State Champ Radio Author: djfrosty
Page: 791
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: DOMINIC GWINN / Getty
A former employee of Eminem has been charged by the FBI for his role in leaking unreleased songs by the rapper online.
According to reports, federal prosecutors have criminally charged a former employee of superstar rapper Eminem in connection with the sale of unreleased music. The employee, Joseph Strange, worked at a studio of Eminem’s in Ferndale, Michigan, from 2007 to 2021. Current employees at the studio alerted the Federal Bureau of Investigation that more than 25 songs that Eminem recorded between 1999 to 2018 were leaked online in January. The announcement of Strange’s arrest and the charges were made on Wednesday (March 19).
FBI agents quickly identified people who bought the music from Strange, with one person stating he paid Strange $50,000 in Bitcoin and that Strange claimed to have 300 unreleased tracks by Eminem along with handwritten lyric sheets. Strange is charged with copyright infringement and interstate transportation of stolen goods. If convicted of the first charge, he faces a sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. A conviction on the second charge could net him a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Eminem’s manager, John Fisher, told the FBI that Strange had no authority to possess the files. Agents would search Strange’s home on Jan. 28, finding records of financial payments for the sales of the songs along with seizing hard drives where the unreleased music was stored. Among the songs was “Smack You,” which made headlines in January due to lyrics dissing Ja Rule and Suge Knight. “Protecting intellectual property from thieves is critical in safeguarding the exclusive rights of creators and protecting their original work from reproduction and distribution by individuals who seek to profit from the creative output of others,” said acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck in their office’s statement.
“Eminem and his team are very appreciative of the efforts by the FBI Detroit bureau for its thorough investigation which led to the charges against Joe Strange,” Eminem spokesperson Dennis Dennehy said. “The significant damage caused by a trusted employee to Eminem’s artistic legacy and creative integrity cannot be overstated, let alone the enormous financial losses incurred by the many creators and collaborators that deserve protection for their decades of work. We will continue to take any and all steps necessary to protect Eminem’s art and will stop at nothing to do so.”
In the ‘90s, Selena Quintanilla singlehandedly revolutionized the Tejano genre, fusing her authentic Mexican roots with bold new sounds such as R&B, pop, dance and rock.
With her bubbly charm, dazzling aura and a universal appeal, which powered hits like “Como La Flor,” “Dreaming of You,” “Amor Prohibido” and “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” the artist, known as the Queen of Tejano, shattered ceilings in a genre that was predominantly dominated by men, earning a zealous fanbase both in the U.S. and in Mexico.
Well on her way to a major mainstream crossover, the Mexican-American powerhouse was tragically shot dead on March 31, 1995 at the age of 23. However, her music and legacy has stood the test of time and, along the way, she’s influenced a new generation of hitmakers, making her a bona fide Latin icon in pop culture 30 years later.
On the Billboard charts, Selena earned 24 entries on Top Latin Albums, 16 of which hit top 10 and seven No. 1’s—among them Amor Prohibido, spending 20 weeks at the top in 1994 and Dreaming of You, released posthumously, which spent 40 weeks at the top in 1995. On the Regional Mexican Albums and Latin Pop Albums charts, the late artist placed seven and six No. 1 titles, respectively. Amor Prohibido topped the former chart for nearly 100 weeks.
As a testament to her enduring legacy, the Quintanilla family released Moonchild Mixes in 2022 — an album with 10 previously unreleased songs that the superstar recorded between the ages of 13 and 16. The set peaked at No. 1 on the Latin Pop Albums chart that same year.
“We as a family had discussed this amongst ourselves that in the future, after Selena’s passing, we were going to maintain her presence through her music and we’ve done that,” A.B. Quintanilla, Selena’s dad, previously told Billboard. “I’m more than sure that the fans are going to love it because if you listen to it, it’ll move you emotionally and take you back to as if Selena was recording it this morning.”
Here, Billboard ranks the albums that make up Selena’s incomparable recorded legacy. There are also a handful of compilation and live albums released throughout her career and after her passing — including Live!, which won the Grammy award for Best Mexican-American Album in 1994 — but while some have entered the Billboard charts, we are ranking only the studio albums released since her EMI Latin label debut in 1989. See our list below.
