genre hiphop
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Sinners and saints dominated the news last week, following the passing of the late Pope Francis and the continued box office domination of Ryan Coogler’s acclaimed, Michael B. Jordan-led vampire-musical-period drama Sinners.
Sinners once again topped the box office, earning the smallest second-week decline for a R-rated horror title in history. Accompanied by a soundtrack featuring the cast, contemporary hip-hop stars Rod Wave and Don Toliver and blues legend Buddy Guy, Sinners stands as the first true cultural phenomenon of the year.
Coogler’s blues-informed film also gave way to a weekend of formal debuts from the latest generation of rhythm and blues artists. Coco Jones (Why Not More?) and Destin Conrad (Love On Digital), two of Gen Z’s preeminent R&B stars both unleashed their debut studio albums over the weekend, while seasoned R&B greats like Ledisi (The Crown) and Smokey Robinson (What the World Needs Now) dropped their own new sets.
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Over on the hip-hop side, Young Thug reiterated his allegiance to Drake and dropped his first single since his release from jail in October 2024; Flo Milli welcomed her first child; and Kendrick Lamar scored 10 nominations at the 2025 American Music Awards, more than any other artist.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Jade Novah’s ode to the ’90s to Aaron Page’s new Domani-assisted joint. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
Durand Jones & The Indications & Aaron Frazer, “Flower Moon”
After opening for select dates on Lenny Kravitz’s Blue Electric Light Tour, Durand Jones & The Indications have shared the latest single from their forthcoming Flowers LP. Built on sugary three-part harmonies, mellow guitar, and overall framework ripped from the early ’70s soul playbook, “Flower Moon” is the perfect wind-down tune.
Aaron Frazer handles lead vocals on this cut, his buttery tone adding some beautiful color to picturesque lyrics like, “Well you see, lovers livin’ light like a feather/ Keep it hot in warm summer weather nights/ And the music pours like drinks from the corner/ You can post up too if you want some fun.” The ’70s have had a small moment in popular music ever since the turn of the decade, and “Flower Moon” is one of the rare offerings that rises above the pitfalls of pastiche. — KYLE DENIS
Ray Vaughn feat. Jay Rock, “Klown Dance”
Leading TDE’s next generation alongside Doechii, Ray Vaughn looks to leave an indelible mark on the rap game in 2025 with his The Good The Bad The Dollar Menu mixtape, which he’s compared to his version of Kendrick Lamar’s Good kid, m.A.A.d city. “Klown Dance” finds Vaughn clashing with labelmate Jay Rock, as the pair of shrewd wordsmiths go bar-for-bar over a smooth VanJess sample. The Long Beach native narrates his gritty come-up. “The hood never had a place for doubts/ Look at me wearin’ s–t that I can’t pronounce/ Remember Shaq’s was out/ Couldn’t afford the Jordans/ They roasted a n—a in a Carmelitos,” he raps. — MICHAEL SAPONARA
BunnaB, “Bunna Summa”
Produced by Kristof, BunnaB’s “Bunna Summa” should be played a lot as the weather starts to get warmer. The track, and her Ice Cream Summer EP that she dropped earlier this month, have a throwback sound, as the Atlanta rapper tries to recapture that mid-2000s Southern rap energy. Her music sounds like crisp white tees on a summer day. — ANGEL DIAZ
Flo Milli feat. T-Pain, “Gripper”
After welcoming her new baby boy a few days ago, Flo Milli is back with her new single “Gripper,” which samples T-Pain’s 2005 hit “I’m N Luv (Wit A Stripper).” Flo reimagines the track from the female POV and creates a high-energy anthem that celebrates sexual confidence and not settling for anything less than luxury. She’s in control, calling out a lover who’s hooked on her but reminding him she’s not easily impressed: “Better go buy me a AP.” She balances humor and empowerment, talking about wealth (“I had money before you came”) and independence, while playfully threatening anyone who steps out of line. There’s a lot of flexing, but it’s layered with clever wordplay and a refusal to be undervalued. “Gripper” is a sexy, self-assured banger about knowing your worth, setting the pace in relationships, and embracing your allure. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON
Sahsa Keable, “Act Right”
Beyoncé-approved British-Colombian singer-songwriter Sasha Keable is back with her first solo single of the year. Produced by Etienne, “Act Right” finds Keable taking a disappointment of an ex-lover to task over wistful piano chords and plaintive percussion. Perusing both her robust chest voice, raspy falsetto and the full strength of her vibrato, Keable delivers some classic R&B vocal showboating, which the subtle background horns complement perfectly. “‘Cause if you loved me/ You would never hurt me/ That’s to put it simply,” she proclaims in the pre-chorus, as she simultaneously internalizes the truth and holds her torturers accountable. After teasing this track for almost two months, Keable’s full joint meets the lofty expectations. — K.D.
