Author: djfrosty
Page: 64
Nominees: “Asteroids” (Marlanna Evans); “Carnival” (Jordan Carter, Raul Cubina, Grant Dickinson, Samuel Lindley, Nasir Pemberton, Dimitri Roger, Tyrone Griffin Jr., Kanye West, and Mark Carl Stolinski Williams); “Like That” (Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, Kobe Hood, Leland Wayne, and Nayvadius Wilburn); “Not Like Us” (Duckworth); “Yeah Glo!” (Ronnie Jackson, Jaucquez Lowe, Timothy McKibbins, Kevin Andre Price, Julius Rivera III, and Gloria Woods)
Analysis: Let’s be real, it would probably be the most shocking moment of the night if Lamar’s “Not Like Us” doesn’t take home best rap song and performance. A two-week Hot 100 chart-topper that transcended its beef origins and became a cultural anthem, “Not Like Us” is far and away the frontrunner here — even if it’s the subject of Drake’s explosive, ongoing lawsuit against UMG.
Lamar is also nominated here alongside Future, Metro Boomin, and Kobe “BbyKobe” Hood for writing “Like That,” the Hot 100 chart-topped that kicked his feud with Drake into high gear. Future has earned three previous nods in this category, but he’s lost each time. A victory for “Like That” would give Future and Metro their first wins here, and help Kendrick break a tie with Jay-Z to become the rapper with the second-most triumphs in this category (five).
But what if “Like That” and “Not Like Us” split votes? Perhaps, the Academy goes for somebody familiar like Ye (formerly Kanye West), who boasts the most nominations (17) and wins (seven) in this category’s history. Ye’s nomination comes from “Carnival,” his first Hot 100 chart-topper as a part of ¥$ (his duo with Ty Dolla $ign). With Playboi Carti and Rich the Kid in featured roles, a win for “Carnival” would reward hip-hop icons and new class alike.
Rapsody and GloRilla are looking to join Megan Thee Stallion as the only female rappers to win this category. This is Glo’s first nod in a songwriting category, and while “Yeah Glo!” was undoubtedly one of her defining hits from last year, she probably won’t be able to beat out the stiff competition here. Rapsody earned her first nomination here in 2018 with “Sassy.” This year, she’s represented by “Asteroids,” the only song in this category outside of “Not Like Us” to feature just one credited writer. While she was able to score an accompanying nod in best melodic rap performance, missing out on a best rap album nod for Please Don’t Cry signals some weakness in her rap field support.
Prediction: Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Look Out For: Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar, “Like That”
Ana Navarro took aim at Snoop Dogg during Tuesday morning’s (Jan. 21) episode of The View, likening the rapper to a “trained seal” after he performed at a pro-Donald Trump event during inauguration weekend. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The host, who is both a GOP Republican […]
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In the earlier days of his career, touring wasn’t necessarily Kygo‘s favorite thing to do.
“It was like every show was life or death,” says the Norwegian producer. “I was always very nervous. It was like, ‘This is the most important [thing ever], and if I mess up tonight, my career is over.’”
With this extreme self-imposed pressure, the artist “wasn’t really able to enjoy the shows that much. At one point I was like, ‘I’m probably never going to tour again,’ because it was just so exhausting.”
Flash forward to the present moment and Kygo — whose real name is Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll — has a fresh approach and attendant attitude, calling his current world tour “definitely my favorite that I’ve done so far.”
Starting last September, the 35-date tour has hit arenas and amphitheaters in North America, Europe and Central America, averaging slightly over 10,000 tickets and $838,000 in revenue per show, according to numbers reported to Billboard Boxscore. The run is continuing into 2025, with shows in Asia and Australia. Additionally, the producer plays this Thursday (Jan. 23) in Toronto and Saturday (Jan. 25) in Mexico City, where Kygo will play what he calls “the biggest show of the tour by far.” See exclusive behind the scenes footage of this tour below.
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Despite this success, Shear acknowledges that the run hasn’t made the same headlines as other recent marquee dance tours, such as Charli XCX and Troye Sivan’s 2024 Sweat Tour. “We’ve quietly been doing this unbelievable tour that’s sold over a half a million tickets,” he says. “There are a lot of tours out there. There’s a lot of stuff going on, and there’s a lot of new artists. But we’re going out there and doing the business. Kygo is just quietly winning in the dance music world.”
This current run is behind Kygo’s 2024 eponymous album, the artist’s fifth studio project that hit No. 97 on the Billboard 200 after its release last June. The tour is also his first in six years, since the run behind 2017’s Kids in Love. (Golden Hour and Thrill of the Chase came out in 2020 and 2022, respectively, although Kygo wasn’t able to tour behind them because of the pandemic.)
