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18 Jan 2024

Justin Timberlake Booked for ‘Tonight Show’ Appearance Amid New Music Teasers

Justin Timberlake is heading back to late night! The “Mirrors” singer is set to join The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Thursday (Jan. 25) as a guest alongside Molly Ringwald and musical guest Flo Milli.

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Because Timberlake and Fallon are longtime friends, fans are speculating that Timberlake will use the late night appearance to announce a new album era. He’s been teasing fans via social media over the past week, wiping his Instagram clean before posting a series of photos from what looks like a music video set.

“EITIW,” he captioned the post, with fans theorizing that the single will be called “Everything I Thought It Was.” Redditors even tracked down a trademark application filed by a mysterious LLC early last year for that phrase, as well as for “Everything I Thought It Was…A Sonic Film.”

Should Timberlake release a new album, it would mark his sixth album and first since 2018’s Man of the Woods. That project marked his fourth consecutive No. 1 on the Billboard 200, where it charted for a total of 19 weeks. Just days after the album’s Feb. 2 release, he performed at the Super Bowl LII halftime show in Minneapolis. In September, Timberlake reunited with *NSYNC to release “Better Place” for the Trolls Band Together soundtrack, marking the group’s first musical release since 2002 (when the Neptunes remix of “Girlfriend,” featuring Nelly, arrived).

18 Jan 2024

6 Alleged Chicago Gang Members Charged In Murder Of FBG Duck

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FBG Duck, a rapper and reported gang member, was shot and killed in a downtown Chicago area now for luxury shopping during daytime back in 2020. Now, six alleged Chicago gang members have been charged with the murder of FBG Duck.

As reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, FBG Duck, real name Carlton Weekly, was cornered in Chicago’s Gold Coast district with his girlfriend outside a clothing store in broad daylight. Prosecutors connected the brazen shooting to ongoing gang violence between Duck’s Tookaville gang set, part of the larger Gangster Disciples organization, and O Block, a faction of the Black Disciples.

After deliberations lasting two days, a federal jury handed down a conviction of the six men on Wednesday (Jan. 17) in connection to the shooting. The six men are Marcus “Muwop” Smart, 24; Christopher “C Thang” Thomas, 24; Kenneth “Kenny Mac” Roberson, 30; Charles “C Murda” Liggins, 32; Tacarlos “Los” Offerd, 32; and Ralph “Teezy” Turpin, 34. Each of them was found guilty of the murder in aid of racketeering and conspiring to murder FBG Duck.

In addition, Smart, Thomas, Roberson, Liggins, and Offerd were also convicted of using a firearm during the commission of the murder.

LaSheena Weekly, the mother of Duck, spoke to a gathering of media after the conviction.

“Knowing that they will not do that to another family brings me comfort, knowing they will not terrorize nobody else,” Ms. Weekly said. “They’re done, the whole crew. O Block and everything of it is done.”

She added, “I could never want another mother to feel like this, to see their child shot down in the street like a dog. They had FBG Duck death parties. That’s how much it meant to them.”

—

Photo: Getty

18 Jan 2024

‘I Think it Matters’: Justin Moore Explores His Personal Values in ‘This Is My Dirt’

Justin Moore’s current single, “This Is My Dirt,” is a three-and-a-half-minute musical evolution.

It starts with acoustic-guitar finger-picking, as a quasi-folk song that transforms into a country piece and eventually finds Moore in a big-voiced, arena-level anthem that reinforces family values and personal history. It also subtly explores the modern urban/rural battle over America’s very identity.

Moore wasn’t thinking about that last part when he wrote it last spring, and neither were his co-writers: Randy Montana (“Beer Never Broke My Heart,” “I Hope You’re Happy Now”), Paul DiGiovanni (“How Not To,” “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home”) and producer Jeremy Stover (“Why We Drink,” “You’re Like Comin’ Home”). They were instead gearing it toward Moore’s own circumstances. He lives on a 50-acre plot of Arkansas land that’s been in his family since the mid-1800s, and it provides a sense of security, of privacy and of identity.

