Music

26 Apr 2024

­How Trillville’s ‘Some Cut’ Went from Unlikely Single to Defining Southern Hip-Hop Anthem of the Mid-2000s

This week, Billboard is publishing a series of lists and articles celebrating the music of 20 years ago. Our 2004 Week wraps here with rap trio Trillville, whose signature 2004 hit “Some Cut” has proved one of the most memorable hip-hop hits of 20 years ago, an incredibly enduring reference point across genres in the years since.

In an era when buzzy singles can spend just one week in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 before completely falling off the chart, the lifespan of a single feels especially arbitrary. Songs can stay perched at No. 1 for weeks or be the talk of the town and a distant memory within a three-day period. 

Songs like Trillville’s “Some Cut,” however, have proven to boast a gloriously endless shelf life. Twenty years removed from its initial single run, “Some Cut” remains the foundation of not just some of the biggest hits and dance trends of the first half of the 2020s, but also eternal inspiration for the squeaking production motif that has enamored countless styles and genres, from R&B and reggaeton to K-pop and Jersey club.

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“This is the sound,” stresses Jamal “Dirty Mouth” Glaze. “It’s an authentic sound. You can’t deny that sound because that’s the golden era of [Southern hip-hop and crunk], from the ‘90s to the early 2000s.” 

In 2004, “Some Cut” climbed to a peak of No. 14 on the Hot 100, earning the crunk trio the biggest chart hit of their career and one of the biggest club hits of the early ’00s. According to Luminate, “Some Cut” has earned over 157.3 million official on-demand U.S. streams to date and sold nearly 500,000 pure copies. Blessed by Lil Jon’s Midas touch, the unabashedly carnal track meticulously balances a gentle piano riff, sultry bass and guitar — and, of course, that iconic squeak loop. With the late Cutty Cartel kicking off the affair by rapping and singing perhaps the greatest series of questions in contemporary music — “What it is ho, what’s up? / Can a n—a get in them guts?” — “Some Cut” is nasty and proud. It’s the effortlessly suave delivery of each Trillville member, alongside Cutty, that allows the track to playfully toe the line between raunch and forbidden fantasy. 

The crown jewel of Trillville and Lil Jon’s collaborations, the genesis of “Some Cut” lies in the scrappy can-do attitude of the group’s Donnell “Don P” Prince. As he tells it, Trillville was toiling away in the club circuit for a few years before “Some Cut,” packing out shows in Atlanta — thanks, in part, to group member Lawrence “LA” Edwards, who was a club promoter at the time. Eventually, one of Don P’s friends gave him the number to the CEO of BME Records, Lil Jon’s record label, and he seized the opportunity. 

“I was like, ‘Hey, man, we got something here! People keep telling me that our music dope, that they like it!’” recalls Don P. “It was something about the way I said it, because he was like, ‘Usually, people keep telling me that they’re the dopest and the best.’ So, he called me to the office, we developed a relationship from there, and I started going to the office every single day.” 

Don P’s persistence paid off tenfold once Lil Jon eventually attended a big warehouse show the group had been hard at work preparing for. Lil Scrappy, another Lil Jon protege-turned-club hitmaker, was also in attendance that night at the “crazy show,” which jumpstarted the professional relationships between all artists involved. 

In 2004, Jon launched BME Recordings with The King of Crunk & BME Recordings Present: Trillville & Lil Scrappy as the fledgling label’s first offering. A split album with each side hosting the respective debut albums of Trillville and Lil Scrappy, the LP debuted and peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard 200, spawning several singles, including the seminal “Some Cut,” and ultimately shifting over 1.25 million album-equivalent units.

Rooted in the raw, raucous energy of crunk music, the recording sessions for Trillville & Scrappy mirrored the vibe of the music. “It was just a party atmosphere, drinks everywhere,” Dirty Mouth reminisces. “You had the porn playing on the TV, that’s how we got inspired. We was young, wild and we had fun.” 

“With us, it was never just a [regular] studio session,” Don P adds. “The song that you hear is the vibe that was happening.” 

Of course, that studio session yielded Lil Jon’s magical “squeak” moment, which resulted in the priceless ingredient that made “Some Cut” such an irresistibly catchy and oft-imitated record. As the story goes, the Trillville crew were in the studio working on songs for their debut LP when the playback of “Some Cut” was queued up in the system. “We kept hearing something,” Don P says. “And I was like ‘What the hell are they talking about?’ Well, every time [Lil Jon] was playing the song back, he was [makes rocking motion] and the chair was squeaking. All at the same time, everybody was like, ‘It’s the chair! It’s the chair!’” 

In a moment of ingenuity that can only happen when a studio session is directed by the vibe of its artists, they mic’d the chair up, recorded the squeaks and placed them throughout the record — most prominently in the intro. Though those squeaks came from a chair, they recall the sound of a mattress during sex, hence its prominence as a go-to sample across genres in the decades since. 

“We was always an innovative and creative and we worked together because Lil Jon is always innovative and creative as well,” reflects Don P. “You could take any other group and I promise you they wouldn’t do that.” 

That likely is the case, but even with its infectious composition, “Some Cut” wasn’t even originally planned to be a single from Trillville & Scrappy. “Neva Eva,” which peaked at No. 77 on the Hot 100, arrived on Nov. 4, 2003, as the first single for Trillville, while “Head Bussa” (with Lil Jon) was the first single for Scrappy. With “No Problem” heating up the streets as the second Scrappy single, the original plan was for the Pastor Troy-assisted “Get Some Crunk in Yo System” to serve as the second single from Trillville. 