While the Kids in Love tour required 12 trucks to move it from city to city, this current tour requires 17 trucks and a crew of 58. When brainstorming the production, Kygo and Shear decided the music and visuals would lean into the fact that Kygo has been making music for a decade, with this kind of looking back approach inspired, Shear says, by Dead & Co.’s nostalgia-laced run at Sphere in Las Vegas last summer. As such, set lists featured visuals that nod to entirety of Kygo’s career thus far, while the setlist spans albums and hits. Vocalists including Justin Jesso, Zak Abel and Parson James are on the tour to sing their parts on “Firestone,” “Freedom” and “Stole the Show,” respectively.
“Kyrre told me that doing a tour was extremely important to him,” says Shear. “It’s not like every dance artist goes out there like a rock band or a pop star and does hard tickets in arenas or stadiums. “He was like, ‘The fact that I’m able to do it, I want to do whatever it takes to make this tour happen.’”
Kygo himself credits his ability to tour such big rooms — an option available to only a handful of dance acts including Illenium and Odesza — is a function of he and his team “not skipping any steps” while he was building his career. (Kygo is represented by Rob Markus at WME.) His earliest U.S. tour had him playing 200-700 capacity rooms, with each run getting progressively larger.
“We were living with my parents at the time, and Kyrre was staying in my brother’s room,” Shear says of these early days. “I went in my brother’s room, and was like, ‘Hey man, we found this guy who used to work with Disclosure and other big artists. He knows how to build live shows, and I think we should build one. We emptied the bank account making that show.”
This groundwork and investment has paid off, with Shear citing “the most tickets we’ve ever sold” on this current run. “I know so many people focusing on streams or on this or that, but the fans follow you as long as you do them right, take care of them and keep bringing an elevated show.”
Sometimes, this elevation requires some extra effort. The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles doesn’t have the space to erect a B stage where Kygo typically performs his encore. As such, the team improvised for the Oct. 17 show, setting up a riser in the middle of the amphitheater amid the seats. Getting there from the stage just meant, Kygo says, “that we just had to run a little bit.”
Kygo
Johannes Lovund
Outside the tour, Kygo and Shear’s multi-faceted Palm Tree Crew brand continues expanding. Its first brick and mortar space, the 115-room hotel and restaurant Palm Tree Club Miami, opened last December. Meanwhile, Palm Tree Festival has happened in Aspen, The Hamptons, Southern California and beyond over the last several years. Some of these festivals feature Kygo on the lineup, and some don’t.
“I was with him in Paris a few weeks ago when he was playing Accor Arena, one of the biggest shows on tour,” says Shear. “At the same time, we opened a restaurant and club in Miami the night before and we were also throwing a music festival in Australia with 30,000 people and The Chainsmokers, and Kyrre isn’t even at either of them. I think that’s a true testament to a great brand we’ve brought to the world, and one that just sort of feeds off his demeanor.”
This demeanor is one that’s also changed as Kygo has become more experienced, and over time more relaxed, about touring.
“There’s definitely been some f–k-ups on the on the road and some songs where I’m like, ‘Oh, that did not sound good at all,’” he says with a laugh. “But I think that’s just part of it being live. Knowing that, I’m more confident and better able to enjoy myself on stage and not always just nervous about everything that could go wrong.”
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Big Sean has officially become an author.
The Detroit rapper launches an inspiring new book titled Go Higher: Five Practices for Purpose, Success, and Inner Peace. With a foreword written by bestselling author Jay Shetty, the self-improvement book is available now on Amazon in hardcover and paperback, as well as an audiobook edition narrated by Sean. Shop the book below.
Like the book title mentions, Sean shares his five key practices for inner work – accepting, strategizing, trying, trusting, and manifesting. Filled with step-by-step instructions, the rapper uses his personal experience of journaling, affirmations and meditation to guide readers through his self-reflective journey to finding inner peace. Go Higher is aiming to be a “spiritual guidebook” that proves that investing in yourself is something that gives you the energy to reach your fullest potential.
“In Go Higher, Sean ‘Big Sean’ Anderson explores the essential elements of personal growth and fulfillment, says Deepak Chopra, MD, bestselling author and founder of the Chopra Foundation, in a statement. “Through the practices of accepting, strategizing, trying, trusting, and manifestation, he offers a thoughtful guide to achieving inner peace and purposeful success. Each chapter provides valuable insights and practical steps for those looking to deepen their self-awareness and elevate their lives. This book serves as a compelling resource for readers committed to enhancing their personal and spiritual development.”
