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Sauce Walka is recovering after being shot in broad daylight in downtown Memphis on Saturday (March 22).
The 34-year-old Houston rapper, born Albert Walker Mondane, was shot in the leg outside a hotel near Memphis’ FedExForum when a car with multiple people pulled up and began firing, TMZ reports. He is currently in the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.
An unidentified man who was with Sauce at the time of the incident died from his injuries at the scene. The victim’s name has not been released. Memphis police are still searching for the shooters, who fled the scene in a white four-door vehicle.
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In a press conference on Saturday, Memphis authorities confirmed that investigators believe Walka and the other individual were specifically targeted by the gunmen. Police do not believe the attack was random.
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“This appears to be a targeted shooting incident,” a Memphis Police representative said, according to the Houston Chronicle. “The victims were outside by a vehicle. The suspect vehicle pulled up. Multiple people got out of that vehicle, fired shots without engaging in any conversation, they got back into the white vehicle and fled.”
Individuals with information about the incident are urged to contact Memphis CrimeStoppers.
Sauce, a Houston native, began his hip-hop career in 2007 and has since released multiple mixtapes. He has collaborated with fellow Houston rappers, including Bun B, Lil’ Keke, Slim Thug and Travis Scott, as well as other hip-hop stars like A$AP Rocky and Migos.
In 2009, Walka was involved in another gun-related incident during a Trae Tha Truth concert. Police also connected him to gang activity in 2018, though he has denied the claims. “I know that I’m a record label, I know that I’m an artist… I’m not into gang activity or any of that stuff,” the rapper stated in response, according to the Houston Chronicle. In 2023, the rapper was reportedly arrested after leading Houston police on a car chase that ended in a crash.
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Sauce Walka and an associate, Sayso P, were reportedly shot in Memphis on Saturday according to several developing reports online and among local media outlets. Via some large Hip-Hop news account on X, Sayso P was reported to have died from his injuries.
Details regarding the shooting of Sauce Walka and Sayso P are scant but according to local outlet Fox 13, the shooting took place near FedEx Forum earlier this afternoon outside of a Westin hotel. The outlet has reported that the shooting left one man dead and another in stable condition and so far the chatter points to Sauce Walka being the lone survivor.
Online, some social media accounts have posted video footage of the crime scene with a wounded person being attended to by first responders and medical personnel. The shooting took place at the intersection of Second Street and Lt. George W. Lee, which is currently closed off to traffic.
Sauce Walka hails from Houston and has worked alongside Griselda Records with songs alongside Westside Gunn and the label’s in-house producer, Daringer. Walka, 34, is also a prolific recording artist with nearly two dozen projects across DSPs and other means.
As Hip-Hop Wired gathers more details, we’ll return to this story with fresh updates as it is still breaking. Check out reactions from X, formerly Twitter, below.
UPDATE:
Local outlet WREG added in its report that local authorities are on the lookout for a white vehicle that carried the alleged shooters and tailed the suspects out of the city. A citywide manhunt is underway.
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Justin Bieber is giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at the making of his upcoming album.
On Saturday (March 22), the 31-year-old pop star shared a video on Instagram of himself jamming with fellow musicians in a spacious room filled with music equipment and a pool table, all while overlooking stunning outdoor views.
“I think I hate myself sometimes when I feel myself start to become inauthentic,” Bieber captioned the nearly three-minute clip. “Then I remember we’re all being made to think we’re not enough but I still hate when I change myself to please people.”
In the video, Bieber sports a yellow beanie while immersing himself in a trippy, experimental jam session with an eclectic mix of mind-bending electronic sounds. The “Sorry” singer tagged several other musicians and friends in his Instagram Stories, including singer-songwriter Jensen McRae, pastor Judah Smith, Josh Mehl, DJ Taylor James, producer Camper, and others.
Bieber’s post also drew a supportive comment from frequent Prince collaborator Sheila E. “DONT EVER SAY U HATE URSELF!!!!!!!!!!! call auntie Sheila. Let’s talk,” the Grammy-winning drummer wrote.
