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Fergie made her return to the stage in what Ludacris called her first performance in seven years when she appeared a special guest during his star-studded set at One Musicfest in Atlanta on Sunday night (Oct. 26).
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“We got Fergie out the muthaf—king house! Can y’all please make some noise?” Luda asked the raucous crowd. “She ain’t perform in over seven years and she came to Atlanta, Ga.!”
Fergie popped out through a riser in a denim bottom and furry jacket as she performed her “Glamorous” smash with Luda, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 back in 2007.
“They ain’t ready for this,” she teased, before leading into her “London Bridge (Oh Shit)” anthem, which saw the Hot 100 No. 1 hit’s producer, Polow Da Don, join her on stage to assist with ad-libs.
Fergie then gave Luda his flowers. “Thank you so much for being here for me every single time,” she said. “Everyone give it up for Luda!”
As VIBE points out, while it’s been nearly a decade since Fergie hit a festival stage, she did perform at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards with Jack Harlow.
Ludacris brought the stars to Atlanta for his memorable set, which he deemed to be his “favorite show ever.” The performance saw appearances from Jermaine Dupri, Jadakiss, Jeezy, Usher, Chingy, Shawna and LL Cool J.
“That was my favorite show ever,” Luda told VIBE. “It’s so dope to see hip-hop coming together from all walks, different generations, and [fans] just appreciating the art of what we’ve done — changing our lives. I’ve done a lot of shows over the last 25 years of my life, but I’m going to go ahead and put this one at the top, man.”
Billboard’s Live Music Summit will be held in Los Angeles on Nov. 3. For tickets and more information, visit the event’s website.
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What time is it? Almost Winter Olympics time, which these days means that Public Enemy hype man Flavor Flav is picking which Team USA squads he’s going to support in the upcoming Winter Olympics.
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Flav, 66, who has cooked up a high-profile side gig as a rabid vocal, and financial, supporter of a number of American olympians, was announced as the official hype man for USA Bobsled and Skeleton on Monday (Oct. 27) according to the Associated Press.
“The partnership is a blessing. It’s cooler than Cool Runnings,” Flav said in reference to the beloved 1993 sport comedy loosely based on the story of the 1988 Jamaican bobsleigh team. “It’s Coolest Runnings.” The AP reported that Flav spent time with the bobsled and skeleton teams this past week, traveling to Park City, Utah, where he raced down the track in a bobsled and also wanted to try out skeleton, in which athletes roar down the icy track at speeds that can reach 80 m.p.h. or above.
In an accompanying video announcing his new gig, Flav, wearing his red, white and blue official team gear, said, “Just to let y’all know I am definitely excited to be a sponsor of the bobsled/skeleton team, boy. Yeah g, it’s going down for real! I’m a sponsor, I’m a sponsor!”
“We are thrilled to welcome Flavor Flav as an official sponsor and hype man for USA Bobsled/Skeleton,” USA Bobsled and Skeleton CEO Aron McGuire said in a statement. “It’s clear he has a genuine passion for sports and an authentic love for the USA team. Flavor Flav embodies the same grit, dedication, and pride that define our athletes, and we’re excited to have him bring that excitement to our team and fans across the country.”
While team officials wanted first-time slider Flav to start from a low spot on the track for safety reasons, the veteran rapper wasn’t having it, insisting on starting higher up as he managed to hit 67 m.p.h. on his second run. In the video after his thrilling run, Flav can be heard howling in delight at the white-knuckle ride down the icy shoot.
“Oh my gosh, he’s one of the coolest, most adventurous men that I’ve ever met,” U.S. skeleton athlete Dan Barefoot told the AP. “He was upset that he couldn’t go from higher up on the track. … I was kind of upset at how good he was. It’s a sport that takes a lot of skill, but he made it look straightforward.”
Flav plans to be with the team at the XXV Olympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina, which will take place from Feb. 6-22.
“We have all been so hyped to have him with us,” Barefoot added. “Put aside the fact that Flav is one of the greatest hype men of all time, the energy in the room… you had people who often aren’t talking to each other high-fiving and hugging because of the experience of being around him. There’s a lot of energy and a lot of confidence around us right now.”
Not only is Flav promising to be in the stands in February, he also gave many members of the team his personal cell pone number and invited a few to join him at a Maroon 5 show over the weekend in Salt Lake City.
It won’t be Flav’s first turn as an Olympic supporter. He was all over the 2024 Paris summer games, acting as the hype man for the U.S. women’s water polo team, giving them financial support and free cruises and helping to cover rent for discus thrower Veronica Fraley. Flav has also put in his bid to be one of the official USA torchbearers at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Check out video of Flav watching practice, posing with members of Team USA and ripping down the track in a bobsled and skeleton.
