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16 May 2024

It’s Not Up: Cardi B Confirms She Won’t Release An Album In 2024

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Cardi B

Source: Taylor Hill / Getty

Bardi Gang will have to continue waiting for Cardi B’s sophomore album. She has confirmed she isn’t releasing it this year.

The Bronx, New York native is reportedly taking it light for the rest of 2024. On Tuesday, May 14 she responded to a fan who spoke on her transparency as a high profile artist on X, formerly Twitter. In her post she wrote “Exactly and I tell myself this all the time..and I hate that I fall back and start interacting again and it bites me in the ass… anyway NO album this year I don’t care I’m relaxing this year.. Dropping these features I already committed to and traveling and enjoying my summer.”

This came to her core fanbase as a surprise. Earlier this year she announced that she had plenty of songs in the hard drive and stated she was locked into album mode. While previewing her “Like What (Freestyle)” she reiterated the new LP was on the way. “January 27 of 20-20-f***in’-three. I be working on this sh*t at 5 a.m. — you know I’m a night owl,” she revealed. “I promise y’all this year: I’m not letting my anxiety, I’m not letting what haters say, I’m not letting what fans say… If I do a song, Imma just f***in’ drop it.”

Prior to that Cardi B released her single “Enough (Miami)” and her second collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion “Bongos”. The untitled sophomore album is the follow up to her critically acclaimed Invasion Of Privacy.

16 May 2024

Keith Urban Plays Solo Acoustic Cover of Ariana Grande’s ‘We Can’t Be Friends,’ Calls It ‘Audible Heroin’

Keith Urban is jonesing for another hit of that Eternal Sunshine. No, that’s not some new designer drug. The country singer can’t stop gushing about the song “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait For You Love)” from Ariana Grande‘s most recent album.

He proved his endless love for the track by playing it during a small club show earlier this week and posting a video of the cover on Monday, in which he croons the heartbreak anthem solo acoustic. “Me and my truth, we sit in silence/ There in the mirror it’s just me and you/ I don’t wanna argue, but I don’t wanna bite/ My tongue, yeah, I think I’d rather die/ You got me misunderstood, but at least I look this good,” Urban sang while bathed in blue light (and slightly changing up a few lyrics.)

Urban captioned his post, “this song is audible heroin,” after earlier heaping praise on the track written and produced by Grande, Max Martin and Ilya Salmanzadeh that debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in an interview with People last week. “I don’t know what is going on with that song, but I cannot stop playing it. It’s like audible heroin,” Urban said at the time in his first use of the musical drug simile. “Literally, I have to have another hit. I play that thing over and over and over.”

Trending on Billboard

As the magazine reported, Urban got his fix of the tune he further said has some “real celestial magic” on May 6 when Grande performed the song at the Met Gala, which the singer attended with wife actress Nicole Kidman. “That’s my absolute current obsession song right now,” Urban said.

“Ariana has always had that unique vocal gift,” Urban told People. “On top of that, she’s a phenomenal writer and producer. So it was easy for me to stumble upon that new album. I was interested in it before it came out.” Urban is not the only one entranced by the song, as evidenced by fellow country star Tate McRae performing her own stripped-down version of the tune during a gig at the Apollo Theatre in London last month.

“We Can’t Be Friends” was the second single from Grande’s seventh studio album, which was released in March; Eternal Sunshine was Grande’s sixth LP to top the Billboard 200 album chart.

Check out Urban’s performance below.

16 May 2024

Olivia Rodrigo Expands ‘GUTS’ Tour of Australia

Australians are getting more of Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS.

The U.S. pop-rock superstar adds four more shows to the GUTS swing, doubling her original itinerary for Australia.

Produced by Live Nation, the GUTS World Tour Australian dates now includes concerts at Melbourne’s 15,000-capacity Rod Laver Arena on Oct. 13 and 14, and Sydney’s 22,000-capacity Qudos Bank Arena on Oct. 21 and 22. New Zealand alt-pop artist Benee is support on the Australia shows.

The “drivers license” singer last week announced her first-ever run of Asia and Australia, adding nine regional dates to her global jaunt, taking in Bangkok, Thailand; Seoul, South Korea; Hong Kong; Tokyo, Japan; Singapore; and Australia’s two biggest cities, Melbourne and Sydney.

