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06 May 2025

Bebe Rexha Reveals Pregnancy Loss After Azealia Banks’ Met Gala Criticism: ‘I’m Tired of People Commenting on My Weight’

Bebe Rexha is tired of people commenting on her body.

The pop singer/songwriter clapped back on social media after Azealia Banks was trying to play Joan Rivers as she watched the 2025 Met Gala. “Sis gives me – hormonal birth control implant or something,” Banks tweeted on Monday night. “It’s giving Implanon/NuvaRing she needs removed or depo shot that needs to stop happening (I’m not even tryna play her).”

Rexha responded by quote-tweeting that the Harlem rapper should seek some help.

“And you might wanna jump on some type of therapy, sis,” she wrote. “Lexapro worked great for me. something that helps with the deep rooted sadness and chaos you keep projecting. Healing looks good on everyone. Try it.”

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Then in another tweet that has since been deleted, Rexha expressed mental fatigue when it comes to seeing comments online about her body, saying that she suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome and that people should think twice before sharing their opinion on the way someone looks.

“I’m tired of people commenting on my weight,” she tweeted. “I have PCOS and struggle with infertility. I got pregnant, and it didn’t work out and I’ve been carrying that pain in silence. I never owed anyone that truth, but maybe now you’ll think twice before commenting on anyone’s body.”

Over the years, Rexha has been an open book with her fans. In 2019, she revealed on social media that she suffers from bipolar disorder. “For the longest time, I didn’t understand why I felt so sick,” Rexha wrote at the time. “Why I felt lows that made me not want to leave my house or be around people and why I felt highs that wouldn’t let me sleep, wouldn’t let me stop working or creating music. Now I know why.”

She added: “I’m bipolar and Im not ashamed anymore.”

06 May 2025

Leon Thomas’ ‘Mutt’ Moves to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart

Leon Thomas’ “Mutt” improves its case as the early breakthrough R&B song of 2025 with a coronation on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart dated May 10. The track jumps 4-1 through an 18% increase in U.S. plays in the tracking week of April 25-May 1, according to Luminate, and wins the Greatest Gainer prize, awarded weekly to the song with the largest increase in play count.

As “Mutt” ascends, it evicts Teddy Swims and GIVĒON’s “Are You Even Real” from the summit after two weeks in charge.

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“Mutt,” released and promoted through EZMNY/Motown/ICLG, is Thomas’ first Adult R&B Airplay champ and his second career entry. The singer-songwriter’s “Favorite,” featuring Buddy, peaked at No. 17 in July 2018.

Elsewhere, “Mutt” climbs 6-5 to match its peak, achieved two weeks ago, on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart amid a 6% jump in plays. The high positioning from the adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop sectors fuels the track’s 4-3 advance on the audience-based R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, which ranks songs by combined listenership totals for both formats. There, “Mutt” improved to 15.7 million in format audience, up 10% from the previous week and enough to snag the Greatest Gainer distinction. In addition to the R&B and hip-hop lanes, “Mutt” also pushes 16-13 on the Rhythmic Airplay chart thanks to a 15% increase in plays.

Gains across every mentioned format drive “Mutt” 31-28 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart (24.6 million impressions, up 8%). That boost, in turn, helps offsets some declines in streaming and sales to give the single a fifth week at No. 1 on Hot R&B Songs and rise 18-15 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, two multi-metric charts that blends airplay with streaming and sales data for their ranks.

“Mutt” is the title track of Thomas’ latest studio album, released last September. The set debuted on the Top R&B Albums chart in March on the strength of its titular hit, though it slips 10-12 on the newest chart in its eighth week on the list.

06 May 2025

David Oyelowo Says He Lost Points With His Kids When He Asked: ‘What’s a Doechii?’

David Oyelowo says he lost points with his children after not knowing who Doechii was.

Sitting down for a chat on The Jennifer Hudson Show on Monday (May 5), Oyelowo spoke about his family, which includes his musician wife and his artistic children. However, while the British actor is very close with his family, but clarified that his kids definitely don’t think he’s cool.

