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Imagine Dragons scored their fifth billion-view YouTube video this week when their 2017 single “Whatever It Takes” crossed the 10-digit rubicon. The beat-inflected rock anthem that topped-out at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of that year is spotlighted in the water-logged visual co-directed by the band’s frequent collaborator, Matt Eastin (“On Top Of the World,” “Believer,” “Roots”).
It opens with singer Dan Reynolds swimming through a flooded room past curios from the Overlook Hotel, the infamous site of the murderous action in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. It then smash-cuts to Reynolds launching into the song’s rapid-fire first verse in the same, now bone-dry, room, singing, “Falling too fast to prepare for this/ Tripping in the world could be dangerous/ Everybody circling, it’s vulturous/ Negative, nepotist.”
As the rest of the band joins him and the lights come up, things appear to be progressing toward a typical performance-style video. Then, all hell breaks loose. The ceiling begins to cave in and debris rains down all around, even as the group soldiers on and Reynolds leans into the chorus: “Whatever it takes/ ‘Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins/ I do whatever it takes/ ‘Cause I love how it feels when I break the chains.”
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Cue the rain. As a downpour drenches the men mid-song, the gentle shower turns into a torrent, with the water slowly rising to their knees, then their chests, as a pair of spooky sirens dive into the now chin-high flood. Struggling to hold their instruments high enough to avoid the deluge, the men finally submit, slipping under the waves, with Reynolds continuing to sing, fully submerged while the women pull at his sleeves.
After a silent scene of the rockers floating listlessly in the water, Eastin (and co-director Aaron Hymes) switch up the elements and transport the guys to a desert scene in which the contents of the room are aflame, including Reynolds’ mic stand, as well as the drum kit and Dan Sermon’s guitar. The clip from the group’s third album, Evolve, went on to win the best rock video award at the 2018 MTV VMAs.
Watch the “Whatever It Takes” video below.
Billboard Unfiltered returned with a new episode on Wednesday (Feb. 19), and instead of the traditional Friday taped release, the crew elected to go with a raw, live version of this week’s show.
Deputy director of R&B/hip-hop Carl Lamarre was back in the saddle after a few weeks off, and he was flanked by staff writer Kyle Denis and senior charts analyst Trevor Anderson.
A$AP Rocky was found not guilty on both counts in the 2021 felony shooting case involving his former friend A$AP Relli (born Terrell Ephron). When the verdict was read, Rocky exhaled and jumped over the railing into the gallery to embrace Rihanna, a moment that quickly went viral on social media.
“Only Rocky and God know the truth here. The way that man was breathing heavy, the way he crowd-surfed over to Ri, he was shaking his boots a little bit,” Denis said. “He got off. I love seeing a brother beat the system.”
Anderson harkened back to right before the trial began, when Rocky shrewdly declined a final plea deal offer, which would have seen him spend 180 days behind bars. “They gambling in that situation and came up big,” he said. “The system played out how it does … Glad they could put this behind them.”
$ome $exy $ongs 4 U arrived on Valentine’s Day, and Denis believes the Drake and PartyNextDoor album didn’t live up to the hype. “I think my biggest issue with the album is it’s really not sexy at all,” he suggested. “Drake using women, love, sex, relationships to get back in the good graces of men whose approval he really wants the most. There’s not much warmth in these songs. Nothing about this makes me want to link with my special somebody and have a night to this album.”
Denis continued: “As a fan, I’ve wanted a Drake-Party album for such a long time, but none of these songs live up to ‘Come and See Me’ or ‘Wednesday Night Interlude.’ … But I don’t think it’s a disaster either.”
Lamarre, a noted OVO fan, thought the album “OK.” “I do wish there was more Party involved,” he said. “Overall, it was OK. There’s probably a good seven or eight songs I will go back. Does this put Drake back in the driver’s seat, culturally speaking? No, it’s still Kendrick.”
Watch the full episode above.
Over its 50-plus years in existence, hip-hop has long been underestimated. And in a new interview, Doechii calls it for exactly what it is: racism.
In her new cover story with The Cut published Wednesday (Feb. 19), the Florida native was introspective about her place in a long lineage of rap legends, noting that the ingenuity of her predecessors — shouting out Lauryn Hill, specifically — has historically gone unappreciated. “Old-school hip-hop is vulnerability,” Doechii began.
“I’m gravitating towards the pure skill that was incorporated,” she continued. “Anyone who doesn’t think that hip-hop is an intellectual genre, I think that assumption is rooted in racism.”
Now that she’s taken the baton from the “Ex-Factor” hitmaker, Lil’ Kim, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott and more game-changing women in rap, the “Denial Is a River” artist says she strives to inspire the next generation of young Back girls who love the genre. “The first album I ever purchased and ever remember listening to in full length was The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” she told the publication. “The feeling that I have when I listen to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is the same feeling I want some other Black little girl to have when she listens to me. And in order for her to have that feeling, I have to talk about my feelings.”
