genre hiphop

03 May 2025

Fat Joe Honors His Mother After Her Passing: ‘She Gave Us Everything’

Fat Joe is mourning the loss of his mother.

On Saturday (May 3), the 54-year-old hip-hop icon shared a heartfelt tribute on social media honoring his mom, Marie Del-Carmen Cartagena, who passed away at the age of 77.

“This a real one, rest in peace to the woman who brought me in this world,” Joe wrote on Instagram alongside a slideshow of family photos. “She didnt have much but she gave us everything.

In the emotional post, the Bronx-born rapper reflected on his mother’s deep love for her family and unwavering commitment to her community.

“Anyone who knows my Mom knows she had a heart of gold, she refused to move out the projects for many years even though i had money,” he wrote. “She loved her community, she loved her people,Ms Ruby the Terror Squad Queen. she was sooooooo proud of us meaning everyone in the crew.”

Joe also shared that his mother died of a “broken heart” following the recent death of his father, Ernesto Delgado, who passed away earlier this year at age 89. The couple had been married for 60 years.

“I tried everything humanly possible,” he continued. “She was happy, to the Castro family, the Cartagena family, the Delgado family i love you and thank you for the outpouring of love.”

Joe concluded the tribute with a touching message to his late mother. “Mommy till i see you again you were my world, my heart, my everything. I’ll continue to make you proud,” he wrote.

The hip-hop community quickly rallied around Fat Joe, offering words of comfort and support in the comments.

“Rest peacefully Beautiful Queen,” Busta Rhymes commented in the post. Questlove added, “Condolences Joe,” along with a prayer hands emoji. And Ja Rule echoed the sentiment, commenting with prayer hands and dove emojis.

See Fat Joe’s full tribute to his mother on Instagram here.

02 May 2025

Mase Wants Fans to Vote If He Should Attend Diddy’s Trial

Mase is considering making an appearance at Diddy‘s upcoming trial.

The former Bad Boy artist opened a recent episode of his sports talk show It Is What It Is by asking viewers to vote on whether he should pull up or not. “I wanna put it out to the fans,” he said. “I’ll let the fans vote on it — unless you wanna vote on it, Killa. They’re asking me to come to the Diddy trial, You think I should go this week?”

His co-host Cam’ron then sarcastically answered, “It’s up to you, I don’t know your relationship. What is y’all relationship?” Mase then revealed that he had some folks reach out to him to see whether he was going and that he was actually being serious about his question. “Nah, just a few people reached out to me to ask me was I going. I was trying to figure out a way I could go at least a day,” he said to Cam, who then asked why Mase didn’t go to the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards where Diddy received the Global Icon Award.

“Why you ain’t go to the MTV lifetime achievement award when he won that?” Cam asked as everybody in the studio burst into laughter. “Because I see his son performing all y’all’s parts on the song. Why you didn’t go to that?”

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Mase then asked Cam why he just couldn’t answer the question. “What’s the question? If I’m going? I’ll go with you if you’re going. Yeah, I’mma go with you,” he answered. “Just me randomly going? Nah, I ain’t going by myself.”

The topic then went back to the MTV VMAs after their co-host Treasure “Stat Baby” Wilson said it was a funny question. “How do you feel about that? Now that I think about when somebody else wear they hat to the back, dress like you, and start spinning around on stage,” Killa asked, to which Murda answered, “I think it’s flattering. I think it’s a good thing.”

Diddy’s trial is set to begin on Monday, May 5.

You can check out the full episode below.

02 May 2025

2 Chainz to Premiere New Film ‘Red Clay’ Co-Written With Omar Epps at Atlanta Film Festival

2 Chainz is set to premiere a new short film he made with Omar Epps at the Atlanta Film Festival on Saturday.

In an interview with Variety on Friday (May 2), 2 Chainz said his new film Red Clay felt like a fitting extension of his music.

“I tell stories through my music, always hoping people feel empowered to overcome anything,” 2 Chainz told the publication. “Red Clay is an extension of that.”

The short is directed by Christian Nolan Jones, who directed Glitter Ain’t Gold. Red Clay takes place in 2003 and will reportedly focus on a teenager named Nook who experiences a difficult upbringing due to his mother’s drug habits. He seeks out a better life alongside his best friend Bub, hoping to escape the hardship he’s in. The film stars Rutina Wesley and Jaylen Ragin, and will feature a 2 Chainz song he made with Ronald Isley and the Isley Brothers called “The ATL Experience.”

