genre hiphop

02 Jun 2025

Pusha T Not a Fan of Drake’s UMG Lawsuit: ‘It Just Kind of Cheapens the Art’

As you might have predicted, Pusha T isn’t the biggest fan of Drake‘s UMG lawsuit.

While sitting down with GQ alongside his brother Malice to promote their upcoming Clipse reunion album Let God Sort Em Out, Push brought up the lawsuit when discussing a Kendrick Lamar feature that almost didn’t make the album.

“They wanted me to ask Kendrick to censor his verse, which of course I was never doing,” he said of Def Jam’s parent company UMG. “And then they wanted me to take the record off. And so, after a month of not doing it, Steve Gawley, the lawyer over there was like, ‘We’ll, just drop the Clipse.’” They got their wish, as both the group and Push himself were dropped from the label, according to GQ.

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He then added that he went through similar pushback over his unreleased verses on Rick Ross’ “Maybach Music VI” and Pop’s Smoke’s posthumously released track “Paranoia” after the release of “Story of Adidon.”

“If [Drake’s] adamant to have a lawsuit,” he said, “it’s only because he knows all the things that they did to suppress everything that was happening around ‘Adidon’ and the verses and the records and things that were happening back then. I don’t rate him no more. The suing thing is bigger than some rap sh–. I just don’t rate you. Damn, it’s like it just kind of cheapens the art of it once we gotta have real questions about suing and litigation. Like, what? For this?”

However, he feels no need to reignite his beef with Drake anytime soon. “I think after everything that had been done, I don’t think there was ever anything subliminal to be said ever again in life,” he said of his longstanding feud with the Toronto rapper. “Not only just musically, like bro, I actually was in Canada. I actually had a show and made it home. So, I can’t pay attention to none of that. I did the dance for real, not to come back and tiptoe around anything.” Push added that he would only engage again if he felt like it.

Elsewhere in the interview, Push addressed his current standing with Ye (formerly Kanye West), saying he doesn’t view his former collaborator as “a man.”

Ye recently tweeted over the weekend that he misses his friendship with the Virginia rapper.

The Clipse released “Ace Trumpets,” the lead single from their first album since 2009, last week.

02 Jun 2025

Lola Young Announces 2025 North American Tour: See the Dates

It’s about to get messy. Lola Young is spinning the block for a full-blown North American tour later this year. The South London-bred singer announced the tour on Monday (June 2), and Young will hit the road in November.

“It’s happening… i’m coming back to North America…for pre-sale access enter ur details in the link in my bio. general sale on friday – 10am local,” she wrote on Instagram. “Can’t wait to be back in the room with you all.”

The 17-date North American trek kicks off north of the border in Toronto on Nov. 1, and will make stops in NYC, Boston, Philly, Nashville, Austin, Dallas, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco and wrap up in Los Angeles on Dec. 6.

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Before returning Stateside, Lola Young will run through the European leg of the tour this summer, which includes a Glastonbury appearance and a pair of shows opening for Billie Eilish in Paris.

The artist pre-sale will have a select number of tickets released at 10 a.m. local time on June 3, while the Live Nation pre-sale is set to start on Thursday. The general public will have their shot on Friday at 10 a.m. local time.

Lola Young exploded on American soil with her This Wasn’t Meant for You Anyway project in 2024, which included her breakout hit “Messy.” The raw Manuka-produced cut peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 earlier this year and topped the Alternative Airplay chart in March and Pop Airplay in May.

Find the full run of North America tour dates below.

02 Jun 2025

E-40 Kicks Off Black Music Month With Smooth Tiny Desk Concert Performance

E-40 kicked off Black Music Month with a swaggering Tiny Desk concert debut on Monday (June 2), which saw 40 Water run through three decades worth of boastful bops in 25 minutes.

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Everywhere he goes, E-40 brings a bit of the Bay Area with him, and he represented for the West Coast when heading to the other side of the country to perform at NPR‘s Washington, D.C. offices. “I’ve been doing this since Kermit the Frog was a pollywog,” 40 said regarding his longevity in the rap game.

40 set the tone with “Da Bumble” and “Yay Area,” before taking it back to the ’90s for “Sprinkle Me,” which featured an incredible transition into “Captain Save a Hoe.”

