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Leon Thomas’ “Mutt” improves its case as the early breakthrough R&B song of 2025 with a coronation on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart dated May 10. The track jumps 4-1 through an 18% increase in U.S. plays in the tracking week of April 25-May 1, according to Luminate, and wins the Greatest Gainer prize, awarded […]
Hip-hop’s biggest story of the week is technically a year old.
From May 3-5, 2024, Drake (“Family Matters” and “The Heart Part 6”) and Kendrick Lamar (“6:16 in LA,” “Meet the Grahams” and “Not Like Us”) traded the last five songs of a battle that changed the course of hip-hop history and popular music forever. In the year since, Lamar won five Grammys for “Not Like Us,” dropped his monster GNX LP, spun out two additional Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers (“Squabble Up” and “Luther,” launched a massive stadium tour alongside SZA, and scored the most-watch Super Bowl halftime show of all time. For his part, Drizzy added another Billboard 200 No. 1 album (the Partynextdoor-assisted $ome $exy $ongs 4 U) to his arsenal and a No. 2 hit in “Nokia.”
In 2025 news, Doechii teamed up with Westside Gunn to remix the latter’s “Egypt.” The new collaboration arrived as the Swamp Princess’ “Anxiety” returned to the Hot 100’s top 10 — and just a few days before her stint on this year’s Met Gala hosting committee. With a rich theme of “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” Monday night’s Met Gala steps (May 5) featured eye-popping looks from several of hip-hop’s biggest fashionistas, including Teyana Taylor, Pharrell Williams, Tyla, Doja Cat and more.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Jorja Smith’s new banger to Benny the Butcher and Styles P’s latest link-up. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
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Freshest Find: Jorja Smith, “The Way I Love You”
U.K. garage and Jorja Smith are a match made in music heaven. J Money gets back in her bag to get the party started just in time for the summer, as “The Way I Love You” should be part of every DJ’s set list, looking to fill the dance floor. The 27-year-old does just that as she throws a rave at Club Nice in the single’s blue-tinted visual. It feels like you could draw a line from “The Way I Love You” to her breakout “On My Mind” anthem that introduced J Money to droves of fans back when she was an emerging star in 2017. At this point, we need a UKG-grime album from Smith in the future. — MICHAEL SAPONARA
Tiana Major9, “Money”
Tiana Major9’s “Money” is a soulful, witty, and emotionally layered meditation on her complicated relationship with wealth. Framed as a love song to money — personified as a flirtatious, fickle, and sometimes cruel partner — Tiana’s new joint explores how financial security, desire, and personal history collide. Tiana highlights how money can feel loving when it’s present, but also how quickly it disappears, reinforcing that “money knows who needs who more.” “Money” is about more than just wealth — it’s about survival, self-worth, and learning how to have a healthy relationship with abundance without letting it define your identity. Tiana brings humor, heart, and honesty to a topic that affects everyone, making the song both relatable and deeply personal. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON
Benny the Butcher feat. Styles P, “Toxic”
Produced by BSF, Buffalo rapper and Griselda stalwart Benny the Butcher taps the Ghost in Styles P to give us some of that good old-fashioned hard s–t. The beat sounds like concrete and has an infectious hook that’ll make you nod your head into oblivion and give you the ugly face. — ANGEL DIAZ
Yeat, “Feel No Wayz (Yeat Mix)”
Yeat shocked fans at his Coachella set last month when he performed a cover of Drake’s fan-favorite “Feel No Ways.” Instead of the melodic rapping mixed with Drizzy’s R&B sonic, the Oregon native leans heavily into the AutoTune for an electronic spin on the classic VIEWS deep cut. The official track that landed on DSPs sounds much cleaner than the edition Yeat initially previewed on social media. Drake even lent his stamp of approval with a text to Yeat, which he fittingly turned into the cover art for the single. It might be time for another a Twizzy x The Boy link-up. — M.S.
