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With RuPaul’s Drag Race bringing back their Rate-a-Queen system for season 17, Billboard decided to rate each of the new queens every week based on their performance. Below, we take a look at the latest design challenge to see which queens crafted up a winning look. Spoilers ahead for episode 9. Part of the aim […]
For the next few weeks, all Little Monsters can hear on channel 15 is radio Gaga. SiriusXM announced on Tuesday (March 4) that it will launch a channel dedicated to all things Lady Gaga in the lead-up to the release of the singer’s upcoming seventh studio album, Mayhem.
For the first time, Gaga will have her own pop-up channel on the service, Gaga Radio, which will be available to subscribers in their cars on channel 15 through March 17 and on the SiriusXM app through April 2.
“Blending the eclectic energy that first captivated her fans with a bold, fearless artistic vision, MAYHEM explores themes of chaos and transformation, celebrating music’s power to unite, provoke, and heal,” read a statement from SiriusXM. The channel will feature music hand-picked by the Oscar- and Grammy-winning superstar, in addition to behind-the-scenes stories about the making of the new album, songs from the LP as well as classics from some of the acts that have inspired Gaga, from David Bowie, Whitney Houston and Bruce Springsteen to Ella Fitzgerald, Prince, Madonna, Elton John, Queen, Tony Bennett and many more.
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SiriusXM released a few excerpts of Gaga’s stories about the new album and her inspirations, including one in which she admitted to feeling “afraid” to make Mayhem, which drops on Friday (March 7). “Mayhem came to be ultimately because [fiancé] Michael [Polansky] said, ‘You need to make a pop record,’ and he was right. I did, but I did not realize how afraid I was to make this record,” she said.
“I think I thought I didn’t have it in me, or the kind of music I started making earlier in my career was something that I’ve left behind, but you know, even in picking so much of the musicians and the songs for my SiriusXM radio channel, I realized that all of that stuff is still in me and it will never not be because those artists have like grown roots in my body,” Gaga added. “That music made me who I am, and that was part of Mayhem was like the fear going into it of, ‘I don’t want to do this, but I’m gonna do it,’ and then going in and all of those artists, all of their music and all of the things that I am, are very much alive.”
“Lady Gaga is a true innovator and trailblazer whose versatility and influence has shaped pop music as we know it today and the music industry as a whole,” said SiriusXM president and chief content officer Scott Greenstein in the statement. “We are thrilled to give Gaga’s dedicated fanbase a closer look into the making of her long-awaited seventh album MAYHEM as well as the music and experiences that have defined her as an artist.”
Check out some other clips of Gaga’s behind-the-scenes commentary below.
Shakira was set to perform in front of hundreds of thousands of fans in Santiago, Chile for her back-to-back performances set for March 2-3 at the Estadio Nacional. Instead, she settled for an impromptu performance outside of her hotel where she sang “Antología” for fans that had gathered in lieu of seeing her onstage.
“I couldn’t leave without singing to you with the promise that I will be back very soon,” she captioned a social media post.
Less than a month into her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour, Shakira has postponed a total of four shows in Latin America – one for medical reasons and three due stage production issues – causing quite a stir among fans in that region who’ve taken to social media to express their frustration over last-minute cancellations.
Trending on Billboard
On March 2, just hours before her scheduled show at the Estadio Nacional de Santiago de Chile, Shakira posted a lengthy statement that, over safety concerns with stage production, she had to cancel that night’s show, less than a week after canceling her concert in Medellín, Colombia for similar production reasons.
“When an artist travels to a country, their production and team become directly dependent on the local producers,” the Colombian superstar wrote. “My staff and I trusted at all times that the production company hired by the local promoter would follow to the letter the specifications that were diligently provided by us so that a show of the magnitude of this one could take place.”
It’s not uncommon for artists to cancel shows over production issues. Especially when it involves massive productions in older stadiums or buildings in Latin America that perhaps lack the infrastructure to be able to pull off such complex productions and local production companies who are not used to shows of that magnitude.
But when a global star like Shakira – who notes in her statement that she’s been working on “every minimal detail for a year” and whose return to touring after seven years is beyond momentous – cancels three shows at the top of her highly anticipated stadium tour in Latin America citing production reasons, it can feel alarming. Even more so when the issues cited, like how much weight the floor can bear, are being identified at the last minute.
