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Here’s Why 50 Cent Thinks This 78-Year-Old Oscar Winner Will Be ‘Sexy Forever’

50 Cent‘s crush on Dame Helen Mirren is still going strong — in fact, he says he’ll probably never get over her. Speaking to Men’s Health for his new cover story, the rapper opened up about his love for the 78-year-old Oscar winner, sharing that he thinks Mirren will be “sexy forever.”

“She’s sexy,” he told the publication. “She’ll look at you, and you go, ‘Oh s–t!’ I don’t care how old she get, I don’t give a f–k what nobody says, she’s sexy.”

Recalling the time he met the 1923 star in Monaco at the 2017 Monte Carlo TV Festival, Fiddy added, “Her husband was just right there with her, he’s going ‘Oh, that’s just what she does.’ He notices what you notice, that she’s sexy. It’s confidence. It’s everything she is for all of these years. She’s going to be sexy forever.”

This is far from the first time since their fateful first encounter that “Candy Shop” musician has proclaimed his love for Mirren. Just a couple days after their red carpet meeting at the Monte Carlo TV Festival, he took to Instagram to write: “I think I love her man, I’m trying not to stare at her. She know she turns me on. She just has that thing, you know I can’t describe it. LOL.”

The next year, he once again opened up about his crush when he visited Conan. “She looked at me and this interesting thing was going on in her eyes,” he told the late-night host. “She knows she’s sexy!”

Watch 50 Cent gush about Helen Mirren to Men’s Health above.

Sinead O’Connor’s Streams Surged by 2,885% Following Her Death

Streams and sales of Sinead O’Connor’s catalog vaulted following the Irish singer’s death on July 26, with many of her songs returning to the Billboard charts dated Aug. 5.

O’Connor’s catalog earned 7.9 million official on-demand U.S. streams in the July 21-27 tracking week, up 774% from 901,000 July 14-20, according to Luminate.

As for July 26-27 vs. July 24-25, O’Connor’s official on-demand U.S. song streams grew from 243,000 to 7.3 million, up 2,885%.

Additionally, downloads of her songs totaled 17,000 July 21-27, a 5,348% surge from a negligible amount July 14-20.

In terms of albums, O’Connor’s music earned 11,000 equivalent album units July 21-27, up 1,346% from 1,000 the week before. Of those 11,000 units, 4,000 were via album sales.

With consumption gains come multiple appearances on the Billboard charts for O’Connor, paced by her cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” which returns to the Rock Digital Song Sales and Alternative Digital Song Sales surveys at No. 1 with 10,000 downloads sold.

The song also accrued 3.2 million streams, which, combined with its sales, drive it onto the multi-metric Hot Rock & Alternative Songs tally at No. 10 (where older songs are eligible to appear if in the top half and with a meaningful reason for their resurgences).

It’s the song’s second time on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (which began in 2009); it ranked at No. 16 on the May 14, 2016, chart with streaming and sales gains following Prince’s death.

“Nothing Compares 2 U” was O’Connor’s lone Billboard Hot 100 No. 1, reigning for four weeks in 1990.

O’Connor’s songs “Mandinka” and “The Emperor’s New Clothes” also reach Alternative Digital Song Sales, at Nos. 16 and 17, respectively, and Rock Digital Song Sales (Nos. 24 and 25), with approximately 1,000 downloads sold apiece. “The Emperor’s New Clothes” was O’Connor’s lone other entry on the Hot 100, as the follow-up to “Nothing Compares 2 U” reached No. 60 in 1990.

Further placements for O’Connor’s music are possible on the Aug. 12-dated Billboard charts following a full week of sales, streaming and airplay tracking (July 28-Aug. 3).

O’Connor died in London at age 56. A cause of death has not been announced.

A$AP Rocky Stars in Mercer + Prince Whiskey Campaign: Where to Shop

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.

A$AP Rocky has adventured outside of rap by starring in the first ever campaign for Mercer + Prince whiskey. This marks the rapper’s first step in venturing into the world of musician-owned alcohol brands as the founder and owner of the alcohol brand.

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The whiskey was originally introduced in 2022, but is now growing with the introduction of the campaign, “Carefully Crafted,” which looks to showcase the “D.M.B” rapper’s style, taste and inspiration with each bottle. Throughout the campaign video, you get a peek inside the process of sculpting the spirit into a finely made whiskey to be enjoyed with friends.

