State Champ Radio Author: djfrosty
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06/11/2025
Listen to new must-hear songs from emerging R&B/hip-hop artists like Jon Vinyl and Flee Lord.
06/11/2025
Peso Pluma presents Tito Double P with the 2025 Indie Power Player of the Year Award at Billboard’s Indie Power Players 2025. Ben Patterson: I’m honored to introduce fellow Indie Power Player and Double P co-founder, Peso Pluma. Peso Pluma: Hi everyone. Hi Ben, hi Jedd. I just want to thank all my Billboard friends. […]
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Girls, gays and they’s rejoice. Chappell Roan has her own illustrated biography, courtesy of A Little Golden Book.
The book, authored by Cat Reynolds and illustrated by Maria Lia Malandrino, depicts Roan’s life and rise to fame in colorful vignettes. Fans can pre-order the hardcover biography now on Amazon for just $5.57. A Kindle version of the book is also available for $5.99.
Through the book, we are given a glance into Roan’s humble beginnings. We start in Missouri, taking a look at Roan’s upbringing that fostered her love of music. The book tracks her signing with Atlantic Records at 17 to chase her dreams of pop stardom. The “Casual” singer would then transition to Amusement Records and then to Island Records in May 2023. It was through Atlantic Records that Roan released “Pink Pony Club” in 2020, which was later included on her album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. The track was inspired by Roan’s visit to The Abbey, a gay bar in West Hollywood, Los Angeles. Years after its initial release, song blew up on platforms like TikTok, cementing it as an anthem for the gay community.
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Chappell Roan: A Little Golden Book Biography
An illustrated biography depicting Chappell Roan’s life thus far and rise to fame.
From the single’s release, the book takes us through her success, from her epic music festival sets to releasing hits like “Hot To Go!” “Good Luck, Babe!” “Red Wine Supernova” and “Femininomenon.” Finally, we see Roan blossoming into a superstar, working with the likes of Hozier and Elton John. These days, Roan has become a part of the mainstream, known for rewriting the rules of pop music.
Illustrator Maria Lia Malandrino illustrated the biography colorfully, expressing Roan’s life through bold hues that really represent the musician. We’re given a cartoonish look at the performer’s head-turning ensembles and her support of the queer community through Malandrino’s lens. Author Cat Reynolds took to her Instagram to discuss the book, writing, “I can’t even put into words what a dream come true it was to write a Little Golden Book about one of my all-time favorite artists & someone who is a role model to so many queer people. I am so so so grateful/proud/excited.”
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Little Golden Book has a slew of biographies to read through about top musicians today including Beyonce, Cher, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga. Each book is illustrated with care by different artists. The books are catered towards children ages 4 to 8 but can make a great gift for the music fan in your life.
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Before the immigration protests in California began earlier this month, California Governor Gavin Newsom was just another face in the already crowded public imagination of Democratic hopefuls.
The vivacious and personable Newsom had been your quintessential liberal governor that Republicans hate. He didn’t just support a woman’s right to get an abortion, he signed legislation allowing those in neighboring states like Arizona to be able to travel to his state seeking abortions without fear.
Once protests began in California earlier this month, the always-ready-for-violence commander in chief decided that he was going to release the National Guard because he can’t stand when people exercise their freedoms against his tyranny. This placed a public spotlight on the liberal state and its governor. By not acquiescing to the president’s demands, Newsom has become all the things people wished the Democratic members of Congress would be. He’s been sharp, stern and fearless. If this were a rap battle, Newsom’s been going bar for bar with the president with no signs of letting up.
When President Trump took to his bootleg version of X threatening to withhold federal funding to the third largest state in the country, Newsom floated the idea of withholding California’s federal taxes.
“We pay over $80 BILLION more in taxes than we get back” from the federal government, Newsom posted on X. “Maybe it’s time to cut that off.”
Trump, who loves to make up nicknames for those that don’t follow his commands, began calling Newsom, “New-scum” and claimed that he should have border czar Tom Holland arrest the governor, Newsom responded: quit talking about it and be about it, wit your broke….
Ok, fine, he didn’t say those words exactly but he didn’t back down and he noted that the Trump presidency was completely off the rails.
“The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor,” Newsom posted on Instagram along with a video of Trump’s comments, ABC News reports. “This is a day I hoped I would never see in America. I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican, this is a line we cannot cross as a nation — this is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism.”
“These are the acts of a dictator, not a President,” Newsom posted on X.
While Gavin Newsom has never publicly noted that he has any intention to run for higher office, it would be incredibly naive to ignore the fact that Gavin Newsom is having a moment.
