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19 Mar 2025

21 Savage Affiliate, Lotto Savage Reportedly Passed Away

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Lotto Savage x HHW Freestyle 2024

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Lotto Savage, an affiliate of 21 Savage and a member of the Slaughter Gang collective, has reportedly passed away. DJ Kutthroat, his manager and DJ, confirmed the news in an Instagram post saying, “Dam Lotto #RIPLottoSavage.”

While the cause of death has yet to be revealed, the news has sent shockwaves through the hip-hop community.

Lotto Savage emerged on the Atlanta rap scene in 2015, quickly gaining attention for his raw, authentic storytelling about life in the streets—focused on trapping, hustling, and survival. His breakout came with features on 21 Savage’s mixtape Slaughter King, which helped establish him as a rising talent. His unique style and gritty lyrics resonated with fans, and he went on to release his own project, Don Slaughter, which featured production from Sonny Digital and a collaboration with Lil Yachty.

Tracks like “Trapped It Out” and “Stack Up” quickly gained traction, accumulating millions of streams and solidifying Lotto Savage’s place in the Atlanta rap scene. He was known for his street-smart rhymes, and his partnership with 21 Savage helped further elevate his profile.

As news of his death circulates, fans and the hip-hop community are left mourning the loss of a talented artist. More details are expected to emerge as the story develops, but for now, Lotto Savage’s legacy remains in the powerful music he left behind.

Long Live Lotto Savage. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family & friends.

19 Mar 2025

Jermaine Dupri Claims Drake Has Strong ‘Alliance’ With DJs: ‘Like No Other Artist I’ve Ever Seen’

Jermaine Dupri is in the news again, but instead of trying to have a conversation around independence, he’s having one about Drake’s relationship with DJs across the country.

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On Tuesday night (Mar. 18), J.D. tweeted about being impressed by the Toronto rapper’s influence with club DJs. “That boi Drake got a DJ alliance like no other artist I’ve ever seen,” he said. “But most of you n—as probably don’t understand what I’m saying cause [you don’t] be outside.”

As usual, folks on X misinterpreted what the record executive said, so he sent out another tweet a couple hours later clarifying what he was trying to say. “Okay, I see people saying ‘DJ alliance’ is crazy,” he followed up. “So, let me tell y’all what I saw. I walked in the club and the DJ was shouting out a group of people from the West Coast and they must’ve been like, ‘Play some West Coast sh—t.”

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Adding, “And before he dropped ‘Not Like Us,’ he said, ‘I might get in trouble for this’ and I was like, ‘Whoa!’

Last week, the So So Def founder posted a video clarifying a question he had about independent artists where he asked, “Can somebody tell me what the goal of being an independent artist is today because all of the things that people are chasing is sh—t major artist do, what’s the thing that indie artist do that make it special?”

Many fans jumped on him, assuming that he was speaking down on independent artists, but apparently he was legitimately trying to understand why some artists chose to not to sign with a major label and admitted that “you never know everything.”

In other Drake news, UMG has asked a federal judge to put a hold on discovery a day after requesting the case be dismissed. The record giant alleged that Drake and his team have been requesting “highly commercially sensitive documents.”

19 Mar 2025

Azzaro Parfums Creates Golden Evenings At Billboard The Stage At SXSW With Its Latest Elixir Fragrance Launch

Billboard returned to Austin for THE STAGE at SXSW from March 13 to 15, 2025. Each night brought together fans of Country, Latin and EDM to the Moody Amphitheater. Heavy-hitters in each genre made every evening unforgettable. This year, headliners included Koe Wetzel, Grupo Frontera and John Summit. Artists were  gifted Azzaro Parfums’ new Forever Wanted Elixir to enjoy afterwards. 

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Azzaro during the Billboard THE STAGE at SXSW held at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on March 15, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Azzaro during the Billboard THE STAGE at SXSW held at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on March 15, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Julian Bajsel

It was the perfect way for attendees to close out SXSW in Austin, Texas. With over 12,000 fans in attendance across all three nights, it was another iconic music event for the books. 

