State Champ Radio Author: djfrosty
Page: 688
Blink-182 announced the dates for their 2025 Missionary Impossible U.S. tour on Tuesday morning (April 8). The late summer/fall trek will hit arenas, amphitheaters and stadiums across the country. The Live Nation-promoted outing is slated to kick off on Aug. 28 at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, FL and will include stops in Tampa, […]
HipHopWired Featured Video
The Tron franchise may not have the cult following of say a Star Wars or even Star Trek, but it does have a decent sized fanbase. And now, they’ll be able to experience an entirely new story as Disney released a new trailer to the upcoming Tron: Ares, and it looks pretty damn interesting.
Starring Jared Leto and OG Tron star, Jeff Bridges, Tron: Ares continues the legacy. Though plot details are scarce right now, it does seem like the digital world of Tron will somehow enter our reality and lead to a war that humanity is just not prepared for. The new teaser trailer was revealed at the D23 event this past weekend, and according to Variety, Jeff Bridges was amazed at just how far the franchise has come these past few decades.
Per Variety:
“It’s really unbelievable to think we made the original in 1982,” Bridges said on stage when “Tron: Ares” was unveiled during the 2024 D23 Expo. “It’s amazing — we never thought we would have this legacy that’s continued on all these years.”
It was also revealed at D23 that Nine Inch Nails, the industrial rock and electronica band founded by Trent Reznor and joined in 2016 by frequent collaborator Atticus Ross, are scoring the film. Reznor and Ross have won Oscars for their scores for 2010’s “The Social Network” and 2020’s “Soul.” They also won Grammys for their soundtracks to “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” and “Soul.” Most recently, they scored Luca Guadagnino’s hit tennis film “Challengers.”
We’re not the biggest fans of Tron ’round these parts, but the trailer does look very intriguing. So we might have to check it out.
Peep the teaser trailer for Tron: Ares, and let us know if you’ll be checking for it when it hits theaters this coming October in the comments section below.
Island Records has promoted Marshall Nolan to executive vp, head of commercial strategy. Based in New York, Nolan reports directly to Imran Majid and Justin Eshak, co-chairmen and CEOs of Island Records.
In his enhanced role — he was previously svp — Nolan will continue leading streaming, physical and D2C strategy for the label. Since joining UMG in 2022, he has been pivotal to the breakthrough campaigns of Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan, the development of rising stars Gigi Perez, Lola Young, and Charley Crockett, and the continued success of Bon Jovi, Shawn Mendes, Demi Lovato and The Killers.
Last September, Nolan was recognized as Billboard’s executive of the week for his role in orchestrating the leave-no-stone-unturned commercial strategy (radio promo, streaming, multiple variants to boost sales) behind Carpenter’s album Short N’ Sweet, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. “The plan from the start was that every detail mattered,” Nolan told us. “We knew to double down on her strengths, in areas like e-commerce, and once we built a rhythm there, it afforded us the time to nurture elements that still had room for growth.”
Trending on Billboard
Prior to joining UMG, Nolan spent five years at Columbia Records as senior director of the commercial team, working on key projects for artists such as Adele, Harry Styles, Hozier, Beyoncé and The Neighbourhood.
Eshak and Majid expressed their excitement about Nolan’s promotion, highlighting his leadership, deep understanding of music and visionary approach to commercial strategy. “His strong, trusted relationships with our label’s artist roster and their respective teams have led to some of the most exciting commercial marketing campaigns in recent memory,” they said in a joint statement. “We’re excited for his next phase and the opportunities he’ll bring to our team and artists we support.”
Nolan emphasized the artist-first culture at Island, saying “Nothing is off limits if it benefits the artist, which opens up the boundaries and enables us to effectively deliver at the highest level on their behalf.”
The executive is also committed to philanthropy, raising awareness and funds for metastatic breast cancer research through organizations like BCRF and The Pink Agenda, inspired by his sister-in-law cancer battle.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Ethan Miller/BBMA2017 / Getty
Baka Not Nice, the rapper and close Drake affiliate, recently spoke out about his name being dropped in Kendrick Lamar’s explosive diss track “Not Like Us.”