If a doctor went into a lab to create the anti-Trump prototype he would make Gavin Newsom. Trump has failed at just about every business he ever lent his name to, while Newsom was a successful businessman who owns a highly profitable winery and hospitality company. He didn’t just come down an elevator in his outdated luxury digs and declare his run for office stoking the fears and racism that set the country back decades, Newsom came up the hard way. He began his political career in 1996 when he was appointed to the San Francisco Parking and Traffic Commission. The next year, he was elected to the Board of Supervisors. In 2003 he was elected mayor of San Francisco and served in that position until 2011.
Newsom would go on to serve as lieutenant governor of California, from 2011 to 2018. He was elected as the governor of California in 2018 and was re-elected in 2022.
In resisting the evils of tyranny and white supremacy ideology, Newsom has become the face of resistance against an authoritarian regime that has been hellbent on unleashing military force on its own citizens.
And this might be the biggest fight of Newsom’s political career.
D-riders from the Trump regime have all jumped into the fray. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has called for Newsom to be tar and feathered. Sen. Markwayne Mullin took to X to play in the governor’s face about violence caused by massive police presence during what were peaceful protests to which Newsom shot back: “If you want to discuss violence, let’s start with your state’s murder rate – which is 40% higher than California’s.”
And then there was White House Communications director Stephen Cheung who took to social media to call Newsom “the biggest cuck in American politics,” claiming that he’s allowed “domestic terrorists to desecrate and defile communities across CA.”
And yeah, that happened.
Newsom has emerged as a political stalwart by just not being messy and living for drama. He’s merely continued his one message to the resident’s of his state:
“Los Angeles: don’t take Trump’s bait. Trump wants chaos and he’s instigated violence,” Newsom said in a post on X. “Stay peaceful. Stay focused. Don’t give him the excuse he’s looking for.”
As it stands, the Trump administration deployed 2,000 National Guard and 700 U.S. Marines in the United States of America to stop protests against ICE raids that were going on at children’s graduations and court appearances. Oh, you didn’t know that part? Yep, ICE was running up in full masks and detaining people who were showing up to immigration hearings and using gatherings like graduations to arrest folks and pull them away from their family. Because this mass deportation drama has never been about “Making America white again” but that’s another story for another time.
Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for escalating chaos and violence by sending in the military without consent or input from the governor.
Newsom is like Batman at this point: a rich man with a tool belt and a vengeance against a regime and he’s using every available weapon in his arsenal to fight back.
Sometimes a hero isn’t the one we want so much as the one we have. Gavin Newsom has become the face against authoritarianism. He is the anti-Trump. And sometimes all you have to be is the one person willing to say something in a room full of people who are sitting on their hands.
And just like that you become the face of a movement.
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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. After years as one of the music industry’s most respected singers and songwriters, Victoria Monét has now added another title to […]
Fabio Gutiérrez — father of rising star Xavi and co-writer of several of his biggest hits — has signed a global administration deal with Warner Chappell Music, the company announced Wednesday (June 11).
WCM will administer future output and select tracks in Xavi’s repertoire, including “La Diabla,” “Corazón de Piedra,” “Sin Pagar Renta” and “En Privado” with Manuel Turizo — all co-written by Gutiérrez.
“It means a lot, it’s a dream for any songwriter,” Gutiérrez says over Zoom about his first-ever admin deal. Father to música mexicana star Xavi and emerging singer-songwriter Fabio Capri, Gutiérrez began writing as a teen but never fully developed his own career as an artist.
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“I became a father at 16 and I had to work for the family so I went into construction and had since worked as an electrician. I emigrated from Sonora to Phoenix and lived the whole American dream,” he says. “I didn’t make it as an artist because I didn’t have the maturity or the support, but I learned to do everything that Xavi would need when his time came.”
While being an electrician was his main source of income, Gutiérrez had always been passionate about music. As a young teen, he was part of a dance group and continued writing and producing songs on his own in his home studio. “My kids didn’t know I was doing [music] after work,” he says. But that all changed during the pandemic, when Gutiérrez decided he would teach Xavi how to write songs.
“That’s really how it all started,” he remembers with a smile on his face. “I was just being a dad, teaching him something new in life, just like you teach them how to walk, it’s been a lot of work and it’s all happened very fast.”
Signed to Interscope, Xavi — known for his style of corridos tumbados — topped the 2024 Year-End Top Latin Artist – New chart. His single “La Diabla” not only earned him his first No. 1 on a Billboard chart, but it also became the first champ of the year — crowing Hot Latin Songs for 14 consecutive weeks. Xavi’s success on the charts also made him the new artist of the year winner at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards.