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Earlier that day, the “Peaches” hitmaker shared another reflective post on Instagram, writing, “I got anger issues too, but I wanna grow and not react so much smh.” The message included three photos: a close-up selfie of him in a hoodie, an image from his childhood, and a photo of what appears to be his baby son, Jack Blues, lying on a blanket in front of a large screen.
On March 16, the singer opened up on Instagram Stories about his journey toward letting go of hate. In an all-caps message, he wrote, “I WAS ALWAYS TOLD WHEN I WAS A KID NOT TO HATE … BUT IT MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WASNT ALLOWED TO HAVE IT AND SO I DIDN’T TELL ANYONE IVE HAD IT.”
The Grammy winner’s recent social media posts followed another vulnerable message on March 13, where he admitted to feeling “unequipped and unqualified most days.” In recent weeks, Bieber has been candid with fans about the need to “grow up,” revealing in February that he was working on “letting go and remembering the weight isnt on me to change.”
Bieber hasn’t released an album since 2021’s Justice, which spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. This year, the star has teased new music, sharing occasional studio photos on Instagram.
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CRT FRSH, Hip-Hop Wired’s playlist where we attempt to showcase music we believe is “Certified Fresh,” is back again! With our latest update of the year, we’ve had a lot of catching up to do so let’s get to the newness.
Disclaimer:
The CRT FRSH playlist is a labor of love. We don’t take payments nor do we do favors. We only add joints to our playlist that fit the theme and vision we’re going for and don’t seek to waste the listener’s time. Further, we don’t stick to one lane of Hip-Hop. We believe that all aspects of the music should get some light, whether it’s young lions in the trenches or those hoping for that one shot to blow up to grizzled veterans puffing out their chests with lots more to say.
I want to explain how I approach curating the CRT FRSH playlist. Most importantly, I don’t segregate my Hip-Hop. Every form of music from the main cultural tree deserves a listen and a look. When I construct the playlist, I want to include all regions across the States and, when applicable, across the globe. I also want to entertain every fan of Hip-Hop, not just those who enjoy one segment of it. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get to it. — D.L. Chandler
Welcome back to the latest update to your newest and favorite playlist, Certified Fresh (CRT FRSH)! We’ve been MIA for a while so we’ll need to dig deep into the virtual crates as we bring the listeners and ourselves up to speed.
We open the playlist with “NOKIA” from Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR’s collaborative album, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, which has been making moves on the charts since dropping earlier this year. Taking it to Montreal, Mike Shabb’s “Crews pop” is one of several standout tracks from his hazy, well-executed album, shabbvangogh. Playboi Carti’s new MUSIC album is doing its numbers and the track “GOOD CREDIT” sounds ready for a stadium performance with Kendrick Lamar appearing for a scene-stealer verse.
MARCO PLUS, one of dopest rappers out of Atlanta, has been on CRT FRSH before and the track “gmfu” is more of his usual strong, hypnotic work. Doechii re-released an extended version of her stellar Alligator Bites Never Heal project and “Anxiety” is one of the bonus tracks of note. We took it back to 2024 and Nappy Nina and Swarvy’s slept-on Nothing Is My Favorite Thing and the track “Omakase” features some extremely dope verses from maassai and Stas THEE Boss.
We want to thank the rest of our CRT FRSH included acts such as GELO, GloRilla, Big Cheeok, Dhani, J. Cole, LORD JAH-MONTE OGBON, Freddie Gibbs, Hidden Renaissance, MACADEN, King Quad, JT, Samara Cyn, Sherwyn, Jack Harlow, Doja Cat, Zelooperz, Real Bad Man, The Alchemist, Wale, IDK, Lil Durk, Jhene Aiko, Pyraminds, Planet Asia, and Guilty Simpson.
We’ll be updating this playlist in two to three weeks with some, ahem, fresh updates and new acts along with a revamped structure to the segment. Stay tuned!
