State Champ Radio Author: djfrosty
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Trending on Billboard Hailey Bieber is setting the record straight regarding a rumor she’s heard about herself and Justin Bieber — and she says there’s “no world” in which it would be true. While guesting on the In Your Dreams With Owen Thiele podcast posted Friday (Oct. 24), the Rhode founder didn’t have to think […]
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Shaquille O’Neal isn’t happy with players and coaches involved in the gambling scandal.
News broke yesterday (Oct. 23rd) that Chauncey Billups, Damon Jones, and Terry Rozier were arrested for allegedly participating in sports gambling. It could have also opened the door to rigged schemes that alter stats and even affect who wins or loses.
During an episode of “Inside The NBA”, Shaq let the alleged gambling participants have it, “There’s an old saying in the hood, all money ain’t good money. So if you’re making $9 million and you’re dealing a certain thing, like how much more do you need? Especially if you know you can get caught, you can do jail time. Lose your career, put a bad image on yourself or your family. Or on the NBA”
The NBA legend also kept it 100 and admitted he’s not perfect himself but expected more from his friends actively in the league. Also adding the embarrassment that all of their families may feel, “I’m ashamed that those guys would put their families and their careers in jeopardy.”
On the other hand, Gilbert Arenas went on full troll mode, hearing the news about some of the players taken to custody for gambling. Posting a photo online with a brown paper bag with “Informant Lunch” written on it.
Since the news, Chauncey Billups was released on bail. More news to come as the story develops.
Trending on Billboard As Outkast’s “Ms. Jackson” celebrates its 25th anniversary on Friday (Oct. 24), Erykah Badu revealed her doubts about being the muse behind the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit. Explore See latest videos, charts and news Badu joined Popcast for an interview earlier this week, where she discussed being the subject of […]
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Taylor Swift is breaking multiple Billboard chart records in Canada.
As with many of the artist’s recent releases, Swift’s new album, The Life of a Showgirl, has been a blockbuster success since its release on Oct. 3.
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According to new data from Universal Music Canada, Luminate and Billboard Canada chart performance, in its first week of charting, Showgirl was the biggest album debut in the country for Swift in the modern streaming era — or for any artist.
The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart, her 15th No. 1 on the chart. With this milestone, Swift is now tied with Canadian icon Celine Dion for the most No. 1 albums of all time in the country and is the only non-Canadian artist to reach that mark.
Swift’s last album, 2024’s The Tortured Poets Department, stayed at No. 1 for 12 weeks. Showgirl’s win continues Swift’s streak of 14 consecutive studio albums debuting at No. 1, beginning with 2008’s Fearless and including the four “Taylor’s Version” re-recordings: Red, 1989, Fearless and Speak Now.
Showgirl has now cemented Swift as the sole artist with all top 5 of the highest album debuts in Canada in the streaming era (since streams began contributing to Billboard chart performance in the early 2010s).
On last week’s Billboard Canadian Hot 100, the week of Oct. 18, the top 12 entries were all of the album’s 12 tracks. The album’s lead single, “The Fate of Ophelia,” hit No. 1 and has become the most-streamed song in a single day and a single week in Canadian history.
The Life of a Showgirl reportedly amassed over 1.5 billion global streams, securing the largest debut of 2025.
This isn’t the first time Swift has broken records in Canada — last year’s The Tortured Poets Department and her Post Malone-featuring single “Fortnight” earned similar chart records. At this point, Swift is competing with herself.
Read more here.
Samantha O’Connor Joins MRG Live as Senior Talent Buyer, Will Continue to Lead RAPSEASON
Samantha O’Connor has been appointed as MRG Live’s senior talent buyer.
The music industry executive will continue to lead RAPSEASON, Canada’s biggest hip-hop concert and culture promoter.
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O’Connor previously led the brand in her last role as talent buyer at INK Entertainment. In her new role at MRG, she will continue to grow the RAPSEASON brand and promote shows across the country.
Founded in 2015, RAPSEASON has presented concerts with a-list artists including Future, Central Cee, Cardi B, Post Malone, Summer Walker and Daniel Caesar, to name just a small sample. Now, RAPSEASON moves from INK to MRG, one of the country’s largest independent concert and live event companies.
“With the support and resources of MRG Live, I’m excited to continue growing the RAPSEASON brand, not only in Toronto, but nationally and internationally,” says O’Connor. “This next chapter offers an incredible opportunity to expand our reach, connect with new audiences, and spotlight the talent that drives the culture forward.”
