State Champ Radio Blog
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Max B is officially a free man.
The 47-year-old Harlem rapper, born Charly Wingate, was released from Northern State Prison in Newark, New Jersey, on Sunday (Nov. 9) after serving roughly 16 years behind bars.
Max B was originally sentenced to 75 years in 2009 for his role in a deadly robbery at a New Jersey hotel. In 2016, his sentence was reduced to 20 years after he pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter.
The “Wavy Crockett” artist was sentenced alongside his stepbrother, Kelvin Leerdam, who received a life term plus 35 years after jurors found he fatally shot one of the victims.
Upon his release, Max B was greeted by family and friends in a joyful moment captured and shared on Instagram by his longtime friend and collaborator French Montana. The rapper’s homecoming coincided with Montana’s 41st birthday.
“CANT MAKE THIS UP ! MY BROTHER REALLY CAME HOME ON MY B DAY ! HAMDULILLAH,” Montana captioned the video. “WALKED IT DOWN ! NO MORE FREE YOU.”
Late last year, Max B hinted at his impending release during a phone call to The Joe Budden Podcast, where he announced his official date and discussed his excitement about returning to music.
“Listen, I’m not even gonna put myself in a box, it’s all gonna run concurrent,” he said at the time. “I can’t wait to get in the studio. There’s a lot of artists out there, too many to name. I’m looking forward to working with the big names, the head honchos… But they gotta be A-list. If the s—t ain’t A-list, I can’t f—k with it.”
Earlier this year, Young Thug also shared a clip of himself speaking with Max B over the phone from prison.
“Man, I’m in here grinding this s—t out,” Max told Thug, who then asked if he’d be released soon. “Hell yeah, we ’bout to hit the home stretch, baby,” Max replied. “We gon’ make some history?”
See French Montana’s Instagram post celebrating Max B’s release below.
Source: Kevin Kane / Getty
If we’re keeping it a bean, this should have happened years ago, respectfully. On Saturday night (Nov. 8), OutKast was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. You know it was real when Andre 3000 got emotional while accepting the honor.
The duo received their award from Donald Glover at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. During a potent moment of his lengthy and admittedly freestyled speech, 3 Stacks (after losing a game of rock, paper, scissors to see who went first) shouted out Jack White from the stage. “Jack is, man, He’s one of my favorites man,” said Mr. Benjamin, was was also sure to shout out the late, great Rico Wade. “We love you man.”
He then added, “But one thing they said, he said something about little rooms. And we started in a little… Little rooms, great things start in little rooms.”
The Hip-Hop legend was overcome with emotion as he was surrounded by fellow Dungeon Family members like Big Gipp and Slimm Cutta Calhoun. The Dungeon, where it all started for OutKast, Googie Mob, Organized Noize and more, was indeed a little room.
It was a full-circle moment for OutKast for a multitude of reasons, but one in particular stands out. In 1995, OutKast won “Best New Rap Group” at The Source Awards. While accepting their accolades, there were audible boos (blame an ornery, East Coast-biased NYC crowd), and 3 Stacks wanted all the smoke. Clapping his hands for emphasis, the “Hey Ya” rapper proclained, “The South got something to say!”
The same audio can be heard on “Chonkyfire” from Aquemini. If you know, you know.
Interestingly, Big Boi would perform a medley of OutKast hits, except without Andre. Instead, he was joined by Killer Mike, of course, Tyler, The Creator, J.I.D, Janelle Monáe and, wait for it, Doja Cat (who flubbed the lyrics…).
Another iconic Hip-Hop act who entered the Hall last night was Salt-N-Pepa. Congrats to Andre 3000 and Big Boi.
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The legacy of iconic Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel was celebrated in an unprecedented and massive event that brought together 170,000 people on Saturday (Nov. 8) night at Mexico City’s Zócalo, according to figures from the capital’s government. Fans gathered to watch the screening of the first concert the late “Divo de Juárez” performed at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in 1990.
This marked the second time that one of the three concerts the legendary artist held at Bellas Artes during his career was screened in the country’s main public square. A similar event held in September 2024, when a projection of his 2013 performance at Mexico’s premier cultural venue, drew 70,000 fans.