To celebrate it’s one-year anniversary, Rocky took to Instagram Thursday (Aug. 3) to commemorate the moment with a video of the campaign alongside stills of the whiskey.

It was a desire to mix culture and art paired with Rocky’s fascination and appreciation with distillery that lead him to start create his own whiskey, according to the brand’s website. Since then, the whiskey brand has since expanded where you can snag a bottle including to online retailers ReserveBar, Total Wine and Drizly.

This isn’t the first campaign the star has been in either as the rapper can also be seen showing off the latest Beats Studio Pros.

Want to test the whiskey out for yourself? Keep reading to shop the rapper’s whiskey.

glass rectangular bottle of whiskey with two square cups

ReserveBar

Mercer + Prince by A$AP Rocky – Blended Canadian Whisky

$29.99

Each sip of the Mercer + Prince whiskey comes from a twice distilled and aged for at least four years recipe, which all takes place in American white oak (ex-bourbon) barrels. The Canadian whiskey has influences from Japanese Mizunara Oak to help achieve a smooth texture paired with a rich taste.

The bottle is also one to put on display as it features a statue-like structure and two rock glasses that’ll make pouring a drink for you and your friend simple and quick.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best musician-owned wines, tequila brands and the best porthole drink infuser.

New Music Latin: Listen to Releases From Grupo Frontera, Kali Uchis, & More

New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.

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Grupo Frontera, El Comienzo (Grupo Frontera)

After gaining virality with their Morat cover of “No Se Va” and taking advantage of the momentum to release original music — which has earned them seven titles on the Billboard Hot 100, and 10 on Hot Latin Songs (including a No. 1 hit) — Grupo Frontera has officially launched their debut studio album, El Comienzo (the beginning). Home to 11 tracks, the McAllen-based group delivers a traditional norteño-cumbia set with some very heartfelt and relatable lyrics — mostly about love and heartbreak.

Most notable are the star-studded collaborations. For “Alta Voz,” Frontera brings back Junior H in his sad boy era, singing about missing someone and calling them despite the hour; in “Las Flores,” Frontera and Yahritza y Su Esencia’s second collaborative effort, we find an upbeat, ‘90s-inspired grupero melody backing a vocal about regretting falling in love; and on focus single “El Amor de Su Vida,” with Grupo Firme, a man makes his peace that the love of his life is with another person. El Comienzo also includes previously released collabs “Que Vuelvas” with Carin León, “Ojitos Rojos” with Ke Personajes, and the Bad Bunny-assisted “Un X100to,” which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 earlier this year. Stream and listen to the album above.  — JESSICA ROIZ

Kali Uchis, El Alfa & JT from City Girls, “Muñequita” (Geffen Records)



Kali Uchis brings her enigmatic allure to the main room on the sultry single, “Muñequita.” This time, the Colombian-American femme fatale enlists an eclectic cast, Dominican dembow purveyor El Alfa and JT of City Girls, who each bring their dynamic energy to kick off a new summer anthem. “I love bringing artists together that you’d least expect,” said the Grammy winner in a press release. “El Alfa is a Latino legend and JT is someone I’ve admired forever. Both of them are known for their summer hits and high energy, so I’m incredibly excited to bring them together for a fun, sexy song like this.” Produced by Mazzarri and FABV, “Muñequita” is the first single that will lead to Kali Uchis’ upcoming Spanish-language album. The singer recently wrapped up the first leg of her sold-out Red Moon In Venus national tour. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

Timø, “Quédate” (Universal Music Latino)



Between a deluge of urban songs and regional Mexican music that is so hot these days, it’s also refreshing to hear a good Latin pop song. Emerging boy band TIMØ brings us one this week with their single “Quédate” (Stay). With strong synth lines, an infectious kick drum that drives the song and crescendoing acoustic guitars, the Colombian trio takes turns singing about an unexpected reunion with love. “I only know that you and I met again, stay,” they conclude in their lyrics. In the video, you can see the members in different shots enjoying a party at sunset and at the beach. The talented group, which mixes pop music with hints of funk and tropical, made in Colombia, turns out to be a pleasant discovery. — LUISA CALLE

Camila Fernández, “Una Vida” (Universal Music Mexico)



