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With Coachella dominating the cultural conversation over the weekend, festival season is in full bloom. During Weekend One (April 11-13), the iconic Cali festival featured showstopping performances from Megan Thee Stallion, Tyla, Missy Elliott, Mustard, Shoreline Mafia, T-Pain, Three 6 Mafia, Glorilla, 4batz, Thee Sacred Souls, Tink, Ty Dolla $ign, Rema, Amaarae, BigXthaPlug, Muni Long and Travis Scott — who mounted a fantasy world with his headlining set, which included a mash-up of his own “Modern Jam” and Drake’s “Nokia.”
Outside of Coachella, live music remained the center of conversation in hip-hop and R&B. On Thursday (April 10), Mary J. Blige played her first solo headlining show at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, featuring opening sets from Mario and Ne-Yo, and guest appearances by Fabolous, Jadakiss and A Boogie wit da Hoodie. The following day (April 11), dancehall legend Vybz Kartel played his first U.S. shows in over 20 years with his first of two sold-out Barclays Center dates in Brooklyn, N.Y. Like Blige, Kartel brought out several guests, including Spice, Rvssian, Blak Ryno, Jah Vinci and Busta Rhymes. Over at the Blue Note, Saba hosted a six-show mini-residency in support of his latest project, From the Private Collection of Saba and No ID.
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With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from kwn’s newest bedroom banger to Saint Lamaar’s smooth Lizzen remix. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
Freshest Find: kwn, “Do What I Say”
Billboard‘s R&B Rookie of the Month for March has unleashed her first solo single of 2025 following successful team-ups with Kehlani (“Worst Behaviour”) and Jordan Adetunji (“Too Many Women”). On the self-written and produced track, kwn further leans into the sensual, dominant lane she’s established with her releases over the past few years. “Paint your nails the way I like ’em/ Uh-huh, s–t/ I might paint mine too/ ‘Cause I know a place I can hide ‘em/ And it’s inside you, ohhh,” she croons in the disarming first verse, immediately pulling her audience into the bedroom making each of them her subjects. With her glossy vocals gliding across the track’s hip-hop percussion and vibrant guitar riffs makes for a smart extension to the colors and sounds she dabbled in on 2022’s Episode Wn EP. — KYLE DENIS
Lihtz, “Margaritas”
This joint is way different than the funny and creative “Simple Souls” pop song Lihtz dropped a few weeks back, but it shows off the Philly artist’s versatility. He’s switching in and out of flows on “Margaritas” just as he switches in and out of genres. I feel like Lihtz is gonna be someone to pay attention to this summer. — ANGEL DIAZ
Jastin Martin, “Again – ’24 (Extended)”
Jatin Martin’s elongated version of fan favorite “Again” is filled with emotional, unpacking the mental exhaustion of loving someone who keeps letting you down. Over a moody, guitar-laced beat, she paints a portrait of repeated heartbreak, singing, “Why did you come ’round again/ Just to let me down again.” But, there’s now a newfound strength in Jastin as she admits the cycle has changed her, saying she turned “to a savage” to protect her peace. By the end, she draws a hard line: “Nah, I’m straight homie,” she declares — setting a boundary and reclaiming her power. This track is a slow-burning, late-night anthem for anyone who’s ever had to choose themselves to finally break free from a relationship they knew was no good. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON
Sabrina Claudio, “Before It’s Too Late”
Sabrina Claudio kicked off 2025 with the tender “Need U to Need Me” in March, and she returned with the airy “Before It’s Too Late” on Friday (April 11). Time is the resource we’re all looking to somehow find more of, but it just can’t be bought. Claudio harps on the relatable topic, whether it’s a significant other, parent, or friend, everyone worries about not making the most of what we have left. The R&B singer-songwriter’s dreamy vocals provide a warm blanket to the electronic guitar riff, which is accompanied by a cinematic visual capturing a romantic getaway ride into the countryside. — MICHAEL SAPONARA
4batz, “n da morning”
4batz’s “n da morning” plays like a hazy love spell with equal parts bedroom confession and emotional affirmation. Anchored by the recurring line “In the morning, when you wake, girl I be on it,” the track exudes intimacy, trust, and an all-consuming pull to devotion. When 4batz sings “we locked in,” it’s a quiet declaration of loyalty — no outside noise, just a bond that stretches from dusk to dawn. “n da morning” is a soft track for anyone wrapped up in something that feels deeper than just the night before and the night ahead. — C.C.