“Atlanta is full of resilience, and bringing Nook and Bub’s story to life—everyday folks fighting to survive—means everything to me,” Chainz continued. “Creating this with Omar Epps was truly legendary.”

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Omar Epps also told Variety the film was about unpacking serious complexities within the community.

“My inspiration to write this film came from the need to unpack brutal truths, and showcase the complexities of why Black and brown communities normalize trauma,” Epps said. “It’s my hope to inspire conversations [that] motivate people to have more grace, and compassion towards one another.”

Red Clay is just the latest outing for 2 Chainz, who dropped off a joint album with Larry June and The Alchemist titled Life Is Beautiful back in February. 2 Chainz is also set to release a joint album with Statik Selektah later this year, with the legendary producer saying he’s just waiting on a few more features to line up before he drops it.

02 May 2025

Yeat Releases Electronic Cover of Drake’s Fan-Favorite ‘Feel No Ways’: Stream It Now

YEAT paid homage to Drake with a cover of “Feel No Ways” during his Coachella set in April, and the electronic cover of the Drizzy fan-favorite received an official release on DSPs on Friday (May 2).

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The “Feel No Wayz (Yeat Mix)” cover art features a text from Drake, who’s stored in his contacts as The Boy. “YOUNG TWIZZZZZZZZY FEEL A WAY,” he wrote while seemingly lending his stamp of approval to YEAT’s rendition.

Billboards teasing the cover popped up around Toronto earlier this week before its eventual arrival on Friday. YEAT keeps the lyrics from the somber VIEWS track mixing R&B, pop and lofi, but instead opts for a more AutoTuned approach on the production side to refresh the nearly decade-old song.

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Fans appreciated the “Feel No Ways” cover as part of YEAT’s set at Coachella, but an early leak of the recorded version drew skeptics. However, the official cover that landed on DSPs seems to have a much cleaner mix.

“Sounds so much better than the snippet,” one fan commented on the official visualizer for the track.

Drake and YEAT have been fans of one another for years now. The duo teamed up in 2023 on For All the Dogs‘ “IDGAF,” which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and reunited on “As We Speak” in 2024.

YEAT has been busy in 2025 as he also released his anticipated “The Bell” single in April. He also joined Anyma for “Work.” Anyma helped YEAT make history when he brought him out during his show at the Las Vegas Sphere, making the Oregon native the first rapper to perform at the Sphere.

Listen to YEAT’s “Feel No Wayz (Yeat Mix)” below.

02 May 2025

SZA Shares Behind The Scenes Look at Grand National Tour Texas Performance

After performing in Texas as part of The Grand National Tour, SZA gave fans a behind the scenes look at the blockbuster show.

On Friday (May 2), SZA hopped on Instagram to share a vlog dedicated to The Lone Star State. The R&B singer and Kendrick Lamar performed in Arlington, Texas at the AT&T Stadium on April 26.

“TEXAS YALL HAD SO MUCH ENERGY IT WAS AN HONORRR,” she wrote in the caption. “Thank you so much! lmao ignore this voice over I was sleepy n tipsy. Atlanta vlog up NEXT ! YEE HAWWWW.”

In the “sleepy” voice over, SZA can be heard reflecting on the “crazy” energy of Texas and thanking her mom for giving her the best prayers before every show. She also showed fans the raw reality of tour life, as she hilariously noted she sometimes has to pee in a bucket backstage.

The Grand National Tour continued in Atlanta on Wednesday (April 30), with K-Dot bringing out Playboi Carti to perform their song “Good Credit.” Produced by Cardo, “Good Credit” reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was the No. 4 ranked song from Billboard‘s Music rankings.

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As The Grand National Tour continues, Kendrick and SZA’s “Luther” continues to top the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart for a 10th total consecutive week. The single became Lamar’s sixth No. 1 and SZA’s third. Lamar and SZA each extend their longest career Hot 100 reigns with the song. “Luther” also concurrently collected an 18th week at No. 1 on both the multimetric Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts.

Check out SZA’s behind-the-scenes glimpse at the Grand National show in Texas below:

02 May 2025

Pharrell Williams’ Style Evolution: From 2002 to Now

Pharrell Williams has always had impeccable style. From his early days as a producer and performer with the Neptunes and N.E.R.D working on songs for Wreckx-n-Effects, the Clipse, Jay-Z and Nelly, Skateboard P always put a premium on looking good while sounding excellent.

