Blog
Page: 55
There have already been rumors about real estate developers offering up money to homeowners impacted by the recent fires in the Los Angeles area, and Vince Staples may be one of those people. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The Long Beach rapper took to X and […]
Keke Palmer is a proud friend. In a new interview with People ahead of the release of One of Them Days, the actress praised costar SZA‘s performance in the film and said that viewers aren’t even prepared for how brightly the singer-songwriter shines in her new vocation. “The world is about to be just gagged,” […]
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Prince Williams / Getty
Rocko is back in the headlines as his recent mugshot went viral following his recent arrest.
According to Fulton County Inmate Records, the “U.O.E.N.O.” rapper, real name Rodney Ramone Hill Jr., was arrested on December 9 on charges of disorderly conduct, misdemeanor willful obstruction of law enforcement officials, and criminal trespass. Records indicate that he was released on a $1000 bond.
The Georgia Gazette was the first to post the mugshot. No further details are known about the arrest at this time.
This is a developing story.
Rocko Arrested Last Month For Disorderly Conduct, Willful Obstruction
was originally published on
hotspotatl.com
Ye calls himself “the GOAT of GOATs” while seeing success from his self-produced Yeezy slides, and he teased his upcoming ‘Bully’ project. Keep watching for all the details. Tetris Kelly: Ye calls himself the GOAT and teases new music. Ye has officially taken to Instagram to declare himself “the GOAT of GOATs.” After what seems […]
ROSÉ and Bruno Mars’ “APT.” joins the lofty company of BTS’ “Dynamite” as the only songs by acts prominent in K-pop (Korean pop) to have reached the top five on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart. “APT.” ascends two spots to No. 5 on the latest, Jan. 18-dated Pop Airplay chart. “Dynamite” peaked at No. 5 on […]
The members of O-Town are making sure the public knows they have zero ties to Sean “Diddy” Combs amid the disgraced music mogul’s ongoing legal battles.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published Tuesday (Jan. 14), bandmates Erik-Michael Estrada and Jacob Underwood alleged that their brand has suffered from false perceptions that Combs was involved with O-Town simply because the producer worked on separate seasons of Making the Band, the reality show on which the boy band got its start.
“We make a living touring and can’t afford to have [bookers] Googling us to find the latest Diddy clickbait,” Underwood told the publication.
“Of all the bands in Making the Band, we’re the only one not tied to him,” he added, noting that he’s never met Combs. “The more people confuse us with a Diddy band and post our pictures with his story, the more it goes against us.”
O-Town first formed on the inaugural season of Making the Band, going on to chart three songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and tour with Britney Spears at the turn of the millennium. Combs later became involved with other iterations of the reality TV show in the early 2000s, working with different groups such as Danity Kane, Da Band and Day26.
Decades later, Estrada, Underwood and bandmates Trevor Penick and Dan Miller are still going strong as a group (without original bandmate Ashley Parker Angel), while the Bad Boy Records founder is currently awaiting trial in prison on charges of sex abuse and racketeering. The accusations against him — which Combs has repeatedly denied — are sprawling, and O-Town says that having Making the Band in common with Combs has lost them lucrative deals, even after all these years.
For instance, O-Town’s agent, Matt Rafal, told THR that a large gaming company dropped the band from a year-end party billing due to confusion over the matter. “The offer was pulled due to the perception of the group being attached to Diddy,” Rafal said. “We made it clear O-Town’s Making the Band had no association with Diddy, but the company worried guests may be confused … Since the Diddy news, we’ve received questions and hesitancy from several talent buyers, especially for soft tickets like fairs and theme parks, as well as city-funded events.”
“I wish people looked at Making the Band and went, ‘Making the Band was O-Town and it was the pioneering brand for music reality television in the States,” Estrada added, calling the show “the blueprint” for programs like American Idol. “Unfortunately, the actions of one man have tainted the reality, which is four individuals who met on a reality show and are going strong 25 years later.”