Under O’Connor’s leadership, RAPSEASON is set to be introduced to new markets across its network throughout Canada. Currently, The MRG Group owns and operates 14 properties in Canada, including Toronto’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre and Adelaide Hall, Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre and The Revelry in Kelowna, British Columbia, and produces over 1,000 live shows annually through MRG Live. RAPSEASON branded content will also be integrated with the company’s media publication, Beatroute.
“Samantha O’Connor has proven a great astuteness in securing top-tier, identifying emerging talent and continuing to build the RAPSEASON brand,” shares Matt Gibbons, president of The MRG Group. “We are looking forward to both her and the brand’s further growth as they both integrate into our global network, our resources and our overall strategic approach.”
Read more here.
Ms. Lauryn Hill Embarking On Intimate Cross-Canada Tour
Ms. Lauryn Hill is making her return to Canada.
Independent, female-led promoter F7 Live announced the news, sharing the details of Hill’s tour, which kicks off this fall. The legendary American R&B singer and Fugees member is set to perform eight cross-country shows in intimate venues as part of her Artist In Residence tour.
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The tour kicks off in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Nov. 19 at Burton Cummings Theatre, with further stops in Vancouver, Hamilton, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and Ottawa.
This marks Hill’s return to Canada since 2023, when she performed at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena and Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena on The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 25th Anniversary Tour. The rest of the North American shows came to a quiet ending after Hill cited vocal issues.
Since then, Hill has performed various pop-up shows, joining son YG Marley at this year’s Coachella, turning it into a Fugees reunion with Wyclef Jean. In July, she performed with Drake during day one of his three-day stint at the U.K. Wireless Music Festival. They debuted a mashup of “Ex Factor” and “Nice For What,” the former of which is sampled on Drake’s 2018 Scorpion track.
These shows will be at more intimate concert hall and theatre venues, including the iconic Massey Hall in Toronto.
Read more here.
Trending on Billboard Volbeat scores a milestone No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, jumping two spots to the top of the Nov. 1-dated survey with “Time Will Heal.” Explore See latest videos, charts and news It’s the 12th leader for Volbeat and second in a row, following “By a Monster’s Hand,” which reigned […]
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10 years ago, the late Mac Miller made his major-label debut with GO:OD AM, a frank, melodious rumination on addiction, recovery and fame that reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200. On Friday (Oct. 24), the Grammy-nominated rapper’s estate shared three new songs to celebrate the LP’s landmark 10th anniversary.
Led by the Vinny Radio-assisted “Royal Flush,” the expanded 10th anniversary edition of GO:OD AM also includes new cuts titled “Cable Box” and “Carpe Diem.” All three songs are sourced from the original GO:OD AM recording sessions, which at the time, resulted in a 17-track set featuring Miguel, Chief Keef, Lil B, Little Dragon, and Ab-Soul. “100 Grandkids” served as the album’s lead single, reaching No. 100 on the Hot 100, and the Miguel-assisted “Weekend” followed with a No. 46 peak on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
To accompany the new songs, Miller’s estate also teamed up with artist Danaé Goset for a series of visualizers, including one for “Rush Hour,” a deep cut from the original GO:OD AM tracklist. Gosset has long been a close collaborator of the Miller estate, having worked on the Balloonerism visuals and the “Star Room (OG Version)” music video that arrived for the 10th anniversary of Watching Movies with the Sound Off.
GO:OD AM (10th Anniversary) is just the latest in a series of moves to celebrate Miller’s beloved third studio album. Last month (Sept. 18), his estate unveiled GO:OD AM (Time Flies, Try to Catch It), a 15-minute, Sam Balaban-helmed documentary chronicling the making of the record. Available on YouTube, the intimate mini-doc has amassed over 320,000 views in just one month.
It’s been a particularly active year for the Miller estate. At the top of the year (Jan. 15), they unveiled Balloonerism, the Pittsburgh rapper’s second posthumous album, which he recorded around 2014. Featuring collaborations with SZA and Delusional Thomas, his alter ego, Balloonerism reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200, marking Miller’s seventh consecutive studio album to reach the chart’s top five. The accompanying animated short film of the same name, which is currently available to stream on Apple TV+, earned a best longform video nomination at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.
Check out the “Rush Hour” visualizer below.
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Ariana Grande isn’t going to let haters stop her from being her true, authentic self. While speaking to Evan Ross Katz on his Shut Up Evan podcast posted Friday (Oct. 24), the pop star opened up about how much she dislikes the current culture’s aversion to genuine excitement, which often gets written off as “cringe” or “trying too hard.”
“[Earnestness] scares people so much, and I think that’s really sad,” Grande began. “The whole ‘cringe,’ whatever, is just so unfair. Maybe it’s because of, like, PTSD or whatever, but I love so much. I’m so grateful to feel so much.”
