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Bruce Springsteen isn’t backing down when it comes to his thoughts on President Donald Trump.
In a wide-reaching interview with The New York Times published Wednesday (June 18), the rock star criticized everything from the politician’s leadership to his effect on the social fabric of the United States. Springsteen is currently on his Land of Hope & Dreams Tour, on which he performs a setlist every night that he says “addresses our current situation” under Trump’s administration.
And how would Springsteen describe the current situation? “It’s an American tragedy,” he told the publication. “I think that it was the combination of the deindustrialization of the country and then the incredible increase in wealth disparity that left so many people behind. It was ripe for a demagogue. And while I can’t believe it was this moron that came along, he fit the bill for some people.”
Reflecting on Trump’s first few months in office since winning a second term, Springsteen added that “what we’ve been living through in the last 70 days is things that we all said, ‘This can’t happen here. This will never happen in America.’ And here we are.”
The Boss has long been vocal in his opposition to Trump, endorsing Kamala Harris in the 2024 election and telling The Atlantic four years prior that the twice-impeached POTUS was a “threat to our democracy.” Trump, however, hit back at Springsteen a few weeks ago after the rocker slammed his administration as “corrupt, incompetent and treasonous” during a May concert in Manchester, England.
“I see that Highly Overrated Bruce Springsteen goes to a Foreign Country to speak badly about the President of the United States,” Trump wrote on Truth Social shortly after the show. “Never liked him, never liked his music, or his Radical Left Politics and, importantly, he’s not a talented guy — Just a pushy, obnoxious JERK … This dried out ‘prune’ of a rocker (his skin is all atrophied!) ought to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT.”
The insults didn’t phase Springsteen, who has since continued to voice his dismay with the current state of affairs in his home country on stage. In late May, he released an EP featuring a recording of the speech that ticked Trump off.
And in his NYT interview, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer didn’t shy away from criticizing Trump’s immigration policies, which in recent weeks have manifested in widely criticized ICE raids in places like Los Angeles. “There’s a large migrant population that lives and has altered Freehold in a very vibrant way,” Springsteen said of his hometown in New Jersey.
“There are communities all across America now that have taken in immigrants and migrant workers,” Springsteen continued. “So what’s going on at the moment to me is disgusting, and a terrible tragedy.”
Despite everything, though, the musician says he still has a lot of hope for the future of the country he’s spent his career writing about in his songs. Why? “Because we have a long democratic history,” Springsteen said. “We don’t have an autocratic history as a nation. It’s fundamentally democratic, and I believe that at some point that’s going to rear its head and things will swing back.”
He added, “Let’s knock on wood.”
A beverage startup that once planned to work with Rihanna’s brother will pay the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) more than $1 million for allegedly lying about nonexistent talks to develop an alcohol brand called “RiRi Rum” with the music icon.
Long Island-based beverage company The3rdBevco and its founder, Peter Scalise III, agreed to a $1.1 million SEC fine, according to court documents filed Tuesday (June 17). The settlement states that Scalise and The3rdBevco neither admit nor deny the allegations made by the federal investments regulator in a civil complaint docketed the same day.
In 2022, The3rdBevco publicly announced that it planned to bring on Rihanna’s brother, Rorrey Fenty, as a “senior strategic consultant” to develop a new alcohol brand called RiRi Rum in collaboration with the superstar singer and business mogul (born Robyn Rihanna Fenty).
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The SEC says that while it’s true that The3rdBevco did sign a letter of intent to hire Rorrey as a consultant, “there was never any deal, negotiation discussion or any other contact” with Rihanna or her management team for this supposed rum collaboration.
According to the complaint, The3rdBevco and Scalise repeatedly lied to investors throughout 2022 and 2023 that they were actively working with Rihanna on the rum product. Along the way, says the SEC, they used Rihanna’s “RiRi” trademark without her permission and included unauthorized Rihanna songs, images and even a fake signature attributed to the artist in investor presentations.
Neither Rihanna nor Rorrey is accused of participating in this illegal activity. While Rorrey did say he would try to facilitate a meeting between The3rdBevco and Rihanna if brought on as a consultant, the partnership agreement was never finalized, and Rorrey’s letter of intent was ultimately voided without him ever actually working for the company.
The SEC notes that Rorrey complained multiple times to Scalise that The3rdBevco should not have been using Rihanna’s images without authorization or touting the RiRi Rum brand without a deal in place.
In addition to claims about the fake Rihanna partnership, the SEC complaint also accuses The3rdBevco and Scalise of selling unregistered company shares and misusing nearly $900,000 worth of investor funds on personal expenses like tuition, mortgage payments and landscaping.
