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Three of Nelly’s former St. Lunatics bandmates have now formally dropped out of a lawsuit seeking royalties from the rapper’s breakout album Country Grammar – two months after they said they hadn’t wanted to sue him in the first place.
The lawsuit, which claims the Lunatics contributed to the album but that Nelly cut them out of the credits, was first filed in September by Ali (Ali Jones), Murphy Lee (Tohri Harper), Kyjuan (Robert Kyjuan) and City Spud (Lavell Webb). But Lee, Kyjuan and Spud quickly rebelled — saying they never consented to the lawsuit and demanded that they be removed from the case immediately.
In an updated version filed Friday, the lawyers behind the lawsuit finally did so – meaning the case is now a dispute between Ali and Nelly alone. In a statement to Billboard, Ali’s attorney who filed the case, Precious Felder Gates, said her client would “continue to pursue the unpaid royalties he is entitled to.”
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“Our client, Mr. Jones, is deeply committed to protecting his creative contributions and ensuring rightful compensation for his work,” Felder Gates said. “While others may have chosen to withdraw, his dedication to his artistic legacy and his rights as a creator remains unwavering.”
A group of high school friends from St. Louis, the St. Lunatics rose to prominence in the late 1990s with “Gimme What U Got”, and their debut album Free City — released a year after Country Grammar — was a hit of its own, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
In their Sept. 18 complaint, the bandmates claimed that Nelly had repeatedly “manipulated” them into falsely thinking they’d be paid for their work on the 2000 album, which spent five weeks atop the Billboard 200. But they said he never made good on the promises.
“Every time plaintiffs confronted defendant Haynes [he] would assure them as ‘friends’ he would never prevent them from receiving the financial success they were entitled to,” the lawsuit reads. “Unfortunately, plaintiffs, reasonably believing that their friend and former band member would never steal credit for writing the original compositions, did not initially pursue any legal remedies.”
But in early October, Lee, Kyjuan and Spud joined Nelly on stage for his performance at the American Music Awards – a seemingly strange move for jilted bandmates engaged in active litigation. Days later, it made more sense: They never wanted to sue Nelly.
As Billboard reported at the time, a lawyer representing the trio had privately sent a letter just a week after the case was filed, warning the attorneys behind the case that Lee, Kyjuan and Spud had “informed me that they did not authorize you to include them as plaintiffs.”
“They are hereby demanding you remove their names forthwith,” N. Scott Rosenblum wrote in the Sept. 24 letter, which was obtained by Billboard. “Failure to do so will cause them to explore any and all legal remedies available to them.”
In Friday’s updated lawsuit, the attorneys for Ali did just that, removing Lee, Kyjuan and Spud from the list of plaintiffs. But they also included new substantive allegations as part of their amended complaint.
In one major change, they added HarbourView Equity Partners to the list of defendants, citing Nelly’s $50 million catalog sale to the company last summer. Calling it a “substantial transaction,” Ali’s attorneys suggested that the big deal helped spark the lawsuit.
“At this juncture, it became apparent that, notwithstanding defendant Haynes’ repeated assurances … defendant would not fulfill his longstanding promises to compensate plaintiff,” Ali’s attorneys wrote.
A representative for HarbourView did not immediately return a request for comment on Monday.
Jay-Z was in the house to watch the Washington Commanders face off against the Dallas Cowboys.
The 54-year-old music mogul, whose Roc Nation has a partnership with the NFL, attended Sunday’s (Nov. 24) game at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md., alongside Fanatics founder/CEO Michael Rubin.
Ahead of the matchup, Jay-Z — dressed in a sleek black sweater, long gray coat, dark pants and a large beanie — was spotted chatting on the sidelines with Commanders general manager Adam Peters.
Before the Commanders were sold in 2023, Jay was reportedly among several high-profile figures, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and media mogul Byron Allen, who expressed interest in purchasing the team, according to Sports Illustrated. Ultimately, the team was sold to investor Josh Harris for a reported $6.05 billion.