Azzaro during the Billboard THE STAGE at SXSW held at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on March 15, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Guests sample Azzaro’s Forever Wanted Elixir at Billboard THE STAGE at SXSW held at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on March 15, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Julian Bajsel

Azzaro Parfums brought their latest fragrance, Forever Wanted Elixir, to THE STAGE. The Azzaro Parfums’ sampling station allowed attendees to explore the WANTED collection in an interactive, sensorial experience. The golden activation featured a casino-inspired game where attendees had the chance to pick a card and win full bottles of Forever Wanted Elixir or VIP upgrades for their tickets. 

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Azzaro during the Billboard THE STAGE at SXSW held at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on March 13, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Azzaro during the Billboard THE STAGE at SXSW held at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on March 13, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Julian Bajsel

The air was infused with the opulent notes of leather, raspberry, and cardamom, showcasing Forever Wanted Elixir’s irresistible aroma. The fragrance’s golden bottle gleamed at the center of the activation.

Azzaro during the Billboard THE STAGE at SXSW held at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on March 13, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Azzaro during the Billboard THE STAGE at SXSW held at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on March 13, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Julian Bajsel

Influencers from all over gathered at the Moody Amphitheater for tunes and Azzaro Parfums sampling. They posed with the golden bottles, golden backdrop, and display of Azzaro’s new Global Fragrance Ambassador, Colombian superstar Sebastián Yatra. 

Kenny Rodriguez Azzaro during the Billboard THE STAGE at SXSW held at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on March 14, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Kenny Rodriguez Azzaro during the Billboard THE STAGE at SXSW held at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on March 14, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Julian Bajsel

Love Island USA star Kenny Rodriguez documented his evening seeing Maho Aguilar and Grupo Frontera for his followers. The Dallas-based TV personality showed off his Texas pride in cowboy boots, belt buckle and cowboy hat while he tried Forever Wanted Elixir. Rodriguez even took time to take pictures with fans and give them a sample of the new fragrance. 

Azzaro during the Billboard THE STAGE at SXSW held at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on March 15, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Guests win samples of Forever Wanted Elixir at Billboard THE STAGE at SXSW held at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on March 15, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Julian Bajsel

If you missed Billboard The Stage at SXSW, you can relive the fun through Billboard.com and Billboard’s social channels. 

19 Mar 2025

Garbage Praise the ‘Wonderful’ Global Rise of Latin Music Amid Latin American Tour

Garbage, the iconic American alternative rockers who rose to fame in the ’90s, are in the midst of their first Latin American tour in a decade. The trek kicked off March 12 in Colombia, followed by stops in Chile and Argentina, before arriving in Brazil this Friday (March 21).

On April 6, after an 11-year absence from the country, Garbage will perform in Monterrey, Mexico, at the Tecate Pa’l Norte festival.

“It’s great to go back to Mexico, you know. And going to Pa’l Norte again is even better,” lead singer Shirley Manson tells Billboard Español about their participation on the festival’s second day, which will also feature stars like Olivia Rodrigo and Kings of Leon. “Each represents different generations, and their own music. We’re not the same side of the coin. Having many options at the same place is fantastic.”

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Since the band’s inception in the early ’90s, Garbage has been beloved among Latin American audiences. Tracks like “Stupid Girl,” “Only Happy When it Rains” and “I Think I’m Paranoid” have transcended the years, creating a strong bond with fans in the region.

When asked about the growing globalization of Latin music, Manson shares: “Latin music is developing and expanding so quickly. Now, listening to music in Spanish is something we are used to. That’s so great, it’s wonderful.”

The reunion with their fans has been overwhelmingly positive. At the Festival Rec, recently held in Concepción, southern Chile, the band shared the stage with acts like Los Tres, Suede and Julieta Venegas, along with 40 other talents that brought together an estimated 360,000 attendees, according to Chile’s Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage.

In Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Obras Stadium was packed with fans who had been waiting for the band since their last performance at the legendary Luna Park in 2014. Shirley Manson has a special connection with Argentina, particularly with its feminist movements; the singer even participated in a colloquium there in 2019.

For their performance at Parque Fundidora in Monterrey, where Tecate Pa’l Norte will take place from April 4–6, daily attendance is expected to reach at least 100,000 people. The eclectic lineup includes Green Day, Massive Attack, Justin Timberlake, Caifanes, Foster the People, Benson Boone, El Tri and Eden Muñoz, among others.

