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Rock the Bells returns this summer with the Class of 2025: Summer’s Kool. Standing at the head of the class when the festival makes its New Jersey debut at Newark’s Prudential Center on June 28 will be Busta Rhymes, Redman, Remy Ma, Too $hort and Scarface, among others. The one-night affair is being presented in partnership with the Black Promoters Collective.
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Spanning generations, genres and regions, the lofty lineup also includes Eric B. & Rakim, KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane, Plies, Boosie, Fabolous, Lil’ Mo and Capone-N-Noreaga. Representing the underground will be M.O.P. and Coast Contra. There will also be a special Uptown Records Celebration. Curated by DJ Eddie F, the salute will feature performances by Al B. Sure!, Donell Jones, Christopher Williams, Monifah, Soul for Real and more. The entire evening will be hosted by recently minted Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award honoree and rap pioneer Roxanne Shanté and soundtracked by the legendary DJ Kid Capri.
In a statement announcing this year’s festival, Rock the Bells founder LL Cool J said, “Rock the Bells has always been about the elevation, preservation and innovation of hip-hop. Class of 2025: Summer’s Kool is more than a festival — it’s a cultural homecoming. We’re celebrating the artists who built the foundation and the new voices pushing it forward, all in one night. This is hip-hop in its full glory — past, present and future.”
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Noted Shelby Joyner, president of the Black Promoters Collective, “Partnering with LL Cool J and the Rock the Bells festival is an extension of our shared commitment to celebrating Black culture through powerful live experiences. This isn’t just an event — it’s a cultural movement. We’re proud to help bring together generations of fans and legends to honor hip-hop’s impact and ensure its legacy continues to thrive on the biggest stages.”
Additional artists will be announced in the coming week. For more information about tickets, visit the Rock the Bells website.
Rock The Bells 2025
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On the latest Billboard 200 albums chart (dated April 26), SZA’s SOS surpasses Adele’s 21 for the most weeks spent in the top 10 among albums by women.
SOS, released in 2022, garners its 85th nonconsecutive week in the top 10 on the chart, where it climbs 4-3. Adele’s 21, released in 2011, was last in the top 10 for its 84th and final (nonconsecutive) week in the region on the Jan. 9, 2016-dated chart.
The new April 26, 2025-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website April 22.
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Both SOS and 21 are former No. 1s, with SOS having spent 12 weeks atop the tally and 21 having logged 24 weeks at No. 1 (a record among albums by women). SOS collected its two most recent weeks at No. 1 in January following its SOS Deluxe: LANA reissue with additional songs.
Further, SOS now ties Peter, Paul and Mary’s self-titled album for the third-most weeks in the top 10 among albums by a singular artist. They both trail two albums by Morgan Wallen (Dangerous: The Double Album, with 158; and One Thing at a Time, with 106).
Since the Billboard 200 began publishing on a regular weekly basis, with the March 24, 1956-dated chart, the album with the most weeks in the top 10 is the original cast recording of stage musical My Fair Lady, with 173 weeks in the top 10 between 1956-60.
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.
Albums With the Most Weeks in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 Chart:Weeks in Top 10, Artist, Title, Year First Reached Top 10173, Original Cast, My Fair Lady, 1956158, Morgan Wallen, Dangerous: The Double Album, 2023109, Soundtrack, The Sound of Music, 1965106, Morgan Wallen, One Thing at a Time, 2023106, Soundtrack, West Side Story, 1962105, Original Cast, The Sound of Music, 196090, Soundtrack, South Pacific, 195887, Original Cast, Camelot, 196187, Original Cast, Oklahoma!, 195685, SZA, SOS, 202285, Peter, Paul and Mary, Peter, Paul and Mary, 196284, Adele, 21, 201184, Bruce Springsteen, Born in the U.S.A., 1984(From March 24, 1956, through the April 26, 2025-dated chart)
Because of how the Billboard 200 chart is now compiled, where streaming activity is blended with album sales and track sales, albums tend to spend a longer time on the list thanks to continued streaming activity. The chart only began utilizing streaming information in its methodology in December 2014. Before then, the chart was based solely on traditional album sales.