The interview arrives just a few weeks after Doechii made history as the third woman to ever win best rap album at the Grammys with Alligator Bites Never Heal, following none other than Ms. Hill and Cardi B. During her acceptance speech, she echoed, “I know there is some Black girl out there [watching], and I want to tell you that you can do it … you are exactly who you need to be.”
Elsewhere in her Cut feature, Doechii recalled her own struggles as a young girl with dreams of being an artist someday. Before she had a spiritual experience in the sixth grade during which her stage name suddenly came to her as if through divine intervention, pulling her out of a dark place. The musician says she “was getting bullied so bad,” she considered suicide.
“[Then] I realized, ‘Oh, f–k, I’m gonna kill myself and then I’m gonna be the only one dead,’” she added. “The bullies aren’t gonna be with me, and everything they said is not coming with me either. I would just be gone. And then I was like, ‘F–k that!’”
If you or anyone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts and/or distress, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 at 1-800-273-8255 for confidential help and support. You can also call or text 988 to get connected to a trained counselor.
See Doechii on the cover of The Cut below.
The 2025 Premio Lo Nuestro ceremony has arrived, and the first winners have been announced on social media. Before noon ET on Thursday (Feb. 20), Carín León had already won two awards, as had Shakira with Cardi B, and more winners will be announced before the ceremony.
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Broadcasting live at 8 p.m. ET from the Kaseya Center in Miami and co-hosted by Laura Pausini, Thalia and Alejandra Espinoza, this year’s gala’s theme is “Uniendo Generaciones” (Uniting Generations), honoring the artists, songs, and albums that connect the past, present and future of Latin music.
Reflecting the diversity of genres including urban, pop, tropical and Mexican music, six of the 44 categories this year are new additions: best dembow song, best Latin fusion pop song, best Christian music song, best “EuroSong,” Mexican music fusion of the year and best electro corrido.
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Becky G and Carín León start the night with the most nominations: 10 mentions each. They are followed by Shakira and Myke Towers with nine nods each and Ángela Aguilar, Emilia, Grupo Frontera and Leonardo Aguilar with eight nominations each. But, who will be the biggest winners?
Check out our updating list below.
Premio Lo Nuestro Artist of the Year
Carín LeónFeidFuerza RegidaGrupo FronteraKarol GMalumaMyke TowersPeso PlumaShakiraXavi
Song of the Year
Feid & Rema, “Bubalu”Prince Royce feat. Gabito Ballesteros, “Cosas De La PedaÓscar Maydon & Fuerza Regida, “Tú Boda”Xavi, “La Diabla”Myke Towers, “La Falda” Los Ángeles Azules & Emilia, “Perdonarte ¿Para Qué?”Becky G, Ángela Aguilar & Leonardo Aguilar, “Por El Contrario”Carín León, “Primera Cita”Shakira & Cardi B, “Puntería”Karol G, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”
Album of the Year
Carín León, Boca Chueca, Vol.1 Ángela Aguilar, BoleroBecky H, EsquinasGrupo Frontera, Jugando A Que No Pasa NadaShakira, Las Mujeres Ya No LloranPrince Royce, Llamada PerdidaMyke Towers, Lveu: Vive La Tuya…no La MíaMarc Anthony, MuevenseBad Bunny, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va A Pasar MañanaFuerza Regida, Pa Las Baby’s Y Belikeada
Best Female Combination
