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Bass guitarist Herbie Flowers, who played with David Bowie, Elton John, Lou Reed and other music legends in a decades-long career, has died at 86.
The musician’s family confirmed his death on Facebook Saturday (Sept. 7).
“While we knew and loved him as Uncle Herbie, his musical contributions have likely touched your lives as well,” the husband of Flowers’ niece wrote. “He played bass on many of the songs from the golden age of rock,” the post reads.
A cause of death was not provided.
Flowers was a founding member of the pop group Blue Mink, who later joined the rock band T Rex. He won acclaim for his work with many of the biggest names in U.K. music in the 1970s, giving Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side,” from the 1972 Transformer album, its recognizable twinned bassline.
He also played bass for Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” Bryan Ferry’s “The Bride Stripped Bare,” and Paul McCartney’s “Give My Regards to Broad Street,” and featured in two of John’s early ’70s albums, among many others.
In a tribute, Bowie’s estate wrote on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), “his work with Bowie and associates over the years is too long to list here.”
“Aside from his incredible musicianship over many decades, he was a beautiful soul and a very funny man. He will be sorely missed,” it said. “Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”
Tim Burgess, lead singer for The Charlatans singer, wrote X that Flowers “made the greats sound greater.”
Flowers also founded the instrumental rock band Sky in the late 1970s, releasing seven albums.
Kendrick Lamar is heading to the Super Bowl — and fans certainly have something to say about it.
On Sunday (Sept. 8), the superstar Compton rapper was announced as the headliner for the 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show, set for Feb. 9, 2025 in New Orleans. This marks the second time K. Dot will grace the stage at the NFL’s main event, after he was a special guest alongside Dr. Dre’s West Coast hip-hop showcase in 2022.
“You know there’s only one opportunity to win a championship,” Lamar says in a promotional clip on Instagram for his performance at the big game. “No round two’s.”
Naturally, fans lit up social media shortly after the announcement, with many commenting on Lamar’s high-profile rap beef with Drake and others expressing disappointment over New Orleans native Lil Wayne not being chosen to represent his hometown at the Super Bowl. Others shared their excitement over Lamar possibly bringing his anthemic Drizzy diss “Not Like Us” to millions of viewers around the world.
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“The Compton kid has completely cracked the code,” one fan commented under Kendrick’s Super Bowl announcement on Instagram. Another user wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “HE IS ON TOP OF THE WORLD.” That sentiment was echoed in another X comment. “OMG!!!!!!!!! THIS IS KENDRICK LAMAR’S YEAR!!!!!!,” a fan wrote.
“I don’t usually watch the Super Bowl, but I’ll absolutely be watching for the Kendrick concert,” another added on X.
As expected, countless fans on social media also took the opportunity to bring Drake into the conversation, with dozens of onlookers referencing K. Dot’s back-and-forth diss tracks with the Toronto MC earlier this year. The beef culminated with Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” which became a monster hit, topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two nonconsecutive weeks in May.
“Love this! Can’t wait to hear not like us on the world stage. Drake finna cry in the corner,” someone commented on the NFL’s X account, while another added that the 6 God’s fans are “in shambles” following the news. “They just gave bro the opportunity to diss tf outta drake on super bowl,” a user wrote on Lamar’s Instagram page. “drake drops 100 gigs of throwaway bs. kendrick drops a SUPER BOWL ANNOUNCEMENT,” another wrote on X, referencing Drake’s recent drop of content.
Some also speculated the possibility of Kendrick squashing his beef with Drake by inviting him onstage during the halftime show. “Special guest, drake?” an X fan questioned. Another person on Lamar’s Instagram joked, “Scenes when he brings out drake and they squash the beef and make out with each other.”
Lil Wayne’s name became a trending topic on X following K. Dot’s Super Bowl Halftime Show announcement, as numerous Weezy fans found it disrespectful to overlook the veteran rapper, who hails from the Louisiana city.
“Not having Lil Wayne headline is a slap to the face,” a person commented under Lamar’s announcement on Instagram. “Lil Wayne def should’ve been picked to perform at the superbowl. He’s literally from New Orleans and a rap legend…,” another wrote on X. Another Instagram commenter suggested that inviting Wayne onstage as a special guest would be “next level.”