Also, a lengthy tracklist with multiple popular songs can help accrue large streaming totals, so albums like SOS, One Thing at a Time and Dangerous — each with more than 30 songs apiece — benefit from the continued weekly streams of their long tracklists.
Further, older albums (known as catalog albums; generally defined today as titles at least 18 months old) were mostly restricted from charting on the Billboard 200 from May 25, 1991, through Nov. 28, 2009. After that, catalog and current (new/recently released) albums have charted together on the Billboard 200. In turn, older albums now regularly spend hundreds of weeks on the chart. On the April 26, 2025-dated list, for example, there are more than 30 albums with least 400 total weeks on the chart. Before the rule change in December 2009, allowing catalog albums back onto the chart, only three albums had spent more than 400 weeks on the list – led by Pink Floyd’s chart-topping The Dark Side of the Moon. Today, it continues to hold the record for the most weeks on the list, with 990.
It may have been Easter Weekend, but Kendrick Lamar didn’t wait until the third day for his return. After rocking the Super Bowl LIX halftime show with a visually striking set built around his Billboard 200-topping GNX LP, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Compton MC mounted the first show of his sprawling, SZA-assisted Grand National stadium tour. Kicking off the trek in Minneapolis, Minn., K.Dot and SZA treated fans to a nearly three-hour show packed with hit collaborations like their Billboard Hot 100-topping “Luther” and fan favorites from their respective catalogs.
As if launching a stadium tour wasn’t impressive enough, Lamar began the weekend as the first musician featured in a Gatorade commercial (April 18). He ended it as Chanel’s new brand ambassador (April 21). Talk about a victory lap!
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Outside of Kung Fu Kenny, the hip-hop and R&B worlds enjoyed winning returns to form from Wiz Khalifa and Keri Hilson, and Ryan Coogler’s Michael B. Jordan-led Sinners — which includes a new original song from Rod Wave — packed theaters across the country.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Leon Thomas and Halle’s heart-wrenching new duet to Sault’s latest inspirational offering. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
Freshest Find: Leon Thomas & Halle, “Rather Be Alone”
With “Mutt” continuing to scale the Hot 100, Leon Thomas’s foot remains squarely planted on the gas pedal. For his latest single, the Grammy-winning multihyphenate tapped Grammy-nominated singer and actress Halle, whose bright, ethereal tone provides the perfect complement to his bluesy timbre. “I’d rather be alone, rather be alone/ Than in a broken home/ I’d rather be alone/ Tryin’ to do this for the both of us on my own,” they harmoniously croon in the song’s chorus. Deepening Leon’s bag of sultry, soulful, rock-infused R&B, “Rather Be Alone” trades specifically on psychedelic influences; the hazy mix accentuates the emotional turmoil both vocalists embody in their retelling of the monumental choice of personal peace over past traumas. — KYLE DENIS
Naomi Sharon, “The Only Love We Know”
Naomi Sharon is coming to grips that true self-love comes from within. “The Only Love We Know” finds the First Lady of OVO exploring that journey with an ethereal island-tinged tune, which serves as the title track of her upcoming EP. Sharon’s seductive vocals are amplified by a powerful choir. “All I got is pride, do it better/ But this love is a lie/ We can’t hold together,” she sings with clarity. When things don’t work out, the 30-year-old says it’s okay to let go and see the other side. A soothing outro feels like water washing over listeners, getting a new lease on life. — MICHAEL SAPONARA
Estee Nack & al.divino feat. ???, “American Graffiti”
Repping Lawrence and Lynn, Massachusetts, respectively, Estee Nack and al.divino let off their first single from their collab tape Coldest Combo Ever with producer Grubby Pawz, and they brought along ??? (aka The Hidden Character) along for the ride. All three of them of go crazy over Grubby’s production as they spit stream-of-consciousness street raps. — ANGEL DIAZ
Davido feat. Victoria Monét, “Offa Me”
Davido and Victoria Monét link up on “Offa Me” to deliver a sultry, hypnotic Afro-fusion track that blends romantic tension, desire, and emotional openness. It’s a flirtatious conversation between two lovers who want to explore each other on a deeper level, both physically and emotionally. Victoria leads with vulnerability and seduction, singing, “Come and show me what it is that you’ve got to offer me.” She’s asking for more than just surface-level energy, she wants her lover to be fully present. The repeated line “take this off of me” is a metaphor for emotional layers and a literal request for intimacy. The chemistry between Davido and Victoria Monét is heavy, the beat is breezy, and the vibes are all about mutual love, respect, and attraction—a perfect track for the impending warm weather. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON
Statik Selektah feat. Westside Gunn, Joey Bada$$, Stove God Cooks, & Rome Streetz, “The Louvre”
Westside Gunn and his Griselda imprint have made posse cuts a thing again, so we can thank him for this Statik Selektah cut, essentially featuring three of the Buffalo label’s artists and Brooklyn’s Joey Bada$$, who has been getting back to rapping more consistently as his acting career has taken off. And shout out Lawrence, Massachusetts, once again, because they’re getting a lot of love on Fresh Picks today with Statik hailing from there as well. This cut is expected to be on the producer’s upcoming project Expensive Taste, due out later this year. — A.D.