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“We had horses and cows and animals, and we always had gardens,” Moore says. “The cows and stuff was just more of a hobby. It wasn’t really my grandpa’s main job – certainly it’s not mine, my parents’, either – but it’s special to be able to have it and be able to pass it down to my crew.”

Not everyone stays where they were raised, as Montana knows. He purchased some land in Tennessee and built a house, and when he visited the property during its construction, he recognized how much of the area’s farmland is undergoing a renovation.

“It’s just what’s going on in Nashville,” he says. “It’s growing so quick that a lot of these places are getting bought and turning into big subdivisions. And I get it. I love the growth. I love that people love this city. But I also have that nostalgia side of me. [The farms] are so aesthetically pretty that I wish they would stay that way.”

On a two-hour drive with his sons in the spring of 2023, Montana contemplated how that transformation happens – how someone pulls into a driveway, approaches the owner with an offer and, suddenly, 100 acres becomes 150 homes. He pictured a farmer passing on the deal, and he came up with a title: “This is My Dirt.” Montana worked on it in Nashville with DiGiovanni and Stover, creating a verse and chorus, and he finished it in a Zoom meeting from DiGiovanni’s studio with Moore and Stover, who were in Destin, Fla.

Some of the original phrases got reworked in the process. Montana’s initial opening line, about “Arkansas dirt on his overalls,” became “hard work caked on his overalls.” And the set-up line before the hook shifted from “You can’t put a price on what it’s worth” to something less common.

“I’ll never forget it,” Montana says. “I remember Jeremy going, like, ‘Dude, I just wish it was something a little odd.’ And then he literally goes, ‘What if it’s like, “You can’t put a greenback dollar…”’ And I thought that was so cool, because it’s an old-school way of describing a dollar.”

Moore personalized “This Is My Dirt” a bit beyond that, replacing several words and jacking the chorus melody into a higher range. “Justin, with his voice, he can do things most other singers in town maybe wish they could do, as far as like range and hitting those high notes,” DiGiovanni says. “He really wanted to pick it up an octave in the chorus and really make that soaring melody.”

They tailored it further to his situation in a short, two-line bridge, the first line devoted to the five generations of Moores that have occupied his land. The math is correct – his kids are the fifth generation – and if the bridge’s last line follows his plans, Moore will be buried on the property, too. “My 14-year-old knows, ‘Hey, you guys are gonna be taken care of, and you can sell trucks and boats and this and that, but there is no selling this [land]. Ever. Period,” Moore says. “That will be written into our will.”

DiGiovanni produced a demo in Nashville around a light, but incessant, drumbeat, and Montana laid down a vocal, challenged by the enhanced melody that Moore had created. “He’s got incredible range, and so it was kind of a stretch for me as a singer,” Montana allows. “It’s effortless for him.”

They sent the track to Destin, and Moore recut the vocal at Stover’s house. Much of that casual take ended up in the recording’s final vocal. Moore and Stover, who co-produced with Big Machine Label Group president/CEO Scott Borchetta, cut the master instrumental tracks at The Castle in Franklin, Tenn., with guitarist Danny Rader augmenting Moore’s road band: guitarists Stephan LaPlante and Roger Coleman, keyboardist Wil Houchens, drummer Tucker Wilson and bassist Dave Dubas.

“They crushed it,” Stover says. “He has a really, really great band. I mean, these guys are super seasoned.”

Borchetta suggested Moore try to lift the vocal performance even further on the last chorus, and the singer hit some higher notes, despite attacking it in the morning when his vocal cords weren’t fully ready to go. “The first time I heard it, I got super goosebumps,” DiGiovanni says. “It’s an epic song at the end of the day, and to really kick it up one more notch at the end – I was like, ‘Yep, this is what it should be.”

The plot for “This Is My Dirt” makes a classic statement, as Moore’s character chooses his family’s history – and his kids’ future – over the greenback dollars. “The story of this song for me is the guy values the memories more than the money,” Stover says. 

But the song also points to larger societal issues. Every time a farm becomes a subdivision, it reduces the nation’s food-production abilities and the inhabitable area for wild animals, sometimes including endangered species. “Everywhere we go we destroy it,” Moore says.

