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Kendrick Lamar has extended his winning streak into high fashion. Chanel has named him their newest brand ambassador.
As per Hypebeast, Kendrick Lamar has formally partnered with the luxury apparel brand. In an exclusive report by Business of Fashion, he explained how a trip to France made the deal all came together. “[I] spent a week in Paris with their team and explored the brand history. I visited the Chanel ateliers and saw the process of how something goes from design to execution. Seeing the people who work hard and bring these visions to life resonates with me,” he explained via email. Kendrick would also go on to add that “Chanel has a timeless legacy and that is always something I can get behind. Since they don’t make clothes for men, I knew it would have to be glasses.”
Prior to the announcement Chanel has played a role in several big moments in the “Not Like Us” MC’s storied career. He wore Chanel sunglasses in the “Luther” video featuring SZA. He and frequent collaborator Dave Free contributed to their Spring-Summer 2024 Haute Couture show with the curation of not only the stage set but also directing a short film titled The Button.
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04/23/2025
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Well, it’s not the Oscars like he originally hoped for, but Kevin Hart will indeed finally be hosting an awards show. And truth be told we can’t wait to see what kind of comedic hi jinx he has in store for us.
According to TheGrio, Kevin Hart has been tapped to host the 25th Annual BET Awards on June 9 and with that will come all kinds of jokes and “insults” aimed at celebrities that only Kevin Hart can get away with making. Having already been a part of the BET family with his 2013 cult classic comedy show, Real Husbands of Hollywood, the only question is why did it take BET so long to come to this decision? Regardless of the delay, Kevin Hart is excited about taking on hosting duties for the BET Awards 25th anniversary, and we don’t blame him one bit.
TheGrio reports:
“I love a celebration! It’s a chance to reflect, cherish, and honor life’s unforgettable moments,” Hart said in a press release. “I’m truly honored to host the 25th BET Awards and celebrate the culture’s biggest night. This year marks the 25th anniversary, and my partners at Hartbeat, BET, and JCE [Jesse Collins Entertainment] are pulling out all the stops to make it a night to remember. It’s a Black-Tie affair, and you’re all invited.”
Kevin Hart isn’t the only one bursting at the seams about hosting the BET Award’s 25th Anniversary show. BET President and CEO Scott Mills is also elated at Hart’s involvement in this year’s ceremony.
“For over a decade, Kevin Hart has been a beloved part of the BET family, and we couldn’t be more excited to have him return to host the 25th anniversary BET Awards,” said BET President and CEO Scott Mills. “His unparalleled talent, infectious energy, and deep connection to our audience make him the perfect host for this historic celebration. Kevin has continuously pushed boundaries in entertainment. On the heels of the successful launch of BET+ original series Lil Kev, we are eager to expand our partnership and continue to bring groundbreaking projects to life.”
Check out the comedic announcement of Kevin Hart hosting the 2025 BET Awards below, and let us know if you’ll be checking out this year’s show on June 9 in the comments section below.
Penn Badgley may be getting ready to say goodbye to You, but so is superfan Cardi B.
And during an interview on The Jennifer Hudson Show Wednesday (April 23), the actor opened up about having had the rapper’s support throughout the hit Netflix series’ run one day ahead of the fifth and final season’s premiere. “We’ve still never met,” Badgley said of Cardi. “It’s a strictly online thing.”
The Whipshots founder has been vocal in her love for You and the Gossip Girl star for years, with the two stars famously fangirling over each other on what was still Twitter in 2021. At one point, Cardi changed her profile picture on the platform to a still of Badgley in the serial-killer drama, after which he returned the favor by switching his own to a snap of the hip-hop titan — an exchange the actor told Hudson was “surreal.”
As rumors of a possible Cardi cameo swirled in the years that followed, You eventually featured the musician’s “I Like It” in the first episode of its fourth season. And in March, Cardi was tapped to announce the trailer for season five, sharing her review: “Girl, I am shook.”
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But given the fact that the show will come to a close Thursday (April 24) and Badgley’s revelation that he and Cardi still haven’t met, hopes that she’ll make an appearance may be dashed for good. “We’ve definitely tried,” he told Hudson. “We’ve even tried to make it a fun, like, capture it, but between our schedules — she’s busier than I am, I guarantee you.”