Saturday’s screening set a new global attendance record for an in-person fan event organized by Netflix, according to the streaming platform, which partnered with the capital’s Secretariat of Culture to host it at the same public space where, 25 years earlier, the legendary artist held a free concert for thousands of fans.
The screening of Juan Gabriel’s debut performance at Bellas Artes was part of Netflix’s promotion for its new docuseries Juan Gabriel: I Must, I Can, I Will (Juan Gabriel: Debo, Puedo y Quiero), which premiered on Oct. 30.
The event, which at times felt like an actual concert due to the audience’s enthusiasm, became a journey back in time to revisit the historic performance of the singer, which took place 35 years ago and sparked controversy due to his desire to perform at Mexico’s most prestigious cultural venue as a popular artist.
From early hours, fans of all ages and from all corners of Mexico, Juan Gabriel impersonators, and special guests gathered in the Zócalo — or Plaza de la Constitución — with posters, T-shirts, and outfits inspired by the legend. The artist’s son, Iván Aguilera, was also present to celebrate his father’s legacy, as well as the docuseries director María José Cuevas and producers Laura Woldenberg and Ivonne Gutiérrez, who also sang and danced alongside the attendees.
José Luis Flores, a man in his 40s from the neighboring State of Mexico, proudly displayed a tattoo on his chest featuring the late singer’s image. “I waited for him for more than four hours after a concert — this is my greatest treasure,” the man told Billboard Español.
Classic hits from Juanga’s discography, such as “Hasta Que Te Conocí,” “Querida,” “Amor Eterno,” and “Por Qué Me Haces Llorar,” moved the audience to tears, creating an intimate and nostalgic atmosphere. After the screening, the Mariachi Estrella de América performed on stage a setlist of Juan Gabriel’s hits, followed by a fireworks display that lit up every corner of the square, honoring the life, talent, and music of the Mexican singer-songwriter. Juan Gabriel died on August 28, 2016, at his home in Santa Monica, Calif., of natural causes, in the middle of a concert tour. He was 66.
Inducted into the Billboard Hall of Fame in 1996, he built a legacy as a multifaceted artist over more than four decades, recording songs in genres as diverse as ranchera, ballad, pop, and bolero, and producing for other artists. Among his many achievements, he sold over 150 million records, wrote more than 1,800 songs, released 34 studio albums, was nominated for six Grammy Awards, won three posthumous Latin Grammys, and saw more than 20 of his hits reach the top 10 on the Billboard charts, including seven No. 1s on Hot Latin Songs. His hit “Yo No Sé Qué Me Pasó” inaugurated the first edition of that chart in 1986, at No. 1.
Trending on Billboard Sombr made his Saturday Night Live debut as the musical guest on Nov. 8. The 20-year-old singer-songwriter performed two songs — “12 to 12” and “Back to Friends” — from his debut album, I Barely Know Her, which reached No. 10 on the Billboard 200 in September. Dressed in a sharp red […]
French Montana / Max B
After spending nearly a decade behind bars, the Wave God, aka Max B, is finally a free man.
Harlem rapper Max B, born Charley Wingate, has finally been released from prison.
The emotional moment of him breathing in fresh air as a free man was captured by his Coke Wave collaborator and longtime friend, French Montana. It also happened to be the “Shot Caller” crafter’s birthday.
In a video post shared on Instagram, Montana wrote in the caption:
“CANT MAKE THIS UP ! MY BROTHER REALLY CAME HOME ON MY B DAY ! HAMDULILLAH 🤲🏼WALKED IT DOWN ! NO MORE FREE YOU.”
Max Biggaveli was initially sentenced in 2009 to serve 75 years behind bars for his alleged role in a deadly botched robbery attempt.
Wavy Crockett’s conviction was vacated in 2016, and he struck a plea deal that reduced his charge to aggravated manslaughter and reduced his prison sentence.
The rapper has been giving hope to fans who wanted to see the wave free again, going as far as to hint at a possible release date during a phone interview on The Joe Budden Podcast.
“We got a date! I’ve got November 9, 2025, baby!” It looks like he was speaking the truth because that’s precisely when he stepped out of Northern State Prison.
