State Champ Radio Author: djfrosty
Page: 675
Lil Durk clinches a milestone 10th top 10 project on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart as Deep Thoughts opens at No. 2 on the list dated April 12. The set, released March 28 through Alamo Records, starts with 64,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. for the week ending April 3, according to Luminate.
Streaming activity fuels almost all of Deep Thoughts’ first week, with 63,000 units deriving from the sector, equaling 85.9 million official on-demand U.S. audio and video streams of the album’s songs. 1,000 units are from traditional album sales, with a negligible amount of track-equivalent unit (TEA) activity. (One unit equals the following levels of consumption: one album sale, 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams for a song on the album.)
Lil Durk, who is currently incarcerated amid federal murder-for-hire charges, lands his 10th top 10 effort two months short of his 10th anniversary on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. He arrived on the list dated June 20, 2015, when Remember My Name began at No. 2.
Trending on Billboard
Here’s a full review of the rapper’s top 10s on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart:
Album Name, Artist (if other than Lil Durk), Peak Position, Peak DateRemember My Name, No. 2, June 20, 2015Lil Durk 2X, No. 5, Aug. 13, 2016Signed to the Streets 3, No. 8, Nov. 24, 2018Love Songs 4 the Streets 2, No. 2, Aug. 17, 2019Just Cause Y’all Waited 2, No. 2, July 11, 2020The Voice, No. 1 (two weeks), Jan. 16, 2021The Voice of the Heroes, with Lil Baby, No. 1 (one week), June 19, 20217220, No. 1 (five weeks), March 26, 2022Almost Healed, No. 1 (two weeks), June 10, 2023Deep Thoughts, No. 2 (to date), April 12, 2025
Elsewhere, Deep Thoughts launches at No. 2 on the Top Rap Albums chart and at No. 3 on the all-genre Billboard 200.
[embedded content]
Alongside Deep Thoughts’ debut, 14 of its tracks flood the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. “Vanish Mode” leads the pack with a No. 16 start and was the album’s most-streamed track for the week, at 7.9 million clicks. Of the 14 cuts, 11 make their debut, while “Turn Up the Notch” (No. 30) and “Monitoring Me” (No. 32) return for their second weeks on the list – after each charted for one week last October – and achieve new peaks. Lastly, “Can’t Hide It,” featuring Jhene Aiko, rallies 34-24 in its second week.
Carlos Bautista, a music manager for artists including Omega and Chimbala, went to Jet Set nightclub on Monday night to watch his friend Rubby Pérez perform. He was standing near the stairs leading to the stage when the club’s roof collapsed. Both Bautista and his brother survived the tragedy. Here’s Bautista’s story, in his own words.
I’m a close friend of Rubby. I produced his last album, and we’ve worked together on business projects. I went to see him perform that night. I was standing near the stairs by the stage.
Trending on Billboard
A piece of the roof fell onto the corner of the club, landed on a table, and shattered it. That’s when a hole appeared in the roof. People started recording it and looking at it, and within seconds, the entire roof caved in. At first, we thought it was a fight in the club because everyone started running, and we assumed it was some kind of altercation. But five seconds later, the roof collapsed. I was right there in front. I didn’t even have time to run. When I turned to leave, the roof fell on me — on my head, back, arms and knees. I was completely buried.
My brother and I were both trapped under the rubble. Nearby, there was a couple, and they managed to create a space and said, “Carlos, help me get out.” I’m a big guy — 6 feet tall and over 200 pounds — so I was able to move a chair, and they got out. My brother was still trapped, so I went to get help to get him out of the rubble. When things like this happen, you don’t really think about anything. While I was trapped, I thought about my mom, my family. I prayed to God, asking Him to let us make it out alive, but I also surrendered to His will. I was calm — 100% calm. But it wasn’t me; it was God who made that possible.
I never thought about dying. I was trapped for over an hour. I didn’t lose consciousness because I kept talking to my brother to keep him alert since he was on the verge of having a claustrophobic attack. Neither of us passed out. The people near me made space for us, and I was able to get out. I walked out barefoot because my shoes got stuck under the rubble. I was careful not to step on nails or anything sharp. I ran into someone my mom knows — a cop — and a firefighter. My brother had his phone with him and used the flashlight so they could find him and remove the debris to get him out. He was trapped for three to four hours. Rubby didn’t make it, and I think being trapped for so long is what ultimately took him.