YL & Subjxct 5, “Bobyahead2dis”
From the upcoming tape RRR & 2oo4 Presents…Only Ones Taxin and produced by Jersey producer Subjxct 5, “Bobyahead2dis” features NYC’s own and RRR co-founder YL raps about trying to make it in the city that never sleeps during these trying times. If the rest of the tape sounds like its lead single, then you should have no problem putting this in your summer rotation. — A.D.
Lizzen & Saint Lamaar, “Sweet Thing (Work It Out) [Remix]”
Just a short while after breaking through with “Buss At You,” rising R&B star Saint Lamaar slides on the remix for Lizzen’s “Sweet Thing.” “I think I sent you love/ Girl, let me pick you up/ You look so good, don’t make no sense, that s–t ridiculous/ I’ll be the shoulder you can cry on, tell your issues, love,” he croons in his verse, perfectly matching the lovey-dovey energy Lizzen exudes on the original cut. His slightly hoarse, charismatic tone pairs well with soulful timbre, making for a duet that recalls the rugged sheen of early-’00s hip-hop and R&B collaborations. – K.D.
Annie Tracy, “To Love and Be Loved”
Annie Tracy’s “To Love and Be Loved” is a glowing ode to the kind of love “where all your troubles melt away.” From the very first few lines — “These words they won’t come out” — Tracy captures that overwhelmed, heart-on-fire feeling of trying to describe something too big for language. But even without the perfect words, the emotion radiates through. The track moves from hushed vulnerability to full-on celebration, soundtracking both the stillness of being understood and the joy of nights spent dancing, laughing, and getting lost in each other’s company. — C.C.
Kendrick Lamar and Drake go head-to-head for No. 1 on the Hot 100. Tetris Kelly:This is the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 for the week dated April 19. “Beautiful Things” is at 10. Morgan Wallen is still at nine. “Lose Control” slips to eight. Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” joins the top 10. “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” […]
04/14/2025
XG, Ty Dolla $ign, Zedd, BigXthaplug were among those to hit the desert on Sunday (April 13).
04/14/2025
Sometimes you just have to go for it. And sometimes when you do that, things go horribly wrong. But, if you’re like d4vd, you can laugh at yourself and not get too hung up on the particulars. During the 20-year-old “Feel It” singer’s set at the Coachella Festival on Friday, he got super hyped and […]
Doja Cat was in a generous mood this weekend, giving fans what appears to be the latest preview of her upcoming Vie album. After seemingly sharing the track list in November, when she posted and then quickly deleted a 13-song roster that included the songs “Break My Heart,” “Take Me Dancing,” “Anything,” “Ain’t News,” “Turn the Lights On,” “Slow Burn,” “Wood Holly” and “Appreciation,” Doja was at it again on Sunday (April 13).
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This time around the list included 16 songs, some of which matched the earlier roster, with no additional information on a release date or first single. “dont ask me where crack is rn,” she captioned the weekend post, which did not include one of the songs on the earlier roster, “Crack.” While “Turn the Lights On” matched the earlier run-down, other songs appear to have dropped off, including “Break My Heart,” “Take Me Dancing,” “Anything,” “Aint News,” “Slow Burn,” “Wood Holly,” “Did I Lie” and “Appreciation.”