Estrada also said that he did attend some of Combs’ parties in New York back in the day, and that “there was always a salacious energy” at the events. “He encouraged people to dip into their wild side, but I never witnessed anything firsthand,” the boy band star told the publication. “Gratefully, I can look my fiancé in the face and swear I never attended any after-hours version of a Diddy party.”
The “All or Nothing” singer also noted the irony of another disgraced music mogul’s associations with O-Town and Making the Band: Lou Pearlman, who spearheaded the series and managed O-Town, the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC before he was convicted of running a half-billion-dollar Ponzi scheme in 2008. The businessman died in prison in 2016 while serving his 25-year sentence.
“We’ve already had a Lou and now we’re dealing with a Diddy … it’s the MO of our career,” Estrada said. “Despite the steep climbs, we’ve generated a successful national tour with Pop 2000, had families, done other projects and strengthened our bond with fans, so when noise like this creeps up, we’re in good standing with the people who matter most.”
Donald Trump will officially be re-inaugurated as President on Jan. 20, and Rascal Flatts have joined the list of performers during inauguration weekend. The country group will be performing at the Commander in Chief Ball, where active duty military members will be attending, a source confirms to Billboard. Trump is scheduled to attend and speak […]
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Getty / General
Another week another accusation for Diddy, as the embattled music icon has just been slapped with yet another lawsuit to add to his ever-growing legal troubles.
Page Six is reporting that Sean “Diddy” Combs has just been hit with another suit from a woman who claims the “Bad Boy For Life” rapper drugged and raped her back in 2000 when she was only 16 years old. In the suit, Jane Doe claims that she ran into Diddy and some of his friends after leaving a babysitting gig she had as a part-time job in Lower Manhattan. She stated that one of his now “well-known” ex-girlfriend’s lived in the building where she was babysitting at the time.
That’s when things went left, allegedly.
Per Page Six:
Related Stories
“Combs engaged her in conversation, asking where she was going so late at night, and that it was not safe for her to be walking alone,” the documents read.
Although the then-16-year-old told Combs, who was in his early 30s at the time, that she lived “around the corner” and “would be fine,” he allegedly insisted on giving her a ride home.
“After much cajoling by Combs, she agreed and got into his car … something [the] plaintiff would come to regret forever,” the filing continued.
The woman recalled feeling “scared when they did not drop her off at home as promised.”
She claimed Combs “gave her a drink to ‘calm her down,’” which left her feeling “groggy and unsteady.”
That’s when she said that Combs and his two male friends proceeded to sexually assault her and ultimately dropped her off in the lobby of her apartment building.
Jane Doe is suing Diddy and two unnamed defendants for unspecified damages.
As we said before, it’s only a matter of time before more people come forward with their own horror stories about their interactions with Diddy. One can only imagine how many more people are out there either too scared to come forward or simply too embarrassed to do so.
What do y’all think about these latest allegations? Let us know in the comments section below.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Gilbert Flores / Getty
The much-anticipated announcement by Beyoncé has been put on hold, as the singer donated to the wildfire relief efforts in Los Angeles.
The Beyhive will have to wait a little longer for Beyoncé’s highly awaited announcement. The superstar confirmed the news through an Instagram post Tuesday (Jan. 14), which was the day of the big reveal. “The January 14th announcement will be postponed to a later date due to the devastation caused by the ongoing wildfires around areas of Los Angeles,” she wrote. “I continue to pray for healing and rebuilding for the families suffering from trauma and loss. We are so blessed to have brave first responders who continue to work tirelessly to protect the Los Angeles community. To join our efforts in supporting those impacted, please visit @beyGOOD. Love, B.”