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Rodrigo had Australia on her schedule last September for what was meant to be her first ever promotional trip, though the visit was subsequently canceled.

In the end, it didn’t matter.

Trending on Billboard

Rodrigo’s sophomore album, GUTS, blasted to No. 1 on the ARIA Chart, and logged two weeks at the summit. All 12 tracks from it appeared in the top 50 on the ARIA Singles Chart, including “Vampire,” which logged a week at No. 1, and “Bad Idea Right?,” which peaked at No. 3.

Rodrigo’s debut 2021 LP SOUR spent eight non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 in Australia, and launched the chart-toppers “Drivers Licence” and “Good 4 U.”

The superstar singer is currently on the road in the U.K. and Europe, following her initial run of shows in North America, which featured stops in Palm Springs, Calif., New York City, Toronto and more cities. Though aged just 21, Rodrigo handled a potentially embarrassing wardrobe fail like a seasoned pro during her show Tuesday (May 14) at London’s O2 Arena.

Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS World Tour – Australia Dates:
Oct. 9 – Melbourne – Rod Laver Arena
Oct. 10 – Melbourne – Rod Laver Arena
Oct. 13 – Melbourne – Rod Laver Arena *
Oct. 14 – Melbourne – Rod Laver Arena *
Oct. 17 – Sydney – Qudos Bank Arena
Oct. 18 – Sydney – Qudos Bank Arena
Oct. 21 – Sydney – Qudos Bank Arena *
Oct. 22 – Sydney – Qudos Bank Arena *

16 May 2024

Willie Nelson Preps ‘Cannabis Cookbook’

Willie Nelson is cooking with a new collection of pot-infused recipes.

The country superstar and legendary stoner joins forces with his wife Annie Nelson for Cannabis Cookbook: Mouthwatering Recipes and the High-Flying Stories Behind Them, due out Nov. 12 through a collaboration with Gallery Books.

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“Over a lifetime of study,” he remarks in the cookbook, “I learned that pot is more than pleasure. Its positive properties are limitless. It’s a blessing and a blast. It’s good fuel.”

The Nelsons co-authored the publication with David Ritz, Mia Tangredi, and chef Andrea Drummer. Those mouthwatering recipes are said to be drawn from meals enjoyed on tour, at their ranch, at home, and in their favorite cities, and are accompanied by Willie’s food-related tales.

It’s a feast for the eyes (and the brain), with a how-to on Buffalo wings, chocolate cake, fried chicken and more, all with that special touch of herb.

Also, reps say, a chapter is dedicated to cannabis-infused base ingredients, from cannabutter to finishing oil, simple syrups, sugars, salts, and tinctures, and more, making it “a comprehensive guide for both novice and experienced cannabis enthusiasts.”

A 12-time Grammy winner, Nelson has collected many lifetime achievement awards, including one from the Recording Academy in 1999, another from the Country Music Association in 2012 (which named the award in his honor), induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, a Kennedy Center Honor in 1998 and the Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize in 2015, and, in 2021 the Clio Cannabis Lifetime Achievement Award.

Long before the green stuff gained mainstream acceptance, Nelson made the case that its dangers were greatly exaggerated and its benefits were scarcely mentioned. He turned his passion for the stuff into a business, Willie’s Reserve. “The cannabis culture is a way of life for him,” reads the blurb on the official site. “And he has always operated under a simple philosophy: my stash is your stash.”

Trending on Billboard

The 90-year-old is the subject of the five-part documentary Willie Nelson & Family, which debuted last December on Paramount+ after its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

15 May 2024

Time Is Up For Clock on ‘The Masked Singer’

Clock is out of time on The Masked Singer, as the fancy timepiece was unmasked and the Grammy Award-winning artist behind it was ousted Wednesday night (May 15).

With her elimination, Clock completes a podium finish for this 11th season of Fox’s whacky singing contest, ending up in third place behind Gumball and Goldfish in this semi-final.

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The episode opened this week with each of the three remaining celebrities in a battle royal to “Higher Love” by Kygo featuring the vocals of the late Whitney Houston (“Higher Love” was originally recorded by Steve Winwood). Clock went on to perform “Dancing In The Street” by Martha and The Vandellas for a spot in the finale, Goldfish hit “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette.