“I’m transitioning into full on uncoolness,” Oyelowo said. “I was cool for so, so long and this was really typified the other day. My son is in the music scene, I’m not … and I made the mistake the other day of seeing this word on my phone and saying, ‘What’s a Doechii?’ And they went, ‘Like Doechii?’…”

This is now the second time the Grammy-winning rapper and Billboard‘s 2025 Woman of the Year has come up on J-Hud’s show in recent weeks. Back in April, You star Penn Badgley hit Doechii‘s signature “Anxiety” dance on his way down the backstage spirit tunnel.

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Doechii co-signed Badgley’s dance by commenting: “Exactlyyyy.”

The Swamp Princess’ “Anxiety” dance still has consumed the world. Earlier in April, LISA and her White Lotus castmates all attempted the challenge as well, hopping on TikTok to take part in the Internet craze. “Anxiety” is Doechii’s first top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 10 last month.

Watch David Oyelowo stop by The Jennifer Hudson Show below.

06 May 2025

Gloria Estefan’s ‘Raíces’ Rules Billboard Charts: ‘It’s Both Humbling & Incredibly Emotional for Me’

Gloria Estefan’s “Raíces” lands atop Billboard’s Latin Airplay, Tropical Airplay and Latin Pop Airplay charts (dated May 10).

Having first led Latin Airplay with “Abriendo Puertas” in October 1995, Estefan boasts the longest span of reigning at No. 1: 29 years, six months and three weeks. She also becomes the seventh act to have topped the chart in the 1990s, 2000s, ‘10s and ‘20s.

“To see ‘Raíces’ reach No. 1 across the Latin Airplay, Tropical Airplay and Latin Pop Airplay charts is both humbling and incredibly emotional for me,” Estefan tells Billboard. “It’s been over a decade since I’ve had a song connect on this level, and I’m beyond grateful.”

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Estefan last reached the summit on Latin Airplay in 2012, when “Hotel Nacional” ruled for one week. Prior to that, she topped the list with “No Llores” for two weeks in 2007, marking her fifth No. 1 of the 2000s. She earned her first five leaders in the ‘90s (dating to the chart’s 1994 start).

“Personally, this song is a tribute to where I come from — to my heritage, my culture and the rhythms that shaped me,” Estefan adds of “Raíces” (which translates in English to “roots”). “Professionally, it’s a reminder that music truly has no expiration date when it comes from the heart, and to see Latin music elevated and crossing charts globally really is a dream come true and a testament to the growth of our culture and sound.”

“Raíces” makes its No. 1 breakthrough on Latin Airplay as the song soars 11-1 with the Greatest Gainer honors, awarded weekly to the song with the largest increase in audience among the chart’s 50 titles. It earned 13 million impressions, up 123%, in the week ending May 1, according to Luminate. “Raíces,” released on March 20 under Crescent Moon/Sony Music Latin, received substantial support from Spanish Broadcasting System radio stations during the latest tracking week, led by WZNT, WODA. WRXD and WMEG in Puerto Rico, as well as Miami’s WCMQ, Orlando’s WPYO and Tampa’s WSUN in Florida.

As Estefan achieves her 12th ruler on Latin Airplay, she secures her place among an elite group of artists who have logged at least one Latin Airplay chart-topper in four distinct decades. She becomes the third woman artist to achieve the feat, joining Shakira and Jennifer Lopez. The other such acts overall: Enrique Iglesias (who holds a record 32 No. 1 hits, spanning 1995-2024), Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony and Alejandro Fernández.

With “Raíces” also claiming the top spot on the Tropical Airplay and Latin Pop Airplay charts, it dons a rare triple crown, becoming the first title to top the three tallies since Carlos Vives and Camilo’s “Baloncito Viejo” held command across the June 18, 2022-dated rankings.

On Tropical Airplay, Estefan scores her first No. 1 since “Hotel Nacional” in 2012. On Latin Pop Airplay, she had last led with “No Me Dejes de Querer” in 2000.

Thanks almost entirely to its radio haul, “Raíces” makes its way to the Hot Latin Songs chart, where it debuts at No. 37. It’s her 31st entry, a total that includes 15 No. 1s among 23 top 10s.

“Thank you to the fans, radio and everyone who’s embraced ‘Raíces’,” Estefan says. “You’ve made this journey back to my musical roots so meaningful and unforgettable.”

