Music News

GloRilla Gifts Cardi B With Some Serious Bling: ‘I Don’t Even Got No Words!’

GloRilla and Cardi B are back in the studio, but this time, to show off some major gifts the “F.N.F.” MC gave the “Hot Shit” rapper.

The Bronx native uploaded a video to Instagram on Thursday (Oct. 14) of herself and GloRilla, ecstatic at what her fellow artist just gifted her. (Cardi celebrated her big 30th birthday on Oct. 11.)

“So I’m in the studio with GloRilla, and she … I don’t even got no words to say, like …,” Cardi gushes breathlessly in the clip. “OK, so, look. She gave me some Van Cleef earrings, but she also gave me a f–king Patek, bro! Like, what the f–k! Like nobody ever does something so beautiful like that but my man! Now you’re my woman! If that’s my man, you’re woman!”

“I love you, cousin,” GloRilla says while hugging her pal.

The following slide is a photo of the luxury items: Van Cleef & Arpels earrings that look to be the $2,450 Sweet Alhambra gold and onyx studs, and a Patek Philippe watch that appears to be the $21,050 5267/200A Aquanaut. The timepiece features blackened gold numerals and 48 diamonds that add up to about 1.11 carats. (Cardi also received a rare Richard Mille watch for her birthday from husband Offset.)

“Y’all, look what @glorillapimp just gave me !!!!! I love her for f– ever …I wanna cry but imma Gangsta!!!!” Cardi B captioned the post.

The artists are in high spirits in the video for a good reason. GlorRilla’s “Tomorrow 2” remix featuring Cardi B debuted at No. 3 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart on Thursday (Oct.6). The rappers’ team-up also arrived at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Check out Cardi B’s post below:

Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4 Is Coming: Here’s When It’s Airing

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Rihanna is back and better than ever, and Prime Video announced on Friday (Oct. 14) that the highly anticipated Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4 will be returning on November 9.

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The follow-up to the Emmy-winning Vol. 3 iteration of the fashion show will feature the latest Savage X Fenty styles from the music icon, and will stream exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories. The trailblazing event will include a new all-star lineup of models, actors, some of the biggest names in music and more.

RiRi posted a teaser snippet to Instagram announcing the news, in which she’s seen lounging around in dim, lavender-toned lighting in lacy black lingerie. “VOLUME [clap emoji] MF [clap emoji] FOUR [clap emoji],” she captioned the clip. Rihanna serves as executive producer and creative director of Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4.

In addition to the show airing on Prime Video, the entire Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4 collection, which pays tribute to self-expression and personal empowerment, will also be available to shop in the Amazon store and at Savage X Fenty’s website. on November 9. 

In addition to the fashion show, Prime Video lets users access countless hours of content including action and adventure movies, dramas, comedies, documentaries, sci-fi, mysteries and thrillers, and kid-friendly programs. Not signed up for Amazon Prime? Join today under a free 30-day trial ($14.99 a month after the trial ends) and enjoy tons of great perks such as fast and free shipping, exclusive deals on millions of items and a free one-year subscription to GrubHub+. There’s also an option to join Prime Video by itself (free trial included, but you won’t get as many perks as you would with a Prime membership).

First Spin: The Week’s Best New Dance Tracks From David Guetta, Artbat & Idris Elba, SG Lewis & Tove Lo and More

This week in dance music: we were there for the pair of shows Zedd played to honor the ten-year anniversary of his debut Clarity, we caught up with Wreckno about the special meaning behind their Electric Forest set this past June, we went deep with Kerri Chandler on the occasion of his most recent album, and we saw the queen Björk hit Hot Dance/Electronic albums with her latest, Fossora.

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And new music? You know we’ve got it. Let’s dig in.

David Guetta & Artbat feat. Idris Elba, “It’s Ours”

Is it future rave? Melodic techno? A cryptic spoken-word ballad featuring one of the world’s best-known actor/DJs uttering heady musings about “the connection… the absolute purity…” in baritone? “It’s Ours” is in fact all of these things, with the fearsome foursome that produced it — David Guetta, Ukrainian duo ARTBAT and aforementioned multi-platform star and noted good-looking person Idris Elba — tossing their respective skillsets in the mix for the darkly hypnotic heater. The track is fairly experimental output (particularly for the typically melody-centric Guetta), and really excels in the extended eight-minute version, which plays like the soundtrack to an actual movie. — KATIE BAIN

SG Lewis & Tove Lo, “Call On Me”

Ladies and gentlemen, right this way through the holographic door into a dark-lit, dystopian disco where the champagne flows like spilled blood and the only soundtrack is the sinister thump of SG Lewis and Tove Lo’s insanely hard-hitting single, “Call on Me.” There’s just something desperate about this song’s insatiable funk. It seems to promise that if we turn its maximalist production up until it red lines, for three blissful but very-sweaty minutes, we might forget that there’s such a thing as human pain.