Other social media comments ranged from which other special guests Lamar might invite to join him on stage — including the possibility of Eminem and Beyonce — while others hope that K. Dot’s Super Bowl gig will also bring an announcement of a new album. Lamar’s last studio release, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in May 2022.
The Super Bowl Halftime Show will be shown live on Fox from the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Feb. 9. It will also be the sixth year that the show will be programmed by Roc Nation, which is executive producing the show alongside Jesse Collins, produced by DPS and directed by Hamish Hamilton. Creative direction for Lamar’s performance will be provided by pgLang, the creative imprint co-founded by the rapper.
Kendrick Lamar will headline the 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show, set to take place Feb. 9, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The set will be the second time the hip-hop superstar will grace the stage at the NFL’s main event, after he was a special guest alongside Dr. Dre’s West Coast hip-hop showcase in 2022. But this will be the first time he headlines the big show, and just the second time a rapper is the main event. Lamar nodded to that in a statement announcing the news.
“Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date,” he said. “And I’ll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one.”
Creative direction for Lamar’s performance will be provided by pgLang, the creative imprint co-founded by the rapper.
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This has been a big year for Lamar, despite him not having released an album since May 2022’s Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers. In the spring, he contributed a guest verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s Hot 100 No. 1 single “Like That,” which served as the springboard for a high-profile rap beef with Drake. That kicked off an extended back and forth, in which the two hip-hop titans traded diss tracks in what was the most engrossing back and forth in the genre in years, and ultimately culminated in Lamar’s anthemic “Not Like Us,” which not only served to end the beef but also became a monster hit, topping the Hot 100 for two nonconsecutive weeks and racking up 765 million on-demand U.S. streams since its May 4 release.
The Super Bowl Halftime Show will be shown live on Fox from the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans that Sunday. It will also be the sixth year that the show will be programmed by Roc Nation, which is executive producing the show alongside Jesse Collins, produced by DPS and directed by Hamish Hamilton. Roc Nation partnered with the NFL in 2019 in a deal that saw the JAY-Z-led company take over entertainment programming and social justice initiatives on behalf of the league. That ultimately included Roc’s oversight of the Halftime Show, one of the highest-profile stages in world entertainment, beginning with the 2020 edition.
“Kendrick Lamar is truly a once-in-a-generation artist and performer,” JAY-Z said in a statement. “His deep love for hip-hop and culture informs his artistic vision. He has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture globally. Kendrick’s work transcends music, and his impact will be felt for years to come.”
Kendrick Lamar is set to be the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show headliner.
Courtesy of pgLang
This is also the third year that Apple Music has served as the title sponsor for the event, having first taken over in 2023, when Rihanna headlined the show in Phoenix.
“The Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show is a celebration of the music we love and the incredible artists who make it, all on the world’s biggest stage,” said Oliver Schusser, vp of Apple Music, Apple TV+, Sports and Beats, in a statement. “Apple is thrilled to bring this show, starring the absolutely incomparable Kendrick Lamar, to fans worldwide with Apple Music’s industry leading Spatial Audio quality along with tons of exclusive videos, interviews, playlists and so much more across Apple Music.”
Usher was the headliner this past year, in a career-spanning performance that also featured special guests Alicia Keys, H.E.R., will.i.am and Ludacris. His set included performances of megahits “My Boo,” “OMG” and “Yeah,” among many others. Prior to that, headliners included Rihanna (2023), Dr. Dre and friends (2022), The Weeknd (2021), and Shakira and Jennifer Lopez (2020).
“Few artists have impacted music and culture as profoundly as Kendrick Lamar,” said Seth Dudowsky, head of music for the NFL, in a statement. “Time and time again, Kendrick has proven his unique ability to craft moments that resonate, redefine, and ultimately shake the very foundation of hip-hop. We’re excited to collaborate with Kendrick, Roc Nation, and Apple Music to deliver another unforgettable Halftime Show.”
The first full weekend of the new NFL season kicks off today (Sept. 8), with the season running through January.
Andy Rivera’s “Moncler” has topped this week’s new music Latin poll. In a poll published on Friday (Sept. 6) — in support of the weekly New Music Latin roundup and playlist, curated by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — music fans voted for the Colombian urban star’s newest tune as their favorite music release […]
Billboard Canada Women in Music was a star-studded celebration.