However, Marcelo Fígoli of Fenix Entertainment, the promoter for Shakira’s shows in Chile, says that despite the show’s size, he is “confident” production issues will be smoothed out for these and future shows.
On Sunday, Fenix also issued a statement basically stating what Shakira had already informed. “We have encountered technical problems beyond the control of the artist and their production that prevent the correct development of the concert, since the floor where the stage would be located is uneven,” the promoter’s statement reads. A day later, Fenix confirmed that the second show at Estadio Nacional on March 3 would also be postponed. “During the last hours, the promoter and production team have been working to find a solution to the construction difficulties that prevented yesterday’s concert. At this moment, tonight’s concert will not be able to take place.”
Fenix told Billboard it is now expected to announce new dates this week.
Unlike her shift from arenas to stadiums in the United States, Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran Latin America Tour was always set for stadiums. The sudden production issues and cancellations raise questions over whether local promoters have the capacity and resources to make this a streamlined process for the artist.
According to Shakira, her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran stage weighs 62 tons, and the unleveled stage would compromise her safety and that of her band, dancers and fans. In Medellín it was the roof of the Estadio Atanasio Girardot that was damaged. The local promoter hired for that show explained that their decision to cancel Feb. 24’s concert had been made because of a risk to the safety of the performers, the crew and the crowd.
The Superintendency of Industry and Commerce (SIC) of Colombia has now intervened in the case to protect consumer rights and has extended the deadline, from Feb. 28 to March 20, for organizers Ticket Colombia and Promotora Colombia to announce a new, rescheduled date.
“Promotora Colombia requested an extension for compliance, arguing that the rescheduling of the event requires a complex logistical deployment and the coordination of all those involved,” the SIC’s statement reads in Spanish. “It also indicated that the request for an extension is due to the fact that it has not been possible to agree on a date among all the parties involved in the planning of the event, especially due to the artist’s agenda. In addition, it indicated that if it is impossible to define a new date within the term granted by this entity, it would be forced to cancel the concert and proceed with the refund of the money.”
Shakira’s Latin America stint kicked off Feb. 11 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at the Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos and is set to continue through April 2 before launching the U.S. leg of the trek May 13 in Charlotte, N.C.
Even with dates hampered by production issues, Shakira’s four shows in Colombia gave cities like Bogotá and Barranquilla a major economic boost, a nod to the tour’s impact beyond the cultural. According official numbers offered by local government, Shakira’s concerts generated an economic impact of nearly 206 billion pesos (approximately 52 million dollars). Additionally, spending in key sectors such as food, hospitality, and the multiplier effect in Bogotá alone accounted for 73 billion pesos, further demonstrating the impact on the local economy.
The new tour — in honor of her critically and commercially successful 2024 album of the same name — follows Shakira’s 2018 El Dorado World Tour, marking her grand return to the global stage. The next city on Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran Tour itinerary is Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she’s set to perform at Campo Argentino de Polo on March 7-8.
Billboard reached out to Live Nation – the promoter behind Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour – for further comment but did not hear back at press time.
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Jay-Z has filed a lawsuit against the Jane Doe who accused him of raping her along with Sean “Diddy” Combs who later withdrew the complaint. In the new filing, Jay-Z is also suing the attorneys who represented Jane Doe, making good on the mogul’s earlier comments regarding the matter.
As reported in detail by NBC News, Jay-Z, real name Shawn Carter, filed a defamation lawsuit against Jane Doe on Monday (March 3) after she accused the Brooklyn native and Combs of raping her in 2000 when she was 13. From the moment the charges came forth, Carter has been adamant that the accusation was false and his team framed it as a money grab by attorneys Tony Buzbee and David Fortney.
A portion of the lawsuit reads that Jane Done’s legal team “were soullessly motivated by greed, in abject disregard of the truth and the most fundamental precepts of human decency.”
Carter also named the aforementioned attorneys and Buzbee’s law firm in the defamation lawsuit, which was filed in federal court for the Southern District of Alabama. Jane Doe currently resides in the state of Alabama. Jane Doe withdrew her complaint in February with prejudice, which asserts that a further claim cannot be made in the case.
