No. 7 to No. 4.

The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data, the lattermost metric reflecting purchases of physical singles and digital tracks from full-service digital music retailers; digital singles sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites are excluded from chart calculations. All charts (dated Sept. 28, 2024) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, Sept. 24). For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

23 Sep 2024

This Iconic Brand Is Teasing a Beyoncé Collaboration for Its ‘New Chapter’

“Oh, you wish you were my Levi’s jeans,” Beyoncé sings on the chorus of the Post Malone-assisted “Levii’s Jeans.” Little did fans know, they may soon have the chance to zip up the same denim as Bey.

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Levi’s teased a collaboration with Beyoncé is on the horizon on Monday (Sept. 23). The famed denim clothing company posted an image on Instagram featuring what appears to be Bey riding a horse, à la Cowboy Carter, while rocking a cowboy hat.

Levi’s tagged Beyoncé in the photo on social media, and added a caption to the post hinting at the next era: “INTRODUCING: A New Chapter.” The account also teased fans regarding the collaboration. “Let the countdown begin,” the bio reads.

Trending on Billboard

“COWBOY CARTER WORLD TOUR SPONSORED BY LEVIIS,” one fan guessed on the Instagram post, while another is ready to hit the checkout button, writing, “sighs and pull out credit card.”

Others’ pockets are feeling stretched. Commented another, “I don’t have no more money, Beyoncé!”

Billboard has reached out to reps for Bey and Levi’s for additional information.

This would mark the first official collab between Bey and Levi’s. Following “Levii’s Jeans” arrival in March, the brand enjoyed a spike in sales and the company’s CFO, Harmit Singh, gave Bey her flowers for the uptick thanks to her The-Dream-produced ode to the jean maker. “There’s no better person than [Beyoncé], who we call the center of culture,” he said in April.

Cowboy Carter debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 earlier in 2024 with 407,000 total album-equivalent units. With the feat, Beyoncé became the first woman to debut her first eight albums at the chart’s apex.

The last week of September is proving to be a busy one for Beyoncé. She stunned in three different looks as part of a new promo video for her SirDavis American Whisky brand, which is cued to Betty Davis’ 1974 soul funk classic “They Say I’m Different.”

See Levi’s Beyoncé teaser post below.

23 Sep 2024

Diddy’s Public Relations Strategist Of 20 Years Has Resigned

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Grit Before The Gram Returns For The 65th Annual Grammy Awards

Source: Unique Nicole / Getty

One of Diddy’s most tenured employees has quit. The Bad Boy founder’s public relations strategist of 20 years has apparently resigned.

As reported by Digital Music News, the Nathalie Moar has worked with the disgraced media mogul for the last two decades. According to the outlet, she was instrumental in shaping his public image as the Executive Vice President of Communications at Combs Enterprises. Additionally, she contributed to some of Diddy’s biggest ventures including Sean John fragrance, the Bad Boy Reunion tour and his very lucrative spirits business. Digital Music News sent her a message to her Combs Enterprises email and received an automated message saying, “THIS EMAIL IS NO LONGER ACTIVE.”

A anonymous source tells Daily Mail that the executive has indeed resigned. “Nathalie is gone. She is 100% gone. She quit today and had no other choice” they said. “She had to quit what else was she going to do? This situation left her with no other option.” The source went on to detail that Moar was such an integral part of Diddy’s staff that she will most likely be questioned regarding his upcoming trial. “Diddy was her entire world. She will surely be deposed for this if she has not been already. She has most likely had her cell phone confiscated—who knows what is on there.”

Nathalie Moar has yet to formally comment on Diddy’s indictment.

23 Sep 2024

Steve Stoute Says Drake Turned Down Super Bowl Halftime Show Gig, Twice

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65th GRAMMY Awards - Show

Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty

When it was announced that Kendrick Lamar would be headlining the next Super Bowl Halftime show in New Orleans, much of the Hip-Hop community was up in arms over the snub of Lil Wayne as many felt that the rap icon deserved to provide the entertainment segment of the big game in his hometown.

Interestingly enough, many of those screaming bloody murder turned out to be Drake fans who were still salty that the 6 Gawd took the massive L in his classic rap battle with Kung Fu Kenny and felt that Jay-Z was hating on Young Money artists in general with his choice. As it turns out it seems like Drake was actually given the opportunity to perform at a couple of Super Bowls over the years but turned the offer down each time.

In a recent interview on The Pivot Podcast, Steve Stoute touched on the topic of the artists chosen to perform at the Super Bowl during Jay-Z’s tenure with the NFL and revealed that though Hova and Drizzy have a small rivalry going on, Jay did offer the King of the North the opportunity to headline the big game not once, but twice, but Drake didn’t have any interest in taking on the task.