When you’re in that kind of situation, your mind starts to wander, and it’s not easy to process what’s happening. At first, I thought it was an earthquake. But when I got out and saw everything was fine outside, I realized it wasn’t. What impacted me the most was seeing people outside desperately waiting for their loved ones to come out alive. That stayed with me — seeing their faces, knowing that most of the people trapped inside had already passed away. God had called them.
I live with my brother and my mom. She was at home and only found out what had happened when I called her from the hospital. My mom wakes up every day at 4 a.m. to pray, and I called her at that time to tell her not to worry when she woke up and realized I hadn’t come home. My brother spent the night in the hospital, but he’s here with me now. I didn’t break any bones, but my mind feels fractured after everything I saw. My heart feels broken because I’m human, and I feel the pain of others. I lost a lot of people I knew that night.
Life can change in an instant. I woke up this morning thanking God for giving me more time, for showing mercy to us, for not leaving my mom alone in this moment, for letting her keep her two sons. That’s just how I am — always calm, always composed. But I didn’t survive just because I’m calm. Everything is in God’s hands. I keep thinking about this phrase: “It wasn’t the universe, it was God. And it wasn’t random; it was part of His plan.”
Now that this has happened, I want humanity to take God’s existence more seriously. We’re seeing the signs of the end times, and God is real. I’ve always believed, but now even more so. I’ll continue to talk about His existence for the rest of my life. This doesn’t affect my career — not at all. I work in music, and I’m mentally prepared for whatever comes my way.
Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, 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.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
This week: The biggest HBO drama gets big streaming numbers following its season finale, and a pair of new artists experience their first big TikTok breakouts.
‘White Lotus’ Finale, and Composer Controversy, Spur Streaming Gains
In a convergence of fictional and real-life drama, season 3 of the smash HBO series The White Lotus concluded on Sunday night (Apr. 6), during the same week in which creator Mike White engaged in a war of words with the series’ music composer Cristóbal Tapia de Veer, who announced last week that he would not returning for season 4. One conflict involved a shootout, the other included the phrase “b—h move” — and both produced significant streaming spikes for music related to the show.
Trending on Billboard
Without spoiling the end of season 3, Billy Preston’s “Nothing From Nothing” and Cathedral Singers’ “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” are both featured prominently in the finale — and while “Nothing” earned 64,000 official on-demand U.S. streams on the day after the finale premiered (Apr. 7), up 353% from the previous Monday, “Lo” scored an even greater percentage bump, up 867% to 6,600 streams following the finale, according to Luminate. Meanwhile, Tapia de Veer’s “Enlightenment (Main Title Theme),” which introduced each of the eight episodes of the Thailand-set third season, doubled in daily streams following the finale, from 27,000 streams on Mar. 31 to 55,000 streams on Apr. 7. (“Renaissance (Main Title Theme),” the season 2 theme, was also up 74% week over week.)
This will likely be the final week in which a Tapia de Veer composition introduces a new episode of The White Lotus, but who knows? Maybe White and Tapia de Veer can pull a Jacqueline and Laurie, and hug it out on a day bed. – JASON LIPSHUTZ
Lululemon Gets Hip-Hop Approval With Viral TikTok Hit “Whim Whamiee”
Atlanta-based rappers Pluto and YK Niece have completely taken over TikTok – and the rest of social media – with their infectious, viral hit “Whim Whamiee.”
Released on Feb. 3, the song features a line nodding to Lululemon, the popular athleisure fashion brand that signifies relatively high status in certain social circles. On Feb. 19, TikTok user @lifeofjordan_ shared a clip dancing to “Whim Whamiee,” specifically the lines, “He want me bad, heard he a duck, can’t get no c–chie out the queen, put some Lulu on this butt” and the “Lululemoooon” ad-lib. His clip has since earned nearly 250,000 views, helping the song take off across the app. In the weeks that followed, those lines have continued to be the song’s most popular part, but Pluto’s “I’m talkin’ ’bout in it” ad-lib during YK Niece’s verse has also gained ample traction. Just five days after he posted his TikTok (Feb. 24), the Red Mic District dropped the official live performance video for “Whim Whamiee,” further boosting the song’s profile.