Belly Gang Kushington, “Sorry Mama”
Whether it’s selling $100 white tees or stopping traffic for his From The Streets Performance, Belly Gang Kushington hasn’t wasted any time in 2025 making his presence felt as one of Atlanta’s newcomers, as BGK released his The Streets Is Yours project on Friday (April 25) to capitalize on his momentum. With a penchant for 2000s rap, Kushington calls back to Eminem’s “Cleanin’ Out My Closet” for his cathartic open letter coming clean to his mother on “Sorry Mama,” whom he’s only met a couple of times after she left him as a baby. — M.S.
Bruiser Wolf & Nicholas Craven, “Beat the Charge”
Detroit’s Bruiser Wolf sounds like if Suga Free did spoken-word music about selling drugs instead of the trials and tribulations of a pimp. When you mix that approach with Montreal producer Nicholas Craven’s soulful loops, you get something totally unique. Big Wolf is always good for a great quotable, and there’s really nothing like this out right now, making for a fun, fascinating listen. — A.D.
Aaron Page feat. Domani, “Sympathy”
Houston and Atlanta linked up, and the result is one of the best tracks to drop this week. “Sympathy” finds Aaron Page and Domani opening up about vulnerability, regret and longing for emotional connection. The duo admits they’ve been caught up in the streets — a place that’s offered them no real comfort — and that they’ve been outside for too long, disconnected from love and stability. The “streets” here symbolize the harshness of the world they’re stuck in, making them crave something more nurturing. Produced by B100, Musik Major X and Squat Beats, “Sympathy” is about a man wrestling with his lifestyle and emotions, admitting that he misses the love and peace he once had with someone special. — C.C.
Jade Novah, “90’s Fine”
Modern R&B’s fixation on the ’90s can veer on exhausting, but Jade Novah manages to make that obsession feel fresh with her new “’90s Fine” single. Produced by husband Devin Johnson, “’90s Fine” finds Novah floating over a soulful, percussive mid-tempo landscape accented by subtle synths and delicate strings. It’s a meticulous ode to the song’s namesake era, but the contemporary sheen of Novah’s lyricism brings the track into the 2020s. “Give me your love with no filter / Tell me the truth with no filler / Give me a love that won’t change up,” she croons in the chorus. — K.D.
The Bonfyre, “No Sleep”
The Bonfyre has made her highly anticipated return with her cathartic single, “No Sleep.” The Massachusetts native poignantly opens up about her trials and tribulations along the way, dealing with numbing heartbreak and being the victim of domestic abuse. “My heart is mine to control, l and you don’t know what you’re looking for,” she sings. Putting the pain of her journey into music has reinvigorated Bonfyre creatively, and she’s got plenty more in store for the rest of 2025. — M.S.
Tiwa Savage, “You4Me”
On her new single, Tiwa Savage samples Tamia’s 1998 classic “So Into You” to craft a smooth, heartfelt love song about deep emotional and physical connection. She expresses complete devotion to a partner who stands out from everyone else, celebrating the security, stability and undeniable chemistry between them. “You4Me” is about feeling seen, and swept up in a love that’s equal parts passion and partnership. Tiwa’s smooth vocals and playful lyrics balance flirtation with sincerity, making this track feel sweet, sexy and real. — C.C.
Kaytranada isn’t the biggest fan of how audiences choose to enjoy live shows in the age of smartphones and social media. Over the weekend, the Montreal-based producer responded to a fan on X who apologized on behalf of “real fans” who dance at his shows as opposed to “standing still” in order to capture content […]
Drake’s first Eau de Parfum is here. Drizzy’s Better World Fragrance House launched the Summer Mink parfum, which is now available on the brand’s website for $148.