If, however, farmers routinely hang onto their property rather than sell to developers, the cities face more congestion. The issue, and how Americans incentivize the decisions around it, make a statement about who we are and what we value.

“This Is My Dirt” was written as a focused song about a man taking a stand for his family and his lifestyle, and it’s a good bet that most listeners will take it at that level, but it’s also a gateway to deeper conversations for anyone who cares to explore the topic further. Valory released “Dirt” to country radio via PlayMPE on Nov. 16, and it ranks No. 49 on the Country Airplay chart dated Jan. 20.     

“We haven’t really done what you would consider maybe a lifestyle-type song in a little while,” Moore says. “We’ve done the beer-drinkin’ stuff, and we’ve had some love songs out. I don’t know that we’ve done one like this in a while. And I think that’s really been an important part of my career and has contributed to our longevity. It’s being upfront and honest with like, who I am as a person. I think it matters.”

18 Jan 2024

Billboard Explains: Green Day’s Chart Success

Ahead of the release of Green Day’s 14th studio album Saviors, Billboard is looking back at the band’s biggest chart achievements. This is Billboard Explains: Green Day’s Chart Success.

Alyssa Caverley:
Green Day has been a staple on the Billboard charts. Throughout their decades-long career, they’ve appeared multiple times on numerous charts, and with the release of their 14th studio album, Saviors, let’s look back at their biggest chart achievements. This is Billboard Explains: Green Day’s Chart Success.

Green Day’s first song to debut on Billboard charts was “Longview” in 1994. The track climbed all the way to No.1, becoming their first of 12 No. 1s today. And since then, they’ve left their mark on many other Billboard charts, including the Hot 100. The rock band has two top 10 hits, including “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” which peaked at No. 2 in 2005, and “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” which reached No. 6 also in 2005.

The band has earned three No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 chart, including 2004’s American Idiot, 2009’s 21st Century Breakdown, and 2016’s Revolution Radio, which features “Bang Bang.”

Green Day also holds a number of Billboard chart records. They are tied with Foo Fighters and Linkin Park for the second most No. 1s in Alternative AirPlay history with 12 after the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and they’re tied with the Chili Peppers for the fourth most appearances on Alternative AirPlay with 37. Plus, they have the third most top 10s and Alternative AirPlay history with 25, and the second most No. 1s on Rock and Alternative AirPlay with seven.

There’s no doubt that Green Day has left a record-making mark on the charts.

18 Jan 2024

Billboard Explains: Green Day’s Chart Success

Green Day didn’t want to be a bunch of American idiots, so they became Billboard chart titans instead. The iconic rockers are currently prepping the release of Saviors — their 14th studio album — and in anticipation of their latest LP, Billboard is reflecting on the band’s biggest chart achievements across their decades-long career.

The Cali-bred band made its first entry on a Billboard chart back in 1994 with “Longview,” their debut single. The track soared to No. 1 on Alternative Airplay, becoming the first of 12 for the Grammy-winning rock icons. Since “Longview,” Green Day has gone on to become the act with the second-most chart-toppers in Alternative Airplay history, alongside fellow rock bands Foo Fighters and Linkin Park (12).

Alternative Airplay has proven to be an area of dominance for Green Day. The band is tied with Red Hot Chili Peppers for the fourth-most Alternative Airplay entries of all time (37), and they also boast the third-most top 10 hits on the ranking (25). Over on Rock & Alternative Airplay, Green Day stands as the act with the second-most No. 1 hits (7).

Of course, Green Day wouldn’t be Green Day without its era-defining crossover success. The band has notched a pair of top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 — both in 2006 — thanks to the beloved American Idiot singles “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” (No. 2) and “Wake Me Up When September Ends” (No. 6). On the Billboard 200, the band has sent 11 titles to the top 10, including the chart-toppers American Idiot (2004, three weeks), 21st Century Breakdown (2009, one week) and Revolution Radio (2016, one week).

Although Saviors doesn’t hit DSPs until Jan. 19, the album has already helped the band increase some of its Billboard chart tallies. “The American Dream Is Killing Me,” the set’s lead single, peaked atop Rock Airplay and reached No. 22 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs.

Check out the full Billboard Explains video on Green Day’s chart success above.