“Besides being my dad, he’s played a huge role in everything I do musically,” Xavi said in a statement. “He’s my partner in crime! We write together, come up with crazy ideas, and there’s this cool chemistry between us. Honestly, it feels like we can read each other’s minds. We’re connected by blood and music.”
Gutiérrez remembers that when “La Diabla” went viral, he got a call from Xavi. “He was like, ‘Hey, what are you doing?’ And I was really busy at work, carrying things around. Then he said, ‘How do you feel with everything going on with the song?’ And I remember I told him, ‘I feel normal. You?’ He answered, ‘Yeah, I feel normal too.’ I told him that’s the way it always has to be, regardless of what happens. We are human beings and we simply dedicate ourselves to doing something with a lot of love and it feels nice to write music that connects with an audience.”
“Signing Fabio Gutiérrez is incredibly special for our team,” Delia Orjuela, head of creative Mexican music/música mexicana, Warner Chappell Music. “His creative partnership with both his sons Fabio Capri and Xavi, has helped shape one of the most exciting new voices in Latin music today. Their journey is a testament to the magic that happens when family, culture, and artistry come together.”
Besides songwriting, Gutiérrez also co-manages the careers of Xavi and Fabio Capri. “Everything is possible if you work hard, no matter where you come from. I didn’t have my dad but if I had my dad, I would have achieved more things,” Gutiérrez adds. “The job of being a parent is to discover the talent of your children and do anything you can to support whatever that talent is.”
LONDON — The U.K. government shared its spending review on Wednesday (Jun. 11), Labour’s first since it won 2024’s parliamentary election. The U.K. music industry, however, has raised concerns that funds are not being prioritized for the sector and warned that “action is needed now” to ensure its stature on the global stage.
The review has been keenly anticipated as sectors look to Labour to stimulate the economic growth promised in its election manifesto. The last full spending review was issued by the previous Conservative government in 2021, but in July 2024 Reeves claimed the Conservative party had overspent by £21.9 billion ($29.6 billion) and that “a necessary and urgent decision” on budgets was required. The review sets out day-to-day budgets for government departments for the next three years, and details long-term investment plans until the end of the decade.
In the new review, chancellor Rachel Reeves shared spending plans for the NHS (National Health Service), and across housing, defense, transport and more. In recent months, the U.K.’s stakeholders have lobbied the Labour government for additional funds for the music industry, but their calls appear to have gone largely unheard.
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Last Thursday (May 29), an open letter from the PRS Foundation called on the government to pledge £10 million ($13.5 million) per year for music export and exchange, with the goal of promoting the U.K. music scene on a global stage. The letter was signed by over 350 figures in the industry, including Glastonbury boss Emily Eavis, Beggars Group founder and chairman Martin Mills and rock band Nova Twins. The signatories said the fund would “stimulate the long-term growth of the U.K. music industry” and pointed to South Korea and Australia as nations that had seen successful export programs in recent years.
Gee Davy, chief executive of AIM (Association of Independent Music), said in a statement to Billboard U.K.: “The U.K.’s music is a key element of our soft power, which creates jobs and value for the economy beyond some sectors receiving help in the government spending review. But a combination of economic shocks has hit our sector, with an amplified effect on grassroots and independent music.”
She added, “To regain our position on the global stage we urgently need the government to step in with an ambitious export strategy and commit to long-term investment, alongside incentives to boost music creation with a tax credit scheme similar to that in film. Action is needed now.”
There’s also concern about the Labour government’s commitment to alleviating the live music scene’s struggles in recent years. Recent data from the MVT (Music Venues Trust) indicates that two grassroots venues are closing every month in the U.K. and that the wider night time scene – including bars, clubs and suppliers – is suffering.
Michael Kill, chief executive of the NTIA (Night Time Industry Associations) says that while the government’s commitment to long-term energy infrastructure was a positive step, “venues are struggling to keep the lights on today” due to rising costs in operation. He outlined that the night time industry contributes £153 billion ($207 billion) to the U.K. economy every year, and employs 2.1 million people, but that businesses need “clarity” on what to expect in relation to business rates and potential tax hikes in the near future.
“We need a budget that understands our value, not one that inadvertently accelerates decline,” Kill said. “The government must work in partnership with us. The capital investment plans may look bold, but the devil is in the detail. We need immediate support, clear fiscal strategy, and genuine engagement ahead of the Autumn budget if we are to safeguard a safe, thriving, and sustainable night time economy.”
Music in education settings has also been a key area of focus in recent months with huge talent throwing their weight behind the cause. At the BRITs in March, rising star Myles Smith used his winners’ speech to call on the government to make music education more accessible in state schools. Ed Sheeran, meanwhile, led a campaign backed by Elton John, Harry Styles and Coldplay that called for additional funding for lessons and instruments.