Garbage, comprised of Shirley Manson, Butch Vig, Duke Erikson and Steve Marker, has released several covers over the past two years, including David Bowie’s “Starman,” U2’s “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses,” Siouxsie and the Banshees’ “Cities in Dust” and Patti Smith’s “Because the Night.” Fans are eagerly awaiting new music from the band, as their eighth studio album, Let All That We Imagine Be the Light, is set to drop on May 30.

19 Mar 2025

Spiritbox Snags Second Top Hard Rock Albums No. 1 With ‘Tsunami Sea’

Spiritbox earns its second No. 1 on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart, debuting atop the survey with Tsunami Sea.

The set bows with 22,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending March 13, according to Luminate. Of that sum, 16,000 units come from album sales, with 10,000 coming from a vinyl release, placing the album at No. 3 on the Vinyl Albums chart.

It’s the Courtney LaPlante-led band’s second ruler on Top Hard Rock Albums, following Eternal Blue, which reigned in 2021. Between the two LPs, Spiritbox also made the ranking with the EP The Fear of Fear, which peaked at No. 5 in 2023.

Concurrently, nine of Tsunami Sea’s 11 songs reach the Hot Hard Rock Songs tally, paced by lead single “Perfect Soul,” which re-enters the list at No. 9 thanks to 921,000 official U.S. streams and 857,000 radio audience impressions – a new peak, after previously reaching No. 19 in February. The album’s top debut, meanwhile, belongs to “Keep Sweet” at No. 11 (1 million streams).

It’s the most concurrent appearances on the chart, which began in 2020, by a woman or a solely woman-led act (Linkin Park, which boasted 10 appearances on four different charts in late 2024, is co-led by vocalists Mike Shinoda and Emily Armstrong). The previous best had been the Amy Lee-fronted Evanescence with four in April 2021.

“Perfect Soul” is Tsunami Sea’s lead radio single; its best on Mainstream Rock Airplay so far is No. 17 (March 15).

19 Mar 2025

Billboard Reacts to Playboi Carti ‘MUSIC’ Drop, Breaks Down Album & More | Billboard Unfiltered

In today’s episode of ‘Billboard Unfiltered,’ Billboard staffers Carl Lamarre, Trevor Anderson and Kyle Denis are reacting to Playboi Carti’s first album in five years, ‘MUSIC,’ and sharing their thoughts on everything he delivered on the album. They also go into Lizzo’s X crash-out over ‘poptimism,’ the public’s reaction to Leon Thomas putting out the “Mutt” remix with Chris Brown and more!

What do you want to hear more of? Drop your suggestion in the chat!

Carl Lamarre: 

Yo, yo yo, yo what’s going on y’all and welcome to a fresh episode of Billboard Unfiltered. Gentlemen- what it do, what it do, what it do?

Kyle Denis:

Chilling man, how are you?

Carl Lamarre: 

I am good. No complaints, well rested. Not bad at all.

Trevor Anderson:

Okay? What got you so well rested out here?

Kyle Denis: 

I mean sleep, probably.

Trevor Anderson:

Well… that tends to be the number one ingredient.

Carl Lamarre:

It’s nice outside.

Trevor Anderson:

Yeah springtime is starting a little bit out here in New York.

Carl Lamarre: 

Concerts are picking back up outside shortly, we got a couple in NYC this week so…

Kyle Denis:

Had Jordan Adetunji at Mercury Lounge last week, it was a great show.

Carl Lamarre:

Bowizzle, Omarion, yeah you know I might have to bring it back.

Trevor Anderson:

That is some millennial sh– right there. 

Carl Kamarre:

I’m an old head, but you know in the midst of all this old head sh–, I’m trying to have some YN moments with this new Playboi Carti ‘MUSIC’ album. Whoo we are talking about this colossal 30-track project, which has some heavy-hitters with Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, we should say Kendrick Lamar thrice because we got three Kendrick Lamar records on there.

Keep watching for more!

19 Mar 2025

Sia Privately Had a Third Child Named Somersault With Her Estranged Husband

Pop singer-songwriter Sia has always been keen on keeping her personal life private — so private, that according to a new report, the singer welcomed her third child almost a year ago.