After that video, catch up on more Billboard Explains videos and learn about Peso Pluma and the Mexican music boom, the role record labels play, origins of hip-hop, how Beyoncé arrived at Renaissance, the evolution of girl groups, BBMAs, NFTs, SXSW, the magic of boy bands, American Music Awards, the Billboard Latin Music Awards, the Hot 100 chart, how R&B/hip-hop became the biggest genre in the U.S., how festivals book their lineups, Billie Eilish’s formula for success, the history of rap battles, nonbinary awareness in music, the Billboard Music Awards, the Free Britney movement, rise of K-pop in the U.S., why Taylor Swift is re-recording her first six albums, the boom of hit all-female collaborations, how Grammy nominees and winners are chosen, why songwriters are selling their publishing catalogs, how the Super Bowl halftime show is booked and more.

18 Jan 2024

Label Bosses Ángel del Villar & Javier ‘El Tamarindo’ González Launch Distribution Company

Music executives Ángel del Villar and Javier “El Tamarindo” González have joined forces to launch a new distribution company, DSTRO7. Del Villar’s indie label, DEL Records, will be exclusively distributed by DSTRO7, as will González’s Tamarindo Rekordsz, which he founded in 2012.

According to a press release, the company will focus on music streaming, monetization, promotion, marketing, data and analytics, and creative services including recording, production, mixing, mastering and video production. DSTRO7 is currently onboarding “a wide variety of clients,” according to a company representative.

The launch of the company follows a massive year for DEL Records. Founded by del Villar in 2008, the label is home to música mexicana supergroup Eslabon Armado, whose global hit, “Ella Baila Sola” with Peso Pluma, became one of the biggest songs of 2023. With more than 600 million on-demand official streams in the United States, according to Luminate, the track landed at No. 1 on the year-end Hot Latin Songs chart. Last year, Eslabon also scored its sixth leader on Billboard‘s Regional Mexican Albums chart.

DEL Records previously had distribution deals with Ingrooves and Virgin Music, although a representative for the label confirms DSTRO7 will now be its exclusive distributor.

The new distribution deal marks a fresh start for Tamarindo Rekordsz. In December 2022, González and regional Mexican star Carin León announced they had mutually agreed to part ways after a five-year relationship, during which León earned his first Latin Grammy win as well as 11 entries on the Hot Latin Songs chart and 10 top 10 songs on the Regional Mexican Airplay chart. Months after the two split, González filed a lawsuit against distribution company Oplaai — Tamarindo’s distributor since 2018 — for copyright infringement over allegations that Oplaai underpaid him for revenue from León’s music.

18 Jan 2024

YG Marley Is Latest Marley Family Member to Score a Breakout Hit — With Help From His Legendary Mom

Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up column, 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. 
 
This week: YG Marley becomes the latest artist in his legendary family with a breakout single (with an assist from Mom), Rich Gang’s signature smash makes the viral rounds yet again, social media’s Jacob Elordi obsession results in another revived hit and more.

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“Praise Jah!”: YG Marley Adds Yet Another Hit to the Marley Family Legacy   



Just one month out from the theatrical release of Bob Marley: One Love (Feb. 14), the forthcoming Reinaldo Marcus Green-helmed biopic of the late reggae legend, the Marley family is adding yet another hit to their already sprawling cross-generational collection. “Praise Jah in the Moonlight,” the debut single from YG Marley, is currently exploding at streaming, garnering 1.28 million official on-demand streams during the period of Jan. 12-16, according to Luminate. That marks a whopping 176.4% increase in streams from the previous period (Jan. 5-9).  

Marley’s debut track is experiencing a perfect storm of pre-release promotion and viral facts related to the song’s credits. Last winter, Marley performed “Praise Jah” at several of his mother’s tour stops. His mother? None other than Ms. Lauryn Hill. Naturally, footage from those shows gained lots of traction on socials, with fans kickstarting a grassroots campaign for an official release of the song. “Praise Jah in the Moonlight” eventually hit DSPs shortly after Christmas (Dec. 27, 2023), and once fans perused the credits, another viral element was added to the song’s run.  

“Praise Jah” is co-written by Marley and Hill and includes elements of Bob Marely & The Wailers’ “Crisis,” earning the music icon composer and lyricist credits. This information has quickly made the rounds on socials, with fans praising the musical lineage of YG Marley and embracing the song’s focus on traditional reggae stylings. Having already hit No. 1 on Spotify’s Global and U.S. Viral 50 charts, “Praise Jah in the Moonlight” is looking to grow into a true breakout hit for YG Marley. – KYLE DENIS

Back to the Top for Rich Gang’s “Lifestyle,” Thanks to Very Different Viral Videos 



Rich Gang’s 2010s anthem “Lifestyle,” a No. 16 Hot 100 hit in 2014, has been gaining on streaming this week thanks to a few viral videos. The song first re-entered the cultural zeitgeist when model Alex Consani posted a video of herself dancing to the track at brunch. Since its posting, the video has been liked 4.6 million times with one commenter calling it the “video of the year” (that comment has been liked 110.4K times). 

The ”Lifestyle” hype grew even further last week when it was played in the court room during Young Thug’s trial and later clips of the moment went viral on social media. All this has led to a 307% jump in streams in the last week, according to Luminate — with the song rising from 723,000 U.S. on-demand streams for the four-day period of Jan. 5-8 to over 2.2 million for the same period the following week. – KRISTIN ROBINSON

Jacob Elordi’s Sex Appeal Revives Near-Decade-Old Flume Hit  



Between his starring turns in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla and Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn, Jacob Elordi has become the Internet’s latest obsession. Of course, the 6’5” Australian actor has long been a star for younger audiences thanks to The Kissing Booth trilogy and Euphoria, but he’s hit a new level in the past few months.  

Case in point: A fan-created montage gawking over Elordi’s good looks has sparked a streaming revival for the nearly decade-old song that plays in the background. The fan-cam, which is comprised entirely of shots of Elordi’s Saltburn character, is set to Flume and Kai’s “Never Be Like You,” an era-defining dance track that reached No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 back in 2016. During the week of Jan. 5-11, the Grammy-nominated track pulled in 2.12 million official on-demand U.S. streams, marking a 75% increase from the previous week.  

The Jan. 3 TikTok that kickstarted the “Never Be Like You” surge has since collected a jaw-dropping 42.1 million views and 6.5 million likes on the platform in just two weeks. The sound attached to the post – which is logged as separate from the official “Never Be Like You” sound – has already been used in over 18,000 posts – nearly all of which are about Elordi or Saltburn in some way. Between Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder on the Dancefloor” and now “Never Be Like You,” it looks like Saltburn has the Midas Touch when it comes to minting new-old hits. – KD

Let the Man Go Through: ‘Reacher’ Surrender Spurs Soul Coughing Bump 



Amazon’s action-crime series Reacher, based on the popular Jack Reacher book series, has become one of the streaming service’s biggest serial hits. With episodes of its second season now being released weekly, individual episodes are proving to have a pronounced streaming impact with some of their higher-profile synchs.  

Most recently, Soul Coughing’s late-’90s left-field alt-rock hit “Super Bon Bon” was used extensively in the climax to the season’s Jan. 12-debuting penultimate episode, where the title character (played by Alan Ritchson) gives himself up to antagonist Shane Langston (Robert Patrick) as part of a thusfar-unseen plan to rescue his team members from capture. The song’s warped bass line and sung-spoken “Move a-siiiiide and let the man go through” commands perfectly matched the tension of the scene, and captured the interest of viewers – many of whom were likely unfamiliar with the song previously, as evidenced by the song ranking in the top 10 of Shazam’s U.S. Top 200 this week.  

That interest also extended to DSPs, as “Super Bon Bon” notched over 118,000 official on-demand U.S. streams for the first four days of this tracking week (Jan. 12-15), according to Luminate – a 342% gain from the 27,000 streams it posted over a similar period in the previous week. If that’s what a second-to-last episode synch can do, you can bet music supervisors will be paying attention to the performance of any synchs in the upcoming season finale, airing tomorrow (Jan. 19). – ANDREW UNTERBERGER 

Muni Long’s “Made for Me” Turns Viral ‘Blue Pajama’ Trend Into Big Streaming Gains  



Soul singer-songwriter Muni Long’s “Made for Me” already had radio on its side – the track has reached No. 2 on Adult R&B Airplay and No. 14 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay – and now it’s turning into a sizable streaming hit thanks, in part, to a hilarious TikTok trend.  

TikTok creator @peezyp – better known as “girl with the blue pajamas” — jump-started a simple trend that has captivated the app’s users and sparked new interest in Long’s latest single. The trend is simple: Decked out in blue pajamas, users walk toward the camera (lots of head-bobbing and playing to the camera as if you’re in a ‘90s R&B music video are highly encouraged) while lip-syncing the chorus of the song. The trend’s specifics draw some inspiration from Muni Long’s performance of the track at the 2023 Soul Train Music Awards.  

“Made for Me” has been logging over 500,000 official on-demand streams per week for the past month and a half, but the song has shown remarkable growth over the past two weeks. During the week of Dec. 29-Jan. 4, “Made for Me” earned 1.22 million streams, increasing by 25% the following week to 1.53 million streams. Long herself has got in on the fun; On Wednesday (Jan. 17), she posted a TikTok of her jumping on the trend with the caption, “Lemme go buy some blue pajamas rq.” The official “Made for Me” sound currently plays in over 44,500 TikTok posts, while its official music video – which stars fellow R&B fixture Luke James – has garnered over 200,000 views in less than 24 hours.  

Should streams continue to rise alongside its airplay numbers, “Made for Me” could very well become Muni Long’s third career entry on the Hot 100. – KD

Season’s Gainings: MLK Day Bumps for ‘60s Protest Anthems 



We don’t typically see huge streaming spikes related to the January commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day – it’s not really the kind of holiday most folks feel needs a soundtrack, for obvious reasons. That said, there were a few period anthems that understandably saw bumps in streaming on Monday (Jan. 15) for their topical relevance – including James Brown’s “Say It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud)” (up 117% in official on-demand U.S. streams from the previous Monday to nearly 7,000, according to Luminate), Dion’s “Abraham, Martin & John” (up 46%, also to nearly 7,000) and Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” (up 14% to over 89,000). And of course, there were also gains for U2’s hit MLK tribute, the classic rock staple “Pride (In the Name of Love),” which rose 12% to over 46,000. – AU

18 Jan 2024

Lil Nas X Gets Vulnerable in Intimate Trailer for ‘Long Live Montero’ Documentary: Watch

For the last few years, Lil Nas X has carefully built up his public persona as a pop provocateur, master marketer and hilarious internet troll. But in a new clip, the rapper is stripping away all the facade and letting fans get to see the person underneath.

On Thursday (Jan. 18), Lil Nas X unveiled the trailer for Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero, his new documentary set to premiere on Max on Jan. 27. In the trailer, the singer shares his struggle dealing with public perception as a seemingly controversial figure in the music industry. “Some people think my music is dope,” he says at the outset of the trailer, over clips of him recording music and performing on tour. “Some people see me as, like, this satanic devil. But me…?”

The trailer focuses on the star’s rocket to fame following the success of his breakthrough single “Old Town Road,” as well as his journey with coming out, releasing his debut album Montero and his relationship with his family, all set against the backdrop of his 2022 Long Live Montero Tour.

“So many queer people are making these huge strides, but it’s a fight,” he says in the trailer. “There’s still parts of myself that I’m learning to accept. But we’re getting closer.”

The documentary officially premiered at the Toronto Independent Film Festival in September 2023. According to a press release at the time, the film was “shot over the course of 60 days with unparalleled access” and follows Lil Nas on an “emotional odyssey through the creation and performance of the critically acclaimed Long Live Montero show.”

The new film comes on the heels of the rapper’s controversial new single “J CHRIST,” which received enough backlash to cause Lil Nas to release a video on his Instagram explaining his thought process behind the religious-themed music video. “I know I messed up really bad this time. I can act unbothered all I want, but it’s definitely taken a mental toll on me,” he said. “I’m not some evil demon guy trying to destroy everybody’s values and stuff like that. That’s not me.”