Rising stars, Canadian legends — and some of their parents — were on hand to honour the myriad achievements of women on stage and behind the scenes in the first-ever edition of Billboard Women in Music in Canada featuring guest of honor Alanis Morissette.
The packed, pink-tinted room at DPRTMNT in downtown Toronto was full of some of the Canadian industry’s biggest names, from Apple Music host and Billboard Canada Power Player George Stroumboulopoulos, to pop-punk star Fefe Dobson and R&B singer Keshia Chanté, to FACTOR Canada CEO Meg Symsyk and many many more. The evening brought Canadian women in music together to connect with each other, celebrate their accomplishments, and build community together.
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Hosted by rapper and Polaris Music Prize winner Haviah Mighty, the evening saw moving performances and impactful speeches, and a moving speech from Alanis as she received the inaugural Billboard Canada Icon Award. Here are the best moments from Billboard Canada Women in Music.
Alanis Morissette Talks About What it Means to Be a Canadian Icon
The Billboard Canada Women in Music ceremony was graced by a true legend: Alanis Morissette received the Icon Award, honouring her as one of the country’s all-time greatest artists. Morissette celebrated femininity and emphasized its importance to people of all genders. “Matriarchy takes care of everybody,” she told the crowd, to a round of cheers.
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She was introduced by two Canadian stars — broadcaster George Stroumboulopoulos and Woman of the Year Charlotte Cardin, both of whom spoke to her massive influence. Stroumboulopoulos suggested reframing the notion of an icon: instead of measuring it by numbers, he said, we can understand an icon as someone who changed the game entirely for everyone who came after her — whether the next generation knows it or not. He remembered hosting a late night radio show in the ’90s listened to primarily by 18-24 year old boys, who would call in to wax poetic about their favourite parts of the video for Morissette’s hit “Ironic.”
Taking the stage to accept the award, Morissette — who has sold over 60 million records, with her breakthrough album Jagged Little Pill widely ranked as one of the best albums ever made — had her own thoughts to share on what it means to be an icon. She joked that even cereal boxes are called iconic these days. For her, though, an icon is someone who serves as a symbol of the safety to explore. Morissette reflected on how icons can inspire fans and listeners to probe the unconscious and to express themselves in new ways.
She also considered what it means to be a Canadian icon, enumerating some Canadian qualities that have helped her to succeed: curiosity and humility. Fame can be an isolating experience, Morissette shared — especially in the ’90s, when there wasn’t a big girl-squad mindset, but fame has allowed her to also support and connect with people.
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Charlotte Cardin Makes History as the First Canadian Billboard Woman of the Year
Charlotte Cardin had a year full of highlights, from crossing over into the U.S. charts to selling out arenas worldwide, but she has another big milestone to add to her resume: the first Billboard Woman of the Year in Canada.
Accepting the award from Billboard Canada national editor Richard Trapunski, the Montreal singer-songwriter acknowledged the importance of the occasion while sharing the credit. “This is such an incredible honor, but this award isn’t just mine,” she said. It was a team effort, reflecting many talented people around her — especially women.
She thanked the women in her life, including her manager Laurie Chouinard. Accepting her own award for Manager of the Year earlier in the night, Chouinard pointed out that Cult Nation, the label and management company she works with, is made up of mostly women. Cardin said the women in her life also includes her fans. She even dropped some stats. “75% of my audience is female,” she said. “I’m grateful for you all.”
Later, she got to thank a specific influence, introducing Icon of the Year Alanis Morissette. The normally cool and collected Cardin got a chance to gush, speaking for the awestruck women in the room. She said she doesn’t know Alanis, but feels like she does from her music, and called her a champion of self-esteem and acceptance for entire generations.
Cardin had one of the final performances of the night, too, hushing the room with a dramatic solo piano version of the closer from her breakout 2023 album 99 Nights, “Next To You.” She ended by blowing the audience a kiss, putting a stamp on a big night deserving of a historic achievement.
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Jully Black’s Powerful ‘Redemption Song’ Commands The Room
One of the first performances of the night was none other than Canada’s queen of R&B, Jully Black, who was also on hand to receive the Billboard Canada Impact Award. Black is a platinum-selling singer, but she opted to perform a moving cover of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” instead of one of her best-known hits like her top ten hit “Seven Day Fool.”