“Call on Me” is the latest single from Lewis’ forthcoming double album AudioLust & HigherLove, which he says “explores the differing ways in which we approach love and relationships, and the cyclical nature of those feelings.” It also appears on Lo’s spankin’-new LP Dirt Femme, which sees the Swedish singer peeling back the layers on her personal demons in a way she’s never quite exposed before. Of course, all this over beats that will breathe life into any dance floor. These two can call on us literally any time. – KAT BEIN

Sohmi, “Somebody”

After playing Coachella for the first time earlier in April, Sohmi has entered a new and more high-profile era in her career. The producer-singer-songwriter is back today with her first solo release since last year, “Somebody,” through which she revisits her past. “‘Sit on the floor little darling / know what you’re worth,’ Mama told me,” she begins. She builds upon the premise of working long and hard to become “somebody,” the refrain echoing like a lingering dream across a driving soundscape filled with pummeling drums and fluttering synths. It’s dark yet dreamy, heavy but hopeful and lyrically relatable while also being some of Sohmi’s most personal material yet.

“Somebody” is also the first taste of a new EP due out early next year. “A lot has happened and changed since my last release,” Sohmi says, “and I’ve spent a lot of time diving deeper into my own personal history in order to better understand who I am; why I hurt the way I hurt, why I love the way I love. All of it has been at once challenging and fulfilling at the same time, but most of all, it’s been beautiful to confront who I am as a person and how that’s shaped the artist I am and strive to be today. I think ‘Somebody’ is sort of the first piece of that story, as it takes a step backwards into some personal history of mine while looking ahead and forward, sonically.” — KRYSTAL RODRIGUEZ

Agents Of Time, Universo

After taking a giant step into the mainstream this past January via their killer remix of The Weeknd‘s “Take My Breath,” Italian duo Agents Of Time are closing out the year with their sophomore album, Universo. The 13-track LP melds melodic techno with an expanded pop sensibility (particularly in the vocal-driven tracks), altogether delivering dually sophisticated, hypnotic electronic music you can live with at home or on the dancefloor. Universo is out now via Kompakt. — K. Bain

G Jones & Eprom, “R.A.V.E.”

Have you been to a rave lately? It really does feel like stepping outside of society into a more perfect union of souls. When a rave is done right, it’s like going to church and a bacchanal all at once — which we suppose at certain moments in history is exactly what going to “church” was like. Raves make you feel like a better tomorrow is possible, so maybe that’s why inimitable texture gods G Jones and Eprom named their latest laser attack anthem “R.A.V.E.,’” aka “Realizing Alternative Visions for Earth.” A monster tune that will break your windows and smash your skull, the track is everything we love about these two producers: funky, groovy, an absolute assault of the aural senses — and also just mean, and therefore, so nice. The track comes from Jones’ Illusory Tracks EP, out next month. – K. Bein

Coco & Breezy feat. Baby Sol, “Magic”

Some tracks are made for banging out in the club, and some are meant to be set free in the outdoors. Coco & Breezy’s new single “Magic” falls into the latter group. In an exploration of their Afro-Latina heritage, the twin-duo deliver a track shrouded in mysticism, pairing driving drum rhythms and menacing bass with vocal chants and wolf howls as vocalist Baby Sol teases, “I got that magic.” There’s a communal spirit within “Magic” that evokes images of midnight forest raves, where among the silhouettes of looming trees and nocturnal birds, it might sound right at home.

“We all have that magic when we step into our power,” write Coco & Breezy. “It truly feels like we are tapping into our ancestors with the vocal chants in the background. “Music is healing, and words are powerful. Creating a song for people to dance to, and repeat the affirmation ‘I got that magic,’ is powerful.” — K.R.

Lil Baby, Blink-182, The 1975 & More: What’s Your Favorite Music Release of the Week? Vote!