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“That transition from Sprinkle Me to Captain Save A Hoe was a special one,” E-40 wrote on Instagram. “Thank you @NPRMusic for letting me grace the Tiny Desk stage and set off Black Music Month.”

40 received a ton of flowers in his comments from peers and fans alike. G-Eazy, Ty Dolla $ign, Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross and Three 6 Mafia all saluted the Bay Area legend.

The 57-year-old brought an eight-piece band with him to give his hyphy hits a renewed texture with a mix of bass, keys, backup vocalists, guitars and drums. He continued the show with new arrangements to “Snap Yo Fingers,” U and Dat” and “Choices (Yup),” which broke through on TikTok earlier this year to introduce him to a whole new demographic. “I’m on my fourth wind,” 40 said.

He wasn’t done just yet either, as E-40 went back to the well for “Hope I Don’t Go Back,” 1-Luv,” “Function” and his idiosyncratic catalog staple “Tell Me When to Go.”

40 hasn’t dropped an album yet in 2025, but delivered his braggadocios “Beating They Ass” single in May.

Watch E-40’s Tiny Desk concert below.

02 Jun 2025

Pusha T Reflects on Severed Relationship With Ye: ‘I Don’t Think He’s a Man’

Pusha T severed ties with G.O.O.D. Music, where he served as the label’s president and distanced himself from Ye (formerly Kanye West) in late 2022.

King Push and his brother No Malice graced the cover of GQ on Monday (June 2), and Pusha reflected on his falling out with the embattled rapper, who has faced criticism for his repeated hate speech.

“The one thing that I can say about [Ye] is that he knows that every issue that he’s having and crying about online right now, I’ve told him distinctly about those things,” Push said. “He don’t talk to me like he talks to others.”

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Pusha T took things a step further while disrespecting Ye and saying that he doesn’t “think he’s a man” following his myriad controversies over the years.

“His intuition is even more genius-level, right? But that’s why me and him don’t get along, because he sees through my fakeness with him,” he continued. “He knows I don’t think he’s a man. He knows it.”

The Virginia rapper went on: “And that’s why we can’t build with each other no more. That’s why me and him don’t click, because he knows what I really, really think of him. He’s showed me the weakest sides of him, and he knows how I think of weak people.”

Billboard has reached out to Ye’s rep for comment.

Pusha T and No Malice kicked off the Clipse’s Let God Sort Em Out rollout on Friday (May 30) with “Ace Trumpets,” which finds Push name-dropping Yeezy.

“Sold ecstasy and disappeared, I am Whodini/ Look at them, him and him, still waitin’ on Yeezy/ I hope you got your squeegees/ At your interviews, I just ki-ki,” he raps.

Ye got wind of Pusha’s bars and expressed that he misses the friendship they once had. “I miss me and Pusha’s friendship,” West wrote of his ex-G.O.O.D. Music president to X.

While Yeezy won’t be appearing on Let God Sort Em Out come the July 11 release date, Push confirmed that Kendrick Lamar is slated to be featured on the album track “Chains & Whips.”

However, Lamar’s assist was at the center of Clipse’s rift with Def Jam, as the Universal Music Group-owned label wanted K. Dot’s verse removed from the project. Push stood firm in keeping the Compton rapper on the album, which led to a split with Def Jam for the duo as well as Pusha’s solo career. LGSEO will now be distributed by Roc Nation.

“They wanted me to ask Kendrick to censor his verse, which of course I was never doing,” he said. “And then they wanted me to take the record off. And so, after a month of not doing it, Steve Gawley, the lawyer over there was like, ‘We’ll just drop the Clipse.’ But that can’t work because I’m still there [solo]. But [if] you let us all go.”

Billboard has reached out to Def Jam for comment.

02 Jun 2025

R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: Justine Skye, Molly Santana, J.P., Leon Thomas & More

Though Taylor Swift’s victory in the years-long fight for ownership of her masters dominated last week’s headlines, there were also a slew of head-turning news items in the R&B and hip-hop worlds.