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Jay-Z’s presence at the game left many fans on social media curious about his allegiance. “Jay-Z at a Commanders game is random, but I’m not surprised,” one user wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Another posted, “Jay-Z at the Commanders vs Cowboys game… wild. I wonder who he’s rooting for?” That sentiment was echoed by another user, who asked on X, “When did Jay-Z become a Commanders fan???”
Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported that Jay and the NFL are continuing their partnership. At the NFL owners’ meeting in Atlanta on Oct. 15, Commissioner Roger Goodell said, “It’s been a mutually positive relationship, I’m not sure either one of us really spend much time talking about contracts. Jay is happy. Desiree Perez is happy. I’m happy, so we’re all good.”
According to ESPN, Roc Nation’s previous deal with the NFL, valued at $25 million over five years, has included overseeing the Super Bowl Halftime Show and supporting the league’s social justice initiative, Inspire Change, which has awarded $375 million in grants.
The partnership has sparked its share of controversy since its announcement in the summer of 2019. Jay-Z faced backlash for aligning with a league that had been accused of blackballing former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during the national anthem in protest of police brutality. More recently, Jay-Z faced criticism from some in the hip-hop community after it was announced that Kendrick Lamar — not Lil Wayne — would headline this year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans.
Under Jay-Z and Roc Nation’s stewardship, the Super Bowl Halftime Show has featured a string of hip-hop centric acts, including Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, The Weeknd, Dr. Dre and friends, Rihanna and Usher. This year’s show, featuring Lamar, is highly anticipated as he aims to cap off a stellar year with a headline performance.
Lil Wayne appears to have some thoughts on Kendrick Lamar‘s new song “wacced out murals.”
On Friday (Nov. 22), Lamar surprised fans with the release of his sixth studio album, GNX. The 12-track project covers a range of intense topics, including Wayne’s frustration over being passed over to headline the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show in his hometown of New Orleans.
“Used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud/ Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down,” K. Dot raps on album opener “wacced out murals,” referring to Weezy posting a video about how hurt he was about not being chosen to headline the Super Bowl in his hometown.
Lamar continues on the song, “Won the Super Bowl and Nas the only one congratulate me/ All these n—-s agitated, I’m just glad they showin’ they faces.”
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Wayne, having had some time to digest the lyric, seemingly responded in a post on X (formerly Twitter) early Saturday morning.
“Man wtf I do?!” Weezy began the post. “I just be chillin & dey still kome 4 my head. Let’s not take kindness for weakness. Let this giant sleep. I beg u all. No one really wants destruction,not even me but I shall destroy if disturbed. On me. Love.”
Back in September, Wayne openly admitted that being snubbed for the Super Bowl halftime gig in his own city was deeply painful.
“That hurt. It hurt a lot. You know what I’m talking about. It hurt a whole lot,” he said at the time. “I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a letdown. And for automatically mentally putting myself in that position like somebody told me that was my position. So I blame myself for that. But I thought that was nothing better than that spot and that stage and that platform in my city, so it hurt. It hurt a whole lot.”
In early November, during his Lil WeezyAna Fest in New Orleans, Wayne reiterated the sentiment, telling the crowd, “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.”
See Wayne’s full reaction to Lamar’s “wacced out murals” on X below.
Man wtf I do?! I just be chillin & dey still kome 4 my head. Let’s not take kindness for weakness. Let this giant sleep. I beg u all. No one really wants destruction,not even me but I shall destroy if disturbed. On me. Love— Lil Wayne WEEZY F (@LilTunechi) November 23, 2024
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Kendrick Lamar put the entirety of the greater Los Angeles area on his back with the track “Not Like Us” which was largely a diss of Drake and a call for West Coast unity. Leading this charge, Kendrick Lamar and a collective of other West Coast Hip-Hop artists are enjoying a resurgence that has put the culture at large on notice.
To best examine how the West has won in 2024, or at least why we believe they’re poised to do so, one only needs to look back to Future and Metro Boomin’s “LIKE THAT” single released in March from the pair’s WE DON’T TRUST YOU project that started the mudslinging between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, reaching a culture-shifting zenith by way of K-Dot’s explosive “Not Like Us” track.
