State Champ Radio Culture
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Jermaine Dupri‘s docuseries on Atlanta’s legendary Magic City strip club is officially underway. Deadline has reported that the five-part series entitled Magic City: An American Fantasy has been picked up by Starz. Originally a three-part series, the project first premiered at SXSW in 2024 and centers around founder Michael “Mr. Magic” Barney and the dancers […]
With RuPaul’s Drag Race bringing back their Rate-a-Queen system for season 17, Billboard decided to rate each of the new queens every week based on their performance. Below, we take a look at the show’s monologue-meets-interpretive dance challenge to see which queens thrived in this challenge. Spoilers ahead for episode 12. Since its debut nearly […]
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DJ Vlad is shutting down any talk that his platform, VladTV had anything to do with the recent arrests of Bricc Baby, Big U, and other alleged Rolling 60s Neighborhood Crips members caught up in Operation Draw Down.
The major RICO case accuses Big U, real name Eugene Henley, of running a “mafia-like organization” tied to murder, extortion, human trafficking, and more.
With some people trying to connect VladTV to the indictment, Vlad made it clear in a TMZ interview that he ain’t got nothing to do with it. “I think in this particular case, VladTV doesn’t have anything to do with this case,” he said. He explained that while Bricc Baby was a regular on the show and Big U had done an interview years ago, they weren’t talking about anything current or incriminating. “There is no act of anything being talked about in our interviews,” Vlad stated.
For years, people have accused Vlad of setting up his guests by asking incriminating questions that could get them caught up. Some even call him “the feds” for how deep he gets into street politics. But Vlad has always denied those claims, saying he just gives people a platform to tell their stories, and whatever they say is on them.
Still, with Operation Draw Down making headlines, folks are once again debating whether platforms like VladTV help or hurt the culture. While some say media has nothing to do with these indictments, others feel like these interviews put unnecessary attention on street business. Either way, law enforcement clearly had their eyes on Big U and his people for a minute, with or without any interviews.
Snow White is off to an underwhelming start at the box office.
Disney‘s live-action remake of the 1937 animated classic, starring Rachel Zegler in the titular role and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, opened to a lackluster $43 million domestically, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Amid controversy and lukewarm reviews, the opening weekend haul falls short of Tim Burton’s Dumbo, which opened to $45 million in 2019.
Despite the sluggish debut, Snow White claimed the top spot at the box office, outperforming Warner Bros.’ mob movie The Alto Knights, which disappointed with an estimated $3.2 million opening.
Overseas, Snow White earned $44.3 million, bringing its total global launch to $87.3 million, falling short of its projected $100 million goal.
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Final weekend numbers will be released on Monday morning.
Snow White, which had a $250 million production budget, is a rare Disney live-action remake to receive a B+ CinemaScore from audiences. Nearly every other film of its kind has earned an A grade, according to THR.
To put Snow White‘s disappointing debut into perspective, other Disney live-action princess remakes have performed much better: Beauty and the Beast launched to $174.6 million domestically in 2017 (not adjusted for inflation), Cinderella opened to $67.9 million domestically in 2015, and Maleficent debuted to $69 million in 2014.
Snow White has been marred by controversy, beginning with backlash over casting Zegler in the lead role due to the color of her skin, despite her Colombian heritage. The 23-year-old actress and singer has also been outspoken in her support for the Palestinian people. Meanwhile, Gadot, who is Israeli, has faced criticism for her comments about the Gaza conflict.
Snow White is directed by Marc Webb, known for The Amazing Spider-Man films, and features songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the duo behind The Greatest Showman and Dear Evan Hansen.
Kelly Clarkson is celebrating 1000 episodes of her popular daytime talk show, and is thanking fans for giving her comfort over the past five years of The Kelly Clarkson Show. “Our show premiered on September 9, 2019, with the help of some great friends,” she said at the beginning of the episode. “Over the next […]
Pride Month might still be a few months away, but the city of West Hollywood is ready to kick the celebrations off right with a little help from a pair of pop stars.
On Friday (March 21), Outloud Music Festival announced that Lizzo and Lil Nas X will serve as the weekend’s headliners. Taking place May 31 and June 1 at WeHo Pride, the annual festival will also feature performances from special musical guests Kim Petras, Honey Dijon, Paris Hilton, their return to WeHo Pride in 2025, Shygirl, Pabllo Vittar, Rebecca Black, Empress Of and more.