During the period of Feb. 28-Mar. 6 – a little over a week following @lifeofjordan_’s post — “Whim Whamiee” earned just over 247,000 official on-demand U.S. streams, according to Luminate. Streaming activity continued to rapidly increase, with the song earning over one million official on-demand U.S. streams during the week of March 14-20, according to Luminate. By the following week (March 21-27), that figure leapt 32% to 1.38 million streams, thanks, in part, to the release of the song’s official music video. The next week (March 28-April 3), “Whim Whamiee” streams exploded 84% to over 2.5 million streams. Over the past four weeks, streaming activity for “Whim Whamiee” has risen a gobsmacking 929%.
With everyone from Latto and Alabama Barker to JT and Flo Milli co-signing the “Whim Whamiee,” the song very well could become Gen Z’s very own Lululemon theme song. Just don’t tell its founder. — KYLE DENIS
Malcolm Todd Spins “Chest Pain” Into a Certified Hit
It’s been a journey for Malcolm Todd’s latest hit — nearly half a year, to be exact.
Todd first started teasing “Chest Pain (I Love)” in his live shows last winter, with a fan account sharing one of those clips (overlayed with a seemingly studio-quality snippet of the song) in a Nov. 15 TikTok that has since been viewed over 405,000 times on the app. Four days later, Todd used that fan’s sound to share a TikTok post of him in the recording studio. This particular sound showcases the second half of the chorus — in which he repeatedly sings “I love” — gifting TikTok it’s latest viral trend.
As he did with past singles like “Comfort Me,” Todd quickly inundated his TikTok following with posts soundtracked by “Chest Pain,” specifically the part of the chorus he teased in his initial snippet. The official “Chest Pain” TikTok sound currently boasts just under 400,000 posts, while the sound attached to his initial snippet currently plays in over 1.5 million clips. Users have since used the song to pay tribute to everything that they love – from pets and home-baked cookies to relationship green flags and volleyball.
“Chest Pain” finally landed on DSPs on Dec. 4, 2024, and found a home on Todd’s eponymous debut album, which dropped April 4. Building on the success of his previous single and TikTok’s eternal penchant for heartfelt ballads, “Chest Pain” earned over 1.23 million official on-demand U.S. streams during the week of March 14-20, according to Luminate. The following week (March 21-27), streams jumped 70% to 2.1 million. The week preceding his album release (March 28-April 3), streaming activity for “Chest Pain” leapt a jaw-dropping 153% to over 5.32 million streams.
Already having peaked at No. 2 on the now-defunct TikTok Billboard Top 50, “Chest Pain” now has its sights set on even grander (and active) Billboard charts. — KD
No offensive language will be tolerated on Celebrity Big Brother UK.
Mickey Rourke was issued a warning from the reality television series’ producers after a series of comments he made toward fellow competitor JoJo Siwa, according to BBC. During the 24th season, the actor asked Siwa if she liked “girls or boys,” to which the “Karma” singer explained that she’s attracted to women and that her partner Kath Ebbs is non-binary.
“If I stay longer than four days,” the 72-year-old then responded, “you won’t be gay anymore.”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Siwa replied by assuring, “I can guarantee I’ll still be gay and I’ll still be in a very happy relationship.”
Trending on Billboard
Later in the series, when the cast mates were called to vote someone out of the house, Mickey explained that he’s “going to vote the lesbian out real quick,” to which Siwa — who overheard the comment, replied, “That’s homophobic, if that was your reasoning.”
At one point in the series, Rourke said that he needed a “f–,” and gestured to the 21-year-old star and said, “I’m not talking to you.” When fellow competitor Chris Hughes called him out for the language, the actor said, “I know. I was talking about a cigarette.”
After using the slur, which is slang for a cigarette in the U.K., he was warned by the ITV series’ Big Brother about his actions in the confessional room. “Big Brother thinks your language was offensive and unacceptable,” he was told. “As a result, Big Brother is giving you a formal warning. Further language or behaviour of this nature could lead to you being removed from the Big Brother house.”