Girlfriend, “Come Thru”
Mississippi-born singer, songwriter, and rapper Girlfriend (Kenya Edwards) returns with her new EP It’s Complicated, led by the standout track “Come Thru” — a sultry, emotionally raw anthem exploring intimacy, secrecy, and the longing for genuine connection in a situationship. The line “middle of the summer, it’s cold” captures the emotional disconnect between seasons and feelings — even when life should feel warm and full, something is still missing. That “cold” feeling symbolizes loneliness or emotional distance, hinting that both people involved are longing for closeness but are hesitant to fully open up. At its core, “Come Thru” is about vulnerability masked by sensuality, navigating desire in a relationship that lives in the grey area between love and lust, cold and warm, commitment and secrecy. — C.C.
A$AP Nast, “No Hammer”
Nast is back, and he dropped a movie. No, seriously: He and director Dexter Navy gave fans a crime drama set in London, as the Harlem rapper does his thing over Drumatik production. Maybe this means we’ll be getting that song he has with Playboi Carti that was apparently produced by The Alchemist. — A.D.
Mariah the Scientist, “Burning Blue”
Mariah the Scientist ignites her next era with the intoxicating “Burning Blue.” The Atlanta native puts a soulful spin on her unique perspective on the trials and tribulations of romance. Even with the chaos around her, Mariah feels at ease with her man by her side. But her submissive lust will only remain if he holds up his end of the relationship bargain. The 27-year-old’s vocals remain as soothing as ever, with “Burning Blue” reaching a crescendo in its closing moments. Keep fanning the flame, Thugger. — M.S.
GRiMM Doza, “Bullet Train”
Influenced by the Jersey producer’s trip to Tokyo, Grimm Doza paints a soundscape with a beat tape — a format that has become something of a lost art these days. I wanted to highlight this after a conversation I had with Conductor Williams, where he mentioned Dilla’s classic instrumental album Donuts felt like a jazz record. You can check out Tokyo Transit on streaming services. Here’s the YouTube playlist. — A.D.
Samara Cyn, “Bad Brain”
Samara Cyn is a breath of fresh air in rap. The burgeoning rhymer delivered her introspective “Bad Brain” single last week, which finds Cyn battling the voices in her head while combing through the mental gymnastics she has to hurdle to get by. Enclosed by a Thee Sacred Souls sample, Cyn’s wispy flow weaves around the dreamy production as she gives listeners a peek into the warfare she’s dealing with on a day-to-day basis as a rising star. “All these little voices in my voice gon’ drive a b—h insane/ As I’m talking, feel exhausted, think a b—h gon’ pop a vein,” she raps. — M.S.
Roc Marciano, “Period Blood”
To celebrate the 15th anniversary of his seminal work Marcberg, Roc Marciano dropped a special edition of the album that included a brand new song in this insanely titled track. Produced by the man himself, “Period Blood” is standard-issue Marci with a soulful loop and sharp lyrics that have helped make him one of the more influential artists of the last decade and a half. When it comes to underground East Coast rap music, we’re living in his era. Don’t let anybody else tell you different. — A.D.
Doechii hits a new peak in the top 10 with “Anxiety,” Alex Warren continues his rise on the Hot 100 with “Ordinary” and Kendrick and SZA continue their run on the Hot 100 with “Luther.” Tetris Kelly:This is the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 for the week dated May 10. Doechii’s “Anxiety” returns to the […]
“Interviewing Grace Wales Bonner at the Guggenheim” sounds like a bar you would hear from Westside Gunn, or some other rapper with a high level of fashion sense and sophistication. But that’s what I did over the weekend when I had the pleasure of being invited to the British designer’s latest iteration of her “Togetherness” series where she brings people together from different walks of life that share similar interests when it comes to style, music, and art.
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There was an exhibit by multi-disciplined artist Rashid Johnson entitled A Poem for Deep Thinkers serving as the event’s backdrop, as sounds from electro-R&B genius KeiyaA and pop fusion maven Amaarae bounced off Johnson’s pieces — which included things like a framed throwback dashiki jersey (signed by “Civil Rights All-Star” Angela Davis), and sculptures made out of shea butter.
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Like most of the acts performing, Grace Wales Bonner is multi-faceted, incorporating different reference points into the clothes and accessories she designs for her Wales Bonner fashion house thanks to an almost maniacal obsession with research that then bleeds out into what she presents to the world. When I was walking to the event from the 86th St. stop, I noticed Nigerian rock band Etran de L’Aïr smoking cigarettes outside as they relaxed before they tore the house down later that night — but the first thing I noticed was that they were wearing brown traditional thobes while wearing yellow Adidas x Wales Bonner Adios Neftenga on their feet.