Fans have been reacting to the good news as well. You can see those reactions below.
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The Los Angeles Dodgers weren’t the only winners in town this week. Returning to City of Angels for the first time since 2022, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ushered in a new class of inductees during its 40th annual induction ceremony Saturday night (Nov. 8).
“Welcome to the second-best thing to happen to Los Angeles in the past week,” said John Sykes, chairman of the R&R Hall of Fame, welcoming the audience at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is officially middle aged and to celebrate the 40th induction ceremony, a 10-minute sizzle reel spanning the four decades played prior to the official start of the proceedings, which, thanks to a more streamlined process when honoring the musical excellence and non-performer categories, came in at a relatively brisk four-and-a-half hours.
Beamed live on Disney +, the Rock Hall honored Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, Soundgarden and The White Stripes in the performer category, Salt-N-Pepa and Warren Zevon for musical influence; Thom Bell, Nicky Hopkins and Carol Kaye for musical excellence, and longtime Warner Records executive Lenny Waronker with the Ahmet Ertegun Award (named after the Atlantic Records co-founder). A primetime trimmed- down special will air on ABC on Jan. 1, 2026.
Many of the 2025 honorees were not in attendance: Of course, Zevon, Cocker, Hopkins and Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell were inducted posthumously, and legendary Wrecking Crew bassist Kaye declined in advance to attend. Though the White Stripes’ Jack White referenced her and even dedicated part of his speech to her, his former bandmate, Meg White, did not attend. At 84, Checker was still doing what he does best and passed up his induction to keep a regularly scheduled paying gig, though he delivered his acceptance speech from the show before going into a shortened version of his biggest hit, “The Twist.” After initially hoping to attend and even reunite with his band Bad Company, lead singer Paul Rodgers pulled out for health reasons.
But there was still a dazzling amount of star power in the room from the honorees who were present and the nearly 40 artists who helped induct them.
Below are nine highlights from the evening.
Take Us Higher
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Soundgarden were officially inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday (Nov. 8), with actor-comedian Jim Carrey leading the tribute in a heartfelt, deeply personal speech that recalled his first experience seeing the grunge pioneers perform live.
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The comedian told the audience at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles that he met the band in 1996 while hosting Saturday Night Live, where he personally requested Soundgarden as the musical guest.
“By then, the lineup was Chris [Cornell], Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron on drums, and Ben Shepherd on base. They launched into the dark, epic beauty of ‘Pretty Noose,’” Carrey explained.
“I stood right in front of them, letting the waves of electricity wash over me, like an audio baptism. They pushed me under and when I came up I was free.”
Carrey revealed that after the show, the band gifted him one of his most prized possessions: a Fender Telecaster signed by all four members, including late frontman Chris Cornell.
Cornell’s eldest daughter Lily took the stage following a video tribute to her father, delivering a touching speech and acknowledging her mother and Cornell’s former wife, Susan Silver, who once managed Soundgarden.
The surviving members of Soundgarden — Matt Cameron, Kim Thayil, Ben Shepherd, and founding bassist Hiro Yamamoto — were present for the induction. Yamamoto, who reunited with the band for the occasion, referenced his family’s internment during World War II: “That affected my life greatly,” he said. “And it really echoes strongly today. Let’s not add another story like this to our history.”
Kim Thayil reflected on Cornell’s creative leadership, stating, “If one of us ever hesitated in sharing an idea, Chris would be the first to say, ‘Let’s just try it out and see.’ I miss him. I love him, and I love all my [Soundgarden] brothers.”
The performance portion of the night featured Taylor Momsen (of The Pretty Reckless) fronting Soundgarden for “Rusty Cage” and Brandi Carlile joining them for “Black Hole Sun.” The ceremony concluded with Chris Cornell’s younger daughter, Toni, performing “Fell on Black Days” alongside Nancy Wilson.
The 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees also included OutKast, Bad Company, Cyndi Lauper, The White Stripes, Chubby Checker, and Joe Cocker. The event streamed live on Disney+ and will be available on-demand.
