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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)” […]
Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther” leads the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart for an eighth total and consecutive week. The single, whose title celebrates late R&B legend Luther Vandross, who is sampled on the track, became Lamar’s sixth No. 1 and SZA’s third. Lamar and SZA each extend their longest career Hot 100 reigns with the song.
Meanwhile, “Luther” ties 24kGoldn’s “Mood” (featuring iann dior), which led for eight weeks in 2020-21, for the second-longest Hot 100 command among rap hits this decade, after Roddy Ricch’s “The Box,” which dominated for 11 weeks in 2020. (Rap titles are defined as those that have hit or are eligible for Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart.)
Plus, Drake’s “Nokia” rises 3-2 on the Hot 100 following the first full tracking week after its official video premiered March 31, and two songs enter the top 10: BigXthaPlug’s “All the Way,” featuring Bailey Zimmerman, debuts at No. 4 and Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” bounds 14-7. BigXthaPlug and Warren each earn their first top 10s, marking the first acts to reach the tier for the first time in 2025, while Zimmerman adds his second.
Browse the full rundown of this week’s top 10 below.
The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data, the lattermost metric reflecting purchases of physical singles and digital tracks from full-service digital music retailers; digital singles sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites are excluded from chart calculations. All charts (dated April 19, 2025) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, April 15. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.
‘Luther’ Airplay, Streams & Sales
Ahead of d4vd’s Coachella set, the singer sat down and shared what fans could expect from his performance, and tying it into his new album, working with Kali Uchis on “Crashing,” and more!
What did you think of d4vd’s performance? Let us know in the comments!
Tetris Kelly:
Yo. What’s up? It’s Tetris with Billboard News, and I’m lucky enough to be hanging with an artist that’s performing at Coachella. d4vd, how are you feeling?
d4vd:
I’m great, man. How’re you feeling?
I’m feeling good, but I can’t imagine what is going through your mind right now. So tell me, like, how you are you prepared? Is the Fit ready? What’s the aesthetic?
Ooh, yeah, I went to the fitting yesterday. I had a little vibe check. Little vibe check. I picked out two, two fire outfits. You know, I’m excited. I’m hyped. I’m thrilled. I got all the adrenaline in my body already preparing me for Friday, but I’m excited.
So you said you got two fits picked out. So are you trying to give something different weekend one versus weekend two?
Yeah, yeah. I got this iconic style that I go for, but there’s always like so much to play around with with this style. I don’t give too much away right now, but it’s just coming, bro.
All right, and then what would you say is your style inspiration overall, when you’re, like, preparing for, like, performing or doing a photoshoot.
You know what? I like to keep it like, when I’m on stage, I have this classic kind of business attire to it, like I wear, like this white shirt with like suede pants and like all types of different stuff that kind of brings more swag to the show, you know.
Keep watching for more!
Ahead of d4vd’s Coachella set, the singer sat down and shared what fans could expect from his performance, and tying it into his new album, working with Kali Uchis on “Crashing,” and more!
What did you think of d4vd’s performance? Let us know in the comments!
Tetris Kelly:
Yo. What’s up? It’s Tetris with Billboard News, and I’m lucky enough to be hanging with an artist that’s performing at Coachella. d4vd, how are you feeling?
d4vd:
I’m great, man. How’re you feeling?
I’m feeling good, but I can’t imagine what is going through your mind right now. So tell me, like, how you are you prepared? Is the Fit ready? What’s the aesthetic?
Ooh, yeah, I went to the fitting yesterday. I had a little vibe check. Little vibe check. I picked out two, two fire outfits. You know, I’m excited. I’m hyped. I’m thrilled. I got all the adrenaline in my body already preparing me for Friday, but I’m excited.
So you said you got two fits picked out. So are you trying to give something different weekend one versus weekend two?
Yeah, yeah. I got this iconic style that I go for, but there’s always like so much to play around with with this style. I don’t give too much away right now, but it’s just coming, bro.
All right, and then what would you say is your style inspiration overall, when you’re, like, preparing for, like, performing or doing a photoshoot.
You know what? I like to keep it like, when I’m on stage, I have this classic kind of business attire to it, like I wear, like this white shirt with like suede pants and like all types of different stuff that kind of brings more swag to the show, you know.
Keep watching for more!