While on the talk show, the actor also teased how the series — which premiered on Netflix in 2018 and finds Badgley portraying strangely charming stalker-murderer Joe Goldberg — will wrap up. “We’re sending him off in I think the best fashion we can,” he said of his character. “I will inevitably miss him. I’ve gotten to do a lot of bizarre things, a lot of intense things. It’s like, you know what? I can put him to bed, but kind of like a dysfunctional little brother, I’ll miss him a little.”
“It’s a very satisfying ending,” he added. “It does justice to the character, to the show, and also to the viewer.”
Watch Badgley talk about Cardi on The Jennifer Hudson Show above.
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Source: MERCEDES-BENZ / Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz has once again partnered up with Ice Spice. She worked with the brand on a new custom molten chrome CLA.
As spotted on Newsweek, the automobile maker celebrated the re-grand opening of their Mercedes-Benz of Manhattan dealership in Manhattan. The evening’s theme was “Stars, Sounds & Slices,” a nod to the New York City experience. As part of their “Class of Creators” initiative, Mercedes-Benz had Ice Spice in attendance to formally kick off the collaborative project by unveiling a tricked out version of the CLA four-door sedan.
Source: MERCEDES-BENZ / Mercedes-Benz
The art piece features molten like chrome detailing and paint drips throughout the entire body. Additionally, we get an interpretation of her signature diamond “Princess” pendant on the side with the chain extending all around the car. The wheels also have Ice Spice’s name to complement chrome fixtures on the runner panel. According to a press release, the theme of this car will also be represented in a capsule collection that will include T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, and more.
Bettina Fetzer, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Digital & Communications, expressed the brand’s enthusiasm in a statement. “The all-new CLA is the leading-edge trailblazer of our portfolio – the gateway into the world of Mercedes‑Benz. We are thrilled to collaborate with our ’Class of Creators,’ represented by Ice Spice, Gustaf Westman, KidSuper, League of Legends and Hot Wheels,” she said. “Together, we want to connect and engage with diverse communities by inviting them to be a part of this conversation.”
Gustaf Westman’s event will be next on May 22, and Kid Super will follow with his art piece on June 28. You can see Ice Spice discuss the art piece below.
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Source: Nike / Jordan Brand
Good news sneakerheads, it seems we’ll have one more crack at copping the highly coveted Air Jordan 1 “Bred” as Nike is planning on rereleasing the holiest of grails later this year before putting the classic silhouette back in the vault for another thousand years.
According to Sneaker News, the classic Air Jordan 1 that started it all is said to be restocking later this year, months after seeing a limited release, which led to millions of L’s being dished out via raffle emails and countless sneakerheads punching the air. With the original drop being said to have been a paltry 10,000 pairs worldwide, one can only wonder how many pairs will be available this time around. Nike and Jordan Brand have been very stingy with the stock numbers of their highly anticipated retro releases in 2025 so far.
Per Sneaker News:
The public outcry to its limited nature was expected, but the good news is that the Jumpman is planning to unleash a second batch this Holiday season. An official release date has yet to be announced, but it is very probably that October 18th is what Jordan Brand has in mind for this wider drop. A new product SKU has also been uncovered, although the same $250 MSRP and Black/Varsity Red/White color spec is expected. Stay tuned to our Jordan Release Dates page for more updates.
There were rumors that 23,000 pairs of the Air Jordan 1 High “Bred” were made. So if only 10,000 pairs were released in February, then that leaves 13,000 pairs left. Still very limited but hopefully anyone who missed out will be able to lock down a personal pair whenever these rerelease.
Though no release date has been announced, it’s being speculated that the drop could come Oct. 18 aka “Banned Day.”
Will you be trying to cop a pair when these classics return? Let us know in the comments section below.
Save this storySaveSave this storySaveAfter some teasing, Buscabulla have officially announced their new album: Se Amaba Así is out June 13 via Domino. Leading Raquel Berrios and Luis del Valle’s follow-up to Regresa is “El Camino.” Check it out below.“‘El Camino’ is a dramatic disco guitar track about coming to a crossroads in a relationship and getting lost traveling through the uncharted, dark territories of life,” Raquel Berrios explained in a statement. “We wanted to achieve a cinematic sound to open up the movie that is our new record.”She continued, “We took the decided approach to turn inward, to ourselves, and explore the struggles of not only our own romantic relationship but romantic relationships in general. Wrestling between traditional versus modern ideas of love, Se Amaba Así is a cathartic, self-reflective journey of songs influenced by Latin and tropical genres of the past seen through a contemporary lens.”Read about Buscabulla’s song with Noia, “Eclipse de Amor,” in “The 100 Best Songs of 2023.”All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Buscabulla: Se Amaba Así$28 at AmazonSe Amaba Así:01 El Camino02 Divino Tesoro03 Miraverahí04 Empuje05 Te Fuiste06 Se Amaba Así07 Incrédula08 Mi Marido09 Mortal10 De Lejito
The Contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week, for the upcoming Billboard Hot 100 dated May 3, we look at a number of songs threatening to end the now-nine-week reign of Kendrick Lamar & SZA’s “Luther” — led by two of pop’s biggest hitmakers looking to score their second smash together.