“I will confirm Drake was offered the Super Bowl twice. Drake did turn down the Super Bowl twice. And I’m sure if Drake would have said yes, he would have brought Lil Wayne out at some point,” Stoute said. “He probably would have brought out Nicki. Which is probably why she’s upset ’cause she’s not onstage. But Drake turned it down twice… He turned it down twice, which is fine. He didn’t want to do it. But nobody’s going to say, ‘Damn, why’d you turn it down? You could’ve got Lil Wayne on.’  Nobody’s going to connect that dot.”

Well, so much for that.

Drake headlining the Super Bowl would’ve been huge especially before the entire Kendrick Lamar rap battle that left him licking his wounds North of the border. Still, we’re sure he had his reasons as to why he didn’t want to accept the gig, and that’s his business.

As for people trying to slander Jay-Z for the acts he’s chosen over the years such as Rihanna and Usher, Steve Stoute isn’t here for the criticism Jay has to put up with as he feels that the rap legend is doing what someone in his position is supposed to do when having that much say-so in a board room.

“As far as I’m concerned, these artists are getting their flowers, and are getting their chance to perform on this stage — these Black artists, Hip-Hop and R&B artists — if it wasn’t for [Jay-Z], this wouldn’t be happening. So how could you come down and criticize this man like that?”

In the age of social media, nothing is ever good enough for everyone anymore. Just sayin’.

Check out Steve Stoute talk about the Super Bowl situation below, and let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

23 Sep 2024

Nike CEO John Donahoe To Step Down Amid Nike’s Struggle 2024, Elliott Hill Returns

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Nike x Elliott Hill

Source: Nike / NIke

It’s no secret that the sneaker game has taken a nose dive in recent years, and while that can be attributed to many factors (over saturation, price hikes, resellers, etc.), Nike seems poised to have a helluva 2025 thanks to the pending return of many sought after classic silhouettes.

Still, the hype around many of Nike’s releases in the coming new year doesn’t seem to have been enough to save the job of its CEO, John Donahoe, who will be stepping down as the Swoosh brand continues to struggle on the marketplace and continues to see its stock tumble as Nike’s releases continue to brick worldwide.

According to the New York Times, Donahoe took over as Nike’s CEO after Elliott Hill retired from the position back in 2020 when the sneaker game was at the height of its popularity even as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted life all around the globe. Unfortunately, it seems like Donahoe has since been viewed as someone who lacked the kind of “innovator and marketer” that Nike wanted to take them to the next level.

Nike x Elliott Hill

Source: Nike / NIke

Now that Donahoe is out his predecessor, Elliott Hill, will be coming out of retirement to once again take the helm of the “struggling” conglomerate that is Nike and do what he can to steady the ship through the treacherous waters that is the market place in 2024 and beyond. Luckily, Hill does have a bit of experience and just might be the captain that Nike once again needs to steer them into the black.

Having started his tenure with Nike back in 1988, Elliott Hill spent the next 32 years helping establish the Swoosh brand as the go-to sports brand in both North America and Europe, including overseeing the commercial and marketing operations for Nike and Jordan Brand. So yeah, he knows a thing or two about what he’s getting into… again.

The New York Times reports:

Simeon Siegel, a retail analyst at BMO Capital Markets, said Nike’s “magic” was that it was the largest player in the sneaker category, with a huge marketing budget.

“Nike is known for its storytelling. When the primary focus becomes on going direct as opposed to telling these stories, some of that magic falls behind,” Siegel said.

Mark Parker, the executive chairman of Nike and who served as chief executive before Mr. Donahoe, said the board had conducted a “thoughtful succession process.”

In a statement, he called Mr. Hill the “right person to lead Nike’s next stage of growth.”

The announcement of Hill’s return alone helped Nike’s stock shares jump 10% in aftermarket trading after falling up to 24% throughout 2024. So yeah, good call Nike.

While we don’t know what the future holds for John Donahoe, Nike co-founder Phil Knight thanked the man for his service in a statement and ultimately agreed with the decision to bring back Elliott Hill.

“It became clear now was the time to make a leadership change, and Elliott is the right person,” he said in a statement. “I look forward to seeing Nike and Elliott’s future successes.”

Man, just give us the sneakers we want and fall back on the crazy color ways no one asked for. Just sayin’.

What do y’all think about Nike’s CEO being replaced? Let us know in the comments section below.

23 Sep 2024

The Cure Tease First Single in 16 Years, ‘Alone’

The wait is over, almost. After months of teasing their recorded return, The Cure confirmed on Monday morning (Sept. 23) that their first new single in 16 years will drop on Thursda (Sept. 26). The band offered an 18-second preview of the song “Alone,” on which singer Robert Smith sings, “This is the end of every song that we sing/ The fire burned out to ash, the stars grow dim with tears,” over the long-running mope rock group’s signature slow-march drums and gothic drone.

