Music News

12 Sep 2023

Metro Boomin Is ‘Calling’ for a ‘Superhero’ With Guest-Filled Performance at the 2023 MTV VMAs

Metro Boomin took over the Prudential Center at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday night (Sept. 12), bringing together a slew of his hip-hop heavyweight friends for a medley of “Superhero” and “Calling.”

While Metro and his turntable levitated over the stage, Future, Swae Lee, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and NAV traded verses down below, surrounded by a foggy laboratory landscape filled with rocks and elevators. The performance was a showcase of today’s biggest hip-hop talent, which is fitting given that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the genre.

“Future is an anomaly,” Metro previously told Billboard of his frequent collaborator. “You don’t get to see too many people of any industry perform and deliver at the rate and level that he does for this amount of time. I met him and started working with him when I was 18 to [my current age of] 29, and he was on before that. It’s a true testament to his grind and his will.” 

“Superhero” peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, while “Calling” peaked at No. 41. Over on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs, “Superhero” bowed at No. 2, while “Calling” climbed to No. 13. “Superhero” appears on Metro Boomin’s 2022 album Heroes & Villains, which topped the all-genre Billboard 200 albums chart in December.

Metro Boomin was nominated for four awards at this year’s ceremony, including album of the year for Heroes & Villains; best hip-hop for his Future collab “Superhero (Heroes and Villains)”; and best collaboration and best R&B for his The Weeknd, 21 Savage and Diddy team-up “Creepin’ (Remix).”

12 Sep 2023

Peso Pluma Makes His MTV VMAs Debut With ‘Lady Gaga’ Performance

“¡Arriba México, Viejo!” Peso Pluma enthusiastically said at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday (Sept. 12). Arguably the fastest rising star to hit the American pop mainstream this year, the Guadalajara native made his VMAs debut at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., to perform “Lady Gaga” off his 2023 album Génesis — and Peso Pluma fever was on full display.

Backed by his band — which was made up of of brass players, a tololoche (a sort of stand-up bass), a requinto (12-string guitar) and guitars — attendees gave the performer a warm welcome. With his performance, the Mexican hitmaker — became the first regional Mexican musical act to perform corridos at the annual awards show.

Wearing a huge black puffer jacket and durag, Peso Pluma appeared more like a drill artist than a traditional corridos singer, completing his look with a baggy T-shirt and pants. But that’s the appeal: He resonates with an urbano crowd that leans toward a street-style aesthetic and a bélico lifestyle.

Peso Pluma is nominated for a several VMA awards, including song of the summer for the Mexican reggaetón hit “La Bebe (Remix)” with Yng Lvcas, as well as the best new artist award, which Bronx rapper Ice Spice and North Carolina singer Reneé Rapp are also competing for. Previous winners in that category include Olivia Rodrigo, Tyler, the Creator and Lady Gaga. 

“My life has changed a lot,” Peso told Billboard in the July cover issue, recalling that his first shows in Mexico just last year were attended by 500 people. He’s currently in the midst of his first U.S. tour.

12 Sep 2023

Karol G Brings Bichota Season to the 2023 MTV VMAs With ‘Oki Doki’ & ‘Ta OK’

Colombian powerhouse Karol G kicked off Bichota Season at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday (Sept. 12) at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., with a sweltering performance of “Oki Doki” from her latest album, Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season).

Wearing a fishnet leotard that showed off her pink bikini top, matching sleeves and hair to boot, Karol brought her signature electrifying smooth reggaetón vibes to the MTV stage. The singer soon transitioned to belt out “Tá OK (Remix),” a collaboration that usually features fellow Colombian artist Maluma, Brazilian sensation DENNIS and MC Kevin o Chris.

Karol G was nominated for four awards, including artist of the year, and best collaboration for “TQG” with Shakira.

Karol G is currently on an international tour with Mañana Será Bonito. With several sold-out stadium concerts and an electric stage presence, the Colombian sensation proved during the VMAs that she is a cultural Latin icon who continues to reshape and elevate the Latin music scene on a global scale.

Her 2023 album, Mañana Será Bonito, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200; follow-up Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season), scored a No. 1 placement on the Top Latin Albums chart.  She also broke the record for most Hot Latin Songs entries among women as the aforementioned album debuted. 

Four of the artists featured in this year’s main show hail from Latin America, illustrating the global influence of Latin pop in recent years. Shakira and Karol G hail from Colombia, trilingual force Anitta represents Brazil and Peso Pluma is from Mexico, showcasing the storied tradition of músia mexicana. 

