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When Wiz Khalifa‘s seminal mixtape Kush and Orange Juice dropped in 2009, the Pittsburgh staple brought a new sound and lifestyle that forever shifted the hip-hop landscape.
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“The mode I was in — tapped in with the fans, being on the road, buying Jordans, wearing Chucks, wearing camo shorts every day,” recalls Khalifa a decade-and-a-half later to Billboard. “[I] was literally smoking Kush and drinking orange juice, [and] putting the world onto a whole lifestyle that we were living.”
Earlier this month, Khalifa kept the Kush and Orange Juice legacy alive when he released the sequel to his magnum opus. He enlisted familiar faces such as Taylor Gang affiliates Ty Dolla $ign, Juicy J and Chevy Woods while linking up with new characters including LaRussell, Don Toliver and Larry June, making this 23-track ride memorable. The album’s standout tracks, such as the swagger-filled “Pimps n Hustlers” and the Curren$y-featured “Jet Taylor,” showcase the same gusto that made Kush and Orange Juice a classic.
“I wasn’t nervous at all,” Khalifa confidently states when facing the arduous task of following up his 2009 classic. “It was something that I felt I could challenge myself to do. And I would also know if it was it or wasn’t it. There were a couple of times during the process where I would get to maybe I’m done, maybe I figured it out, and I did, but the fans would always let me know what direction to shift it. When I finally got to the end of it, I was 100% confident. So, it wasn’t scary. It was fun trying to figure it out.”
Wiz Khalifa, the spry MC who emerged as the cornerstone of stoner rap in the early 2010s, has transcended past being a caliber MC from the Blog Era. He has become a Billboard Hot 100 contender, courtesy of his rap bona fides. His journey from songs such as “Black & Yellow,” “We Dem Boyz” and “Work Hard, Play Hard” to the melancholic anthem “See You Again” placed him in the venerable territory, hitting Diamond status and accruing 12 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100, is a testament to his evolution. This growth, from his stoner rap roots to becoming a Hot 100 contender, is something that his fans can take pride in. Despite these milestones, Khalifa’s love for hip-hop runs deep in his blood, as proven by his latest freestyles over J. Cole’s “Clouds” and Kendrick Lamar’s “Squabble Up.”
“I did it strategically,” says Khalifa, revealing a key aspect of his creative process. “I started working on the album and removed myself from social media for a bit. It was about four months, and I didn’t scroll or digest anything. It was on purpose because I had to find myself and figure out what I was going to do regardless of what was going on around me.”
Watch Khalifa’s full Billboard News In Conversation interview above, during which he spoke about his love for Snoop Dogg, linking up with J. Cole and more.
Ed Sheeran has launched a new Instagram account to celebrate his upcoming single “Old Phone.”
The account @teddysoldphone is a nostalgic look back through the Suffolk-born songwriter’s mobile phone that he retired in 2015. The account features a number of never-before-seen pictures, texts, lyric notes and more, and arrives ahead of the release of his new single at 11 a.m. ET Thursday (April 29), the four-time Grammy winner confirmed in one post.
Sheeran was inspired to write the new song when revisiting his old phone during the copyright lawsuit around his 2014 single “Thinking Out Loud.” It was alleged by the estate of Marvin Gaye that he had copied elements of Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” during the song’s production, but in November 2024, Sheeran was cleared by a jury and found to have created the song independently of the Motown classic.
“It felt like a time capsule, a time of life that I was in, and living at that time in 2015,” the musician captioned one post on his new account. “Turning it on really spun me out, I found myself scrolling messages and conversations with people who are no longer here. … I found old photos of me with people I was so close to then, but we’ve lost touch since. The whole experience was such an emotional journey.”
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The new Insta account features a number of intimate moments from Sheeran’s life and career. He shares memories between himself wife Cherry in their early stages of dating, a selfie with Harry Styles at the London Olympics in 2012 and a touching message from his father following a performance with Stevie Wonder.
Also included are behind-the-scenes snaps with Taylor Swift, Calvin Harris and One Direction at the Billboard Music Awards in 2015, touching moments with his late friends and collaborators Mac Miller and Jamal Edwards (creator of SBTV) and an insight into the songwriting process for hit songs like “Bloodstream” and “Love Yourself” See a selection of treasure trove below.
“Old Phone” will be the second single from Sheeran’s upcoming album, which he recently confirmed to be called Play. It follows “Azizam” — which translates to “my dear” in Farsi — which was inspired by producer Illya Salmanzadeh’s Persian heritage. The song peaked at No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Sheeran also shared how his upcoming song came about in one of the posts on his new account. “I wrote the song Old Phone on my own at 2am whilst jet lagged in India finishing the album, and recorded it that morning. It feels like a song that should’ve been on my debut album, but also a song I couldn’t have written until I experienced real life things happening to me,” he explained. “It makes me emotional to sing, I hope it finds some emotion in you too. Maybe it makes you switch on your old phone and have a look at where you were a decade ago too. Whatever it does, I’m glad I wrote it.”