When the world first met Williams — who is a co-chair for the 2025 Met Gala — he was rocking distressed, baggy jeans, track jackets and trucker hats before launching his own bespoke fashion label, Billionaire Boys Club in 2003, followed by spin-offs Ice Cream, Bee Line and Billionaire Girls Club. All along, the multi-hyphenate has relished being a bridge between what the kids are wearing in skate parks and clubs and what’s pushing the envelope on the runways in Milan.

As his client list expanded to include production, songwriting and collaborations with Ed Sheeran, Migos, Beck, SZA, J Balvin and Rauw Alejandro, Williams also branched out on the fashion side, co-designing a line of glasses and jewelry for Louis Vuitton in 2008, followed in 2013 with a sunglass line for Moncler.

Constantly juggling his own music, a heavy production schedule and voicing himself in the 2024 LEGO autobiographical film Piece by Piece, Williams also teamed with G-Star Raw in 2014 on the “RAW For the Oceans” denim collection made from recycled ocean plastic. He followed with a 2014 collab with Uniqlo called “i am OTHER,” then paired with Adidas on a 2016 “Human Race” edition of shoes, and in 2017 designed an $1,100 sneaker for Chanel/Adidas.

His crowning fashion achievement, though, was in February 2023, when Louis Vuitton announced that Williams had been appointed to serve as their men’s creative director, with his first collection for the famed fashion house hitting runways during Paris Men’s Fashion Week in June 2023.

Check out Billboard‘s chronicle of Williams’ fashion evolution.

02 May 2025

A$AP Rocky’s Style Evolution: From 2011 to Now

While A$AP Rocky‘s career in hip-hop came from his meteoric underground rise as part of Harlem’s A$AP Mob collective, the New York rapper quickly established himself as a budding fashionista as well. Even on his debut album, Long.Live.A$AP, he called himself a “Fashion Killa.”

For nearly a decade, he’s made the most out of that moniker, meshing colorful wardrobes together in unexpected ways.  In 2016, he walked the Grammy red carpet in a cozy knit sweater and patchwork jeans while carrying a Goyard bag. In 2018, he rocked a white lace button-up alongside some shimmering silver leather pants. The odd combination of clothes made him an unconventional fashion icon.

As time has gone on, Rocky’s style has gone from being more sophisticated to far more dad-focused. This is in part due to him becoming a father after welcoming sons RZA and Riot Rose with partner Rihanna.

“If I could define my dad style, I would say it’s way more focused,” Rocky said in an interview in December 2024. “Prior to that, it was really just like absurd outfits, just mismatching everything for the sake of it. But now I think it’s a bit more quiet luxury.”

He still makes room for some loud pieces, though. Earlier in 2025, Rocky — who is a co-chair for the 2025 Met Gala — rocked a snakeskin Bottega Veneta bag at the company’s spring show, even though he was wearing a casual suit jacket and pants combination. Regardless of the times, Rocky’s always gotta do something to make good on that “Fashion Killa” nickname.

Check out the evolution of A$AP Rocky’s unique style in the photos below.

02 May 2025

Travis Scott Drops Limited-Edition FC Barcelona Jersey

Spotify and FC Barcelona have teamed up with Travis Scott for the launch of its sixth special jersey, featuring the Cactus Jack logo, the rapper’s record label and brand design. 

Barcelona soccer players will wear the Travis-inspired Blaugrana jersey at El Clásico match on May 11, where they will play against Real Madrid. The FC Barcelona Femení team will also wear it at their final Liga F match of the season on May 18. 

The limited-edition capsule collection includes sweatshirts, T-shirts, caps, shorts, jackets, scarfs and a retro soccer ball in addition to the jersey. 

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“El Clásico is a moment that the entire world follows closely,” Travis — known for Hot 100 No. 1 hits “Sicko Mode,” “Highest in the Room” and “4×4” — said in a statement. “Collaborating with Spotify and FC Barcelona allows me to merge my universe with theirs. It wasn’t just about putting Cactus Jack on a jersey, but about building something that blurs the lines between sound and sport.”