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Big Sean’s Go Higher: Five Practices for Purpose, Success, and Inner Peace is available here on Amazon in hardcover, paperback, and in audiobook format. In the wake of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, Sean announced via Instagram that he is donating all proceeds of his book sales from now until the end of February to fire victims. Shop below.
‘Go Higher: Five Practices for Purpose, Success, and Inner Peace’ Book
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Lil Wayne might be one of Travis Kelce‘s favorite musicians, but the Kansas City Chiefs definitely aren’t topping any of the rapper’s lists right now — but the tight end is taking it in stride.
In a pair of posts on X Saturday (Jan. 18), Wayne accused the reigning Super Bowl champions — who that day bested the Houston Texans 23-14 — of cheating during games. “I hate the cheating azz chiefs,” the “Lollipop” musician wrote, followed by, “It’s not even impressive when u cheat and then clearly try to cheat … Just win baby.”
Four days later, Travis — who’s previously been open about his love for Lil Wayne and invited the hip-hop star to headline his Kelce Jam festival last year — reacted to the slight on his New Heights podcast. In the episode posted Wednesday (Jan. 22), the Grotesquerie star’s cohost and older brother, Jason Kelce, was the first to bring up the subject, saying, “I’m sure you saw some of this, but [people] were complaining about the refs again, Trav.”
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“Even Lil Wayne,” continued the former Philadelphia Eagles center before reading the rapper’s first tweet — which prompted Travis to burst out laughing.
“Shout out to Tunechi, man,” the Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity? host then said, a big smile on his face.
The rapper’s comments come about eight months after Wayne headlined Travis’ second Kelce Jam music festival in Kansas City, which celebrated the Chiefs’ second Super Bowl win in a row. In an interview with Billboard leading up to the event, the football player called the musician “one of my favorites since I was in high school.”
At one point during the festival, Travis joined Wayne on stage with co-headliner 2 Chainz and held up the Lombardi trophy. While at the event, the tight end also raved about Tunechi’s music to Billboard, gushing, “I’m a huge mixtape era guy. ‘Duffle Bag Boy’ is like one of my favorite songs of all time. I have it on my gameday playlists and everything.”
The Chiefs now have one game standing between them and a third Super Bowl in a row, with Kansas City preparing to face off against the Buffalo Bills at the AFC Championships Sunday (Jan. 26). Throughout the 2024-25 season, some NFL fans have accused referees of giving the Patrick Mahomes-led team special treatment, with one roughing the passer penalty on Houston at the Chiefs-Texans game in particular reigniting those claims Saturday.
Watch the latest episode of New Heights above, and see Wayne’s posts below.
I hate the cheating azz chiefs— Lil Wayne WEEZY F (@LilTunechi) January 18, 2025
It’s not even impressive when u cheat and then clearly try to cheat. Just win baby— Lil Wayne WEEZY F (@LilTunechi) January 18, 2025
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Mike Jenkins, a real estate developer who reformed his life after spending time in federal prison, was racially profiled in an affluent Ohio neighborhood by Michelle Bishop, a white mother of two. After Michelle Bishop received backlash, she tearfully apologized to Mike Jenkins, claiming she was more worried about the safety of her children and didn’t recognize that Jenkins was Black.
As seen on Yahoo! News, DaMichael “Mike” Jenkins was attempting to return home last November when he encountered Michelle Bishop walking with her two small children. The situation was caught on Jenkins’ Ring camera where Bishop can be heard talking to Jenkins as he pulled up in his driveway. Believing she was being followed, Bishop went up to Jenkins’ doorstep and said she didn’t believe the developer lived at the home.
After Jenkins asked if she was looking for someone in particular, she can be heard running off and screaming despite it appearing Jenkins made no aggressive moves toward her. Jenkins’ wife came out of the home and tried to make sense of it. Jenkins’ wife seemingly diffused the situation and said she was afraid because Jenkins never said he owned the home whose driveway he parked in and he claimed that he did when she was trying to knock on his door.
Bishop has since taken to social media to apologize for assuming the worst of Jenkins and claims she isn’t racist. She also said that her apologies haven’t been accepted among other talking points. With the Ring video making viral rounds, Jenkins was recently a guest on Shannon Sharpe and Chand Ochocinco’s Nightcap podcast along with his wife to discuss the harrowing incident.
To his credit, Mike Jenkins remained calm throughout the entire fracas and wants to use this moment to help inspire others and not cower in the face of judgment. He also mentioned that his long climb to success after serving prison time and his unyielding faith got him past this hurdle.