“[The remix version with Snoop Dogg and Pitbull] of ‘Some Cut’ was supposed to be the first single from our new album, Trillville: Reloaded,” notes Don P. “What happened was, the DJs started playing [the original] ‘Some Cut’ on they own, so I called Naim [Ali], who our A&R at the time, after I saw how people were going up for the record in the clubs, and said, ‘Ay, bro, we need to push this record.” 

Just like how they self-advocated to originally connect with Lil Jon, having their ear to the streets resulted in the smartest marketing pivot of Trillville’s career. Trillville, BME and Warner Records didn’t just give “Some Cut” a half-hearted push for a late-album cycle single, they cranked out “a clean [version], super clean [version and], a super duper clean radio version,” jokes Don P. “There was so many versions of that song we did, I still don’t know which one to rap when I perform, to this day!” 

Given that the crunk music blueprint involves the songs percolating in the streets and clubs before breaking through on radio, Trillville had already heard “Some Cut” outside – but hearing it on the radio confirmed to them that the song had reach a different level of popularity. 

“I was driving and I heard [“Some Cut”] on either 107 or V103, I had to pull over!” laughs Dirty Mouth, “That thang was jamming too! I was like, ‘Damn, it’s on now!’” 

And on, it was. In just one week, “Some Cut” had eclipsed “Neva Eva” as Trillville’s highest-charting entry on Billboard’s marquee singles chart, and it wouldn’t even hit its peak until 14 weeks later. For Trillville, the biggest signifier that the song was resonating on a higher level than their previous songs was the increased diversification of their crowds. 

“I just noticed the crowd went from a bunch of Black people to a bunch of Black and white people to a bunch of Black, white, and Mexican people,” says Don P, with Dirty Mouth chiming in, “It was more women, though! More women than dudes and the dudes came when the women came.” 

Crafting records specifically catered to women is a hip-hop practice that is as storied as it is convoluted in the greater context of the misogyny that is intrinsically tied to the genre. With their previous singles erring more on the gangster side than the smooth-talking Lotharios they posture as on “Some Cut,” Trillville knew they needed something for the women. 

“We needed a female record,” explains Dirty Mouth. “We came up in the era of pushing and shoving and throwing bows and sweating — now it’s time to get on with the ladies. Give the ladies something that they can gravitate to. So, that’s what we did.” 

So, how exactly does a song this crass – made in a studio with porn playing in the background, no less – find a home amongst the ladies? Well, one answer lies in the late Cutty Cartel’s hook. Caked in a seductive Southern drawl and delivered with a swaggering wink that complements the twinkling keys in the production, Cutty’s hook is arguably the most recognizable part of “Some Cut,” at least as far as vocals go. The smoothness of his performance simultaneously masquerades the raunch of his lyrics, and provides a smart juxtaposition to the gruff delivery of each Trillville member. 

“Rest in peace, Cutty,” Don P says of the inimitable artist, who passed on Aug. 30, 2019. “He so smooth with it. He’s a rapper and an R&B singer, so he could come with that melodic sound.” Dirty mouth adds: “He’s the Nate Dogg of the South, I always say!” 

In addition to Cutty’s suave hook, the “Some Cut” music video also helped the track carve out an eternal place in the hearts of women across the country. In fact, the Fat Cats-helmed clip – which found the Trillville crew renting a mansion for a single day to host a house party – featured appearances from several women who would go on to be major fixtures in entertainment, including reality television star Porsha Williams and prolific video vixen Summer Walker (not to be confused with the future R&B star of the same name).



And, in the spirit of a truly timeless record, “Some Cut” is still a source of inspiration for some of today’s biggest artists across R&B and hip-hop, namely TDE rap star Doechii, three-time Grammy-winner Victoria Monét and, of course, Beyoncé, who paid tribute to Cutty’s chorus backing vocals in the third verse of her remix of Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage.” Before Monét’s “On My Mama,” which samples another beloved ’00s Southern hip-hop smash (Chalie Boy’s “I Look Good”), she had a major viral moment in 2021 with a dance break set to the “Some Cut” intro. Choreographed by Ysabelle Capitulé, who was still a child when “Some Cut” first hit the streets, the dance break spawned hundreds of thousands of recreations across social media. 

Last year, just one year shy of the 20th anniversary of “Some Cut,” Doechii interpolated the track on her own Kodak Black-assisted “What It Is (Block Boy).” Opting to flip Cutty’s hook to a woman’s perspective instead of taking a stab at the infamous “squeak” sound, Doechii rode “What It Is” to the biggest hit of her career, peaking at No. 29 on the Hot 100 and earning her her first RIAA Platinum plaque. At the 2023 BET Awards, Trillville joined Doechii onstage to perform a mashup of both tracks. 

“My potna, J. White Did It produced [‘What It Is’],” says Don P. “He hit me up and told me he was doing something, but I just didn’t know what it was. Then Warner Brothers hit us up, [played us the record], and I was like, ‘Oh, my God!’ I loved that song from the very first time I heard it. So, of course, we all cleared it. I had no idea it was going to be that huge, but I kinda did because I loved it so much.” 

Although “Some Cut” has remained one of the go-to early ’00s hip-hop cuts for contemporary performers, crunk, the defining sound of Trillvile’s catalog, is notably absent from the current mainstream. With a movie based on the Trillville story due early next year (music video director Todd Uno is currently attached to direct) alongside an accompanying soundtrack, Don P, Dirty Mouth and LA hope to reignite the coals of crunk outside of all the callbacks to “Cut.” 

“I wrote the script three years ago, and we just started production this year,” reveals Don P. “It’s been fun to cast other actors that look like us going through the experiences that we went through back then. This movie is going to show the young people what it was and give older people that nostalgic feel.” 

And as for the soundtrack? “It’s literally going to sound like an updated version of 2004 crunk,” teases Don P. “We’re trendsetters, it’s been such a pleasure to know that people really appreciated what we brought to the table, and the movie and soundtrack reflect that.” 