Kim Loaiza, Fariana, Ptazeta, Bellakath & Yami Safdie, “5 Babys”Ha*Ash & Elena Rose, “A Las 12 Te Olvidé”Bad Gyal, Tokischa & Young Miko, “Chulo Pt. 2”Becky G & Chiquis, “Cuidadito”Belinda & Kenia Os, “Jackpot”Emilia & Tini, “La_original.Mp3”Kali Uchis & Karol G, “Labios Mordidos”María José & Ana Bárbara, “Mi Rey, Mi Santo”Kany García & Carla Morrison, “Que Vuelva”Thalia & Ángela Aguilar, “Troca”
Crossover Collaboration of the Year
Pitbull, Ne-Yo, Afrojack Feat. DJ Buddha, “The Moon”Grupo Firme & Demi Lovato, “Chula”Myke Towers feat. Benny Blanco, “Degenere”Carin León & Leon Bridges, “It Was Always You (Siempre Fuiste Tú)”WINNERS: Shakira & Cardi B, “Puntería”Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Regard, Natti Natasha, Sash!, “To the Beat”Black Eyed Peas & El Alfa feat. Becky G, “Tonight (Bad Boys: Ride Or Die)”Ozuna & David Guetta, “Vocation”
The Perfect Mix of the Year
Shakira & Grupo Frontera, “(Entre Paréntesis)”Maluma, Octavio Cuadras & Grupo Marca Registrada, “Bling Bling”Prince Royce feat. Gabito Ballesteros, “Cosas De La Peda”Fariana & Oro Solido, “El Caballito”Ricky Martin & Christian Nodal, “Fuego De Noche, Nieve De Día”Alejandro Fernández & Anitta, “La Tóxica”Sergio George & Wisin, “La Vida Es Una Fiesta”Los Ángeles Azules & Emilia, “Perdonarte ¿Para Qué?”Becky G, Ángela Aguilar & Leonardo Aguilar, “Por El Contrario”Camilo & Carín León, “Una Vida Pasada”
Tour of the Year
Aventura, Cerrando Ciclos TourFeid, Ferxxocalipsis Tour 2024Luis Miguel, Luis Miguel Tour 2023-24Karol G, Mañana Será Bonito TourBad Bunny, Most Wanted Tour
Urban Male Artist of the Year
Bad BunnyChencho CorleoneDon OmarEladio CarriónFeidMyke TowersOzunaRauw AlejandroWisinYandel
Urban Female Artist of the Year
AnittaBad GyalBellakathFarianaGreeicyKarol GMaria BecerraNatti NatashaNicki NicoleYoung Miko
Urban Song of the Year
Ozuna, “Baccarat”Peso Pluma & Anitta, “Bellakeo”Farruko & Sharo Towers, “Carbon Vrmor”Bad Gyal, Tokischa & Young Miko, “Chulo Pt. 2”Floyymenor & Cris MJ, “Gata Only”Myke Towers, “La Falda”Lyanno & Rauw Alejandro, “La Nena”Kapo, “Ohnana”Don Omar, Wisin & Yandel, “Sandunga”Bad Bunny, “Un Preview”
Best Trap/Hip-Hop Song
Ryan Castro, “Gata G”Bad Bunny, “Monaco”The Academy: Segunda Misión, Justin Quiles, Sech, Lenny Tavárez, Dalex, Dímelo Flow feat. Eladio Carrión, Bryant Myers & Dei V, “Si Si Si Si”Anuel AA, “Tacos Gucci”Trueno, “Tranky Funky”Young Miko, “Wiggy”
Urban Collaboration of the Year
Kim Loaiza, Fariana, Ptazeta, Bellakath & Yami Safdie, “5 Babys”Tiago Pzk, Anitta & Emilia, “Alegría”Wisin & Mora, “Bien Loco”Yandel & Myke Towers, “Borracho y Loco”Blessd & Ovy on the Drums, “Mírame”Luar La L & Ozuna, “Otra Vibra”Zion & Lennox & Anuel AA, “Para Siempre”Bad Bunny & Feid, “Perro Negro”J Balvin & Chencho Corleone, “Polvo De Tu Vida”Don Omar, Wisin & Yandel, “Sandunga”
Best Dembow Song
Chimbala, “Che Che”Rochy Rd & Donaty, “Déjenme Rulay”Fariana & El Alfa, “Dora”El Alfa & Nfasis, “Este”Lomiiel, “Hay Lupita”
Urban Album of the Year
Young Miko, Att.Farruko, CVRBON VRMOR [C_DE: G_D.ON]Feid, Ferxxocalipsis Bad Gyal, La JoiaMyke Towers, Lveu: Vive La Tuya…no La MíaKarol G, Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season)Wisin, Mr. W (Deluxe)Bad Bunny, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar MañanaEladio Carrión, Porque PuedoJ Balvin, Rayo
Pop Male Artist of the Year
WINNER: Carlos RiveraDanny OceanLuis FonsiMalumaManuel MedranoPedro Capó
Pop Female Artist of the Year
BelindaElena RoseEmiliaKali UchisKany GarcíaLaura PausiniShakiraThalia
Pop/Rock Group or Duo of the Year
CamilaDarumasHa*AshRawayanaReikThe Warning
Pop-Rock/Urban Male New Artist of the Year
Ca7riel & Paco AmorosoClarentDND | Do Not DisturbFloyymenorIzaakKapoLuar La LMaisakTimøVenesti
Pop-Rock/Urban Female New Artist of the Year
BellakathDarumasDaymé ArocenaEla TaubertIrepelusaJudelineLetón PéMariPaola GuancheYami Safdie