“We should be able to be happy and it not be corny or cringe … being passionate about something, loving people,” she continued. “That’s the best. Why do you want me to be sitting here numb? Been there.”
Grande also cited last year’s Wicked press tour — which spawned viral moments such as the “holding space” meme — as a time where hers and costar Cynthia Erivo’s emotional reactions to things were especially mistaken for inauthenticity. “There are so many clips that you would understand if you were there,” she told Katz. “I loved that experience. We had a really beautiful time.”
Speaking of the Wicked press tour, which seemingly lasted for months with countless headline-making interviews, premieres and fan events, Grande said that the promotional cycle for Wicked: For Good has been more low-key for a variety of reasons — the main one being that the R.E.M. Beauty founder is busy filming 2026’s Focker In-Law alongside Skyler Gisondo, Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro.
“With this second one, we’ve been filming,” she explained. “I’m wrapping Fockers on Halloween and flying straight into Brazil, we’re starting the [Wicked] press tour three days later. It’s not necessarily a strategy as much as it’s logistically been a little difficult.”
“But there’s also, there’s a little element of we wanted to make it different this time,” she added. “The first time was so special and so unique that we wanted to make it more about the fans this time.”
The main way Grande says she and the rest of the Wicked team are planning on reaching fans this time around is through a concert special premiering in early November on NBC.
The interview comes with just one month left until Wicked: For Good arrives in theaters and ties a bow on the epic Wicked saga that kicked off last year. The first film in the duology broke box office records by becoming the highest grossing adaptation of a Broadway musical, while the soundtrack debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.
Elsewhere in the podcast, Grande spoke about getting advice from Madonna and Beyoncé early on in her career, as well as why she thought she’d never release another album after 2020’s Positions.
Watch Grande’s full conversation with Katz above.
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Taylor Swift has held onto the top spots on both the U.K.’s Official Albums and Singles Charts for a third consecutive week (Oct. 24).
The Life of a Showgirl retains the No. 1 on the LPs chart, while its lead single “The Fate of Ophelia” extends its reign at the summit of the Singles Chart for a third consecutive week. The latter is Swift’s longest-running No. 1 single since “Anti-Hero” from 2022’s Midnights earned six weeks at No. 1; “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version)” (2023) and “Fortnight” (2024) lasted just a single week each.
In its opening week, The Life of a Showgirl smashed numerous records on its way to No. 1 in the U.K. The record had the fastest-selling opening week since 2017 with 423,00 units, trailing only Ed Sheeran’s Divide (672,000). It also became the fastest-selling album on vinyl this century in the U.K., and was named the U.K.’s most-streamed album over the course of seven days in its opening week. She’s also occupied the top spot of the Billboard 200 for the past fortnight.
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The Life of a Showgirl is her 14th U.K. No. 1 album, she also extends her lead with the most No. 1s on the U.K. Albums Charts for an international artist, and now ties for second overall with The Rolling Stones (14). The top spot is also currently a tie between The Beatles and Robbie Williams who both have 15 apiece.
Elsewhere, The Last Dinner Party score the week’s highest new entry with their sophomore album From The Pyre, which Billboard U.K. described as making “good on years of industry hype with a definitive artistic statement.” Their 2024 debut Prelude to Ecstasy peaked at No. 1 upon release.
Olivia Dean’s breakout moment continues as she takes the No. 3 spot on the Official Albums Chart with The Art of Loving, and she lands at No. 2 on the Official Singles Chart with “Man I Need”. Earlier this month, Dean achieved a rare double for a British artist with concurrent No. 1s on the aforementioned charts.
Despite a divisive response from fans and critics, Tame Impala’s Deadbeat closes the week at No. 4 and gives Kevin Parker his third top five album after Currents (2015) and The Slow Rush (2020) which both peaked at No. 3.
There’s little change on the U.K. Singles Chart as, “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters ends the week at No. 3, RAYE’s “Where Is My Husband!” lifts one place to No. 4 and Swift’s “Opalite” slips one place to No. 5.
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BLACKPINK‘s LISA has a brand new obsession — and this time, it’s not Labubus. Teenieping, otherwise known as Catch! Teenieping, comes from a South Korean children’s show produced by SAMG Entertainment. LISA’s specific fixation? Heartsping or Diamond Heartsping, a loveable rabbit-like character from the kid’s show.
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LISA posted a carousel of photos to her Instagram on Oct. 23, sharing snapshots taken backstage. Two of the many photos saw the “Money” singer snapping a mirror selfie with a Heartsping-themed removable phone grip attached to her colorful Takashi Murakami Louis Vuitton case. Since posting those photos, SAMG Entertainment’s stock price rose sharply, a clear indicator of LISA’s major influence.