.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}}
At one point in the “Not Like Us” diss track, Kendrick says, “Baka has a weird case. Why is he around?”. According to Yahoo, Baka was allegedly accused in 2014 of forcing a 22-year-old woman into prostitution. In 2015, he ended up pleading guilty to assaulting her and violating rules related to some separate gun charges, as reported by The Toronto Sun.
The song shook the entire Hip-Hop world and went viral, even getting a performance at the Super Bowl halftime show. For Baka, though, the track wasn’t just some rap beef, it was a personal attack that had him heated.
Baka kept it 100 about his initial reaction: “At first, the instinct was to respond quick. Where I’m from, that sh*t don’t happen. You can’t just call out a man with no receipts. That’s wild,” he said. The way people ate up the diss, treating it like fact, only added to the frustration. “Everybody has to understand, I got a kid, Drake got a kid. Making accusations like that is crazy,” he added, letting it be known that this wasn’t just rap talk, it hit home.
It wasn’t long before Baka got a message from “The Boy” aka Drake, that helped him chill. “Yo, I know how you feel, I know how you get down. Don’t let the noise get to you, it’s just noise. All those people talkin’ ain’t even real. They’re bots,” Drake told him. That advice helped Baka fall back and avoid doing or saying something he’d regret.
Drake’s homie Baka made it clear: once people start doing their research and realize Kendrick just made up a whole story, they should be looking at Kendrick funny, not him or Drake. It’s a reminder that Hip-Hop narratives are powerful, but they’re also easily twisted. Facts always come out, and when they do, the truth will speak louder than the lies.
Check out the clip below:
HipHopWired Featured Video
Dee-1 has always been positioned as a Hip-Hop artist with a message, and few have shown the level of conviction and criticism that he has for the music and culture of Hip-Hop. While attending Dreamville Festival last weekend, Dee-1 graciously gave us a few minutes of his time and shared details of his upcoming album, Hypocritical Hop.
While backstage at the Dreamville Festival, Dee-1’s towering frame and his always observant stance stood out, and as we approached him for questions, we asked what brought him to the festival.
“One of the things I’ve learned as an artist is the power of networking,” he began. “Getting out there helps because people can see my face and hold a conversation with me, and that helps in turn with the other work that I do.”
The former schoolteacher turned musical artist then explained the similarities of leading the youth in the position of guidance and leadership, and how that translates into his current role as a front-facing media figure.
“It’s very similar. As an artist and teacher, you have an audience that you can either pour positivity and light into them, or pour negativity and destruction into them,” he explained. “In both roles, I recognized that early on.”
In recent times, Dee-1 has been an unspoken critic of Hip-Hop music and culture, with some supporting his views while others find his critiques too harsh. When asked about the state of things, the L.O.A.D.E.D. artist did not mince his words.
“Whenever I see a problem, I feel compelled to be part of the solution,” he said. “It’s a huge problem in Hip-Hop, and I don’t even call it Hip-Hop anymore. I call it ‘hypocritical hop.’ What some of the culture has turned into with the glorification of murdering each other, the glorification of selling dope, or being a drug addict, that ain’t Hip-Hop!”
Dee-1 added that to support this line of thought, his latest album will be titled Hypocritical Hop, and he intends to release the project on Juneteenth of this year.
In closing, we asked Dee-1 to share a message with our readers as we came to the end of our interview.
“Don’t allow the distractions of the world, which are delicious distractions; they taste good, they look good, they smell good, but don’t allow those things to deter you from your God-given purpose,” he stated. “We were put here by God for God’s glory, and it’s that simple. Because God loves us, he gives us free will and autonomy, but don’t fall in love with any of these creations more than you love the creator.”
To learn more about Dee-1 and follow his journey, click here.