When the votes were counted, time was up for Clock. Behind the mask was Thelma Houston, the“Don’t Leave Me This Way” singer.

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Panelist Rita Ora guessed right.

Houston admitted she came on the show to introduce herself to a new generation. “I would like to just say I had a wonderful time,” she told the audience following the big reveal. “I do thank my family for being my support system for all these years. And I’m amazed at the reception I got through these weeks, it’s been wonderful.”

The Motown legend also confirmed a rumor that, during the night of the Grammys, for which she was nominated, Houston stayed home to clean. It was the wrong job on the wrong night; she won for best female R&B vocal performance, back in 1978.

Gumball and Goldfish progress to the final of The Masked Singer.

Houston as Clock follows the exit of Chrissy Metz (as Poodle Moth), Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken (as The Beets), Jenifer Lewis (Miss Cleocatra), Kevin Hart (Book); restauranteur Joe Bastianich (Spaghetti & Meatballs); TV personalities Savannah Chrisley (Afghan Hound), Billy Bush (Sir Lion) and Colton Underwood (Lovebird); NFL Hall of Famer DeMarcus Ware (Koala); singer Sisqó (Lizard) and others.

According to producers, constants for the current season boast a combined 22 Grammy nominations, 11 platinum albums, 33 Teen Choice nominations, 108 million records sold, 326 film appearances and 1.7 billion streams accumulated on Spotify.

Watch Clock’s performances and unmasking below.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=9WYFl2LA5MI&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent


https://youtube.com/watch?v=Z5qYpdSjgos&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&start=59&wmode=transparent



15 May 2024

Dua Lipa Launches Exclusive ‘Radical Optimism’ Merch on Amazon: Here Are the Best Pieces to Buy

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.

Dua Lipa has started a new era of her career with the release of her latest studio album Radical Optimism, which debuted at No.1 on Billboard‘s Top Album Sales chart. To celebrate its launch, the “Illusion” singer not only pulled double-duty on SNL, but also surprised fans with a pop-up performance in New York City’s Times Square. That’s not all the 28-year-old has up her sleeve though: fans can now buy exclusive merch inspired by Radical Optimism on Amazon.

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The “Houdini” singer teamed up with Amazon Music to launch an official store through the online retailer. The launch includes officially-licensed merch like T-shirts and hoodies to expand your band tee collection, as well as accessories like a tote bag for carrying all of your travel necessities, and a trucker hat to top off your ‘fits.

Trending on Billboard

To help you pick out some of the best styles available, ShopBillboard put together a list of some of our favorite pieces from the collection.

Keep reading to shop the Dua Lipa x Amazon Music merch below or click here to see everything available.

white t-shirt with dua lipa training season graphic

Dua Lipa Official Merch Training Season T-Shirt

Give your classic white tee a Dua Lipa makeover with this graphic T-shirt featuring the singer front and center. While the tee features Lipa on the front, the back reads “training season is over” across the back. It’s also made as an oversized fit for a more relaxed, baggy look.

green dua lipa amazon hoodie

Dua Lipa Official Merch Radical Optimism Hoodie

Get cozy in this official hoodie that shows off the “Levitating” singer’s album cover in a deep slate shade. The material aims to keep you comfy using a mix of cotton and polyester material and also features a front pocket that can hold your phone or small essentials.

navy blue dua lipa t-shirt

Dua Lipa Official Merch Illusion T-Shirt

Make a statement with this “Illusion”-inspired T-shirt in a dark navy shade to make the graphic really pop. The 100% cotton fabric will help keep you comfy along with its crewneck style and oversized fit.

black dua lipa tote

Dua Lipa Official Merch Tote Bag

Carry your books, chargers and more in this simple tote bag featuring the artist’s name on the front. Not only will you be able to easily show off your favorite singer, the 100% cotton material will also keep your shoulders cozy while you’re on the go.

red dua lipa hoodie

Dua Lipa Official Merch Radical Optimism Tracklist Hoodie

Go for a bold look in this bright red hoodie that shows off the album’s songs on the back. While the graphics let everyone know what fandom you’re a part of, the drawstring is adjustable to fit your preferences while the front pocket can keep your hands warm.

black and white dua lipa trucker hat

Dua Lipa Official Merch Trucker Hat

Complete your outfits in this simple trucker hat that’ll instantly transform your outfits in to streetwear chic. It comes with a mesh back for added ventilation and features the singer’s name and graphic inspired by the album.