Diversity is the name of the game! This week’s new music Friday offerings includes a hip-hop heavyweight, pop-punk legends and British alternative rockers returning with new material. But which release is your favorite?

Lil Baby is back with a vengeance on It’s Only Me, which sees him enlisting a bevy of hip-hop heavyweights for guest spots — including Future, Young Thug, Jeremih, Pooh Shiesty and more — to provide assists. Though one to make a mean hit, Baby instead goes for narrative storytelling over flashiness, as he discusses his unprecedented rise to stardom over the past few years.

Over on the rock front, Blink-182‘s original lineup has reunited, with Tom DeLonge joining the band alongside Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker. And to celebrate, the pop-punk trio released new song “Edging,” which sees them relying on their tongue-in-cheek nature (“I’m a punk rock kid, I came from hell with a curse/ She tried to pray it away, so I f–ked her in church”). The release offers the first look at the newly reunited group’s yet-to-be-titled album.

The 1975‘s Being Funny in a Foreign Language, produced by Jack Antonoff, continues to offer the glimmering, alternative-tinged pop music longtime fans of the band know and love. Standout track “Oh Caroline” recalls The 1975’s work on its self-titled LP and sophomore release, I Like It When You Sleep, with ’80s-inspired synthesizers and concentrated efforts from every member in the band.

So which new release this week is your favorite? Vote in our poll below!

Ed Sheeran Reveals How Elton John & Eminem Inspired His 6-Foot Penis Statue Gift to Sam Smith

Sam Smith raised a quite a few eyebrows earlier this week when they revealed on The Kelly Clarkson Show that Ed Sheeran had gifted the “Unholy” singer a six-foot marble penis statue. But in a Thursday (Oct. 13) appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, the “Bad Habits” singer took the chance to explain himself, and revealed that none other than Elton John and Eminem had played important parts in inspiring the peculiar present.

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Though Sheeran also spoke on The Late Show about meeting the queen and his upcoming North American tour, the very first thing Colbert wanted to know about was the statue. More specifically — why?

After revealing that the custom monument weighed in at “two and a half tons,” the musician offered the unexpected — but not altogether surprising — context behind his gift, which Smith previously revealed to Clarkson they’d been inspired by Bridgerton to name the “Duke of Hastings.” “Elton John has been involved in my career from the get-go, and he buys me weird gifts,” Sheeran began. I can’t talk about them on TV — but, like, odd gifts. Sexual sort of objects …I love you, Elton.”

“He is very proud of the fact that Eminem bought him and his husband, David, diamond-encrusted c–k rings for their wedding,” he continued, with a flabbergasted Colbert removing his glasses in astonishment. “I’m like, I need to one-up this, I need to get Elton a present that’s gonna make him go, ‘Oh my god.’”

That’s when inspiration struck the four-time Grammy winner, who proceeded to order “a few different iterations” of penis sculptures. “I gave it to him for his birthday, and Elton was over the moon about it,” Sheeran chuckled. “It got out in the press that I’d done it. And people would just be like, ‘Can I have one?’ Sam saw one of them and said, ‘Can I have one?’”

“And I said, ‘What would you like?’ and Sam said, ‘One the size of me — six foot two,’” he concluded. “So … there we go. That’s it.”

Watch Ed Sheeran dish to Stephen Colbert about the statues and more above.

Rising Producer-Artist Flwr Chyld Signs to Raedio, Releases Debut Album

The signing marks a new beginning for the emerging artist (real name Kevin Brown) who has a knack for blending elements of R&B, funk and house. In 2019, he released his debut EP Iridescent Luv, captivating the underground indie music scene with help from singer-songwriter James Tillman. Flwr Chyld then followed with 2020’s Flow, collaborating with other rising names including Elujay and Mia Gladstone.

“I’m excited to be a part of this niche market,” Brown told Billboard about the signing. “Things have been evolving and I’m able to feel new energies and have new conversations. It’s definitely the right place and the right timing!”

The publishing deal is also a full-circle moment for the artist who connected with Xtina Prince, Raedio’s general manager of label and publishing, prior to her joining the company. Deemed as a “perfect fit” for Raedio, Prince says she’s excited to support Flwr Chyld while allowing him to maintain creative control of his upcoming releases.