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The new apparent track list includes: “Turn the Lights On,” “Slide,” “One More Time,” “Make It Up,” “Lipstain,” “Kink,” “Jealous Type,” “I Like You,” “Happy,” “Gorgeous,” “Couples Therapy,” “Come Back,” “Cards,” “Amen,” “All Mine” and “Acts of Service.”
Fans recorded an Instagram live over the weekend in which Doja previewed the bouncy “Jealous Type,” a Janet Jackson-like pop funk jam. “Boy, let me know if this is careless/ I could be torn between two roads that I just can’t decide/ Which one is leading me to hell or paradise?/ Baby, I can’t hurt you, sure, but I’m the jealous type/ I’m the jealous type,” Doja sings in a breathy register on the song.
Back in March, Doja also previewed the slow-burn jams “Acts of Service” and “Lipstain.”
Doja Cat’s last album, 2023’s Scarlet, was the follow-up to 2021’s hit-packed Planet Her. Scarlet reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and hit No. 2 on the Top Rap Albums chart. She also dropped Scarlet 2 CLAUDE deluxe edition in May and earlier this year teamed up with BLACKPINK’s LISA and RAYE on “Born Again” and Jack Harlow on his song “Just Us.”
Awich dropped a new song called “Butcher Shop feat. FERG” on digital platforms last Friday (April 11) at midnight Japan time.
RZA, founding member of Wu-Tang Clan who has greatly influenced hip-hop history, produced the track, the first single from Awich’s album that he produced in full. The collaborative track is a bold number with a global and classic hip-hop feel.
The “Bad B***h Bigaku” rapper and Gravediggaz artist first met when the latter visited Japan a few years ago. They felt a deep resonance both musically and spiritually from the beginning and hit it off immediately. For RZA, who has incorporated Asian culture into his work with Wu-Tang Clan, and for Awich, who was preparing to make her U.S. debut, it was a natural progression from there to start collaborating. The YENTOWN MC spent time at RZA’s base, Wu Mansion, to take in his ideas and sound approach, and over time she built the foundation for her new album.
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Awich had been interacting with FERG, the featured artist on her new release, since before, when she performed at music festivals overseas and visited New York. At a live event hosted by Jordan Brand earlier this year, the rapper made a surprise appearance on stage with Awich and the two performed this song for the first time. Awich and FERG’s the backgrounds and skills clash in the mic relay of this track, thrillingly developed by RZA’s precise and cinematic production.
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“Butcher Shop is a place where the three realities of Okinawa, where I was born and raised, Tokyo, where I live now, and New York intersect,” says Awich about this single. “Together with the legendary RZA and FERG, a supreme artist who embodies the streets, we’ve carved out today’s borderless atmosphere with cutting words and beats. This song is a crossroads where everything collides: Japan and New York, culture, fashion, luxury, fun, sin and its price. Everyone brings their own ‘meat’ and carves up the truth. Welcome to our Butcher Shop.”
The accompanying music video, which the press release says is immersive like a short film featuring performances by Awich and FERG set to RZA’s signature dark and majestic worldview, was unveiled Monday (April 14) at 8 p.m. Japan time.
Awich’s new single follows her recent collaborative track called “ASIAN STATE OF MIND” featuring South Korea’s Jay Park, India’s KR$NA, Masiwei, the leader of the Chinese group Higher Brothers, and Cambodia’s VannDa released at the end of February.
The rapper has also been giving back to the community, organizing the Know The World – Awich Global Education Project – (Study Abroad in Atlanta & Study Abroad in the City) program for the second year in a row. This project reflects her wish to contribute towards solving the issues of child poverty, experience discrepancy and education in her home prefecture of Okinawa by providing free English learning opportunities to young people.
The program aims to foster a spirit of “turning adversity into strength” through international exchange experiences and studying abroad. 100 young people from low-income households in Okinawa, from first year high school to those aged 22, will be provided with free “study abroad in the city” homestay experiences with foreign families in the prefecture, and three people will be provided with free short-term study abroad experiences in Atlanta, where Awich studied, after the local homestay stint.
Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap have claimed they had their pro-Palestinian messaging cut from the recent livestream of this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
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The trio – who have become known for their outspoken political views on and off the stage – made their debut appearance at Coachella on Friday (April 11), with their performance gaining a small amount of notoriety thanks to an onstage chant celebrating the death of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Thatcher, who passed away in 2013 at the age of 87, has been a noted target of Kneecap, largely due to her outspoken conservative policies and her involvement in the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement, which aimed to put an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
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During the trio’s Coachella set, the band could be heard calling out to fans, “If anybody was wondering, Margaret Thatcher’s still dead.” This was then followed by a singalong of “Maggie’s in a box” to the tune of “Give It Up” by KC and The Sunshine Band. However, after this portion’s absence from the livestream was noted by NME, the group noted that this instance wasn’t the only part of their set that was removed from the broadcast.
“Not the only thing that was cut – our messaging on the US-backed genocide in Gaza somehow never appeared on screens either,” Kneecap wrote on socials. “Back next Friday Coachella and it’ll be sorted.”
The following day (April 12), Californian pop-punk veterans Green Day performed a headline set at the festival, with their appearance being noted for frontman Billie Joe Armstrong once again altering lyrics in response to ongoing political issues. While Armstrong changed the “American Idiot” line “I’m not a part of the redneck agenda” to “I’m not part of the MAGA agenda,” their track “Jesus of Suburbia” also received a similar revision during their late-night slot.
In that instance, Armstrong changed the line “Runnin’ away from pain when you’ve been victimized” to “Runnin’ away from pain, like the kids from Palestine,” though by all reports this lyrical alteration was not removed from the stream.
Kneecap will return for the second weekend of Coachella in a matter of days, and will perform another run of North American dates in October.
Playboi Carti’s MUSIC returns to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated April 19), rising one spot, with 64,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending April 10, according to Luminate. Of that sum, 96% was driven by streaming activity.
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With MUSIC earning 64,000 units in the latest tracking week, that marks the smallest weekly sum for a No. 1 album in over a year, since the Jan. 20, 2024-dated chart, when Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time was tops with 61,000 units.
Also in the top 10 of the latest Billboard 200 chart, Elton John and Brandi Carlile’s first collaborative album, Who Believes in Angels?, debuts at No. 9, while Ethel Cain’s 2022 set Preacher’s Daughter debuts at No. 10 following its vinyl release.
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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 April 19, 2025-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on April 15. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Of the 64,000 equivalent album units earned by MUSIC in the week ending April 10, SEA units comprise 61,500 (down 27%; equaling 84.61 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs; it’s No. 1 for a fourth week on Top Streaming Albums), album sales comprise 2,500 (down 59%; it falls 11-33 on Top Album Sales) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum (down 44%).
The next seven titles on the Billboard 200 are all former No. 1s. Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine falls to No. 2 (56,500 equivalent album units; down 59%); PARTYNEXTDOOR and Drake’s $ome $exy $ongs 4 U rises 5-3 (56,000; down 3%); SZA’s SOS steps 6-4 (54,000; down 4%); Kendrick Lamar’s GNX dips 4-5 (53,000; down 9%); Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet rises 7-6 (49,000; down 2%); Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time climbs 10-7 (44,500; down less than 1%); and Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos is a non-mover at No. 8 (42,500; down 5%).
Elton John and Brandi Carlile’s first collaborative album, Who Believes in Angels?, debuts at No. 9 on the Billboard 200, marking the 22nd top 10 set for John and the fourth for Carlile. The set earned 40,000 equivalent album units in its opening week. Of that sum, album sales comprise 36,500 (it debuts at No. 2 on Top Album Sales), SEA units comprise 2,500 (equaling 3.54 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs) and TEA units comprise 500.