“At a time when our rights and visibility continue to be challenged, it’s more important than ever for the LGBTQ+ community, allies, organizations, and advocates to come together in solidarity,” Jeff Consoletti, OUTLOUD’s founder and executive producer, said in a statement. “This festival is a place where we celebrate and empower queer artists on a massive scale. As we continue to grow, so does our impact in bringing the LGBTQ+ community to the forefront of entertainment.”
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The news comes amid Lizzo’s big comeback — with the releases of her latest song “Still Bad” and the announcement of her forthcoming album Love in Real Life, Lizzo recently declared that she wants to “make real music with radical joy” in the coming months, while also claiming the allegations of sexual harassment leveled at her in 2023 were “supposed to destroy” her. “It has only set me free,” she wrote on X. “Now I know none of this is real. The only thing that’s real is the love that I share with my family, my friends, nature, my fans, in Real Life.”
Lil Nas X, meanwhile, has been hard at work releasing new music off his forthcoming album Dreamboy. After releasing five new songs in a row in mid-March, the rapper dropped his latest single “Lean On My Body” on Friday. The fan-favorite track was first teased by Lil Nas all the way back in 2022, a fact he reminded his fans of when he reposted the original clip on his X.
Check out the full 2025 Outloud lineup below:
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All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
UFC is heading to London for their newest fight. Two premiere welterweight fighters are set to battle in the octagon as the main event for UFC Fight Night. Leon “Rocky” Edwards (22-4-0) faces off against Sean “Thomas” Brady (17-1-0) in a match on Saturday (Mar. 22).
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UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Brady takes place at O2 Arena, with a start time of 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. The main card is expected to begin at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.
If you want to watch UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Brady (also known as UFC on ESPN+ 113) online, the MMA event livestreams on ESPN+ for subscribers only.
Not a subscriber? A monthly subscription to ESPN+ goes for $11.99 per month. However, you can go with an ESPN+ annual subscription for $119.99. This saves you 15% compared to the month-to-month subscription price.
Check out the complete UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Brady fight card below:
Main Card, 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT — ESPN+
Leon Edwards vs. Sean Brady (Flyweight) — Main Event
Jan Błachowicz vs. Carlos Ulberg (Light Heavyweight)
Gunnar Nelson vs. Kevin Holland (Welterweight)
Molly McCann vs. Alexia Thainara (Women’s Strawweight)
Jordan Vucenic vs. Chris Duncan (Lightweight)
Nathaniel Wood vs. Morgan Charrière (Featherweight)
Prelims Card, 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT — ESPN+
Jai Herbert vs. Chris Padilla (Lightweight)
Lone’er Kavanagh vs. Felipe dos Santos (Flyweight)
Marcin Tybura vs. Mick Parkin (Heavyweight)
Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Andrey Pulyaev (Middleweight)
Shauna Bannon vs. Puja Tomar (Women’s Strawweight)
Nathan Fletcher vs. Caolán Loughran (Bantamweight)
Guram Kutateladze vs. Kauê Fernandes (Lightweight)
In addition, you can get the Disney Trio — which comes with ESPN+, Hulu and Disney+ — starting at just $16.99 per month for both services in one package.
What Is Edwards vs. Brady’s Walkout Music for UFC Fight Night?
While UFC has yet to announce each fighter’s walkout music for the main event of UFC Fight Night, the fighters usually go out to the octagon to the same songs during their matches. Leon Edwards typically walks out to “Shabba Madda Pot” by Dexta Daps, while Sean Brady prefers to walk out to “They Don’t Love You No More” by DJ Khalid. So these songs will likely make an appearance during the MMA event.
UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Brady is streaming on ESPN+ on Saturday (Mar. 22), starting at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. The main card begins around at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT on ESPN+.
Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
Spring has officially sprung, meaning there’s no better time for you to update your playlists with some new songs from your favorite queer artists. Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ+ artists.