On Thursday night (April 10), Mary J. Blige, Mario and Ne-Yo reigned over New York City’s Madison Square Garden with three decades’ worth of R&B classics, heartbreak anthems and street hits.
Launched in support of her 2024 Gratitude album, Mary J. Blige’s For My Fans tour was a career-spanning dedication to her ride-or-die fanbase — an especially pertinent theme, given Thursday night marked Mary’s very first headlining show in her hometown’s most iconic venue. Before the nine-time Grammy winner and two-time Oscar nominee graced the stage, DJ Funk Flex primed the packed crowd — many of whom sported their sexiest boots and finest furs and fittest in honor of Mary’s iconic Misa Hylton-helmed style — with a set of New York ’90s and ’00s classics, including the obligatory phone-flashlight tributes to Biggie and DMX. Flex appeared throughout the night to soundtrack the transition between the artists’ sets, and kill time for production delays.
Mario, the night’s first opener, charmed The Garden with a brief set that included high-energy renditions of “Here I Go Again,” “Just A Friend 2002” and his Billboard Hot 100-topper “Let Me Love You.” Deftly working the stage and wooing the crowd, Mario helped the crowd begin their celebratory walk down memory lane — even though he’s fresh off the release of a new album, 2024’s Glad You Came, which houses “Keep Going (Aaaaahhhhh),” his first Adult R&B Airplay top 10 hit in 20 years. Later this month (April 24), Mario will head to the U.K. and Europe for his Glad You Came Tour, with special guest Eric Bellinger. The duo will hit intimate venues in key cities like London, Paris and Dublin, before concluding in Stockholm, Sweden, on May 17.
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After a brief Funk Flex interlude, three-time Grammy winner Ne-Yo hit the stage for a swanky set that felt like a winning audition for a more full-bodied follow-up to his 2024 Las Vegas mini-residency. Opening with 2006’s “Stay,” Ne-Yo ripped through a well-oiled set that featured beloved cuts like “Closer,” “Sexy Love,” “Because of You,” “Miss Independent” and the 2006 Hot 100-topper “So Sick.” Flanked by hard-working backup dancers and assisted by a rotating collection of different hats, Ne-Yo put on a show that sat right in the lineage of sparkly-suited song-and-dance men.
Once Ne-Yo left the stage, Flex returned for a few more minutes of partying before Mary kicked off the second half of Thursday night’s four-hour R&B extravaganza. Sporting an oversized pink fur and platinum blonde inches, Mary opened her set with a poignant rendition of “Take Me As I Am” on the B-stage, eventually using 1997’s “A Dream” to get in a lift that transported her over the crowd and onto the mainstage, in time for “Love No Limit” and “Mary Jane (All Night Long).”
For the first part of her set, Mary prioritized her “day one” fans, clearly happy to be at home in New York with her people. At one point she did a bit of 1999’s “Your Child” a cappella, quizzing the crowd (who passed with flying colors) on the song’s lyrics. Mary spent most of her time on the main stage, which featured a massive structure of kintsugi hands clutching a crown, in front of video backdrops that frequently showcased Mary’s biggest career moments — from her dual 2018 Oscar nominations to her 2022 Super Bowl halftime show appearance.
The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul sauntered across the stage freestyling and hitting choreography with her backup dancers in a seemingly endless collection of gorgeous leotard-centric costumes — most of which came complete with a matching fitted and pair of boots. With 2005’s monster hit “Be Without You” placed in the center of the setlist, Mary smartly spread her biggest hits throughout the setlist, ensuring the show’s energy wasn’t centralized in one section. 2021’s Grammy-nominated “Good Morning Gorgeous” proved one of her set’s early highlights, accented by a passionate, gospel-evoking testimonial that previewed similar moments during “No More Drama” later in the night. Mary’s repeated message of gratitude for her relationship with her fans and their special bond of constant healing and maturation proved the night’s most emotional moments. With the current state of ticket pricing, it’s not often an artist’s crowd so accurately reflects the specific audience they serve and speak to, so it was especially beautiful to feel the love and mutual gratitude in The Garden on Thursday night.
