Music News

24 Jan 2025

Lil Wayne’s Pick for His Best Verse Might Surprise You

There are plenty of excellent Lil Wayne verses to choose from. You can pick something from his Dedication mixtape series or maybe something from his Carter albums. One thing is for sure, though — you’ll never guess which verse the New Orleans legend picks as his best verse of all time.

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While sitting down with entrepreneur Maverick Carter for his Mavericks YouTube series, Wayne had an interesting pick for his best verse after the rapper admitted that he didn’t think he’s rapped his best verse yet. “To me, to this day, my best verse is gonna always be my verse on my first solo song on the Hot Boys album [Get It How U Live!] It was a song called ‘Block Burner’,” he said before confirming that he didn’t curse on any of the song’s three verses. “And so, when we would go do shows and stuff in New York, even a TV show or something — if they had another New York artist on that, they would always pull me to the side and let me know like, ‘Bro, I respect that you rap like that and don’t cuss.’”

Wayne went on, adding that those same artists were then surprised by his skill. “They would always also tell me, ‘I thought when I listened to you, I thought you was just gonna be a little sing-song artist where it doesn’t matter if you cussing or not. But you really be rapping.’ Always New York artists,” he said.

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Weezy didn’t specify which exact verse off the song was his best, but it’s safe to assume he meant all three because he went off on that song, even more so when you remember that he was only 15 years old when he recorded them.

The Hot Boys finally reunited last year after multiple false starts in New Orleans for WeezyAna Fest and just announced that they plan on hitting three cities together in February. They are set to vista Tampa on Feb. 21, Charlotte on Feb. 23, and St. Louis on Feb. 28.

You can watch the full convo below.

24 Jan 2025

Billy Ray Cyrus’ Ex-Wife Firerose Says She’s ‘Glad the Truth Is Coming to Light’ About the Singer

Firerose is speaking out after her ex-husband Billy Ray Cyrus’ widely criticized performance at a pre-inauguration event for Donald Trump left viewers concerned for his wellbeing.

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“What’s being seen in public now reflects much of what I experienced in private during our relationship,” the singer told People of Cyrus. “It’s very sad to see those same struggles continue for him, but I’m glad the truth is coming to light — for his potential good because healing is only possible when you confront the truth and accept there’s a problem. For me, I remain focused on my faith, my music, my healing and using my story to encourage others to find strength and hope.”

Cyrus filed for divorce on May 22, citing “irreconcilable differences” and “inappropriate marital conduct” seven months after the couple married. On June 13, Cyrus requested an emergency motion accusing Firerose of making nearly $100,000 in unauthorized “fraudulent” credit card charges while seeking a temporary restraining order to stop her, though her attorneys said the accusations were “untrue.”

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After Cyrus’ divorce filing, Firerose accused him of domestic abuse, and calling the country star “unpredictable and volatile” due to alleged substance abuse. In a statement shared with Billboard, Cyrus’ lawyers “vehemently” denied the allegations and said that while he was “certainly vocal, frustrated and angry … it is the plaintiff who, in fact, has been abused. Not only verbally and emotionally by the defendant, but PHYSICALLY.”

In August, the duo settled their divorce.

Earlier this month, on Jan. 20, Cyrus’ Liberty Ball appearance was plagued with technical issues, leaving his guitar inaudible and forcing him to haphazard a cappella performance.

Cyrus defended his appearance in a previous statement, saying, “I wouldn’t have missed the honor of playing this event whether my microphone, guitar, and monitors worked or not. That’s called rock and roll!” he told People.

Since then, Billy Ray’s son Trace Cyrus took to Instagram to also comment on the performance, addressing years of strained family dynamics and expressing concern for his father’s well-being. See his statement here.

24 Jan 2025

Kai Cenat Says There’s a ’90 Percent’ Chance He’ll Be Streaming With Ye During Japan Trip

Kai Cenat and Ye — formerly Kanye West — have come a long way since feuding last year. The duo seem to be on good terms these days, as Cenat revealed he’s headed to Japan for a trip and he’s confident there will be a stream with the rapper.

Cenat hopped on a stream earlier this week where he relayed to the chat that he’s been in contact with Ye daily and Yeezy seems to be in a “great mood.”

“I was on the phone with Ye,” Cenat said. “Ye is ready for me to come to Japan so we gotta hurry up and do that … Ye is ready for me to come out to Japan, bro. And it’s time … He’s in a great mood, bruh. I feel like he’s in a happy mood because the album’s coming out and s–t. This could probably be a big a– prank. I don’t know.”