That’s Wales Bonner’s approach right there in front of me. The label mixes high fashion with traditional and street fashion. Soccer kits, durags and sneakers aren’t strange things to see on the label’s runway models. It’s that juxtaposition that makes the brand so interesting.
Etran de L’Aïr at Grace Wales Bonner Presents: Togetherness at Guggenheim New York on May 3, 2025.
Hannah Turner Harts/BFA.com
This year’s “Togetherness” event was no different and the melting pot that is New York City was the perfect setting. Hip-hop serves as one of Bonner’s many influences and reference points. “The street photography in New York is a way of understanding sound like looking at what people are wearing around their sound systems,” she said during our quick chat, as she referenced the photography of Jamel Shabazz during the early days of hip-hop. “Music and sounds are part of those references.”
When it came to how she approached curating the wide array of acts, she credited the city’s diversity as inspiration. “I feel like that’s what feels quite special about New York,” she began. “That’s what I always love. You can be with people of lots of different ages together, kind of like multi-generational, while also supporting each other. I think I’ve also been thinking about nomadic sound culture and people moving around and taking different influences through that movement. So, that’s been an influence in terms of programming — movement throughout the space and unexpected moments of discovery.”
One of the acts that incapsulated the event’s thesis statement was model, skateboarder and rapper Sage Elsesser, who goes by the artist name Navy Blue. Dipped in Wales Bonner from head-to-toe, he performed songs in the museum’s Lewis Theater and spoke to me about the similarities between his form of storytelling with Grace’s. “Music is the way that I express myself the best,” he told me in a quiet corner tucked away outside of the theater. “It’s the place where I get to express all of my interests and life experiences, like how I was raised, the food, it’s all of it, you know? It’s so multilayered. I think any artform is the crux of where all of your interests meet. So, I get why Grace is so inspired by music, and why she wants to have music be a part of her storytelling.”
Grace says that they first met through the fashion scene in which they both occupy. “There’s different ways that he can show up in the world of what I do,” she said of Elsesser. “I’m a fan of his music, so artists working with artists feels like quite a natural evolution. I’m always kind of like working and collaborating with different artists and researching a lot of different music for my shows, and have relationships with people that have grown and become organic.”
Another one of those artists that Bonner is referring to is Amaarae, whose style of music is hard to put in a box. She and Grace have been trying to connect on something this impactful for a minute and finally got the opportunity to do so. The two of them approach their art in a similarly unpredictable way.
“I think that a great artist is a great artist,” Amaarae told me backstage. “Whether you make music, films, clothing, draw, sculpt, or paint, I think that you go through life, and everything that you do, everything that you go through is a result of your influences and the things that inspire you.”
She added that one can only be inspired and influenced if they live a rich life culturally and educationally. “I absolutely feel the connection to Grace,” she said. “Just the way that we approach art, not just with music and fashion.”
“Togetherness” at the Guggenheim was a special event that bridged the gap not only culturally, but generationally. “I feel like there’s a strong sense of community in New York, which I really love,” Grace said “I also feel like there’s a kind of elevation and kind of sophistication about sounds I hear coming from New York, which I also see in my peers and their music.”
As New York Knicks captain Jalen Brunson would say, the vibes were immaculate on Saturday night (May 3) and I can’t forget to mention the fits which were of course very much splashy, very much flee, very much “I got that s–t on.”
The owner of Las Vegas’ Sphere has hit Beyoncé with a cease and desist letter over fan-shot concert footage that shows the superstar picking up a computer-generated version of the iconic Las Vegas venue and briefly juggling it between her hands, Billboard has confirmed.
“Beyoncé — many orders of magnitude larger than the Sphere venue — leans over, picks up the venue, and looms over it,” the letter reads, according to the New York Post, which first reported the news, leading to “significant speculation that Beyoncé will end her tour with a Sphere residency.” (Billboard has not independently obtained the letter.)