Selena (1989)
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo
For the first time ever, Mexico has entered the top 10 global music markets, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has confirmed to Billboard Español. The milestone was driven by a 15.6% increase in recorded music revenue, as revealed in the IFPI’s 2025 Global Music Report published Wednesday (March 19). Mexico’s climb to No. […]
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Bud Light was once considered the beer of tough guys who love all things ‘Murrica, that is until the company worked with a trans influencer with MAGA and Kid Rock losing their marbles. Bud Light was trending on X once again after the House Judiciary Committee’s account on the social media platform called out Democrats for attempting to tank American businesses but failed to point the finger at the party’s previous callouts.
In a recent X post, the House Judiciary Committee’s X account shared a video of Gov. Tim Walz speaking about how the tumbling stock prices of Tesla brought him a little bit of joy considering how Elon Musk’s DOGE branch is gutting government spending without any foresight or methodology other than rampant and wanton destruction.
In the caption of the video, the @JudiciaryGOP account wrote, “Democrats are CHEERING for American companies to fail. Disgusting behavior.”
Elon Musk is a South African national with established businesses in America, in case anyone needs to keep count here.
Amazingly, X’s community notes made sure to highlight that just under two years ago, the @JudiciaryGOP account wrote, “Bud Light. Disney. Target. Go WOKE. Go BROKE,” leaning heavily into the MAGA-fueled trope that any support for the LGBTQ community, or anything the includes Black people, and even centers women is some sort of “woke” agenda, which doesn’t even make sense.
Of course, folks who know that many GOP leaders are spineless cowards who throw rocks and then hide their hands because when the shoe is on the other foot, these GOP-friendly accounts, official or not, take great measures to dress down any type of pushback or opposition to their extreme ideologies and can’t take the heat when it comes back.
Tesla’s stock has indeed been in a rapid tumble since Musk and his DOGE operation have gutted the entire fabric of the American government. Worse, GOP members of Congress have applauded the haphazard cuts and President Donald Trump has fecklessly conceded to allowing Musk to do whatever he wants, which includes dressing like a sun-starved edge lord in the Oval Office.
On X, users are calling @JudiciaryGOP’s hypocrisy and mentioning how Bud Light and other American companies have been targets of the MAGA nuts in times past. Check out the reactions below.
—
Photo: G Fiume / Getty
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Variety / Getty
Over the last few weeks, Kanye West has been on a wild one with his X posts and airing of grievances, but it seems like someone was blindsided by his antics as Diddy had no clue that Yeezy was recording what he thought was a private conversation between the two men.
After weeks of calling for the release of Diddy and even tweeting that Cassie ran some of the orgies that were credited to Diddy’s “freak offs,” Kanye West got on the horn with the disgraced music mogul. But unbeknownst to Diddy, Yeezy was recording their conversation and would later release the video for all to hear.
According to Page Six, the “Diddler” was under the impression that he and Kanye were having a man-to-man conversation from his jail cell from the Brooklyn Detention Center. Now that their phone call has been made public – by Kanye – the “Bad Boy For Life” rapper seems to feel violated as he had no intention on becoming a part of Kanye’s current drama filled life.
Page Six reports:
“Puff didn’t know it was being recorded [on video],” a source exclusively told The Post, adding that the Bad Boy Records founder “thought he was having a friend call him to check on his kids.”
The insider further explained that Combs feels like “collateral damage in the debacle over Ye’s new song,” which Kim Kardashian was against being released as it featured her oldest daughter with West, North.
“The beef is really with Kim,” they added, explained that it is “a matter of older influential Black men knowing these guys are kind of flying blindly.”
The insider also confirmed that “the call was real and not AI” after many netizens questioned its legitimacy.
It’s crazy how Kanye went on a rant about being betrayed by so many of his rap peers only to betray Diddy by posting their private phone call.
This comes on the heels of Kanye calling Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s kids “retarded,” accusing the Kardashian family of sex trafficking and proudly declaring himself a Nazi.
We’re not sure what Kanye’s endgame is with his 2025 online meltdown, but it’s gotten to the point where people are just accepting and ignoring his outlandish posts as each one seems to be darker and weirder with every passing day.