Accompanied by piano and guitar, Black had the chatty room in the palm of her hand, opening with a moment of silence that got everyone’s attention. “You’d think it would be obvious for me to come and do a ‘Seven Day Fool’,” she told the audience. “But where I’m at in my life, it’s about redemption.” She led a sing-a-long of “This Little Light” before going into the classic Marley song about bondage and freedom, changing some of the words. “How long will they kill our women?” Black sang, a resonant question during a truly impactful performance.
After her show-stopping performance, Jully Black returned to the stage to receive the Impact Award, honouring the massive mark she’s left on Canada’s music industry and beyond. A renaissance woman, Black has a multi-faceted career in music, acting, radio, fitness and much more, and she’s shaped national conversations about racism and colonialism.
Accepting the award, she reflected on a time before she was at the forefront of Canadian media, when her main focus was bringing her childhood cabbage patch doll to her grade two show and tell. The cabbage patch doll, she laughed, melted in the sun — so her teacher, Miss Simon, invited Black to sing, instead.
“So I’m saying her name,” Black shared, “Miss Simon — thank you.” She went on to name a long list of women integral to her journey, including Warner Chappell Music Canada’s Vivian Barclay, FACTOR’s Meg Symsyk, and former MuchMusic host Denise Donlon. It was a reminder that for every woman on stage at the event, there’s many more who helped her get there.
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Jessie Reyez Celebrates Her Trailblazer Award — And Her Mom’s Birthday
Singer Jessie Reyez took home the inaugural Trailblazer Award, recognizing her commitment to artistry and the ways she’s used her platform to promote social causes throughout her career, from speaking out about sexist gatekeeping in the industry to shouting out Black Lives Matter from the CN Tower.
She thanked her parents as she received the award, highlighting her mom in particular, who was celebrating her birthday from the Billboard Canada Women in Music VIP Booth. Reyez reflected on how growing up, her mom always encouraged her to live her truth, whether or not it conformed to gender norms. “I was given an open canvas, and despite people judging her mothering style, she still let me be free,” she said.
She also offered a little advice for people who might be afraid about standing up for a cause: “I hope you f—ing do it anyway.”
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Star Siblings Haviah and Omega Mighty Double the Fun
It’s no easy task to follow Alanis Morissette, but sisters Haviah and Omega Mighty rose to the occasion, closing out the evening after Morissette received her Icon Award. Haviah also served as the evening’s co-host alongside Billboard Canada CEO Amanda Dorenberg and CCO Elizabeth Crisante, bringing the energy throughout the night, but she had more than enough leftover for a medley with her sister Omega.
Haviah kicked off the set with her 2023 single “Trendsetter” before bringing up Omega for a rendition of their collab track “Zoom Zoom.” The two fed easily off of each other’s vibes, bouncing around the stage and getting the crowd dancing. “We’re gonna finish it up by maximizing the fun,” Haviah told the room, before launching into her brand new single “Double The Fun,” with a booming beat. The sisters are more than capable of getting serious when the moment calls for it — in our Spotlight Sessions, they share wisdom about their journeys in the industry — but they also know how to get the party started, and how to bring an event home.
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Sophie Grégoire Trudeau Quotes the Queens
Author, mental health advocate and political figure Sophie Grégoire Trudeau helped kick off the event by joking that her two kids don’t normally think of her as cool — but at an event like this, she definitely felt cool.
Grégoire Trudeau paid tribute to the event’s honourees by quoting some of their most inspiring lyrics, stitching together quotes from Alanis, Jully Black, Haviah Mighty and more into a free-form spoken word poem. This excerpt alone juxtaposes Tia Wood, LU KALA and Charlotte Cardin:
“We shed with the sea
Sun shining on our peace
What doesn’t kill you makes you hotter now
A little wilder when the lights go out
See the sun leading us
Hear the drum beating us
We will not live a meaningless life”
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LU KALA’s Rising Star Shines Bright
Pop singer LU KALA has been making waves with her infectious charisma and empowering anthems like “Pretty Girl Era,” making her this year’s Billboard Canada Rising Star. To celebrate the award she performed a medley, showing off the chops that have helped bring her to international attention.
Earlier this summer, LU performed a more stripped-back set for the Billboard Canada and iHeartRadio Spotlight Session, but her Women in Music set was a full-on, high-energy affair. LU strutted on stage accompanied by keys, guitar and her very own back-up dancers.She sang a brief rendition of her upcoming single “Criminal” before segueing into the breakup bop “Hotter Now,” with her dancers fanning themselves and stomping the stage to emphasize key lyrics. It was an affirmation that this diva is ready for her spotlight.
