Music
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On Sunday (Jan. 5), Netflix’s Emilia Pérez won big at the 2025 Golden Globes. The musical crime comedy – starring Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Karla Sofía Gascón – took awards for best performance by an actress in a supporting role (Saldaña); best motion picture — non-English language; best original song — motion picture for […]
The Detroit Lions are looking to make history this year and capture their first Super Bowl with the NFL Playoffs right around the corner. And there was plenty of star power and Lions royalty in the building to cheer on the team, as Eminem, Flavor Flav and more were spotted at Ford Field during the […]
2025 may just be getting started, but Vybz Kartel already has plans for new music — including a collaboration with one of music’s hottest female rappers: Cardi B.
Speaking with Billboard‘s Kyle Denis for a cover story chronicling the days leading up to his blockbuster Freedom Street concert in Kingston, Jamaica, dancehall legend Vybz Kartel gave Cardi B her flowers and teased a forthcoming collaboration.
“I love Cardi! We got a song coming out next year,” he revealed. “We are actually in the process of writing it. Even if I have to walk, I’m performing that song in New York!”
Last summer, Vybz Kartel walked out of prison a free man after serving 13 years of a now-overturned life sentence for the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams. During his incarceration, Kartel suffered several health complications including thyroid issues and a Graves’ disease diagnosis. After Kartel’s release, pictures showing how the autoimmune disease altered his appearance started circulating the Internet, and Cardi B quickly came to his defense against nasty trolls.
“I do not play about f—king Vybz Kartel,” the Grammy-winning rapper said in an X Spaces. “When I see y’all talking about f—king Vybz Kartel, I be getting upset ’cause, like, not too much. Not too f—king much. Mind your f—king business. I do not play about f—king Vybz Kartel, b—h. At all. At all. I do not, I do not, I do not.”
A few months later, the “WAP” rapper continued to show love to Kartel. “I want to make the most perfect, beautiful, amazing song with Vybz Kartel,” she said on Instagram Live. “He’s really my favorite artist. He’s literally my No. 1 artist. My favorite artist in the whole wide world.” In another live session, Cardi told Latin Grammy-nominated producer Rvssian to “cook up the best motherf—king song” for her and Worl’ Boss.”
Cardi B has ventured into dancehall in the past, joining forces with Konshens and Tina (Hoodcelebrityy) for “Back It Up,” a cut from her 2017 Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 2 mixtape. She and Tina linked up again later that year for “Island Girls.” In 2021, she threw a dancehall-themed 29th birthday party that saw Lizzo, Megan Thee Stallion and Teyana Taylor dressed in their best dancehall fashions.
Kartel, of course, is no stranger to crossover collaborations. The Grammy-nominated DJ has collaborated with hip-hop heavyweights such as Busta Rhymes, Nicki Minaj, Fivio Foreign and XXXTENTACION.
Perhaps Kartel and Cardi can further discuss their upcoming collaboration at next month’s Grammys (Feb. 2), where both are nominated. Kartel is gunning for his first career Grammy for best reggae album (2024’s Party With Me), while Cardi is competing in best rap performance for her 2024 Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit “Enough (Miami)” (No. 9).
The ceremony will air from Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, Feb. 2.
And we’re back! After a very Cowboy Carter Christmas courtesy of Beyoncé — and a New Year’s Day that quickly gave into allegedly LeBron James-subbing Drake freestyle by way of Conductor Williams — it’s time to start 2025 off on the right foot when it comes to running down the latest in new hip-hop and R&B music.
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Lil Baby (WHAM) and Bad Bunny (Debí Tirar Más Fotos) kicked off the new year with two major full-length releases that are sure to battle for the top of the Billboard 200, while Ice Spice (Y2K: I’m Just A Girl) and SZA (SOS Deluxe: LANA) offered expanded editions of their own hit records. The holiday period also saw the arrival of Young Thug‘s first two Slime Season mixtapes on streaming, as well as a star-studded “Denial Is A River” music video from Doechii.