Pop Song of the Year
Ela Taubert, “¿Cómo Pasó?”Reik, “Abril”Enrique Iglesias & Yotuel, “Fría”Emilia & Tini, “La_original.Mp3”Sebastián Yatra, “Los Domingos”Diego Torres, “Mejor Que Ayer”Luis Fonsi & Carlos Vives, “Santa Marta” Manuel Medrano, “Verano En NY”
Pop/Ballad Song of the Year
Camila & Eden Muñoz, “Corazón En Coma”Ricky Martin & Christian Nodal, “Fuego De Noche, Nieve De Día”Jesse & Joy, “Lo Que Nos Faltó Decir”Olga Tañón & Lenier, “No Sé Quien Soy”Carlos Rivera, “Para Ti”Kany García & Carla Morrison, “Que Vuelva”Luis Fonsi & Laura Pausini, “Roma”Ángela Aguilar Ft. Trío Los Panchos, “Somos Novios”
Best Pop Latin Fusion Song
Judeline , “Brujería!”Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, “La Que Puede, Puede”The Marías, “Lejos De Ti”Latin Mafia, “Siento Que Merezco Más”Rawayana & Akapellah, “Veneka”
Christian Song of the Year
Daddy Yankee, “Bonita”Gocho, Redimi2 & Wisin, “Conéctate Conmigo”Farruko & Kairo Worship, “Hermoso Momento (Remix)”Alex Campos & Tauren Wells, “Libre”Juan Luis Guerra 4.40, “Mambo 23”Matthew Hotton & Marcos Witt, “Primero Nos Amó”
Pop-Urban Album of the Year
Emilia, .MP3 Luis Fonsi, El ViajeAnitta, Funk GenerationKany García, GarcíaMau y Ricky, Hotel CaracasShakira, Las Mujeres Ya No LloranNatti Natasha, Nasty SinglesReik, PanoramaDanny Ocean, ReflexaPitbull, Trackhouse
Pop-Urban Collaboration of the Year
Feid & Rema, “Bubalu”Nicky Jam & Beéle, “Calor”Zhamira Zambrano & Jay Wheeler, “Extrañándote”Piso 21 & Wisin, “La Misión”Anuel AA, Quevedo, Maluma Ft. Mambo Kingz & Dj Luian, “Oa”WINNERS: Shakira & Cardi B, “Puntería”
Pop-Urban Song of the Year
Danny Ocean, “Amor”Lenny Tavárez, “El Yate”Venesti, “Fanática del Reggaetón”Anitta, “Funk Rave”Daddy Yankee, “Loveo”Manuel Turizo, “Ojos. Labios. Cara”Mau Y Ricky, “Pasado Mañana”Peso Pluma & Kenia Os, “Tommy & Pamela”Rauw Alejandro, “Touching The Sky”Natti Natasha, “Ya No Te Extraño”
Pop-Urban/Dance Song of the Year
Play-N-Skillz, Natti Natasha & Deorro, “Como La Flor”Pitbull & Nile Rodgers, “Freak 54 (Freak Out)”Thalia & Deorro, “Te Va A Doler – Deorro Remix”Rauw Alejandro, “Touching The Sky”Ozuna & David Guetta, “Vocation”
“Eurosong” of the Year
Aitana, “4to 23” Bad Gyal, Tokischa & Young Miko, “Chulo Pt.2”Quevedo, “Columbia”Lola Indigo, “La Reina”Ana Mena, “Madrid City”
Tropical Artist of the Year
Carlos VivesGente De ZonaJerry RiveraJuan Luis Guerra 4.40La IndiaLuis FigueroaMarc AnthonyOlga TañónPrince RoyceSilvestre Dangond
Tropical Song of the Year
Marc Anthony, “Ale Ale”Luis Figueroa, “Bandido”Myke Towers, “La Capi”Juan Luis Guerra 4.40, “Mambo 23”Jerry Rivera, “No Le Cuentes”Víctor Manuelle Ft. Frankie Ruiz, “Otra Noche Más”Natti Natasha, “Quiéreme Menos”Karol G, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”Kany García, “Una Vida Buena”Camilo & Carín León, “Una Vida Pasada”
Tropical Collaboration of the Year
Gente De Zona & Celia Cruz, “Celia”Prince Royce Ft. Gabito Ballesteros, “Cosas De La Peda” Fariana & Oro Solido, “El Caballito”La India & Jacob Forever, “Fuera Fuera”Sergio George & Wisin, “La Vida Es Una Fiesta”Venesti, Nacho & Maffio, “No Es Normal”WINNERS: Camilo & Evaluna Montaner, “Plis”Motiff, Jonathan Moly, Luis Figueroa Ft. Jimmy Rodriguez, Ronald Borjas & Nesty, “Salsa De Ahora”Silvestre Dangond & Carlos Vives, “Tú o Yo”Olga Tañón & Christian Alicea, “Vamos A Ser Feliz”
Tropical Album of the Year
Olga Tañón, Así Yo SoyLuis Figueroa, CoexistenciaCamilo, CuatroGente De Zona, DemasiadoPrince Royce, Llamada PerdidaMarc Anthony, MuevenseJuan Luis Guerra 4.40, Radio GüiraVíctor Manuelle, RetrománticoSilvestre Dangond, Ta MaloChristian Alicea, Yo Deluxe
Mexican Music Male Artist of the Year