Intimate Performances From Up-and-Comers and Longtime Favorites
The celebration also highlighted some of Canada’s most exciting up-and-coming artists, including Alberta country singer Hailey Benedict as well as soulful Plains Cree and Salish singer Tia Wood.
Benedict took the stage in a shining silver outfit with just her acoustic guitar, performing an unreleased song, “Things My Mama Says,” dedicated to her mom. Benedict, who won the SiriusXM 2023 Top of the Country competition and has built an impressive online following, also revealed the exciting announcement that she’s signed a record deal with Nashville’s Big Loud and their Canadian imprint, Local Hay.
Plains Cree and Coast Salish singer Tia Wood performed twice at the event, opening the evening and returning later with a delicate, dynamic rendition of her song “Dirt Roads.” Wood was vulnerable with the crowd as she spoke about moving to L.A. and feeling lonely, losing access to her culture and community. Wood has made a name for herself as an artist to watch, and she brought her precise vocal trills and ability for raw connection to the Billboard Canada Women in Music stage.
There was room for longtime favourites with new energy, too. Anjulie, who first charted in 2009, has made a new name for herself as an industry player in L.A., collaborating with everyone from Zedd to Nicki Minaj. At the celebratory event, she gave a short and sweet performance with two interpretative dancers behind her.
Moments of Community Building Across the Music Industry
Billboard Canada Women in Music was about more than just artists — it was about recognizing talent across sectors of the industry and building community across the whole music landscape. The list of talented women in the room was incredibly diverse — not just in terms of genre, but in ways they shape the industry.
Sonali Singh won Global Manager of the Year, flying in from India to accept. She’s one of the first female managers in India, she said, and acknowledged she couldn’t have done it without the “global artist of the decade” Diljit Dosanjh. Together, the two made history this year, putting on the biggest Punjabi concert outside of India in Vancouver and repeating it with a stadium show in Toronto.
Meg Symsyk, CEO of FACTOR, and Amy Eligh, Director of Publishing & Licensing of Arts & Crafts, both took the stage and recognized the importance of royalties and rights for songwriters. Lola Plaku, SVP, IGA Urban Marketing & Strategy at Interscope, Geffen and A&M and founder of Girl Connected, talked about the importance of mentorship. The powerful women in the room extended beyond music — Joanna Griffiths, CEO of underwear company Knix Wear, introduced Jully Black while remembering when she worked as Black’s publicist, helping Black to make her mark in the industry.
That just scratched the surface of the powerful and influential women at the event, who connected and celebrated each other throughout the night.
This story originally appeared in Billboard Canada.
The choice of São Paulo, Brazil, to kick off The Weeknd‘s new tour was no coincidence. The Canadian singer — cover star of the 10th edition of Billboard Brazil — was in the city last October, performing at two sold-out nights at Allianz Parque with the show After Hours Til Dawn. At the time, American […]
“How come it’s not tomorrow?” The Weeknd closed with a song about heaven featuring that lyric Saturday night in São Paulo, Brazil, leaving fans awaiting new album Hurry Up Tomorrow asking the same. (How come they can’t get Hurry Up Tomorrow … tomorrow? Especially that one song about “dancing in the flames”?)
The one-night-only concert on Sept. 7, livestreamed on YouTube, featured several tidbits of new music from Abel Tesfaye. Concertgoers and viewers at home got to hear tracks never before played live mixed in with chart toppers; the collective chatter had “Abel” trending on social media throughout the evening.
The Hurry Up Tomorrow tracklist has yet to be unveiled, and Tesfaye didn’t introduce songs by name at Saturday night’s event at Estádio MorumBIS.
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Based on what was teased during the show, though, a few presumed new titles include “Dancing in the Flames,” “Run Away” and “In Heaven.”
Highlight “Dancing in the Flames” — heard in part by some in São Paulo during soundcheck earlier in the day, and making its wide debut about 30 minutes into the concert — has the hallmarks of a hit from first listen.
Tesfaye’s voice soars over an indelible synth line, singing of an odyssey where “We’re dancing in the flames/ It’s indescribable.” (Press play on the video below to stream the concert starting at the “Dancing in the Flames” timestamp.)