26 Apr 2024

Ne-Yo’s ‘Tiny Desk’ Offers Medley of R&B Hits, Anthems He Penned for Rihanna, Beyoncé: Watch

Ne-Yo is one of the genre-defining R&B singers of the 2000s, and his invite to NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series was long overdue.

The long-time bad-boy R&B singer made his Tiny Desk debut on Friday (April 26), which saw him run through a medley of soulful hits from his catalog, in addition to bops he’s penned for the likes of Mario, Rihanna and Beyoncé.

Draped in a bedazzled all-white getup and his signature fedora hat, Ne-Yo fittingly kicked off his set with his “Because of You” anthem before moving into his introduction to the world with “So Sick” and the volcanic “Sexy Love.”

“I’ve written a couple songs since I’ve been doing this thing, some of them you may know,” Ne-Yo said before switching gears to a few covers. “Matter of fact, I’m gonna jump into some of the ones that I’ve written, that you may or may not know.”

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He proceeded to deliver tuneful covers in an homage to his lethal pen with Rihanna’s “Take a Bow,” Bey’s “Irreplaceable” and Mario’s “Let Me Love You.”

Ne-Yo also debuted a new redemptive track titled “Two Million Secrets,” which he described as more of a confessional. “This song took a little bit of growth on my part to even write, and even more to sing. This song is basically about owning your s–t … Nobody is above mistakes, nobody is above redemption. You do better and you keep pushing,” he said. “This song is not a song, this song is a confession.”

The three-time Grammy winner uplifted the room by signing off with his classic anthem “Miss Independent,” which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2008. “A dedication to my favorite kind of woman, the independent woman,” he testified.

Watch Ne-Yo’s Tiny Desk concert performance below.



26 Apr 2024

Steve Aoki Has No Problem Using Artificial Intelligence To Build Tracks: ‘You Can’t Stop AI… You Just Have To Ride The Wave’

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Steve Aoki has seen the future and he’s unafraid. The world-beating DJ/producer and cake boss tells Billboard in this week’s cover story that while he’s still a bit of a “novice” at using artificial intelligence to create music, he thinks AI is here to stay and we should all just figure out a way to ride that bucking digital sandworm.

“I use it mainly for lyric generation. It has actually helped me quite a lot,” Aoki, 46, says of incorporating AI into his studio routine. “If I have an idea of what lyrics I want to put down on a record, I’ll work that out with AI, and if I have a songwriting team in my house and we get stumped, we can always use AI. As far as sampling, I’ve used AI to get a particular female sound using certain words, and that has been fantastic.”

Aoki, however, is clear-eyed and confident that AI is not the solution to all our musical conundrums. For instance, asked if his creativity is based more on experience or data, he says you can’t type “What’s Steve Aoki’s biggest song on the festival circuit?” into a database and get the right answer. “[Artificial intelligence] cannot generate that,” he says, noting that his 2011 Afrojack collab “No Beef” came out before streaming was a big thing, “but everyone knows the vocals to that at my shows.”

As for the possible worst-case-scenario that AI could replace producers and DJs in the future, Aoki says he’s sure the powers-that-be are building in “safeguards” to avoid such a situation now that the digital genie is fully out of the bottle. “You can’t stop AI. It’s not like, ‘Oh, f–k. AI is going to take away our jobs. F–k technology, it’s going to take away jobs,’” he says. “You can’t. You just have to ride the wave with it and just start building safeguards as we go. We’ve been doing this the whole time with the internet.”

Elsewhere in the chat, Japanese American Aoki also talked about the importance of AAPI representation in music and how it’s changed in the years he’s been behind the decks. “I remember when I first got into music in high school, the first thing I did was sing. You just didn’t see Asian singers,” he says. “You just didn’t see Asian people in music, period, and if you did, they were really quiet, like the singer of Hoobastank [Doug Robb], whom I looked up to.”

In fact, in a full-circle moment, Aoki reveals in the cover story that he’s currently working on a remake of the band’s 2004 hit “The Reason,” that he’s super excited about. “There’s a Steve Aoki-Hoobastank record coming soon,” he says. “But it was cool to actually work with that guy [Robb] because I remember looking up to him when I was in high school.”

Another artist he recalls admiring around 2003 when he was first getting into production was the Neptunes’ Chad Hugo. “I was in L.A., and I remember hiring someone on Craigslist to teach me how to use Pro Tools because I just started dabbling on the computer,” he says. “And I was like, ‘Chad Hugo, that’s my hero because he’s Asian, but he’s also quiet.’ I’m always like, “Where are the loud ones?” I wanted to see someone Asian that’s just loud and in charge and commanding audiences.”

Check out the full story and photos from the cover shoot here.

26 Apr 2024

St. Vincent Reflects on Writing ‘Cruel Summer’ With Taylor Swift 4 Years Before It Became a Hit

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In October, Taylor Swift‘s “Cruel Summer” unexpectedly climbed its way to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, four years after it was released as a non-single on 2019’s Lover. And in an interview with People published Friday (April 26), St. Vincent — who co-wrote the smash with the pop star and producer Jack Antonoff — revealed that she was just as stunned as everyone else by the song’s delayed success story. 

“[Swift’s] just so incredibly intelligent and so hardworking,” the indie rock star, born Anne Clark, told the publication. “That’s a given. I am so incredibly blown away and amazed by Taylor’s fans because they are just a force of nature. They took a song that was, what? Almost four records ago now, that was not a single off a record.”  

“They were like, ‘No, this song’s a hit,’” she continued. “Then, by force of will, they made that song a worldwide hit.” 