06 May 2025

Katy Perry Reacts to Viral AI-Generated Met Gala Photo That Tricked Fans (Again)

Another year, another Met Gala, another Katy Perry deepfake.

For a second year in a row, an AI-generated photo falsely depicting the pop star as walking the event’s red carpet made the rounds on social media, tricking fans into thinking she was actually there — something Perry reacted to on Instagram.

Sharing a few of the faux images of herself seemingly at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City — complete with a sleek black dress that doesn’t actually exist, but nevertheless coincides with this year’s Met theme of “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” thanks to the power of artificial intelligence — Perry wrote, “Couldn’t make it to the MET, I’m on The Lifetimes Tour (see you in Houston tomorrow IRL).”

“P.s. this year I was actually with my mom so she’s safe from the bots,” she added. “but I’m praying for the rest of y’all.”

The post comes one year after the same exact thing happened on the day of the 2024 Met Gala, when a fake photo of Perry — who, like this year, was not in attendance at last year’s event — similarly went viral online. That year’s AI-generated snap showed the “Firework” singer in a voluminous ballgown decked out with flowers, matching the 2024 theme of “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” — but again, the dress, much like Perry’s attendance at the past two Met Galas, was not real.

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That didn’t stop the former American Idol judge’s mom from falling for it last year. At the time, Perry shared a screenshot of a text from her mom that said, “Didn’t know you went to the Met … what a gorgeous gown,” to which the singer had replied, “Mom, the A.I. got you too, beware.”

Though Perry was not at the Met this year, countless other stars — from Rihanna to three-fourths of BLACKPINK, Doechii, Sabrina Carpenter and more — were. Co-chaired by A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton and Colman Domingo, this year’s theme paid tribute to “the role of sartorial style in forming Black identities, focusing on the emergence, significance and proliferation of the Black dandy,” according to Vogue.

As Perry mentioned, she’s currently on the road in support of her 2024 album, 143. The Lifetimes Tour kicked off April 23 in Mexico City; she’s now gearing up for a U.S. leg starting Wednesday in Houston.

06 May 2025

Here’s Why Kid Cudi & Michael B. Jordan Came Up During Jury Selection for Diddy’s Trial

Jury selection began at Diddy’s sex trafficking and racketeering trial on Monday (May 4), and some celebrities like Kid Cudi and actor Michael B. Jordan were mentioned during the selection process.

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According to CNN, the Sinners actor won’t be called to testify as a witness in the case against Diddy. Jordan was previously referenced by Cassie in a 2023 lawsuit against Diddy. Although Cassie didn’t list Jordan by name in the lawsuit, CNN confirmed that she was indeed referring to the actor.

The case, which was quickly settled, alleged that Cassie started a “flirtatious relationship with an actor” in 2015 while she and Diddy were on a break. After spending New Year’s Eve with Jordan, Diddy allegedly called the actor and “threatened” him.

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As for Kid Cudi, he was listed by name in Cassie’s lawsuit against Diddy. Combs allegedly was “enraged” to find out that Cassie and Cudi were communicating in 2012, and he threatened to “blow up Kid Cudi’s car.”

Around the same time, the Ohio rapper’s car blew up in his driveway. Reps for Cudi confirmed Cassie’s allegations to be “all true” in a statement to the New York Times.

Billboard has reached out to representatives for both Jordan and Cudi for comment.

While Diddy settled the lawsuit filed by Cassie, he’s denied all of the allegations against him and an attorney representing him said that the settlement isn’t an “admission of wrongdoing.”

Opening statements in Diddy’s case are set for May 12, which is being overseen by U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian. Diddy’s legal team is led by Marc Agnifilo along with Teny Geragos and Alexandra Shapiro. Brian Steel, who represented Young Thug in his RICO case, is also on board.

If found guilty on sex trafficking or racketeering charges, Diddy potentially faces life in prison.

06 May 2025

Lil Durk Rap Lyrics, Diddy Jury Selection, Led Zeppelin Lawsuit & More Top Music Law News

This is The Legal Beat, a weekly newsletter about music law from Billboard Pro, offering you a one-stop cheat sheet of big new cases, important rulings and all the fun stuff in between.