The filmed sequence, which plays during an interlude at Beyoncé’s newly launched Cowboy Carter tour, irked Sphere Entertainment Co. executive chairman/CEO James Dolan because Sphere unsuccessfully lobbied the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer to perform at the venue in the past, sources with knowledge of the negotiations tell Billboard.
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Attorneys for Dolan, who is also the chairman/CEO of Madison Square Garden Entertainment Group, want Beyoncé to cut the brief sequence from her three-hour concert, which she performed for a second time at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Thursday (May 1).
The letter is addressed to Beyoncé’s production company, Parkwood Entertainment, on behalf of Sphere Entertainment Group and authored by Kathleen McCarthy of the law firm King & Spalding. In the letter, Spaulding accuses Parkwood of using imagery of the Sphere’s likeness “without permission” and accuses the singer of misleading her fans.
“It has recently come to SEG’s attention that a Cowboy Carter tour interlude video contains the unauthorized use of SEG’s intellectual property,” the letter reads. “SEG is sure that multiple aspects of the interlude video, including other brands, clips and music, were duly cleared by the tour with rights permissions from the rights holders whose works were used in the video, as is common practice. SEG, however, was never asked and the prominent appearance and manipulation of SEG’s Sphere™ venue in the video is unauthorized.”
“SEG demands that the tour cease and desist from using the Sphere™ venue in the video immediately,” the letter continues, demanding that Parkwood “refrain from using this imagery on any merchandise, promotional or marketing materials, or in tour movies, etc. Should you fail to do so, SEG reserves all rights to take further action as SEG deems appropriate without notice to you.”
Beyoncé has never played Sphere in Las Vegas, although her representatives reportedly held talks with officials at Sphere Entertainment about a possible residency at the venue several years ago. Those discussions never materialized into bookings and Beyoncé has instead opted to play Allegiant Stadium when her Cowboy Carter tour stops in Las Vegas on July 25 and 26.
Billboard reached out to representatives for Beyoncé and tour promoter Live Nation for comment, but did not receive a response by press time.
Tyla revealed on Friday (May 2) that she will release her new “Bliss” single next Friday, May 9. She posted a promo photo on Instagram that features the “Water” hitmaker crouched in the fetal position with sand crystals covering her glistening skin, which feels reminiscent of the gritty sand-sculpted Balmain gown she wore during her […]
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.
2002
Image Credit: Paul Natkin/Getty Images
From left: Chad Hugo, Shay Haley and Pharrell Williams of N.E.R.D. at the Park West on June 2, 2002 in Chicago.
2002
Image Credit: J. Vespa/WireImage
Pharrell Williams during Motorola 4th Annual Holiday Party at The Lot on Dec. 5, 2002 in Los Angeles.
2004
Image Credit: Theo Wargo/WireImage
Pharrell Williams during Pharrell Williams and Nigo Debut “Billionaire Boys Club” Apparel Line and “Ice Cream” Footwear at Drive-In Studios on August 25, 2004 in New York City.
2004
Image Credit: Evan Agostini/Getty Images
Pharrell Williams attends a preview gala dinner for the Metropolitan Museum’s “Wild: Fashion Untamed” exhibition on Dec. 6, 2004 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
2005
Image Credit: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage
Pharrell Williams arrives at the 2005 Vibe Awards at Sony Studios on Nov. 12, 2002 in Culver City, California.
2005
Image Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Pharrell Williams arrives at the 2005 Billboard Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Dec. 6, 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
2006
Image Credit: Jon Furniss/WireImage
Pharrell Williams attends The Audi Polo Challenge Cup on July 5, 2006 at Cowdray Park in Midhurst, Great Britain.
2006
Image Credit: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
Pharrell Williams arrives at the 13th annual MTV Europe Music Awards 2006 at the Bella Center on Nov. 2, 2006 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
2007
Image Credit: Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage
Pharell Williams arrives at the Louis Vuitton Gala celebrating the Murakami exhibition held at the Geffen Contemporary at Moca on Oct. 28th, 2007 in Los Angeles.
2008
Image Credit: Brad Barket/Getty Images
Pharrell WIlliams attends BET’s ‘Rip the Runway’ at The Manhattan Center on Feb. 21, 2008 in New York City.
2009
Image Credit: Jon Furniss/WireImage
Pharrell Williams attends the annual summer party at The Serpentine Gallery on July 9, 2009 in London, England.