—
Photo: Paras Griffin / Getty
Ravyn Lenae is officially a Billboard Hot 100-charting artist, as she scores her first career entry on the April 12, 2025-dated survey with “Love Me Not.”
Released in May 2024 on Atlantic Records, the song debuts at No. 81 almost entirely from its 6.3 million official U.S. streams (up 17% week-over-week) March 28-April 3, according to Luminate. The song was the lead single from Lenae’s sophomore album, Bird’s Eye, which she released last August.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The Chicago native released a remix of the song, featuring Rex Orange County, in October. (Both versions of the song are combined into one listing on Billboard’s charts.)
Trending on Billboard
“Love Me Not” hits the Hot 100 nearly a year after its release after going viral on TikTok. The song picked up steam on the platform in January after users began making mashups of it with Solange’s “Losing You.” TikTokers also checked out the original “Love Me Not,” which has now soundtracked over 320,000 clips on the platform to date.
“Love Me Not” is also growing globally, rising 135-95 on the latest Billboard Global 200 chart and 200-149 on Global Excl. U.S.
“Love Me Not” was produced by DJ DaHi, Craig Balmoris and Ritz Reynolds. It earns DJ DaHi his 25th production credit on the Hot 100. He first charted via Drake’s “Worst Behavior” in 2013 and has since produced hits by acts including Kendrick Lamar, Mac Miller, Big Sean, 21 Savage and J. Cole. Two of his entries have reached the top 10: Lamar, BLXST and Amanda Reifer’s “Die Hard” (No. 5 peak, 2022) and Lamar’s “Wacced Out Murals” (No. 4, 2024).
Balmoris adds his sixth production credit on the Hot 100 with “Love Me Not,” following four recorded by Lamar (including “Wacced Out Murals” and the No. 9-peaking “Man at the Garden” last year) and one by Hozier (“Empire Now,” 2024). Ritz Reynolds scores his first production billing on the chart.
Lenae first appeared on Billboard’s charts nearly two and a half years ago with “Skin Tight,” featuring Stevy Lacy. The track debuted on Adult R&B Airplay in November 2022 and climbed to No. 1 the following May, becoming her first leader on any list. It also reached No. 21 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay. She also posted her first entry on Hot R&B Songs last August with the No. 21-peaking “One Wish,” featuring Childish Gambino.
Fifteen people have been confirmed dead and over 100 have been hospitalized early Tuesday when the roof of the Jet Set nightclub, a well-known venue in Santo Domingo, collapsed during a live performance.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Authorities have launched extensive search and rescue efforts, with more than 100 individuals transported to hospitals across the city as emergency teams continue working to locate survivors beneath the rubble.
“We presume that many of them are still alive, and that is why the authorities here will not give up until not a single person remains under that rubble,” said Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Center of Emergency Operations.
Among the injured is merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was performing when the roof collapsed, officials said.
Trending on Billboard
President Luis Abinader wrote on X that all rescue agencies are “working tirelessly” to help those affected.
“We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub. We have been following the incident minute by minute since it occurred,” he wrote.
Abinader arrived at the scene and hugged those looking for friends and family, some with tears streaming down their faces. He did not speak to reporters.
An official with a megaphone stood outside the club imploring the large crowd that had gathered to search for friends and relatives to give ambulances space.
“You have to cooperate with authorities, please,” he said. “We are removing people.”
At one hospital where the injured were taken, an official stood outside reading aloud the names of survivors as a crowd gathered around her and yelled out the names of their loved ones.
It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the roof to collapse.
This is a developing story.
Natti Natasha, Ha*Ash and Belinda will be honored at the third annual Billboard Latin Women in Music event, Billboard and Telemundo announced on Tuesday (April 8). The artists join Olga Tañón, Chiquis and Anitta, who were previously announced as honorees for this year.
Hosted by Mexican star Ana Bárbara, the two-hour ceremony will air live exclusively on Telemundo on April 24 at 9 p.m. ET and will celebrate “groundbreaking women shaping the future of Latin music,” according to a press statement. The show will also stream on the Telemundo app, Universo and Peacock.