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“Summer Mink was inspired by a yin-yang principle of fusing warm, creamy base notes with cold spices and sparkling citruses,” said Michael Carby, senior perfumer at Givaudan, in the press release. “The ingredient composition was uniquely crafted to reflect a multinational culture with aspirations toward a Better World.”
The Amber Woody scent comes in a sleek 3.4 fluid ounce bottle in the shape of a navy blue sphere. Built around a creamy musk base, the Summer Mink mixes in elements of sage and Italian citrus, which is topped off with a layer of jasmine sambac.
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The fragrance is only available on the Better World Fragrance House website for now, but will be coming to 1,400 Ulta Beauty locations across North America on May 12.
Drake also stars in an ad for the Summer Mink fragrance, which finds him playing the role of a mad perfume scientist trying to find the perfect formula.
The clip shows the Toronto superstar scurrying around his home in pajamas as his dog follows along, and then during what appears to be the wee hours of the night, Drizzy finally strikes gold with his fragrance potion.
“F–k. F–k, that’s good,” he says after a few orgasmic sniffs. “That’s it. That’s it.”
Drake’s fans had a laugh and enjoyed his acting in the clip shared on Instagram. “Bruh actually a good actor you can tell he be having fun doing ts,” one person wrote of the star, who rose to fame portraying Jimmy Brooks on CTV’s Degrassi: The Next Generation.
Rapper Roy Woods chimed in looking for a shipment of Summer Mink. “Nah fam I need that,” he wrote.
Summer Mink follows Drake’s Carby Musk fragrance oil, which arrived in February 2024 and gave the OVO faithful a chance to smell just like their rap hero.
Watch the Summer Mink trailer below.
Morgan Wallen and Post Malone’s “I Ain’t Coming Back” debuts in the top 10. Tetris Kelly:This is the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 for the week dated May 3. Still hanging in the top 10 is “Beautiful Things.” Teddy Swims is at No. 9. Morgan and Post debut a new one at No. 8, while […]
Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther” tops the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart for a milestone 10th total and consecutive week. The single, whose title honors late R&B great Luther Vandross, who is sampled on it, became Lamar’s sixth No. 1 and SZA’s third. Lamar and SZA each extend their longest career Hot 100 reigns with the song.
An elite 4% of all Hot 100 No. 1s (46 of 1,179, dating to the chart’s Aug. 4, 1958, start) have ruled for double-digit weeks. Of those, “Luther” is the first by a solo man and woman and no accompanying acts – surpassing the nine-week reign of Diana Ross and Lionel Richie’s “Endless Love” in 1981. (Among other 10-plus-week No. 1s by co-billed lead male and female acts, Puff Daddy and Faith Evans’ “I’ll Be Missing You” — featuring vocal group 112 — led for 11 weeks in 1997 and Mariah Carey and then-quartet Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” dominated for 16 weeks in 1995-96.)
Plus, Alex Warren’s first Hot 100 top 10, “Ordinary,” hits a new high (5-3), and reaches No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart, and Morgan Wallen and Post Malone’s “I Ain’t Coming Back” debuts at No. 8 on the Hot 100, becoming their 15th and 14th top 10, respectively. It’s the sixth top 10 from Wallen’s album I’m the Problem — all ahead of its May 16 release, as he extends his record for the most top 10s from an album prior to its arrival.
Browse the full rundown of this week’s top 10 below.
The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data, the lattermost metric reflecting purchases of physical singles and digital tracks from full-service digital music retailers; digital singles sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites are excluded from chart calculations. All charts (dated May 3, 2025) will update on Billboard.com Tuesday, April 29. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X and Instagram.
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.
‘Luther’ Airplay, Streams & Sales
Ray Vaughn has arrived at New York’s Billboard office for the second time in just over a week. He previously popped in and played a few tracks off his first official release with TDE, The Good The Bad The Dollar Menu, before flying out to continue his first-ever project rollout.