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Kai continued: “We’ve been talking. A very good dude. We’ve been talking, bro. A very good motherf—ing dude. And listen, I think he’ll be open for the stream. Listen, listen, listen. I think he’ll be open for the stream, okay. If I had to say a percentage, it’s at probably, like, 90 percent.”

The streamer can’t believe he’s in this position after feuding with Ye last year, when West felt Kai was clowning him after sending him the wrong size YZY pants. “Deada–. We’ve been talking almost every day and he’s been highly responsive,” he added. “It’s crazy, my n—a. Never would I have thought I’d be able to say that.”

The 23-year-old then confirmed that he’s heading to Japan very soon. He excitedly bumped Ye’s Graduation anthem “Good Life” celebrating the invite from West. “It looks like we have to pack our bags,” he teased. “It looks like we have to go to Japan.”

Cenat hinted at a reconciliation with Ye earlier in January when he posted a Photoshopped horse rocking a Bully cover.

West seems to be in album mode as he’s heated up on social media to kick off 2025, signaling his first solo project since 2021’s Donda is on the way.

24 Jan 2025

Billboard Explains: Bad Bunny’s Meteoric Ascent, from SoundCloud to Superstardom

This week, Bad Bunny‘s Debí Tirar Más Fotos earned the peak position on the Billboard 200, ascending from its No. 2 debut last week. In the segment of Billboard Explains, we take a look at his meteoric rise to superstardom.

With Debí Tirar, the Puerto Rican superstar leverages his unprecedented success to delve deeper into his cultural roots, creating an album that celebrates Latino heritage and connects with identity. “This is a very special album, and part of its purpose was to bring together generations in a different way; have grandchildren sharing the music with their parents and grandparents and celebrate their culture in a special way,” Bad Bunny told Billboard in an interview.

Each of Bad Bunny’s albums marks a unique chapter in his narrative, showcasing significant strides in both his artistic and personal growth. His last four albums, particularly, have each impressively secured the No. 1 slot on the Billboard 200.

His 2023 album, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana, channeled an icy, trap-oriented sound, mirroring the artist’s feelings of isolation at the zenith of superstardom. Before that, Bunny found himself in a more summery mindset, as his 2022 album Un Verano Sin Ti radiated with beach vibes, encapsulating the lively rhythms and warmth that epitomize Caribbean life. In late 2020, amid the global pandemic, El Último Tour Del Mundo tackled themes of uncertainty and introspection — all four No. 1 albums masterfully produced by MAG and Tainy.

Amid these hit releases, the Puerto Rican superstar also shone on global stages, sharing the spotlight with icons like Shakira and Jennifer Lopez at the 2020 Super Bowl, and turning heads at the Met Gala multiple times. From his early days posting tracks on SoundCloud in 2016 to achieving global acclaim in the last few years, Bad Bunny’s journey to stardom is an impressive trajectory of growth and influence.

Explore more about his evolution in the video above.

24 Jan 2025

Chris Holt Joins the Eagles As Touring Guitarist, Replacing Steuart Smith

The Eagles had a new face in town to kick off its 2025 run of residency gigs at Las Vegas’ Sphere. At the veteran band’s gig Jan. 17, they took the stage with veteran Dallas session guitarist Chris Holt, who was introduced to the audience by singer-drummer-guitarist Don Henley.

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In a video posted Idol Records, Henley welcomed Holt “on the first night of his side hustle with the Eagles.” The Dallas Morning News reported on Thursday (Jan. 23), that Holt is replacing longtime Eagles guitarist Steuart Smith, who recently announced that after a nearly 25-year run with the group, he was stepping down due to a diagnosis of Parkinsonism, a neurological condition that causes slow movements, tremors and stiffness.

“I’m trying to fill the giant shoes of all three that came before me,” Holt told the paper in reference to previous Eagles guitarists Don Felder and Bernie Leadon. “It’s some of the most beautiful guitar work ever recorded, in my opinion. It’s the highest honor for me to do it, and it’s my duty to get it right.” The paper noted that Smith and Holt are good friends who’ve performed together in the past in Henley’s solo band.