“Flwr Chyld is special. From the moment I heard his music, I knew I had to find a way to support him,” said Prince. “Giving independent artists opportunities to advance on their own terms has always been at the forefront of my passion in the music business. To be able to offer this opportunity to such an incredible talent, is the reason I do this everyday.”

Issa Rae founded Raedio in October 2019 as “an audio everywhere company.” The record label is a joint venture with Atlantic Records and includes four branches dedicated to publishing, live events, music supervision and discography. Back in January, the producer-writer-director also launched the Raedio Creators Program Supported by Google which was designed to provide resources to underrepresented indie artists and bring more representation of women of color to the music industry.

Flwr Chyld describes his Luv N Chaos as “a story that tells multiple perspectives on what it means to fall in and out love.” Ahead of its release, the artist dropped four singles: “Worth It” feat. Flozigg, “Lucky Me” feat. Sebastian Mikael, “In Your Arms” feat. Demae, and “Feel Your Love.”

“We’ve all gone through relationships with significant others where we were either eager for it to end or wished it never ended,” he explained. “You know, for better or for worse! No matter how chaotic the feeling, the emotion that love can make us feel all seems to be worth it in the end.”

John Legend Calls Blake Shelton the ‘Heart & Soul’ of ‘The Voice’ After Exit Announcement

Earlier this week, Blake Shelton revealed that after the next season of The Voice, he will be leaving the show. Now, fellow coach John Legend is opening up about the country superstar’s exit and his own future on the show.

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“Well, you know, he’s been doing the show for 22 seasons, it’ll be 23 when he’s done, and you can’t do something forever,” Legend told ET. “We’re gonna miss him though. He’s been the heart and soul and anchor of the show for a long time, and he’s a friend of mine, and I really enjoy working with him.”

He added that “we’re all going to miss him.”

Legend is also not returning next season, as he’s set to tour in support of his newest album Legend and will soon be a father of three. “My family’s growing, I have a new album out, I’m gonna do a little bit of touring, and so it’s probably better that I take a break,” he explained. “We took a break last season because we had another show in our slot that the network tried — and I thought that was gonna happen this season, but it ended up that they wanted us back…but I’ll be back on The Voice, just not this coming season.”

Shelton took to Twitter on Tuesday (Oct. 11) to announce his The Voice exit after season 23. “This show has changed my life in every way for the better and it will always feel like home to me,” Shelton wrote in a statement. “It’s been a hell of a ride over these 12 years of chair turns and I want to thank everyone at The Voice from NBC, every producer, the writers, musicians, crew and catering people, you are the best. It takes a lot of work, passion, and adult beverages (Ha!) to pull off a live show twice a week.”

He continued, “I’ve made lifelong bonds with Carson and every single one of my fellow coaches over the years, including my wife Gwen Stefani!”

 NBC revealed its coaches for season 23, which includes Shelton and The Voice veteran Kelly Clarkson. Newcomers Niall Horan and Chance the Rapper will also join the judges panel.

Every Song Ranked on Lil Baby’s ‘It’s Only Me’ Album: Critic’s Picks

Two years after releasing his chart topping, four-times RIAA platinum-certified album My Turn and a year after his The Voice of the Heroes joint album with Lil Durk, Atlanta rapper Lil Baby returns this Friday with his follow-up studio LP, It’s Only Me.

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The 23-track set, released on October 14 under Quality Control Music and Motown Records, runs about 65 minutes and boasts guest appearances from Future, EST Gee, Young Thug, Jeremih, Nardo Wick, Pooh Shiesty, Friday and Rylo Rodriguez. It’s Only Me’s cover art resembles a landscape painting that depicts a Mount Rushmore of Lil Baby, hovering over an image of the woozy-sounding rapper in nature, seated on a large rock.

It’s Only Me’s release comes as the 27-year-old born Dominique Jones continues to soar. His smash single with rapper Gunna, “Drip Too Hard,” was recently certified Diamond with sales of over 10 million copies. The “Yes Indeed,” “We Paid” and “The Bigger Picture” recording artist just closed out this year’s One Musicfest and released the FIFA World Cup’s official 2022 theme song, “The World is Yours to Take.”

The Grammy winner and co-headliner of the One of Them Ones tour with Chris Brown is the subject of a feature documentary, Untrapped, now streaming on Prime Video. Lil Baby is also co-producing the new BET+ unscripted series, The Impact Atlanta, and is featured in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II “Squad Up’ commercial.