The runaway success of “Not Like Us” remains a case study in timing, impact, and the power of directedness. There is no mystery in Lamar’s verse, no esoteric lines to parse, or prose that goes over the head. It is beyond clear that K-Dot’s Canadian rival was his target and that his relentless attacks dug into Drake’s character and image, with some in Hip-Hop crowning Lamar an absolute winner in their feud.
Adding to the layers, the video for “Not Like Us” was another celebration of greater Los Angeles with YG, Dot’s former boss at TDE Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith, Mustard, and DeMar DeRozan showing off regional pride via their appearances. It has come to the point that listening back to the relatively light jabs thrown on “LIKE THAT,” it remains baffling that the beef reached the heights that it did.
All of this has naturally overshadowed other crowning achievements from West Coast artists, and we’ll do our best to examine the year that was.
Groovy Q
Source: Billboard / Getty
ScHoolboy Q also dropped in March with his sixth studio album, Blue Lips, an album that we at Hip-Hop Wired reviewed and enjoyed immensely. To date, no other major Hip-Hop release has taken as many risks sonically as Blue Lips and further cements the legend of ScHoolboy Q as a streetwise but spiritually grounded lyricist. And as much as the production stood out on Blue Lips, the maestro in the middle of the maelstrom was always Q.
Vince Staples Continues Strong Run
Source: Erika Goldring / Getty
The buoyancy and chaotic energy of Blue Lips is not overtly present on Vince Staples’ sixth album, Dark Times, another example of the Long Beach native’s ability to find a reflective thread in even the starkest details surrounding his upbringing and rise to fame. Dark Times is not an overjoyous album, at least not overall. As the album reveals, Staples consistently presents himself as an artist who isn’t interested in being dissected or even understood. The album is an audio missive of someone who hopes to exist on their terms without the weight of expectations.
T Says He’s The Biggest Out The City Since Kenny
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Tyler, The Creator —no longer just the talented, if foul-mouthed, producer-rapper that fronted the sprawling Odd Future crew — is now a veteran act and eight studio albums deep. His latest, Chromakopia, is an audio hodgepodge of all of Tyler’s sounds from rapping, singing, jazz, rock, you name it, it’s here. Continuing some of his chest-out rapping that appeared on CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, T acknowledges K-Dot on “Rah Tah Tah,” signaling that the coast is unified. Chromakopia follows a concept that aims at rabid fans, tackles the abortion debate, and bashes the upkeep of fame. Some have crowned the record as the best to release this year.
Soul-O Hoe!
Source: Jason Armond / Getty
Ab-Soul’s sixth studio album, Soul Burger, was seen as a surprise considering the staggered release schedule that TDE typically employs. Dedicated to his good friend Doeburger, who passed away in 2021, Soul Burger finds the “Martin Luther King of Carson” paying homage to his friend and his roots while once again showing why he might be the strongest lyricist to emerge from the Top Dawg Entertainment camp.
New Kung Fu Kenny!
Source: Michael Blackshire / Getty
This brings us to the surprise release on Friday (November 22) of Lamar’s latest album, GNX, a body of work that seems to be a continuation of the sound examined on “Not Like Us” and features the full version of “squabble up,” a track we only heard as a snippet previously. GNX, at least on our first listen, doesn’t stick to a theme or sound and will take some time to take in all the finer points. That said, K-Dot shows off his extraordinary abilities, and the autobiographical “The Heart Pt. 6” is a highlight. And yes, there are shots at Drake, mentions of the Super Bowl, and maybe even a dig at Lil Wayne? You be the judge.
Other standout albums that highlighted the West Coast’s dominance this year include the likes of Jay Worthy and DāM FunK’s funky Magic Hour collaborative album, Tha Dogg Pound’s We All We Got, Larry June’s Doing It For Me, Big-Hit, Hit-Boy, and The Alchemist’s Black & Whites, and JasonMartin (FKA Problem) and DJ Quik’s Chupacabra.