Trending on Billboard
Dominican hitmaker Natti Natasha will be honored with the Unstoppable Artist Award, a nod to her sustained influence in the music industry. Natti initially burst onto the Billboard charts when she earned her first No. 1 in 2012 as a featured artist on Don Omar’s hit “Dutty Love.” Since then, she has amassed 34 career entries on the overall Latin Airplay ranking, including 17 top 10 hits, 10 of which soared to No. 1.
On the album front, her debut studio project, Iluminatti, reached new heights in 2019, breaking into the top 10 on both the Top Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts, with a peak at No. 3. More recently, her LP Natti Natasha en Amargue, produced by Romeo Santos, earned her a top 10 debut on the Tropical Albums chart.
Sister-duo Ha*Ash, comprised of Hanna and Ashley, will receive the Unbreakable Award, celebrating the collaboration between Latin women artists who have made an indelible impact on the music industry. Honored for their resilience, innovation and empowerment, Ha*Ash made an impressive debut in 2004, scoring their first top 10 hit on Latin Pop Airplay with “Estés Donde Estés,” which peaked at No. 9.
Over the years, they have proven their staying power, accumulating a total of 16 entries on the chart, four of which reached the top 10. The sisters recently made a notable comeback with “El Cielo Te Mandó Para Mí,” a standout track from Haashville, which reached a No. 7 high on Latin Pop Airplay. Currently, the duo is on their Haashville Tour across the U.S. and Canada
Meanwhile, Belinda is set to be honored with the Evolution Award, a special honor that recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional growth, transformation, and innovation throughout their artistic journey, and an enduring impact and commitment to evolving their vision and voice. Belinda’s self-titled debut album catapulted her into the spotlight in 2003, earning her a first top 10 entry on a Billboard chart as the set reached a high of No. 6 on the Latin Pop Albums tally.
Since then, she’s had three additional top 10 albums, including Catarsis, which peaked at No. 2 in 2013. Showcasing versatility, Belinda has most recently dabbled in regional Mexican music, specifically in corridos bélicos, collaborating with the likes of Natanael Cano, Tito Double P and Netón Vega.
As previously announced, Anitta will receive the Vanguard Award, Chiquis the Impact Award and Olga Tañón will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award, with the remaining honors to be announced soon.
Eric Andre has a well-earned reputation as a guy who is not afraid to try just about anything once. Well, except for going on a date with Madonna. On Monday night’s (April 7) Jimmy Kimmel Live! the Bombing With Eric Andre podcast host revealed that “Madonna has a bit of a crush on me.” In […]
HipHopWired Featured Video
Nintendo / Nintendo Switch 2
Unfortunately, Nintendo is sticking to its no-achievement formula for the Nintendo Switch 2.
Switch 2 will not join PlayStation and Xbox because Nintendo is sticking to its guns by not adding its own version of achievements. Nintendo confirmed the sad news in a recent interview with Polygon.
Nintendo’s vice president of player and product experience simply said “Nope” when Polygon asked if potential Switch 2 owners can expect to see trophies or achievements on the console.
With the Switch 2 passing on an achievement system, the console stays in line with its predecessor by leaving the ball in the developer’s courts to implement their own in-game trophies.
Ubisoft already does that with Ubisoft Connect, which rewards players for completing tasks in their games and gives them points they can redeem and use towards in-game purchases. Those achievements do pop up while playing games on the Switch.
But there is some sliver of an achievement system when you play the Switch 2 versions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild and Tears of The Kingdom.
The company revealed that players will earn medals for completing in-game tasks like traveling long distances or collecting large amounts of rupees via Zelda Notes inside the Nintendo app.
You can also compare your progress to that of other players globally.
We guess it’s a start, but honestly, Nintendo needs to stop being stubborn about achievements. Players do enjoy them, and they keep playing games for a longer period of time.
Who wouldn’t want to see a trophy pop for collecting all 900 Korok Seeds in Breath of The Wild?
We’re just saying.