Alejandro FernándezWINNER: Carín LeónChristian NodalGabito BallesterosJunior HLeonardo AguilarPepe AguilarPeso PlumaXaviÓscar Maydon
Mexican Music Female Artist of the Year
Aida CuevasAna BárbaraÁngela AguilarCamila FernándezChiquisKarina SofiaLila DownsLupita InfanteMajo AguilarYuridia
Mexican Music Group or Duo of the Year
Banda Los RecoditosFuerza RegidaGrupo FirmeGrupo FronteraIntocableLos Ángeles Azules
Mexican Music New Artist
Calle 24Chino PacasCodiciadoEl Padrinito ToysGabito BallesterosNetón VegaÓscar MaydonTito Double PVictor MendivilXavi
Mexican Music Song of the Year
Julión Álvarez y Su Norteño Banda, “Buscándole a La Suerte”Grupo Frontera & Manuel Turizo, “De Lunes a Lunes”Óscar Maydon & Fuerza Regida, “La Boda”Xavi, “La Diabla”Christian Nodal & Peso Pluma, “La Intención”Intocable, “Obsesión”Los Ángeles Azules & Emilia, “Perdonarte ¿Para Qué?”Becky G, Ángela Aguilar & Leonardo Aguilar, “Por El Contrario”WINNER: Carín León, “Primera Cita”Banda Los Recoditos, “Vas a Querer Volver”
Mexican Music Collaboration of the Year
Shakira & Grupo Frontera, “(Entre Paréntesis)”Eugenio Esquivel, Grupo Marca Registrada & Sebastian Esquivel, “Alucin”Leonardo Aguilar & Pepe Aguilar, “Bandido De Amores”Maluma, Octavio Cuadras & Grupo Marca Registrada, “Bling Bling”Tito Double P & Peso Pluma, “Dos Días”Banda Los Sebastianes de Saúl Plata & Edgardo Nuñez, “El Humo de mi Gallo”Los Ángeles Azules & Alejandro Fernández, “La Cumbia Triste”Becky G Ft. Óscar Maydon, “Mercedes”Bizarrap & Natanael Cano, “Natanael Cano: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 59”Luis R Conriquez & Netón Vega, “Si No Quieres No”
Banda Song of the Year
La Adictiva, Grupo Marca Registrada & Montana, “Bandida”Leonardo Aguilar & Pepe Aguilar, “Bandido de Amores”Banda Los Sebastianes de Saúl Plata & Edgardo Nuñez, “El Humo de mi Gallo”Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga, “Tu Perfume”Banda Los Recoditos, “Vas a Querer Volver”
Mariachi/Ranchera Song of the Year
Majo Aguilar & Alex Fernández, “Cuéntame”Alejandro Fernández & Anitta, “La Tóxica”Pepe Aguilar & Carín León, “Lamentablemente”Yuridia & Eden Muñoz, “Mi Eterno Amor Secreto”Chayanne, “Necesito Un Segundo”Becky G, Ángela Aguilar & Leonardo Aguilar, “Por El Contrario”
Norteño Song of the Year
Adriel Favela & Duelo, “¿Quién Te Crees Para Olvidarme?”Julión Álvarez y Su Norteño Banda, “Buscándole a La Suerte”Intocable, “Mi Castigo”La Fiera de Ojinaga, “Neta Que No” La Maquinaria Norteña, “Perro Amor”
Mexican Music Fusion of the Year
Oscar Ortiz & Edgardo Nuñez, “First Love”Xavi, “La Diabla”Victor Mendivil & Óscar Maydon, “Mejores Jordans”Becky G feat. Óscar Maydon, “Mercedes”Grupo Frontera & Christian Nodal, “Ya Pedo Quién Sabe”
Best Electro Corrido
Sebastian Esquivel, Blessd & Eugenio Esquivel, “Exceso”Lalo Cruz, “Fresa Con Crema”Codiciado, Joaquin Medina & Sheeno, “Gabachas”Fuerza Regida & Marshmello, “Harley Quinn”Peso Pluma & DJ Snake, “Teka”
Mexican Music Album of the Year
La Arrolladora Banda El Limón de René Camacho, Aquí Hay Para LlevarCarín León, Boca Chueca, Vol.1Becky G, EsquinasGrupo Frontera, Jugando A Que No Pasa NadaIntocable, Modus OperandiFuerza Regida, Pa Las Baby’s y BelikeadaJulión Álvarez y Su Norteño Banda, PresenteLila Downs, Niña Pastori & Soledad, Raíz Nunca Me FuiLeonardo Aguilar, Soy Como Quiero SerAlejandro Fernández, Te Llevo En La Sangre
02/20/2025
At long last, ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Club’ has a top 10 hit on its track list. Here’s how it happened.
02/20/2025
Three 6 Mafia had been hit with Satanism allegations in the past and DJ Paul hopped on Bunnie XO‘s Dumb Blonde Podcast earlier this week to clear the air.