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Photo: Headshot/DaMichael Jenkins / Affordable Housing Trust for Franklin & Columbus County
2025 is only three weeks old and the rap world is in full-swing. Outside of the headlines, album and single releases are starting to pick up once again while the United States heads into a new era with Donald Trump back in the Oval Office.
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As Diddy remains behind bars awaiting the start of his trial, Hollywood has already started peeling back the layers on his downfall. Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy shook up Peacock with the documentary’s arrival last week.
LiAngelo Ball’s “Tweaker” gave hip-hop its first breakout hit of 2025 (debuting at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100) while Lil Baby’s WHAM album beat out Bad Bunny for the top slot on last week’s Billboard 200.
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All eyes will be on the Grammy Awards and Kendrick Lamar’s anticipated Super Bowl Halftime Show this February, as fans are particularly counting down the days until Lamar hits the stage in New Orleans.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Joey Bada$$’s continued shots at the West Coast to Jorjiana’s spin on elevator trap. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
Jorjiana, “Elevator Spaghetti”
Jorjiana is an acquired taste, but buy stock now before it’s too late. She carves out her own niche sub-genre of trap elevator music with the smooth “Elevator Spaghetti.” This is what we need playing in our office elevators going forward. The Indiana native’s flow has a Midwest drawl, but her style leans more toward elements of the DMV scene. While Jorjiana’s freestyles have caught fire on social media, her bars are still as direct as they come. “I’m bubbly as hell but I don’t drink pop,” she boasts over the samba jazz instrumental. As someone on YouTube crowned her, Atlanta Del Rey is here. – MICHAEL SAPONARA
Joey Bada$$, “Sorry Not Sorry”
Joey Bada$$ and Conductor Williams are 2/2 in 2025. The Brooklyn titan continues to represent for the East Coast while poking at the West. “N—-s Wit Attitude mad I’m bigging up my city, that’s something I had to do,” he spews. JB even delivers a possible swipe at J. Cole for exiting stage right from the Kendrick Lamar and Drake feud while he’s ready to stand 10 toes down with more heat on the way. ”Might Deletе Later, I know damn sure that Joey won’t,” Joey raps. He even compares himself to being a combination of Biggie and 2Pac. If “The Ruler’s Back” was a warning shot, the sequel should have the alarms blaring. — M.S.
Jagged Edge, “Just Might Get It”
It’s 2025 and Jagged Edge is still doing the damn thing. Before hitting the road in March to celebrate 25 years of the R&B legends’ 1999 J.E. Heartbreak album, the Atlanta crew sets the stage for their upcoming 11th studio LP with the soulful “Just Might Get It.” Penned by founding member Brandon Casey, the moral of the song is essentially saying to be careful what you ask for, because you “Just Might Get It.” While the sultry track showcases the group’s evolution and maturity, the single doesn’t stray far from their signature R&B sound. Fans can purchase Jagged Edge’s All Original Parts Vol. 1 directly on Jan. 31 before it heads to streaming services. – M.S.
NLE Choppa & Imagine Dragons, “Dare U”
Nobody has NLE Choppa and Imagine Dragons joining forces for an explosive collaboration on their 2025 bingo card. Well, LiAngelo Ball delivered rap’s first hit of the year, so it seems to be another unpredictable campaign. Choppa called teaming up with the band a “dream come true” as they pushed him to tap into another side of his artistry. “Who got the most heart? I’ma show something,” he promises before passing the baton back to Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds. – M.S.
4Fargo & Eric Bellinger, “Your Love Is Gold”
4Fargo kicks off 2025 with his new single “Your Love Is Gold,” a heartfelt collaboration with none other than R&B powerhouse Eric Bellinger. The track dives into themes of deep appreciation, commitment, and the priceless value of a genuine relationship. Comparing love to gold — a symbol of beauty and lasting worth — 4Fargo and Bellinger express their devotion and admiration for a love they see as rare and irreplaceable. Lines like “You’re the prize, you don’t need no contestants” and “She authentic, I don’t need to see no proof” highlight unwavering trust, while “I’ll put you up somewhere safe” conveys a desire to protect their bond from outside influences. With smooth vocals and heartfelt lyrics, “Your Love Is Gold” is a soulful celebration of love’s enduring value. – C.C.