According to Naver Pay Securities, as of 2:59 PM KST on Oct. 24, SAMG Entertainment was trading at 61,600 KRW (approx. $42.82), up 18.92% from the previous closing price of 51,800 KRW (approx. $36.01). The company’s stock even reached 64,900 (approx. $45.12), marking a 25.29% increase at one point. One thing is for certain: never underestimate the power of K-Pop idols.
Caincosmetic Shooting Star Catch Teenieping Surprise Box 2 (Random 1 Figure Keyring Toy Inside)
A blind box of Teenieping characters.
If you want to get in on the Heartsping and Catch! Teenieping craze early, we’ve included a few of our favorite merch items from the show that you can shop now at Amazon. Our picks include a Catch! Teenieping blind box with eight available character keychains that you can snag at random. The box currently retails for $32.80. We’ve also included a traditional plushie of Heartsping in all her bright pink glory for $57.50. The plushie is extremely squishy and features show-accurate details down to the little stars on Heartsping’s head.
Shooting Star Catch Teenieping Heartsping
A plushie of Heartsping.
If you don’t know what a Labubu is, let us catch you up to speed. The toothy figure was created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung. The figure made its first appearance back in 2015 in an art series titled The Monsters.
The Labubu has been around for some time, however, it didn’t make it big until way later in April of 2024 when Lisa was seen with one of the fluffy collectibles fixed to her Louis Vuitton bag. Since Lisa’s introduction, you’ve got everyone from Rihanna and Dua Lipa to Kim Kardashian, Rosé, David Beckham, Lizzo, Madonna, BTS, Cher and even Lady Gaga participating in the trend that is Labubu mania, affixing their blind box acquisitions to bags, keys and luggage. With help from Lisa, will Heartsping be the next Labubu? Only time will tell.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
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With the 2025-26 NBA season in full swing and Halloween right around the corner, Nike is entering spooky season with holiday-themed basketball sneakers worth adding to your collection. From “Slim Reaper” KD18’s to a “Candy Corn Queen” A’One shoe, the brands most popular styles are receiving a fun, fright night makeover. Shop our five favorite Halloween-themed Nike basketball sneakers below.
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KD18 “Slim Reaper” Basketball Shoes
Starting off with the KD18’s, the signature basketball shoe for Kevin Durant, gets a Slim Reaper transformation inspired by the hoopers intimidating and unstoppable offensive presence that “defenders never see it coming,” according to Nike. The silhouette features a glow-in-the-dark outsole and a striking, slender skeleton hand design across the midfoot cage. If you’re looking to put fear in the heart of your opponent, grab of these special-edition KD18’s below for $170.
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Ja 3 “Spooky Season” Basketball Shoes
It’s scary times when you see Ja Morant charing full speed at you on the court. In honor of his ghostly quickness and bone-chilling bounce when attempting one of his viral posterizing dunks, Nike has kitted out the Ja 3 with a “spooky season” colorway. This special Halloween themed design features a zombie-esque aesthetic with a striking green and lemon yellow pairing and an eye-catching vertical red Swoosh logo next to a graffiti-sprayed “A”—and grimy scratch marks as a final touch. Go full zombie mode on the hardwood with the Nike Ja 3 Halloween.
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A’One “Candy Corn Queen” Basketball Shoes
Whether you love or hate candy corn, you can’t deny that this special edition colorway is a sweet treat for Halloween. Dubbed “Candy Corn Queen,” 4x WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson’s signature shoe includes a vibrant safety orange and chrome yellow gradient that pops across a midsole resembling candy-like textures. If you have a sweet tooth, these Nike’s will satisfy your craving.
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Book 1 “Scorpion” Basketball Shoes
The freaks come out at night, especially with latest Book 1 Halloween colorway. What may look like a sleek and minimal design with the light on, in the dark (or with a UV light) fans will notice creepy crawlers riddled all over the sneaker. There’s also a glow-in-the-dark outsole to add even more spooky elements. Devin Booker’s signature shoe receives a black-rainbow leather upper comes with a printed scorpion pattern hidden in plain sight.
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G.T. Hustle 3 “Haunted Heights” Basketball Shoes
“Haunting Heights” is a fitting name for the 7’5 superstar Victor Wembanyama. The tallest guy on the court is also a guy who can do everything. From dribbling, shooting, to blocking shots and defending, there’s nothing this San Antonio Spur can’t do. Coaches must lie awake at night haunted by trying plan schemes to stop Wemby. His Halloween-themed basketball shoe features a fiery orange tint with flame-motifs throughout.