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As Vaughn settles in the second time around, his voice is gruff, worn from rapping, recording, interviewing, and flat-out existing. Regardless of the physical wear-and-tear, he’s chatty, in high spirits, and devoid of exhaustion. When asked if he’s feeling winded at all, he says with a laugh, “I don’t wanna go back to that f—in’ car.”
The Good The Bad The Dollar Menu is a product of years of strenuous grinding. Born in Long Beach, California, Vaughn was raised by a family of local rappers; he says his uncle nearly signed a deal with DMX before he “crashed the f—k out,” and his mother went by the rap moniker Sassy Black, hosting “Freestyle Friday” sessions at their house for friends and family.
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Vaughn’s earliest indicator that rap could be in his future came to him during those sessions in his living room. When he’d spit, people would listen. He locked in to rapping almost immediately, and at 15, Vaughn’s reputation had made the rounds in his community. A few labels even came calling, including Def Jam.
“My mom kept blowing meetings,” Vaughn says. “She just kept being like, ‘Oh, you’ll go next time.’ We was already so thorough, she didn’t even know. We was already robbing houses, shooting at people, we was doing s—t that could have got us real f—kin sentences. I was moreso like, ‘Let me go!’”
His mom had fallen down the rabbit hole of early YouTube conspiracy theories, believing the Illuminati had infiltrated major labels like Def Jam. No matter how hard he pushed, she always said no. After one particular nasty fight, she threw Vaughn out and he turned to the streets to make ends meet while still clutching onto his rap dreams.
Success trickled in and out of Vaughn’s life: he went viral a few times for various freestyles, but they didn’t lead to anything concrete. A promising moment came in 2019, when he ran into Ye’s cousin Ricky Anderson, who was managing G.O.O.D Music at the time, at a New Year’s Eve party. After Vaughn stealthily queued up his own songs to play at the party, Anderson suggested he meet with Ye face-to-face.
“He’s crazy, but he’s a genius,” Vaughn said of his meeting with Ye. The conversation went well, and Vaughn penned a few songs for Ye before arranging a meeting about a label deal. On the day of the meeting, however, Vaughn showed up to an empty room. He never spoke with Ye or the G.O.O.D. Music camp again.
“That same day I said to my manager, ‘Bro I’m still sleeping in my car, I don’t know what the f—k I’m doing!’” Vaughn recalled. His manager brought up an opportunity to record a song with an artist who was trying to get Jay Rock on as an additional feature. Two weeks later, Vaughn received a call from Top Dawg Entertainment CEO Anthony Tiffith.
“I hung up on him — I didn’t know what he sounded like, so I thought it was a joke,” Vaughn remembers. Tiffith called back, invited him to Interscope Records for a sitdown, and the rest was history.
After Vaughn’s first TDE project dropped on Friday (Apr. 25), the rapper spoke about it with Billboard.
Just to clarify, this is a mixtape and not an album.
Yes. I never wanted to call nothin’ an album if it wasn’t an album. I always was like, “With my first album, I wanna go crazy.” I’m very, very careful about calling something an album. That s—t counts. You could have 1,000 mixtapes and flop, but if you have an album and it flops? I know that’s something internally that’s gonna scratch my soul.
You don’t waste a bar on this mixtape. How did you approach writing for this project, and how do you approach writing in general?
Just make sure you keep it full of integrity. That’s the lost art form, period. Some records I don’t have bars on, it’s just a message, like ‘Pac. He didn’t have metaphors in every song. He was just very direct, and said what needed to be said, and you felt it.
I feel like nowadays we got so many people who punch in. It’s not even a cohesive thought. What is that verse about? What is this song about? Who are you talking to? Who is the audience? I still believe in that art form. If I rap this a cappella, does this s—t make sense? It’s like poetry. If you can’t say it a cappella and it [doesn’t] makes sense, it’s like rambling.
Now that you’re officially entering the game, how do you feel about your place in rap?
Once I turn into the star I’m supposed to be, where other people see the star that I am, the influence will come after. Like Kendrick [Lamar], the fact that he’s making music that slaps, but it’s still got some conscience to it. People wanna follow that because they’re like, “Oh, he’s talkin’ about something.”
Outside of the Drake and Kendrick situation, it does feel like mainstream rap is heading away from lyrics. What are your thoughts on the more party-oriented rap?