According to documents obtained by The Associated Press, Sia welcomed a baby named Somersault Wonder Bernad with her now-estranged husband, Daniel Bernad, on March 27, 2024. Somersault would be Sia’s third child, after the singer adopted two 18-year-old boys in 2019.

Billboard has reached out to Sia’s representatives for comment.

The documents in question are divorce filings, as Sia is currently seeking to end her marriage to Bernad. Citing “irreconcilable differences,” the “Chandelier” singer is currently asking the court not to award spousal payments to Bernard, while simultaneously seeking sole custody of her 11-month-old child.

While Sia has been reticent to speak about her personal life in the past, she has been outspoken about her decision to adopt her two sons in 2019, telling Vogue Australia that she saw one of her sons in a documentary about the foster care system and decided to adopt him and his friend. “I was like: ‘What? Like, he doesn’t have anybody. Oh my god. I’m going to find him and I’m going to be his mummy,’” she said. “And so that’s what I did.”

The singer also spoke in her interview about wanting to become a foster parent in the future. “The next thing I’m planning to do is foster actual infants. Maybe [their mother] is drug-addicted and then I could help look after them until, you know, their mum can get back on the wagon or an adoptive home is found,” she told the publication. “If I can do that then I think I’ll feel like I’m superhuman.”

Sia recently teamed up with her frequent collaborator David Guetta for “Beautiful People,” their newest hit dance single. The song quickly caught the attention of the pair’s fans, debuting at No. 8 on Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart this week.

19 Mar 2025

Attorney Tony Buzbee Withdraws From 15 Diddy Sexual Abuse Cases After Court Admission Error

Attorney Tony Buzbee is withdrawing from more than a dozen sexual abuse lawsuits against Sean “Diddy” Combs in New York federal court two days after telling a judge he had “made an error in judgment” by failing to disclose that he was not admitted to practice law in that court.

Buzbee, who’s filed more than 20 cases against Combs and has fought an acrimonious battle with Jay-Z after filing a lawsuit by a woman who briefly accused him of rape, filed motions Wednesday (March 19) to withdraw across 15 different civil lawsuits in the Southern District of New York, the federal court district covering Manhattan.

The moves came two days after Buzbee told Judge Ronnie Abrams in one of those cases that he’d “made an error in judgment by failing to inform you that I was not admitted to the Southern District” and would “remedy this error by withdrawing my representation” until he was admitted.

In the same filing, Buzbee stressed that he was “in good standing of the New York State Bar” and would still be “eminently qualified” to continue handling the case, but said he would step away “as I sort these issues out.”

“My admission status has become a distraction that has shifted the focus of the matter away from where it should be, which is securing justice for the plaintiff,” Buzbee told Judge Abrams in the Monday letter.

The lawsuits against Combs will proceed with other attorneys at the helm, and Buzbee will remain in cases filed in New York state courts or other jurisdictions. Buzbee did not return a request for comment from Billboard, but in a Tuesday statement to the Houston Chronicle, he said: “Until that administrative issue is sorted out, my colleagues who are formally admitted in the SDNY will continue to push those cases while I continue to march forward in the New York State cases.”

Combs is facing a flood of abuse accusations, including dozens of civil lawsuits and a sweeping criminal indictment from federal prosecutors. He faces a jury trial on those charges in May; if convicted, he’s looking at a potential life prison sentence.

Buzbee, a well-known plaintiffs’ attorney in the Houston area, announced in October that was representing 120 individuals who had been victimized by Combs and would soon begin filing civil lawsuits on their behalf. He’s since filed more than 20 such cases, mostly repping anonymous Doe accusers who say the star sexually assaulted or raped them.

In December, Buzbee added Jay-Z as a defendant to one of those cases, accusing the star of joining Combs in raping an unnamed 13-year-old girl in 2000. The star vehemently denied the shocking allegations and has subsequently sued Buzbee and the accuser for defamation. In February, Buzbee’s client voluntarily dropped the case against Jay-Z without a settlement.

19 Mar 2025

50 Cent Responds to Ye Calling Him ‘One of His Favorite People: ‘Ya Dangerous Right Now’

50 Cent is never one to shy away from just about anything these days, but even he’s distancing himself from Ye (formerly Kanye West).