The caption of the post read, “The BeyGOOD LA Fire Relief Fund has donated $2.5 million to directly support families who lost their homes and community organizations at the forefront of relief. Please join us in supporting with whatever you can.” Beyoncé had previously announced the donation Monday (Jan. 13) in another Instagram post, denoting that the funds would go to those affected in the Altadena and Pasadena communities. The singer and her husband, rapper and entrepreneur Jay-Z, own a home in the Bel-Air neighborhood where they reside with their three children. According to reports, the family evacuated their home and are currently sheltering in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Speculation about the announcement has run wild since Beyoncé’s teaser video during her halftime concert performance during the Houston Texans-Baltimore Ravens game on Netflix’s NFL Christmas Gameday. Many felt that the announcement could be a tour to celebrate her Cowboy Carter album or the first word on what would be Act III of her album trilogy beginning with her Renaissance album. There is no further word on when the announcement will take place, but fans will certainly be riveted.
For the fourth time in four tries this decade, Lil Baby has the No. 1 album in the country.
The rap star’s latest, WHAM (which stands for Who Hard as Me), bows atop the Billboard 200 this week (dated Jan. 18) with 140,000 first-week units. It follows the No. 1 debuts of 2020’s My Turn, 2021’s The Voice of the Heroes (with Lil Durk) and 2022’s It’s Only Me — albeit with the lowest first-week number of the four sets, and only one track debuting in the Billboard Hot 100‘s top 40: the Future and Young Thug collab “Dum, Dumb and Dumber” (No. 16).
What does the album bow mean for Lil Baby’s stardom? And what should he be focusing more on with his future album releases? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
1. WHAM debuts at No. 1 with 140,000 equivalent album units moved. On a scale from 1-10, how happy do you think Lil Baby should be with that first-week performance?
Trending on Billboard
Kyle Denis: A strong 8. Pulling a six-figure opening week is nothing to scoff at, and Lil Baby has done it with his last three studio albums. WHAM’s numbers are even more impressive when you consider that the album doesn’t include any of the three solo standalone singles (“5AM,” “Insecurities” and “Touchdown”) he dropped leading up to the record’s full release. Given the lukewarm reception to WHAM online from casual and devoted fans alike, WHAM’s first-week performance is a triumph for Baby.
Carl Lamarre: 10. I’m beyond elated if I’m Baby, because the internet wasn’t thinking too fondly of my release. Plus, I escaped Bad Bunny by a millisecond after he dropped his album two days after mine. For Baby, he’s no longer the indomitable force he was after his volcanic opus My Turn blitzed the industry in 2020. There’s no reason why LiAngelo Ball, an overnight success, should generate more traction than an established superstar like Baby to start the calendar year. Despite those glaring concerns, Baby ended up on top, and that’s what matters most.
Jason Lipshutz: A 7. Releasing an album in the opening week of the year can be a little dicey, as listeners divert their attentions away from Christmas music and refocus following their holiday breaks. Lil Baby placed a bet on being the biggest game in town once the calendar flipped over to 2025, and sure enough, he snagged another No. 1 debut — with a lower equivalent album units total than 2022’s It’s Only Me, but with a track list roughly half as long as its predecessor hampering streams a bit, so a six-figure bow is pretty impressive.
Michael Saponara: I think he’s gotta be at a 9. To outsell Bad Bunny and debut at No. 1 after Baby’s 2024 singles weren’t generating a ton of buzz is a major W.
Andrew Unterberger: At least an 8. Yes, things might’ve tilted differently if Bad Bunny had a full first week to work with, but the fact that Benito made such a late charge and Baby still ended up on top — while also eclipsing SZA’s revitalized SOS blockbuster — is no small feat, and speaks to the rapper’s continued resonance.
2. The star-studded “Dum, Dumb and Dumber” with Future and Young Thug is the set’s top debut on the Billboard Hot 100, entering in the top 20. Does it feel like a long-lasting hit, or is it mostly bowing so high on the strength of its guest list?
Kyle Denis: This doesn’t feel like a long-lasting hit to me, and it feels particularly tepid for Thugger’s first post-prison verse. I’d be surprised if any of the WHAM songs stick around and become hits on the level of “We Paid” or “Sum 2 Prove.” Maybe the Dominique album will fare better in that arena.