We need those type of artists too! It’s a talent in being succinct. [Starts singing]”Soulja Boy off in this oh, watch me crank it, watch me roll, watch me crank dat Soulja Boy, Then Superman dat oh.” That s—t is hard to make for people who actually write lyrics, and nobody wants to feel like they’re being preached to all the time.
When you were writing songs like “DOLLAR menu,” how did you toe that line, to make sure you weren’t being too preachy?
I feel like there’s a very thin line between being preachy and delivering a message with wittiness. I have to change lines sometimes. I’m just speaking from my experiences, mostly. This is me and how I look at it from my perspective. I don’t want people to put me in a box with Kendrick. When Cole made “Grippy” with Cash Cobain, people tried to cook him. If [Cole] had been somebody else, it’d be like, “Oh this song is hard.” The expectation for his lyrical content is set so high that if he dumbs it down too low, then they be like, “What the f—k are you doing?” So they don’t even get to have fun.
With that in mind, what are you hoping to communicate with The Good The Bad The Dollar Menu?
I’m just perfecting a pepperoni pizza before I say I have wings, salads and calzones. That is my pepperoni pizza.
On songs like “FLAT Shasta” and “Cemetery Lanterns,” how do you revisit such traumatic memories and not get bogged down by it? How do you make sure the resulting art is authentic?
I just tell it like it is — exactly like it is. I’m in a good space. I’m signed to a f—king label that’s at the f—king peak of their career. I got nothing to complain about right now. Reflecting? That’s easy.
There’s a lot of soul-baring on the project. Do you ever worry you’re revealing too much for a first mixtape?
There were songs we moved out of the way because they were too heavy. I don’t want to go too crazy, because I want people to actually listen, but I also want people to know that if you listen to it and feel something? You just witnessed the super power.
About a month after officially announcing Jackboys 2, Travis Scott is teasing a release date for his Cactus Jack label compilation sequel. La Flame essentially confirmed the project was done on Monday (April 28) when he wished his mother, Wanda, a happy birthday on Instagram, where Scott revealed that he played JB2 in full for […]
A video of Belfast hip-hop trio Kneecap allegedly calling for the death of British MPs (Members of Parliament) is being assessed by anti-terror police in the U.K. The clip from November 2023 appears to show one member of the band saying: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.” At the time, the Conservative Party – also known as the Tories – were in government with a large majority.
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This follows news last week that a historic video of the band expressing support for Hamas and Hezbollah – both of which are ascribed terror group status by the U.K. government – was being assessed by London’s Metropolitan Police. Under anti-terror laws, it is an offence to express support for such groups. A spokesperson for Kneecap did not respond to a request for comment.
On Sunday (April 27), a spokesperson for the Met said: “We were made aware of a video on 22 April, believed to be from an event in November 2024, and it has been referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU) for assessment and to determine whether any further police investigation may be required. We have also been made aware of another video believed to be from an event in November 2023.” The group are yet to be charged with any offence.
A U.K. government spokesman told the BBC: “We unequivocally condemn threatening remarks made towards any individual. Political intimidation and abuse must have no place in our society. We recognise the chilling effect that harassment and intimidation of elected representatives can have on our democracy. All reports of intimidation, harassment and threats are taken extremely seriously. We work with the police and Parliament to do everything in our power to crack down on threats to elected officials.”
The news comes in the wake of the fall-out following the band’s sets at Coachella earlier this month. During their performance, the band displayed a message stating, “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people. It is being enabled by the U.S. government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes. F–k Israel; free Palestine.”
On Friday, news emerged that the group had split with their U.S. booking agent IAG, and there have been calls for the group’s U.S. work visas to be revoked. Sharon Osbourne, wife and manager of Ozzy, said, “This behavior raises concerns about the appropriateness of their participation in such a festival and further shows they are booked to play in the USA.” Kneecap are due to perform a headline tour in North America this October.
Kneecap have alleged on social media they have “faced a co-ordinated smear campaign,” saying their shows have previously “called out” the conflict in Gaza. They also suggested that they were considering legal action against the “malicious efforts.” Kneecap’s manager Daniel Lambert said the band had received “severe” death threats after Coachella.