This week: Prosecutors delete Lil Durk’s lyrics from his murder-for-hire case, jury selection begins in Diddy’s sex-trafficking trial, Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page is sued over a decades-old credits dispute and much more.

THE BIG STORY: Rap On Trial — Or Not?

When federal prosecutors indicted Lil Durk on murder-for-hire charges last year, they quoted from one of his songs, claiming the lyrics were a direct reference to the alleged shooting and evidence of his guilt.

That was a controversial choice. The use of rap music as evidence in criminal cases has drawn pushback in recent years, as critics argue it threatens free speech and can sway juries by tapping into racial biases. Some states have moved to restrict the practice, but many have not — and there are no such rules in federal prosecutions.

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In Durk’s case, his lawyers strongly objected to the use of his music, arguing the song in question was written and recorded months before the shooting even took place. They called the lyric allegations “false evidence” that had been unfairly used to indict him and to deny him pre-trial release. In a public statement, Durk’s family said he had been the latest rapper to be “criminalized for their creativity.”

Prosecutors initially defended the move, arguing that Durk had “repeatedly used his pulpit as a voice of violence.” But in an updated version of the indictment released last week, they backed down — removing all reference to his lyrics and instead focusing on other allegations tying him to the shooting.

The case against Durk will continue — in a separate filing, the feds stressed that the new indictment still contains “significant allegations that show defendant’s alleged role in the execution-style murder” — but it will do so without his lyrics.

Other top stories this week…

DIDDY TRIAL, EXPLAINED – Jury selection is officially underway in the sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, ahead of opening statements next week. To get you up to speed before the trial gets underway, I put together an exhaustive explainer on everything you need to know about the Diddy trial — from the exact charges he’s facing, to key players in the courtroom, to the Cassie Ventura tape and much more.

AIN’T OVER YET – A federal appeals court revived a lawsuit claiming Sam Smith and Normani stole key elements of their 2019 hit “Dancing With a Stranger” from an earlier track, ruling that a judge prematurely dismissed the case and should have sent it to a jury. That’s a worrying ruling for any artist hit with a song-theft lawsuit; if such disputes must be litigated all the way to trial to be decided, they become dramatically more expensive.

WHOLE LOTTA LITIGATION – Led Zeppelin‘s Jimmy Page was hit with a new lawsuit over the credits to “Dazed and Confused,” reviving a decades-old dispute over the iconic track. Jake Holmes has claimed for years that he actually wrote the song, and he reached a legal settlement with Page back in 2012 to resolve those allegations. But in the new case, Holmes says Page is effectively ignoring the settlement and has released archival recordings that infringe Holmes’ copyrights.

SCENT SETTLEMENT – Revlon and Elizabeth Arden have fully settled a corporate espionage lawsuit, filed last year, that claimed several former employees “sabotaged” the companies’ decades-old fragrance partnership with Britney Spears and took the business to an upstart rival called Give Back Beauty. The settlements clear the way for Give Back Beauty to formally take over Britney’s lucrative perfume brand, which reportedly earns tens of millions per year.

JAY V. BUZBEE GOES ON – Jay-Z filed an unusual new allegation in his legal war with attorney Tony Buzbee, accusing the lawyer of ordering employees at his law firm to edit Wikipedia pages in an effort to damage the rapper’s reputation. The new claim was the latest salvo in a bitter fight that started when Buzbee filed a shocking lawsuit accusing Jay-Z of raping an unnamed girl decades ago.

06 May 2025

Met Gala 2025: Photos From Inside the Event & This Year’s Star-Studded Afterparties

For most of the world, the extent to which we get to see what goes on at the annual Met Gala starts and ends with the red carpet. 

There, the biggest stars of music, television, film and sports walk the red carpet in avant-garde looks designed by some of fashion’s biggest visionaries and legacy brands, all coinciding with a different theme. This year, the dress code was “Tailored for You” in honor of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s new costume institute exhibit, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” focusing on “the role of sartorial style in forming Black identities” and “the emergence, significance and proliferation of the Black dandy.” Under those guidelines, co-chairs A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton and Colman Domingo, plus superstar guests Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Doechii, Sabrina Carpenter, ROSÉ, LISA, JENNIE and many more, showed up and showed out in elaborate looks marked by structured jackets, neutral colors and poignant head- and neckpieces. 