Amazon is now becoming a destination for fans to buy official artist merch online as it continues to grow its library of artist stores. Lipa is the latest to offer her merch through the online retailer joining Megan Thee Stallion’s Hot Girl Summer tour collection, Mariah Carey’s Las Vegas residency merch, Doja Cat’s official Scarlet tour merch and Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour collection.

While the “Illusion” singer has yet to announce a tour for her newest studio album, you can get tickets to see her headline Austin City Limits alongside Chris Stapleton and Blink-182.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best festival gear, venue-approved bags and portable chargers.

15 May 2024

Chance The Rapper & DJ Premier “Together,” A$AP Ant “Switch The Weather” & More | Daily Visuals 5.15.24

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EBONY FWD Presented By Coca-Cola Zero Sugar - December 9

Source: Jamie McCarthy / Getty

It’s been a while since we’ve heard any new work from Chance The Rapper as it feels like ever since he took home all those Grammy awards in 2017 he fell back as if it was mission accomplished for him. But now the Chicagoan returns to the game and called upon the talents of one of the GOATS producers of the rap game to supply him with the heat to get to cookin,’

Linking up with DJ Premier for the visuals to “Together,” Chance The Rapper takes it back to his humble beginnings as he uses old footage of himself as a child and his family growing up to speak about the importance of the family unit as he speaks about his past throughout the song. This was pretty damn cool.

Back in the East, A$AP Ant keeps the A$AP Mob legacy going and in his clip for “Switch The Weather” the Harlemnite kicks it on the block by his lonesome where hs smokes some weed, spits his bars, and flexes some ice. Sometimes ain’t nothing better than a blunt to the head. Just sayin.’

Check out the rest of today’s drops including work from Ash B, Lady XO, and more.

CHANCE THE RAPPER & DJ PREMIER – “TOGETHER”



A$AP ANT – “SWITCH THE WEATHER”



ASH B – “PRAYED FOR”



LADY XO – “TOO LOUD”



AITCH – “SAFE TO SAY”



JS AKA THE BEST – “SINGLE”


https://youtube.com/watch?v=8ot6x0Dg5vY&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

MORRAVEY – “CONDO”



D-LO – “DELUSIONAL”



KOSHA DILLZ – “TIME FOR A CONVERSATION”



15 May 2024

Comcast Annouces New Bundle Featuring Apple TV+, Netflix & Peacock, X Says It’s Basically Cable TV

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Comcast Announces Bundle Offering AppleTV+, Peacock & Netflix

Source: Jeff Fusco / Getty / Comcast

We didn’t ask for it, but another cable-like streaming bundle is coming.

Comcast chief Brian Roberts announced a new three-way bundle featuring Peacock, Netflix, and Apple TV+ is coming at a reduced price.

Speaking Tuesday at MoffettNathanson’s 2024 Media, Internet, and Communications Conference in New York, Roberts said the new package will be called the StreamSaver bundle and will be available to all Comcast broadband and TV customers.

Without revealing many details, Roberts said that Peacock, Netflix, and Apple TV+ will “come at a vastly reduced price to anything in the market today.”

According to Roberts, the goal of this new bundle is to “add value to consumers” and, at the same time, “take some of the dollars out of” the other streaming companies’ businesses.

“We’ve been bundling video successfully and creatively for 60 years, and so this is the latest iteration of that,” Roberts said. “I think this will be a pretty compelling package.”

Social Media Says The Bundle Is Basically Cable TV

The new bundle’s reception isn’t met with the excitement Roberts hoped for. Most users on X, formerly Twitter, are basically saying this is just cable television, which many have cut their cord for, replacing it with streaming platforms.

“let me just go ahead and get a landline too,” one person on X wrote in response to the announcment.

Another user wrote, “Cable is back baby! (Without the same residuals for actors though).

One user pointed out this move could be out of desperation because the streamers are not making as much money as they used to.

“They are all folding. Individually, each business model cannot sustain itself. When you see mergers like this happen, it’s because they are hemorrhaging money. They merge not to become a superpower but to save each other,” the post on X read. 