Carl Lamarre: The more I listen to it, the more I like it, but I don’t see it having the endurance of being a long-lasting hit. A torrid Future coming off three No. 1 albums in ’24 alongside Thug’s first post-jail verse should be enough to blow the top off any record, but I don’t think these guys really brought their A-game this time. It felt more like a scrimmage versus a full-throttled performance.
Jason Lipshutz: Although it might never climb higher on the Hot 100 than its current peak, I think it’s going to endure. “Dum, Dumb and Dumber” was obviously newsworthy as Young Thug’s return to the microphone, but Lil Baby and Future match his level of urgency on the track; the beat, co-produced by Wheezy, wails and pummels, letting all three stars rise toward its intensity without relenting for a chorus. That lack of a hook might limit its crossover potential, but I’d bet on “Dum, Dumb and Dumber” continuing to accrue millions of streams and dominate hip-hop playlists in the coming months.
Michael Saponara: Young Thug’s first spotlighted verse since being released from jail combined with a Future reunion is a formula for commercial success. Baby capitalized on the moment and it’s a solid three-man weave between the Atlanta trio, but I don’t see it having a ton of staying power in the Hot 100’s top 25.
Andrew Unterberger: It’s a strong song, and I don’t think it’s going to disappear from the culture completely, but I dunno if it really has enough of a hook — either in terms of a chorus or just an overall narrative coherence — to really keep listeners coming back. It’s great to hear those three voices together on a track again, though, no doubt.
3. Bad Bunny debuts just underneath Baby with his new set Debí Tirar Más Fotos, which notches 122,000 in an incomplete first week. Given that the album was released on a Sunday, already a full two days into the tracking week, do you think it’ll have a good shot at climbing to No. 1 on next week’s chart?
Kyle Denis: Absolutely. Bad Bunny dropped a compelling project, and it’s resonating with people as several songs on the album morph into breakout streaming hits around the world. Between viral quotes from a Rolling Stone interview, an NYC subway takeover, a short film, and co-hosting The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Bad Bunny has been extremely present throughout the past week, which will only help the second-week performance of Debí Tirar Más Fotos. Of course, Benito is also getting a lot of good press for his innovative approach to ticketing for his upcoming Puerto Rico residency.
But this record also already has much more positive word of mouth than his last LP, 2023’s Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana, and that’s probably the clearest sign that DTMF momentum is just getting started.
Carl Lamarre: I don’t see Baby’s album securing another week at No. 1 for this cycle. The fact that Bunny was only 18,000 units shy of sealing another No. 1 album after an incomplete week is telling, and worrisome for Camp Baby. There’s more chatter surrounding Bunny’s album because of the storytelling, the chances he took sonically, and the ingenious rollout. Bunny’s Rolling Stone interview and recent subway performance with Jimmy Fallon resonated more with people than Baby’s conversation with Charlamagne and his late-night outings.
Jason Lipshutz: Definitely. If you take a peek at daily streaming charts, Bad Bunny’s new album is not just performing strongly but seems to be gaining momentum, with the crackling “DtMF” leading a slew of tracks that will likely fly up the Hot 100 chart next week. The Sunday release helped prevent Bad Bunny from scoring another No. 1 album himself, but he’s got a great shot at getting there next week, especially considering that there are no new Lil Baby-sized debuts to for Debí Tirar Más Fotos to compete with.
Michael Saponara: Yeah, Bad Bunny should do another solid number next week as the tracks are still streaming well across DSPs. However, Mac Miller’s posthumous Balloonerism arrives on Friday (Jan. 17) which could interrupt Benito’s run at No. 1 pretty quickly should he claim the top spot next week.
Andrew Unterberger: Yeah it certainly should be considered a frontrunner to claim the top spot in the next couple weeks. Really cool to see Bad Bunny on track to another enduring full-length, in the wintertime no less.
4. Lil Baby’s career momentum has been trending somewhat in the wrong direction since the 2020 breakthrough of My Turn made him one of the biggest stars in hip-hop. Does WHAM and the early reception to it give you confidence that he can turn that around?