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Morgan Wallen feat. Post Malone, “I Ain’t Comin’ Back” (Big Loud/Republic/Mercury): Last year, Morgan Wallen helped officially introduce Post Malone to the country world with the duo’s teamup “I Had Some Help,” which topped the Hot 100 for six weeks and earned official Billboard Song of the Summer honors. That song, officially credited to Malone featuring Wallen, led the former’s full-length country pivot F-1 Trillion and helped turn that album into a chart-topper itself – so you know that now Wallen is returning with his own 37-track I’m the Problem set this May, Malone had to come return the favor.
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“I Ain’t Comin’ Back,” the duo’s credit-flipped new collaboration dropped on Friday (April 18) and also got off to a fast start on streaming and in sales. The song debuted atop the Spotify Daily Top Songs USA chart, and quickly rose on the Apple Music and iTunes real-time charts as well. However, unlike “Help” — which absolutely blew past the competition in its first week of release, even during a particularly packed time for popular music — “Back” has already started to recede a little, down to No. 4 on Spotify and out of the top five on iTunes.
It seems unlikely the duo will make it two straight No. 1 debuts with “Back” — but they should be primed for another long Hot 100 run with the song, helped by a quick embrace by radio, where the song has already earned 2.2 million in all-format airplay audience in its first four days, according to Luminate, and could be looking at a top 40 debut on the Country Airplay chart, despite no official promotion to the format. It will join a listing already packed with Wallen hits, including fellow I’m the Problem advance tracks like the title track (No. 10 this week), “Just in Case” (Wallen’s latest country radio single, No. 11) and “Love Somebody” (No. 20), and still – now in its 49th week on the chart — “I Had Some Help” (No. 17).
Alex Warren, “Ordinary” (Atlantic): During a largely static time on the Hot 100, one of the few songs providing consistent week-to-week movement has been Warren’s “Ordinary,” which first gained momentum on TikTok, and then exploded after he performed it on a reunion episode for season eight of Netflix’s hit reality show Love Is Blind. Last week, the song became Warren’s first career top 10 hit; this week, it becomes his first career top five hit, jumping 7-5 on the chart dated Apr. 26.
Could a No. 1 ranking be in the song’s future? Probably not in the next week or two, as the gap between it and Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s reigning “Luther” (nine weeks and counting) remains pretty large, but the song doesn’t seem to be slowing down, as it’s climbed all the way to No. 3 on Spotify’s Daily Top Songs USA and No. 7 on the Apple Music real-time chart. More crucially, it’s only really getting started at radio – debuting at No. 49 on Radio Songs this week and likely moving into the top 20 next week on Pop Airplay, still with plenty of room to grow there – making Warren a pretty solid candidate to be the first artist to score his first career No. 1 on the Hot 100 this year.
BigXthaPlug feat. Bailey Zimmerman, “All the Way” (BigXthaPlug/Atlantic/ UnitedMasters): BigXthaPlug and Bailey Zimmerman have been enjoying the biggest breakout hit of their respective careers the past two weeks with “All the Way,” which launched an impressive No. 4 debut on the Hot 100 two weeks ago and slipped just to No. 8 in its second week, and remains a strong presence on streaming. Despite debuting atop Billboard’s Hot Country Songs ranking, the single has not yet been promoted to country radio – but it has picked up a bit of top 40 airplay, with SiriusXM stations across pop and hip-hop formats also supporting the song.
Drake, “Nokia” (Santa Anna/OVO/Republic): Drake’s much-needed bounceback hit made it all the way to No. 2 on the Hot 100, but has since stalled, dropping back to No. 3 on the chart. “Nokia” isn’t done yet, though – it’s still only really finding its footing on radio, where it reaches the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay top 10 this week and is up 15% in all-format radio audience April 18-21. The song might still need one more big boost to get it over the top on the Hot 100 – an official remix, perhaps? — but it likely will remain in range of getting there for some weeks still to come.