He also built a bespoke pop-up British pub called The Old Phone at this year’s Coachella festival, where he performed the song live for the first time.
All three of the Carter girls made their Cowboy Carter Tour debuts Monday night (April 28), with Blue Ivy and Rumi both joining Beyoncé on stage for an emotional performance of “Protector” during the trek’s opening night at SoFi Stadium.
In clips taken by fans in Inglewood, Calif., both of the superstar’s daughters accompany her about a third of the way through the show for the tear-jerking Cowboy Carter ballad about motherhood, which samples Rumi’s voice in the recording. As the 7-year-old sits next to Bey on a set of stairs flanked by backup dancers, 13-year-old Blue crouches behind them, wrapping her arms around both her younger sister and their mom.
“Born to be your protector,” Bey sings before standing up, taking Rumi’s hand and walking with her downstage. “Even though I know someday you’re gonna shine on your own, I will be your projector.”
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At one point, the little girl turns around and gives her mom a big hug, at which point Bey can’t help but stop singing and giggle. “Give it up for Rumi, y’all!” the Destiny’s Child alum then says proudly as the crowd cheers, while Rumi excitedly waves.
Though Monday’s kickoff marked Rumi’s first time ever joining her mom on stage, Blue has long been working with her mom as a backup dancer. The teenager first started dancing on Bey’s Renaissance Tour in 2023, and on Christmas Day 2024, Blue was on the field with the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer for the star’s NFL Halftime Show.
Blue also had a couple shining moments to herself during the Cowboy Carter show, showing off synchronized choreography with her mom during “America Has a Problem.” She also had her own dance solo set to Bey’s “Deja Vu,” commanding a line of other dancers in a brown leathery fit as fans went wild.
Performing tracks from past albums as well as a bulk of the songs from her Grammy-winning, Billboard 200-topping album Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé kicked off about three months of touring with her show at SoFi. The vocalist will stay at the stadium for four more nights before embarking on a run of performances across the United States and Europe this summer.
Cardi B has never been one to pull punches when it comes to her love life. And on Sunday (April 27) the “Bongos” rapper took to Twitter Spaces to lay it all out about the new man she said is rocking her world. While Cardi did not name names, she did give the gentleman props […]
At age 26, Laufey has already reached the pinnacle of her industry. Now, she’s looking to help other young musicians realize their dreams, too.
On Tuesday (April 29), the Grammy-winning artist, composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist announced the launch of The Laufey Foundation, which will strive to make music education, specifically youth orchestra programs, accessible to young people from all different backgrounds. Laufey got her start in youth orchestra programs before receiving a Presidential Scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music.
“The support and scholarships I received as a child have directly led to the career I have now,” Laufey said in a statement. “It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to provide the next generation with the same support and opportunities. I can’t wait to connect with the young musician community!”
The foundation will award inaugural grants to the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, LA Phil’s YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) program, The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, and two of Carnegie Hall’s national youth ensembles (NYO2 and NYO Jazz). It plans to extend grants to additional orchestras globally in the years to come.
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Along with Laufey’s personal contribution to the foundation’s launch, AWAL, AEG Presents, and Steinway & Sons were announced as founding partners, while Warner Chappell, Catbird, and Gibson have come aboard as benefactor partners. Laufey will also donate a portion of the proceeds of every Mei Mei the Bunny plushie sold to the foundation.
This isn’t Laufey’s first charitable endeavor. Last year, she founded the Laufey Scholarship for Graduate Students at Syracuse University’s Bandier Music Business Master’s Program, which will provide $100,000 to international students in need of financial aid over the next 10 years. Earlier this year, she also donated to several organizations — including World Central Kitchen, Pasadena Humane Society, Altadena Girls and L.A. Regional Food Bank — that supported Los Angeles residents in the aftermath of the L.A. wildfires.
Donald Trump hosted the 2025 Super Bowl LIX champs the Philadelphia Eagles at the White House on Monday (April 28), where he took the opportunity to once again lash out at Taylor Swift. The President took his latest swipe at the pop star during the visit when he lauded the Eagles for their commanding 40-22 win in February over the Kansas City Chiefs.
“It was an incredible game. A little surprising, but right from the beginning of the first quarter of the big game, which I was there I watched in person,” said Trump before adding a diss aimed at the billionaire pop superstar who is, of course, dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. “I was there along with Taylor Swift, how did that work out? How did that one work out?”
Trump, the first sitting President to attend the NFL championship game, has made a habit of lashing out at world-beating pop star, including on the night of the Super Bowl, when he wrote, “The only one who had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift. She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving.”
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While Swift was met with some audible boos from the crowd when she was shown on the jumbotron that night, Trump’s latest comments come on the eve of the 100-day mark of his second term in office at a time when, according to a new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll 45% of those polled gave him an “F” for how he’s handled things so far, compared to just 23% giving him an “A.”