Paul explained that the satanic imagery was essentially “just an image” for the Memphis crew, and it started with DJ Infamous referring to the group as Triple 6 Mafia.
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“Basically Lord Infamous said ‘Triple 6 Mafia’ in a song, that wasn’t even our group name,” he told Bunnie, who is married to country star Jelly Roll. “I liked that and I was like, ‘Whoa, that’s dope.’ And I started sampling ‘Triple 6 Mafia, Mafia.’ And that became really popular with us, but that still wasn’t our name.”
He continued: “I was just sampling that, and then it was time to form a group, I was like, ‘We should call ourselves Triple 6 Mafia.’ And everybody liked it … Next thing I know, white fans came like that [snaps fingers]. They flocked to us.”
DJ Paul downplayed the late Lord Infamous being involved with Satanism in any fashion when asked by Bunnie. “He was just high,” he quipped. “That n—a grew up singing ‘Amazing Grace’ in a church, and I was playing the organ … It was just an image. It was just something that was cool. We never studied Satan or nothing like that.”
Formed in the early ’90s by DJ Paul, Juicy J and Lord Infamous in Memphis, Three 6 Mafia went on to become one of the most influential rap groups in the genre’s history. The horrorcore crew saw stints from the late Gangsta Boo, Koopsta Knicca as well as Crunchy Black.
Best known for hits such as Billboard Hot 100 top 15 anthem “Stay Fly,” “Poppin’ My Collar,” “Slob on My Knob” and many more, Three 6 Mafia became the first rap group to win an Oscar Award in 2006 for “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” in Hustle + Flow, which took home best original song. The group’s last album arrived in 2008 with Last 2 Walk.
Watch the full interview below.
Being an innovator can often mean traveling a lonely road. Singer/songwriter Laufey knows that better than most. The 25-year-old Berklee College of Music grad who has spent the past four-plus years plumbing the tricky confluence of jazz, classical and pop is lauded as a Gen Z innovator in TIME magazine’s Women of the Year feature.
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Taking her place on this year’s list alongside the indefatigable Nicole Kidman, trans-rights activist Raquel Willis, Emmy-winning Shogun star Anna Sawai and abortion rights activist Amanda Zurawski, among others, the Reykjavík-born performer is hailed as the “only singer in the world who has their jazz scat solos sung back to them note-for-note by arenas filled with adoring fans.”
With a wide range of inspirations stretching from Schubert’s series of eight solo piano Impromptus to Ella Fitzgerald’s signature scatting and Taylor Swift-like pop bridges, the piece notes that Laufey is as comfortable playing heady pieces alongside symphony orchestras as she is making one of her signature lighthearted TikTok videos.
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“I used to think that was such a scary thing: that nobody had walked that trail before me,” she told the magazine during a break from recording her third album in New York. “But I now realize that when you’re the one determining which steps to take next and which branches to pull to the side, that’s when you know you have something good on your hands.”
The songs on her romantic 2022 debut, Everything I Know About Love, and it’s 2023 follow-up, Bewitched, are comprised of mostly original lovesick ballads inspired by what she calls her “bible,” the Great American Songbook. “I want people to enjoy the music without feeling like they have to be super educated on its history,” said the singer who learned to play classical piano and cello as a child. “Like any other kind of music, it can be something that lifts you up or accompanies you on a sad day.”
And though she rose to prominence in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic by posting videos of herself singing some of those midcentury standards, Laufey decided to take a right turn from honing her chops on the jazz circuit performing already-established favorites in favor of writing original songs TIME described as “in the style of those old standards, but imbued with modern slang and conveying big, relatable feelings.”
That unique mix of beloved old reliables and TikTok videos in which she models outfits and lip synchs to Sabrina Carpenter songs — as well as having her dance moves ported into Fortnite — has led to fast friendships with fellow twentysomething pop starlets such as Olivia Rodrigo and Beabadoobee. “There are a lot of young women who connect with each other — and me — through this feeling of being the outcast,” she said.
The one-of-a-kind mash-up has already paid off in a major way, with Laufey taking home her first Grammy last year for best traditional pop vocal album for Bewitched. Not willing to be a media-appointed “savior of jazz,” though, Laufey said her upcoming as-yet-untitled album will be more “daring” and feature a more diverse mixing of genres.
“I want to see if I can keep the integrity of my music but also allow myself to try out a bit of what modern technology allows,” she said, seemingly unbothered by critics, and fans, who are sometimes eager to ding her for wanting to stray from her perceived lane. “The fact that the jazz and classical worlds seem to struggle with the idea of an artist being both commercially successful and musically interesting — it breaks my heart a little. Why can’t I be both?”
02/20/2025
The North Shields’ third LP is stacked with massive anthems and lyrical greatness.
02/20/2025
Kendrick Lamar’s music has been inescapable on TikTok in recent days, a fact no better highlighted than the rapper taking the entire top four of the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart dated Feb. 22, paced by his Drake diss track “Not Like Us” at No. 1.