Damian Morgan, employability and industry lead at dBs Manchester, says that the “U.K.’s global success in music is no accident – it’s the result of years of investment, opportunity and education. But right now, we’re at a critical tipping point.” The dBs institutes in Manchester, Bristol and Plymouth offer professional training for students with an interest in music technology, game design and the creative industries.
Morgan adds, “Without serious and sustained support, we risk leaving behind a generation of talent that simply can’t afford to access the opportunities others take for granted. We need the government to take this seriously: invest in music education, protect it in the curriculum, and ensure young people from all backgrounds can find their way into our world-leading music industry.”
SEVENTEEN slink into a gloomy, post-apocalyptic world filled with old school technology in the video for their Pharrell Williams-produced single “Bad Influence.” The 13-member K-pop boy band dropped the visual from their new HAPPY BURSTDAY album on Wednesday (June 11) and fans will surely be picking through the arresting clip directed by Beomjin for days […]
As a lifelong Oasis fan, Orlando Bloom knew exactly who he wanted to emulate in his new movie, Deep Cover: Liam Gallagher.
While guesting on The Tonight Show Tuesday (June 10), the Pirates of the Caribbean star opened up about channeling the “Wonderwall” singer in his role as an extremely dedicated method actor, who in Deep Cover goes too far after he’s recruited by the police to help with a sting operation. “Seeing any actor take themselves too seriously — something I’ve never been guilty of, by the way — it’s just low-hanging fruit, but it’s fantastic,” Bloom began, laughing.
“The premise is my guy is an out-of-work actor, and he’s so desperate for his moment,” he continued. “He goes deep method … cuts his hair, then turns into, basically, Liam Gallagher. I grew up with Oasis, and I went to Knebworth, [which] was one of my favorite concerts.”
“Basically Liam is the swag bag of the band, you know, so the physicality was there for me, the accent was there for me,” Bloom added of the famously brash singer of the Manchester rock band.
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The interview comes just two days ahead of Deep Cover‘s June 12 premiere on Prime Video. The flick also stars Bryce Dallas Howard and Nick Mohammed as fellow improv enthusiasts tapped for the mission Bloom’s character gets involved in.
And while the Lord of the Rings star has been gearing up for the film’s release, his famous fiancée — Katy Perry — has been traveling the globe on her Lifetimes Tour, kicking off its Australian leg on June 4. Bloom did show off who’s been keeping him company while the pop star is on the trek on The Tonight Show, bringing his impossibly tiny dog, Biggie Smalls, with him to the interview with Fallon.
Also hitting the road soon is Oasis, with Liam and Noel Gallagher reuniting this summer for their first tour in more than 16 years following the end of the two brothers’ bitter feud. The Oasis Live ’25 Tour will kick off July 4 with a show at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, followed by performances across Europe, North America, Asia, Australia and Latin America.
Watch Bloom’s Tonight Show interview above.
Source: Dia Dipasupil / Getty
Nicki Minaj hops on the remix of Lil Wayne’s track “Banned From NO,” a fan favorite from his “Tha Carter VI” album.
While the queen wasn’t on the original version, she’s now back with some hard-hitting bars, and a few surprising shots at some well-known names.
One line that’s getting a lot of attention is aimed at sports commentator Shannon Sharpe. Nicki raps, “’Bout to cop you slides, all you do is flip-flop, if I send a pic of Shannon, you ain’t that Sharpe.” Many fans were confused at first, wondering why she would call him out. But Nicki later explained that years ago, Sharpe tweeted “Nicki who?” in a shady way. She clearly didn’t forget, and now she’s firing back in a verse. She even joked that she almost threw a shot at Chad Ochocinco too, since he’s often on shows with Sharpe, but decided not to.
Nicki also took a subtle jab at Jay-Z and the NFL. This year’s Super Bowl was held in New Orleans, Lil Wayne’s hometown, and many fans were upset that he wasn’t picked to perform at halftime. Instead, the NFL chose Kendrick Lamar. Nicki called it out in her lyrics, saying, *“NFL, fire some n*ggas and then call us,” hinting that the league only works with Black artists when it benefits them. She didn’t mention Jay-Z by name, but since he helps run the NFL’s entertainment deals, many believe the line was allegedly directed at him.
Whether she’s defending Lil Wayne or settling old scores, Nicki proves once again that she’s not afraid to speak her mind, and still knows how to grab everyone’s attention.
Take a look at some of the funniest reactions from the Barbz to Nicki Minaj sounding off on Shannon Sharpe and Jay-Z below.
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