Ultimately, the actor explained that he didn’t have “dishonorable intentions” and apologized to Siwa. “I want to apologize. I’ve got a habit of having a short fuse,” he told her. “And I don’t mean nothing by it. I do mean it [sorry]. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t say it to you.”
“I appreciate your apology,” she replied. Siwa has yet to publicly address the situation.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Marcus Ingram / Getty
Rapper Slim Thug’s Houston apartment was recently hit in a serious burglary, and the thieves made off with a ton of cash, jewelry, and other valuables.
.ione4-flex-posts-section{background:var(–ione4-background-secondary);padding-bottom:10px;padding-top:10px}@media(max-width:900px){.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-flex{flex-direction:column}}.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-flex-posts-card{margin-bottom:20px}.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-flex-posts-card:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.ione4-flex-posts-section a,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-2-across .ione4-block-byline-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-2-across .ione4-block-category-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-2-across .ione4-block-title-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-3-across .ione4-block-byline-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-3-across .ione4-block-category-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-3-across .ione4-block-title-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-4-across .ione4-block-byline-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-4-across .ione4-block-category-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-4-across .ione4-block-title-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-5-across .ione4-block-byline-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-5-across .ione4-block-category-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-5-across .ione4-block-title-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-default .ione4-block-byline-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-default .ione4-block-category-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-default .ione4-block-title-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-list-small .ione4-block-byline-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-list-small .ione4-block-category-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-list-small .ione4-block-title-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-list-standard .ione4-block-byline-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-list-standard .ione4-block-category-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-list-standard .ione4-block-title-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-sidebyside .ione4-block-byline-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-sidebyside .ione4-block-category-text a:link.ione4-link,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-sidebyside .ione4-block-title-text a:link.ione4-link{text-decoration:none}.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-widget-title{color:var(–ione4-font-color-primary)}.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-graphic{margin-bottom:10px;position:relative}@supports not (aspect-ratio:auto){.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-graphic:before{content:””;display:block;overflow:hidden;padding-top:56.25%}}.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-graphic img{aspect-ratio:16/9;-o-object-fit:cover;object-fit:cover;width:100%}@supports not (aspect-ratio:auto){.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-graphic img{position:absolute;top:50%;transform:translateY(-50%)}}.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-graphic video{aspect-ratio:16/9;height:auto;-o-object-fit:cover;object-fit:cover;width:100%}.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-post-date{margin-top:0}.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-content{display:flex;flex-direction:column;justify-content:center}@media(min-width:901px){.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-content{padding-left:20px}}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-default{text-transform:none}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-default .ione4-block-flex{flex-direction:column}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-default .ione4-block-column{width:100%}@media(min-width:901px){.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-default .ione4-block-content{padding-left:0}}@media(max-width:900px){.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-default .ione4-block-title-text{font-size:1.25rem}}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-default .ione4-block-category{font-size:.9375rem}@media(max-width:900px){.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-sidebyside .ione4-block-flex{flex-direction:column}}@media(max-width:1023px){.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-sidebyside .ione4-block-title-text{font-size:1.4375rem}}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-2-across .ione4-flex-posts-cards,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-3-across .ione4-flex-posts-cards,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-4-across .ione4-flex-posts-cards,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-5-across .ione4-flex-posts-cards{display:grid;gap:20px 20px;grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(calc(50% – 20px),1fr));min-height:0;min-width:0}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-2-across .ione4-flex-posts-card,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-3-across .ione4-flex-posts-card,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-4-across .ione4-flex-posts-card,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-5-across .ione4-flex-posts-card{margin-bottom:0}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-2-across .ione4-block-flex,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-3-across .ione4-block-flex,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-4-across .ione4-block-flex,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-5-across .ione4-block-flex{flex-direction:column}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-2-across .ione4-block-column,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-3-across .ione4-block-column,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-4-across .ione4-block-column,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-5-across .ione4-block-column{width:100%}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-2-across .ione4-block-content,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-3-across .ione4-block-content,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-4-across .ione4-block-content,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-5-across .ione4-block-content{padding-left:0}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-2-across .ione4-block-title-text,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-3-across .ione4-block-title-text,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-4-across .ione4-block-title-text,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-5-across .ione4-block-title-text{font-size:1.0625rem}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-2-across .ione4-block-category-text,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-3-across .ione4-block-category-text,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-4-across .ione4-block-category-text,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-5-across .ione4-block-category-text{text-transform:uppercase}@media(max-width:900px){.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-2-across .ione4-block-category.empty,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-3-across .ione4-block-category.empty,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-4-across .ione4-block-category.empty,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-5-across .ione4-block-category.empty{display:none}}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-2-across .ione4-block-byline-text,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-2-across .ione4-block-category-text,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-2-across .ione4-block-post-date-text,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-3-across .ione4-block-byline-text,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-3-across .ione4-block-category-text,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-3-across .ione4-block-post-date-text,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-4-across .ione4-block-byline-text,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-4-across .ione4-block-category-text,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-4-across .ione4-block-post-date-text,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-5-across .ione4-block-byline-text,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-5-across .ione4-block-category-text,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-5-across .ione4-block-post-date-text{font-size:.75rem}@media(min-width:901px){.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-3-across .ione4-flex-posts-cards{grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(calc(33% – 20px),1fr))}}.container-with-sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-3-across .ione4-flex-posts-cards{grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(310px,1fr))}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-3-across .ione4-block-title-text{font-size:1.25rem}@media(min-width:901px){.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-4-across .ione4-flex-posts-cards{grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(calc(25% – 20px),1fr))}}.container-with-sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-4-across .ione4-flex-posts-cards{grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(225px,1fr))}@media(min-width:901px){.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-5-across .ione4-flex-posts-cards{grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(calc(20% – 20px),1fr))}}.container-with-sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-5-across .ione4-flex-posts-cards{grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(175px,1fr))}.container-with-sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts .ione4-block-category-text,.is-style-homepage-river-left .ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts .ione4-block-category-text{font-size:.75rem;text-transform:uppercase}.container-with-sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts .ione4-block-title-text,.is-style-homepage-river-left .ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts .ione4-block-title-text{font-size:1.25rem}.container-with-sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts .ione4-block-byline-text,.container-with-sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts .ione4-block-excerpt-text,.container-with-sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts .ione4-block-post-date-text,.is-style-homepage-river-left .ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts .ione4-block-byline-text,.is-style-homepage-river-left .ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts .ione4-block-excerpt-text,.is-style-homepage-river-left .ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts .ione4-block-post-date-text{font-size:.9375rem}.container-with-sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts .ione4-block-post-date,.is-style-homepage-river-left .ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts .ione4-block-post-date{margin-top:0}.container-with-sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-flex-posts-type-sidebyside .ione4-block-graphic-wrapper,.container-with-sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts .ione4-block-content,.is-style-homepage-river-left .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-flex-posts-type-sidebyside .ione4-block-graphic-wrapper,.is-style-homepage-river-left .ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts .ione4-block-content{width:100%}@media(min-width:901px){.container-with-sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-flex-posts-type-sidebyside .ione4-block-graphic-wrapper,.is-style-homepage-river-left .