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Smith, who has played with country luminaries including Dolly Parton, Roseanne Cash and Vince Gill, started his gig as a touring member of the Eagles in 2001, after the veteran group booted longtime member Felder. Holt, who has played with everyone from Bob Dylan to Ringo Starr, James Taylor, Stevie Nicks, the Chicks and, most recently Heartbreakers member Mike Campbell’s Dirty Knobs, told the Morning News that playing guitar and singing harmony with the Eagles as part of their Long Goodbye tour is “definitely challenging.”

“There’s a ton of iconic lead guitar to play — solos that people know every note of — so you wanna make sure you get the tones and the phrasing just right,” he said. “The Eagles are legendary perfectionists and the parts are tricky, so it’s no easy feat to nail it, every time.”

The Eagles kicked off its Sphere residency in September with Smith, who the paper said revealed his departure in a recent statement: “I must bow out of my role with the Eagles while I can still do so gracefully. It’s been a great quarter of a century, and I had hoped to be able to finish out this year with the band. But I must now do what’s best for all concerned.”

The paper also noted that in a separate statement, Henley– the group’s only remaining original member — thanked Smith for his long tenure. “The Eagles will be forever grateful for the extraordinary talents that he brought to both our recordings and live performances,” he said. “Steuart will be greatly missed, but he will always be a part of our musical family. We know our many fans join us in wishing him well.”

The Eagles’ Sphere residency continues on Friday (Jan. 24) and Saturday (Jan. 25), followed by four February dates (14, 15, 21, 22).

24 Jan 2025

EMPIRE & NBA 2K Team Up for Limited-Edition ‘Music to Ball To’ Vinyl Box Set

Independent record label EMPIRE and NBA 2K have joined forces to release the Music to Ball To vinyl set celebrating NBA 2K25‘s season two soundtrack.

The limited-edition vinyl box set is now available for pre-order and will be sold at retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Barnes & Noble and more come Feb. 14. The double-disc set includes tracks from EMPIRE artists such as Key Glock, Asake, Larry June, Money Man, BabyTron, LUCKI, Babyface Ray and more.

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“Our partnership with 2K allows us to merge music, sports and tech in an innovative way that feels authentic to the Bay Area,” said EMPIRE CEO Ghazi in a statement. “We’ve created an experience that shapes how we play, listen and live.”

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EMPIRE AND NBA 2K ANNOUNCE 'MUSIC TO BALL TO'

EMPIRE AND NBA 2K ANNOUNCE ‘MUSIC TO BALL TO’

Daniel Rah

Priced at $150, the vinyl box includes basketball-textured packaging, an NBA 2K25 x EMPIRE keychain, an EMPIRE Music to Ball To championship banner and 35,000 vc points good for use on the 2K digital marketplace.

The partnership marks the first time the NBA has licensed its intellectual property to a record label.

“We’re excited to give NBA 2K fans and music lovers a chance to own this unique collectible that highlights the cultural intersection of music and basketball,” relayed David Kelley, who serves as director of partnerships and licensing at 2K. “This collaboration with EMPIRE underscores our commitment to delivering unparalleled experiences to the 2K community.”

24 Jan 2025

In Its Third Year, Hello From the Hills Welcomes Roots Music Luminaries to Bring Hope, Aid to Community Organizations

Several roots-based music luminaries will perform to help aid various communities, as part of the third annual Hello From the Hills concert, slated Sunday, Jan. 26 at Nashville’s City Winery.

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Ruby Amanfu, Cory Branan, Hayes Carll, Brad Goodall, Silas House, Amanda Shires, Charlie Starr of Blackberry Smoke, and Jesse Welles are all set to take the stage at the intimate Music City venue, with author and storyteller House — most recently known for his work on Tyler Childers’ music video “In Your Love” — hosting the event.

The annual Hello From the Hills concert was founded by Hope in the Hills and The Hello in There Foundation, with the past two concerts drawing performers including Jason Isbell, Tyler Childers, Shires, Sierra Ferrell, Wynonna Judd, Gabe Lee, and Amythyst Kiah. Event proceeds have made it possible for the event’s organizers to make over $100,000 in community grants over the past two years, benefiting organizations including Raphah House, Healing Institute, MusiCares and Musicians Recovery Network.

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Jody Whelan, Oh Boy Records managing partner and Hello in There Foundation board member and treasurer, tells Billboard, “I feel like at this event, it’s so much more than just a performance. You really see the heart of these performers. They are more than just artists, more than just songwriters. You get to see the love they have and the passion they have for different organizations and they see how it affects communities.”

