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Billboard Unfiltered returned on Wednesday (March 5) with another live episode, but the guys added a special guest into the mix — Hot 97’s DJ Drewski makes his debut on the newest iteration of the show.
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Wiz Khalifa’s recent run of fiery freestyles and features has the crew feeling nostalgic as they discussed Wiz possibly forcing his way back into the mainstream, which led to a debate surrounding The Blog Era.
“There is a commercial appetite for Wiz,” senior charts & data analyst Trevor Anderson said. “I would love to see Wiz get another hit … Just to cap off this era, how crazy would it be if there was a comeback single that made its way… If he was able to sneak back into a top 40, top 20 kind of hit, that, to me, would only solidify when you look at that 15-year run.”
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For deputy director, editorial Damien Scott, he appreciates that Wiz has found what fans love about him, and is continuing to fill the void.
“It’s good to see an artist realize what people love about them and understand there is something they could still give to the game,” Scott added. “Wiz sounds like he wants to rap again. He got so successful … I don’t think he has anything to prove, but he sounds reinvigorated and wants to prove to people that he can still do this.”
The fellas highlighted a Blog Era artist they’d like to see make a comeback: Damien Scott went with Charles Hamilton while Trevor Anderson highlighted B.o.B. Carl Lamarre went down to Atlanta for Ace Hood and Drewski chose Asher Roth.
Scott got another discussion going when recalling a viral tweet comparing Jay-Z, Nas and The Notorious B.I.G. as the best lyricists. “I would go with Biggie as a lyricist,” Scott said. “I think Big had everything. I think he had every aspect of rap. Big was so nasty, I don’t think rap has dramatically moved on from what he’s done.”
Lamarre chimed in with a spicy take when claiming that “from a dexterity level,” J. Cole could go “toe-to-toe” with Biggie and hold his own on a track. “I think he could go toe-to-toe with a Jay,” he said. “Especially this new version of Cole we’re getting.”
Another heated discussion came off of the theory of Drake being planted in the ’90s and seeing how much success he’d have with his singing-rapping hallmark in the Golden Era. Drewski believes Drake would’ve thrived on a Bad Boy Records under Diddy’s tutelage, while Damien Scott isn’t so confident.
Scott thinks Drake owes a series of thank-yous to Kanye West for paving the way and breaking down sonic barriers in the years prior to his ascension. “The change that took place because of Kanye, Drake benefitted from greatly,” he said. “Back then, that s–t wasn’t flying.”
Watch the full episode below:
“Don’t leave when you’re hot, that’s how Mase screwed up.”
We all remember that famous line from Ye’s (formerly Kanye West)= “Devil in a New Dress” — a line he has since apologized for — and on Wednesday (March 5), the Harlem rapper talked about his meteoric rise after he signed to Bad Boy.
During an episode of his sports talk show It Is What It Is, co-host Trysta Krick asked Mase what was the first moment in his rap career that gave him confidence during a conversation about athletes becoming more confident after winning a championship. “For me it was instant,” he answered. “I worked so hard behind the scenes that when I did hit the scene, it was instant. To people, it looked like it happened overnight.”
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He then recalled a moment when he went to check out a Junior M.A.F.I.A. show at Nassau Coliseum with a friend and couldn’t get in. “That moment lit a fire in my belly,” he said. “A year later, I just started working on my flow, working on my bars, working on my delivery, and I worked on it for like six months. I studied people like Method Man. I studied people like LL. I got my waves from Nas. I got my bounce from Method Man. I got my songwriting from LL.”
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However, it wasn’t until The Notorious B.I.G. decided to let him hit the stage during a show at the Apollo that he really took off. “And then one day, he was performing at the Apollo and he brought me out and that was the part that changed everything,” he remembered. “What else can you be solidified by other than the greatest rapper ever to bring you out on stage and say that you’re the next one? And once he said I was the next one, I never looked back. I got better every day. I got better on every song. Every freestyle was great. It was like I couldn’t miss for like two years straight. Anything I got on was just gone. It was nonstop.”
He added: “My hand was hotter than probably Drake‘s. I’m not gonna lie to you. I mean from the beginning. Now Drake has had a way better career, did major things, but I’m saying, my initial start was hotter than Drake’s.”
Mase started his rap career as a member of Harlem rap group Children of the Corn alongside the late Big L, Cam’ron, Herb McGruff, the late Bloodshed and producer Six Figga Digga. He made his Bad Boy debut on 112‘s “Only You (Remix)” and his debut Harlem World sold 273,000 copies in its first week and is certified four times platinum.
Watch the full episode of It Is What It Is below.
Doja Cat will always be a Taco Bell legend for bringing back the Mexican Pizza, and she’s still making her impact felt within the company’s boardrooms.
The Grammy-winning artist invaded Taco Bell’s 2025 Live Más Live keynote event on Tuesday (March 4) with a message for the fans as well as some playful shots at the company’s Chief Marketing Officer, Taylor Montgomery, who was on stage at the time of her jumbotron takeover.
“What’s up Taco Bell? What’s up Live Más Live? Love you all, except you, Taylor. Yeah, we’re in a fight right now. You know, I’m a fan. I’m confused, really,” she said in a video, addressing the brand’s CMO, Taylor Montgomery. “Help me understand. How are you gonna tell me I can’t be in my own commercial? Seriously, what the f–k? If anyone is standing near Taylor, just slap –” she says as her video cuts off.
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Doja has continued to be part of the brand’s story. She appeared alongside LeBron James in Taco Bell’s Super Bowl commercial in February, which was directed by Dave Meyers. T-Bell didn’t want to spotlight its celebrity ambassadors in the spot, and instead gave airtime to the “real fans” keeping Taco Bell on top, with drive-thru cams seeing happy customers pulling up to their local fast-food chain.