Check out the official trailer for Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero below:

18 Jan 2024

Latto, Ludacris & DJ Khaled Join ‘Rhythm + Flow’ Season 2 as Judges

After a five-year hiatus, Netflix’s popular hip-hop competition show Rhythm + Flow will return for season two later this year. 

The show that crowned its inaugural champion, Grammy-nominated MC D Smoke — and featured guest judges Cardi B, Chance The Rapper, and T.I. — has shaken the program’s lineup dramatically with its new judges Latto, DJ Khaled and Ludacris. In addition, Eminem will serve as a special guest judge for the show’s “Battle Round” competition. 

“We are taking things up a notch with a new cast of global hitmakers in our judges and a new pool of undiscovered artists,” Brandon Riegg, Netflix’s vp of nonfiction series, said in a statement. “Hip-hop continues to evolve, so it’ll be thrilling to see Ludacris, Latto and DJ Khaled mentoring contestants during their journeys, along with legendary guest judges like Eminem providing their own brand of insight and advice. We saw this type of life-changing mentorship play out with past contestants whose musical geniuses reached massive audiences across our global platform.”

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Jessie Collins and Dionne Harmon, Rhythm + Flow’s executive producers, echoed Riegg’s enthusiasm with their joint statement. “We are so excited to partner with Netflix for the second season of Rhythm + Flow. This season features a powerhouse panel of judges, each with a distinct and influential role in hip-hop culture. In this significant moment for the genre, the focus extends beyond the music alone. We’re seeking unconventional voices and authentic stories that peel back layers and invite fans to immerse themselves in the contestants’ world as we spotlight the continually evolving spirit of hip-hop.”

There is not yet a premiere date for season two, which is expected later this year.

Rhythm + Flow has featured notable guest stars including Miguel, Jhene Aiko, Snoop Dogg and the late Nipsey Hussle. Season one winner, D Smoke, outlasted second-place contestant Flawless Real Talk and won $250,000. In 2021, Smoke nabbed two Grammy nominations, including best rap album. 

Check out the trailer below. 

18 Jan 2024

Music Sustainability Summit Moves to Larger Venue Due to High Demand

The first-ever North American music industry climate summit is growing.

The inaugural Music Sustainability Summit has announced that due to high demand, it’s moving the event from the USC campus to the 2,300-capacity The Novo in downtown Los Angeles.

Set to take place on Feb. 4, the summit will feature a day’s worth of discussions on how the music industry is addressing, adapting to and finding solutions for the climate crisis.

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In addition to the summit’s previously announced programming, the event has added a conversation with promoters and venues including Lindsay Arell, the chief sustainability officer of ASM Global; Lucy August-Perna, the head of global sustainability at Live Nation Entertainment; Erik Distler, the vp of sustainability at AEG; and Kristen Fulmer, the head of sustainability at Oak View Group and GOAL. The discussion will focus on challenges, bright spots and visions for the future.

Additionally, the summit has added a conversation between representatives from several major labels, including Olga LaBelle, the vp/head of ESG at Warner Music Group. Representatives from two other labels will be announced in the coming weeks.

Newly added speakers include Jonathan Foley, the executive director of Project Drawdown; Cassie Lee, the CEO of Sound Future; Adam Met of the band AJR, who also serves as the executive director of Planet Reimagined and a professor at Columbia University; artist Beattie Wolfe; artist AY Young; Jett Glozier, the global head of infrastructure at Sound Diplomacy; Jon Ozaksut, the digital director at the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication; and Rita Kampalath, the chief sustainability offer of L.A. County.

Tickets for the summit are on sale now and available on a sliding scale. The doors open at 8:30 a.m., with programming beginning promptly at 9 a.m. and running until 5:30 p.m.

The event is being organized by the Music Sustainability Alliance, which provides science-based solutions, business case analyses, best practices and tools for operational change across the music industry. The Alliance reports that a diverse group of attendees has already registered for the event, including big names in climate science and sustainability, along with music industry professionals from venues, promoters, agencies, production companies, artist management companies and more.

“Every job is a climate job,” the Music Sustainability Alliance’s Amy Morrison tells Billboard.

Billboard is the official media partner of the Music Sustainability Summit.