Welp.

You can see more reactions in the gallery below.

1. Exactly

3. Too damn much

5. Basically

15 May 2024

Soulja Boy Apologizes to Metro Boomin Over Tweets About Late Mother: ‘I’m Going to Seek Therapy’

Soulja Boy isn’t the first rapper to issue an apology, but won’t be the last. Big Draco received heavy backlash from the hip-hop community for his recent tirades dissing Metro Boomin and disrespecting the producer’s late mother.

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Soulja Boy was seemingly set off on Sunday (May 12) after a 2012 tweet from Metro resurfaced taking a shot at the “Crank Dat” rapper. “My phone rings to come to the studio with Jeezy. Yours rings to send Soulja Boy a pack of beats. Sit down,” the since-deleted 2012 tweet reads, per VIBE.

After a few days of dwelling on his doubling down on his distasteful sentiments, the SODMG boss is expressing his remorse for his statements and issued an apology on X on Wednesday afternoon (May 15).

Trending on Billboard

“I apologize to @MetroBoomin for over reacting over an old tweet,” he penned before revealing he’ll be seeking help. “Condolences to his mom. I’m going to seek therapy and anger management. I’m done responding to hate, new or old.”

It’s rare to hear Soulja Boy backing down in any sort of feud, so naturally, fans questioned his sincerity when hopping into his replies.

“I can’t tell if this is a bit,” one person wrote.

Another added: “I hope you reached out to him personally. Wishing you the best on your healing journey. Here’s to putting forth positivity into the world.”

The severe backlash came at Soulja Boy after he repeatedly took shots at Metro Boomin and brought up his late mother, whom the producer was very close with and died in a murder-suicide in 2022.

“F–k that n—a mama!!!!!!!!!! Don’t speak on my name b—h! You sacrificed your own mom @MetroBoomin you a puppet,” Soulja Boy wrote in more since-deleted tweets.

He continued: “All the streams, sales, money, and fame not gone bring your mom back @MetroBoomin was it worth it? can say f–k this money and fame s–t and still be a boss can you?”

21 Savage then stepped in to stick up for his friend and frequent collaborator. He dissed Soulja Boy by posting a screenshot from a XXL article alleging that Big Draco had a negative net worth.

The Slaughter Gang honcho went on to threaten the rapper on X: “Speaking on a n—a mama like shit a game you gone shit on yourself when I see you boy.”

Metro Boomin is yet to react to Soulja Boy’s olive branch apology. Find some of the tweets from the feud below.

15 May 2024

Black Thought Says He May Have “Scared” J. Cole From Producing Joint Project

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A&E's

Black Thought is easily one of the best lyricists ever, so it would figure that many artists who’ve had chances to work with him know that their work is cut out for them. During a recent chat, the frontman for The Roots shared that he may have scared off J. Cole from working on a collaborative project.

Black Thought, 52, was a guest on the This Week in White Supremacy podcast with host Dr. Jasiri X and discussed the journey of the Philadelphia star as a rapper en route to becoming a New York Times bestselling author.

After sharing details of his book, The Upcycled Self: A Memoir on the Art of Becoming Who We Are, the artist born Tariq Trotter shared how he connected with J. Cole about six years ago to attempt a joint project.

“I don’t know the brother well, but he and I had talked about doing music together at one point. At the beginning of 2018, he hit me like, ‘Yo, let’s do an album,’” Thought shared around the 29:00-minute mark. “I told him to send me some music. I told him I was with it. It wasn’t, ‘Send me some music to see if I want to do it,’ it was like, ‘Let me see what you’re thinking.’

Thought added that the beats Cole sent him initially were too close to the sound he achieved with The Roots and his solo projects are audibly different from those with his band. After requesting a new set of beats, Thought said the energy somewhat shifted.

“So I asked him to do a different batch, I gave him an explanation, and in my explanation I think I scared him off. Maybe some of the trigger words that I was using, like, ‘I want something hard. This beat ain’t aggressive enough.’

Black Thought offered his opinion on J. Cole apologizing to Kendrick Lamar after dropping and later deleting “7 Minute Drill” and more.

Check out the full interview below.

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Photo: Getty