Clark also opened up about her friendship with Olivia Rodrigo, who retroactively credited St. Vincent, Swift and Antonoff as writers on her Sour hit “Deja Vu” in 2021 after listeners drew comparisons to the track and “Cruel Summer.” Last fall, the “Vampire” singer said in a New York Times interview that Clark had been a “mentor” to her during the process of making her sophomore album, Guts, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. 

“I love Olivia, she’s just a wonderful person,” Clark told People. “But I don’t lead with advice. The only advice I have ever given Olivia was just to trust her instincts and to make exactly the record that she wants to make that’s in her heart. That’s it.”  

“What’s going to resonate with people is her authentic voice, and she did,” added the “Los Angeles” musician. “She made a great record.” 

The new interview arrived on the same day St. Vincent’s latest album, All Born Screaming, hit streaming services. It features the previously released singles “Broken Man,” “Flea” and “Big Time Nothing.” 

“All we have is love and the people we love, and it’s the only reason to do anything, and the only reason to be alive,” Clark told People of the project. “So the first part of the record is a little bit of a season in hell, but you get to this place and the record ends with an ecstatic mantra of, ‘We’re all born screaming.’” 

26 Apr 2024

Introducing K-Pop’s New Group VVS, Who Intend to ‘Evolve’ the Genre

“I had my own vision for what I wanted to hear in K-pop,” says Paul Thompson, an Italian American who 11 years ago moved to South Korea from California to teach English, but has since become better known as chart-topping K-pop producer MCMZ and founder of MCMZ Inc., an entertainment group based in Seoul. “I knew no other company was 100% going to let me do the vision I had. It was time for me to try to evolve K-pop.”

Enter VVS, Thompson’s newly formed group eyeing October for its official debut, and with four albums already mapped out. Embodying his love for The Neptunes, Timbaland co-producer Danja and singer-songwriter-producer Ryan Leslie, Thompson created a streamlined sound for the new act, which is named after the diamond category of the same name. “I would say we’re mashing up Ariana [Grande’s] ‘POV’ and Nicki Minaj,” says Thompson, who calls the members of VVS “the right five to push K-pop forward.”

With one Japanese and four Korean members, VVS comprises Brittney (20, the group’s leader and English speaker), Ilee (19, a rapper inspired by Blackpink’s Jennie), Rana (18, the main dancer who is musically influenced by Lauryn Hill), Jiu (15, the main vocalist who looks up to K-pop powerhouse Taeyeon) and Liwon (15, a vocalist who admires fellow teen singer Kiana).

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For now, the quintet has daily rehearsals, vocal and rap lessons, and group workouts. As their debut looms closer, the members will move into a shared living space and add media training and language lessons as part of K-pop’s famous trainee system. But unlike other trainees, the members of VVS will have had what Brittney and the girls call “culture classes” to dig into the roots of R&B and hip-hop.

“From the cultural beginnings to today where female rappers are able to perform onstage with such confidence, the fact that we are able to learn about the history of the OGs is really meaningful,” Ilee says through a translator. “We learned about female rappers at the start of the hip-hop industry, like Lil’ Kim, who influences me because she’s very confident.”

Brittney of VVS photographed April 15, 2024 at Brakio Studio in Seoul.

Brittney

Scott Joonhyuk Jung

Ilee of VVS photographed April 15, 2024 at Brakio Studio in Seoul.

Ilee

Scott Joonhyuk Jung

Meanwhile, Brittney — who nearly abandoned her K-pop dreams after time training in two different agencies before joining MCMZ — pulls inspiration from an act closer to home. “BTS came from a small company,” she says. “We come from a small company, too, so I think there’s a lot that we can learn from them. They’re very hard workers, they put all their effort into their job, and when they perform onstage, they’re 100%. I think their teamwork is amazing, so I tell my girls about them, too.”

After initially moving to South Korea to teach English, Thompson spent the following decade becoming the chart-topping K-pop producer MCMZ for arena-filling acts like EXO, NCT and Kang Daniel. Similar to NewJeans mastermind Min Hee Jin and other K-pop creatives who have moved from the liner notes to the C-suite, Thompson transformed his producer moniker into a corporate entity, founding MCMZ Inc. in early 2019 and incorporating as a Korean entity in January 2020 with an all-Korean staff and crop of songwriters that includes K-pop idol Yuju and lyricists in Los Angeles and Nashville.

Thompson’s own body of work — alongside key hires of management, casting and artist development veterans in Korea — quickly earned his new label the trust of the industry. Blackpink’s agency, YG Entertainment, has already invested in the company through a deal with its distribution division, YG Plus, to assist in merchandising and marketing, as well as global distribution.

And despite operating as an Italian American in a predominantly Asian industry, Thompson says, “All the parents know what I’ve done, all the trainees know, and a lot of them audition because of the music. They realize, ‘OK, the company is still Korean, all the contracts are done in Korean, it just happens that the CEO is not.’ ”

Jiu of VVS photographed April 15, 2024 at Brakio Studio in Seoul.

Jiu

Scott Joonhyuk Jung

Despite its American influences, MCMZ Inc. plans to target the international K-pop fandom as well as the scene’s core markets like Korea, Japan and English-speaking territories. “It’s going to be harder for us to get across because all the big companies have way more money than us to put toward marketing,” Thompson says. “The best way we can market ourselves is to go through other channels where we don’t have to put a huge budget behind that.”

That’s exactly why he has made yet another unconventional move: welcoming Anderson Cooper to film a CNN documentary about MCMZ Inc. to air at a later date. Thompson believes embracing such an unfiltered approach during a time of creative experimentation points to the type of ambition needed to break through industry hierarchies.

“They’re already going to be questioning if we’re authentically Korean,” Thompson says. “A lot of the Korean companies’ first target demographic is going to be Korea. For us, it’s still Korea, but we know we have a barrier there to entry anyway, so let’s see how we can market ourselves more accurately [beyond that].”