In true Fernández dynasty form, Camila Fernández’s delivery of a mariachi or norteño song is just as evocative as her grandfather’s (Vicente Fernández) and her father’s (Alejandro Fernández). The accordion-led “Una Vida,” Camila’s latest single, is a gorgeous mariachi ballad about finding and preserving genuine love — one that centers on each other’s spiritual growth. With her striking, mature and deep vocals, Camila sings, “today I place all bets on you even if there’s no guarantee … if I had to repeat every step that led me to you, I would do it with pleasure.” The song follows previously released singles “Fue Tan Poco Tu Cariño” and “Todo Todo” from earlier this year, as well as her 2022 debut album, Vulnerable. The music video for “Una Vida” features Camila’s maternal grandparents, who portray a beautiful love story. — GRISELDA FLORES

Damian, “Sabrosura” (WOW! Entertainment)



Colombian singer-songwriter Damian — one of Billboard’s On the Radar Latin artists — continues spreading the joy of the Caribbean with his new single “Sabrosura.” The song, which follows his romantic vallenato “El Amor No Es Amor,” is a refreshing urban cumbia that invites you to dance and put your sorrows aside, with rap verses like “Forget your problems, there is a solution for everything/ Let this rhythm enter your heart,” and a contagious chorus that repeats, “Sabrosuratraigo sabrosura,” which could be translated to “Flavor, I bring flavor.” The colorful music video, filmed in Barranquilla, Colombia and directed by Harlyn Camargo, is sure to put a smile on your face. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Lagos, “Soltando a Pedazos” (Warner Music Mexico)



Luis Jiménez and Mr. A on the Beat (real name: Agustín Zubillaga), the up-and-coming Venezuelan pop duo LAGOS, present their latest single “Soltando A Pedazos.” The single kicks off the start of a new creative phase, leading up to their forthcoming sophomore album. Powered by the melodies of an electric piano with ’80s-reminiscent melodies, and laced with their soothing voices, this song talks about the complex emotions that arise when it’s time to let go of someone knowing that it’s not an easy decision. “And although I’m letting you go, it’s by pieces/ I’m leaving confident, but I’m going slowly, step by step,” they sing. — INGRID FAJARDO

Check out more editor’s picks in the weekly playlist below!

Black Northwestern Football Players Claim Racial Hazing

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 19 Northwestern at Purdue

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Former Black football players at Northwestern University have alleged racial hazing, including being forced into watermelon-eating contests in lawsuits.

According to reports, the two former players filed lawsuits against the university in Cook County Circuit Court, adding to the growing hazing scandal that has engulfed the Chicago-area college over the past few weeks. The lawsuits claim that Black players on the team were forced to compete in racist watermelon-eating contests. “‘This is a clear promotion of the indisputably racist watermelon stereotype and anti-black racist trope,’ the litigation documents state.

The two players, who remain anonymous, were on the team during the 2004 and 2005 seasons. Their lawsuits note that at that time, former head coach Pat Fitzgerald was the linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator and “knew and encouraged this behavior to happen to these very young and impressionable men.”

Further details from the lawsuits echo allegations from previously filed lawsuits, claiming that players were singled out for hazing. “Underclassmen, specifically freshmen on the football team, were forced to engage in horrific, despicable, and sexually explicit forms of hazing,” the documents state. There are more allegations of physical and sexual abuse and claims that the coaches not only knew about it but did nothing to stop it.

Fitzgerald, who maintains that he was unaware of the abuses, was fired by Northwestern last month after independent reporting from The Daily Northwestern exposed further details of the allegations. The university announced on Tuesday that former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch will be leading an independent review of the athletic department. “Hazing has absolutely no place at Northwestern. Period,” Northwestern president Michael Schill said in a statement announcing the move. “I am determined that with the help of Attorney General Lynch, we will become a leader in combating the practice of hazing in intercollegiate athletics and a model for other universities.”

Attorney Ben Crump has also been retained by some of the players who have come forward alleging abuse. “This is the opportunity to eradicate hazing and abuse in college athletic programs from coast to coast,” he said in a statement. “That’s exactly what we intend to do, as this will undoubtedly be the MeToo movement of college athletics.”

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Doja Cat, Halle, LE SSERAFIM x Demi Lovato & More: What’s Your Favorite Music Release of the Week?