Things will pick up in February between the Grammys and the Super Bowl, both of which will surely be major moments for Kendrick Lamar ahead of his forthcoming North American Grand National stadium tour.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from GloRilla’s reboot of a years-old OMB Peezy banger to G3’s instantly viral new track. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
G3 (LiAngelo Ball), “Tweaker”
If “Tweaker,” is anything to go by, 2025 is shaping up to be another Y2K-obsessed year. After a snippet of the early ’00s hip-hop-informed track went viral, G3 (aka LiAngelo Ball, the second of the three Ball Brothers) uploaded the full joint on WorldStarHipHop’s YouTube channel — a move that’s poignantly reminiscent of the pre-streaming days, just like the song itself. “I might swerve, bend that corner, woah-woah/ B—h, hold on tight ’cause I tweak and this b—h, start lettin’ s—t go/ And I heard that she wanna show-ow/ Me who she be, I’m kinda f—kin’ with it, show me some mo’,” he spits over production that recalls ’00s NOLA rap and begs for a remix by an artist of that era. It may be too early to tell if “Tweaker” is the start of a fruitful rap career for Ball, but he undoubtedly has scored the first viral hip-hop hit of 2025. — KYLE DENIS
SahBabii, “Show Off”
It’s beautiful to see SahBabii getting his flowers. NFL star Jahmyr Gibbs even hit Sah’s “Viking” dance in the endzone after scoring a touchdown. King Squad delivered his Saaheem (A Lu Bit More) deluxe, and he shocked the music community when teaming up with an uncredited Clairo for the unlikeliest of collaborations on “Show Off.” The alt-pop singer-songwriter’s soothing background vocals blend with SahBabii’s croon, as the ethereal single feels like a branch off Young Thug’s pioneering Beautiful Thugger Girls tree. — MICHAEL SAPONARA
OMB Peezy & GloRilla, “Lay Down” (Remix)
Late last year, OMB Peezy’s seven-year-old breakout song, “Lay Down” experienced a streaming resurgence thanks to a viral TikTok dance trend. That momentum turned into a genuine revival of the song, culminating in a new Glorilla-assisted remix, which arrived on Dec. 27, 2024. “All of that cheatin’, lyin’, connivin’ s—t, had to drop that b—h/ He must’ve thought I was gon’ stay ’round,” Big Glo spits in the intro to her brief, but effective, verse. Her Memphis accent sounds right at home next to Peezy’s Mobile, Ala. drawl over Drum Dummie’s synth-laden beat. — K.D.
Mozzy & Kalan.FrFr, “Where I Come From”
Sacramento meets Los Angeles here, as Mozzy’s grimy street tales mesh with Kalan.FrFr’s melodic croon for the 10 tracks making up Lucky Her. The sentimental “Where I Come From” finds the duo putting their West Coast ties on the table and thanking the harsh times in the Golden State for molding them into the successes they are today – in a way that doesn’t border on being corny, either. “I left the hood in my 30s/ Feel like I’ve seen enough,” Mozzy admits about turning a new leaf in life. He could’ve spun the block for a second poignant verse too. — M.S.
Little Simz, “Hello, Hi”
After landing on Billboard’s Best Rap Albums of 2024 with her genre-expansive Drop 7 mixtape (No. 12), Little Simz kissed 2024 goodbye with a new straightforward rap tune called “Hello, Hi.” “I ain’t gotta be what they on or be in the latest drop/ I just want my ends, and I want Miu Miu with the same damn bop/ Tell me, why they all dress the same? Carbon copy thesis/ I cut you with a Japanese silhouette, I know you ain’t never seen these pieces,” she rhymes over SHYY and Rigas’ guitar-inflected, London hip-hop production. Drill snares ricochet in the background as Simz draws parallels between her ascendance in music and high fashion, setting the stage for even more career milestones in 2025. — K.D.
Joey Bada$$, “The Ruler’s Back”
Joey Bada$$’s poetry in motion mixed with Conductor’s grainy yet gleaming production is like a match made in heaven. Hopefully, there’s an EP in the stash of the bodega basement. Joey set the tone with “The Ruler’s Back” putting the rap game on notice as the West Coast’s ears collectively perked up. “Too much West Coast d–k-licking, I’m hearin’ n—as throwin’ rocks, really ain’t s–t sticking,” he raps in an homage to fellow Brooklyn legend Jay-Z’s 1996 track “22 Two’s.” Last year brought the competitive spirit back to hip-hop, and that has spilled into 2025. — M.S.
Hurricane Wisdom & Polo G, “Giannis Remix”
Nothing was promised for Hurricane Wisdom hailing from North Florida. The Havana native broke down the regional barriers of Tallahassee with the twitchy “Giannis” in August, which picked up momentum like the Milwaukee Bucks superstar on a fast break to close out 2024. Hurricane narrates his gritty come-up but also delivers witty one-liners making light of his situation. He compares guns to the size of Giannis Antentokounmpo and jokes about not being good at math, but keeping problem-solvers around – if you catch his drift. Wisdom caught the ear of Polo G, who connects Chicago to Florida with a glossy assist to power the “Giannis Remix,” and ensure Hurricane gusts into the new year. — M.S.