Clipse — comprised of Pusha T and No Malice — made its grand return on Friday (May 30) with “Ace Trumpets,” in which the duo name-dropped former frequent collaborator Ye (formerly known as Kanye West). “Sold ecstasy and disappeared, I am Whodini/ Look at them, him and him, still waitin’ on Yeezy/ I hope you got your squeegees/ At your interviews, I just ki-ki,” Pusha spit. In response, Ye took to X, writing, “I miss me and Pusha’s friendship” — just one of several tweets in a routine social media rant from the controversial rapper.

The same day, Donald Trump, one of Ye’s favorite politicians, sounded off on whether he would consider pardoning Diddy, who’s currently in the midst of a highly publicized sex trafficking trial. “Nobody’s asked, but I know people are thinking about it,” he said. “I think some people have been really close to asking. First of all, I’d look at what’s happening, and I haven’t watched it too closely.”

In lighter news, Cardi B made things Instagram official with her new boo, New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs, on Sunday (June 1).

With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from J.P.’s gospel-informed comeback to Justine Skye and Kaytranda’s summer-ready banger. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.

02 Jun 2025

Cardi B & Stefon Diggs Go Instagram Official With PDA-Packed Snaps

Cardi B and Stefon Diggs have taken their romance to the grid. After a few months of dating rumors, the couple has gone Instagram official, with the rapper sharing a slew of steamy snaps featuring the NFL star Sunday (June 1).  

In one photo of the pair, they cuddle up on a yacht while a bikini-clad Cardi wraps a leg around Diggs as he appears to lean in for a kiss. The Bronx native also shared a video of herself twerking against the wide receiver as he flashes a big smile. 

“Chapter 5 ……Hello Chapter six,” Cardi captioned the post, in which she also showed off a room full of roses — possibly sent by Diggs.

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In the comments, many of the musician’s famous friends shared support. “that’s my girl,” wrote Kehlani, while GloRilla replied, “Badddd.”

“Absolutely,” wrote SZA, adding a string of saluting emojis.

The milestone comes a few months after Cardi and the athlete first sparked dating rumors in the fall, later spending Valentine’s Day together in Miami. In April, they attended Coachella together, followed by a courtside date at a New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics game in May.

Cardi’s romance with Diggs also marks her first public relationship since filing for divorce from Offset in late July, shortly after which she welcomed Baby No. 3 with the Migos star. The two rappers are parents to 6-year-old daughter Kulture, 3-year-old son Wave and new little girl Blossom. (Diggs has a daughter, Nova, from a past relationship.)

Just a couple of weeks after attending the Knicks game with Diggs, Cardi sounded off at her estranged husband for requesting spousal support amid their divorce proceedings. “You such a f–king p—y a– n—a,” she told ‘Set on X Spaces in late May. “Word to my mother, I want you to die, but I want you to die f–king slow. When you die, I want you to die slow in the bed. And when you die, n—a, you gotta think of me.”

02 Jun 2025

‘A Shared Language’: Inside Country Music’s Rap Revival

It’s no coincidence that the two songs tied for most weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 toe the line between country and rap. Lil Nas X set the record with his Billy Ray Cyrus-featuring “Old Town Road” in 2019, and late last year, Shaboozey tied the record when “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” hit the same 19-week mark.

“Country and rap might come from different worlds, but they thrive on the same foundation — raw storytelling and authenticity,” UnitedMasters director of A&R Aaron Hunter says.

Hybrids of country and hip-hop have a long history in popular music, dating back to the 1980s including hits like Sir-Mix-A-Lot’s “Square Dance Rap,” Kool Moe Dee’s “Wild Wild West” and Shawn Brown’s “Rappin’ Duke” (which The Notorious B.I.G. sampled in “Juicy” a decade later).

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This year has brought an even bigger boom of successful crossovers between the genres. Post Malone’s Big Ass Stadium Tour with Jelly Roll — two artists with roots in hip-hop now making country music — has so far featured special guests including Eminem and Quavo. Dallas rapper BigXthaPlug teamed with Bailey Zimmerman for “All the Way,” a top five hit on the Hot 100, while ERNEST and Snoop Dogg released their country collaboration, “Gettin’ Gone.”