Liwon of VVS photographed April 15, 2024 at Brakio Studio in Seoul.

Liwon

Scott Joonhyuk Jung

Rana of VVS photographed April 15, 2024 at Brakio Studio in Seoul.

Rana

Scott Joonhyuk Jung

This story will appear in the April 27, 2024, issue of Billboard.

26 Apr 2024

VVS: Photos From the Billboard Shoot

“I had my own vision for what I wanted to hear in K-pop,” says Paul Thompson, an Italian American who 11 years ago moved to South Korea from California to teach English, but has since become better known as chart-topping K-pop producer MCMZ and founder of MCMZ Inc., an entertainment group based in Seoul. “I knew no other company was 100% going to let me do the vision I had. It was time for me to try to evolve K-pop.”

Enter VVS, Thompson’s newly formed group eyeing October for its official debut, and with four albums already mapped out. Embodying his love for The Neptunes, Timbaland co-producer Danja and singer-songwriter-producer Ryan Leslie, Thompson created a streamlined sound for the new act, which is named after the diamond category of the same name. “I would say we’re mashing up Ariana [Grande’s] ‘POV’ and Nicki Minaj,” says Thompson, who calls the members of VVS “the right five to push K-pop forward.”

With one Japanese and four Korean members, VVS comprises Brittney (20, the group’s leader and English speaker), Ilee (19, a rapper inspired by Blackpink’s Jennie), Rana (18, the main dancer who is musically influenced by Lauryn Hill), Jiu (15, the main vocalist who looks up to K-pop powerhouse Taeyeon) and Liwon (15, a vocalist who admires fellow teen singer Kiana).

For now, the quintet has daily rehearsals, vocal and rap lessons, and group workouts. As their debut looms closer, the members will move into a shared living space and add media training and language lessons as part of K-pop’s famous trainee system. But unlike other trainees, the members of VVS will have had what Brittney and the girls call “culture classes” to dig into the roots of R&B and hip-hop.

Read the full Billboard Korea cover story here.

26 Apr 2024

Friday Music Guide: New Music From Normani & Gunna, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Anitta and More

Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond. 

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This week, Normani increases our Dopamine supply, PARTYNEXTDOOR elevates his game and Anitta provides Brazilian funk for summer. Check out all of this week’s picks below:

Normani feat. Gunna, “1:59” 



The reason why anticipation remains high for Normani’s debut solo project, in spite of years of false starts and setbacks, is because the music that the former Fifth Harmony star has released over the past half-decade has been enticingly singular, a collection of R&B singles with pop and personality. At long last, Normani’s first album is on the calendar — Dopamine is slated for a June release — and new single “1:59” serves as another reminder of the project’s promise, with the singer waxing poetic about a steamy encounter in between Gunna’s animated crooning.

PARTYNEXTDOOR, PARTYNEXTDOOR 4 



Evolving from one of Drake’s most trusted studio companions into an ever-reliable R&B solo artist, PARTYNEXTDOOR has spent the past decade accruing a dedicated following — and now wants more, if PARTYNEXTDOOR 4, his first project in four years, is any indication. The new album carries a cohesion and stylistic ambition that previously was not prominent in PND’s oeuvre, as the Canadian singer-songwriter elevates his late-night musings and warbled vocals to more emotionally affecting territory, particularly on the album’s back half.

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Anitta, Funk Generation 



The opening song on Anitta’s new album is titled “Lose Ya Breath,” and that’s precisely what the veteran star aims to accomplish on this kinetic new project: Funk Generation rarely lets the BPM lag, and Anitta never stops showcasing the ferocity that powers a lot of these Brazilian funk heaters. Previously released singles “Funk Rave” and “Joga Pra Lua” sound at home on the track list, Sam Smith stops by to provide some feathery vocals to “Ahi,” but the sub-two-minute headbangers like “Savage Funk” and “Grip” might steal the whole show.

Justice, Hyperdrama 



Miguel, Thundercat, The Flints, Tame Impala: these are just a handful of the guest stars on Justice’s long-awaited new album Hyperdrama, with guest vocalists a rarity in the French electronic duo’s discography. And while some of those collaborations result in exciting new compounds — Kevin Parker’s voice stretches out and shimmers on the opener “Neverender,” for instance — they’re also a little besides the point, as the veteran dance kings provide plenty of movement on their own; the multi-part “Incognito” may be one of the biggest triumphs of their entire catalog, every gear shift producing another unexpected thrill.

Myke Towers feat. Bad Bunny, “Adivino” 



Two years after Bad Bunny ignited the summer with the surprise May 2022 release of his album Un Verano Sin Ti, the A-lister has joined forces with another Puerto Rican superstar, Myke Towers, on a track that sounds primed for beach playlists and sweaty club nights. “Adivino” may document a breakup, but the thumping beat and rapid hooks dispel any chance to dwell on the sorrow; meanwhile, Towers and Bad Bunny crackle side by side, trading off lines and oscillating between singing and rapping with an easy chemistry.

Editor’s Pick: Tems, “Love Me JeJe” 



Tems has been impacting the U.S. mainstream for such a long time that it seems impossible that she has yet to release a proper debut album, but after several hit collaborations (“Wait For U” with Future and Drake, “Essence” with Wizkid) and 2021’s If Orange Was a Place EP, the Nigerian superstar will finally unveil Born in the Wild next month. Lead single “Love Me JeJe” distills what has made Tems such a captivating presence since arriving on the scene, as she expresses unbridled passion above warm, uncluttered production courtesy of Spax and Guiltybeatz; the song never overreaches, simply tossing out heartfelt thoughts and a summertime beat.