Two decades into his decorated career, Wiz Khalifa remains in demand. On the heels of dropping his Kush + Orange Juice 2 sequel, the Taylor Gang boss stopped by The Joe Budden Podcast earlier this week.
Budden inquired about Khalifa’s rates during his hitmaking run of the mid-2010s, which was capped off by the Billboard Hot 100-topping No. 1 smash “See You Again” in 2015. While 10 years have passed, Wiz says his paychecks remain the same when it comes to his guest verses and shows.
“They’re still the same,” he insisted. “250.” Khalifa doubled down on his $250,000 feature price tag and says the six-figure sum doesn’t even come with a music video appearance, just a verse.
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“Shows, honestly, go up to two Ms a show,” he added. “That’s because I have worldwide songs. I got stuff that people sing in China or Brazil or New Zealand and Thailand and Germany [and] Norway and stuff like Korea. I’m talking Saudi Arabia. You know what I’m saying?”
Even though the checks continued to clear, Wiz recently reflected on seeing the industry switch up on him depending on how hot he was at the time in the music game.
“Being in the industry, it’s clear when people are or aren’t f—ing with you,” Khalifa told the Call Her Daddy podcast on the April 18 episode. “When they’re f—ing with you, you’re at every party, every show, every this. When they’re not f—ing with you, you’re calling, and you’re like, ‘Ay, this party’s coming up.’ They’re like, ‘I know, but you don’t have an invite this year.’”
He continued: “You’re like, ‘Damn, they’re really ain’t f—ing with me.’ I didn’t do nothing. I didn’t change. I just maybe didn’t put up the numbers that they wanted me to or they got more people that they’re in line to do things for. So it’s like fighting for that position.”
Fifteen years after his classic mixtape, Wiz Khalifa returned on April 18 with his Kush + Orange Juice 2 sequel. The project features assists from Gunna, Ty Dolla $ign, Curren$y, Juicy J, Chevy Woods, Max B, Luh Tyler, O.T. Genesis and more.
On April 4, BAND-MAID released their new song, “Ready to Rock,” the opening theme for the TV anime Rock Is a Lady’s Modesty. The raging, breakneck instrumentals and emotional vocals that are the quintessence of the band resonate perfectly with the anime’s story and the feelings of its main characters. The collaboration is a match made in heaven.
Billboard JAPAN talked to the five members of the band at length about everything from the process of creating the new song to the band’s nationwide tour, the second anniversary of the new chapter opened by band, which is now in its 12th year, and their aggressive pursuit of their own musical direction.
Your new song, “Ready to Rock,” is the opening theme for the TV anime Rock Is a Lady’s Modesty (referred to from here on as Rock Is…). It tells the story of an all-woman band, so it has a lot in common with BAND-MAID. What led to you work on the song?
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KANAMI (Guitar): We were approached about performing the opening theme, so we started out by all reading the original comic, and then I started writing the music. But there wasn’t much along the lines of “Make it like this,” was there?
SAIKI (Vocals): Not really. They extended the offer to us because they knew what we were like. They said “BAND-MAID is perfect for Rock Is…,” which was great to hear. So the final song ended up being very true to BAND-MAID.
KANAMI: When I read the original manga, my mental image was one of drums and guitars crashing against each other and climbing to new heights. I wanted our song to express that, so I started the song out with this frenzied drumming and guitar playing.
So in terms of the anime, that would be Lilisa Suzunomiya (Guitar) and Otoha Kurogane (Drums).
AKANE (Drums): Right. I was totally influenced by Otoha (laughs). She’s an unparalleled drummer, and I wasn’t about to let her beat me, so I drew on all my drumming technique. It was the technically hardest song we’ve ever done. I just can’t emphasize that enough.
SAIKI: Initially, the drums came in even earlier right?
KANAMI: Yeah. In the first demo, the vocals also started at the same time, but SAIKI and Kobato said that if we wanted to bring out the true qualities of Rock Is… we shouldn’t have vocals right out of the gate but instead should highlight the guitar and drums. So I cut the vocals.
MISA, what approach did you use given what was going on with the guitar and drums?