John and Carlile ushered in the release of the album with a flurry of media appearances, including CBS News Sunday Morning (CBS, March 30), The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (April 3), Saturday Night Live (NBC, April 5) and the concert special An Evening With Elton John and Brandi Carlile (CBS and Paramount+, April 6), along with interviews with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, NPR and SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show, among other outlets.
John earned his first Billboard 200 top 10 a little over 54 years ago, when his self-titled album climbed 11-7 on the Jan. 30, 1971-dated chart; it peaked at No. 4 a week later (Feb. 6, 1971). Breaking down John’s 22 top 10s by decade: 13 in the 1970s, two in the 1990s, one in the 2000s, four in the 2010s and two in the 2020s. Who Believes in Angels? is John’s second album with shared artist billing to reach the top 10, following The Union, with Leon Russell, which reached No. 3 in 2010.
John continues to be among elite company of acts with at least 20 top 10-charting albums on the Billboard 200, from March 24, 1956, when the list began publishing on a regular, weekly basis, through the new, April 19, 2025-dated chart. Here’s an updated leaderboard:
Most Billboard 200 Top 10s:38, The Rolling Stones34, Barbra Streisand33, Frank Sinatra32, The Beatles27, Elvis Presley23, Bob Dylan23, Madonna22, Elton John22, Bruce Springsteen21, Paul McCartney/Wings21, George Strait20, Prince
Notably, the Kidz Bop Kids music brand has collected 24 top 10s, in 2005-16, with its series of kid-friendly covers of hit singles. The franchise’s early albums were performed mostly by anonymous studio singers, although later releases focused on branding named talent.
Rounding out the top 10 of the latest Billboard 200 is a debut at No. 10 for singer-songwriter Ethel Cain’s 2022 album Preacher’s Daughter. The set jumps onto the list with 39,000 equivalent album units earned (its best week yet), with 37,000 of that sum driven by album sales (it debuts at No. 1 on Top Album Sales). SEA units comprise 2,000 of the set’s total for the week (equaling 2.77 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs), while TEA units comprise a negligible sum.
The album was released on vinyl for the first time on April 4, marking its first release on any physical format. It had previously only been available to purchase as a digital download, and via streaming services. Vinyl sales comprise essentially all of the set’s 37,000 copies sold in the latest tracking week – the sixth-largest sales week for a vinyl album in 2025.
Since its release in May 2022, the album’s songs have collected 229.73 million on-demand official streams in the U.S. The No. 10 debut of Preacher’s Daughter marks Cain’s second appearance on any Billboard chart, following a one-week appearance on the now-defunct TikTok Billboard Top 50 in January with the album’s “Strangers.”
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.
Over the last several years, Kota The Friend has been busy intentionally carving out a very normal life compared to other rappers.
While his rap peers may be chasing fame, fortune and relentless visibility, Kota’s been quietly utilizing what he’s got, building out a comfortable life for him and his family that’s fulfilling, sustainable and most importantly: Peaceful.
“One thing I really had to do was disconnect from social media, and disconnect from the numbers and what people think about me,” Kota tells Billboard. “Being so detached from that has allowed me to live a completely different life.”
The Brooklyn rapper returned with his latest album, No Rap on Sunday, last month, releasing the project exclusively on Even and avoiding DSP’s for the time being. Throughout the recording process, Kota was — and still is as of this interview — knee deep in renovating a new house he bought in Brooklyn. Throw in two kids and a wife to care for, there’s undeniably a lot going on, but in a way that Kota says keeps him focused and motivated on creating authentic music and an authentic life.
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“At the beginning I told myself if I could pay my bills, keep a roof over my head, I’d be good. If I can feed my kids, I’m great,” Kota says. “I kinda set my life up in a way where I can focus on the art.”
Since the beginning of his career, he’s rapped extensively about chasing that lifestyle. Throughout his Lyrics To Go series and on projects like Once In a Blue Moon, Memo and Everything, Kota has served as the Every Man rapper. His biggest songs have included numerous motivational gems about getting back to the basics. Get off your phone, connect with people that cherish you. Go. Outside. These are the fundamentals that Kota lives by.