King George & Snoop Dogg, “Unbelievable”
It’s not the star-studded menacing cast from Death Row’s 90s golden era, but Snoop Dogg has assembled a strong roster of versatile artists for the revamped label, with the West Coast icon at the helm. The Death Row Revue compilation project arrived last week and Snoop makes an appearance on the groovy “Unbelievable” alongside South Carolina’s King Geroge, which finds the Doggfather harping on the importance of loyalty. “Loyalty is rare/ So when you find that special someone, makes sure you stay locked and loaded/ Because it’s unbelievable what could happen,” he says. — M.S.
Naomi Osaka and Cordae have broken up after more than five years together, the tennis champ announced Monday (Jan. 6). In a straightforward letter posted to her Instagram Story, Osaka revealed that she and the rapper — with whom she shares 18-month-old daughter Shai — have called it quits, but emphasized that there’s “no bad […]
Ariana Grande is continuing to embrace her natural beauty despite jokingly shouting out Botox and Juvederm during her Rising Star acceptance speech Friday (Jan. 3) at the Palm Springs International Film Awards.
In a red-carpet interview with Entertainment Tonight, the singer-actress clarified that she was only kidding when, at one point in her speech, she quipped, “I never thought at the age of 31 I would be hearing the words ‘rising star’ again, so I wanted to start by thanking my two friends: Botox and Juvederm.”
“Oh my gosh, my joke,” Grande remarked to the outlet, laughing. “My bit.”
“I’m still clean, I’m still clean,” she then clarified in regards to the beauty treatments. “But when I start going again, I’ll let you know. I mean it. I really want to be transparent as a beauty founder, as the founder of R.E.M. Beauty — I think it’s important to have transparency.”
“I love it, I support it,” the “Yes, And?” singer added of fillers. “But I am still four years clean.”
Grande’s comments echo what she previously revealed to fans in a 2023 beauty secrets video with Vogue, saying at the time that she’d had a “ton” of lip filler and Botox injections over the years before stopping cold turkey in 2018. “For a long time, beauty was about hiding for me, and now I feel like maybe it’s not,” she said in the emotional clip. “It was just like, ‘Oh, I just want to see my well-earned cry lines and smile lines’ … These are just thoughts that I feel like we should be able to discuss when we’re talking about beauty secrets. F— it, let’s lay it all out there.”
The two-time Grammy winner earned the Palm Springs ceremony’s Rising Star honors thanks to her performance in Wicked, in which she stars as Glinda opposite Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba. Grande was full of jokes at the award show, with the Victorious alum also comically faking like her trophy was too heavy for her to carry after accepting it from Jennifer Coolidge — something she also laughed about with ET.
“I was doing a bit on stage, but I’m scared people actually thought it weighed me down,” Grande said.
Two days after the Palm Springs International Film Awards, Wicked won cinematic and box office achievement at the 2025 Golden Globes.
Watch Grande clarify her joke about Botox below.
SZA is keeping fans on their toes to kick off 2025. While the Lana deluxe is expected to receive new songs and mixes in Monday’s update (Jan. 6), she also teased a separate fresh track on Instagram. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Solana posted the unreleased […]
Two-time Grammy winner Dennis Scott is the 15th recipient of The ASCAP Foundation’s Joe Raposo Children’s Music Award. Honoring the best in children’s music since 2010, the award is presented by the family of Joe Raposo, one of the co-creators of Sesame Street and the show’s longtime musical director. “I feel honored to be among […]
In this week’s batch of new releases, Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper Morgan Wallen issues a tender ballad, while crooner Brett Eldredge releases a new, non-holiday track. Also featured in this week’s new releases are fresh music from Americana queen Sierra Ferrell, country group Restless Road, and bluegrass luminary Becky Buller.
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Check out all of these and more in Billboard‘s roundup of the best country songs of the week below.
Morgan Wallen, “Smile”
Nineteen-time Billboard Music Awards winner Wallen gave fans a surprise on New Year’s Eve, releasing the introspective ballad “Smile.” Written by Wallen along with Rocky Block, John Byron, Ernest Keith Smith, Ryan Vojtesak and Luis Witkiewitz, the song finds Wallen singing about having a photo taken at a bar with a lover, knowing that his lover’s bright smile “was only for the picture” — and far from representative of their crumbling relationship. Still, seeing his lover’s smile elicits memories of their happier times together. Melodically, this pensive, pop-tinged ballad makes the most of Wallen’s polished falsetto and heartfelt vocal rendering. The song’s breakup-centered lyrics build upon his recent hits, “Lies, Lies, Lies” and “Love Somebody.”