Kyle Denis: My biggest gripe with WHAM is how Baby is seemingly unwilling to deviate from the formula established with his mixtapes and first three albums. The record lacks standout moments, but it’s not a poor collection of songs – he’s just not pushing himself in meaningful or interesting ways. As it stands, Wham tells me that Baby is okay not fulfilling the role of “generation leader” that many tried to cast him in back in 2020. I think Baby has the talent to turn his momentum around, but it’s probably more of a matter of how happy he is with where he’s currently at.
Carl Lamarre: For Baby to land back-to-back No. 1 albums despite falling flat musically speaks a lot to his fanbase. They still believe in him because of his Herculean effort on My Turn. In 2020, he accomplished what few fail to do in the modern-day rap era: conquer the charts and, more importantly, the hearts of listeners. That’s why fans of artists like Roddy Ricch still have hope, as he achieved that same feat with his 2019 debut album. But, like Roddy, Baby is possibly down to his last strike after failing to connect on his previous two projects.
Jason Lipshutz: Lil Baby is an interesting case study in 2020s hip-hop, where an artist can score multiple No. 1 albums and top 10 Hot 100 hits, remain a constant presence on New Music Friday through solo tracks and collaborations, command a sizable touring audience, and yet simultaneously feel like momentum is flagging because the genre is so focused on new voices and achievements. Over the past half-decade, Lil Baby has hunkered down on a winning formula, but also hasn’t taken the artistic chances that can help superstars grow into icons. The chart-topping success of WHAM is in line with what he’s done in the past, and there’s nothing wrong with those commercial wins — but taking the next step as a leader in hip-hop may require an evolution.
Michael Saponara: Turn it around to the level of 2019-2021 Lil Baby? No, but WHAM is a step in the right direction. The test will come next month as Baby already said his Dominique album is slated to arrive in February. Is the appetite for another solo body of work there just a month out? As the great Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast, my friend!”
Andrew Unterberger: It shows me that he still has the fan support that if he ever does release the right project to turn things around, it won’t be too late for him to actually do so. I don’t think this is necessarily the project for that though — it’s solid, but doesn’t really advance his artistry or sound in any meaningful way, so it seems unlikely to have an extensive impact outside of that core fanbase.
5. If you could advise Lil Baby on his next release, is there any particular direction or area of focus you’d recommend he zero in on? Anything to really recapture the excitement of his turn-of-the-‘20s run?
Kyle Denis: Lock in with one executive producer – either Section 8, Twysted Genius, or someone brand new – and try to get back to the headspace that made you sound so voracious on your biggest and best records. And keep making sure those tracklists are tight and concise, WHAM was a good step in that direction.
Carl Lamarre: I would ease down on the Autotune and tap more into his heartfelt bag like he did the intro and outro of WHAM. I thought “Listen Up” and “Streets Colder” showed flashes of the old Baby regarding candor and vulnerability. That’s what made songs like “Emotionally Scarred” and “The Bigger Picture” instant classics upon first listen. Ultimately, he could be back in everyone’s good graces if he can connect the dots and inject that same pathos into his bars on the next album.
Jason Lipshutz: I find it interesting that “The Bigger Picture” — a smart, incisive single that captured the energy around the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests — has yet to receive a proper follow-up, or anything too overtly political, from Lil Baby. Maybe he’s not interested in that lane, but his level of thoughtfulness, refined flow and broad appeal would help him dominate it, if he so chooses.
Michael Saponara: Instead of coming back next month with another solo project, I’d say to finish the joint album he teased with Future and mix in some Young Thug. I think that would really galvanize his fan base and put the rest of the rap game on notice while holding his own with a pair of his heavyweight ATL peers.
Andrew Unterberger: The answer is almost always “focus” — make an album that feels a little more purposeful in its songs, track ordering, guest list and overall messaging. I might also encourage Baby to do a team-up album with a younger, ascending rap star, someone who can maybe challenge him a little and get him a little more motivated to prove himself and his continued supremacy.