“We tryna live in the now, I really ain’t tryna get caught up in back in the day,” Kota raps on his latest song “Michigan,” which Billboard premieres today (April 13), and which features a stellar verse from Big Sean. Being present in your life is the most important gift you can give yourself, and Kota knows what it costs to get to that point.
“It’s almost like, you go through something and it kind of is a struggle, and you get out of it and you’re a much wiser individual,” Kota says. “The wisdom plus the authenticity, I think it just created this beautiful album.”
Below, Kota reflects on his latest single, working with Big Sean, and how it feels to be an indie rapper in 2025.
What inspired No Rap on Sunday? Where does that phrase come from?
I think it was really me coming back home and building a house out here, basically from scratch. Ripping all the walls out, ripping all the ceilings out and going through that process. It really made me feel like, “Damn I’m actually building something in my hometown.” It inspired me to create this album that was about where I’m from that was about my roots, about my family, and really honoring them and honoring everybody that raised me in the city that raised me. [No Rap on Sunday] is about taking that time to focus on what’s real. Cause we’re living in a digital world. So No Rap on Sunday is really that breath of fresh air when you look around and you’re really planted in the moment of what really matters.
Like you said though, you’re building a new house, you’re a dad. How has your relationship to staying in the moment changed as life has thrown more things at you that demand your attention?
I’ve definitely been feeling like I appreciate the small things in life a lot more than I used to. I forgive a lot a lot easier. There’s a lot of things that used to really weigh on my shoulders and and kind of bring me down that don’t exist in my life or hold the same weight as they used to. So I feel much lighter. I’ve definitely been moving through life with a lot less baggage and it feels great. I feel like this is something that I’ve wanted for a long time that I finally got a hold of.
How has that feeling changed your creative approach? Or has it?
Yeah, with this album I was able to really speak from that authentic place that you can only really speak from when you get certain things out the way. When you stop caring about stuff that doesn’t matter and start focusing more on your contributions in the world versus the perceptions of other people. My mental has been changed so much that I feel like when I listen to [the album] I’m like, “man I’ve never had this perspective on life before even in my older music.”
Pivoting into “Michigan.” You sound hungry on that record. Tell me about where that hunger is coming from a little bit more.
The hunger is coming from a place where I feel like I’ve achieved so much and done a lot of things that I’ve I’ve wanted to do in this life, and on “Michigan” I’m basically expressing that this is the way that I’m moving to life from now till the end. I’ve got my head down on my work. I’m not focused on the drama. Like, I see it, I feel it! And I see the people trying to bring me down. I see people trying to bring other people down, and I’m telling everybody that I’m one, I’m not here for it so please don’t bring it my way. Secondly, I just don’t care about it. I’m too focused on what I need to do. I’m too focused on making sure my people are good and we are collectively moving forward in every sense of the word.
How did you link with Big Sean and how important was it to get him on that record?
Man, I loved it. I love that he got on the record. I don’t think that there’s anybody else that should’ve done that record and I feel like the universe really put everything in line for that to happen.
How do you feel about his verse? ‘Cause he was going crazy.
I love it. I feel like he really gave me one of those great Big Sean verses and I think it’s gonna be legendary when it drops.
The music video for “Michigan” is very cinematic. What was your vision for this video?
I wanted to make a video that really paid homage to Michigan. We went out there and went to different parts. We went to Detroit and then went to Sleeping Bear National Park and [the video] just shows the contrast between both places and that was kind of what I loved about it. I really wanted to show people that we were appreciating the town from the city to the middle of nowhere.
Tell me more about the rollout of the project. What made you want to release the little differently and go through Even before dropping it on streaming?