The founder of the 4PF record label — who recently took home an MTV VMA for best hip-hop video alongside Nicki Minaj for “Do We Have a Problem” — Lil Baby utilizes the majority of It’s Only Me to shine light on his success, influence, family and intentions to not backtrack to his humble beginnings, growing up in Atlanta’s Oakland City area or doing prison time for drug charges. Fans can expect a more lyrically astute, confident rapper who knows his value and reminds the listener throughout his new project that with great power comes great responsibility.

Check out Billboard’s track ranking for It’s Only Me below.

23. “Danger”

It’s one of the few times on the album that Lil Baby’s pitch isn’t altered. The song has playful keyboards, a bouncing bass line and clucking beat to carry it. Its simplicity isn’t enough to carry the weight of this project, though.

22. “Stop Playin” (feat. Jeremih)

Its airy opening crawls into a melody and track that resembles a ticking clock. This time, Lil Baby abandons his flows for a more industrial R&B sound in conjunction with guest vocalist Jeremih. It’s always great to balance hard sounds with romantic material to capture the female fans. This, however, isn’t it.

21. “Everything”

Lil Baby laments over some ticking, hollow snares and a classical piano arrangement. He’s a hopeless romantic that gets into regular arguments with his love interest and has fallen out with envious friends. Despite it all, Lil Baby insists that he’ll press on, even with all he’s done for his failed relationships.

20. “Cost to Be Alive” (feat. Rylo Rodriguez)

Opening with jazzy piano chords, Baby is joined by his husky-voiced 4PF artist Rylo Rodriguez over a sparse drum pattern, to rejoice over where the duo are now. They’ve defied the odds in the streets and prison stints to live in affluent communities and live out their dreams as rap stars. It’s one of the weaker cuts on the set, though, falling somewhat flat beyond their self-awareness.

19. “FR”

After a while, the production starts to repeat itself, but this track is what anyone would expect from Lil Baby. It has all of the elements: the basic trap loop under a drowsy vocal. It’s nothing to truly write home about but does repeat how popular Baby is throughout music.

18. “Waterfall Flow”

Lil Baby enlists ATL Jacob and Ayo Slim to help him deliver a message to the ones that doubted him. Its bright and lush melody lets Lil Baby live in his glory: He’s a viral sensation and hitmaker that foots the bill for his friends. The rapper also recognizes his true calling and the responsibility he carries as a high-profile talent.

17. “Heyy”

Coming in with chopper-style drums courtesy of producers King LeeBoy, Harto Beats and Hoops, Lil Baby’s signature teeter-totter cadence is all for not letting the small things kill his mood. Whether it’s haters or his harshest critics, Lil Baby got his eyes on the prize and celebrating the fruits of his labor. The hook should definitely win him over a new legion of fans once he performs it live.

16. “Perfect Timing”

Lil Baby’s robotic croons smother acoustic guitar plucks, before the song sets into a groove of rock guitar, glowing keys and kick snares. Episodes like experiencing a close friend’s death or failed relationships because of drug abuse prompt Lil Baby to recalibrate his life on this track. It’s a wake-up call to know when exactly to make life changes and take a new direction down a new path.

15. “Forever”

Produced by Bizness Boi and Fortune Beats, a slurred and eerie vocal sample sets the mood for a broken-hearted Lil Baby. He’s part of a love triangle on the low, wining and dining his intended, and using a slightly lower vocal register to express his heartbreak. It gives Lil Baby one of his more sincere, softer moments on the entire set.

14. “Shiest Talk” (feat. Pooh Shiesty)

Lil Baby is joined by rapper Pooh Shiesty over a piano-driven simple drum track to emphasize that there’s nothing in the streets but trouble. They’ve seen their friends get killed, dealt with the cops and know the only way to escape is to take their rap careers seriously. It’s a basic continuum of Lil Baby’s evolution.

13. “Russian Roulette”

Lil Baby is confident that his best days lie ahead over the bluesy closing track. He’s survived numerous deaths of friends and family, but appreciates owning real estate, coming up in the game alongside his friends like Gunna, and making his grandma proud. It’s not over-the-top production-wise, but sets the perfect mood for redemption.