26 Apr 2024

2024 Latin American Music Awards: Stars on the Red Carpet

The Latin American Music Awards 2024 are a wrap, but the best looks on the red carpet must be immortalized.

Mexican-American star Becky G, who co-hosted the ceremony, which took place live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on April 25, was among the first to arrive. Shining bright in a sparkly cutout mermaid black dress, she helped kick off the red carpet where other stars such as Jay Wheeler, Gabito Ballesteros and Anitta arrived early, also clad in all black.

There were splashes of color. One came by the way of Thalia, who was a vision in red from head to toe in a bodycon catsuit with built-in heels and a large bow up top. She paired the look with high gloves and a majestic, over-the-top hat for an epic red-carpet ensemble.

Along with Becky G, Thalia, Alejandra Espinoza and Carlos Ponce also hosted the awards ceremony, which was presented in a combination of English and Spanish, marking the first time any major U.S. awards show featured a bilingual broadcast, according to TelevisaUnivision.

The big winners of the night were Feid and Karol G, each taking home six awards each. The latter won artist of the year, beating out acts such as Bad Bunny and Peso Pluma. She also took home album of the year (Mañana Será Bonito) and song of the year (“TQG”) with Shakira. Special awards went to Ricardo Montaner and Banda MS, who each took home a Latin AMA Legacy award, and Yandel, who was honored with the Latin AMA Pioneer award.

Here are the best photos of the artists on the red carpet as they arrived at the gala.

26 Apr 2024

‘That’s the No. 1 Song Ever’: J-Kwon on His 2004 Anthem ‘Tipsy’ & Shaboozey’s ‘A Bar Song’ Reviving It 20 Years Later

This week, Billboard is publishing a series of lists and articles celebrating the music of 20 years ago. Our 2004 Week continues here as we catch up with J-Kwon, the St. Louis rapper who had one of the year’s biggest breakout hits with “Tipsy” — which has now also been revived in one of the biggest breakout hits of this year, Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song.”

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J. Kwon’s rags-to-riches life story could be turned into a movie.

Hailing from St. Louis, Kwon — born Jerrell Jones — went from sleeping in cars and eating out of trash cans to being a millionaire rapper battling Usher on the charts and performing on the season 20 finale of Saturday Night Live (hosted by the Olsen twins). Oh, and all before the age when kids typically get their high school diplomas.

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A 17-year-old J-Kwon saved the best for last when it came to recording for his debut album Hood Hop, as “Tipsy” was the final track added to the project. “All I know is I did ‘Tipsy’ and ‘Tipsy’ is forever it,” he asserts when looking back at his trunk-rattling breakout hit. “That’s the No. 1 song ever.”

Kwon’s party-starting ode to underage drinking arrived in January 2004 and carried its club-friendly momentum to No. 2 on the Hot 100, where it was boxed out by Usher’s “Yeah!” (a popular fate for many hits in ’04). Parent album Hood Hop was released through Arista Records that April, and debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 with 125,000 albums sold in the first week.

In conversation with Billboard about his achievements, J-Kwon is charismatic and grateful. In a serendipitous turn of events, Kwon’s name and signature hit has been revitalized in the top 40, thanks to Shaboozey’s chart-schorching new hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”

The Cowboy Carter guest put a country twist on J-Kwon’s counting flow from “Tipsy,” which he interpolates (along with the song’s main hook) on his own “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” The viral track arrived via American Dogwood/EMPIRE earlier this April, and vaulted to a No. 36 debut on this week’s Hot 100 (dated Apr. 27). The singer jumped to No. 1 on the Emerging Artists chart and also topped the Digital Song Sales and Country Digital Song Sales charts.

“I got a crazy percentage,” J-Kwon reveals of the business dealings behind Shaboozey’s interpolation. “The clearance process – can’t nothing go down unless J-Kwon say it goes down. That’s facts. Of course, when I come in, I’m talking strong numbers. That’s all of my song. But I’m proud of him.”

Check out the rest of our interview with J-Kwon, which finds him reflecting on 20 years of “Tipsy,” Shaboozey’s interpolation and receiving Kanye West’s co-sign.



Take me back — it’s the 20th anniversary of “Tipsy.” Last week was 20 years since it hit No. 2 on the Hot 100.

Hold on now, we can’t just take you back — because we still taking you forward.

What I remember most is probably me needing a sign from God. I needed a real sign from God. I used to look in the mirror and I used to see my face changing. It was so crazy to me, because I was like, “I just need to make something happen.” It was me and [producers] the Trackboyz. It was epic. 

When I [met] with L.A. [Reid]. [Producer/affiliate] Memphitz flew down to St. Louis like, “Yo, we gotta take J-Kwon up to L.A. Reid.” I’m like, “You’re lying.” This s–t is not happening. When they took me to L.A. Reid it was so crazy — because this is L.A. Reid. 

L.A. Reid pulls out his drumsticks… He’s hitting these drumsticks extra hard. He’s like, “I got millions [of dollars] for you.” I’m like, “Don’t lie, Reid.” Jermaine Dupri was in the room. I think he was the president of Arista Records. That’s how we all connected.

I had this song like, “Diamonds big and blue like Papa Smurf….” I was kinda referencing JD, you little. No disrespect, I love Jermaine [Dupri]. I still love Jermaine, but it was so funny. I put everything on the line to get that situation done. Everybody in the room start rocking. L.A. Reid had the whole office shutdown when J-Kwon came up.

So at that point, when you met [Jermaine Dupri] and L.A. Reid, you didn’t have “Tipsy” yet.

I had “Hood Hop.” That’s my baby. I was like, “I’m so much bigger than…” not “Hood Hop” per se, but I’m bigger than the ears listening to something as such. I wanted something massive. [“Tipsy”] was the last record I recorded [for the album].