Doechii lands her first top 10-charting album on the Billboard 200 as Alligator Bites Never Heal jumps 24-10 on the May 3-dated chart. The set shoots up the list following its wider availability on vinyl, as well as its first release on CD.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new May 3, 2025-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on April 29.
The 2025 Billboard Woman of the Year’s Grammy Award-winning Alligator Bites Never Heal climbs the Billboard 200 following a wider availability on vinyl and its first release on CD. The set earned 33,000 equivalent album units in the tracking week ending April 24 (up 43%) in the United States, according to Luminate. Of that figure, SEA units comprise 18,500 (down 3%, equaling 25.9 million on-demand official streams of the songs on the streaming edition of the set; it moves 28-27 on Top Streaming Albums), album sales comprise 14,000 (up 325% — the best sales week for both the album and the artist; it reenters at No. 1 on Top Album Sales, the set’s first week atop the list) and TEA units comprise 500 (down 12%).
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Vinyl purchases comprise just over 11,000 of the album’s sales for the week.
Alligator Bites Never Heal was released in 2024 as a 19-song album. It was reissued in March with one bonus track — the gone-viral breakout hit “Anxiety” — on “extended” digital download and streaming editions. The addition of “Anxiety” helped the album hit its previous high of No. 12 on the March 29 chart.
All physical versions of Alligator Bites Never Heal contain the original 19-song tracklist. Through April 17, the set was only available to purchase as a download and in two vinyl variants. On April 18, it garnered a wider availability on vinyl, including two new vinyl editions (both color variants) exclusively available via Target and Urban Oufitters, along with a widely available CD.
“Anxiety” reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart dated March 29 (rising 13-10), marking Doechii’s first top 10. The album yielded an earlier top 40-charting hit with “Denial Is a River” (hitting No. 21 in February).
Kehlani got on camera to give a statement regarding the cancellation of their upcoming performance at Cornell after the university’s president said the singer “has espoused antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments.”
Cornell had booked Kehlani to headline the school’s Slope Day, an annual celebration following the last day of classes, set for May 7 this year. Earlier this week, the invite was rescinded.
Kehlani’s performance was officially canceled on Wednesday, per an email Cornell president Michael I. Kotlikoff sent to students and faculty. According to a New York Times report, Kotlikoff wrote in the email that “the selection of Kehlani as this year’s headliner has injected division and discord … In the days since Kehlani was announced, I have heard grave concerns from our community that many are angry, hurt and confused that Slope Day would feature a performer who has espoused antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments in performances, videos and on social media.”
“I am being asked and called to clarify and make a statement yet again, for the millionth time, that I am not antisemitic nor anti-Jew,” Kehlani said on Saturday (April 26) in a video uploaded on Instagram.
“I am anti-genocide, I am anti the actions of the Israeli government, I am anti an extermination of an entire people, I am anti the bombing of innocent children, men, women — that’s what I’m anti,” they spelled out.
Kehlani continued: “In fact, the very first Live that I did in the beginning of this genocide was with a really beautiful Jewish organization called Jewish Voices for Peace, and I still continue to learn from and work alongside really impactful Jewish organizers against this genocide.”
“I want to be very clear in stating that I do believe God has plans for me and that’s not gonna stop nothing that I have going on, but I’m asked to clarify because this keeps coming up as a means to silence me, as a means to stop things that happen in my career, as a means to change the course of my life, and I just don’t believe that,” said Kehlani, who also noted they were in the studio working on new music. “So here’s the clarification that you needed. I hope this is everything you needed. Straight from my mouth, not a written statement with a white background from my notes.”
“Back to my album,” they concluded. Kehlani’s next full-length release will be the follow-up to 2024’s Crash.
Kehlani has been transparent about their support for Palestine and criticism of Israel in the Israel-Hamas war. In the singer’s 2024 “Next 2 U” video, they wore kaffiyehs, had dancers waving Palestinian flags, and featured the phrase “Long Live the Intifada.” In 2023, the musician joined a coalition of musicians to sign the Artists Against Apartheid letter, which called for a ceasefire.
Watch Kehlani’s Instagram reel from this weekend below.