Trump’s overall approval rating is 42%, which stands as the second-worst approval rating for any president at the 100-day mark in the past 80 years, bested only by the 41% lodged by Trump during his first term; in a different Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll, his approval rating was ahistoricallylow 39%. And while Trump promised to fix the economy on day one and lower the nation’s debt by slashing government agencies, his onerous across-the-board tariffs and DOGE-led mass firings have resulted in a 39% approval rating to date on his handling of the economy, a new low for Trump.
As is his wont, Trump lashed out in all-caps at the dismal poll numbers, decrying them as “FAKE POLLS FROM FAKE NEWS ORGANIZATIONS” and saying that they should be “investigated for ELECTION FRAUD!”
The White House visit is a tradition for some championship teams, but a number of prominent players skipped Monday’s event, including QB Jalen Hurts, as well as star players A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Brandon Graham and six others; the Eagles turned down a visit to the White House after winning their first Super Bowl in 2018 during Trump’s first term.
Beyoncé launched her Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin Circuit world tour on Monday night (April 28) with the first of five shows at SoFi Stadium in L.A. And, as usual, it was a high-energy, high-fashion feast for the eyes and ears that lasted nearly three-hours. After opening with the Cowboy Carter track “Ameriican Requiem” […]
Dave Grohl popped into a benefit show at for L.A.’s Oakwood School at Avalon Hollywood over the weekend for a surprise set of covers of some of his favorite songs from LCD Soundsystem, The Knack and David Bowie. Accompanied by Foo Fighters bandmate keyboardist Rami Jaffee, as well as Studio 606 engineer and drummer John […]
Six contestants were eliminated during The Voice Season 27 Playoffs on Monday night (April 28), as Team Adam and Team Kelsea faced off in a night filled with standout performances, tough decisions, and no second chances.
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Team Kelsea lost Jaelen Johnston, Darius J, and Tinika Wyatt, while Team Adam eliminated Britton Moore, Conor James, and Ethan Eckenroad.
Each coach began the night with five artists but was tasked with narrowing their rosters down to just two singers each to advance to the Live Shows. The Playoffs featured no Steals or Saves, and all elimination decisions were made solely by the coaches.
Kelsea Ballerini’s team was mentored by Sheryl Crow, while Adam Levine’s artists were guided by LeAnn Rimes. From Team Kelsea, Iris Herrera secured her spot in the Live Shows with a powerful performance of Chris Stapleton’s “White Horse.”
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“Iris, you just did everything that makes you you. You did the best you’ve ever done. You know you’re supposed to be here, and that is such a superpower to have as an artist and as a woman. But you know you belong here.” Ballerini praised.
Alanna Lynise also advanced with her emotional rendition of SZA’s “Nobody Gets Me.” Ballerini said, “Everything she’s shown is top tier, top shelf.”
On Team Adam, Lucia Flores-Wiseman impressed the coaches with her version of The Beatles’ “In My Life.” Adam Levine told her, “Man, Lucia, I’ve never heard anyone like you. All of it is so refreshingly yours. It’s been a beautiful experience working with you. There is just something about Lucia that is singular and on its own level.”
Kolby Cordell also moved forward with his high-energy take on Bruno Mars’ “Finesse.” Levine applauded him, saying, “You’ve just shot up as… the biggest and best on the show.”
John Legend and Michael Bublé’s teams are set to compete in next week’s episode as The Voice Playoffs continue.
Bowen Yang made a surprise appearance as Role Model’s “Sally” during the singer’s performance of “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday night (April 28).
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Marking Role Model’s debut on the late-night talk show, the 27-year-old pop singer-songwriter, whose real name is Tucker Pillsbury, was joined by the Saturday Night Live star for a playful rendition of his viral fan-favorite, fully embracing the role and sending the audience into cheers.
Yang’s appearance on Monday night came just after he was spotted enjoying Charli XCX’s set at Coachella the previous weekend, in another fan-captured viral moment..
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Role Model has made it a tradition throughout his “No Place Like Tour” to invite a fan or special guest onstage to portray “Sally” during live performances of the track. What started as a spontaneous idea has since seen celebrities like Dylan Minnette and Jake Shane (the very first “Sally” at a Dallas show on Feb. 28, 2025) take part in the fun.
The rising star recently told Triple J of the hit, “For me, dance-y songs are probably the hardest things to write. I can’t do it. And that was like my one goal. I was like, I have to do this, even if it takes me an extra year. And I think we did it.”
“We had no plans to do this whole ‘Sally’ thing,” Role Model also recently told Teen Vogue. “I knew right before the tour started that Jake Shane was going to be in Dallas at the same time doing the show, so we were like, ‘Oh, we should bring him out.’”
Earlier this month, Role Model surprised fans with a guest appearance from Reneé Rapp during a show in Los Angeles, during which the singer walked out and began dancing. “Aw, s—, here we go again, I’m falling headfirst/ Ankles hit the two-step, Sally makes my head hurt/ Heard through the grapevine, she can be a diva/ Cold like Minnesota, hotter than a fever,” the audience sang the bridge as the duo hugged it out and danced together.
Watch Role Model’s Tonight Show performance featuring Bowen Yang below.