As for Diddy, he seems confident that he’ll be exonerated of the sex trafficking charges he’s currently facing. On the call, he told Kanye that she system is simply trying to “end us” and added “They can’t do it and they ain’t gonna do it. I’m going to beat this sh*t and get next to you.”
“When I get out there, man, I want to see you f–king tear down the stadiums,” Diddy said, according to Page Six. “I need to see you back on that stage, f–king actually rapping and f–king performing and everything. I be dreaming of that s–t.”
Kinda seems like both these men are living in a reality that we can’t see.
What do y’all think about Kanye West leaking his phone call with Diddy? Fair or foul? Let us know in the comments section below.
Cam’ron and Mase are planning on dropping a project together.
The childhood friends have had a tumultuous relationship over the years dating back to the late ’90s, when they had a falling out over an appearance in Cam’s video for his hit single “Horse & Carriage.”
Since the two have reconciled, they got into business together and started their increasingly popular sports talk show It Is What It Is in 2023.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Now, they plan on strengthening their relationship by making music with each other again.
Trending on Billboard
On March 19, Cam posted a clip on Instagram. “Harlem Fact check season. Sorry Murder, I had to give them a small sample. Willie Burgers (The EP) July 4th. I’m from old Harlem. Where the dirty kitchen was open pass 12pm. Maybe I’ll drop the full song on @talkwithflee 2mr morning,” he wrote. “We got so many joints in da stash.”
Produced by ADM Beatz, Cam started the song off by rapping, “Shouts Mason Betha, I’m Cameron Giles/ I’m sorry, Richard Porter, I’m sorry, Kevin Chiles/ I’m sorry, Bumpy Johnson, y’all always gettin’ chedda/ It come to Harlem, baby girl, nobody did it better.”
Cam also posted snippet on Talk With Flee earlier Thursday morning, and he’s calling it “Tupperware Freestyle.”
Last week, Mase announced that he’s planning on releasing his first album since 2004’s Welcome Back, and he wants to drop it on the first day of the Diddy trial, which is Monday, May 5. He also claimed that the project will be a “triple CD” and that Cam helped him pick the songs.
You can watch the freestyle below.
Sir Elton John has been named the 2025 recipient of the Glenn Gould Prize. A wide range of creative talents have won the award over the years. John is only the second to come from the (broadly defined) rock world, following the late Leonard Cohen.
The award was established in 1987 by The Glenn Gould Foundation to honor the legacy of legendary Canadian pianist Glenn Gould, whose 1956 album Bach: Goldberg Variations is considered a classic. Gould died in 1982 at age 50. He received a posthumous lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2013.
Trending on Billboard
“After spending decades admiring the virtuosity of Glenn Gould’s work, I am awestruck and honored to receive this award,” John said in a statement. John, of course, has won countless lifetime achievement awards, including the Kennedy Center Honors, the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, a Grammy Legend Award, the Johnny Mercer Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame and induction into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The Glenn Gould Prize is awarded biennially and includes a CDN$100,000 cash award for the Laureate, who also selects an exceptional young artist to receive the CDN$25,000 Glenn Gould Protégé Prize.
“In selecting our Laureate, Elton John, we chose to honor someone who has great artistic accomplishments, but whose life and whose art has been translated into something much greater than just performance or the consumption of music and things they’ve created,” said the Rt. Hon. Kim Campbell, former Prime Minister of Canada and this year’s jury chair for the Glenn Gould Prize.
“Elton John has used his enormous talent and his great success to change lives. He’s been courageous in taking on causes, whether AIDS, LGBTQ+ rights, addiction and all sorts of issues that were not popular when he engaged with them and he was prepared to take the wonderful success that his musical talent had given him to make a difference in the world. And from our perspective that represents the highest level of achievement for an artist and celebrates the memory of Glenn Gould in the best way.”
“Elton John embodies the spirit of artistic excellence, innovation, and profound humanity that The Glenn Gould Prize was created to celebrate,” added Brian Levine, CEO, Glenn Gould Foundation. “Glenn Gould’s vision was one of boundless creativity, fearless originality and an unshakable commitment to using music as a force for good in the world. Sir Elton has exemplified these ideals throughout his extraordinary career, not only with his incredible musical catalogue and immense talent but also championing emerging artists across genres and using his global platform to inspire transformational humanistic change. His enduring impact on music and culture makes him a truly perfect recipient of this honor.”