To be considered for inclusion in the CRT FRSH playlist, please email playlist curator D.L. Chandler at: dchandler@bhmdigital.com
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Olivia Rodrigo covered a No Doubt classic during her set at Lollapalooza Chile.
Halfway through her headlining performance on Friday (March 21) at the 2025 edition of the festival in Santiago, held at Parque Bicentenario de Cerrillos, the 22-year-old pop star put her spin on No Doubt’s mid-1990s hit “Don’t Speak.”
“This next one is one of my favorite songs that I didn’t write,” Rodrigo told the crowd before strumming the opening chords on her guitar. “I’m very jealous of the people who wrote it, because I think it’s amazing. If you know it, sing along.”
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“Don’t Speak,” from No Doubt’s third album, Tragic Kingdom, peaked at No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart in 1996.
This isn’t the first time Rodrigo has paid tribute to No Doubt. She also included the band’s anthem “Just a Girl” in her setlist during her 2022 North American Sour tour. More recently, No Doubt invited Rodrigo to perform “Bathwater” during their reunion show at Coachella in 2024.
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“Anyone that knows me knows that I am the biggest Gwen Stefani fan in the world,” Rodrigo told a screaming crowd in 2022, before sharing that she met the No Doubt frontwoman at the Met Gala that same year. “I got to talk to her for a while, and she’s just the coolest human in the world. I love her music so much and I wanted to play this song for you guys tonight.”
Rodrigo’s Lollapalooza Chile set also featured songs like “Vampire,” “Drivers License” and “Bad Idea Right?”
Lollapalooza Chile, which runs through Sunday (March 23), also features performances from Benson Boone, Foster the People, Tate McRae, Zedd, Charlotte De Witte, Parcels, Rawayana, Teddy Swims, James Hype, Los Tres, Mon Laferte, Fontaines D.C., Girl in Red, Inhaler, Sepultura, and more.
Lollapalooza Argentina is also taking place this weekend at the Hippodromo de San Isidro in Buenos Aires, featuring a similar lineup, including sets from Tan Bionica, Wos, La K’onga, Los Angeles Azules, Nathy Peluso, Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, Caribou, Jpegmafia and San Holo, among others.
Check out Rodrigo’s cover of “Don’t Speak” at Lolla Chile here.
Taylor Swift is all about Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco’s I Said I Love You First.
On Saturday (March 22), just a day after its release, the 35-year-old pop superstar took to her Instagram Stories to praise the newly engaged couple’s joint album.
“@selenagomez & @itsbennyblanco I LOVE THIS ALBUM SO MUCH,” Swift wrote, sharing a screenshot of the album on Spotify along with a link to purchase the set.
I Said I Love You First includes previously released songs such as “Scared of Loving You,” “Sunset Blvd,” “Younger and Hotter Than Me” and “Call Me When You Break Up,” featuring Gracie Abrams. The full tracklist also features “Ojos Tristes,” “Don’t Wanna Cry,” “Cowboy,” “Bluest Flame,” “How Does It Feel to Be Forgotten,” “Do You Wanna Be Perfect,” “You Said You Were Sorry,” “I Can’t Get Enough” and “Don’t Take It Personally.”
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Leading up to the album, Gomez spoke about working with her fiancé in an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, sharing, “It just felt like it was a little taste of what we are and how we made this together, and how much we loved it and how much we love each other. And it just felt like it was meant to be.”
The couple began dating in June 2023 and got engaged late last year. Gomez shared the happy news with a Dec. 11 Instagram carousel featuring her marquise-cut engagement ring, along with the caption, “forever begins now.”
Gomez has also opened up about sharing her music with Swift. In 2019, she recalled showing her first Hot 100 No. 1 hit, “Lose You to Love Me,” to her pop superstar bestie, noting that it brought both her and her mother, Andrea Swift, to tears.