12 Sep 2023

Watch Ice Spice School Ben Affleck on Munchkins in New Ad for Her Dunkin’ Drink

Ice Spice knows what’s what! The rising rap star drops some knowledge on Ben Affleck in a Dunkin’ ad promoting her newly announced drink collab in the spot that aired Tuesday (Sept. 12) during the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards.

The commercial kicks off with the Oscar-winning actor boasting that he’s been promoted to Dunkin’s brand ambassador. (In his Super Bowl 2023 ad for the the coffee and doughnut chain, the star — who is known for his love of Dunkin’ — works the drive-thru window.) He then sits down with the “Munch (Feelin’ U)” rapper, who’s holding a Munchkin doughnut hole in one hand.

“We gotta come up with a drink name, but it’s not easy, right? Nowadays, with social media, the kids — it’s gotta be authentic,” Affleck informs the rapper in a thick Boston accent. “How are people gonna connect you with Dunkin’?”

“Yeah, I’m a Dunkin’ girl!” she shares, which confuses the Air star. The musician then gives him a lesson on who she is and her fandom’s name, telling him, “Ice Spice? My fans are the Munchkins?”

Still confused, Affleck wonders, “Where’re you going with this?”

“Ice … Spice … Munchkins drink?” the rapper spells out slowly for him, a box of Munchkins doughnut holes in front of her.

The director still doesn’t comprehend, and spits out another suggestion — including an attempt to rhyme, which does not impress the actual rapper at the table.

“Collaborating with Dunkin’ and Ben Affleck on this spot was a dream,” the rapper said in a statement. “The drink has a fun twist, a little something in the name for my fans, too. I can’t wait for everyone to try it.”

“Pumpkin spice season has gotten a bit predictable lately, so we sought help from our friends Ben
Affleck and Ice Spice to create a new pumpkin obsession that only Dunkin’ can offer,” said Jill McVicar
Nelson, chief marketing officer at Dunkin’, in a statement about the beverage, which arrives Sept. 13. “The result? The collaboration you never knew you needed: Pumpkin Munchkins and Frozen Dunkin’ Coffee, blended together to create the Ice Spice MUNCHKINS® Drink.”

According to the brand, this is the first time that one of its doughnuts has been combined with its frozen drinks. The Ice Spice Munchkins beverage blends the pumpkin-flavored Munchkin with a frozen coffee, which is then topped with whipped cream and a caramel drizzle to create the fall-themed drink.

Dunkin’ and Ice Spice are doing more than just an ad spot and social media posts to promote their collaboration. On Tuesday, hours ahead of the VMAs, the rapper revealed a lavish diamond necklace that spelled out “munchkins.” The brand confirmed to Billboard that the blinged-out accessory — which was designed by high-end jeweler Eliantte and features more than 80 carats of diamonds and a chain made from 14k white and rose gold — will be worn by the rapper when she attends MTV’s annual awards show, where she’s nominated for best new artist and push performance of the year for “Princess Diana.”

Watch Ice Spice and Ben Affleck’s Dunkin’ ad above.

12 Sep 2023

Shakira Ignites the 2023 MTV VMAs With a Medley of Her Biggest Hits

Musical shapeshifter Shakira dazzled the audience at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday (Sept. 12) at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Kicking off her potent hits medley with “She Wolf,” the Colombian superstar appeared inside what looked like a human-sized cube, moving in trance-like yoga poses, transitioning from a robotic-like motion to a fluid one. 

Wearing a flesh-toned shimmery outfit, the superstar then transitioned to electro-pop number “Te Felicito,” her 2022 hit with Rauw Alejandro, during which she was joined by four male backup dancers. She gleefully cut to “TQG,” her kiss-off hit alongside Karol G, amid pyrotechnics.

In what was perhaps one of the most memorable segments of this medley, she recreated her famous 2006 VMAs performance with the extended version of “Objection (Tango).” Surrounded by tribal-styled percussionists forming a drum circle, Shakira demonstrated her magnetic star power, and proceeded to grab an electric guitar, showing off some power cords. 

She had the crowd on its feet by the time she got to “Hips Don’t Lie” — even Taylor Swift showed off some Latin-style dance moves from her seat. Shakira closed with her hit “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53.” The crowd roared the lyrics in Spanish, “Las mujeres ya no lloran, las mujeres facturan!” (“Women no longer cry, women cash in!”)

During her set, Shakira even crowd surfed, and received a traditional Colombian sombrero from someone in the audience. This performance marked her first time rocking the VMAs stage since 2006. 