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From Japanese Breakfast’s stunning new album to yet another new Lil Nas X single, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:
Japanese Breakfast, For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women)
If Jubilee was Japanese Breakfast’s exploration on defiant joy, than consider For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) as the inverse — a meditation on the darker sides of the singer-songwriter’s internal life. Throughout her fourth studio album, Michelle Zauner leans into dour narratives about lost love (“Honey Water”), paralyzing anxiety (“Picture Window”) and much more, all while teaming up with co-producer Blake Mills to render those visions through lush, understated melodies that bear even further depth the closer you listen.
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Lil Nas X, “Lean On My Body”
In the world of Lil Nas X, more is more. A week after he dropped five songs in a row, the pop-rap superstar unveiled yet another new single, and it’s one his fans have been waiting on for three years. “Lean on My Body,” the latest track to be released in Lil Nas X’s Dreamboy rollout, sees Lil Nas flexing harder than ever on his detractors, letting them know that they can pray for his downfall all they want — but he’s not going anywhere, “My next move always gon’ be better than your best one,” he spits. “You b–ches couldn’t even see Lil Nas-y in a warmup, a tryout, a test run.”
Ashnikko, “Itty Bitty”
Ashnikko is back baby, and she’s ready to keep your attention with her risqué new single. “Itty Bitty,” much like plenty of Ashnikko singles before it, sees the singer doing on a sexy, self-destructive rampage in the wake of a breakup, as she puts on her most revealing outfit and goes hunting. The gloriously chaotic production and pounding club rhythm gives “Itty Bitty” that little bit of extra oomph, meaning this new track from Ashnikko will be a surefire hit at a gay club near you.
Shamir, “Neverwannago”
Even though Ten, Shamir’s forthcoming new album, is slated to be the pioneering singer-songwriter’s final album, that doesn’t mean we should cry because it’s over; in fact, he’s encouraging you to smile because it happened. “Neverwannago,” the lead single off his last album, sees Shamir employing ’90s alternative pop to convey his deep, unyielding love for his partner, as he begs them not to leave him alone. “I don’t wanna go back to feeling empty,” he sings. “‘Cause I’m not well.”
Big Freedia, “Take My Hand”
In a time where the concept of Christianity is being wielded as a cudgel by a nefarious group of bigots wishing to strip people of their fundamental rights and freedoms, Big Freedia is here to offer a rebellious and joyful alternative. “Take My Hand,” the first track off the Queen of Bounce’s forthcoming gospel album, is still fueled by the same spirit fans of Freedia have come to know over the last few decades. Over a turbo-charged beat, a series of samples and some gorgeous choral vocals, Freedia reminds everyone that the point is to invite each other in — not push each other away.
Jake Wesley Rogers, “Hot Gospel”
If you’re a little too burned out from the religious side of it all for Freedia’s new song, might we recommend Jake Wesley Rogers’ tongue-in-cheek new pop jam, “Hot Gospel.” The song follows the rising singer-songwriter as he narrates a lifetimes’ worth of expectations that have led him to a therapist’s office to unpack his trauma. While he does that, he pulls out pure ’70s pop nostalgia to make an exceedingly catchy, deeply fun song about working through religious emotional damage.
Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:
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Dallas rapper Yella Beezy has been hit with serious charges after being accused of putting a hit on fellow rapper Mo3.
According to Fox 4 News, a Dallas County grand jury indicted Beezy on Tuesday for capital murder while remuneration, meaning prosecutors believe he paid to have Mo3 killed. Court documents obtained by FOX 4 reveal that Beezy allegedly hired Kewon Dontrell White to carry out the hit. Mo3, whose real name was Melvin Noble, was gunned down in broad daylight on I-35 in Dallas on November 11, 2020. Investigators say it was an ambush-style attack—Mo3 was chased on foot before being shot. The killing shook the hip-hop community, as Mo3 was known for his raw lyrics and street storytelling.
White was arrested back in 2020, but Beezy’s name hadn’t been tied to the case until now. Authorities believe the hit was tied to street beef, though they haven’t dropped many details on the motive. Beezy, whose real name is Markies Deandre Conway, was taken into custody on Thursday and is now facing a potential life sentence or even the death penalty if convicted. This news has social media going crazy, with fans and industry insiders reacting to the unexpected twist. Beezy’s legal team hasn’t made a statement yet, but the case is still unfolding. For now, the streets are watching to see how it all plays out.
More news to come as the story develops.