“It’s gonna make me cry thinking about it,” Gomez said. “Because it wasn’t just about how great the song was, which is a lot coming from her, it was just that they had been on that journey with me, intimately. And they were crying because of how proud they were for me stepping into a whole new era of my life, and it not involving the horrible things, the abuse, the emotional chaos, it felt like I had a huge sigh of relief.”
Matthew Knowles is responding to Ye’s controversial remarks about his grandchildren.
In a since-deleted post on X Tuesday (March 18), the embattled rapper — formerly known as Kanye West — questioned the mental capacity of Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s 7-year-old twins, Rumi and Sir Carter. He also claimed the children were conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Knowles, 73, who managed his superstar daughter early in her career, addressed Ye’s offensive comments in a new interview.
“People pay a price for being stupid, especially in the music industry,” Knowles told TMZ on Friday (March 21). He added, “I’m hopeful Kanye gets the type of help he needs, in terms of mental health.”
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During an interview with Justin LaBoy in February, West revealed that he was diagnosed with ASD (autism spectrum disorder).
Knowles’ remarks follow an Instagram video from his ex-wife Tina Knowles (and Bey’s mom), which many believe was a response to Ye’s comments. In the clip on Wednesday, she said, “What happens when a snowman throws a tantrum? He has a meltdown.”
Tina captioned the since-edited post: “Corny joke, time! It’s hard to remain positive and classy in the face of ignorance and evil. But I know that no weapon formed against me or my family shall prosper. This battle is not mine, but the Lord’s, I know that God has got this.”
Ye has been in the spotlight for his recent controversial remarks, including antisemitic rants and his willingness to engage in beef with just about any of his past collaborators, including Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Ty Dolla $ign, Travis Scott, Playboi Carti, and others.
On March 19, West released a self-directed short film for his Bully album, which stars his son Saint West and was edited by Hype Williams.
Dallas rapper Yella Beezy has been arrested and charged with capital murder in the shooting death of fellow rapper Mo3 on a busy interstate in 2020, according to court records.
Yella Beezy, 33, whose real name is Markies Conway, was indicted by a Dallas County grand jury on Tuesday (March 18) on a charge of capital murder while remuneration. The indictment accuses Conway of hiring a man named Kewon White to murder Mo3, whose real name was Melvin Noble.
The indictment did not provide information on why authorities believe Conway hired White to shoot Noble, who also lived in Dallas.
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Court records did not list an attorney who could speak on behalf of Conway. Calls and emails to representatives for Conway were not immediately returned.
In a Facebook post after Conway’s arrest, Noble’s mother, Nichole Williams Noble wrote, “Justice for my baby!!!!”
The 28-year-old Noble was driving on Interstate 35 in south Dallas on Nov. 11, 2020, when authorities allege White drove up next to him and got out of his vehicle with a gun in his hand. Noble got out of his vehicle and began running south on the freeway as White shot at him, authorities said. Noble and a bystander who was inside a car were shot by White, police said. The bystander survived but Noble died at a hospital.
White and another man, Devin Brown, 32, were later indicted in Noble’s death. Their cases related to Noble’s death remain pending. White, 26, was sentenced in 2022 in a separate case to nearly nine years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Conway is best known for his 2017 single, “That’s On Me” and the 2019 song “Bacc At It Again” with Quavo and Gucci Mane.
In October 2018, Conway survived being shot while driving on a tollway in the Dallas suburb of Lewisville when someone pulled up next to him and opened fire, hitting him three times.
Noble had more than 800,000 followers on his Instagram page and was best known for a 2019 remix of the song “Errybody,” with Baton Rouge, Louisiana, rapper Boosie Badazz.
From career milestones to new music releases to major announcements and those little important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.