Mark David Hunter, a lawyer representing The3rdBevco and Scalise, told Billboard on Wednesday (June 18) that his clients “are pleased to have the matter resolved and behind them.”
Rorrey Fenty and reps for Rihanna did not immediately return requests for comment.
WWE Champions Liv Morgan & Dominik Mysterio share what their dream entrance song remixes would be, Liv wanting to go up against Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion in the ring, their thoughts on ‘Love On The Spectrum,’ SummerSlam, Sabrina Carpenter and more!
Are you excited for Summer Slam? Let us know in the comments!
Noah Reardon: We’re here with Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio. Gonna chat music today, a little different for you. I want to hear from both of you: What is your dream remix? Who would you love to have remix your theme?
Liv Morgan: My dream remix of my song … I’d like a collaboration. I’d like a collaboration between Sabrina Carpenter and, like Drake, if they could come together and do some, like, cool remix of my song, I think that’d be pretty good. There’se a little giggle in the beginning, and that could be Sabrina, but then Drake could, like, chime in and, you know, say some cool s–t about me.
Dominik Mysterio: I would probably go a little bit more traditional Mexican. Fuerza Regida or Adriel Favela, Calle 24, maybe throw in some Mexican OT, too. I think that’d be, that’d be pretty dope. But, yeah, I think so.
Oh you just met him earlier?
Mysterio: Yeah, he’s a good dude.
How was that?
Mysterio: He’s awesome, yeah. I mean, looking forward to seeing him around more for sure.
I heard it’s coming up on your anniversary. Is there any music from last summer’s songs that you’re like, “Oh, that is us. We were listening to that bumping that.”
Morgan: I don’t know that there’s anything specific, because Dominik has, like, a very diverse, kind of eclectic music taste like he’s everywhere. But, you know, I did learn last summer that he’s a Sabrina Carpenter fan and so, you know, just anything Sabrina Carpenter kind of reminds me of Dominik a little bit. You know, she just released “Man Child,” not that song, but, you know, just Sabrina Carpenter in general.
Keep watching for more!
Lester Cohen / Memphis Bleek
Outside of Tyran “Ty Ty” Smith, Kareem “Biggs” Burke, and at one time Dame Dash, no one was as close to JAY-Z as his former protege Memphis Bleek, and now he is sharing some of his insight on Hov’s departure from Roc-A-Fella Records.
Speaking with The Breakfast Club, the “My Mind Right” crafter kept it real about his former boss leaving Roc-A-Fella Records and his relationship with him.
Bleek, who was once considered the “heir apparent” to Jay-Z’s Hip-Hop throne, told the Power 105.1 morning radio show that he knew he was a “liability” regarding Jigga’s business ventures, something the mogul would not risk jeopardizing.
Per Complex:
“I knew he had to,” he said at the 28:55 mark. “For Jay to be where he at, he couldn’t be around us everyday. I’m a liability. Me now, being married, being a businessman, of course, things have changed. But the reckless Bleek, you couldn’t be around us.”
“Anything could happen, and then it spills right back to you,” Bleek continued. “So once Jay started to do these billionaire deals, basketball teams, moving teams from here to Brooklyn, you automatically knew the distance was warranted. It’s not that he don’t rock with you, or don’t rock with us.”
Bleek also revealed that he tried to warn his fellow labelmates that the end was near, with Jay-Z checking out.
“Y’all better hope y’all got a retirement plan,” Bleek said during a 2023 appearance on Drink Champs. “Put this shit together. You see him [Jay-Z], he getting out of here. He telling y’all, Black Album, fade to black, it’s over.”
Welp, it’s clear no one listened to Bleek.
You can see the entire interview below.
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Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.
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This week: Keith Sweat’s “Nobody” gets a bump from an improbable cover source, a less-remembered Black Eyed Peas gets its moment in the TikTok sun and Playboi Carti may have a new Music breakout following his BET Awards performance.
‘Carnival Cruise Tyler’ Karaoke Performance Sets Off a Keith Sweat Revival
Who can do it like Carnival Cruise Tyler? Nobody, apparently – at least nobody outside of Keith Sweat himself. The 20-year-old Georgia native born Tyler Heyworth has been going viral on TikTok the past couple weeks for an unexpected performance he offered on vacation with his family on the Carnival Cruise line, where he sang Sweat’s 1996 top five Hot 100 smash “Nobody” (featuring Athena Cage of Kut Klose) — released when Tyler was approximately negative nine years old — to what could certainly be described as a receptive karaoke audience.
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Tyler’s performance, delivered with strong vocals, engaging (but never quite inappropriate) stage moves and an understated confidence, resulted in multiple crowd freakouts, with different captured angles of his now-storied rendition each seemingly revealing new multitudes of enraptured listenership. Unsurprisingly, his viral fame has resulted in much internet celebrity: “I’ve had a bunch of, uh, interesting women in my comments and in my DMs,” he told TMZ. “It’s kinda too much at this point.”