We also got potent bar work from Planet Asia and his Trust The Chain II EP with 38 Spesh on production. TiRon and Ayomari’s The Adventures of TiRon & Ayomari, Thurz’s Yannick Koffi: In Time, and Casual’s Starbuster EP should all be included in this concise roundup.
Regional biases and arguments aside, it will be determined over time if the West Coast can sustain its momentum into 2025. But if 2024 is any indication, the West had a lot more than just something to say. It appears that the entire coast is ready to move together as a cohesive unit, and as the smoke continues to clear, any challenge to the respective thrones will be sufficiently met.
—
Photo: Getty
This article was created in partnership with White Claw®.
White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard is a premier event series that celebrates music, creativity, and social connection. On Monday night, this free experience touched down in LA, delivering electrifying performances from some of today’s most exciting acts. Fans were invited to bring themselves and their crew out to enjoy an evening of musical sets from New York rapper FERG, West Coast rapper Larry June, and DJ/producer Zeemuffin.
The evening kicked off with an intimate discussion with FERG, bringing his VIP fans closer to the multihyphenate. FERG gave insights into his storied career, ranging from stories behind his new album DAROLD to his fashion journey, in conversation with Billboard host Tetris Kelly.
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When asked about the legacy he wants to leave behind, FERG enlightened fans: “If I can do anything, it’s to inspire the next generation, or somebody, to want to do better for themselves, you know what I’m saying?” he shared, “And do better for humanity. Figure out your purpose, figure out your ‘why.’ Why are we here? Why are we doing what we do?”
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In addition to the exclusive Q&A, White Claw surprised a select group of superfans, who arrived at Sessions first in line, with a meet and greet and photo op with FERG.
Ferg shares insights into his career and new music at White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard in Los Angeles.
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The party continued as doors opened, filling the room with excitement as concert goers grabbed their favorite White Claw® beverages and got ready for a night of fun and music Anticipation was high as the crowd waited for the show to begin, knowing that they would be some of the first to hear songs from FERG’s new album DAROLD live. Zeemuffin warmed up the crowd with today’s biggest hip-hop hits as fans enjoyed drinks, dancing, photos and merchandise to commemorate the night. Larry June followed her set with an energetic performance that got his fellow Californians moving, showing off his dance moves to hits including “Clocked In.”
FERG closed out the night with a set balancing tracks from his new album DAROLD with earlier fan favorites. He opened the set to the explosive new track “Thought I Was Dead,” following it with other star-studded DAROLD selects including “French Tips” featuring Coco Jones and “Demons” with Denzel Curry. Despite the fact that DAROLD had dropped less than two weeks before the event, many fans knew the words and rapped along. “Now last but not least, you know I can’t leave this place without doing this one song that I got,” teased FERG as he approached the end of his set, “What song y’all think I’m finna do?” After the crowd chanted in response, the headliner gave fans one last performance of his biggest song to date: “Plain Jane.”
From can’t-miss shows and fly away festival experiences to partnerships with top charting artists and exclusive fan giveaways, White Claw® is no stranger to the music space. The White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard will continue to bring fans closer to the music they love throughout 2024. Don’t miss your opportunity to Grab Life By The Claw: make sure you’re signed up to be notified about all-access gigs, epic drops, everyday thrills, and community vibes. For you and your crew.
See more from White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard with FERG, Larry June and Zeemuffin.
DJ/producer Zeemuffin got the celebration started at the White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard in Los Angeles.
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White Claw surprised a select group of superfans with a meet and greet and photo op with FERG.
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Larry June performed his biggest hits at White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard in Los Angeles.
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Fans enjoyed their favorite White Claw® beverages at White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard in Los Angeles.
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FERG shared songs from his new album ‘DAROLD’ onstage at White Claw® Sessions Powered by Billboard in Los Angeles.
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Louisiana-based rapper NBA YoungBoy pleaded guilty Monday to his role in a large-scale prescription drug fraud ring that operated out of his multimillion-dollar home in Utah.
The 25-year-old artist, whose real name is Kentrell Gaulden, walked into a courtroom in Logan, Utah, with his head hung low as he entered the plea for his part in the alleged scheme, KTVX-TV reported.