The Colombian singer-songwriter made history at the VMAs, becoming the first South American artist to receive the Video Vanguard Award. She is the second Latin artist to receive the award; Jennifer Lopez, the first performer of Latin descent, received the honor in 2018.

After thanking MTV for having been part of her career since she was 18 years old, the 46-year-old Colombian singer-songwriter mentioned key figures in the creation of her music videos, such as Jaume de Laiguana and Maite Marcos, whom she called friends and collaborators. “Really, I wouldn’t know what to do without you,” she said in Spanish.

She also thanked her record label Sony Music and its collaborators, her parents, and her sons Milan and Sasha, who were present at the ceremony, “for making me happy and making me feel that mom can do anything. Finally, she dedicated the award to her fans, “who have always supported of me through thick and thin”.

“Thank you so much for being my army and helping me fight all my battles,” she said, before adding in Spanish, “This is for you my people… Thank you for inspiring me and for injecting me with so much strength and so much desire to keep going.”

12 Sep 2023

*NSYNC Together Again, For One Night Only: What’s Next After MTV VMAs Moment?

*NSYNC returned to a stage that they know well on Tuesday night (Sept. 12), making an unannounced appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards to present an award to Taylor Swift.

There was a lot of buzz ahead of the awards show about what the group’s reported appearance could entail. Some fans wondered whether they might perform a new song from Trolls Band Together, the upcoming threequel in which Justin Timberlake’s character has a storyline about his brothers reuniting their teenage boy band.

On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, we’re talking all about the highly anticipated reunion and what could lie ahead for the blockbuster boy band after this VMAs moment.

Also on the show, we’ve got chart news on how Doja Cat secures her second No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart as “Paint the Town Red” jumps 3-1; how Zach Bryan locks in another week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, becoming the first rock album in seven years to spend its first two weeks at No. 1; and how Dua Lipa logs her fifth No. 1 on the Pop Airplay chart as her Barbie soundtrack song “Dance the Night” shimmies to the top of the chart.

The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard’s managing director, charts and data operations, Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)

12 Sep 2023

Nicki Minaj Drops a ‘Pink Friday 2 Exclusive’ During 2023 MTV VMAs Performance

As the host of the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, Nicki Minaj knew it was her job to maintain the audience’s attention on Tuesday (Sept. 12) — and during her performance, she made sure to do just that.

Taking to a sparse stage after an introduction from a very enthusiastic Billy Porter, Minaj kicked things off with an emotional, stripped-down performance of her ballad “Last Time I Saw You.” Dressed in a massive black cloak and standing on a triangular platform in the center of the stage, Minaj let her gorgeous vocals shine through. “I wish I’da hugged you tighter the last time that I saw you,” she belted out on the song’s chorus. “I wish l didn’t waste precious time the night when I called you.”

As the number began to wind down, Minaj suddenly dropped her cloak to reveal a black sheer bodysuit underneath, eyeing the audience. “MTV,” she growled as the lights slowly changed from soft pink to dark red. “It wouldn’t be right if I didn’t give y’all a Pink Friday 2 exclusive.”

With a beat kicking in, Minaj launched into a brand new, unnamed single off of her hotly anticipated new album. Spitting bars about how “you b—hes look up to me,” Minaj made sure to flex her skills as the Queen of Rap before resuming her hosting duties for the evening. “It’s a big difference between me and you,” she rapped. “I ain’t nothing like you, you, you or you.”

Minaj was just one of a star-studded set of performers at the ceremony, which included Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj and many more. The rapper was also nominated for six trophies, including both video and artist of the year.

12 Sep 2023

Doja Cat Holds a Lesson for Her Demons in 2023 MTV VMAs Performance

Doja Cat took the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards stage on Tuesday (Sept. 12) ready to “Paint the Town Red” — and that she did.

The star took the stage at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., in a teacher-inspired outfit surrounded by red-toned, devilish dancers as she performed a medley of tracks including her Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers “Red” and “Attention,” as well as new single “Demons.” The songs are set to be featured on her fourth studio album, Scarlet, which will arrive on Sept. 22.

“Paint the Town Red” rose from No. 3 to No. 1 in its fifth week on the Hot 100 this week. It becomes the rapper-singer’s second career leader, following “Say So” featuring Nicki Minaj in 2020. The achievement marks the first rap Hot 100 No. 1 in over a year, ending the longest break for the genre atop the chart since 2001.

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Doja Cat is nominated for six awards at this year’s show, including song of the summer for “Paint the Town Red”; best direction, best art direction and video of the year for “Attention”; artist of the year and best collaboration for “I Like You (A Happier Song)” with Post Malone.