The TikTok Billboard Top 50 is a weekly ranking of the most popular songs on TikTok in the United States based on creations, video views and user engagement. The latest chart reflects activity accumulated Feb. 10-16. Activity on TikTok is not included in Billboard charts except for the TikTok Billboard Top 50.
“Not Like Us” debuted on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 last May, ultimately spending nine straight weeks in the top 10 (capped by its No. 2 then-best on the June 1, 2024, list) and departing the survey that September. It returned, however, on the Feb. 15 chart at No. 17, spurred by uploads surrounding Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show performance that occurred on the last day of that tracking period, Feb. 9, as well as in the wake of the tune’s five Grammy Award wins on Feb. 2.
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Now with a full tracking week (Feb. 10-16) following the performance, “Not Like Us” soars to No. 1, becoming Lamar’s first ruler on the chart, which began in September 2023. Many of the top uploads reference Lamar’s performance of the song during his set or outright include clips from the rendition itself.
“Not Like Us” concurrently returns to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, as previously reported. It’s also back atop Streaming Songs via 49 million official U.S. streams in the week ending Feb. 13, up 156%, according to Luminate.
Nos. 2 and 3 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 were also performed during Lamar’s Super Bowl appearance: “Luther,” his collaboration with SZA, slots into the runner-up position, while “Peekaboo,” featuring AzChike, rises to No. 3. All three songs are from Lamar’s 2024 album GNX. “Luther” also benefits from Super Bowl clips, with many top-performing videos being reactions to Lamar’s initial fake out of “Not Like Us” into “Luther.”
And while “Peekaboo” was also performed during the set, its top uploads are a continuation of a trend that largely proliferated in January, utilizing quick edits and poses set to Lamar’s “bing-bop-boom-boom-boom-bop-bam” lyric.
“Luther” rises 3-2 for a new peak on the Hot 100 dated Feb. 22, while “Peekaboo” leaps 81-28.
Lamar completes the four-peat in the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s top four via a SZA song, as her “30 for 30,” a duet with Lamar, rises 8-4. That’s a new peak for the song, which had previously risen as high as No. 5 earlier in February thanks to its trend highlighting Lamar’s “If it’s f–k me then f–k you/ And that’s the way I like it” lyric.
How historic, ultimately, is Lamar’s domination of this week’s chart? Prior to this week, no act had even possessed two songs in the top five at the same time, let alone four of the top five and the entire top four. In fact, before Lamar, no act had slotted more than two songs in the top 10 in a single week, either.
In all, Lamar boasts seven appearances on the Feb. 22 tally; “TV Off,” featuring Lefty Gunplay, jumps 48-16, while “All the Stars” (also with SZA) and “Love.” (featuring Zacari) debut at Nos. 33 and 38, respectively. That’s a tie for the most in a single week, alongside Taylor Swift, who had seven on the Sept. 23, 2023, ranking, the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s second week of existence.
It’s not all Lamar in the top 10, of course. Two songs also reach the region for the first time, led by the week’s top debut in Fergie’s “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” which bows at No. 7. Despite the general sentiment of the song (No. 1 for Fergie on the Hot 100 in 2007), its rise is nonetheless concurrent with the Feb. 14 Valentine’s Day holiday — but instead, it’s used to show pets covered in lipstick smudges, set to the “I’ll be your best friend and you’ll be my/ Valentine” lyric.
Bertha Tillman’s “Oh My Angel” also hits the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s top 10, leaping 16-10. Like “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” the song is buoyed by romance- and love-related content, whether it’s showing romantic partners, friends, family or pets.
BossMan Dlow’s “Shake Dat Ass (Twerk Song)” makes the top 10 for the first time since last July — and at a new peak, shooting 15-8. Its original run featured just BossMan Dlow’s vocals, while its return is spurred by a trend to the remix (released last December) featuring GloRilla.
See the full TikTok Billboard Top 50 here. You can also tune in each Friday to SiriusXM’s TikTok Radio (channel 4) to hear the premiere of the chart’s top 10 countdown at 3 p.m. ET, with reruns heard throughout the week.
On Kameron Marlowe’s third Sony Music Nashville album, Sad Songs For the Soul, out Friday (Feb. 21) he’s veered from crafting a standard country project to fashioning a concept album focused on those with shattered hearts.
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As he sorted through songs he’d written since signing with Sony Music Nashville in 2020, he realized he had a stack of solid songs—all heartbreak anthems—that he had never put on previous albums.
“They’d kind of been sitting in my music vault for a while,” Marlowe tells Billboard. “I’d want to put ‘em on the projects, but I didn’t want to have too many sad songs on a project. So, I was like, ‘It’d be cool to just have one project where I can put them all together.’”