The track will premiere on Mary Anne Hobb’s BBC Radio 6 music show in the UK at noon (7 a.m. ET) on Thursday. The news finally kicked-off what fans anticipate will be the proper roll-out of the long-awaited follow-up to the Cure’s most recent album, 2008’s 4:13 Dream, which peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 album chart upon release.

Last week, Cure fans’ hopes were raised when some received cryptic postcards that appeared to confirm that the album will be called, as long rumored, Songs of a Lost World, and that it will drop on Nov. 1. In the lead-up to the new album’s release, the Cure released a special double A-side vinyl featuring live versions of two new songs, “And Nothing Is Forever” and “I Can Never Say Goodbye,” which were recorded during their 2022 Shows of a Lost World tour. It was unknown at press time if those two tracks will appear on the upcoming album.

Trending on Billboard

Listen to the preview of “Alone” below.

23 Sep 2024

Lady Gaga Shares More Cryptic Messages, But Won’t Reveal What They’re About: ‘It’s a Secret’

Lady Gaga is continuing to send fans spiraling with cryptic messages on Instagram — and no, she doesn’t care to elaborate. 

The superstar has been posting one new message every day since she first piqued people’s interest on Sept. 20 by sharing a note reading “I’m ready for my interview,” meaning there’s two more to obsess over. Starting with Sept. 21, Gaga uploaded a black tile with white lettering that says, “Don’t tell me what to wear.”  

One day after that, the 13-time Grammy winner shared a green tile bearing the message, “No duct tape, no mission.” This time, the post came with an audio snippet featuring a mellow chord progression on acoustic guitar. 

Gaga is both gearing up for the premiere of Folie à Deux — in which she stars as Harley Quinn opposite Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker — and the release of her seventh studio album, which she recently confirmed is arriving in February. That’s left fans confused as to whether her string of Instagram posts pertains to the film or new music, but the “Rain on Me” singer isn’t giving them answers just yet.  

Trending on Billboard

When asked about the matter during an on-camera interview with Entertainment Tonight posted Sunday (Sept. 22), Gaga froze up and smiled. “It’s a secret,” she said quietly. “That was a good question there — it stumped me.” 

Fans can at least be sure that a new single from her upcoming album will drop in October, something Gaga revealed with a recent subtle Instagram post outlining her schedule for the next few weeks. The schedule also contained her appointments at Folie à Deux press junkets, including the Joker sequel’s world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival Sept. 4, which the vocalist attended with fiancé Michael Polansky on her arm. 

At another recent Folie à Deux event, she hilariously passed out bags of popcorn ahead of an early screening in Los Angeles. “Enjoy the f–king show!” she cheers in a clip taken inside the theater, looking peak-Gaga in a whimsical dress and puffy platinum hair. 

Watch Gaga refuse to comment on her cryptic posts and pass out popcorn below. 

23 Sep 2024

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson Tapped To Direct Earth Wind & Fire Doc

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Tommy Hilfiger - Arrivals - September 2024 New York Fashion Week

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson is one of the foremost minds when it comes to music history and will lend his expertise to bring attention to one of the greatest bands to ever exist. The Roots drummer, among other honorifics, was announced to direct a new documentary centered on the career of the legendary Earth Wind & Fire band.

Cleverly mentioning the new gig on the 21st of September, a callback to Earth Wind & Fire’s track that mentions the month, Questlove shared the message on his Instagram post that we’ll share below.

From IG:

Coming in 2025…..the definitive story of the elements…..

The story of how a band led by a genius from Chicago changed our way of thinking, our minds and our hearts

Having been baptized in the afrocentric joy river of this powerhouse unit, I’ve learned about them, I’ve learned about us & more importantly I’ve learned about and rediscovered myself in the process

I’m so excited to be directing a documentary preserving their positive but VERY vulnerable and real story of Soul, Self & Struggle

This is the story of joy, persistence, love, pain, magic and self discovery

This is Earth, Wind & Fire

According to a report from Variety, Earth Wind & Fire’s Philip Bailey, Verdine White, and Ralph Johnson shared in a statement, “We look forward to this in-depth journey of our band, and are so excited to have Questlove directing the documentary.”

This isn’t Questlove’s first time directing as he made his debut with the Academy Award-winning Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) film which also won a BAFTA Award, and the Sundance Grand Jury Prize among other honors.

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Photo: Getty

23 Sep 2024

Nicki Minaj Thanks Eve for Being a ‘Trendsetter’ in Heartfelt Post: ‘Unapologetic Talent & Charisma’

Nicki Minaj is giving Eve her flowers. The Young Money rapper penned a heartfelt message to the Ruff Ryders’ first lady on Sunday (Sept. 22) for being a “trendsetter” and the “groundbreaking” level of “emotional and spiritual maturity” she displayed throughout her career.