Brett Eldredge, “Gorgeous”
Eldredge marks the second release on his own Warm and Cozy Records with the lush, pop-leaning uptempo track, “Gorgeous.” The track is stratified with vocal harmonies, melding for a gospel-tinged choral sound that elevates the composition’s uplifting lyrics of praise and admiration for a significant other–even when they are seemingly at their lowest points. As always, Eldredge relates the song’s message with his nimble, soulful vocal rendering. The song is Eldredge’s first non-holiday music since 2022’s Songs About You, and is a welcome return from this gifted singer-songwriter.
Sierra Ferrell, “The Garden”
Sierra Ferrell’s intricate songwriting, exuberant performance style and signature musicianship have made quickly established her one of the most heralded artists in Americana, bluegrass and folk music over the past few years, and she continued amassing accolades in 2024, including taking home the artist of the year and album of the year (Trail of Flowers) at the Americana Music Awards. She’s also nominated for several Grammys at the upcoming ceremony, including best Americana album (Trail of Flowers). She previews the upcoming deluxe version of her Trail of Flowers album (out Jan. 31 on Rounder Records) by offering up an expanded arrangement of her song “The Garden.” The new arrangement is bolstered by layers of piano, pedal steel and stringwork, all framing Ferrell’s distinct voice.
Restless Road, “Work on Me”
Tender piano highlights this trio’s flawless harmonies and individual vocal talents, as Restless Road’s Zach Beeken, Garrett Nichols and Colton Pack release their latest song, centered on someone who realizes they are far from perfect, but are inspired by love to make better life choices and embark on a journey of building better habits. Written by Restless Road, Jacob Davis and Joe Fox, this powerful, pop-inflected ballad marks an auspicious musical start for the new year.
Becky Buller, “Reach”
Bluegrass vocalist/fiddle player/songwriter Buller teams here with her fellow First Ladies of Bluegrass members (who each became the first woman to win IBMA Awards in their respective instrumental categories): banjoist Alison Brown, mandolin player/vocalist Sierra Hull, bassist Missy Raines and guitarist/vocalist Molly Tuttle. Together, they construct this fleet-fingered, female-led, and harmony-heavy anthem about balancing ambition with contentment, while continually pushing forward with new personal challenges. Though a new single from Buller, “Reach” was written by rock group Orleans’ Johanna and John Hall, and previously recorded on New Grass Revival’s 1981 album Commonwealth.
Vybz Kartel is adding his voice to the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar debate — and he’s firmly on Team Drizzy.
While speaking to Billboard‘s Kyle Denis for a cover story published Monday (Jan. 6), the dancehall artist didn’t hold back when prompted to share his thoughts on rap’s biggest feud in recent memory. “I’m not a fan of Kendrick,” Kartel began frankly. “I don’t even listen to Kendrick, so I wouldn’t know.”
“What does he rap?” the “Ramping Shop” musician continued. “I saw it on the internet, but no disrespect to the dude, I hear him, but I don’t listen to him. Drake is more in tune with Jamaica and the culture.”
Kartel added, “Drake is a better and bigger artist.”
The reggae star’s cover story comes less than a week after he made his grand return with a massive Freedom Street concert in front of more than 35,000 people at Kingston’s National Stadium in Jamaica on New Year’s Eve, performing for the first time since his July prison release. Kartel had served a 13-year sentence for the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams, for which he and his co-accused — Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones and Andre St. John — have always maintained their innocence.
During the tail end of Kartel’s sentence, Drake and Lamar’s beef simmered over into an explosive rap back-and-forth that fans are still talking about months later. The beef started with the Toronto artist dissing Dot on “Push Ups” and “Taylor Made Freestyle” in April. Lamar clapped back with a slew of searing response tracks including “Euphoria,” the Billboard Hot 100-topping “Not Like Us” and more, while Drake added fuel to the fire with songs such as “Family Matters” and “The Heart Pt. 6” in May.
Lamar is now set to headline the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show, while Drake is in the midst of taking legal action against Universal Music Group for allegedly conspiring to “artificially inflate” the Compton musician’s streams on “Not Like Us” and for allegedly allowing Lamar to defame Drake on the track. In November, UMG denied the accusation — which the company called “offensive and untrue” — and added in a statement to Billboard, “We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns. No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.”
As for Vybz? He’s in the running for the best reggae album Grammy for Party With Me, which was “done in prison,” the artist tells Billboard. “I was writing to keep my mind occupied, ended up with these songs and said, ‘Let me just put them on a little EP.’ Bam, Grammy.”
The ceremony airs Feb. 2 on CBS.