Gaulden was originally charged in the Logan District Court with 46 charges related to the alleged crime. On Monday, he pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree felony identity fraud, two counts of third-degree felony forgery, and six counts of misdemeanor unlawful pharmacy conduct. Gaulden entered a “no contest” plea to the remaining charges.
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As part of a plea deal, Gaulden will not serve prison time in Utah. Instead, his four felony charges were reduced to Class A Misdemeanors and he was ordered to pay a $25,000 fine, the television station reported.
District Judge Spencer Walsh agreed to suspend a prison sentence as Gaulden is expected to serve a “substantial” 27 months in federal prison for related charges in a case stemming out of Weber County, Utah. Following his release, Gaulden will then be placed on five years of federal supervised probation.
“This is somewhat of a unique case where there have been multiple jurisdictions involved both in the federal and the state systems,” said state prosecutor Ronnie Keller. “This is just really a smaller cog in the bigger wheel of ultimately seeking justice.”
Gaulden had been living in Utah under house arrest having previously been allegedly involved in a 2019 Miami shooting. His relocation to Utah came as part of a deal in 2021 in which his lawyers argued that “moving to Utah would keep YoungBoy out of trouble.”
During his hearing Monday, Walsh said it was clear that Gaulden was a very talented young man.
“I’ve seen so many times where you have young men and women who have a lot of talent and potential. They can be robbed of that potential when they start to really struggle with their addictions,” Walsh told Gaulden. “I don’t want that for you.”
Walsh continued saying, “I’m sure that in your future, once you’re done with your federal prison time, you can be really successful on federal probation and have a really bright future where you can reach your full potential in every aspect of your life. Best of luck to you, Mr. Gaulden.”
Tyler, The Creator took a well-deserved victory lap and brought festival-goers along for a joyful ride down memory lane on Saturday (Nov. 16) when he headlined the first night of Camp Flog Gnaw at his Los Angeles hometown’s Dodger Stadium.
The ambient sounds of a shipping dock — deep-toned ship horns, squawking seagulls and crashing waves — play before Tyler marches onto the stage and incites “Chromakooooooopia” chants from the crowd. A single green light highlights the masked and military uniform-donning headliner standing atop a “Chromakopia” shipping container. Tyler introduced the album’s aesthetic exactly one month ago on Oct. 16, when he released the “St. Chroma” video. And already, he’s created another definitive character in the Tyler Cinematic Universe, where commitment to world-building is paramount for every one of his projects.
He forges ahead to the next three songs off CHROMAKOPIA’s track list. “The biggest out the city after Kenny, that’s a fact now,” he reaffirms on the subsequent track “Rah Tah Tah.” Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem, who were billed as The Hillbillies, headlined the first night of Camp Flog Gnaw just last year. Tyler isn’t typically one to do the honors given the fact that it’s his festival (and he already rewards himself with the most performance time out of any other artist on the lineup). Giving other luminaries the primetime slot is a courtesy, but this year’s different because Tyler gradually ascends into a higher echelon of stardom with each album.
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He’s reached cult icon status without having a definitive “hit,” and now he’s earned his first three Billboard Hot 100 top 10s with an album that was released on an off-cycle Monday but has become Tyler’s biggest album to date. His star continues to burn even brighter, but the overexposure proves it can sometimes be destructive. “Noid” feels particularly poignant given his recent heated encounter with paparazzi as he was leaving the GQ Men of the Year party on Thursday night.
“No cameras out, please, I wanna eat in peace/ Don’t wanna take pictures with you n—as or bi—es,” he spits on the second verse with an extra splatter of vitriol.
But Tyler doesn’t marinate in the sour feeling. Over the instrumental outro of “Darling I,” he pauses to prematurely celebrate his album’s three-week No. 1 streak on the Billboard 200. “Thank all you motherf–kers for supporting me, man, for real. To do that, at my 10th carnival in my f—ing city, what’re we talking about?! I don’t even have no heartfelt message. I’m really filled with so much love and joy,” Tyler beams. “We did the new sh–, y’all clearly know it and like it. So if you don’t mind, I’mma go through my old sh– real fast.”