Eve has been on a press tour in support of her Who’s That Girl? memoir, and she revealed that she joined therapy after finding out that Minaj was joining the Barbershop: The Next Cut cast in 2016, which seemingly prompted a response from the Barbz leader.

“Dear Eve, The various things you’ve shared recently, are groundbreaking (in my opinion) for so many reasons,” she began in her message posted to X. “First, thank you. The level of grace; the level of emotional & spiritual maturity it takes to be this vulnerable & transparent is a sign of TRUE peace, happiness, fulfillment, & mastery of self. Self reflection @ its height. I always say that I think accountability is the sexiest trait a person can have. I was one of the kids in NY watching Ruff Ryderz on TV.” ”

Trending on Billboard

Nicki reflected: “I DEFINITELY remember how when you took the game by storm, that there were some ppl who couldn’t hide their insecurities. Even tho it’s swept under the rug now, I remember that you handled it with grace but ALSO a big sprinkle of unapologetic TALENT & charisma. You soared & soared. Classic music w/the illest team, to the BIG SCREEN. And made it look easy, too. Trendsetter. The Eve blonde short cut, the Eve paw print tats on the chest…”

While they never released music together, the Queens artist recalled being on set with Eve for Barbershop and how they bonded amid women typically feeling the pressure to compete against one another. Eve later called Nicki a “good addition to the cast” during an interview with Larry King in 2016.

“I was so nervous coming onto that movie set every day,” Nicki added in her tweet. “You looked like a pro & I admired that so much. Thank you for trying to not do to me what was done to you. Women feel so much pressure to compete & it’s a shame b/c we usually have so much in common & could rlly benefit from one another just as human beings. We all share so many of the same experiences as artists, wives, moms, ups & downs, anxiety, etc. I remember telling a friend of mine that I didn’t think you liked me after our first day on set together.”

Minaj continued: “But you know something crazy? I swear. I KNEW that YOU could tell deep down inside that I really liked YOU. So you went easy on me. lol Loved the way the movie turned out. Blessings to you & your beautiful family. Congratulations on your new book as well as all your many accomplishments in Hip Hop & Film & TV. P.S. you STILL looK sooooo pretty.”

Eve’s Who’s That Girl? with Kathy Iandoli arrived earlier in September. The rapper’s memoir explores the depths of her decorated career and it previously made headlines when she recalled a phone call from Jay-Z where he tried to temper expectations when it came to Eve’s 1999 debut LP. However, Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady went on to top the Billboard 200 with more than 200,000 total album units sold in the first week. 

As for Nicki, she’s trekking across North America for a second U.S. run of shows as part of the Pink Friday 2 World Tour. The rest of the month includes stops in San Diego, San Francisco and Las Vegas.

23 Sep 2024

Nick Cannon & ‘Wild ‘N Out’ Fans Raise $25K for Rich Homie Quan’s Family

Nick Cannon, the Wild ‘N Out community and the city of Atlanta are all looking out for the family of Rich Homie Quan following the 33-year-old rapper’s death Sept. 5. 

During the hip-hop comedy show’s recent tour stop through the Georgia capital Thursday (Sept. 19), the Masked Singer host brought a few of Quan’s family members on stage and presented them with $25,000, according to local news network WSB-TV. Fans of Wild ‘N Out, Cannon explained, had raised the first $10,000, which he then personally matched in full. The night’s venue, State Farm Arena, provided the final $5,000. 

“That’s how much I love that dude,” Cannon said of the late Atlanta musician, who was born Dequantes Lamar. “We’ve got to support one another, because this is what community looks like.”

Trending on Billboard

Earlier in the night, the Drumline alum and his Wild ‘N Out castmates honored Lamar by performing a handful of Rich Homie Quan songs. The show came exactly two weeks after the “Flex” artist’s death sent the hip-hop world reeling, with Quavo, Playboi Carti, Jacquees and more artists posting condolences online following Lamar’s passing.  

The cause of Lamar’s death has not yet been revealed. A memorial service was held for him Sept. 17 in South Fulton, Ga., near his hometown of Atlanta, where hundreds of people — including friends, family and industry peers such as Killer Mike and D.C. Young Fly — gathered to mourn the Rich Gang alum.  

At one point, his father, Corey Lamar — who was also in attendance at Cannon’s Wild ‘N Out show two days later — shared some emotional remarks. “From the day I met Quan and I held him, my life changed,” he said. “I knew failure was not an option. But little did Quan know, he pushed me to be a dad, a role model and to be an example as what a man should be. Built upon integrity, morals and values.” 

Watch Cannon present Rich Homie Quan’s family with $25,000 and honor the late rapper below.