Jae Stephens, “SMH”
Ahead of her stint as an opener for FLO’s Access All Areas Tour next month, rising R&B-pop star Jae Stephens has finally shared her highly anticipated “SMH” single. Building on the funky, percussive, Neptunes-evoking sonic template she opted for on 2024’s “Body Favors,” Stephens delivers an anthem for everyone juggling a roster as the summer approaches. “I got Chris, I met online/ Sean ain’t s–t but he so fine/ I might be theirs, but they ain’t mine/ I got so so so so, so many/ Hoes” she sings, nimbly moving from falsetto to conversational talk-singing cadence. Accompanied by a video featuring fellow R&B darlings Maeta and TA Thomas, Jae Stephens is ready for her takeover. — K.D.
Mozzy & Polo G, “Who Want War”
After Mozzy’s “Sleep Walkin” played a role in Black Panther, it’s fitting that the Sacramento native’s Intrusive Thoughts album arrived the same weekend Ryan Coogler released his Sinners blockbuster. A standout from Mozzy’s set narrating his street tales came in the form of a collaboration with Polo G titled “Who Want War,” which found the Chicago resident turning back to the clock with his cinematic assist. Polo gets candid about how even with his lucrative career changing his surroundings, he still can’t escape loss. “Thirty M’s in, still paying for these funerals,” he raps. — M.S.
Planta Industrial, “Oi”
This blew my mind the first time I heard it. Hailing from the Bronx, Planta Industrial is a couple of Dominicans mixing rap with punk rock, and it sounds different and refreshing. The one thing that stands out to me about their music is how Saso and AKA the Dark Knight go from rapping in English to Spanish, so effortlessly. They’re definitely carving out a lane all to themselves. Check out their other bangers “That’s My B—ch” and “Anormales.” — A.D.
Sleepy Hallow, “Girls Like Girls”
Sleepy Hallow’s “Girls Like Girls” dives into the emotional confusion, trust issues, and miscommunication that often come with modern relationships. In the pre-chorus, he admits he bottles up his feelings: “I might tell her I’m not okay but never tell her what’s wrong.” It’s a relatable moment of emotional distancing, fearful that if he opens up, he’ll be judged or misunderstood. Meanwhile, the girl finds her escape by partying with friends, using music and sisterhood as her coping mechanism. “Girls Like Girls” is a moody reflection on how people cope with emotional pain — some through withdrawal, others through escape. It’s a commentary on love in a time where trust is fragile, communication breaks down easily, and the healing process is often messy and personal. — C.C.
Sault, “K.T.Y.W.S.”
Four months after Mercury Prize winner Little Simz sued Grammy-nominated producer and longtime studio collaborator Dean “Inflo” Cover — which she opened up about in a recent Billboard profile — Sault (led by Cover and his wife, Cleo Sol) unleashed their 12th studio album, 10. Released just in time for Easter, the 10-track set is a sumptuous fusion of soul and Christian music, delivering heartfelt affirmations and words of inspiration at every turn. With a blend of disco, gospel and R&B on “K.T.Y.W.S” (a backronym for “Known That You Will Survive”) that recalls Kirk Franklin and the Clark Sisters’ most dancefloor-leaning offerings, 10 certainly isn’t lacking in the bop department. — K.D.