Bryant Barnes, “Why Can’t You”
19-year-old rising singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Bryant Barnes is proving unstoppable with the release of his deeply personal track, “Why Can’t You.” The heartfelt song dives into themes of unrequited love, longing, and emotional vulnerability. Barnes explores the painful reality of loving someone who doesn’t feel the same, with the repeated plea “Why can’t you be in love?” echoing his frustration and confusion. The track touches on feelings of loneliness and the fear of a future without love, expressed in the line “I don’t wanna be alone for the rest of my life.” Balancing hope and heartbreak, “Why Can’t You” captures the universal struggle of holding on to a love that may never be returned. – C.C.
THEY., “Choosin’”
R&B duo THEY. seems to be having a hard time with love. The pair dives into the complexities of love and success in latest track “Choosin’.” The song delves into themes of superficial relationships, trust issues, and the fast-paced lifestyle that often comes with fame. Through lyrics like “She don’t really love me, she just want the money,” the duo captures the frustration of feeling desired for status rather than true connection. The recurring term “choosin’” reflects a culture of opportunism, where love is secondary to material gain. Despite recognizing the transactional nature of their relationships, the protagonist finds themselves caught in a cycle of luxury, nightlife, and fleeting romance — painted vividly through references to flashy cars, champagne and the allure of the fast life. – C.C.
Limp Bizkit has suffered a setback in its $200 million lawsuit against Universal Music Group, with a federal judge ruling that the band cannot legally void its contracts of “nearly 30 years” over accusations of underpaid royalties.
The blockbuster case, filed last year in Los Angeles federal court, claims that frontman Fred Durst and the band have “not seen a dime in royalties” over the years. Among other claims, the lawsuit argued that the band is therefore entitled to a ruling of “rescission” that terminates its deals with UMG.
But in a decision Friday (Jan. 17), Judge Percy Anderson ruled that the band had in fact been “paid millions in advances” and that UMG had fronted “substantial sums” to record and distribute Limp Bizkit’s albums – meaning the band doesn’t deserve the drastic remedy of terminating the decades-old deals.
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“Plaintiffs seek rescission of contracts that have governed the parties’ relationship beginning in 1996 – nearly 30 years – because the agreements should be rescinded as fraudulently induced,” the judge wrote. “Plaintiffs have not plausibly alleged the type of ‘substantial’ or ‘total failure’ in the performance of the contracts that could support rescission of the parties’ agreements.”
The ruling isn’t a total defeat. Judge Anderson didn’t reach many of the lawsuit’s other legal claims, including fraudulent concealment and intentional misrepresentation, and gave Limp Bizkit’s lawyers a chance to fix the rescission claim. But the judge’s wording suggested he will be skeptical of revoking a contract when “millions in royalties were advanced and paid under decades-old agreements.”
If finalized, the decision is something of a double blow for Durst’s lawsuit. It would not only reject his efforts to rescind the contracts, but would sink one of his other core allegations: that UMG has infringed Limp Bizkit’s copyrights. Such a claim — which could carry a huge damages award — can only succeed if the band’s contracts are voided and it legally regains its ownership of the copyrights, the judge wrote.
That could also mean the case is headed to another court entirely. If Limp Bizkit’s lawsuit no longer contains federal copyright claims, a federal court would no longer have jurisdiction over the case, meaning the lawsuit’s remaining accusations against UMG would need to be refiled in a state court.
In a statement to Billboard on Wednesday, attorneys for Durst and Limp Bizkit downplayed the impact of the ruling, noting that the court had “upheld a majority of our claims” and given them a second shot at the rejected claims.
“The facts speak for themselves,” said Frank Seddigh, the band’s lead attorney. “Universal will be held accountable for its actions and will not get away with its conduct at the expense of artists.”
A spokesman for UMG declined to comment.
Durst and Limp Bizkit sued in October, claiming the band had “never received any royalties from UMG,” despite its huge success over the years: “The band had still not been paid a single cent by UMG in any royalties until taking action.”
That claim was something of a stunner. How had one of the biggest bands of its era, which sold millions of records during the music industry’s MTV-fueled, turn-of-the-century glory days, still never have been paid any royalties nearly three decades later?
According to Durst, the answer was an “appalling and unsettling” scheme to conceal royalties from artists and “keep those profits for itself.” He claimed UMG had essentially kept Limp Bizkit in the red with shady bookkeeping, allowing the label to falsely claim the band remained unrecouped — meaning its royalties still had not surpassed the amount paid in upfront advances.
UMG hit back a month later, calling the allegations “fiction” and demanding they be thrown out of court. The music giant’s attorneys argued that Limp Bizkit’s own legal filings contradicted the accusation that the band had not been paid: “Plaintiffs concede thereafter receiving millions of dollars in payments.”
Following Friday’s decision, Limp Bizkit has until early next month to refile an amended version of the lawsuit.