12. “No Fly Zone”

Now a father of two, Lil Baby knows the future looks bright for his immediate family. His life comes full circle from his roots in Atlanta to now being one of the biggest recording artists in the world. Lil Baby is concentrating on keeping it that way. At the same time, over the song’s driving handclaps, he expresses his determination to bless his queen with the finer things in life, now that he has the means to do so.

11. “Top Priority”

Lil Baby once again reiterates how his stardom has shifted his focus. He’s the breadwinner in his family, so he doesn’t partake in living on the internet or concerning himself with petty gossip. He’s making investments, winning music’s highest accolades and determined to not let anything or anyone interfere with his success.

10. “In a Minute”

Produced by Kaigoncrazy and Haze, Lil Baby has the luxury on this track of being on top of his game and sharing stages with other musical heavyweights but isn’t a stranger to the price of fame and what he’s sacrificed for superstardom. Over some breezy snare cracks, he acknowledges his incarcerated homies and recognizes that he’s a chosen one that’s changing the narrative.

9. “Never Hating” (feat. Young Thug)

The Young Thug-featured joint produced by Wheezy has Lil Baby borrowing some of Thugger’s rhythmic thunder for a little over two-and-a-half minutes. Lil Baby makes it clear that he’s keeping a close eye on leeches and sketchy folks in his space. Thugger, on the other hand, addresses the pocket-watchers that got something to say about his ostentatious taste.

8. “Not Finished”

The song’s opening prog-rock-inspired piano loops gives Lil Baby the space to combust on the hard track like a climax. Success has brought Lil Baby more than his fair share of thirst traps and pick-mes to exploit him, but he reiterates how committed he is to building his empire, despite all of the distractions. It’s arguably one of this album’s hardest cuts.

7. “From Now On” (feat. Future)

Tay Keith’s and Murda Beatz’s ears are the masterminds behind this haunted track. Lil Baby and Future, whose voice here resembles a broken speakerphone connection, tag team to make some plays, but also to give hustlers a cautionary tale on how to move in silence. Lil Baby even whispers discreetly as the song fades out.

6. “Double Down”

It’s clear from the beginning that Lil Baby is in a much better place financially and spiritually. The misty, island-inspired melody under Baby’s crisp voice assures he’s going after longevity as an artist and keeping a positive outlook on life. It could very well work as a great radio single.

5. “Back and Forth” (feat. EST Gee)

Lil Baby, Louisville rapper EST Gee and producer Tay Keith join forces on this banger. For two minutes, the rappers go bar for bar about their rise to the top, and how they respect each other’s status and hoods well before the rap game. The collaboration will end up on repeat.

4. “Stand on It”

The rapper that “got his name from shootin’ dice and sellin’ n—as weed” is determined to not be flash in a pan. He doesn’t forget where he comes from, but allows his disorienting tone to blur and periodically obscure his message. One thing for certain is that Lil Baby is a man of integrity.

3. “Pop Out”

Lil Baby spits one of his clearest verses over one of the entire project’s hardest tracks. The production shifts a minute and twenty seconds in with an adrenaline-raising switch-up to accompany Nardo Wick’s grimy, sinister delivery. Lil Baby then circles back over that same menacing beat, and hits the hook with a breathy pace similar to Nardo’s.

2. “Real Spill”

A sample of Sade’s somber “The Big Unknown” sets the mood before Lil Baby kicks game over booming handclaps about where his massive success has changed his life for the better. He comes off self-aware and determined to turn all of his morbid past into positives to improve life for his family and intimate circle. The album opener kicks off the 23-track collection with a great start.

1. “California Breeze”

Lil Baby’s life turning over a new leaf means relocating from Atlanta to the West Coast. Fame has afforded Lil Baby a taste of the good life, warm weather, and the disbelief that his life has taken a complete 180. It’s the perfect song to throw on in the whip for a nighttime cruise.

Beyonce Addresses Fashion Designer Who Claims He Wasn’t Paid for Work on ‘Renaissance’ Album Art

Beyoncé and her team have thoroughly shut down allegations that Nusi Quero wasn’t paid for his work on styling the singer in her Renaissance album artwork.

After the designer claimed in now-deleted Instagram posts that Bey’s team — specifically her stylist Marni Senofonte — had never compensated him for his contributions to the “Break My Soul” vocalist’s high-fashion album photo shoots, an official statement denying all of Quero’s “troubling” allegations was shared Thursday (Oct. 13) with Entertainment Tonight.