Wiz Khalifa & RMR, “Just to See You Smile”
It’s rare Wiz Khalifa gets vulnerable on melodic tracks, and he wears his heart on his sleeve with the poignant “Just to See You Smile.” Wiz dedicates the first verse to his mother as he opens up about her working two jobs to provide and the times he had to hide dealing weed from her. They’ve come a long way from the days of her driving him to his first shows. Pieced together by a sparkling chorus from RMR, Khalifa then moves into a tribute to his late older sister, who passed away in 2017. “You always showed me love, plus made me tougher/ And now that you gone, I realize I won’t get another,” Khalifa raps. While it won’t gain the mainstream acclaim of Ye’s “Hey Mama” or 2Pac’s “Dear Mama,” it’s one of the most powerful songs in Wiz’s Hall-of-Fame career, and speaks to his maturity and perspective as an artist who’s stood the test of time. — M.S.
Ovrkst. feat Samara Cyn, “Small Talk”
Two of rap’s youngest shining stars, Ovrkast. and Samara Cyn come through with a banger produced by the Bay Area MC himself. “Small Talk” puts their talents on full display as they both bring their unique flows and perspective to Ovrkast.’s laid back production in anticipation of the rapper slash producer’s upcoming project, which some are speculating is entitled While the Iron Is Hot. — A.D.
bLAck pARty, “Distant Lover”
On “Distant Lover,” bLAck pARty delivers a dreamy, nostalgic ode to a long-distance romance that’s heavy on longing and light on drama. The track floats with smooth vocals, as he tries to bridge the gap between himself and someone who’s physically far but emotionally close. In the first verse, pARty paints the picture of an ideal connection — white wine, slow moments, and affection. “Distant lover” is both a term of endearment and a signal that this connection hasn’t fully blossomed because of the space. “Distant Lover” is about that almost-love, that “what if” connection you can’t quite shake. The track wraps that feeling of wanting someone who feels just out of reach into something beautiful and soothing. — C.C.
Alex Warren moves up in the top 10. Tetris Kelly:This is the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 for the week dated April 26. Morgan Wallen falls to 10, while Benson bounces to No. 9 after Coachella. BigXthaPlug’s country collab slips to eight. Teddy Swims is up to seven. Shaboozey is locked at No. 6. Alex […]
“I’m free … I had to give up music for a while. I thought it would just be for a year. I realize now I’m grateful for all of those years because I have built myself back up. It is kind of a comeback.”
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So declares Keri Hilson in “Grateful,” the track that introduces We Need to Talk: Love — her first album in 15 years since 2010’s sophomore set No Boys Allowed. Released April 18 on her own imprint Audible Art Club via Create Music Group, the nine-track Love finds the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter back in true form after a memorable run of multigenre-fused hits such as the platinum singles “Knock You Down” and “Pretty Girl Rock,” “Energy,” “Turnin Me On” with Lil Wayne and her vocal feature on Timbaland’s “The Way I Are,” which she co-wrote with the artist-producer.
This time around, Hilson collaborated with songwriters and producers like Tiffany Red, Danja (who, she says, “has worked on every project I’ve had”) and Needlz and Donut. Prefaced by lead single “Bae,” the album’s other notable tracks include the raw “Naked,” “Say That” (“It’s like a soft rock song… It’s different for me”), “Whatever” (“It’s going to touch people”) and “Somethin (Bout U)” (“I couldn’t stop ad libbing in the booth”). Hilson also notes this album is the first in a three-project arc — Love. Drama. Redemption. — that chronicles her 15-year break from the solo career she launched in 2009 with debut album In a Perfect World.
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“‘Grateful’ is actually an excerpt from an interview I did with [psychic medium] Reginald Lewis that aired on Steve Harvey’s show,” recalls Hilson. “It was a real and special moment; I was in tears. So we decided to put that on to help explain as I’ve got several albums’ worth of music and want to tell a cohesive story — love, drama, redemption — like a movie. I realized I had a thread that would weave this tapestry together.”
While the rollout of the next two albums is still being determined, Hilson is also starring in a new film: Temptations: Fame. Premiering April 26 on Lifetime, the movie is the latest chapter in an acting career that began with 2012’s Think Like a Man.