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-flex-posts-type-sidebyside .ione4-block-graphic-wrapper{max-width:43%}}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-list-standard .ione4-flex-posts-cards{max-width:658px}@media(min-width:901px){.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-list-standard .ione4-block-graphic{margin-bottom:0}}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-list-standard .ione4-block-excerpt-text,.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-list-standard .ione4-block-title-text{font-size:1.0625rem;line-height:1.375}.ione4-flex-posts-section.no-image .ione4-flex-posts-card{border-color:var(–ione4-color-accent);border-bottom:1px solid;margin-bottom:12px;padding-bottom:12px}.ione4-flex-posts-section.no-image .ione4-flex-posts-card:last-child{border-bottom:0}.ione4-flex-posts-section.no-image[class*=-across] .ione4-flex-posts-card{border-bottom:0;border-right:1px solid;padding-right:16px}.ione4-flex-posts-section.no-image[class*=-across] .ione4-flex-posts-card:last-child{border-right:0}@media(max-width:900px){.ione4-flex-posts-section.no-image .ione4-flex-posts-card:nth-child(2n){border-right:0}}@media(min-width:901px){.ione4-flex-posts-section.no-image.ione4-flex-posts-type-2-across .ione4-flex-posts-card:nth-child(2n),.ione4-flex-posts-section.no-image.ione4-flex-posts-type-3-across .ione4-flex-posts-card:nth-child(3n),.ione4-flex-posts-section.no-image.ione4-flex-posts-type-4-across .ione4-flex-posts-card:nth-child(4n),.ione4-flex-posts-section.no-image.ione4-flex-posts-type-5-across .ione4-flex-posts-card:nth-child(5n){border-right:0}}.ione4-flex-posts-section.no-image .ione4-block-graphic-wrapper{display:none}.ione4-flex-posts-section.no-image .ione4-block-content{padding-left:0}.ione4-flex-posts-section.no-image .ione4-block-column{width:100%}.ione4-flex-posts-section.no-image .ione4-block-title-text{font-size:1.25rem}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-list-small .ione4-flex-posts-card{margin-bottom:18px}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-list-small .ione4-block-graphic-wrapper{min-height:77px;width:136px}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-list-small .ione4-block-graphic{min-height:77px}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-list-small .ione4-block-content{max-width:176px}.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-list-small .ione4-block-title-text{font-size:1.25rem}.ione4-flex-posts-section.one-column-mobile.ione4-flex-posts-type-list-small .ione4-block-content{max-width:100%}@media(max-width:900px){.ione4-flex-posts-section.one-column-mobile .ione4-flex-posts-cards{grid-template-columns:100%}.ione4-flex-posts-section.one-column-mobile .ione4-block-graphic{margin-bottom:10px}.ione4-flex-posts-section.two-column-mobile .ione4-flex-posts-cards{display:grid;gap:15px 20px;grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(calc(50% – 20px),1fr));min-height:0;min-width:0}.ione4-flex-posts-section.two-column-mobile .ione4-block-graphic{margin-bottom:5px}.ione4-flex-posts-section.two-column-mobile .ione4-block-title-text{font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.25}.ione4-flex-posts-section.two-column-mobile .ione4-block-category{font-size:.75rem}}.ione4-flex-posts-section.side-by-side-mobile.ione4-flex-posts-type-noimage .ione4-block-content{padding-left:0}@media(max-width:900px){.ione4-flex-posts-section.side-by-side-mobile .ione4-flex-posts-cards{grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(350px,1fr))}.ione4-flex-posts-section.side-by-side-mobile .ione4-block-flex{flex-direction:row}.ione4-flex-posts-section.side-by-side-mobile .ione4-block-content{padding-left:10px}}.ione4-flex-posts-section~.alternating-super-feature,.ione4-flex-posts-section~.ione4-cover-story-section,.ione4-flex-posts-section~.ione4-dynamic-lead,.ione4-flex-posts-section~.ione4-super-feature-section{margin-top:0}.post-type-archive-ione_episode .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-widget-title{font-size:1.5625rem}@media(min-width:901px){.post-type-archive-ione_episode .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-widget-title{font-size:2.3rem}}.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-widget-title,.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-widget-title__text{color:var(–ione4-font-color-primary)}@media(max-width:900px){.swipe-mobile .ione4-flex-posts-card{margin-left:20px;width:80%}.swipe-mobile .ione4-block-title-text{font-size:1.25rem!important}.swipe-mobile .ione4-block-byline-text,.swipe-mobile .ione4-block-category-text{font-size:.75rem}}.swipe-mobile .flickity-viewport{transition:height .2s}.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-type-list-small .ione4-block-category{font-size:.75rem;line-height:1.5}.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-type-list-small .ione4-block-title-text{font-size:1.25rem}@media(min-width:1024px){.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-type-list-small div.ione4-block-category{line-height:1;margin-bottom:5px}.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-type-list-small span.ione4-block-byline-text,.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-type-list-small span.ione4-block-category-text{font-size:.625rem}.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-type-list-small h2.ione4-block-title-text{font-size:.75rem}}.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section{width:100%}.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-flex-posts-cards,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-flex-posts-cards{display:grid;gap:10px;grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(100%,1fr))}@media(min-width:901px){.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-flex-posts-cards,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-flex-posts-cards{display:block;margin:0}}.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-category,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-category{margin-bottom:2px}.