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Rapper, actor and philanthropist Ludacris is set to perform at the 2025 Baby2Baby Gala honoring tennis legend Serena Williams. The gala, presented by Paul Mitchell, will be held Saturday, Nov. 8, in Los Angeles. Baby2Baby is a national nonprofit that provides critical items to children in need across the U.S.
Previous performers at the event include 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg and Nelly.
Ludacris has amassed five No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including two as a lead artist: “Money Maker” (featuring Pharrell) and “Stand Up” (featuring Shawnna). He has landed four No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and has won three Grammy Awards, including best rap album for Release Therapy, one of his No. 1 albums.
Chris “Ludacris” Bridges made a seamless transition to acting, including the role of Tej in the Fast & Furious franchise, where he was introduced in 2003’s 2 Fast 2 Furious. As a father of four girls, his latest ventures include launching KidNation, an educational platform devoted to the enrichment of children. In addition, Bridges created the animated series KARMA’S WORLD on Netflix, which is awaiting its fifth season.
Williams will receive the Giving Tree Award, which is awarded annually to a public figure who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to improving the lives of children in need. Past honorees include Charlize Theron, Salma Hayek Pinault, Kim Kardashian, Kerry Washington, Jennifer Garner, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Alba, Kate Hudson, Amy Adams, Drew Barrymore, Chrissy Teigen and Vanessa Bryant.
Last year’s Baby2Baby Gala raised a record $17 million in support of Baby2Baby’s mission. In the last 14 years, Baby2Baby has distributed more than 500 million essential items, including diapers, formula and clothing.
Baby2Baby’s Disaster Relief & Emergency Response Program has responded to the needs of children in more than 100 disasters. This year, Baby2Baby announced the expansion of their initiative to combat the maternal health crisis to 15 states. To learn more about Baby2Baby, visit their site.
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50 Cent joked that he’s leaving G-Unit because Tony Yayo is taking too long to diss Jim Jones and Memphis Bleek.
Over the weekend, 50 Cent hopped on Instagram to show fans a day in his life. In one clip, he cracked some jokes while aboard a private jet with Tony Yayo about leaving G-Unit.
“I’ve been doing some soul searching, and I think I want out the group, OK?” Fif told Yayo.
“If anything, you just kicking us out the group,” Yayo responded.
“Took too long to respond to Jimmy and Memphis Bleek,” 50 Cent continued. “I’m saying, n—as is talking mad sh–, though. You not even like that.”
The hilarious exchange comes after Memphis Bleek and Jim Jones criticized Tony Yayo for comments he made about Jay-Z and loyalty. “Tell hype man Yayo, let’s see his show,” Memphis Bleek said earlier in October alongside a picture of himself performing to a sold-out crowd in Tokyo. The tweet was an insinuated response to Yayo’s claims that 50 Cent supported him more than Hov ever supported Memphis Bleek.
Bleek responded in more detail to Yayo’s claim while on Drink Champs: “I seen something Tony Yayo said — Hov don’t look out for me like 50 look out for him. I just want to clear that up: Hov don’t have to. I’m chewing a lot on my own. If Hov look out, I’m telling you, I’ll be up there. So when y’all see me out here, that’s the Blizzo budget. I just want to let n—as know Hov don’t have to.”
Jim Jones then entered the chat after he sat down for a convo with Bleek as part of the series Artist 2 Artist.
“Yayo smoke hard coke,” Jones said. “You look like you need to be taken care of na, you look like you need to go to the dentist, you look like you need to brush your teeth. You look like you need hygiene na. You look like you need help. Tell your man 50 to send you an ounce or something. You might need two ounces, n—a.”
Check out 50 Cent’s comments below.
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Freestyle Fellowship rapper P.E.A.C.E. has died. The West Coast hip-hop group confirmed the rapper’s death in a post to Instagram over the weekend.
“Rest well brother P.E.A.C.E You had a great heart and you were authentic,” the post reads. “One of West coast Hiphop royal treasures. You will be surely missed my friend.”
His age and cause of death are unknown.
P.E.A.C.E. (real name: Mtulazaji Davis) was born in Dallas but raised in Los Angeles. He met Myka 9, Aceyalone and Self Jupiter at the Good Life Café in L.A. and formed the pioneering alternative rap group Freestyle Fellowship in the late ’80s.