Among this year’s other performers are Anitta, Cardi B, Demi Lovato, Diddy, Doja Cat, Fall Out Boy, Karol G, Kelsea Ballerini, Maneskin, Megan Thee Stallion, Metro Boomin (featuring Future, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Swae Lee and NAV), Nicki Minaj, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, Shakira, Stray Kids and TOMORROW X TOGETHER.

12 Sep 2023

Anitta Brings Favela Funk Vibes to the 2023 MTV VMAs With ‘Used to Be’ & ‘Funk Rave’

Bem-vindos à Funk Generation. Anitta electrified the crowd at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., as she graced the stage at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday (Sept. 12).

The trilingual powerhouse performer set the scene by showcasing a pair of songs off her latest release, the three-track Funk Generation: A Favela Love Story, a sweltering carioca funk collection.

Opening up with “Used to Be” surrounded by six dancers, the singer wore a vibrant sequined multi-patterned leotard and black shorts, matching with her dancers. The seven women proceded to sway in unison, with some slick perreo-style moves. Then the scene goes to street-style block party with a dozen more dancers amid neon-hued crates.

Anitta then brings it all back to her favela foundations, unleashing a no-holds-barred fête, performing banger “Funk Rave.” Bolstered by an arresting baile funk beat, the Portuguese-language cut sees the Brazilian singer in a playful phase as she teases with flirty verses.

“Being an international artist is not only about being famous wherever you go, because the world is so big,” Anitta told Billboard last year. “It’s about being able to impact culturally different areas at the same time.” 

Four of the artists featured in this year’s awards ceremony hail from Latin America, illustrating the global influence of Latin pop in recent years. Shakira and Karol G are from Colombia, trilingual force Anitta represents Brazil and Peso Pluma is from Mexico, showcasing the storied tradition of músia mexicana. 

The MTV Video Music Awards were telecast live and emceed by Nicki Minaj.

12 Sep 2023

MTV Sets ‘Rock the Bells Festival’ Special to Salute 50 Years of Hip-Hop

Tributes to the 50th anniversary of hip-hop continue with MTV announcing its upcoming special presentation “The Rock The Bells Festival – Celebrating 50 Years of Hip-Hop.”

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Premiering Sept. 19 (11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT), the one-hour special will feature performances from a host of hip-hop pioneers. The lineup includes Big Daddy Kane, Method Man & Redman, Monie Love, Queen Latifah, Rakim, Run-D.M.C., Salt-N-Pepa, Swizz Beatz and LL COOL J.

The performances are culled from the 2023 Rock the Bells Festival that took place Aug. 5 at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York. The legendary lineup for the second annual festival also boasted rap trailblazers such as The Roots, Ludacris, De La Soul, Slick Rick, Fabolous, MC Lyte, Yo-Yo, Roxanne Shanté, Brand Nubian and the Lost Boyz. 

LL COOL J

LL COOL J

Rock The Bells

“This was a special year for the culture and for Rock the Bells in curating this experience, bringing together the icons of hip-hop,” LL COOL J tells Billboard. “It’s always a privilege to play for my hometown crowd in New York City. We really loved putting on this year’s second annual Rock the Bells festival to a sold-out crowd in Queens. Through this special airing on MTV, we’re excited for fans at home around the world to be able to feel some of the great energy from that day.” 

Here’s the list of performances for MTV’s “The Rock the Bells Festival – Celebrating 50 Years of Hip-Hop”:

Big Daddy Kane – “I Get the Job Done”

LL COOL J – “Mama Said Knock You Out,” “4,3,2,1” and “Rock the Bells”

Method Man & Redman – “Da Rockwilder” and “Method Man”

Monie Love – “It’s a Shame”

Queen Latifah – “Ladies First”

Rakim – “Eric B Is President” and “Microphone Fiend”

Run-D.M.C. – “Down with the King” and “It’s Tricky”

Salt-N-Pepa – “Push It”

Swizz Beatz – “Party Up”

Co-founded by LL COOL J and Geoff Yang in 2018, the Rock the Bells global platform includes LL COOL J’s Rock the Bells Radio on SiriusXM (channel 43), the Rock the Bells Festival and the Rock the Bells Cruise. In partnership with the firm Sixthman, the cruise will make its inaugural sailing from Miami to the Bahamas on Nov. 13-17, 2023. Along the way, attendees will be treated to performances by Rick Ross, Lil Jon, Big Boi, DJ Jazzy Jeff and DJ Spinderella, among others.