On the festival front, the country-heavy Stagecoach was more rap-inclusive in 2025, with Nelly and T-Pain playing to major audiences. Meanwhile, Morgan Wallen’s Sand in My Boots Festival had Wiz Khalifa, 2 Chainz and Three 6 Mafia onstage.

“Both genres share the same theme of heartbreak, life stories and struggle, whether it’s rural life or urban ­hustle, and that grit creates a natural connection,” ­Hunter says. He also points to the rising use of trap drums and 808s in country and rap, which has “blurred lines, making collaborations feel less forced and more like a shared language.”

BigXthaPlug will follow the success of “All the Way” with a country-trap project this summer that will include guest appearances from Jelly Roll, Post Malone and Shaboozey. Even though the Dallas native never listened to country music growing up, he has felt a warm welcome from the Nashville community. “My fan base is the country world’s fan base,” he says. “They was messing with me, [but] now it’s a full acceptance.” 

This story appears in the May 31, 2025, issue of Billboard.

02 Jun 2025

The Roots Apologize to Fans After First Day of 2025 Roots Picnic Marred By Long Lines: ‘Safety Will Always Be Our Number 1 Priority’

The Roots apologized to fans for the delayed opening of Saturday’s (May 31) first day of their 2025 Roots Picnic festival. According to Philadelphia magazine, fans complained that they waited hours in very long lines to enter the fest on its first day.

Roots drummer Questlove responded to the complaints in an Instagram post featuring footage of front loaders pushing around wood chips to cover of giant muddy patches on the site at the Mann Center in Philly’s Fairmount Park. “I know today wasn’t ‘ideal’ for The Roots Picnic in this 18th year of 2025. (This year has been particularly challenging to say the least),” he wrote. “Transforming the Mann Center into our event takes about two weeks, but as many of you experienced, heavy rain from May 30th into the morning of the 31st caused significant damage (midnight to 7am). We nearly canceled The Picnic because conditions were unsafe for everyone involved.”

CBS reported that “throughout the afternoon and evening, the festival’s social media pages were flooded with comments from people saying they waited in line for hours to get inside on Day 1.” The Philadelphia Inquirer said that hours after gates were slated to open fans started chanting “Let us in!,” with the line not moving until after 3:30 p.m. as frustrated attendees vented their anger in comments on the event’s official Insta.

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“Definitely need a refund! After waiting in 3 hours in the line, I have very little trust in today’s process. Yesterday was UNACCEPTABLE,” wrote one, with another adding, “If the event is rain or shine, y’all should be prepared for rain or shine. We knew about the weather all week and we prepared for that. What happened in those entry lines yesterday was not safe.”

Quest explained that instead of cancelling the festival — whose roster this year included Meek Mill, Lenny Kravitz, GloRilla, Miguel, Tems, Latto, Kaytranada and Jeezy — the group decided to take extra time to repair the site to make it safe for attendees, which he said caused a three-hour delay in opening doors. “We prioritized caution above all else,” he wrote. “After working hard to improve the site—factoring in the challenge of finding mulch to absorb excess water — we managed to revise the schedule so that all artists, including headliners Maxwell (whom we ALL owe an incredible amount of gratitude for doing us a solid with seconds on the clock) and Latto, could perform without violating city noise curfews.”

In the note Quest said he was writing at 3 a.m. Sunday morning, said he personally worked with promoter Live Nation to work out the kinks caused by the rain. “I wanna thank you for your understanding and patience through this adversity,” he added. “This year has shown our ability to adapt and overcome challenges, much like we did in past years. Tomorrow is a new day, and I’m excited to revisit the Do You Want More LP on the Mann stage.”

The official Roots Picnic Instagram also featured an update and apology for the delays in a message that read: “We would like to say sorry. As we shared yesterday, the rain over the last 48 hours made the grounds unsafe. In an abundance of caution, we had to delay doors opening, resulting in the lines to get into the festival. Please understand safety will always be our number 1 priority.”

Organizers said they worked hard to make sure every artist still got their stage time, extending the hours of the festival do that everyone could perform without violating city curfews. They also promised to “do better” on Sunday (June 1), noting that there was no rain in the forecast and that they had made changes to improve the entry process and communication with fans.