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“It is deeply troubling that designer Nusi Quero has posted damaging statements about Marni Senofonte regarding non-payments for work completed,” said Beyoncé’s rep in the statement. “In fact, he was paid for his work, and there is proof of all payments made.”

The statement continued to divulge specific details about the alleged timeline of payments made by the 28-time Grammy winner’s camp to Quero.

“We have been in communication with his team and there were three payments made to him,” it reads. “The first payment was made on May 9, 2022. The second payment, a fifty percent down payment on the agreed cost, was made via wire on July 8, 2022. The third and final payment was returned when he changed his account number. It was returned as an invalid account number based on an error on his part.”

“After persistent and exhausting communication to get the correct information on his account and two unsuccessful wire transfer attempts, a physical check was mailed to him for final payment on September 29, 2022,” the statement concluded, according to ET.

Billboard has reached out to Beyoncé’s reps for comment.

Quero’s accusatory claims are just the latest to arise regarding Beyoncé’s Renaissance album cycle. Pop duo Right Said Fred alleged earlier this month that Bey had neglected to approach them for permission to sample their 1992 hit “I’m Too Sexy” in a track called “Alien Superstar” on her July-released record.

“Normally the artist approaches us but Beyoncé didn’t because she’s such an arrogant person,” brothers-turned-bandmates Richard and Fred Fairbrass told U.K. tabloid The Sun at the time.

“Permission was not only granted for its use, but they publicly spoke of their gratitude for being on the album,” Beyoncé responded to the allegations in a statement to Billboard, noting that the brothers had been given a co-writing credit on “Alien Superstar.” “For their song, there was no sound recording use, only the composition was utilized. Permission was asked of their publisher on May 11, 2022, and the publisher approved the use on June 15, 2022. They were paid for the usage in August 2022.”

Before that, Kelis alleged something similar. In July, she called out Bey and The Neptunes for interpolating her 2003 hit “Milkshake” into Renaissance track “Energy,” writing on Twitter at the time that her mind was “blown too because the level of disrespect and utter ignorance of all 3 parties involved is astounding.”

Beyoncé responded by removing the interpolation altogether from “Energy” as it appeared on Tidal and Apple Music.

Megan Thee Stallion Teases a ‘Hot Girl’ ‘Saturday Night Live’: Watch

Move over, hot girl summer — here comes hot girl SNL. Just two days away from making her hosting debut on Saturday Night Live, Megan Thee Stallion recorded a reel of hilarious teasers with cast member Heidi Gardner, who promises that this Saturday (Oct. 15) will entail “a real hot girl SNL.”

In the Thursday (Oct. 14) teaser video, the rapper tries introducing herself as this weekend’s host and musical performer several times to get the perfect take — but Gardner makes it a little difficult. “What’s up y’all. It’s Megan Thee Stallion, aka the Hot Girl Coach, and I will be the musical guest and host this week on SNL,” Meg says.

“It’s going to be an awesome show, all we have to do is write it,” Gardner adds.

An astonished Meg asks, “We got people working on that, right?”

In another take, Gardner jokingly tries to steal Meg’s thunder. “I’m Heidi THEE Gardner, and I’ll be there as well,” the comedian says, making the “Plan B” rapper frown.

“Don’t do that,” Meg tells her.

Finally, the two ladies come together. “Let me tell you, it’s going to be a real ‘Hot Girl’ SNL!” Gardner declares.

“OK, Heidi!” a grinning Meg replies, before sticking out her tongue to do her signature “Ah!”

“Woah, how do you do that?” Gardner asks, trying — and failing — to do it herself. But because she’s the Hot Girl Coach, Meg is encouraging anyway. “Yeah!” she tells Gardner.

The Grammy winner’s teasers with Gardner follow a previous trailer she filmed with another SNL cast member, Sarah Sherman. In the Wednesday (Oct. 12) skit, Meg hilariously breaks the news to Sherman, who’s obliviously spent the entire work day without any clothes on, that her “whole WAP is out.”

This Saturday will mark the “Sweetest Pie” artist’s first time hosting SNL, though she made her musical guest debut back in 2020 when she performed her hits “Savage” and “Don’t Stop.” This time around, she’ll most likely play tracks from her August-released sophomore album Traumazine, which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200.

Watch Megan Thee Stallion and Heidi Gardner tease this week’s Saturday Night Live episode above.