I’ve been kind of thinking about the music and the industry and the way I’ve been releasing music and just putting it on DSP’s, Spotify, Apple Music, etc. and I realized that it made me feel like all this work I put into the music, once I released it on [DSP’s], it made me feel like it’s over. It kind of ruined the album experience cause people are gonna listen to the album and then they’re just gonna add their favorite songs to the playlist, and now it’s out for all the critics and all of the spectators. I realized that I didn’t want to do that to my art. I didn’t want to just give my art out like that for free just for people to comment on. So I wanted to put it on Even for my true fans to invest back in me. I invested a lot into this album and so I don’t plan on releasing the album on DSPs until July, and for the next four months I feel like this is time that me and my fans can kind of celebrate this album uninterrupted. It’s not even about the money, it’s about the energy, you know? I put so much energy into making this, and it’s not just me! So many artists put in a year two years to make an album, and I was just saying the other day how the fact that it’s not on DSPs makes me feel good. because I feel like I’ve created value for this piece of art that I put so much work into.
Tell me about some of the other features on this album. You got Fivio Foreign on here as well.
Specifically I wanted Fivio on the album because he’s one of those rappers from New York who, he’s a drill rapper, but I respect him as a rapper. So one thing that I wanna do in the city is just bring art — like me and Fivio being on record? For some people it’s like, “What are y’all doing on a song together?” and I love that. I love that because I feel like that’s how we can bring New York together. We don’t have to make the same kind of music to make a good record together. We’re all from here and we all represent a different part of the city, and a different aspect, but we all walk on the same grounds.
How do you feel about New York’s standing in rap right now? Do you feel it’s lacking that sort of unity?
Yeah, I feel like New York definitely has to come together. We’re the Mecca of hip-hop, and I feel like we haven’t really had that resurgence of artists that are international artists and really doing that thing on a big level. I’m at the point where I’m tired of it and I see what Kendrick is doing on the West Coast and it honestly inspired me because we need to do that here.
How do you feel you fit in on the current state of rap?
Honestly, I don’t think I fit in at all with the current state of rap, and it’s not a bad thing either! Lately, I’m motivated to just work on music. That’s what I look forward to more than anything, being able to collaborate with different artists and create different opportunities for all of our music to be heard. One thing that I’m doing is definitely keeping my ear to the streets, cause I just wanna make good music with talented people.
Watch the video for “Michigan” below.
Lizzo has a message for President Donald Trump’s economic policies.
During her April 12 appearance as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, the 36-year-old rapper-singer wore a black T-shirt with the word “TARIFFIED” in bold red letters — a clear jab of Trump’s newly announced 145% tariff on Chinese imports.
Appearing on the Jon Hamm-hosted episode, Lizzo used the platform to promote her upcoming fifth album, Love in Real Life, which currently has no official release date. This marked her fourth appearance on the iconic sketch comedy show (she also hosted once in 2022).
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For her opening performance, Lizzo took the stage with a trio of backup singers and an electric guitar to perform a medley of “Love in Real Life” and “Still Bad.” After a brief shredding session, she ditched the guitar and was joined by a crew of dancers, all dressed in black, to finish off the high-energy performance — all while rocking her politically charged “TARIFFIED” shirt.
Later in the show, Lizzo delivered a show-stopping performance of “Don’t Make Me Love You,” a likely track from Love in Real Life. Channeling an ’80s vibe, she stunned the audience in a shimmery gold dress, with her hair blown by wind machines as she belted out the powerful song.
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Lizzo confirmed last month that Love in Real Life is officially complete. “ALBUM IS DONE YALL!” she shared on Instagram, posting a photo of herself in the studio with a playful caption: “ASTROLOGY EXPERTS Do my mercury got micro braids? Cus I got an emergency root canal, announced SNL & finished my album all in one day today.”
So far, Lizzo has released two tracks from the upcoming album: “Still Bad” and the title track. Aside from “Pink” for Greta Gerwig’s 2023 Barbie soundtrack, the first singles from the project mark the Yitty founder’s first proper releases since 2022’s Special, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and spawned two-week Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single “About Damn Time.”
Watch Lizzo’s SNL performances below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.