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-category-text,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-category-text{text-transform:uppercase}@media(min-width:901px){.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-byline-text,.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-category-text,.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-post-date-text,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-byline-text,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-category-text,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-post-date-text{font-size:.75rem}.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-excerpt-text,.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-title-text,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-excerpt-text,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-title-text{font-size:.9375rem}}.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-title,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-title{margin-bottom:3px}.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-graphic-wrapper,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-graphic-wrapper{width:100%}@media(min-width:901px){.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-graphic-wrapper,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-graphic-wrapper{max-width:43%}.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-default .ione4-block-graphic-wrapper,.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section[class*=-across] .ione4-block-graphic-wrapper,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-default .ione4-block-graphic-wrapper,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section[class*=-across] .ione4-block-graphic-wrapper{max-width:100%}}.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-default .ione4-block-content,.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section[class*=-across] .ione4-block-content,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section.ione4-flex-posts-type-default .ione4-block-content,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section[class*=-across] .ione4-block-content{padding-left:0}@media(min-width:901px){.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-graphic,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-graphic{margin-bottom:0}}.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-graphic a,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-graphic a{display:flex;height:100%}.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-content,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-content{width:100%}@media(min-width:901px){.sidebar .ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-content,.sidebar.ione4-flex-posts-section .ione4-block-content{padding-left:10px}}.ione4-flex-posts-cards .icon-photos,.ione4-flex-posts-section .icon-photos{left:50%;margin-left:-35px;margin-top:-35px;position:absolute;top:50%}@media(min-width:64em){.ione4-flex-posts-cards .icon-photos,.ione4-flex-posts-section .icon-photos{border-width:4px;height:70px;margin-left:-35px;margin-top:-37px;width:70px}.ione4-flex-posts-cards .icon-photos:before,.ione4-flex-posts-section .icon-photos:before{display:block;font-size:26px;line-height:40px}}
According to cops, security noticed a door had been kicked in, and it didn’t take long for them to realize the crooks had taken multiple items from inside the crib, including expensive jewelry and stacks of cash. Luckily, Slim Thug wasn’t home when the robbers broke in, so there were no injuries. Still, it’s a big loss for the Texas legend, who’s been making moves in the rap game for years. The cops are on the case, checking security footage and following up on leads to track down the thieves, but so far, no word on arrests.
Slim Thug recently went viral for some wild comments about a woman he saw rocking revealing clothes. He basically said that women who step outside showing off their shape and then call men “creeps” for looking are guilty of “entrapment.” According to him, it’s “false advertising” if you got your body out there but aren’t giving anything up. His take had the internet buzzing, with some folks defending him, while others slammed him for being disrespectful and objectifying. The whole thing sparked a big debate about how people dress and the expectations they set.
A couple of days ago, Portland’s Animé previewed his latest single via On the Radar, complete with his own backup dancers, and on Wednesday (April 9), he made the song available on streaming services after announcing his first album since 2020’s Limbo. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and […]
These two titans of music have come a long way.
Leon Thomas’ “Mutt” is the top dog on Billboard’s Hot R&B Songs chart (dated April 12) as it leads the list with a 3-1 jump.
On the multimetric chart, which combines streaming, radio airplay and sales data, the single improves in the former two divisions, a week after reaching new milestones thanks partly to a remix with Chris Brown.
In the tracking week of March 28-April 3, “Mutt,” released on EZMNY/Motown/ICLG, registered 13.1 million official U.S. streams, according to Luminate, a 4% gain from the prior’s week total of 12.6 million. The increase keeps the track at No. 1 on the R&B Streaming Songs chart, for a second week at the summit, while it pushes 22-16 on the all-genre Streaming Songs list. It likewise wins a second term at No. 1 on the R&B Digital Song Sales chart despite a 19% loss in digital downloads to 1,500 for the week.
Turning to the radio market, “Mutt” captured 14.7 million impressions in all-format airplay audience, up 18% from the previous week. (All radio airplay, regardless of format, contributes to a track’s rank on the Hot R&B Songs chart.) Three formats provide most of the single’s radio reach: “Mutt” steps 7-6 on Adult R&B Airplay with a 7% boost in plays for the latest tracking week compared with the week prior, climbs 15-13 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (up 16%) and rises 38-36 on Rhythmic Airplay (up 30%). Led by those improvements, the track debuts at No. 47 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart.