Day two appeared to go off with less hitches, with the official Roots Picnic posting footage of sets by Crystal Waters, the Clipse, CeeLo Green, The Roots, Kravitz, Kaytranada and Meek Mill.

See the message from the Picnic below.

31 May 2025

Rihanna’s Father, Ronald Fenty, Dies at 70: Report

Ronald Fenty, the father of Rihanna, has reportedly died at the age of 70.

Fenty passed away following a brief illness, according to Starcom Network News, a radio station based in Rihanna’s native Barbados. The official cause and exact date of death have not yet been disclosed. Sources told the outlet that he was surrounded by family at the time of his passing.

Billboard has reached out to Rihanna’s representatives for comment.

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On Wednesday (May 28), Rihanna’s younger brother, Rajad Fenty, was photographed arriving at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. TMZ reports that the singer was also in the vehicle but was not visible in the photos.

Rihanna — who is currently expecting her third child with A$AP Rocky — had a complicated relationship with her father over the years. The two were estranged for a period before eventually making amends.

After Rihanna (born Robyn Rihanna Fenty) was assaulted by then-boyfriend Chris Brown in 2009, Fenty spoke publicly about the incident without her consent. In a 2011 interview with Vogue, the singer expressed her disappointment.

“You grow up with your father, you know him, you are a part of him, for goodness’ sakes!” she said at the time. “And then he does something so bizarre that I can’t begin to wrap my mind around it.”

In a 2012 interview with Oprah, Rihanna said she had repaired her relationship with her father, who she had described as being violent growing up. In 2019, however, she filed a lawsuit against him and his business partner, Moses Perkins, accusing them of attempting to profit off her name by launching a company called Fenty Entertainment. She alleged they misled investors by falsely claiming she was involved in the venture. Rihanna dropped the lawsuit shortly before it was set to go to trial in 2021, according to the BBC.

Fenty shared three children — Rihanna, Rajad and Rorrey — with his ex-wife, Monica Braithwaite. The couple divorced in 2002. The family was raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, where Rihanna lived until she moved to the U.S. at age 16. He also had three children from previous relationships: daughters Samantha and Kandy, and son Jamie, People reports.

31 May 2025

Voices of Pride: How AAPI Leaders and Artists Are Shaping the Future of Music

In honor of AAPI Month, Billboard speaks to various artists and executives on how the music industry can better serve their community.

AAPI Artists, Annie Chen, Joyce Wrice, Sailorr and Monica Kran

From left: Annie Chen, Joyce Wrice, Sailorr and Monica Kran.

Illustration by Lyanne Natividad

As hip-hop and R&B continue to evolve into a melting pot of diverse nationalities and backgrounds, for AAPI Month, Billboard explores the impact of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

With high-ranking executives like Mass Appeal’s Annie Chen and Amazon Music’s Frankie Yaptinchay serving as cornerstones for their respective companies while representing their AAPI community, this brings immense joy to their lives.

“It gives me an immense level of gratitude seeing more and more members of the AAPI community rising into prominent positions and making an impact across the industry,” Yaptinchay says. “Having the opportunity to represent our community is a tremendous honor that I don’t take for granted. In 2025, I’m inspired to see the next generation of AAPI leaders breaking barriers to carve new lanes for the AAPI artist and creator communities. I’m excited about new avenues for collaboration and global growth across the industry. It’s inspiring, and we’re only getting started. We’re all trying to make our parents proud!”

AAPI artists are also carving out their lanes with their indelible talents and charisma. Earlier this month, Sailorr released her debut project, From Florida’s Finest, after the success of her breakout single “Pookie’s Requiem.” Beyond her raw lyrics and radiant charisma, the Vietnamese-American singer honors her roots through symbolic expression — like her black-dyed teeth.

“Way back when, a lot of Southeast Asian women would dye their teeth black using various things, it depends on where you come from. My grandma had black teeth,” she told Billboard in February. “The very formative years of my life, when my parents were working, I was being watched by my grandma. She was my first look at what femininity is. It was an homage to her, but also, growing up in Florida, everybody has grillz. It’s a perfect intersection of where I come from and then where I come from.”

See what other executives and artists said below.