“I’ve already made history with Taco Bell — you’re welcome for the Mexican Pizza comeback — so when I heard Taco Bell was featuring its biggest fans, I assumed that I would be part of the action,” Doja said in a press statement prior to the Big Game. “Don’t get me wrong, I should be the star, but my fellow Taco Bell fans really showed out… I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what happens during the Big Game.”
Prior to Super Bowl LIX, Doja posted a TikTok with LeBron in which they voiced their Taco Bell loyalty. “I brought back the Mexican Pizza, now they wanna focus on real fans? I am a real fan,” she said while showcasing her Mountain Dew Baja Blast.
Doja Cat etched herself into Taco Bell lore when she successfully campaigned for T-Bell to bring back its famed Mexican Pizza in 2022.
Watch the “Paint the Town Red” singer interrupt the brand’s live event below, starting around the 54-minute mark:
The 25th annual BET Awards is set to air on Monday, June 9. It will mark the first time that Culture’s Biggest Night, as the show likes to call itself, will not air on a Sunday night since 2008. The show shifted to Sundays in June 2009 after airing on Tuesdays for its first eight years on the air, 2001-2008.
The move to Monday avoids a conflict with the Tony Awards, which are scheduled for Sunday, June 8, on CBS. The. network in recent years has simulcast the BET Awards, though this year’s simulcast partners have not yet been named. CBS has aired the Tonys every year since 1978. The date and host (Cynthia Erivo) of this year’s Tonys were announced two weeks ago.
The BET Awards will air live on BET from Los Angeles. The venue and host have not yet been announced. The show has been held at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live every year since 2013 (except for a virtual show in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic). Taraji P. Henson hosted the show last year, and also in 2021 and 2022.
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Last year, Drake led the nominations for the BET Awards with seven nods, but was shut out on the night. Usher received a lifetime achievement award, but the best news for him was probably coupling that honorary award with a win in a competitive category – best male R&B/pop artist. Tyla and Victoria Monét also won two awards on the night.
Connie Orlando, EVP of specials, music programming & music strategy for BET, serves as executive producer for the 2025 BET Awards, along with Jamal Noisette, SVP of tentpoles & music community engagement. Jesse Collins Entertainment is the production company for the show, with Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay also serving as executive producers.
The BET Experience 2025 (BETX) is set to run from Thursday, June 5, through Sunday, June 8. The event promises “exclusive performances, celebrity panels, fan experiences, and more” from “the biggest names in entertainment, sports and culture.”
Offset has announced a performance in Russia set for April despite his parent label, Universal Music Group, having suspended all operations and closed offices there, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. The Migos rapper confirmed plans for a performance at Moscow’s MTC Live Hall on April 18 with a post to his Instagram Story on Tuesday […]
Future became synonymous with “March Madness” a decade ago, and now it’s GloRilla’s turn to get a few three-pointers up. Big Glo is slated to headline the AT&T Super Saturday concert at the Women’s NCAA Final Four in Tampa Bay on April 5. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts […]
Doechii heard the swamp “loud n clear” and dropped her “Anxiety” single on Tuesday (March 4) via Top Dawg Entertainment and Capitol Records. She announced “Anxiety” approximately half an hour ahead of its arrival on X with the single’s cover art, which features a mirrored black-and-white image of the TDE rapper being connected by her […]
Ye has sparked outrage with his antisemitic hate speech, and we’re breaking down the timeline of his commentary and actions. We also take to the streets of LA to find out how the people feel. Do you think Ye will come back from this? Let us know in the comments below. Guest 1: ‘College Dropout’ […]
The Alchemist has made beats for legends like Nas, Mobb Deep, and The LOX and has found himself in the middle of memorable rap beefs like Lil Kim versus Foxy Brown and Drake versus Kendrick Lamar. However, there a still several legends he never got a chance to work with. Explore Explore See latest videos, […]
Mike Epps just confirmed something fans have been waiting for since 2002.
While sitting down with The Breakfast Club to promote his new comedy tour, the actor and comedian revealed that the fourth installment of the Friday film franchise has finally been green-lit after Charlamagne Tha God asked if he and Ice Cube have talked about Last Friday yet.
“He called me the other day, said we just finished the deal,” Epps said before giving the West Coast legend his flowers. “So, we doing the last Friday, man. And big shout-out to Cube; that’s another brother that has put so many brothers on, man, and don’t really get the props for it. Put me, Chris Tucker, Bernie Mac, I mean name ’em. This dude gave dudes opportunities.”
While he hasn’t seen a script for the film yet, Epps promises to continue Friday‘s legacy of introducing new comics to a wider audience. “I haven’t seen the script, but I’m pretty sure it’s good,” he said. “And we’re gonna bring in the new comics. We’re gonna put the DC Young Flys and all of them in with the OGs. It’s going to be a good a– time.”
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He also remained hopeful that Chris Tucker will be onboard this time around, as the actor and comedian has been hesitant to reprise his iconic role as Smokey over the years. “People still love Chris Tucker, he’s still Smokey,” Epps said. “He laid it down, he positioned me to do it. So Chris, if you’re listening, we need you, baby boy. Come on back.”
Tucker seemed open to coming back to the film franchise that made him a star when talking with Big Tigger last year, ultimately putting the onus on studio executives. “It’s studios, and they gotta want to do it, and then it’s producers and all that stuff,” Tucker said. “It’s a lot that goes with it.”
The Friday franchise started with the original film starring Ice Cube and Tucker in 1995 followed by two Tucker-free sequels: 2000’s Next Friday and 2002’s Friday After Next.
You can watch the full conversation with Epps below.