MISA (Bass): The guitar and drums go wild, so I realized that if the bass went wild, too, then the whole thing would just fall apart. Instead of doing a really intricate bass line, I chose to only have the bass come out in front once the guitar and drums had settled down a bit.
Did you all talk together as a band about the relationship between BAND-MAID and the world of the anime?
SAIKI: Not at all. When I read the manga, I thought the drummer, Otoha, was a lot like AKANE, and the bassist, Tamaki, was a lot like MISA. But above all, the guitarist, Lilisa, was just like KANAMI (laughs). Partly because of that, I was really sucked into the manga. The gap between the way the characters looked and the way they acted was also like BAND-MAID. There were all these elements that resonated with me, so I think I naturally found myself drawn to it.
Miku Kobato (Guitar/Vocals): Having that gap is really important for us, too, so there were a lot of parts which matched up with us, and that’s how it all turned out, po.
SAIKI, what did you have in mind when you were writing the lyrics?
SAIKI: Reading the original manga, there were so many things that resonated with BAND-MAID, like the gap between how they looked and the music and they played, or the pressure that people around them placed because they were expected to be refined ladies. It reminded me of how we were when we started out. Back then, our costumes weren’t as distinctive as they they are now, and there were people who just couldn’t accept the gap between how we looked and the music we played. Sometimes, it was hard, so while I was reading the manga, I was thinking “Don’t let them get you down!” (laughs) When I wrote the lyrics, it was with this idea of “Don’t give up, just believe in yourself.”
Lilisa’s way of thinking also shares a lot in common with BAND-MAID’s direction. That passion burning inside, that hidden fighting spirit, is the same as ours, so it really resonated with me. The lyrics reflect how you might not show it on the outside, but you’re fired up inside.
Did BAND-MAID show that inner fighting spirit from the first time you performed on stage, or was there something that changed and brought it out of you?
SAIKI: Our songs themselves changed a lot, we decided on our direction, and we built up our musical repertoire. And through that process, we finally discovered our own style. That process was also similar, in many ways, to Rock Is….
Kobato: When we started, there were a lot of people who were like, “They’re a band of women dressed as maids, so their music’s not going to be very cool, right?” We wanted them to hear our music and go “Oh, wow!” I think we had that kind of fighting spirit from the very start, and we still do, po.
I’m sure watching Rock Is… while thinking about how it matches up with BAND-MAID would make the viewing experience an even more emotional one.
AKANE: There’s this scene where Otoha says, “Why would you play music for any other reason than your love for it?” That way of thinking about music is the same as how I felt about music when I started, long ago. Seeing that scene made me think again about what kind of drummer I want to be and what kind of music I want to make. One of my skills as a drummer is double kick drumming, so I used double kick pedals on the song. This song brought out my own distinctive style. I’m always taking on new challenges, and with this song, I knew exactly what I wanted to do, which felt great. The song really brims with drive and energy.
MISA: At some point, without me even realizing it, I’d solidified my own style and rules as a bassist—my position in the group, the position of the bass line within a song. The bassists I like don’t play bass lines with a lot of movement, and the music I listen to is really simple, but since joining BAND-MAID I’ve grown a lot with the band, and my bass lines have also grown.
SAIKI: The first song we wrote on our own that got a good reception, “alone” (released in 2016), gave us all confidence in our style. It showed that we were on the right track, and it defined the direction of our band. For the first two or three years, it was all very flexible and dynamic.
Kobato: It’s not like we started out wanting to copy some other artist. From the start, we wanted to establish our own style, and I think it took about two years for us to do that, po.
Your next tour will start with a show at Tokyo’s LINE CUBE SHIBUYA on May 10. What is the theme of the 2025 tour going to be?
SAIKI: Last year, BAND-MAID opened a new chapter in its history. This is the second year of that new chapter, and last September we released our first new album in three years, Epic Narratives, so I want to develop that album further through the tour. We keep talking about our new chapter, and we’re going to be playing across the country, so I want everyone to realize that this isn’t going to be like our past tours.
Do you have a message for your overseas Masters and Princesses?
Kobato: We’ve announced our tour schedule for May to August, which is going to overlap with the summer, so how about coming to Japan and traveling with BAND-MAID, po? (laughs)
KANAMI: We always have a lot of overseas fans in the audience, and I just want to express my deep thanks.
—This interview by Takayuki Okamoto first appeared on Billboard Japan