But what happens after all those stars brave the camera flashes and red-carpet interviews and head inside? That’s the part we don’t get to see as much of, not to mention the various afterparties that go down once the dining and mingling of the actual gala conclude.  

Luckily, anyone wanting a peek at the most exclusive parts of fashion’s biggest night needn’t look any further. Below, Billboard has rounded up all of the best photos of everything that happened after the carpet, both from inside the Met and amongst parties held by the likes of Pharrell, Public’s, Boom at the Standard, the Brooklyn Chop House and more.  

Featuring cool outfit changes and fun celebrity link-ups, keep scrolling to check them out. 

06 May 2025

Chicago’s Michelada Fest Cancels Due to ‘Uncertainty’ Around Artist Visas & ‘Political Climate’

Michelada Fest, set to take place in Chicago July 19-20, has been cancelled, organizers announced on Tuesday (May 6).

“Due to the uncertainty surrounding artist visas and the rapidly changing political climate, we’re no longer able to guarantee the full experience we had dreamed up for you with all your favorite artists,” the statement issued on Tuesday reads. “Although we tried to push through, it became clear that we wouldn’t be able to deliver the full lineup as planned.”

Set to be headlined by Grupo Firme, Luis R Conriquez, Anitta and Danny Ocean, Michelada Fest — co-produced by Big Indie, Zamora Live and Viva Tu Musica — cancels amid an ongoing conversation about how the Trump administration’s immigration policies could continue to impact the live music industry, particularly in Latin music spaces. Meanwhile, Mexican artists who sing narcocorridos have been under the spotlight recently with Mexican states cracking down on banning the style of music. The U.S. government has taken a stance on the situation as well, to the point of cancelling visas for Los Alegres del Barranco.

“This was not an easy decision for us to make,” the statement continues. “For seven years, we’ve poured everything into this festival to create something truly special for our community. Last year was our most incredible celebration yet, and we were ready to make this year even bigger, with more energy, creativity, and corazón. But as independent organizers, we can’t afford to take on a big risk with so much uncertainty ahead.

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“We’re heartbroken by the greater impact this will have on our involved community, with ripple effects reaching our neighborhoods, local economy and the culture we’ve built together. But despite this setback, we remain committed to our values. Michelada Fest will always be a safe place where our community comes together, united by pride and love of our culture and music. That won’t ever change. We’ll keep showing up, giving back, and uplifting our people in every way we can.”

Michelada Fest most recently held its inaugural edition in El Paso, Texas, where artists like Netón Vega, Snow Tha Product and Tito Torbellino Jr., among others, performed.

06 May 2025

Met Gala 2025 Recap: Rihanna, JENNIE, Teyana Taylor & More Slay the Night | Billboard News

Met Gala 2025’s “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” brought out the biggest slays from musicians, actors and athletes alike. We’re running through fashion’s biggest night with looks from JENNIE, Rihanna, Lewis Hamilton and more!

Which was your favorite fit from the night? Let us know in the comments!

Tetris Kelly:
It’s that time of year when the world’s biggest actors, musicians and athletes take to New York to put that s–t on. Last night was the Met Gala 2025. We have your recap of all the best looks from this year’s gala.

Held at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, this year’s theme was a celebration of Black dandyism called “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” inspired by Monica L Miller’s 2009 book, Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. The official dress code is Tailored for You. And this year’s Met Gala attendees understood the assignment, because they showed up and showed out. There were so many fire looks from last night’s event. We aren’t even going to try and say who was best dressed, but we are gonna show you some of the looks of folks who just ate on that carpet.

Kicking it off with the Met Gala’s 2025 co-chairs, rapper A$AP Rocky, producer Pharrell Williams, race car driver Lewis Hamilton and Oscar nominee Coleman Domingo, each brother offered their own interpretation, with A$AP Rocky wearing his own AWGE design that featured a slick, double-breasted technical wool jacket inspired by the outdoor Z Marmot jackets that he would see around Harlem growing up. Bad Bunny gave us Harlem-meets-Puerto Rico with a custom fit by Prada that included a pava hat that pays tribute to his Puerto Rican culture. Rihanna, showing off her latest baby bump, walked the carpet in an all Marc Jacobs look. 

Keep watching for more!