This week’s new music Friday is stacked with releases across the genres, featuring a new rap song from Doja Cat, a stunning R&B release from Halle and a collaboration from K-pop’s LE SSERAFIM with Demi Lovato.

Doja continues to poke fun at her detractors in her newest release, “Paint the Town Red.” Led by a sample of Dionne Warwick’s classic “Walk on By” to leverage the chorus, the rapper knows exactly what her naysayers think of her, and taunts them with their own comments on a bouncy chorus. “Mm, she the devil/ She a bad lil’ b—h, she a rebel/ She put her foot to the pedal/ It’ll take a whole lot for me to settle,” she sings. The track is the second look fans have received of her upcoming fourth album after single “Attention.”

Halle is following in big sister Chloe’s footsteps, and has released her first solo single. The singer has already established herself as one half of Chloe x Halle, and as Ariel in The Little Mermaid live-action remake, but new song “Angel” sees her going for rhythmic lyrics and piano instrumentation while letting it be known she plans to transcend her insecurities and walk in the light of a new path.

LE SSERAFIM’s single “Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard’s Wife” is the gift that keeps on giving. The K-pop group — which consists of members Sakura, Kim Chae-won, Huh Yun-jin, Kazuha and Hong Eun-chae — released an English version of the song on Friday, with the addition of a sultry verse by Lovato. It follows the group’s Rina Sawayama collab for the track the week prior.

Grupo Frontera, Usher and Crosses also released music this week.

Which new release was your favorite this week? Vote in our poll below.

DJ Khaled & SNIPES Team Up To Open We The Best X SNIPES Store In Miami

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We The Best x Snipes Store Grand Opening

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DJ Khaled’s love affair with sneakers has been well-documented for quite some time now, so we all knew it was only a matter of time before the Miami producer would open the doors to his own sneaker spot; this week, he did.

Collaborating with global sneaker and streetwear trafficker, SNIPES, the God Did artist opened the doors to his first sneaker boutique, We The Best x SNIPES, in his hometown of Miami yesterday (Aug. 3). And it was quite the event for sneaker aficionados down in South Beach.

We’re not sure which exclusive sneakers were stocked at the grand opening of the We The Best x SNIPES store on Collins Avenue in Miami, but from the looks of things attendees were able to get their hands on some exclusive colorways of the We The Best x Air Jordan 5’s that released earlier this year. Naturally, DJ Khaled was ecstatic about his latest business venture as he stated as much in a press release for the event.

“I’m proud to partner and launch the We The Best x SNIPES store in the heart of Miami Beach,” said DJ Khaled. “To be able to bring a concept store like this to the city is truly remarkable and will uplift the community. I’ve always had a deep love and connection to sneaker culture and streetwear fashion which is the core essence of this new retail store. The community will now have a place not only to come and shop some of the latest brands, but to also have a unique shopping experience like no other.”

SNIPES USA President, Jim Bojko, is excited about the collaboration with Khaled, explaining what this means to the company and the sneaker culture.

“This marks an exciting chapter for us as we deepen our connection to the vibrant Miami community. Our commitment to positively impact the city goes beyond streetwear and fashion; it’s about uplifting the communities we serve by fostering organic and long-lasting outreach programs such as the upcoming basketball court remodel in Brownsville. With DJ Khaled’s vision and our resources, we look forward to creating more such unique experiences that resonate deeply with the Miami community, and we are honored to be a part of this dynamic city’s cultural fabric.”

Y’all already know We The Best x SNIPES is going to be having exclusive drops that you probably won’t be seeing anywhere else. We lowkey mad already.

Check out the grand opening of the We The Best x SNIPES store in Miami from DJ Khaled’s Instagram page above, and let us know if you’ll be checking out the store for yourself in the comments section below.

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LL Cool J Drops Fiery New Freestyle On Sway’s Universe

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Celebrities Visit SiriusXM - August 2, 2023

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LL Cool J stopped by Sway’s Universe and delivered a freestyle sure to further add to his iconic musical resume.

On Wednesday (Aug. 2), the Hip-Hop legend dropped in for an interview with Sway Calloway on his SiriusXM show ahead of the highly anticipated Rock The Bells festival, which will be held at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York this weekend. After a lively half-hour discussion, Sway asked LL Cool J to freestyle. “I don’t know if it can happen now, but man, I never had you bust a verse on my show,” he said. The veteran MC agreed to the delight of Sway and the crew.