Jane Doe was interviewed by NBC News, sharing details about the alleged rape that she claimed took place at the 2000 MTV VMAs afterparty at someone’s home. However, the woman’s story was reportedly filled with inconsistent details that didn’t line up and thus put Jay-Z and his lawyers on the offensive against Buzbee and his claims.
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Photo: Kara Durrette / Getty
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Source: Courtesy of Sie Less / Sei Less
A New York City hotspot announced a special Women’s History Month menu honoring industry trailblazers like Cardi B and Lil Kim, among others.
The midtown Manhattan Asian fusion restaurant Sei Less has become a beloved dining destination for many, including numerous celebrities since opening its doors in January 2022. And it’s adding to its prestige with the release of a new menu honoring several prominent women in the music, entertainment, and media industries for Women’s History Month. The new prix-fixe three-course menu is now available to all patrons at Sei Less as of Monday (March 3) for $50 per person.
The new menu features cherished items by celebrity diners such as the Angie Martinez appetizer of shrimp satay with peanut sauce, and the Cardi B featuring lobster poached in a “beurre blanc” butter with shallots and shiro-dashi wine. Actress and philanthropist La La Anthony is honored with her favorite Beijing Chicken, and the chocolate mousse is named after the Queen Bee of Hip-Hop herself, Lil’ Kim.
The Women’s History Menu is a continuation of Sei Less’ tradition of honoring the culture through their culinary offerings curated by veteran chef Allen Ma. In 2023, they released a special Hip-Hop 50 menu honoring New York City icons such as Jay-Z, Nas, Fat Joe, Ja Rule, and French Montana, among others. In February 2024, they celebrated R&B and Hip-Hop love songs from Babyface, Alicia Keys, Ne-Yo, and SZA with a “Lover’s Menu.”
“We’re very fortunate to receive such amazing support from this incredible group of women from the greater New York area, so as a heartfelt tribute, we wanted to honor these remarkable trailblazers and their impact on culture in our own special New York way,” said Sei Less founder Dara Mirjahangiry in a statement. “We’re proud to celebrate their creativity and influence with a special menu for Women’s History Month tailored to some of their favorite dishes whenever they visit the restaurant. They have been long-time supporters of Sei Less and this gesture is simply our unique way of expressing our gratitude.”
LISA still doesn’t know how she made it into BLACKPINK after her audition — for which she sang an iconic Rihanna hit — didn’t go quite as planned.
In a video interview with Wall Street Journal Magazine published Tuesday (March 4), the K-pop star reflected on her fateful try-out for the quartet that would make her famous. “I sang Rihanna’s song,” she said, singing a little bit of 2008 Billboard Hot 100-topper “Take a Bow” to herself before remembering which track it was.
“I was so nervous, I sang like … the lyrics were all over the place,” LISA added, smiling. “It was not right.”
Trending on Billboard
As for how she managed to make it into the YG Entertainment group alongside bandmates ROSÉ, JISOO and JENNIE despite goofing her audition, the Thai rapper said that she’s still unsure how she landed the gig. “I don’t know,” she told the publication, laughing. “I think maybe I was so unique, or I did something wrong, so they were like, ‘Oh, I remember this girl! She sang wrong lyrics.’”
Don’t let her messing up the lyrics fool you, though. LISA is a diehard fan of the Fenty mogul, telling WSJ Mag that Ri is her biggest inspiration — specifically for “her swag, her style, her music, her stage performance.” And her favorite Ri performance? “Bitch Better Have My Money” at the 2015 iHeartRadio Awards, the star revealed. “She came out of the helicopter, like, so cool.”
LISA’s interview with the publication — for which she’s also this month’s cover star — comes just a few days after the Feb. 28 release of her debut solo album, Alter Ego. The project was led by singles “Rockstar,” “New Woman” featuring Rosalía, “Moonlit Floor (Kiss Me)” and “Born Again” with Doja Cat and RAYE, with whom the White Lotus star recently performed a medley of James Bond songs at the 2025 Oscars.
Later this year, LISA will reunite with the rest of BLACKPINK for a global tour, the ladies’ first trek since the 2022-23 Born Pink World Tour supporting their Billboard 200 No. 1 album of the same name. In her WSJ Magazine cover story, the “Money” artist reflected further on the years of work all four of the groupmates put in as YG trainees before they ever assembled as a foursome, with LISA revealing that — after about three and a half years of training with no end in sight — she almost lost hope of ever debuting as an artist.
“When you don’t see the future, your future is black, it’s blank, you’re not able to visualize it,” she told the publication. “It’s like you’ve lost your energy a bit.”
Watch LISA talk about her BLACKPINK audition below:
Young Thug and concert giant AEG have quietly settled their multi-million dollar legal battle over a touring partnership gone sour.
The lawsuit, first filed in 2020 but delayed for years by Thug’s high-profile criminal case, claimed that the star owed more than $5 million under a 2017 touring agreement — and that he was obligated to hand over some of his music rights to pay down that debt.
But in a motion filed in federal court on Feb. 14, attorneys for both sides said they had “entered into a settlement” to resolve the dispute. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed in court filings, and neither side immediately returned requests for comment. The deal was later finalized by a judge on Feb. 18.
The settlement came as Thug is gearing up to start performing in concert again for the first time since he took a plea deal to end the years-long criminal drama in Atlanta. That agreement imposed strict conditions, but allowed Thug to avoid prison time and resume his music career.
Trending on Billboard
AEG sued Thug in December 2020 over allegations that he had breached the earlier touring agreement, which gave the company the exclusive right to promote his concerts. AEG alleged that Thug had “immediately failed and refused to honor” the deal after it had been signed, including by performing shows without the promoter’s involvement and pocketing the proceeds.
Under the terms of the deal, AEG claimed Thug was paid a $5.3 million advance – a sum the company claimed was never paid back. More significantly, AEG claimed that debt was secured with Thug’s copyrights to his songs as collateral – and that AEG can now claim an interest in the revenue generated by such intellectual property.
In more recent court filings, AEG claimed Thug had sold off more than 400 copyrighted songs for more than $16 million to an unknown third-party in 2021, and suggested that such a transfer mid-lawsuit might have been fraudulent.
The case was put on indefinite hold in May 2022, when the rapper was charged in a sweeping racketeering indictment that claimed his YSL group was a violent gang that had wrought “havoc” on Atlanta. Following the longest-running trial in Georgia history and a two-year stint in jail, Thug pleaded guilty last month and was sentenced to serve only probation.
Shortly after Thug struck that deal, attorneys for AEG pushed to restart the civil lawsuit, saying it was no longer “hampered” by the criminal case. But little additional litigation took place before the settlement was reached.
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Source: Aaron J. Thornton/Michael Owens / Aaron J. Thornton/Michael Owens
Rapper Kash Doll was recently spotted in Ghana with NFL star Za’Darius Smith, sparking rumors about a potential new romance.
The pair were seen together at multiple events, making their public appearances fuel speculation. This comes after Kash Doll’s breakup with her ex-boyfriend Tracy T, which she made official late last year. aking to social media, Kash Doll made it clear that she was done with the relationship. In an unapologetic post, she wrote, “I’m single,” followed by a bold statement, “IDGAF ABOUT Y’ALL SAYING I HAVE TWO KIDS BY HIM NOW. I’M JUST A BABY MAMA. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH… I’M NOT DEALING WITH JUST ANYTHING TO KEEP MY FAMILY TOGETHER.”
Since then, Kash Doll has been living her life independently, and her time in Ghana with Za’Darius Smith has generated significant buzz. Za’Darius Smith, known for his impressive skills as a defensive end for the Detroit Lions, has gained attention not just for his football career but also for his connection with the rapper.
Their public outing left the internet wondering if they were more than just friends. As the Detriot rapper continues to move on from her past relationship, her possible new link-up with a prominent NFL player shows that she’s living her best life by any means necessary. The duo’s chemistry in Ghana could be the start of an exciting new chapter for the Detroit native.
Za’Darius Smith joined the Detroit Lions in 2024, bringing his serious pass-rushing game from stints with the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. As of 2025, he’s only been with Detroit for one season, but his experience and dominance on the field make him a key piece of the squad. Smith might’ve been the game-changer the Lions’ defense needed, but he could also be the missing piece in Kash Doll’s love story. Time will tell.
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Blacc Sam, the brother of late rapper Nipsey Hussle, was seen on video getting into a verbal scrap with an assumed Crip gang member during what should have been a moment of celebration. From what is shown in the video, Blacc Sam and the gang member exchanged some words, and online sluetshs were able to connect the man in the video to Wack 100, who has made comments about Nipsey Hussle in the past.
As seen on All Hip Hop, the video was uploaded to the X social media platform by Poetik Flakko and shows Blacc Sam, Samiel Asghedom, and Rocstar 2800, who is apparently connected to Wack 100. It appears that Wack’s comments about his brother had Sam heated and he’s essentially telling Rocstar 2800 get away from the business or back up the beef words.
Nipsey Hussle brother Blacc Sam goes off on West Blvd Crip Rocstar 2800. He said anybody who don’t get cracking on people who disrespect Nipsey Hussle can’t come around them nomore until they get cracking pic.twitter.com/593UtD6Xmb
— Poetik Flakko (@FlakkoPoetik) March 1, 2025
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As Sam gets right in Rocstar’s face without flinching, he waves off an associate who wanted to get some space between the two, illustrating he was ready to throw hands or whatever else. Cooler heads prevailed and the men were eventually split apart.
On Instagram, Rockstar 2800 made light of the moment by posting an image that read “Damn All A N*gga Wanted Was A Burger” with a crying laughing emoji at the end.
As Hip-Hop Wired reported last month, Blacc Sam is working to release a posthumous Nipsey Hussle album.
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Photo: Prince Williams / Getty
Tate McRae has a massive week on Billboard’s charts (dated March 8) thanks to the arrival of her new album, So Close to What.
Released Feb. 21 on RCA Records, the set soars in as her first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 177,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in its opening week (Feb. 21-27), according to Luminate.
McRae concurrently lands 11 songs from the album on the Billboard Hot 100, led by “Sports Car” and “Revolving Door” in the top 40. Here’s a recap (all of which are debuts except where noted):
Rank, Title:
Trending on Billboard
No. 16, “Sports Car” (up from No. 57; new high)
No. 22, “Revolving Door”
No. 43, “I Know Love,” feat. The Kid LAROI
No. 44, “Dear God”
No. 53, “Purple Lace Bra”
No. 54, “Miss Possessive”
No. 64, “BloodOnMyHands,” feat. Flo Milli
No. 74, “Signs”
No. 76, “2 Hands” (re-entry; peaked at No. 41 in November)
No. 90, “Like I Do”
No. 99, “Greenlight”
The lead single from the album, “It’s OK I’m OK,” hit No. 20 on the Hot 100 in September and has since wrapped its run on the chart.
With nine debuts, McRae has now charted 21 total songs on the Hot 100 in her career. Of those, seven have reached the top 40 and one hit the top 10: “Greedy” climbed to No. 3 in January 2024.
McRae also places five songs from So Close to What on Billboard’s recently launched Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart. “Revolving Door” debuts at No. 1, becoming her second leader after “It’s OK I’m OK” became the list’s inaugural No. 1 in January. She additionally charts with “Miss Possessive” (No. 3), “It’s OK I’m OK” (No. 4), “BloodOnMyHands” (No. 5) and “No I’m Not in Love” (No. 7).
McRae also vaults from No. 38 to No. 1 on the Billboard Artist 100, becoming the top musical act in the U.S. for the first time. She joins Taylor Swift and SZA as the only women to lead the Artist 100 in 2025. In January 2021, McRae spent four consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart, thanks to the success of her breakthrough single, “You Broke Me First,” which reached No. 17 on the Hot 100.
The Artist 100 measures artists’ activity across key metrics of music consumption: album sales, track sales, radio airplay and streaming. Using a methodology comprising those metrics, the chart provides a weekly multi-dimensional ranking of artist popularity. The Hot Dance Pop/Songs chart ranks the most popular current dance/pop titles, separate from Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, which focuses on producers and DJs.