During a recent sit-down with Billboard, Hilson shares what she’s learned about Keri the person and Keri the singer-songwriter over the last 15 years: “That I’m pretty freaking courageous… I also learned how important and necessary freedom is as you call your own shots. Those are the two biggest things. It’s been a lot of work, but it’s definitely welcome.”
Was there one moment that sparked your decision to finally release new music?
There was no defining moment. But there was a phase during the last five years where all these serendipitous moments started happening: acting auditions, movie offers, fans walking up and saying, “You helped me leave an unhealthy relationship or marriage” with songs like “Beautiful Mistake.” Then there were happenstance encounters with people that could help me on the business side to structure my label the way that I wanted. So I felt redemption, vindication. Energy in the universe made it so very clear that it’s time. I couldn’t deny it.
What was the deciding factor in choosing midtempo “Bae” as the lead single?
It was the perfect first song for the simple fact that it’s straightforward. You’re hearing me without a lot of heavy arrangement. You’re hearing me just carry on the mic, with no feature. There is a sample [of Hurricane Chris’ 2007 single “A Bay Bay”] that is supportive but not overpowering; we were very intentional on that. It felt like a toe in the water and the perfect tempo to reintroduce myself with. And my partner loves “Bae.”
While recording, I was listening to my repertoire, which includes Bobby Brown, Babyface, Ms. Lauryn Hill: the things that have inspired me are still the same things that always inspire me. I’m also a Bruno Mars fan, and that Silk Sonic collaboration was everything, doing old things in a new way.
Why was Method Man, the only guest on this album, your choice for the song “Searchin’”?
There’s a tribal nature about that song, but there’s also this New York street essence that reminded me of Wu-Tang and only Wu-Tang. And I love Method Man; always been a fan of his cadence, voice and his look, which ain’t bad either [laughs]. Plus I’d just done a film [2021’s A Hip Hop Family Christmas] with his partner in crime, Redman. So I got in touch with Method Mad and he was so gracious, saying “Just let me know when you need me, what you need from me; just tell me and I’m there.” That’s just the energy that you want to have as an artist, especially [when you’re] re-emerging. It’s scary. You want and need the support. And he’s just such brother energy; a good guy.
Looking back on the music industry then vs. now, has it changed for the better or worse?
Starting with the better, artists have more freedom to literally create and carve out their own space, like real estate. And because of social media, people are flipping the channel to find where artists are setting up shop. That’s a great thing. Now we [artists] are in charge of curating our own channels. But while we’re in a new world, there are also some negatives in that it has created a lot of fear for the average artist. You want your music to work. You want the traffic, the sales and streams, to sell out shows. So it creates an environment, a culture of safe music.
Even within your own sphere, you’re like, “This is what I’m known for. I can’t deviate from that. This is what they want from me, and I have to serve that.” Your fans will even say it: “Keep making songs like …” and put you in a box. It’s pressure both internally and externally. And that’s the sad part. I’ve never followed rules, and I don’t plan on starting now. It’s necessary for people to come in and mix this shit up. That’s what I’m aiming to do.
Speaking of social media, you recently experienced a trending moment after sharing your regrets about a Beyoncé diss on the remix to your 2009 hit “Turnin Me On,” which later drew reaction from songwriter Ester Dean.
Obviously, the scope of social media has changed to be very salacious, a lot more than when I was out before. And that can be difficult to navigate. But despite this culture of negativity and click bait, nothing feels better than truth. That’s the best weapon. If you know you’re being honest and truthful, then you can stand up to anything because your authenticity and integrity are all you have at the end of the day. And that’s all I want to say about that.
What role does acting play in satisfying yourself creatively?
It’s a longer escape. Music can be an escape for a day or two. But while I’m creating movies, I get to pause time for much longer periods. It allows me to escape reality, and that’s really part of why I dove head first into it. My father passed in January 2020. I’d done a couple movies prior to that but now it was a departure from my grief, a welcome thing. I realized that I can kind of pause time, step away from myself and these heavy feelings. To smile and laugh because the character’s bubbly. It helped pull me out of that dark space.
Keri Hilson ‘We Need to Talk’
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Kendrick Lamar & SZA – who are currently sitting atop the Billboard Hot 100 for the eighth week with their “Luther” collab from the former’s GNX album – kicked off the most anticipated tour of 2025 in Minneapolis on Saturday (April 19) night at the U.S. Bank Stadium. The Grand National Tour’s start saw the […]
The year’s most anticipated tour has arrived. On Saturday (April 19), Kendrick Lamar & SZA’s co-headlining Grand National Tour opened in Minneapolis at the U.S. Bank Stadium. Not every artist has the benefit of kicking off a tour while occupying the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, but the TDE tandem are not […]
This week, Billboard is publishing a series of lists and articles celebrating the music of 20 years ago. Our 2005 Week continues here with a conversation with Amerie about her 2005, which included the release of her biggest and most-beloved hit to date: the pop&B classic “One Thing.”
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When Amerie recorded her Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit “1 Thing” in New York City, she was a twenty-something singer/songwriter fully immersed in her craft, using a bag of Guacamole Doritos to keep her motivated. Racing to finish the go-go-tinged track, she and producer Rich Harrison paced through the arduous 12-hour session, as the singer occasionally treated herself to one or two chips after completing a section of the song.
“I was growing and vocally coming into myself, and that was playing off what [Harrison] was creating,” she recalls of the song’s creation. “He was able to create based on what I was bringing. I was like his muse. For me, we’re like musical soulmates. We just fit. When it came to anyone really doing anything, there was going to be an element of me and Rich in that, because we created something special together. It’s hard to get away from it.”
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For Amerie, it’s hard to get away from music. After a 16-year hiatus since her last studio album, In Love & War, the singer-songwriter will mark her triumphant return to music with her upcoming self-titled album — while also releasing a new novel, This Is Not a Ghost Story.
“Overall, it’s easier for me to take constructive criticism as a writer of fiction versus songwriting in music,” says Amerie, whose new book drops June 10. “When I try to create songs, I do the least amount of thinking. With writing, it’s very cerebral. Doing so much writing and rewriting helped me get my ideas across much clearer and faster in my songwriting.”
Below, Billboard speaks to Amerie about the 20th anniversary of “1 Thing,” why the label was initially against the record, if Jennifer Lopez almost had the song before her and more.
I heard Doritos played a huge role during the recording process of “One Thing.” Is that true?
I remember I needed a [metaphorical] carrot. I was almost like a puppy. I needed a treat, and I gotta space them out. It’s like when you study; if you read two pages, you get two cheese balls. So for me, it became a game and kind of way to keep me going in the studio. It was like, “If you get this verse right, you get a chip.” [Laughs.]
So when I recorded “One Thing,” I was eating the Guacamole Doritos. I don’t even know if they make ’em anymore, but it was like, “You get a chip after finishing a take.” It was like I’d get two chips and then I’d have a tea — it was green tea. That kind of kept me going through the session, because you gotta belt that song out. Like the whole song. That kept me going those 12 hours [of recording].
Your producer Rich sampled The Meters’ “Oh Calcutta” for the song and it had such a go-go flare to it. Was it easy for you to adapt to that kind of production?
And he did that. The original sample, you can feel the vibe there, but the way he flipped it is what really made it feel go-go. It was pretty easy, because I was used to Rich at that point. So all of that was different from some of the stuff that we did before. There’s a certain kind of common thread that he has in his percussion and his production, but I will say when I first heard it, it was a little like, “OK.” It was that moment when I was like, “All right. I’m gonna sing over this. ‘Kay.”
But Rich and I have such a trust sonically. We always fit together like two puzzle pieces. There’s so much trust there that he didn’t really have to convince me to be like, “We should try this, or try that.” That’s kind of why we gelled so much when we started working together. When we met for the first time, I played him so stuff that he written and he played me some stuff that he was working on. I kind of knew there was something there and then when we actually went in for our first session, we just clicked really quickly. Nothing has ever been a reach for us.
The label said the record felt “very linear” when they first heard the record. What were your initial thoughts to their feedback?
I remember they sent some different suggestions of the hook that I thought to not really be right at all. Not terrible on their own… but trying to make that hook a part of the song was a bad idea. I was like, “Don’t you hear that sounds not good?” But they were just thinking, “What is a big hook?” Thinking, instead of feeling it. But their reasons were good. They were trying to make the biggest record possible.
It’s like a careful dance everyone has to do on their sides. At the end of the day, you just have to remember, everyone is not going to get it every time.
Did you have an “A-ha” moment when you guys leaked the record and the feedback from the fans came back positively? How did the label take it?
Well, I think they were playing catch-up. I didn’t have an “a-ha” moment, because everything was moving too fast. For me, it was, “How do we catch up?” The label was on board and I’m glad it worked out. It was too quick for me, but I did learn an important lesson, though.
One song that was gonna be a single was “Talkin About,” which was so dope. The reason why it didn’t was because I was traveling a lot. Again, things were happening so quickly and they were ready for the video, but I just didn’t like the video treatments I was getting. They weren’t the worst, but they weren’t exactly right. I took too long to decide, because I was overseas, and all this stuff was happening. Because I took so long, it gave them too much time to be like, “You know what? We can just work on another album. Let’s put the money towards another album.” I was like, “Wait, no!” But they’ve already made that decision.
So then I learned an important lesson — you gotta be nimble and move fast. When things happen quickly, switch. And don’t be a perfectionist — ‘coz I am a perfectionist, and being a perfectionist sometimes will freeze you.
Were you a fan of the movie Hitch, and how much the song was incorporated into the film?
Carl, what if I hated the movie? [Laughs.]
And that’s OK! 20 years later, you might have different thoughts.
No, I thought the movie was really cute. I really did like it. I enjoyed it. There’s so many people around the world that know the song because of the movie, which surprises me every time. It shows you the power of multimedia. You have the music itself, but just from the film, I’m so surprised how many people know it from that ’cause they would be like, “Hitch! Hitch. ‘1 Thing.’ Hitch.” So they’re attached together. I’m glad it was attached to something that was a feel-good movie. It made sense.
You handpicked Eve for the remix. What went into that decision considering the standard formula back then was grabbing a male hip-hop star to balance out the song with a female R&B artist?
Looking at it now, there’s so many female rappers, and so many of them made such inroads in the game that you can forget that it was pretty difficult [back then]. You can count on one hand how many were really prominent. It didn’t feel like it was groundbreaking at the time. She was just dope, and had good energy. I knew she would bring a lot to the record.
I heard Jennifer Lopez first wanted the record. Was that true?
I don’t know that for a fact, because I didn’t know if it was her who wanted the record or people working with her that wanted the record for her. So I don’t know that.
I thought it was funny, because then Rich produced J-Lo’s “Get Right” shortly after.
Rich and I really did create a sound. Like, he was already doing music, of course and I think he actually played a song with Mary [J. Blige] on [The Breakthrough]. He had a really beautiful song with her that had this hypnotic vibe to it. In any case, he already has his place in it. I was trying to get in the business for a minute and I’d been writing and just trying to figure it out, but when we came together, we really did create something new.
“Touch” was the next single after “1 Thing.” Looking back, would you have done things differently and gone along with another single on the album?
Looking back, I think the next single should have been “Talkin’ About.” The third single was gonna be “Talkin’ About.” It’s not that we should have never gone to “Touch” ever, but I think it should have been “1 Thing” [first] And instead of “Talkin’ About” being a third [single], we should have went ahead and secured it as the second. Then, after that, “Rolling Down My Face” should have been three.
I always thought “Like It Used to Be” was the sequel to “Why Don’t We Fall in Love,” and that it could have worked too.
That’s interesting. I think if there’s any songs that are really essentially puzzle pieces to moments in a relationship, really, they can all fit in all different kinds of ways. “Like It Used To Be” could have been a single. It could actually work now.
Fast forward, you’ve returned to the music space with your new single “Mine” produced by Troy Taylor. It was one of the few records you’ve teased on IG Live. Why was this the first one to come out?
“Mine” we teased when we did a three-song sampler and just played everyone a verse and a hook of three different songs. We listened to how they were feeling about it and we knew how people felt about “Undeniable” as well as one of the up-tempos we played for people too. Those are still coming, they’re still on the album. For the first song, I wanted to give them something that they haven’t heard the whole thing of and come back to “Undeniable” because the song is dope and I want them to hear it for real on streaming and with great amazing quality. I also just wanted them to have something different.
The Weeknd gave fans another sneak peek at his upcoming Hurry Up Tomorrow movie through the lens of his “Drive” music video, which arrived on Friday (April 18). Directed by Trey Edward Shults, who also helms the movie portion, the heart-racing clip will give viewers goosebumps as they go from a state of euphoria to […]
I’m not trying to force my truth on anyone,” Little Simz says firmly. “But I do need to talk about it, for me.”
She’s referring to the shocking dissolution of one of her dearest friendships, which has played out publicly throughout the year. Four months after filing a lawsuit against longtime studio collaborator Dean “Inflo” Cover for allegedly failing to repay a 1.7 million pound loan (roughly $2.2 million), Simz is ready to lift the veil on her side of the implosion. Lotus, out June 6, is her reclamation manifesto — a sonic rendering about ownership of her story, music and confidence.
In the two-and-a-half years since No Thank You, Simz’ fifth studio album and follow-up to 2021’s career-changing Sometimes I Might Be Introvert — which won the 2022 Mercury Prize and scored Simz her first top five entry on the Official U.K. Albums chart — she comfortably settled in among U.K. hip-hop heavyweights, performing at the BAFTA Awards and the Glastonbury festival.
Since launching her career in 2015, Simz had worked closely with Grammy Award-nominated producer Inflo and his wife, acclaimed R&B singer Cleo Sol, frequently joining the couple for collaborations under their Sault moniker. Simz and Inflo met at St. Mary’s Youth Club as children, and the two went on to conquer the U.K. music industry in the years that followed, with Inflo producing three of her albums.
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But in December 2023, according to legal filings, Simz allegedly fronted over $1 million to launch Sault’s first and only live show, during which Inflo and Sol were joined by Simz and Grammy-nominated artist Michael Kiwanuka. But when the debt left her unable to pay her tax liability the next month, according to her filing, something broke inside the rapper.
“I got to a point where I lost my sense of purpose,” she says, carefully choosing her words. “I’m quite an introspective person, especially when it comes to my music. But this time around, it felt harder. Making this album felt like a real breakthrough. I was led by God, my inner child and the Simz that was coming up and had this fire in her belly.”
Lotus — which Simz introduced with the Miles Clinton James-helmed track “Flood” in February — peruses the full spectrum of her emotions throughout her journey to rebuild after one of her closest relationships ended. And on the rambunctious, bluesy album opener, which has yet to be released, she spits: “I’m lucky that I got out now, it’s a shame I really feel sorry for your wife … This person I’ve known my whole life, coming like a devil in disguise.” The song is downright irate — her intonation has rarely been this ferocious — and Simz understood that it was a gamble. “I was really frustrated and hurt, and I wanted to scream,” she says. “But it’s tricky starting off on that foot sometimes.”
To temper the album’s unrelenting moments, Simz explores other relationship dynamics. On one conversational track that feels like a leaked private phone call, she weighs the impact of work and celebrity on family; on a more uptempo cut, she lists the ways her understanding of love has evolved. With more guest stars than any of her previous projects, none of whom she’s ready to reveal, there are a lot of voices on the album, but Simz undoubtedly remains at the center.
Lotus, which she says sources its title from “one of the only flowers that thrive in muddy waters,” prioritizes Simz’ catharsis, but that’s not the only reason it’s such a hard-fought achievement. She tried to complete four other albums since the 2022 release of No Thank You, all to no avail.
“They were great, but it’s more the situation of who I made them with,” she says somewhat wistfully. “In letting go of that relationship, I had to let go of that music… It’s like having a kid with someone; you might split with the person, but you don’t just stop loving the kid.”
Even if those albums are never released, Simz has plenty on the horizon. She will curate London’s Meltdown Festival, taking place June 12-22, which will include her first orchestra-backed live performance. The 11-day undertaking will further cement Simz’ U.K. superstardom, while her U.S. crossover is still taking hold. (Last year, she made her Billboard Hot 100 debut thanks to her feature on Coldplay’s “We Pray,” which hit No. 87.)
Could Lotus be the album to land that jump? Now that Simz has finally regained the confidence to narrate her own story, it very well could be. “I feel like it’s growing slowly but surely,” she says, “and I feel really honored to be a voice from the U.K. that people are taking to.”
This story appears in the April 19, 2025, issue of Billboard.