Tyler takes it back to last year with “WUSYANAME,” “LUMBERJACK” and “DOGTOOTH” from his Grammy-winning album Call Me If You Get Lost before rewinding all the way back to 2011 with “She” and “Yonkers” from his Goblin LP and splicing in cuts from 2013’s Wolf, 2017’s Flower Boy and 2019’s IGOR. He asks the audience to take over Playboi Carti‘s verse on “EARFQUAKE” because “this n—a in Vegas” headlining ComplexCon, but he’s slated to close out the second and final night of Camp Flog Gnaw on Sunday (Nov. 17).
“I wanted to build a place where n—as could just come and just be, and it’s beautiful to see that y’all have been rocking with me for real. All this s–t really be starting from my notebook. It’s f—ing crazy, bruh! N—as is really three weeks No. 1, and I’m like, ‘What the f— going on? This is crazy!’” he says. “This is a test run ’cause all the songs are so new. The first four went great, could I continue to do some new s—?”
He shushes the festival-goers’ affirmative response so they can pick up the introductory whistle of his Hot 100 top 10 hit “Sticky,” where B-roll of step teams and marching bands complement the song’s cheerful energy. But Sexyy Red‘s surprise appearance cranks it up a thousandfold. Tyler gasses her up while she twerks for the crowd, and he even throws it back and earns a satisfactory smack from her.
They match each other’s freak as well as the same IDGAF energy of their viral booty-popping, middle-finger-flinging photo. “I love you, girl. She’s so sweet,” Tyler sings her praises as she heads off the stage and repeats the “It’s gettin’ sticky!” hook. But the raunchy rapper can’t deliver more fitting final words than “He was sucking up on my coochie, y’all.”
Tyler invites more CHROMAKOPIA guests like ScHoolboy Q for “Thought I Was Dead” and the “motherf–king swamp princess” Doechii and “my motherf—ing brother” Daniel Caesar for “Balloon.” “This n—a helped me with this album, I get emotional when I see this n—a ’cause he came through for me for CHROMAKOPIA,” Tyler says of Caesar, who performed on the main stage just right before him and is featured on “St. Chroma” and “Take Your Mask Off.” It took a village to make his latest masterpiece, but he built an even bigger one right before his eyes.
Check out the full set list for Tyler, The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw headlining set below:
1. “St. Chroma”
2. “Rah Tah Tah”
3. “Noid”
4. “Darling, I”
5. “WUSYANAME”
6. “LUMBERJACK”
7. “DOGTOOTH”
8. “She”
9. “Yonkers”
10. “Tamale”
11. Boredom
12. “Who Dat Boy”
13. “I THINK”
14. “EARFQUAKE”
15. “Sticky” (with Sexyy Red)
16. “Take Your Mask Off”
17. “Thought I Was Dead” (with ScHoolboy Q)
18. “Like Him”
19. “Balloon” (with Doechii and Daniel Caesar)
20. “NEW MAGIC WAND”
21. “See You Again”
Tyler, The Creator’s CHROMAKOPIA spends a third consecutive and total week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart (dated Nov. 23). It’s the artist’s album with the most weeks atop the list, surpassing the two weeks spent at No. 1 by his previous leader, Call Me If You Get Lost in 2021-22.
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CHROMAKOPIA earned 104,000 equivalent album units in the United States in the week ending Nov. 14 (down 35% in its third week), according to Luminate.
Also in the top 10 of the new Billboard 200 chart, TOMORROW X TOGETHER debuts at No. 2 with The Star Chapter: SANCTUARY, marking the sixth top 10-charting set for the group.
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The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Nov. 23, 2024-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Tuesday (Nov. 19). For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Of CHROMAKOPIA’s 104,000 equivalent album units earned in its second week, SEA units comprise 76,000 (down 34%, equaling 106.87 million on-demand official streams of the album’s songs; it holds at No. 1 on the Top Streaming Albums chart), album sales comprise 28,000 (down 37%; it’s steady at No. 2 on Top Album Sales) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum (down 35%).