A special appearance from Brazilian superstar Anitta had the São Paulo crowd going wild.
Playboi Carti also appeared on The Weeknd’s stage at Estádio MorumBIS, treating the audience to a performance of Travis Scott’s “FE!N,” plus an unreleased track that’s possibly called “Timeless.”
Hits like “Blinding Lights” and “Save Your Tears” sparked massive crowd sing-alongs toward the end of the set. “I want you to scream so loud they can hear you in Rio,” Tesfaye encouraged.
The Weeknd’s Hurry Up Tomorrow album cover was revealed just hours before the show, as well as a preorder link for the set, which is the third part of a trilogy preceded by After Hours and Dawn FM. Although vinyl and CD orders can be put in now, Hurry Up Tomorrow‘s release date hasn’t been announced.
Watch a replay of Saturday’s entire concert here, courtesy of The Weeknd’s YouTube channel.
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The Weeknd unveiled the striking album cover for Hurry Up Tomorrow, the final part of a trilogy that began with 2020’s After Hours and 2022’s Dawn FM, over the weekend.
“ALBUM COVER,” he captioned the art, which he revealed on social media Saturday (Sept. 7) along with a Hurry Up Tomorrow preorder link.
The Hurry Up Tomorrow album cover is a headshot of Abel Tesfaye, stunning in its simplicity. The viewer’s eye focuses on his — they’re fixed in a harrowing stare and skillfully lit. He looks like he’s holding back tears. Wearing a classic black tank with only the straps visible in the frame, he’s perched in front of darkness and leaning forward. It’s an evocative portrait.
Billboard reached out to a rep for Tesfaye to inquire about the photographer behind the cover shot, but as of press time didn’t get a response.
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The preorder for Hurry Up Tomorrow launched on Saturday via The Weeknd’s webstore, with a first pressing vinyl available for $33 and a first pressing CD for $12 (limit four per customer for each).
The album’s release date has not yet been confirmed.
Hurry Up Tomorrow was announced on Sept. 4, with a visual teaser and a press release statement explaining its place in The Weeknd’s trilogy as “the creative apex of the project, serving as the third and final chapter crafted with existential and self-referential themes as seen with the latest visionary teasers that have set fans ablaze with anticipation for this concluding installment.”
The album cover followed on Sept. 7, the date of The Weeknd’s anticipated livestream from São Paulo, where he’s performing a special one-night-only concert at Estádio MorumBIS.
Tesfaye composed the central song of his upcoming album in São Paulo just under a year ago, when his After Hours Til Dawn Tour brought him to the city in October for a two-night stint at Allianz Parque, Billboard Brazil first reported.
Of what’s to come — the new show and Hurry Up Tomorrow — he told Billboard Brazil, “There is always pressure to surpass my last project. Growth is important. Sometimes it may not be what people want to hear from me at the moment, but when the body of work is complete, I hope they can appreciate what I have been trying to achieve. I have been working on this discography for a long time. It was all planned.”
“I always try to achieve something that I haven’t done before musically,” he added. “Sometimes it may not be clear on the first listen [to the album], but fans seem to figure it out over time.”
Here’s The Weeknd’s Hurry Up Tomorrow album cover. Stream his concert special, live from São Paulo, courtesy of his YouTube channel (video embedded below) starting at 8 p.m. ET tonight (Sept. 7).
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It’s a busy week in the Billboard zeitgeist. After hosting the 2024 Billboard R&B Hip-Hop Power Players event, the Billboard Hip-Hop Live concert went down in Brooklyn at the Xanadu roller rink on Friday night (Sept. 6).
Amazon Music’s Breakthrough Artist BigXthaPlug hit the stage first, around 9:40 p.m. ET, to set the tone for the night as hundreds of fans got settled in to the new Bushwick venue.
BigX emerged following a cross-country trip from the West Coast with his Texas-sized swagger in a white soccer jersey, but quickly ditched it for his signature shirtless look.
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The Dallas native ran through cuts like “Big Stepper” and his latest hard-hitting single, the aptly-titled “The Largest.” He had some fun with the audience when betting his DJ that the left side of the crowd would be louder than the right, and BigX’s pockets ended up leaving a little heavier than expected after winning the $2,000 wager.