While West sniped at plenty of his peers — from Drake to Playboi Carti and Kendrick Lamar — he actually showed some love to 50 Cent.

“50 Cent is one of my favorite people,” Ye wrote to X on Tuesday (March 18). “He will be one of the people who brings back Black economic independence.”

However, 50 was hesitant to associate with the rapper, who has been criticized for his repeated hate speech. “Damn it Ye ya dangerous right now, what you say about the kids man,” 50 replied with a repost to his Instagram hours later.

Fans had plenty to say about the interaction between the hip-hop titans. “50 the only n—a who Ye didn’t crash out on this week,” one person wrote in the “In Da Club” rapper’s comments section.

Another chimed in: “50 like ‘leave me out this ish ye, not the time.’”

During a 2024 interview with Billboard, 50 said nobody’s been through more or had as many reasons to crash as Ye, but credited him for powering through to have one of the most decorated careers in rap.

“I don’t think anybody’s been through more or have more reasons to fall apart than Kanye,” he said at the time. “The success of his project comes, and his mom passes away. So what you been praying for — the gift is a curse. You lose that, and he had real reasons to f–king be out of it. He did the right thing. He went to work.”

While representing different pillars of hip-hop, 50 and Kanye have been pop-culture fixtures for more than two decades. They famously matched up for a memorable 2007 sales battle, which saw them face off at the MTV Video Music Awards and join forces for the cover of Rolling Stone.

Kanye’s Graduation ended up throttling 50’s Curtis (957,000 versus 691,000 first-week album sales), which elevated West’s superstar status in music to another level.

“We made the highest sales week for hip-hop culture, doing that and being competitive,” 50 told Billboard when looking back at their battle. “People that were participating as fans were buying more than one copy of it, because of the competitive side of it. When you look at it… we had to stand together to face off, but we never had an issue.”

Cardi B also seemingly responded to one of Ye’s X messages, in which he broke down how he sees the hierarchy of female rap and claimed Megan Thee Stallion replaced the Bronx native. “WHERE CARDI B GONNA BE 10 YEARS FROM NOW THEY USED HER,” he wrote.

The “WAP” rapper appeared to respond on X, flexing her staying power even without dropping an album going on seven years now. “7 years 1 album… STILL being a topic and STILL being asked about my music,” she wrote. “I’m anointed and I have a real fanbase. They come and go but The Brim is still here and will stay!”

Ye has been embroiled in controversy again in recent weeks due to his repeated antisemitic rants and willingness to engage in beef with just about any of his collaborators outside of 50 and A$AP Rocky. However, he did drop his Bully album as part of a short film starring his son Saint on March 19.

19 Mar 2025

Travis Barker Is Working on a New Album With These Fellow Pop Punk Legends

Travis Barker teased a new musical era for Yellowcard while giving a tour of his studio.

The Blink-182 drummer showed off all his equipment with Reverb in a video shared this week, where he shared his favorite drum kit. “This is my main kit. I’ve tried all different variations; nothing beats this stainless steel DW. It’s ridiculous,” he said, showing off the DW drum kit, which he said he used for several albums including Blink-182’s most recent One More Time… album and Machine Gun Kelly’s Lonely Road.

“I just did the entire new Yellowcard album on this,” he casually added.

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Yellowcard’s last album was their 2016 self-titled project, which hit the top 10 of Billboard’s Top Rock Albums chart. The band has yet to announce details of their upcoming album, but frontman Ryan Key recently told Wall of Sound that the group is in a “very secretive stage of making new music right now,” but they’re “close [to] something happening.”

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Key said that the upcoming musical era is it “so much more than just an album,” adding, “I just mean that the news around it; how it was made, who we made it with, it’s surreal. I’m pinching myself every day, since April of last year when we started working on it. We’ve really poured ourselves into this thing.”

Blink-182, meanwhile, is scheduled for several music festival appearances this year, including Sea.Hear.Now on Sept. 14, Shaky Knees on Sept. 21, Aftershock on Oct. 2 and, of course, When We Were Young festival in Las Vegas on Oct. 18 and 19. Get tickets here.

Watch Barker’s full studio tour with Reverb below.