2010
Image Credit: Dominique Charriau/WireImage
Pharrell Williams attends the NRJ Music Awards 2010 at Palais des Festivals on Jan. 23, 2010 in Cannes, France.
2011
Image Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
Pharrell Williams visits the Dior pop-up shop featuring Anselm Reyle for Dior at Miami Design District on Nov. 29, 2011 in Miami City.
2012
Image Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Pharrell Williams attends the OHWOW & HTC celebration of the release of “Terrywood” with Terry Richardson at The Standard Hotel & Spa on Dec. 7, 2012 in Miami Beach, Florida.
2013
Image Credit: Mark Davis/Getty Images
Pharrell Williams arrives at the premiere of Universal Pictures’ “Despicable Me 2” at Gibson Amphitheatre on June 22, 2013 in Universal City.
2014
Image Credit: Lester Cohen/WireImage
Pharrell attends the 56th Grammy Awards at Staples Center on Jan. 26, 2014 in Los Angeles, California.
2015
Image Credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images
Helen Lasichanh and Pharrell Williams attend The 57th Annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center on Feb. 8, 2015 in Los Angeles.
2016
Beyoncé had a surprise in store for the Beyhive at her Cowboy Carter Tour on Thursday (May 1). During her second of five nights at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., the superstar added a new medley to the setlist encompassing past hits such as “Crazy in Love,” “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)” and […]
The Weeknd has signed with William Morris Endeavor (WME) in all areas, the agency announced on Thursday (May 1). He leaves Creative Arts Agency (CAA) after signing with them in 2021, having left WME. WME is also representing the superstar’s production company, Manic Phase, which produced his 2023 HBO series The Idol and his upcoming […]
Hailing from Mannings Hill in the Stony Hill area of Jamaica’s St. Andrew parish, Valiant has emerged as one of the leading voices of dancehall’s new generation – and his forthcoming new EP promises to cement his stardom and carry him into a notably more R&B-infused space.
In 2022, Valiant (born Raheem Bowes) broke through with a scorching string of singles — “Dunce Cheque,” “Siance,” “Speed Off,” “North Caolina,” and “C.A.L (Cut All Losses)” among them – that established his singular slang (“Kotch e hat a lie”) and his melodic approach to trap dancehall. The following year, he dropped his 20-song 4:14 mixtape, which he supported with performances across the Caribbean and the U.K. Although his breakthrough was fairly recent, Valiant, 26, has been recording music for over a decade; the young father was even a part of Popcaan’s Unruly Camp once upon a time.
After signing to Sony Music UK’s newly relaunched Epic Records in late 2023, Valiant dropped his A Gift from Me to You EP, which gave way to an even bigger 2024 — with hits like “Flava,” “Lumbah” and “Baddiedeh.” In 2024, Valiant won best Caribbean music act at the MOBO Awards and male dancehall artist of the year at the Caribbean Music Awards. This year, Valiant is looking to defend his title at the latter award show, which announces its victors on Aug. 28 at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, N.Y.
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Out on May 23 via Epic/Sony Records UK, Valiant’s forthcoming new EP, Prove Them Wrong, intends to do exactly as its title suggests. From detractors and doubters to those apprehensive of the longevity of dancehall or Valiant’s versatility, the international star is set to level up significantly from his mixtape days. The new set will feature several collaborations, including tracks with Grammy-nominated R&B singer-songwriter Fridayy and fellow Jamaican dancehall star 450, as well as a heavier R&B sound.
“For this project, I basically did one trap song,” Valiant tells Billboard. “I wanted to give them a different sound; I don’t want it to be [a case where] it sounds like every dancehall project. I wanted different feelings, so I infused my dancehall with a lot of R&B on the new project.”
Featuring cuts like “Selfish,” “Ugly” and “Whole Lotta,” Prove Them Wrong has already established an intriguing Spanish guitar-laced soundscape complemented by thought-provoking ruminations of masculinity and male beauty politics. With over 128 million official on-demand U.S. streams to his name already, according to Luminate, Valiant hopes to exponentially grow that number as he shares his new music with the world.