The 26-year-old hit his two-step onstage and continued to perform the Dazz Band-sampling “Whip It,” “Level” and “Mmhmm” in his heavy, bellowing Southern drawl. The latter served as BigX’s first Billboard Hot 100 entry earlier this year when it peaked at No. 63. He closed things out with his breakout anthem, “Texas,” while over 1,500 miles from home.
Next up, the scorching Bossman Dlow hit the stage around 10:10 p.m. ET. Big Za rocked snow white jeans and a matching letterman jacket with his signature ski goggles off to the side like he was ready to hit the slopes.
“Mr. Pot Scraper” gave fans a taste of the motivational anthems that were to come before heating up while jumping around from “Piss Me Off” to the braggadocios “Talk My Shit.” The Florida rapper clearly has the streets on lock as the crowd was in the palm of his hand.
“Finesse” sans GloRilla set the table for “Get in With Me,” which drew the loudest ovation of any track from the audience in the building as the temperature was turned up several notches.
Dlow’s inspirational raps went a cappella for the first go around as fans belted the “Yep” part of his “Juggs fiendin’/ Phone ringing/ N—s hating” verse right back at him. He spun the block to perform his top 50 Hot 100 banger a second time with the booming DxnteMadeIt instrumental to give the people what they came for.
Just shy of 11 p.m. ET meant it was time for the night’s headliner, the eccentric Teezo Touchdown, who painted a more romanticized aesthetic while blending the worlds of rap, rock and R&B.
Rocking a red tank top and a matching furry cherry bucket hat that LL Cool J would be jealous of, which went along with his rose bouquet microphone, Teezo served as a palate cleanser that took fans in another direction with his shrewd creativity.
It was a night of reflection for Teezo Touchdown — in the most positive way. Coming off of winning Billboard‘s 2024Rookie of the Year honors and celebrating the one-year anniversary of his How Do You Sleep At Night? debut this weekend, Teezo took a moment to look back and realize how far he’s come as an artist in this labor of love.
“Last night I was awarded the Billboard Hip-Hop R&B Rookie of the Year award. What a year it’s been, right,” he said. “I went on my first sold-out headlining Spend the Night Tour, and on Sunday (Sept. 8) it will be the one-year anniversary of my How Do You Sleep At Night debut album.”
Teezo fired away with cuts from his critically acclaimed debut while delivering live performances of “Impossible,” “Too Easy” and “Out of Respect.” He broke the set up with Travis Scott’s forgotten Utopia dance-leaning “Modern Jam.” Teezo had everyone throw their twos in the sky while returning to his debut to bring the show across the finish line with “Familiarity,” “Third Coast” and the trippy “Stranger.”
Oasis‘ Liam Gallagher is teasing the possibility of new music from the recently reunited Britpop band.
On Friday (Sept. 6), an Oasis fan asked on X (formerly Twitter) if rumors were true that Liam and his brother Noel were planning to release a new album following their announcement that the U.K. group is reuniting for a string of concerts in 2025.
“Yep it’s already finished,” Noel replied. When another fan inquired if a new album was “in the air,” the 51-year-old singer-songwriter wrote, “It’s in the bag mate f— the air.” And one word to describe the supposed album? “TURDOS,” he added.
This isn’t the first time Liam has hinted at the possibility of a new Oasis album. Earlier this year, the musician suggested on X that a new Oasis project would arrive in November. His tweet arrived around the same time that Noel announced he was scrapping a solo acoustic album in favor of a more “defiant rock album.”
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Oasis’ seventh and final album, Dig Out Your Soul, peaked at No 5 on the Billboard 200 chart in October 2008.
On Aug. 27, Oasis officially announced that the reunited band will hit the road in 2025 for multiple dates across the British Isles, including Cardiff, Manchester, London, Edinburgh, and Dublin, for what will be their “only shows in Europe next year.”
The Gallagher brothers have also promised an extended international run in the near future. “Plans are underway for OASIS LIVE ’25 to go to other continents outside of Europe later next year,” a statement read.
Oasis split in 2009 after years of massive chart success and tabloid headlines in the U.K. tied to the Gallagher siblings’ fierce rivalry, with main songwriter older brother Noel quitting the band after a backstage fight with Liam at a show near Paris that year. The brothers haven’t performed live since then, though they often play Oasis songs during their solo gigs and with their side bands and, until the reunion announcement, continued to snipe at each other online and in the press.