The young man’s “Nobody” performance is not yet available on DSPs – but of course, Keith Sweat’s apparently well-enduring original certainly is, and fans new and old were motivated to spend time with the ‘90s R&B classic. The song’s daily official on-demand U.S. streams rose gradually throughout last week, hitting a high of 319,000 on Friday (June 13), up 91% from 167,000 the previous Friday (June 6), according to Luminate. Sweat himself even shared video of Tyler’s performance, with the caption, “If everybody don’t sing NOBODY it’s not done correctly.” – ANDREW UNTERBERGER
Black Eyed Peas’ ‘Rock’ Is Rolling With Viral Resurgence
In 2009, “Boom Boom Pow,” the lead single from the Black Eyed Peas’ album The E.N.D., spent 12 straight weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 — and was then replaced by the album’s second single, “I Gotta Feeling,” which proceeded to log 14 weeks in the top spot. The mind-boggling run of chart domination represented the apex of the quartet’s commercial appeal — the Peas would never return to the top of the Hot 100 afterwards, in fact — but now, another song from The E.N.D. has gone viral, and could crack the chart 16 years later if it keeps picking up steam.
“Rock Your Body” followed the same electro-pop-rap blueprint of the album’s biggest hits, with Will.i.am relying heavily on Auto-tune, Fergie’s voice pitched way up and a sample of Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock’s “It Takes Two” heavily involved; the song’s hook, in which Will cedes the floor to Fergie, has slowly grown as a popular TikTok sound, with users creating different dance routines to the vocal hand-off. After earning 667,000 weekly official U.S. on-demand streams six weeks ago (Apr. 18-24), “Rock Your Body” scored 4.14 million streams last week (June 6-12) — an increase of 520%, according to Luminate. Is this a viral one-off, or can the nostalgia cycle fuel a full-on BEP revival? The E.N.D. is an acronym for The Energy Never Dies — maybe we’re about to experience proof of that claim. – JASON LIPSHUTZ
Playboi Carti Fans Like ‘Weezy’ Following BET Awards Performance
Sometimes, when you release an album with an enormous track list, some of the songs in the back half of that full-length require a special platform to reach a larger audience. Case in point: at the 2025 BET Awards last Monday night (June 9), Playboi Carti reached deep into his Music bag to perform “Like Weezy,” the springy 25th track on the 30-song track list, as well as The Weeknd collaboration “Rather Lie” while surrounded by luxury cars and smoke machines onstage at the awards ceremony.
“Like Weezy” has benefitted from the performance choice by Carti: in the four days following the BET Awards (June 10-13), the track earned 1.28 million U.S. on-demand streams, a 90% increase from the previous four days (670,000 streams from June 6-9), according to Luminate. Carti has also been performing “Like Weezy” in his nightly sets opening for The Weeknd’s ongoing stadium tour, which continues through early September — meaning that the song could enjoy a sustained boost instead of a one-week uptick due to an awards show performance. – J.L.
The original Broadway cast recording of Hamilton: An American Musical, jumps 31-15 on the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated June 21) – its highest rank in four-and-a-half years – thanks to a buzzy performance at the 2025 Tony Awards. The original Broadway cast reunited for the June 8 ceremony (broadcast on CBS, Paramount+ and PlutoTV) […]
Burna Boy is already planning to take his upcoming album, No Sign of Weakness, on the road this winter with a headlining North American tour, he announced Wednesday (June 18).
The 17-date trek kicks off on Nov. 12 at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colo., becoming the first Nigerian artist to headline the iconic venue. The tour will also go through major cities including Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Boston and Atlanta before wrapping up with two dates at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, on Dec. 17 and 18. With the exception of his history-making opening show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, the No Sign of Weakness Tour will feature the African Giant performing on a 360-degree stage in the middle of the floor.
Burna is releasing his eighth studio album on July 11 via Spaceship, Bad Habit and Atlantic Records. So far, he’s released four singles ahead of the project: “Bundle by Bundle,” “Update,” “Sweet Love” and “TaTaTa” featuring Travis Scott.
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No Sign of Weakness will arrive two years after the Afro-fusion superstar’s last album, I Told Them…. The 15-track LP reached No. 31 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on World Albums, and earned a 2024 Grammy nomination for best global music album. Singles “Sittin’ on Top of the World,” featuring 21 Savage on the remix, and “City Boys” were also up for Grammys, for best melodic rap performance and best African music performance, respectively.