Hope in the Hills’ Ian Thornton tells Billboard, “Music is the thing that brings people together — that’s the business Jody and I are both in. We just know so many great artists and folks have been gracious about donating their time. Nobody gets paid for this. I think the mission in and of itself pushes them to want to be part of it.”

This year, proceeds from the concert will benefit the veterans assistance programs Operation Stand Down Tennessee and Building Lives, as well as My Fathers House Nashville, which provides shelter, life skills and education to fathers who have faced homelessness, incarceration and other adversities. As well, merchandise sales will aid those impacted by the ongoing wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area.

Hello From the Hills

Hello From the Hills

Courtesy Photo

Whelan says, “It’s great to be able to reach into some of these smaller community-based organizations and support them. I love the big organizations that we support, but $10,000 can go really far to a small, local organization — and that equals, ‘We can help this many people.’ We try to invite people from the organizations that are benefiting to be there, so they can see it and talk about their work.”

The Hello in There Foundation was established in 2021 by the family of the late singer-songwriter John Prine and is guided by message of Prine’s 1971 song “Hello in There.” In 2017, Hope in the Hills was launched by members of Tyler Childers’ team, as well as community members in Kentucky, with the aim of combatting the opioid crisis and supporting recovery throughout Appalachia.

“I’ve long admired the work that Ian and the folks at Hope in the Hills and Healing Appalachia have done,” Whelan says. “The Prine Family started our foundation a few years ago and we’ve been close to them for a long time. So we thought, ‘Can we do something to work together?’ The way we formatted it was we each picked one charity that we felt served our mission and then came together and support another organization.”

Whelan adds, “A lot of times, we let John’s songs kind of guide us. This year, it is focusing on veterans and those struggling with addiction, and John’s song ‘Sam Stone’ is a huge touch point. We think about the organizations and how it might tie in with the work that Hope in the Hills is doing. Once you start talking with these organizations, fighting addiction is such a big part of so many different organizations, even if it’s not their primary thing, like homelessness and addiction impacting veterans. Addiction is such a big topic and it affects lives in so many different ways.”

Looking ahead, Thornton is positive about the continued acceleration of the event’s impact: “I’d like to keep this as an annual event coming to Nashville. We’ve talked about bringing it to other cities, too, because I love the idea of being able to help local community organizations in other cities, especially in this region. I don’t know when we’ll have time to do that, but it will happen soon. I don’t see us going into the virtual space anytime soon. We want to keep getting people in rooms, together in community, and sharing their stories.”

Tickets are still available for this year’s Hello From the Hills at citywinery.com.

24 Jan 2025

‘Wicked’ Dominates Top Movie Songs Chart, With ‘Defying Gravity’ at No. 1

Wicked fever reaches Billboard’s Top Movie Songs chart, powered by Tunefind (a Songtradr company), as Cynthia Erivo’s “Defying Gravity,” featuring Ariana Grande, rises to No. 1 on the December 2024 survey.

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Rankings for the Top Movie Songs chart are based on song and film data provided by Tunefind and ranked using a formula blending that data with sales and streaming information tracked by Luminate during the corresponding period of December 2024. The ranking includes newly released films from the preceding three months.

After debuting at No. 2 on the November 2024 Top Movie Songs, “Defying Gravity” rules the latest chart amid Wicked’s first full month of theatrical release; it was debuted in theaters on Nov. 22.

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Set during the finale to the first part of Wicked (Wicked: For Good, its sequel, is scheduled for a Nov. 21 premiere), “Defying Gravity” earned 47 million official on-demand U.S. streams and 13,000 downloads in December 2024, according to Luminate.

The song peaked at No. 44 on the Dec. 7-dated Billboard Hot 100 and ranks at No. 71 on the latest tally.

In all, Wicked accounts for six of the chart’s 10 positions in December, including the entire top four. Grande’s “Popular” follows “Defying Gravity” at No. 2, boasting 35.1 million streams and 7,000 downloads.

The top non-Wicked entry belongs to Nirvana’s “Come As You Are,” featured in the movie Queer, released Nov. 27. A No. 32 hit for Nirvana on the Hot 100 in 1992, the song earned 15 million streams and 1,000 downloads in December.

It’s one of two songs from Queer to make the latest list, ahead of Prince’s “Musicology,” which enter the survey at No. 8.

See the full top 10, also featuring music from Kraven the Hunter and Sonic the Hedgehog 3, below.