I purposely went in there and did it as the last record. They said, “Kwon we got money open on the budget.” I said, “I wanna do one more record, and I want a smash hit.” Everybody would say that once they got a hit. Ask Mark Williams. I was like, “I need one more.” We some people that they thought couldn’t do it. 

What do you remember about the “Tipsy” studio session?

It was definitely crazy. First of all, they bought me a club in [Mark “Tarboy” Williams’] house. The opportunity to show them I could do it is crazy. They bought me a club inside their house, before I got my own mansion. The session was so surreal. It was like American Horror Story. I’m like, “Yo, this is going elsewhere.” I wasn’t 18 yet. Put it like this, the studio session was like nothing you’ve ever heard of. What I remember most is money keep coming. 

When did you know “Tipsy“ was a hit?

I was at 100.3 The Beat. It was the St. Louis station, and Kanye West was rolling through town. Kanye called up there and he was like, “Yo, this is a hit.” He was like, “That song is out of here.” Song of the year, decade, century, it never stops. I didn’t need him on the remix, because that would’ve been more money I had to pay out. We could do a new remix right now because my songs never die. 

In 2013, Kanye said it was his “No. 1 song.”

And he’s my No. 1 artist. Him, Nelly, Eminem and Jay-Z. Put Kanye up there. 

What do you remember about performing on Saturday Night Live with the Olsen twins [Mary-Kate and Ashley] hosting?

If I told you everything I remember, we couldn’t use the interview. I love them twins. I have twins of my own. I have Jason and Jessie. I have twin brothers so I get it. I’m striving to get my twins as high as them. The only thing I remember about SNL is the twins and all I remember is Full House. 

I don’t understand how “Tipsy” is still only certified gold [on the RIAA website]. They have to update the plaques!

When it comes to J-Kwon, if you think about it — I had my own shoe deal, Pepsi deal, grand finales of Saturday Night Live, I did the Apollos all before the internet era. I took Greyhounds up to New York and I wanted to be on. Then I look at the massive s–t I’ve done.

They gave me a gold plaque the first day my record came out. I cried, dog. Big Bob was like, “What are you crying for?” I say, “Because I only got gold.” He say, “It’s only the first day!” My gold means more than n—as’ platinum. Of course, “Tipsy” is like quadruple-platinum. Coming off that, that was a big situation for me. I come from nothing. I came from sleeping in cars, homeless, eating out of trash cans [and] selling drugs.

What do you think about Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” interpolating you and paying homage to “Tipsy?” He debuted at No. 36 on the Hot 100. 

It really ain’t even paying homage; I got a crazy percentage… Let’s say it like this, we did that together, and I’m proud of him. 

[H-Snow, J-Kwon’s manager, joins the call to interject]: We were compensated. Basically for the song, we do have credit and a deal was worked out in both parties’ favor. Respect the artist and his craft. We license it to somebody and the original artist has to be compensated. As far as the clearance process, artists have to clear their record. They didn’t want to clear Kanye’s “Through the Wire.” Shaboozey has [J-Kwon’s] blessing and the label has his blessing. 

J-Kwon: I probably own more than the labels own. You could go on his page and he’s yelling HHM [Hood Hop Music]. Any deal Kwon do, it’s Kwon. We did huge numbers with that and I’m proud of myself because I actually structured that myself. I had consulted with -– I’m just that guy, you can’t move without J-Kwon. Even with the new era, songs still move, but every song that got J-Kwon influences pops. I did a couple deals. Wait and see. You never know.

H Snow: Let’s just say you might be calling us in another month or so. 

J-Kwon: I wanna say shout-out to Trackboyz. [Staff member] Lisa Elise Covington. [Co-manager] Sean Caldwell. Memphitz. Jermaine Dupri, did I mention him? If I didn’t, let me mention him now. I got to shout-out L.A. Reid, God and my momma Terry Jones. I gotta shout-out [Empire president] Tina Davis and Shaboozey. 

I gotta mention Nelly. Nelly is real big for me. He’s super huge for me. Me and his relationship is crazy. He does things for me that no one has ever done. I try to be as humble as possible, if you look at the way my career is set up, it don’t happen like that. 

Could we see you on the “A Bar Song” remix?

Well, I’m on the original. It might be a remix!

What are you up to now music-wise?

[My new album] Last Call, Sobriety Check. That’s what we doing now. Let’s go, HHM. If I give you a date [for the new release] then I gotta stick to it. One thing about it, two things for sure — the fans gotta know I love them for real. Without them, there would be no J-Kwon. I can’t believe all the love I’m getting. [J-Kwon also mentions his Expen$ive Ta$te clothing line].

“Tipsy” peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 only to be boxed out by Usher.

I hit No. 1 on every other chart. It’s cool. If I hit No. 2 on Hot 100, you already know what I hit on the other charts. I need people to say it how it really go. The boy was No. 2 on Hot 100. I’m still selling right now.

What do you think about St. Louis rappers now like Sexyy Red?

I love Sexyy Red. My No. 1 artist out of St. Louis right now is I got [a few] – J-Kwon, Sexyy Red, Kane Koca, T Tone and I got Nelly. 

Anything you want to leave us with before we go?

I wouldn’t rather be nowhere but right here, right now. I’m driving through all these big-a– houses. With or without all of that, all I know is I did “Tipsy” and “Tipsy” is forever it. That’s the No. 1 song ever. Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song” is the No. 1 song of the year.

26 Apr 2024

Ask Billboard: Hozier, Born on St. Patrick’s Day, Has the Luck of the Irish at No. 1

Submit questions about Billboard charts, as well as general music musings, to askbb@billboard.com. Please include your first and last name, as well as your city, state and country, if outside the United States.