The group broke through, showcasing an underground conscious side of West Coast rap with its 1991 debut To Whom It May Concern…
They followed up with Innercity Griots in 1993. Delayed due to Self Jupiter’s incarceration, the group released Temptations in 2001 and 2002’s Shockadoom EP. They returned nearly a decade later with The Promise in 2011, which serves as Freestyle Fellowship’s final release.
There were no details revealed surrounding the cause of P.E.A.C.E.’s death. Fans and plenty of peers paid their condolences with heartfelt messages on social media.
“The heavenly cypher just elevated rest in P.E.A.C.E all love,” rapper Saul Williams commented.
Dilated Peoples member Rakaa added: “This is heavy. RIP P.E.A.C.E. You will always be remembered and celebrated as one of the best to ever touch a mic, an architect of style(s), and a creative force of nature. Thank you for the inspiration, motivation, and laughter, my brother. Love. Strength and guidance to your family, friends, and @freestylefellowship.”
Myka 9 paid tribute to his Fellowship group member. “P.E.A.C.E. is the illest emcee from the most infamous Freestyle Fellowship,” he wrote. “There will never be another. Peace P.E.A.C.E., rest in power & paradise.”
P.E.A.C.E. released a pair of solo albums in the early 2000s with Southern Fry’d Chicken (2000) and Megabite (2004).
He notched collaborations over the years, ranging from Diplo to Abstract Rude and Orko, and he made an appearance in Ava Duvernay’s This Is the Life documentary about Good Life Café.
Trending on Billboard Jamie Foxx came to GloRilla‘s defense after a large object was hurled at the rapper during a free performance. The incident transpired on Friday (Oct. 24) during GloRilla’s performance at a free, private Halloween party called SKVLK Fest in Southern California, which was hosted by Foxx’s 17-year-old daughter Anelise. The event was […]
Cardi B has called out the less fortunate who voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, and who thought that the former mogul being in office would improve their economic state.
The Grammy-winning rapper hopped on Instagram Live over the weekend, where she bluntly stated, “Donald Trump was never for y’all poor motherf—kers.”
She continued to say that Trump’s alleged disdain for the poor applies to all ethnicities. “Donald Trump was never for the poor people. For the white poors, for the Black poors, for the Spanish poors, for the Asians, for the Indians. He don’t give a f—k about none of y’all motherf—s,” Cardi said. “To him, even millionaires are poor.”
Cardi’s rant was seemingly inspired by the USDA’s announcement that checks for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides food stamps for 40 million Americans, will not go out on Nov. 1. The news came after Dept. of Agriculture memo surfaced Oct. 24, indicating that the Trump administration will not use about $5 billion in contingency funds to help the program as the government shutdown continues, according to the Associated Press.
“Now, Donald Trump was blaming the immigrants for America’s downfall,” she said. “Like, I do understand if a country wants to enforce more strict immigration laws. I understand that. However, he was using that as an excuse for the issues that we have in this country, in this economy.”
The 33-year-old went on: “Now, how many f—king immigrants has he deported? He has deported so many people. So, now the immigrants are deported, who are we blaming for the fact that we are practically going into a recession? We don’t even have food stamps.”
Cardi B originally wasn’t going to vote in the 2024 election, as she didn’t agree with Democrats’ “funding wars,” but she ended up throwing her support behind Kamala Harris. Cardi gave the former VP her endorsement with a public appearance at a Milwaukee rally ahead of the election.
“You really wanted better for ALL of us!” the rapper wrote in a post-election letter to Harris following the loss to Trump. “This may not mean much but I am so proud of you! No one has ever made me change my mind and you did! I never thought I would see the day that a woman of color would be running for the President of the United States, but you have shown me, shown my daughters and women across the country that anything is possible.”
Trending on Billboard Drake made a surprise appearance at Vybz Kartel’s first Toronto show ever on Sunday night (Oct. 26). According to fan-captured videos, 6 God popped out to give the dancehall icon his flowers and then proceeded to perform an eight-track set for the thousands in attendance at a sold-out Scotiabank Arena. “Look at […]
Trending on Billboard Reuben Vincent and 9th Wonder have dropped off their new music video for “Just 4 Me,” which appears on their new collaborative album Welcome Home, released Oct. 24. Explore See latest videos, charts and news The North Carolina rapper’s nostalgic visual arrived on Monday (Oct. 27), and features Reuben and R&B singer […]
Trending on Billboard Megan Thee Stallion claims a lot of her biggest haters online are “bots” that are getting paid to troll her. On Sunday (Oct. 26), Megan hopped on Instagram Live to issue a quick PSA to her followers and supporters in the wake of her dropping off her new single, “Lover Girl.” “When […]