The album continues to profit from sales generated by Tyler, The Creator’s official webstore, with the set’s vinyl, CD, and eight previously available deluxe collectible boxed sets continuing to ship to customers. The third week also saw four additional boxed sets shipped to customers. All boxed sets contain a CD, poster and another branded merch item in a branded box. All physical editions of the album are exclusively sold via the artist’s webstore.
TOMORROW X TOGETHER nabs its sixth top 10-charting effort on the Billboard 200 as The Star Chapter: SANCTUARY debuts at No. 2. The set earned 98,000 equivalent album units in its first week. Album sales comprise 95,500 of that sum (it debuts at No. 1 on Top Album Sales), SEA units comprise 2,500 (equaling 3.74 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum. The album’s first-week sales were bolstered by its availability across 23 CD variants (all containing collectible branded paper ephemera, some randomized), eight digital download variants (seven were exclusive to the act’s official webstore; all included bonus tracks).
The Star Chapter: SANCTUARY is the group’s second top 10-charting effort of 2024, following No. 3-peaking Minisode 3: TOMORROW in April.
Sabrina Carpenter’s chart-topping Short n’ Sweet slips 2-3 on the Billboard 200 (68,000 equivalent album units earned; up 1%), Gracie Abrams’ The Secret of Us climbs 5-4 (52,000; up 5%) and Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft spikes 7-5 (48,000; up 9%) to round out the top five.
Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess is a non-mover at No. 6 (47,000; up 3%); Morgan Wallen’s former leader One Thing at a Time rises 10-7 (43,000; up 1%); Taylor Swift’s chart-topping The Tortured Poets Department ascends 9-8 (nearly 43,000; down less than 1%); Rod Wave’s Last Lap falls 8-9 (38,000; down 12%); and Noah Kahan’s Stick Season steps 14-10 (33,000; up 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.
Sean “Diddy” Combs has tried to reach out to prospective witnesses and influence public opinion from jail in a bid to affect potential jurors for his upcoming sex trafficking trial, prosecutors claimed in a court filing urging a judge to reject his latest bail request.
The government accusations were made in a Manhattan federal court filing late Friday (Nov. 15) that opposes the music mogul’s latest $50 million bail proposal. A bail hearing is scheduled for next week.
Prosecutors wrote that a review of recorded jail calls made by Combs shows he has asked family members to reach out to potential victims and witnesses and has urged them to create “narratives” to influence the jury pool. They say he also has encouraged marketing strategies to sway public opinion.
“The defendant has shown repeatedly — even while in custody — that he will flagrantly and repeatedly flout rules in order to improperly impact the outcome of his case. The defendant has shown, in other words, that he cannot be trusted to abide by rules or conditions,” prosecutors wrote in a submission that contained redactions.
Prosecutors wrote that it could be inferred from his behavior that Combs wants to blackmail victims and witnesses into silence or into providing testimony helpful to his defense.
Lawyers for Combs did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Prosecutors said Combs, 55, began breaking rules almost as soon as he was detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn after his September arrest.
He has pleaded not guilty to charges that he coerced and abused women for years with the aid of a network of associates and employees, while silencing victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings.
Two judges have concluded he is a danger to the community and a risk to flee.
His lawyers recently made a third request for bail after the rejection of two previous attempts, including a $50 million bail proposal.
In the request, they cited changed circumstances, including new evidence, which they said made it sensible to release Combs so he can better prepare for his May 5 trial.
But prosecutors said defense lawyers created their latest bail proposal using some evidence prosecutors turned over to them and the new material was already known to defense lawyers when they made previous bail applications.
In their submission to a judge, prosecutors said Combs’ behavior in jail shows he must remain locked up.
For instance, they said, Combs has enlisted family members to plan and carry out a social media campaign around his birthday “with the intention of influencing the potential jury in this criminal proceeding.”
He encouraged his children to post a video to their social media accounts showing them gathered to celebrate his birthday, they said.