Speaking with Billboard, Valiant explains why he believes in trap dancehall’s longevity, the origins of his stage name, and why he’ll always bet on Drake.
What’s the first song you remember being stuck in your head?
“Next to You” by Chris Brown and Justin Bieber.
Who are the dancehall figures that you look up to as you navigate your career?
Some of the old legends dem like Shabba [Ranks], Yellowman, Vybz Kartel and Mavado. I look pon what they do inna di game, and try to [note] what to do and what not to do.
Why do you think younger listeners are so drawn to the sound of trap dancehall?
We, as young people, must believe in [ourselves]. As kids, we were rebellious against the bigger kids dem, so I think [younger listeners] like the rebellious behavior and the crazy, creative style we bring in trap dancehall.
Do you think this is a style of music that will have longevity?
Yeah. It’s not like it’s changing from dancehall. If dancehall is the father or the senior, then trap dancehall is the junior.
What’s your favorite song to perform live?
Recently, “Baddiedeh.” Before, it was “Cut All Losses.”
Where’s your favorite place to perform outside of Jamaica?
Mi love performing in the U.K.; mi like Bahamas and Trinidad, too. The U.K. loves dancehall, dem support dancehall. People really come out to the shows when dancehall artists visit. I remember one time I was in Manchester [Parish in Jamaica] and the parents came backstage like, “The kids won’t go home!” [Laughs.]
How do you think you’ve grown since putting out 4:14 in 2023?
4:14 was more of a mixtape I made with friends. It was a vibe. I want fans to hear more from me because there’s a lot of things I couldn’t get to do on [that project]. A lot of people still come to me and say that they listen to 4:14 up to now. Musically, I grow with every song because I always try fi do different things and different sounds. Even if I get criticized, I always try — because you nuh know which songs could cross over and change your life.
Which producers did you work with for Prove Them Wrong?
The producers for this project are DJ Mac, KVRIM, GI, Emoji Records and Crown Heights.
How many tracks should we expect?
Still unknown, but it’s gonna be the length of an album. It’s basically an album.
What was the studio session for “Whole Lotta” like?
I was in the studio with KVRIM and a few other writers, catching a vibe and chilling. I wanted a song that was not about the trap. We never want it to sound speaky-spokey, so we infused the patois with R&B melodies and the Spanish guitar in the riddim.
Do you prefer singing or rapping?
Mi love singing! Growing up, I was singing a lot, and I’ve learned to master my craft. I know when to deejay and when not to deejay, but I’m trying to branch out because I mostly just want to sing.
Who are some vocalists that you study?
I like Sam Smith’s vocals, and Alicia Keys, Adele and John Legend. That’s the type of music I like too.
Who are some of your favorite R&B artists right now?
I like Chris Brown. Partynextdoor and Fridayy too. The Weeknd.
Who’s the greatest rapper alive?
Eminem and then Drake. Drake is an all-around artist and a hitmaker. I’m not saying Kendrick [Lamar] is not a good artist – we need both of them – but if I had to book somebody, I’m booking Drake. If you carry Drake to Jamaica, everybody knows a song from Drake. If Kendrick comes out, they’ll know three or four songs max maybe. Mi sure of that, mi can bet money pon dat. But the crowd will still come out for Kendrick because he’s Kendrick.
Who are some of your dream collaborators?
Rihanna – [I want to do] a whole album with her.
You broke through in the TikTok era of the music industry. How do you think that platform has impacted dancehall specifically?
It’s a good marketing strategy to let people from all over the world hear your music. The younger generation, even the older generation, they’re on TikTok, right? It’s a platform where you can promote a business, your music, anything, and all you have to do is post a short video. It’s a different game.
How’d you come up with your stage name?
I got it from the title of [a 2005 animated film] about birds [fighting in World War II]. It was one of my favorite [movies] growing up, so I looked up the meaning and saw that “valiant” meant courage and brave and all that. Mi seh, “Yuh know? It fit meh.” At first, I was Raheem Melody, and then I changed it.
What excites you most about this generation of dancehall artists?
I like how competitive it is, everybody wanna be on top. I’m trying to cross over. I like to be consistent. I like that my name is always called when discussing the new generation. It’s competitive, but it’s all unity. The new generation is more cooperative and will link up and do things together.