The Red Light-managed Marlowe acknowledges the inherent stress in releasing a project that is outside the norm of what fans have come to expect but says crafting the project rejuvenated his creative impulses. “It sounds different than my music usually does,” Marlowe says. “It’s more of a passion project for me. I felt like I was getting stomped creatively and I needed to open my mind and produce this a little differently.”
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Echoing the raw feelings of heartbreak, the album is stripped back, with sparse snares and cymbals in lieu of a full drumkit. Though the nearly 10-song project centers around pain and disappointment, each song approaches from the topic from a different angle, such as the Kendell Marvel co-write “Dear God.”
Marlowe calls Marvel “one of my favorite writers in Nashville that I’ve gotten to work with,” adding, “We really wanted it to be this conversation between this person and God, just throwing out all your faults and knowing why [an ex-lover] is gone, but praying to God she’ll still give you another shot.”
Elsewhere, “The Basement” feels reminiscent of the rock-infused brand of ‘90s country from artists such as Travis Tritt. “It feels like something he would’ve done back in the day,” Marlowe notes. “Travis is definitely one of my inspirations — I learned a lot of my singing from listening to him.”
He wrote one of the project’s standout tracks, “How’s the Leaving Going,” with Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill and lauded songwriter/NSAI Board president Lee Thomas Miller during a songwriter’s camp in Nashville.
“It’s a bit terrifying,” he says of the prospect of writing with Gill. “He’s the sweetest guy in the world, but he’s also insanely talented in so many ways — singing, guitar playing, songwriting. So it was intimidating stepping into that room. I trust myself when I’m writing, but when you are writing with a caliber [of writer] like Vince and Lee, you can question, ‘Is that line going to be all right?’ before you say it out loud. But it was so worth it. We wrote something I think is very beautiful.”
Marlowe also included a blistering, soulful cover of Cam’s 2015 hit “Burning House,” a song Marlowe calls “the coolest heartbreak song I think I’ve ever heard. You can see everything she’s talking about in that song.” It was that decision that set Sad Songs for the Soul in motion, though Marlowe’s initial concept for the album left room to expand on the project.
“The title was actually Sad Songs For the Soul Vol. 1: Heaven and the Bottle,” he says. “It was the full concept, in case I wanted to do a volume two down the road. I still may one day.”
While Marlowe’s grizzled voice and the slate of sad songs glue the project together, Sad Songs For the Soul leans on songs that touch on an array of styles, from rock-tilted anthems, torchy R&B-fueled numbers and gospel-influenced songs. The North Carolina native grew up soaking in the sounds of gospel music in his local church and becoming a worship leader. But by high school he had segued from church songs to rock anthems, starting a band with some local friends.
“I had no idea what I was doing at the time, but my high school teacher was so excited that somebody was playing music,” Marlowe recalls. “He created a class for me and my buddies to rehearse and learn how to put songs together. He would set up shows for us, which was exciting for me because I was learning how to build songs out, build a band and how to play those songs live.”
Marlowe pursued music during a short stint in college but dropped out to work to support his family, serving as an auto parts salesman for General Motors. Throughout, he continued playing music, putting up videos of himself singing cover songs on Instagram. One of those videos — a powerful cover of Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey” — led The Voice to come calling.
“They found me on social media, and — this is terrible that I even had this going on — but back then, I had my phone number in the bio of my [profile], thinking girls might reach out to me. But it ended up turning out to be a good thing, that The Voice found that number and reached out.”
He competed on season 15 of The Voice, singing songs from Hootie & the Blowfish, Waylon Jennings and Bob Marley, and advancing to the top 24 before being eliminated. Encouraged by the competition, he moved to Nashville and quickly found that fans gravitated toward his independently released, solo-written song “Giving You Up,” which led to Marlowe signing with Sony Music Nashville.
In the five years that have elapsed, Marlowe has issued many songs that evince his gale force of a voice, bolstered by an ever-maturing songwriting style. He issued 2022’s We Were Cowboys and 2024’s Keepin’ the Lights On, featuring songs including “Steady Heart” and the Ella Langley collaboration “Strangers.”
“I’ve learned how to persevere through the tough times and I feel like that’s something that I’ve leaned on pretty hard the past couple years, where I’m by no means a massive artist yet,” Marlowe says. “I would love to get there one day, but I’ve really tried to persevere and keep just staying in my lane and not worrying about what other people are doing — just following my path.”
Beyond the new album, the WME-booked Marlowe is opening shows for Parker McCollum and will launch his 2025 Keepin’ the Lights On Tour March 7. Given his nimble voice, it’s possible that path could at some point mean Sad Songs for the Soul could be just the first “passion project” he releases.
“My favorite thing is just to discover new songs,” Marlowe says. “I would love to do a soul kind of record one day or a rock record. But those would all be passion projects for me, because I feel like country music is what I am the most — but I could see a record with maybe some Kings of Leon songs that I love so much.”