Rank, Song, Artist, Movie

  1. “Defying Gravity,” Cynthia Erivo feat. Ariana Grande, Wicked
  2. “Popular,” Ariana Grande, Wicked
  3. “What Is This Feeling?,” Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo, Wicked
  4. “No One Mourns the Wicked,” Ariana Grande feat. Andy Nyman, Courtney-Mae Briggs, Jeff Goldblum, Sharon D. Clarke & Jenna Boyd, Wicked
  5. “Come As You Are,” Nirvana, Queer
  6. “Sign of the Times,” Harry Styles, Kraven the Hunter
  7. “Dancing Through Life,” Jonathan Bailey feat. Ariana Grande, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode & Cynthia Erivo, Wicked
  8. “Musicology,” Prince, Queer
  9. “Run It,” Jelly Roll, Sonic the Hedgehog 3
  10. “The Wizard and I,” Cynthia Erivo feat. Michelle Yeoh, Wicked

24 Jan 2025

What’s Your Favorite New Music Release of the Week? Vote!

With January wrapping up, today’s top artists are keeping the coldest season of the year hot with their latest music releases.

Kicking off the new drops is Bruno Mars, who teamed up with Sexyy Red for a fun “strip club anthem” titled “Fat, Juicy & Wet.” “Fat, Juicy and Wet” is Bruno’s third recent collaboration, following the Hot 100-topping “Die With a Smile” with Lady Gaga and “APT.” with Rosé — and both women appeared in the song’s music video. The latter collab reached No. 5 on the Hot 100 and has spent 12 weeks atop the Billboard Global Excl. US chart.

Travis Scott also unveiled “4×4” accompanied by a philanthropic initiative. Scott announced that 100% of the net proceeds from special merchandise—a shirt and zip hoodie honoring Los Angeles’ first responders—will benefit Direct Relief’s California Wildfire Response Fund. You can shop at shop.travisscott.com.

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Meanwhile, Central Cee dropped his long-awaited debut album Can’t Rush Greatness via CC4L and Columbia Records. The 17-track LP features previously released singles “BAND4BAND” with Lil Baby, “Gen Z Luv” and “GBP,” featuring 21 Savage. The project also includes more collabs with Young Miko (“Gata”), Dave (“CRG”), Lil Durk (“Truth in the Lies”) and Skepta (“Ten”). 

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That’s just the tip of the iceberg. More music releases this week include Djo’s “Basic Being Basic,” Kane Brown’s The High Road, FKA Twigs’ Eusexua and Tate McRae’s “Sports Car.” Now, we want to know which one is your favorite. Check out our Friday Music Guide here, and let us know by voting in our poll here or below.

24 Jan 2025

North West Raps in Japanese on FKA Twigs’ New Album ‘Eusexua’: Listen

North West is saying konnichiwa to the next step in her music career, guesting on FKA Twigs’ new album, Eusexua, almost a year after she made her musical debut on dad Ye’s Vultures 1.

The 11-year-old daughter of the artist formerly known as Kanye West and Kim Kardashian raps in Japanese on “Childlike Things” — the eighth song on the “Perfect Stranger” singer’s 11-track project, which dropped Friday (Jan. 24). Over an effervescent electronic dance beat, North cheerfully spits the following verse, as translated to English by Google: “Hello, my name is North/ From California to Tokyo/ Jesus the King/ Praise God/ Jesus is the only true God.”

The Skims founder and Ye’s eldest daughter is also credited as a writer on the track. Kardashian made sure to promote the collaboration on her Instagram Story, sharing a link and writing proudly, “@fkatwigs ft NORTH out now!”

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“Childlike Things” marks North’s first official musical venture outside of her work with Ye, who duetted with his daughter on Vultures 1‘s “Talking” in February 2024. That August, the Yeezy founder dropped Vultures 2 featuring the tween on another song, “Bomb,” on which youngest daughter Chicago West also appears.

Twigs has also previously worked with Ye, teaming up with the “Donda” rapper and Skrillex on Ty Dolla $ign’s “Ego Death” in 2020.

North’s new project comes shortly after Ye revealed on Instagram that he’s been “training” his firstborn in his craft, sharing a video of himself giving the 11-year-old pointers on how to rap. “This little girl made me love music again,” he gushed in another post, captioning a photo of North sitting next to a keyboard.

“She asked me to make beats for her I got back on the ASR,” he added Jan. 21. “Chopped up beats for her album and chopped every beats with my bare hand for BULLY.”

Listen North rap in Japanese on “Childlike Things” below.