“The logo change on the jersey for El Clásico is the clearest example of how the partnership between Spotify and FC Barcelona can spark conversations that go beyond sports,” added Joan Laporta, president of FC Barcelona. “It reflects the club’s desire to connect with our fans in a new way and brings us closer to new audiences around the world, allowing us to share who we are and what we stand for.” 

The artist born Jacques Bermon Webster II follows other artists who have released their own special Barcelona jerseys, including Karol G, Rosalía, Coldplay, The Rolling Stones and Drake.

Scott, however, is the first artist to perform in Barcelona as part of the collaboration. The concert, set to take place before El Clásico on May 10, will be invite-only and be accessible only to the city’s most loyal listeners. 

“What we’re doing is offering artists an unparalleled stage. This collaboration with Travis Scott, alongside FC Barcelona, ​​is our most ambitious project to date,” said Marc Hazan, vice president of partnerships and marketing at Spotify, in a statement. “A global icon creating collaboratively with us around the world’s biggest match and performing live for his fans in Barcelona — that’s the power we’re unlocking. It’s a true expression of what drives Spotify and FC Barcelona.”

In celebration of the club’s founding year, 1,899 Travis Scott-Barcelona jerseys will go on sale on May 2 at official Barça stores in Spain and online, and will later be available on Scott’s website on May 9. 

02 May 2025

Watch Flavor Flav Hilariously Photobomb Green Day’s Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony

Flavor Flav added a dose of good-spirited chaos to Green Day‘s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony on Thursday (May 1).

The rapper was on hand to help celebrate the punk rock trio receiving their much deserved star on the famous Tinseltown walkway along with the likes of Ryan Reynolds, the band’s longtime record executive and producer Rob Cavallo and host Matt Pinfield, all of whom gave speeches at the ceremony.

However, when it came time for Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool’s star to actually be unveiled by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce outside of Amoeba Music, Flavor Flav crashed the lectern, shouting something unintelligible into the mic before raising his fists in celebration.

He later commemorated Green Day’s achievement on his Instagram Stories, writing, “Big day for my guys!!!” alongside a video that showed him gleefully hugging each member of the band — all set to their Dookie-era 1995 single “When I Come Around.”

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The ceremony caps off a triumphant few weeks for Green Day, who headlined both weekends of Coachella 2025 in April along with Lady Gaga, Post Malone and Travis Scott. During the rockers’ high-octane, career-spanning set, they performed hits from Dookie, 1997’s Nimrod and 2004’s American Idiot all the up to their latest album, 2024’s Saviors.

Watch the moment Flavor Flav photobombs Green Day on the Walk of Fame below (starting at the 36:40 mark), and check out the rapper’s Instagram Story before it expires here.

02 May 2025

Will Ferrell Reveals His First Concert Ever Was a Show by This Hot 100-Topping Rapper

Will Ferrell shocked the world when he revealed that the first concert he ever attended was a Roddy Ricch show. Being 57 years old, many thought he’d go elsewhere with his answer during a recent appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’s Colbert Questionert segment.

Colbert had no idea about the Compton rapper and asked for further details. “Just a hip-hop guy about five years ago. He was my first concert,” the actor said. The late-night host then followed up wondering if he’d know any songs from Ricch, and instead of naming “The Box,” Ferrell plainly said, “Nope.”

Fans had plenty to say about the hilarious interaction. Some thought he was trolling, but found it funny to picture Ferrell pulling up to a Roddy Ricch show for his first concert experience, while others implored the “High Fashion” rapper to sample Ferrell and Colbert’s back-and-forth on his upcoming album.

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“Will Ferrell going to a Roddy ricch concert for his first one is crazy lol,” one fan wrote to X. Another chimed in on TikTok, “Will Ferrell experienced prime Roddy rich at concert.”

Ferrell does have three younger children, so it’s possible one of his kids put him on. It appears Ferrell is expanding his music palate, as the Step Brothers actor was spotted in the desert at Coachella in April.

Roddy Ricch broke out before the start of the 2020s as the West Coast’s next star. Powered by “The Box,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 11 weeks, Ricch released his Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial album in December 2019. This sounds like the era Ferrell saw Roddy Ricch in concert.

Roddy is slated to return with his The Navy Album in July, which has been supported by singles like “Survivor’s Remorse” and “Lonely Road.” The project serves as his first LP since 2021’s Live Life Fast.

Watch the clip of Will Ferrell talking about his first concert below.