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Girls’ Night Out
It was a star-studded week in Miami, and Becky G did not hesitate to gather her girls for a night out in town. In a surprising reel using Bad Bunny’s “Nuevayol” sound, the Mexican-American singer is seen hanging out on a yacht with 11 of her celebrity friends. Each of the beautiful ladies, including Jessica Alba, Gloria Estefan, Emily Estefan, Eva Longoria, and Becky, have their moment to shine and show off their best dance moves to the trendy dembow-salsa tune. The ladies were celebrating Longoria’s 50th birthday, where Marc Anthony was also one of the guests. “Grateful to have begun celebrating my birthday (as it will be a month long). I felt so loved! […] Ready for this new decade,” the actress said on her Instagram. Watch the fun clip below.
The Bromance That Keeps on Giving
On other birthday news, Nicky Jam celebrated his 44th birthday on March 17, and in honor, his good friend J Balvin took fans down memory lane. In a video recap, Balvin collected the best highlights from their bromance throughout the years: “mi real y yo” (my real one and I), he subtitled the clip. The video captures more than 10 years of friendship between the two reggaetón artists, including memorable pranks, viral moments, and their mano a mano panel at 2017 Billboard Latin Music Week. “Happy birthday, Nicky Jam, for more moments like these,” Balvin captioned the post. Additionally, the Colombian and Puerto Rican artists have collaborated on many bangers including “X,” “Superhéroe,” “Travesuras (Remix),” and “Poblado (Remix),” to name a few.
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The She Wolf Pack
In a sweet fan moment, Kunno could not contain the moment he shared with Shakira during one of her concerts in Mexico this week. “Her success has had many roads and Shakira invited me to walk with her at her first concert in Mexico City,” the Mexican influencer expressed on his social media accounts. In the clip, Kunno is seen dressed in a metallic jumpsuit and accompanying the Colombian sensation during a part of her show where she’s walking through the crowd with her “she wolf” pack. “Dreams definitely come true and among wolves we stay in a pack,” he added, thanking Sony Music México and Ocesa for making this opportunity possible. Watch the journey below.
The Future of Music
This week, Rolling Stone revealed its annual The Future 25 list featuring two Latin names: breakthrough Música Mexicana star Ivan Cornejo and Puerto Rican newcomers Chuwi. From around the world and across all genres, the artists were selected by the RS staff, “spotlighting the next generation of artists shaping the sounds of tomorrow. Cornejo—who was Billboard’s Genre Now cover last January—got his own Future of Music cover and performed as headliner at Rolling Stone’s Future of Music showcase at SXSW earlier this month. “Completely honored to be the face of Rolling Stone representing música mexicana,” he shared on social media.
Fans at Rolling Loud react and share their thoughts on our honoree line up for 2025 Billboard’s Women in Music.
Tetris Kelly
Hanging out at Rolling Loud, talking about some of our favorite women in music. How do you feel about our girl, Tyla? Oh, I love Tyla. I mean, come on, what song gets you going?
Fans
Of course, she goes in on “Water,” but we have the same birthday.
Tetris Kelly
What?
Fans
Aquarius Queen her and I are locked in. We go way back, to be honest The baddest b*tch alive right there. Tyla, I love you like I’m Indian so like half Indian represent.
Tetris Kelly
Why do we think like her glow up happens so big?
Fans
I think the dancing probably like the “Water,” the “Water” dance with like the…
Tetris Kelly
How do you feel about Jennie? Because everybody trying to be like Jennie.
Fans
She’s cutie patootie Jennie, I was just spinning Jennie over here at the bunny’s beauty bar. I love Jennie. I love BlackPink. I’m a Blink for life.
Tetris Kelly
And what do you think is so great about Jennie?
Fans
She’s just so, like, sweet every time I watch her. I mean, she’s just a great performer and person. And it’s just, I feel like I’m very much of an energy person. And I just feel that great energy off of Jennie. Everybody’s trying to be “Like Jennie.”
Tetris Kelly
We’re, celebrating our women in music event this month, and Gracie Abrams is being honored. Do you guys know her?
Fans
I love Gracie. I think she’s upcoming, she’s very independent. She did her sh*t this to herself. She never needed to feature anything. It’s just her herself. She’s raw. I love that. I think everyone loves her because she’s so emotional, for sure.
Watch the full video above!