Immediately after “Gorgeous,” Mary sang a pair of songs from her Gratitude album — “Here I Am” and “Don’t F–k Up” — the night’s lone dull moment. Earlier in her set, she performed the album’s lead single, “Breathing,” bringing out Fabolous to perform his guest verse. Soon after, Jadakiss came out for his verse on “Need You More,” which also appears on Gratitude. Unfortunately, both guest appearances were briefly marred by sound issues. Mary also reached out to a younger generation of BX hip-hop titans, tapping A Boogie Wit da Hoodie for a quick “Look Back at It” performance.
To end the night on a high note, Mary tore through some of her most enduring uptempo hits, including “The One,” “Just Fine,” “I Can Love You” — albeit with no Lil’ Kim — “MJB Da MVP” and, of course, her six-week Hot 100-topper, “Family Affair.”
To celebrate her very first MSG show as the lone headliner, Mary teamed up with Veeps to exclusively live-stream the April 10 show around the world. Each ticket included access to the live stream and an unlimited seven-day rewatch period. Veeps All Access members will be able to access the show for free as part of their subscription.
The For My Fans Tour will spend one more night in New York — at Long Island’s UBS Arena (April 11) — before concluding with its original lineup on April 19 in Memphis, Tenn. From April 21 to April 27, Mary will play four solo shows to officially bring the tour to a close.
Ashanti flew over to Hawaii for the upcoming episode of American Idol, where she treated fans to a jaw-dropping live performance. The Grammy-winning superstar joined artist-in-residence Jelly Roll as a mentor for season 24. To celebrate the kick-off of nationwide voting and the top 12 of this season’s competition, Ashanti performed her 2008 hit “The […]
Tyla has bars. In her recent Nylon cover story, the South African singer revealed that she’s made “full-on rap songs” and plans to share one with fans someday. When asked if she had a specific pop star she wanted to emulate as a kid, Tyla answered that while she didn’t idolize one specific person, she […]
Kai Cenat and Ray J‘s recent #sleepovergate has taken a dark turn.
During a recent stream, Ray J hit up the popular streamer and asked if he can be invited to one of the sleepovers Cenat has done in the past with comedians such as Druski and Kevin Hart. However, the way he asked made it seem like he wanted to sleep with Kai, which made him uncomfortable.
“Y’all have sleepovers before right,” Ray asked Kai over the phone. “I didn’t mean it like anything. I meant it how y’all meant it. I want to sleep over, too. I want to sleep with y’all n—as too. That’s how I meant it; pause, I know. That was a lot.”
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He then brought up when Kai streams himself in the shower while wearing swimming trunks. “But that’s what I meant,” he continued. “Is like if y’all was in the shower then y’all was in the shower, y’all took a shower together. I’m like, s—t, I’ll take a shower with them n—as like on a stream, of course, with clothes on, bro. You know what I mean?”
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Adding, “The next sleepover — if I’m not invited, it’s cool, I’ll just be hurt about it. But I was hurt about the first one. And I’m like, ‘Damn, man, these n—as in the city, they over there sleeping in the bed like I wanna sleep in the bed too! I don’t mean with you, I mean I want my own bunk. Kevin Hart gotta bunk, Druski gotta bunk. N—a, this a big night! This one of the biggest nights. I wanna sleep too, my n—a.”
This led to Ray J’s sister Brandy appearing to send him a YouTube clip of his convo with Kai and said, “Come on Ray? What’s going on with you? You’re so much better than this!!”
He shared a screenshot of a message from someone named “Rocket” in his phone, and attached a lengthy rant about his family and kids on his Instagram Stories Wednesday (April 9). “My sister hates who I am!” he wrote. “And all I’m doing is being myself! I don’t know how to be better than who I am. I tried. But I get depressed trying to change when I don’t have a wife anymore and I have no stability!! I’m sorry to my sister for who I am. And my mom. I don’t give a f about nobody else’s feelings but when it’s my family it makes me feel alone.”
“So I turn up more!!” he continued. “Stay tuned — to my kids who might see this later when they are older – just know I work hard for you and only you!! – if it wasn’t for you Melody and Epik I would’ve been locked up or dead!! — I’m crashing out tonight.”
Billboard has reached out to Brandy’s rep for comment.
Buju Banton, Jagged Edge, The Roots and Lil Kim are among the first wave of artists announced as performers for its BET Experience 2025 concert series. The BET Media Group’s multiday celebration, which also includes the free BETX FanFest, will take place on June 5-8 in Los Angeles followed by this year’s BET Awards (June […]