Trending on Billboard Australian musician John Butler has responded to Metallica‘s surprise nod at their Perth concert by delivering a heartfelt, blues-infused take on the band’s iconic single “Enter Sandman.” Explore See latest videos, charts and news Butler shared the cover via Instagram while on tour in Europe and the U.K., captioning the post: “@metallica […]
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The 2025 ARIA Awards will return to Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on Nov. 19, with a stacked lineup of performers and presenters confirmed by the Australian Recording Industry Association on Nov. 9.
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Leading the live performance slate is GRAMMY-nominated British artist Olivia Dean, who will make her ARIA Awards debut just weeks after announcing her sophomore album The Art of Loving. Dean has accumulated more than 4.5 billion global streams, including over 236 million in Australia.
She will be joined onstage by a wide array of Australian talent, including G Flip, Missy Higgins, Kita Alexander, Keli Holiday, You Am I, Thelma Plum, Young Franco, Baker Boy, Alex Lahey, Janet English, Anna Ryan, Neve Van Boxsel, and Touch Sensitive.
In an ARIA first, all five nominees for Best Soul/R&B Release — Boy Soda, Larissa Lambert, PANIA, Jerome Farah, and Jacotene — will perform with a 15-piece backing band in a joint showcase of the category.
Presenters for the evening will include Dom Dolla, Kacey Musgraves, Amy Shark, Budjerah, Josh Pyke, Kate Ceberano, King Stingray, Meg Washington, Melanie Bracewell, and Kobie Dee, alongside hosts Tim Blackwell and Concetta Caristo.
Annabelle Herd, CEO of ARIA, said in a statement, “Diversity, emotion, raw talent and constant evolution all make Australian music so powerful, and that’s exactly what we’re celebrating in this incredible lineup of artists. Each performer and presenter joining the stage represents a part of our story, one that’s deeply local but heard all over the world.”
Mikaela Lancaster, Managing Director of Spotify AUNZ, added, “AusMusic month is underway, and Australian music has never sounded louder or prouder. This year’s ARIA Awards lineup is stacked with incredible performers and presenters who embody everything that makes our industry so special – creativity, community, and a fearless drive to share our stories with the world. Spotify is proud to support the 2025 ARIA Awards. It’s going to be a night to remember.”
The 2025 ARIA Awards will stream live on Paramount+ from 5:00 p.m. AEDT, with red carpet coverage airing on Network 10 from 7:00 p.m., followed by the ceremony.
The event is presented in partnership with Spotify and supported by the NSW Government via Destination NSW.
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Midnight Oil’s Rob Hirst has unveiled a deeply personal new EP, A Hundred Years or More, recorded while undergoing treatment for stage three pancreatic cancer.
The celebrated drummer and songwriter, 70, collaborated with longtime bandmates Jim Moginie and Hamish Stuart, and enlisted his daughters Gabriella and Lex Hirst to contribute vocals on the emotionally resonant four-track release.
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The EP was created in pockets of time when Hirst felt well enough to sing and strum, following a major gastro bypass operation earlier this year. “It’s completely replumbed the inside because the tumour was pushing against the guts and I couldn’t eat,” he shared as per news.com.au. Despite the challenges, the sessions became a space of defiant creativity and familial healing.
Gabriella, an artist based in Berlin, delivers the lead vocal on the EP’s title track—a tender, melancholic ballad inspired by Hirst’s diagnosis. “May you live to be a hundred years or more,” she sings, with her father joining for the final line: “May you take another turn around the sun.”
“I was just working it up at home with an incomplete lyric and Ella was out for a while looking after me and checking up on all her arty friends in Sydney and she came in and said ‘Dad, I really like this song you’re singing and I said, ‘Well, here’s the rough lyric, you sing it,’” Hirst said.
Lex Hirst lends backing vocals to the opening track, “First Do No Harm,” while Hoodoo Gurus bassist Rick Grossman makes a surprise appearance on the EP as well.
Hirst, who co-founded Midnight Oil in the 1970s, has also led acclaimed side projects like Ghostwriters, The Break, and Backsliders. The band played their final show in October 2022 at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion.
A Hundred Years or More follows 2023’s Red Continent and will be released Nov. 14.