“There was smoke when the mother’s water broke,” he began. “The doc saw the horns/ Oh my God, it’s a GOAT/ The nurse cut the cord, got shocked with a million volts/ Almost dropped him on the floor, but the baby started to float.” LL Cool J continued: “The whole world’s raving for the baby, the bell tolls/ A crowd gathered ’round, throwing punches and elbows/ Then his mama arose, and recited a poem/ Todd’s a Hip-Hop God, f**k rock ‘n’ roll.”

Earlier in the interview, LL also spoke about the impact of The F.O.R.C.E. Tour and also took time to shoot down a persistent urban rap legend that claimed The Notorious B.I.G. subliminally dissed him on “Who Shot Ya?” with the lines “Old school, new school need to learn though.” The theory was advanced by journalist Bonsu Thompson.

“I need him to stick to his day job, and if that is his day job, he might wanna reassess that shit,”, LL Cool J joked. “I got love for him, I’m just teasing. No, that’s not true. I’m in the studio when Biggie wrote ‘Who Shot Ya?’ Like, I was literally in the studio when he made the song. I was literally, physically in the studio with Notorious B.I.G. when he wrote ‘Who Shot Ya?’

He added: I said, ‘Biggie, why you smoke so much weed when you write these joints?’ He said, ‘It makes me feel like I’m in the track,’ and we just started laughing. He was doing what rappers do: ‘Old school, new school.’ He’s saying whoever want it, can get it. That’s regular … Now it’s about selling swag, and that’s okay, I’m not judging but I’m just saying, that’s 100% false.”

Check out the entire interview below.



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Megan Thee Stallion Shines In ‘Dicks: The Musical’ Trailer

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2023 Essence Festival Of Culture

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Megan Thee Stallion‘s ready for her closeup Mr. DeMille.

After establishing herself as one of the best talents in the music game over the past few years, Megan Thee Stallion is now turning her attention to the silver screen in hopes of to taking Hollywood by storm as she did the rap game. Yesterday, A24 released their first trailer to their upcoming raunchy musical comedy, Dicks: The Musical, which features the “Body” rapper doing what she does best, rapping!

Centering around two businessmen (Aaron Jackson and Josh Sharp) who find out that they’re long-lost twins, the R-rated musical finds the two attempting to reunite their parents (Nathan Lane and Megan Mullally) so that they can be the loving family unit that they never had. Unfortunately, Nathan Lane declares himself “as queer as a three dollar bill and just as thin,” so their masterplan might fall apart before it can even get started.

Riddled with sexually explicit lyrics and hilarious ditties, the trailer promises, at the very least, an entertaining time at the movies if not a moving one. That being said, if Megan Thee Stallion doesn’t twerk at least once, we riot. We kid, we kid.

Check out the trailer for Dicks: The Musical below and let us know if you’ll be checking for this when it hits theaters Sept. 29.



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5 Ways AI Has Already Changed the Music Industry

“Fake Drake” and similar controversies have gotten most of the attention, but not all uses of artificial intelligence in music are cause for concern.

Hype around artificial intelligence has been higher this year than any time since The Terminator, with implications ranging anywhere from dating app messages to doomsday predictions. In music, excitement and hysteria has been similarly mixed, thanks to a flurry of AI-generated soundalikes that have shown the potential to change artistry — and fandom — as we know it, while many companies are assessing how to best protect their artists, copyrights and revenue streams from the growing threat. 

But not all AI in music is “Fake Drake.” In fact, many uses are a lot less freaky. 

For example, when Paul McCartney told BBC Radio 4 that he would use artificial intelligence to create the final Beatles song, including vocals from the late John Lennon, it prompted widespread confusion. Many fans assumed that this meant McCartney was using AI to bring his bandmate’s voice back from the dead, generating some kind of new recording of Lennon’s out of thin air. Quickly, McCartney clarified on Twitter that “nothing has been artificially or synthetically created.” Instead, the singer is using AI to clean up an old recording made by the bandmates while they were still living using a process known as “stem separation.”

Not every use-case of the emerging technology involves generating computer-made songs or voices instantaneously. While some applications of AI certainly present urgent legal and ethical concerns, there are also many applications that give musicians and rights holders new creative opportunities from the way it’s created to how it’s released and beyond.

Here are five of the ways AI is already affecting the music business: