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Tyler, The Creator’s CHROMAKOPIA secures a second consecutive and total week atop the Billboard 200 chart (dated Nov. 16). It’s the rapper’s first album to spend two consecutive weeks at No. 1, and second set to log at least two frames in the lead. He previously notched two nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 with Call Me If You Get Lost — separated by nine months — in 2021-22. He ruled the list with one other album, Igor, which logged one frame at No. 1 in 2019.
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CHROMAKOPIA earned 160,000 equivalent album units in the United States in the week ending Nov. 7 (down 47% in its second week), according to Luminate. It’s the set’s first full seven-day tracking week on the chart, following an abbreviated debut frame of only four days, as the album was released on an off-cycle Monday (Oct. 28; most albums are released on Fridays).
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Also in the top 10 of the new Billboard 200 chart, Lil Uzi Vert scores their fifth top 10 set with the No. 3 debut of Eternal Atake 2, while The Cure achieves its highest charting album over 30 years, and first top 10 in over 20 years, with the No. 4 debut of Songs of a Lost World.
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 Nov. 16, 2024-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Tuesday (Nov. 12). For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Of CHROMAKOPIA’s 160,000 equivalent album units earned in its second week, SEA units comprise 115,500 (down 27%, equaling 160.31 million on-demand official streams of the album’s songs; it holds at No. 1 on the Top Streaming Albums chart), album sales comprise 44,500 (down 69%; it falls to No. 2 on Top Album Sales) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum (down 3%). The set’s sales were aided in its second week by the continued sturdy sales of six deluxe collectible boxed sets (each containing a CD, poster and another branded merch item). The album’s second week got a sales boost from the release of its stand-alone CD and two additional boxed sets. All physical variants of the album are exclusively sold via Tyler, The Creator’s official webstore.
Sabrina Carpenter’s chart-topping Short n’ Sweet steps 3-2 with 68,000 equivalent album units earned (down 9%).
Lil Uzi Vert’s Eternal Atake 2 bows at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, marking the fifth top 10-charting set for the rapper (all of which have reached the top three). The set launches with 59,000 equivalent album units earned, of which SEA units comprise 56,000 (equaling 76.43 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs), album sales comprise 3,000 and TEA units comprise a negligible sum.
The album was announced Oct. 24 and released on Nov. 1. Its first-week sales were aided by the album’s availability across seven CD variants (five with a randomized branded trading card; one with a branded T-shirt and a CD in a collectible box; and a standard CD) and a digital download.
The Cure debuts in the top five on the Billboard 200 with Songs of a Lost World, bowing at No. 4, marking the band’s highest charting album since 1992 and first top 10 since 2004. Songs of a Lost World is the group’s first album of new material since 2008. The new album is the act’s third top 10-charting set on the Billboard 200, following its self-titled effort (No. 7 in July 2004) and Wish (No. 2 in May 1992).
Songs of a Lost World bows with 57,000 equivalent album units earned (the act’s best week by units). Of that sum, album sales comprise 53,000 (The Cure’s biggest sales week since 2004, when its self-titled album launched with 91,000), SEA units comprise 4,000 (equaling 5.02 million on-demand official streams of the album’s songs) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum. Songs of a Lost World also debuts at No. 1 on Top Album Sales; the first leader for The Cure on the 33-year-old chart. The new album’s first-week sales were bolstered by its availability across five vinyl variants (which sold a combined 23,000 copies; the band’s best week on vinyl since Luminate began tracking sales in 1991), a standard CD, a CD/blu-ray audio package, two cassettes, a standard digital download and a deluxe digital download with five bonus live tracks (exclusive to the band’s webstore).
Songs of a Lost World was released on Nov. 1, and cryptically announced in early September. The set’s title and release date were confirmed on Sept. 26, alongside the release of the album’s first cut (and first new song in 16 years), “Alone.” On Oct. 9, a second song from the set, “A Fragile Thing,” arrived. The latter track climbs 25-22 (a new peak) on Alternative Airplay and 12-10 on Adult Alternative Airplay. It’s the first charting hit for The Cure on Alternative Airplay since 2008 and the band’s highest-charting song since 2004’s “The End of the World” reached No. 19. On the Adult Alternative Airplay ranking, “Fragile” is the act’s third charting song ever (dating to the chart’s 1996 start), and first to reach the top 10.
Gracie Abrams’ The Secret of Us rises 7-5 on the Billboard 200 with 50,000 equivalent album units (up 2%).
Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess pounces 12-6 with 46,000 equivalent album units earned (up 5%), following the singer’s performance on NBC’s Saturday Night Live (Nov. 2). On the show, she sang the album’s “Pink Pony Club” and a new track, “The Giver.” Princess was last in the top 10 on the Oct. 26-date list when it ranked at No. 6.
Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft climbs 9-7 on the Billboard 200 (44,000 equivalent album units; down 4%); Rod Wave’s Last Lap falls 5-8 (44,000; down 15%); Taylor Swift’s chart-topping The Tortured Poets Department ascends 11-9 (43,000; down 2%); and Morgan Wallen’s former leader One Thing at a Time falls 8-10 (nearly 43,000; down 7%).
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.
Snoop Dogg and his wife, Shante Broadus, were honored with the Black Love Award at the 2024 Give Her FlowHERS Awards Gala.
The legendary hip-hop artist and his spouse accepted the award during Femme it Forward’s third annual gala, held on Friday (Nov. 8) at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
In his acceptance speech, Snoop reflected on the significance of the award. “This is beautiful because throughout my career I’ve been nominated and won a lot of awards, but there’s nothing like an award that brings you back home to the stage to let people know that this is the reason why you are so successful,” the rapper shared, standing beside Shante, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
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He continued, “I’ve been nominated for 20 Grammys and never won one, but this right here, this feels better than one. And to the couples out there tonight, it’s always going to be rocky, it’s always going to be hard, but if it’s true love, and it’s meant to be, it’s going to always be good news. That’s real love. Black love.”
The 2024 Give Her FlowHERS Awards Gala, hosted by Saweetie, also honored other musical artists, including Jill Scott, Chloe Bailey, Halle Bailey, GloRilla, Doechii, Lady London and Nija.
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Saweetie, who was also presented with an award, expressed gratitude in her speech. “I’d like to thank God because without prayer and faith, I would have lost my mind a long time ago,” the rapper said. “We all know this because we know how crazy this industry can get, but tonight this room is safe. Thank you all for allowing us to be vulnerable.”
Femme it Forward founder Heather Lowery, in her opening remarks, seemed to acknowledge the emotional impact of the 2024 U.S. presidential election results, particularly among supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris.
“To the women and girls who are overqualified and undervalued, can you all stand if you’ve felt this way at any point in your journey?” Lowery said, according to THR. “We want to hold space for you tonight and remind you we see you, we honor you, and you are more than enough. You are the reason why we are here tonight. I know we’ve all been overwhelmed with so many emotions over the last few days. I want you to treat your grief the same way you would treat your garden. Nurture it. Give it space, give it time, let it bloom.”
Other notable honors during Friday’s gala included the My Sister’s Keeper Award presented to siblings Chloe and Halle Bailey; the Visionary Award for Doechii; the Big Femme Energy honor for GloRilla; and the Muse Award for Jill Scott.
A few years ago, Tom Hardy met Eminem backstage at a show and it didn’t go quite as the British actor expected. Hardy stopped by DJ Whoo Kid’s Whoo’s House Podcast a couple weeks ago and told the G-Unit affiliate about the time he met the Detroit rapper for the first time. “I went to […]
Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine has reached a deal with federal prosecutors after his recent arrest over alleged violations of his supervised release, agreeing to spend a month in prison and another under house arrest.
The rapper was charged last week with breaking the terms of his years-long probation, which stems from a 2018 plea deal he struck with prosecutors over his involvement with a gang called Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods.
In a letter to the judge filed Tuesday, federal prosecutors said Tekashi had agreed to admit to the probation violations and serve one month in prison, followed by a month of home incarceration, a month of less-restrictive home detention, and then finally a month of curfew.
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The deal will also extend Tekashi’s supervised release — which had been set to expire in six months – to a full year following his release from prison. The rapper’s attorney did not immediately return a request for comment.
Once a rising star in the world of hip-hop and social media, Tekashi was charged in November 2018 with federal racketeering and murder conspiracy charges over his involvement with a New York street gang called Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods. Prosecutors claimed the gang “wreaked havoc on New York City” by “engaging in brazen acts of violence.”
But just a day after being arrested, Tekashi cut a deal with federal prosecutors to flip on his crew in return for lenience. Taking the witness stand during a 2019 trial, he offered detailed and frank testimony about his involvement in the gang and his former gang mates.
Under the deal with prosecutors, Tekashi was sentenced to two years in prison and five years of supervised release and ordered to serve 1,000 hours of community service and pay a $35,000 fine.
The sentence was set to run until July 2020, but Tekashi was released early, in April 2020, after his attorneys argued that the coronavirus pandemic posed an increased risk to him because he has asthma.
Last week, prosecutors alleged that Tekashi had violated his release conditions on numerous occasions, including by traveling to Las Vegas without permission, failing to submit for drug testing and testing positive for methamphetamine.
At his arraignment hearing, the rapper pleaded not guilty and his attorney argued that the failed drug test was from the use of prescribed Adderall. But the judge was unswayed and ordered him jailed until his next court date, citing a “broader pattern” of misconduct during parole that the judge said suggests a “full spectrum disregard for the law.”
Following Tuesday’s agreement, the judge ordered both sides to appear at a hearing next week (Nov. 12) to explain the plea deal and why the sentence “reflects the proper sentence for these violations.”
Tyler, the Creator released his eighth studio album, Chromakopia, on Oct. 28. And on Monday (Nov. 4), the rapper celebrated that album debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The set launched with 299,500 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Oct. 31, his best week ever in terms of […]
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CRT FRSH, Hip-Hop Wired’s playlist where we attempt to showcase music we believe is “Certified Fresh,” is back for the fall season with a truncated selection. Now that we’re back, we’re trimming down the CRT FRSH playlist and updating the concept with our latest drop which we hope you all enjoy.
Disclaimer:
The CRT FRSH playlist is a labor of love. We don’t take payments nor do we do favors. We only add joints to our playlist that fit the theme and vision we’re going for and don’t seek to waste the listener’s time. Further, we don’t stick to one lane of Hip-Hop. We believe that all aspects of the music should get some light, whether it’s young lions in the trenches or those hoping for that one shot to blow up to grizzled veterans puffing out their chests with lots more to say.
I want to explain how I approach curating the CRT FRSH playlist. Most importantly, I don’t segregate my Hip-Hop. Every form of music from the main cultural tree deserves a listen and a look. When I construct the playlist, I want to include all regions across the States and, when applicable, across the globe. I also want to entertain every fan of Hip-Hop, not just those who enjoy one segment of it. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get to it.
For those devoted few who keep up with the updates, you may have noticed I created a playlist in memory of the late Kaseem “KA” Ryan, perhaps Hip-Hop’s greatest lyricist if not the genre’s most sincere and vulnerable. That playlist, which captures just a small slice of who KA was, can be heard by clicking here.
We open up this week’s playlist with Tyler, The Creator’s “Sticky” from his new CHROMAKOPIA, which features GloRilla, Sexyy Red, and Lil Wayne and is considered an early standout among some. We follow that with Megan Thee Stallion’s “Bigger In Texas” from her Megan: Act II reissue and finds the Houston Hottie in prime form.
The Alchemist is great for dropping potent singles out of the thin blue sky and we’re better for it. Adding to that stellar track record is “Ferraris In The Rain 2” featuring Freddie Gibbs and ScHoolboy Q. Danny Brown dropped his solid Quaranta album near the top of the year and the Detroit-born, Austin-based rapper and podcaster released a deluxe of the project. We include the somber “Keep It To Me” from the drop.
The Underachievers, AKTHESAVIOR and Issa Gold have been creating amazing music since their 2013 debut, Indigoism, along with consistent solo projects between then. Their new single “Have Nots” is a continuation of their esoteric poetics and atmospheric beats. We also have Buffalo’s Che Noir and her single “Black Single featuring Rapsody from Che’s The Black Lotus project, which she produced herself.
A strong salute to Patty Honcho, Lil Uzi Vert, A$AP Ferg, RXKNephew, Knowitall, Chuck Strangers, Milc, Blaq Chidori, Ab-Soul, BigXThaPlug, El Cousteau and the rest of the contributors to this week’s playlist.
Check out the latest CRT FRSH drop below.
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The long-awaited reunion of the Hot Boys has finally taken place.
On Saturday (Nov. 2), the iconic rap supergroup — featuring Lil Wayne, Juvenile, Turk and B.G. — performed together for the first time in more than 15 years at Wayne’s Lil WeezyAna Fest in New Orleans.
The group’s 22-minute set included songs like “Get Your Roll On,” “I Need a Hot Girl,” and “Neighborhood Superstar,” during which the act was joined by Big Tymers’ Mannie Fresh and Birdman, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. Watch the performances here.
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This year’s Lil WeezyAna Fest also featured solo performances from Juvenile, who brought down the house with “Back That Azz Up,” and B.G., who delivered “Bling Bling.”
During his solo performance, Lil Wayne once again spoke about being snubbed for the Super Bowl halftime show, expressing his disappointment at being overlooked in favor of Kendrick Lamar.
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“I told myself I wanted to be on that stage in front of my mom, and I worked my ass off for that position. It was ripped away from me, but this moment right here… they can’t take this away from me,” the rapper told the crowd at the Smoothie King Center.
Wayne previously teased the Hot Boys reunion on X (formerly Twitter) in September. Earlier this year, rumors began swirling when Juvenile hinted at a performance at Essence Fest in New Orleans and mentioned the group was working on a new album.
“Hot Boys is back together, man. What you talkin’ about put the Hot Boys back together? Show y’all ain’t keeping up with sh–,” he said on Instagram Live in May. “Turk gonna be with me tonight, I’m gonna be with B.G. next week. Me, Wayne, Turk and B.G., all of us gonna be on stage in New Orleans with Mannie Fresh and Birdman. And we already done started working on a Hot Boys album. Any other f—ing questions? Keep on askin’ put the Hot Boys together. Have some f—in’ patience.”
Despite the hype, fans were disappointed when the anticipated reunion at Essence Fest didn’t occur; while Birdman, Mannie Fresh, Juvenile, and B.G. took the stage together, Wayne opted for a solo set afterward, and Turk was absent.
The Hot Boys’ last album was 2003′ Let ‘Em Burn.
Cardi B shared her thoughts on Donald Trump during a Kamala Harris campaign rally near Milwaukee on Friday (Nov. 1).
Ahead of Election Day on Nov. 5, the “Bodak Yellow” rapper delivered a passionate speech at the Wisconsin State Fair Exposition Center in West Allis, voicing her support for Harris and criticizing Trump’s views on women’s rights.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life,” Cardi told the crowd, reading from her cell phone. “I take seriously the call to show up, to speak out, and to share a message that’s been on my heart for a while now.”
She continued, “Like Kamala Harris, I’ve been the underdog, underestimated, and had my success belittled. Women have to work ten times harder and still face questions about how we achieved success. I can’t stand a bully, but just like Kamala, I always stand up to one.”
Cardi noted that she hadn’t backed either Trump or Joe Biden for the 2024 presidential election until Harris entered the race and “changed my mind completely.”
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“I didn’t have faith in any candidates until she joined and spoke the words I wanted to hear about the future of this country,” she said. “I believe every word she says. She’s passionate, compassionate, empathetic, and most importantly, she’s realistic. Kamala recognizes that this country is at risk, and that we need to strengthen our economy and address the rising cost of living.”
Turning her focus to Trump, whom she referred to as “Donny Trump,” Cardi addressed the former president’s recent comment about protecting women whether they “like it or not.”
“Protection for women — especially regarding maternal and mental health care — is not about telling us what to do with our bodies. It’s about supporting us and providing the care we need for our choices,” the rapper explained. “People like Donald Trump don’t believe women deserve rights. When those rights are threatened, he disappears.”
She added, “If his definition of protection means restricting our choices and ensuring our daughters have fewer rights than our mothers, then I don’t want it!”
Cardi also labeled the former president a “hustler,” saying, “Hustling women out of their rights is disgraceful. Hustling Americans out of their hard-earned money by selling Trump watches, Trump sneakers, Trump Bibles… do we really trust this man with our economy? A man who only cares about getting rich and cutting taxes for his billionaire friends. I don’t even get a tax cut.”
Following the rally, Cardi continued her support for Harris and critique of Trump on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Donald Trump talks about having plans, but the only plan he has is to hustle YOU.”
Watch Cardi B’s nearly 10-minute rally speech for Harris here.
U.K. rapper Central Cee has announced the release date for his long-awaited debut album, Can’t Rush Greatness. The LP is slated for release on January 24, 2025 via Columbia Records and will be the first full body of work since his 2023 mixtape 23.
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The 26-year-old shared the news on his social media feeds alongside the artwork, which you can see below. Pre-orders are now open on Cench’s website.
No tracklist has been released for the album so far, but it has been confirmed that his new song “One By One,” which was recorded in a Colors session, would not feature on the record.
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A press release also confirmed that the album was recorded in multiple locations over the last year, and it will feature guest producers as well as an appearance from fellow U.K. rapper Dave. The pair collaborated on the single “Sprinter” in 2023, which topped the U.K.’s Official Singles Charts for nine weeks and landed at No.10 on the Billboard Global 200.
2024 has seen a number of singles from the west London artist. In May, he teamed up with Lil Baby for “BAND4BAND” which landed at No.18 on the Billboard Hot 100, and at No.3 on the Official Singles Chart in the U.K. The song was the highest-charting U.K. rap single on the charts in Hot 100 history.
Elsewhere there was an appearance on Ice Spice’s debut Y2K, a team-up with Afrobeats star Asake on single “Wave” and most recently with RAYE on the single “Moi” in September.
Speaking to Dazed, Central Cee elaborated on the process of the making of Can’t Rush Greatness. “With the mixtapes, I was living in [the same] house I grew up in,” he said. “Now we’ve elevated, we’re actually musicians. There were times it was hard to say man’s a musician. I was just a guy that [went into the] studio [sometimes]. Now, I’m an artist.”
Last week, Central Cee was named as an additional headliner for Spain’s Primavera Sound Festival in June 2025, topping the bill alongside Charli XCX, Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan.
Megan Thee Stallion is suing a YouTuber and social media personality who she claims is a “mouthpiece and puppet” for Tory Lanez, accusing the woman of “churning out falsehoods” about the criminal case stemming from Lanez shooting her.
In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, attorneys for the rapper (Megan Pete) accused Milagro Gramz (Milagro Elizabeth Cooper) of carrying out a public campaign to “denigrate, belittle, insult, and spread false statements” about her.
That allegedly included Gramz sharing a pornographic “deepfake” depicting the rapper – a move that Megan’s lawyers say violate a Florida statute banning “altered sexual depictions” of real people.
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“Enough is enough,” writes Megan’s attorneys at the law firm Quinn Emanuel. “Ms. Pete—a victim of violent crime and champion of women’s rights to her millions of fans worldwide—will no longer stand for defendant’s campaign of harassment.”
The lawsuit also accused Gramz of cyberstalking, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and invasion of privacy.
In a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter), Gramz acknowledged the lawsuit, saying she had “been informed that I’m being sued by Alex Spiro on behalf of his client Megan Thee Stallion.” After quoting from a threat letter, she said: “Of course we’ll chat about it. They threw in the tape too.”
The new case came days after a high-profile false story about Megan and Lanez – claiming incorrectly that an appeals court had declared “innocent” in the shooting — circulated on social media. Spiro, Megan’s long time attorney, warned yesterday that he was planning legal action over such “nonsense.”
Lanez (Daystar Peterson) was convicted in December 2022 on three felony counts over the violent 2020 incident, in which he shot at the feet of Megan during an argument following a pool party at Kylie Jenner’s house in the Hollywood Hills. In August 2023, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He has filed an appeal, which remains pending.
In the new lawsuit, Megan’s attorneys say Gramz repeatedly spread falsehoods about the case, including questioning whether she was even shot and claiming she was “caught trying to deceive the courts.” More recently, they say Gramz has pushed the “outlandish claim” that the gun used in the shooting had gone missing.
“Defendant Cooper’s statements recklessly disregarded the truth and suggested that the firearm was never presented in court because it had allegedly disappeared. It has not,” Megan’s lawyers write. “The firearm remains in the custody of the Los Angeles Police Department.”
As for the deepfake video, the lawsuit does not accuse Gramz of directly creating or posting the video, but claims that she “encouraged her followers” to watch it, including by pointing users to a post that had directly shared the video.
“Defendant Cooper willfully and maliciously promoted the Deepfake Video without Ms. Pete’s consent,” Megan’s lawyers write.