Afterward, he monitored the analytics, including audience engagement, from the jail and “explicitly discussed with his family how to ensure that the video had his desired effect on potential jury members in this case,” they said.
The government also alleged Combs during other calls made clear his intention to anonymously publish information that he thought would help his defense against the charges.
“The defendant’s efforts to obstruct the integrity of this proceeding also includes relentless efforts to contact potential witnesses, including victims of his abuse who could provide powerful testimony against him,” prosecutors wrote.
Shyne isn’t finished talking about his relationship with Diddy.
During a recent appearance on The Stephen A. Smith Show to promote his Hulu documentary The Honorable Shyne, the rapper-turned-politician again spoke on his relationship with his former Bad Boy label boss Diddy and why it was the right time to do a documentary about his journey and second chance at life.
First, Shyne revealed that he’s been asked to make a documentary about his life for 20-plus years, and he revealed that actor and producer Mark Wahlberg had once offered him $1 million to do one. “I had been inundated with solicitations to do a documentary for the last 22 years, to be factual,” the Leader of the Opposition in the Belize House of Representatives told Stephen A. Smith. “Mark Wahlberg offered me, I think, a million-dollar deal back in 2004 and I have that proposal, I can share it with you. I just was always looking for the right partner and it had to make sense fiscally.”
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Shyne also said he waited this long because he didn’t want the documentary to just be about Diddy. “I didn’t want to tell the Diddy story, because that’s not my story,” he said. “My story is ‘next Prime Minister of Belize.’ My story is power. My story is victor. My story is triumph over tragedy. That’s my story.”
Stephen A. pushed back, though, and asked Shyne to explain exactly what happened to him and why he’s been reluctant to talk about that fateful night in 1999 and its aftermath. “In my words, I said so many years ago back in 2001,” he said, referring to his first of six XXL covers entitled Death Before Dishonor. It was me talking about not snitching on Diddy and not getting him in trouble to get myself out of trouble. I said that 20-odd years ago.
He added: “I’ve always maintained in every interview I did until recently when I healed and I moved on and I forgave, but for years I was saying what a creep I thought he was and how he destroyed my life and at one point, I thought he was the devil,” he said. “But because of the power of Diddy, which is so loud as far as a pop culture icon, nobody listened. So I moved on. And I pivoted my life to healing, to forgiveness and to taking accountability for what I can control.”
He then continued by claiming he was made the fall guy without being offered compensation for the pain and suffering he endured during his 10-year sentence. “And I can’t control what someone did to me decades ago. I can’t control them not wanting to pay reparations, not wanting to make it right,” Shyne admitted.
“People say, ‘Oh, Diddy gave me millions to go to jail.’ Nothing! Probably made two what I thought were offensive contributions over the last 20-something years, which led to a breakdown in the relations. But I moved on. So yes, was I the sacrificial lamb? Of course. Did I take the fall? Yes. There was no quid pro quo. There was not, ‘Listen, we’re gonna have $10 million waiting for you when you come out,’ or just do the right thing. I did that on my own. I’ve been saying that, it’s not anything new.”
However, he did give Diddy credit for teaching him the entertainment business and referred to the fallen mogul as a “professor” and referred to his label as “the University of Bad Boy.”
Billboard reached out to Diddy’s team for comment and received this message: “Mr. Combs categorically denies Mr. Barrow’s allegations, including any suggestion that he orchestrated Mr. Barrow to ‘take the fall’ or ‘sacrificed’ him by directing witnesses to testify against him. These claims are unequivocally false.
“Mr. Combs was acquitted of all charges related to the 1999 Club New York incident and has consistently maintained his innocence. He cannot accept or condone any characterization of his actions as ‘demonic’ or malicious.
Mr. Combs appreciates the path Mr. Barrow has pursued and wishes him continued success. It is unfortunate that Mr. Barrow has chosen to revisit these allegations. Mr. Combs trusts that responsible journalism will weigh both the established legal outcomes and Mr. Combs’ positive, longstanding support for those he has worked with.”
You can watch the full conversation below.