Or, message @gthot20.

Let’s open the latest mailbag.

Luck of the Irish

Hi Gary,

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The skilled Hozier is No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Too Sweet.” I love that the Irish musician’s birthday is St. Patrick’s Day (which, as I understand it, is a bigger day in the U.S. than in his homeland).

Hozier is also a bit lucky, given the timing of Taylor Swift’s new material, which is set to storm the Hot 100 next week. Meanwhile, her new set’s lead single, “Fortnight,” features an artist with another notable birthday, as Post Malone was born on July 4.

Happy holidays!

Pablo Nelson
Oakland, Calif.

Hi Pablo,

Hozier finds a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow as “Too Sweet” tops the Hot 100. What a fun coincidence that the Newcastle, County Wicklow, native, 34, was born on St. Patrick’s Day, making him the first Irish artist with that birthdate to have led the list.

It seems similar to Jimmy Buffett and Annie Lennox having both been born on Dec. 25 and both boasting seasonal songs in their catalogs, including the latter’s “Winter Wonderland,” recorded by Eurythmics. Late legend Buffett charted two titles on the Top Holiday Albums tally: 1996’s Christmas Island and 2016’s ‘Tis the Season.

Plus, Dido, also born on Dec. 25, aptly contributed to the Yuletide musical canon with her recording of “Christmas Day.”

As for Post Malone, he has joined fellow artists John Waite and Bill Withers with July 4 birthdays, and all three have hit No. 1 on the premier songs chart in the U.S. Withers just missed fireworks atop the Hot 100 on July 4, as his “Lean on Me” began a three-week rule on the chart dated July 8, 1972. The song is, however, the closing track on the 2001 Billboard 200 top 10 compilation album God Bless America.

Meanwhile, Dec. 13 is a noteworthy birthday for Billboard chart-topping acts. Along with Swift, candles that day are blown out each year by Randy Owen, the lead vocalist on Alabama’s 33 Hot Country Songs No. 1s, the most among groups in the survey’s history; Morris Day, of The Time; Tom DeLonge, of Blink-182; Jamie Foxx; and Amy Lee, of Evanescence.

‘Cruel Summer’ Hits 50 Weeks on Hot 100

The race for the Hot 100’s top song of the 2020s still has plenty of contenders ahead, but, for now, “Cruel Summer” contributes to more chart history for Swift. As it becomes her fourth hit to spend at least 50 weeks on the Hot 100, she is the only woman with that many songs that have stayed on the chart for at least that long.

Overall, Swift is tied with Imagine Dragons and her “Fortnight” partner Post Malone with four songs each that have spent at least 50 weeks on the Hot 100 (or 25 fortnights). Only Ed Sheeran and Morgan Wallen have more, with five apiece. Here’s a rundown of their such hits, through the chart dated April 27. (Of the more than 30,000 singles to reach the ranking in its history, only 126 have charted for at least 50 weeks.)

Ed Sheeran:

  • 59 weeks, “Shape of You,” No. 1 (12 weeks), beginning Jan. 28, 2017
  • 58, “Thinking Out Loud, No. 2 peak, Jan. 31, 2015
  • 57, “Perfect,” No. 1 (six weeks), Dec. 23, 2017
  • 56, “Bad Habits,” No. 2, Aug. 28, 2021
  • 52, “Shivers,” No. 4, Jan. 15, 2022

Morgan Wallen:

  • 62 weeks, “You Proof,” No. 5 peak, Oct. 22, 2022
  • 60, “Last Night,” No. 1 (16 weeks), beginning March 18, 2023
  • 57, “Wasted On You,” No. 9, Jan. 23, 2021
  • 55, “Thinkin’ Bout Me,” No. 7, Nov. 4, 2023
  • 52, “Thought You Should Know,” No. 7, March 18, 2023

Another reader, below, was thinking along similar lines.

The Most Weeks Peaking at Any Hot 100 Position

Hi Gary,

What are the most weeks that a song has peaked at any position on the Hot 100? No. 1 is pretty well known, thanks to the 19 weeks on top for Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, in 2019, but what about other ranks?

Thanks,

Senan Sheridan

Hi Senan,

We can highlight yet another record for “Old Town Road,” as its 19 weeks atop the Hot 100 mark not only the most at No. 1 but the most at any peak rank on the chart.

Here’s a look at the positions at which songs have spent the most time (seven weeks or more) peaking on the Hot 100:

  • 19 weeks, No. 1: “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, 2019
  • 11 weeks, No. 3: “Another Night,” Real McCoy, 1994-95
  • 10 weeks, No. 2: “Work It,” Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott, 2002-03; “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” Foreigner, 1981-82
  • 8 weeks, No. 6: “I Want It That Way,” Backstreet Boys, 1999
  • 7 weeks, No. 4: “My Place,” Nelly feat. Jaheim, 2004; “Hold Me,” Fleetwood Mac, 1982
  • 7 weeks, No. 5: “Bubbly,” Colbie Caillat, 2007
  • 7 weeks, No. 10: “When the Lights Go Out,” Five, 1998
  • 7 weeks, No. 86: “Hit the Freeway,” Toni Braxton feat. Loon, 2002

Clearly, Braxton’s single is the outlier among the songs listed above, as it’s the only title to have spent as many as seven weeks peaking at a position on the Hot 100 outside the top 10, or even the top 40. Notably, “Hit the Freeway” merged onto the chart at No. 86 and didn’t change lanes, holding at that rank, for its first seven weeks on the survey. That remained its peak, until it exited after 14 total weeks.

Still, the track is prominent in Braxton’s catalog, as it rode to a No. 32 high on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and has drawn 6.9 million official on-demand U.S. streams, according to Luminate, to date.