Trending on Billboard
While “Mutt” is Thomas’ first entry as an artist on Hot R&B Songs, the multi-talent has appeared has co-written six previous hits on the chart, including Ella Mai’s “Not Another Love Song” (No. 9 in 2020), Bryson Tiller’s “Ciao” (No. 9, 2024) and SZA’s “Snooze,” which spent 32 weeks at No. 1 in 2023-24 and won Thomas his first Grammy Award, for best R&B song.
[embedded content]
Now with his own material, Thomas, who wrote “Mutt” in 2022, is making inroads across several charts. In addition to conquering the Hot R&B Songs chart, his breakthrough single leaps 10-5 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and springs 28-21 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. Worldwide activity is up, too, with a 47-40 hop on the Billboard Global 200 and a 191-137 jump on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart.
The song’s parent album of the same name, meanwhile, earns a fourth week on the Top R&B Albums chart, sliding 10-12 with 12,000 equivalent album units for the week (down less than 1%).
Sada Baby was arrested on drug possession charges in Michigan on Tuesday (April 8). According to Macomb County Sheriff’s Office records, Sada (real name Casada Sorrell) was booked in Macomb County Jail by the Sterling Heights Police Department. Per The Detroit News, Sada Baby’s arrest stemmed from a traffic stop in January. Last week, Sterling […]
Four years after DMX’s tragic 2021 death, a New York judge has ruled that his ex-wife can’t claim a 50 percent stake in the rapper’s music catalog and other intellectual property (IP) rights.
Tashera Simmons, who was married to the legendary rapper (Earl Simmons) for 16 years, sued his estate last year, claiming she was the rightful owner of half of his copyrights, trademarks and likeness rights. But in a ruling Monday (April 7), a New York judge said otherwise.
“The estate is the sole owner of all intellectual property rights [that] Earl Simmons acquired during his marriage to plaintiff, as well as any and all other trademarks and intellectual property rights that belonged to Earl Simmons at the time of his death,” Judge David F. Everett wrote.
Trending on Billboard
The dispute centers on the couple’s 2016 divorce agreement, which mentioned “intellectual property” but didn’t expressly state that Tashera was a co-owner of the copyrights and trademarks. Before his death, DMX insisted the deal only granted her royalty payments — an argument his estate has maintained in the years since his death.
In Monday’s decision, Judge Everett not only ruled that the divorce settlement “does not confer ownership,” but that Tashera had essentially waived the right to make that claim. The judge cited the fact that she had raised the issue in previous litigation and had then signed a settlement that made no mention of sharing ownership.
“Under the circumstances of this case, the court will not, in effect, reopen those proceedings to reinterpret the parties’ 2016 settlement agreement, particularly where the party best positioned to contest a contrary interpretation is now deceased,” the judge wrote.
DMX, one of the most influential stars in hip-hop history, was married to Tashera through his turn-of-the-century heyday, as he released Billboard Hot 100 hits like “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem,” “Party Up (Up In Here)” and “What These Bitches Want.” The pair, who share four children, filed for divorce in 2013 and finalized the split in 2016. After years of health issues, DMX died in April 2021 following a drug overdose and subsequent heart attack.
Tashera sued last year, claiming that the estate’s administrators (DMX’s ex-fiancée Desiree Lindstrom and his daughter by another woman, Sasha Simmons) were improperly disputing her ownership stake. She cited a handwritten excerpt from the divorce settlement, which said she would get half of IP rights, followed by: “which shall include, but not be limited to, royalties.”
But in Monday’s decision, Judge Everett said that language “does not unequivocally assign ownership of decedent’s copyrighted works or trademark and, indeed, makes no mention of ownership or title to such property.”
“Instead, plaintiff proffers an interpretation of the phrase ‘intellectual property rights’ to include ownership, but had that phrase meant ownership, then there would be no need to define those rights further in the subsequent clause, all tellingly limited to various categories of royalty payments.”
The judge did side with Tashera on one smaller issue by refusing to dismiss her accusations that DMX had breached the divorce agreement by failing to pay $214,000 in child support. That issue is factually disputed by both sides, the judge said, meaning dismissing it would be “premature.”
Neither side immediately returned a request for comment on Wednesday (April 9).