The announcement of The Glenn Gould Prize Laureate was made during a public event at Kings Place in London. The event featured a Q&A session with the jury and performances by South African soprano Pumeza Matshikiza and 17-year-old Canadian piano prodigy Ryan Wang.
Living candidates of any nationality are eligible for The Glenn Gould Prize, with nominations coming from the public. Disciplines include but are not limited to musical creation or performance, theater, dance, choreography, writing, design, film, television, radio and broadcasting, visual art, multimedia, writing, technology/innovation, architecture and design.
The prize will be presented to John during a special gala celebration to be held in Toronto this fall.
Here’s a complete list of recipients of the Glenn Gould Prize:
1987: R. Murray Shafer
1990: Yehudi Menuhin
1993: Oscar Peterson
1996: Tōru Takemitsu
1999: Yo-Yo Ma
2002: Pierre Boulez
2005: André Previn
2008: José Antonio Abreu
2011: Leonard Cohen
2013: Robert Lepage
2015: Philip Glass
2018: Jessye Norman
2020: Alanis Obomsawin
2022: Gustavo Dudamel
2025: Sir Elton John
We caught up with Muni Long, Becky G, JoJo Siwa and so many more on iHeartRadio’s red carpet to see who they’re most excited to see at Billboard Women in Music next Saturday, March 29.
Who are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments below!
Becky G:I mean, Doechii’s one of my favorite artists. I adore her.
James Charles:I’m a really big GloRilla fan right now.
Muni Long: Billboard Women in Music has been a goal of mine.
Becky G:I’m so happy for her. We actually funny enough, the year that I won the Impact Award, we were sharing a dressing room.
Tetris Kelly:Stop it.
Becky G:She was, she was performing, and I was receiving my Impact Award, and also performing and there, if you know, backstage, there’s not a lot of dressing rooms, and so we were like, musical chairs in there. And she’s just adorable.
Dara Reneé:I love Doechii so much. I’m such a fan of hers, like, I literally get so starstruck.
Dasha:Doechii is, like, one of my favorites. I haven’t met her, but I’m just such a fan. Her acceptance speech at the Grammys made me sob. Sob! Women at Billboard. Let’s go!
James Charles:Let me tell you. Like, b—h, I’m from Memphis, what you know about me? Big G-L-O in that GLE. I’m excited. I can’t wait.
Shinedown:I’m from Memphis, man, so, GloRilla that’s my girl.
Tetris Kelly: He said, “Yeah Glo!”
Shinedown:I’m 901 forever, man. I love that. I love it. I love that she’s out there doing it. That’s a big thing for Memphis, Tenn., too.
Tetris Kelly:Heck yeah.
BigXthaPlug:I got some stuff planned with GloRilla I’m hoping to get in there with her so.
Inayah:Muni Long can sing down, baby.
Tetris Kelly:Down.
Keep watching for more!
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Olivia Wong / Getty
Cordae just stepped up to the NPR Tiny Desk stage, and this one hit different.
The Maryland rapper, reppin’ the whole DMV, performed right in his own backyard, and you could feel the hometown energy. He wasn’t shy about it either, shouting out his roots during the set: “This is a hometown show for me, so I’m expecting a biased amount of love from y’all!” And, of course, the crowd showed out, giving him that extra boost. The setlist was straight fire, showcasing Cordae’s growth as an artist while keeping it real with his fans.
He performed tracks like “Saturday Mornings,” “06 Dreamin’,” “C Carter,” “Have Mercy,” “Nothing’s Promised,” and “RNP,” giving us a mix of deep, thoughtful bars and high-energy bangers. Each song had the crowd vibing, and you could tell Cordae was feeding off that hometown love. Performing at NPR’s Tiny Desk is already a big moment for any artist, but for Cordae, it was something special.
You could see how much it meant to him to bring his talent to his hometown crowd. The energy was unmatched, and it was a full-circle moment for the rapper showing that no matter how far he goes, he’s always gonna rep where he’s from. The DMV was definitely in the building, and Cordae made sure the world knew it.
Check out the full performance below:
03/20/2025
Here’s how Billboard ranks Gaga’s latest chart-topping LP within her stacked catalog.
03/20/2025