Fans can sign up for artist presale, which continues through Sunday, June 22, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Artist presales and VIP packages are available Tuesday, June 24, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time via Ticketmaster. General onsale starts next Friday, June 27, at 10 a.m. local time. Visit Burna Boy’s website for more details and ticket information.
See the dates for Burna Boy’s No Sign of Weakness Tour below.
Burna Boy
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Four-time Grammy-winning CCM band Third Day is set to launch its 30th anniversary headlining tour in 2026. The 30-date tour will mark the first time in 11 years that the band’s original four members — Mac Powell, Mark Lee, David Carr and Tai Anderson — will reunite on stage.
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The tour will celebrate the three-decade anniversary of their self-titled, major label debut album, which released in 1996 on Reunion Records. That project reached No. 11 on Billboard‘s Christian Albums chart, and spurred hits including “Forever,” “Blackbird” and “Nothing at All.”
Third Day previously embarked on its farewell tour in 2018.
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The trek launches March 19 at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., and will conclude in the band’s hometown of Atlanta at the Gas South Arena on May 10. Along the way, the tour will make stops at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena (April 12), Los Angeles’ Kia Forum (April 24), Chicago’s Credit Union 1 Arena (April 10) and Orlando’s Kia Center (March 22), among other show dates. Zach Williams, known for songs including “Chain Breaker,” will open shows on the tour.
Powell said in a statement, “I’ve been getting asked the question for many years, ‘When is Third Day going to do a tour again?’ and I’ve always said, ‘One day soon I hope!’ I’m so excited that we finally get the chance to play music together again on stage and give our fans what they’ve been waiting for.”
Lee added, “Third Day has always been, first and foremost, a live band. The best wayto celebrate 30 years is to get back together for a tour. I can’t wait to get back out on the road with these guys and put on a big show for our fans.”
Dan Fife, CEO of Awakening Events, added, “Celebrating 30 years of Third Day is a true honor, and bringing Mac, Mark, David and Tai back to the stage is something fans have been waiting for. Adding Zach Williams as a very special guest make this tour even more powerful. This is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime night of live music and celebration for all generations to experience.”
Tickets go on sale Friday, June 27, at 10 a.m. local time. To see a full list of tour dates, visit Third Day’s website.
Rod Stewart and Donald Trump may live close to one another, but that doesn’t mean the rock star feels any sort of neighborly way about the President of the United States.
In an interview with Radio Times published Tuesday (June 17) ahead of his upcoming Glastonbury performance, Stewart didn’t hold back when asked about the mogule-turned-politician, with whom he used to be friends. “I’m not a great fan of Trump,” he told the publication. “I knew him very, very well. I used to go to his house.”
“I live literally half a mile away,” continued Stewart, who has a residence in Palm Beach, Fla. “We’re both on the beach. I used to go to his Christmas parties. He’s always been a bit of a man’s man. I liked him for that. But he didn’t, as far as I’m concerned, treat women very well.”
Stewart added that he thinks becoming the leader of the country changed his former pal for the worse. “Since he became president, he became another guy,” the musician said. “Somebody I didn’t know.”
Trump and Stewart were friends for many years. Even leading up to the 2016 election — which the billionaire ended up winning, securing his first of two nonconsecutive White House terms — the Grammy winner stood by his fellow Floridian, telling Billboard when asked about the election in 2015, “I have strong political beliefs, [but] I don’t want to get into it … Donald Trump happens to be a friend of mine.”
Now, Stewart says he definitely doesn’t consider Trump a friend, citing one policy issue in particular as unforgivable. “No, I can’t anymore,” the artist said. “As long as he’s selling arms to the Israelis — and he still is. How’s that war ever gonna stop?”
Stewart joins a number of musicians who have criticized Trump’s administration, with many of them similarly taking issue with the U.S. government’s involvement in Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas — a conflict that has resulted in the deaths of more than 50,000 Palestinians since Oct. 7, 2023, when the terrorist group incited retaliation after killing 1,200 Israeli civilians and took 251 hostages.
“Someone’s gotta do something,” added Stewart. “What [Israeli President] Netanyahu is doing to the Palestinians is exactly what happened to the Jews. It’s annihilation, and that’s all he wants to do — get rid of them all. I don’t know how they sleep at night.”
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer is set to headline Glastonbury later in June, with The 1975, Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo also leading the four-day festival’s bill. Charli xcx, Doechii, Gracie Abrams, Noah Kahan, Wolf Alice and Busta Rhymes will perform as well.
Stewart’s set will take place after he was forced to postpone a handful of U.S. concert dates due to illness.
The Supreme Court has declined to hear a lawsuit that claimed Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” infringed upon Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” Keep watching for the full story. Tetris Kelly:Does this song sound like this one? Well, the Supreme Court doesn’t want to hear about it as Ed Sheeran escapes a court battle, […]
