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Drake apparently decided to pop out as a fan to the Limp Bizkit concert in Toronto on Thursday night (July 25), but when frontman Fred Durst shouted him out, the crowd reaction was less than enthusiastic.
“Did you know Drake’s here tonight?” Durst said as concertgoers booed, though the rapper was not visible. “I thought Drake was your homie? What? No? Drake’s my homie.”
The Budweiser Stage audience’s boos continued to get louder as Durst went on, before the rocker dedicated the next track in the band’s set to the 6 God. “F–k you,” one fan can be heard saying in a viral clip on TikTok.
“Since Drake’s here — he’s over here on the side — we’re gonna do this one for him. It’s dedicated to you,” Durst added as the opening strains of the band’s 2000 hit “Take a Look Around” started playing.
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Billboard has reached out to Drake’s reps for comment.
Some watching the Loserville Tour clip on X were shocked to see the rapper getting booed in his hometown, while others weren’t as surprised based on there being not much overlap between Limp Bizkit fans and Drizzy’s core fan base.
“I doubt many Drake fans and Limp Bizkit fans are synonymous with one another,” one person replied.
Another quipped: “Welp guess drake gonna take a selfie with oversized pants a korn tshirt and a box of biscuits.”
While Drake may have received a cold reception at the Limp Bizkit tour, he’s still out to deliver for his own fans when it comes to music. Drizzy recently served up a pair of features via Gordo’s Diamante project, making appearances on “Sideways” and album closer “Healing.”
The OVO boss and Gordo have a rich collaborative history, as he produced a handful of tracks on 2022’s Honestly, Nevermind. Even amid the fallout from the Kendrick Lamar battle, Gordo says Drake is at peace and in a great state of mind.
“Ever since all this has happened … I’ve seen him happier. It’s really weird. He’s pretty jolly,” Gordo told People. “The internet makes it seem like, ‘Oh, that photo, he’s all sad and s–t.’ That’s just a bad photo from a bad camera. But because it’s him, it’s put under a magnifying glass like, ‘Oh, look at his eyes. He’s looking a little droopy. He hasn’t slept.’ But the guy’s been happy as s–t, to be honest. He’s chilling.”
Watch when Limp Bizkit fans booed Drake at the band’s Toronto show:
Riding the wave of a blockbuster year so far, Billboard Español April cover star Myke Towers is poised to embark on his North American tour, La Pantera Negra, this fall. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news After touring Spain, Towers will recreate that stint in 18 cities […]
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It appears that Twitch is the new mixtape leak. Kai Cenat recently previewed a new track from Drake and Lil Yachty.
As reported on Hypebeast, the New York City native broke the internet once again. On Wednesday, July 24, the popular online personality took to Twitch and premiered a new track from Drake and Lil Yachty. Now referred to as “Super Soak,” the selection finds both MCs floating nicely on a slow-pitched beat, which samples Mr. Hotspot’s “Goodness Gracious.” Drizzy opens the cut with his signature approach of blending singing and rapping together. “I’m watching the moves, I’m playing it close / S.O.D., Super Soak / Rainy days, his and hers, matching coat / Jet is so big, it feel like a boat, staying afloat / I’m watching the moves, I’m playing it close,” he raps.
Lil Yachty follows Drake after the chorus with some moody bars on the second verse. “Twenty times Bottega, you can get what you want / Twenty times Balenci’, you could have it all / I don’t ask no questions ’bout who else involved / Get rid of your troubles (Phew), problem solved.” As expected, Kai Cenat turned up while the song played and proceeded to cut a rug from the comfort of his bedroom. Earlier this week, Adin Ross teased a song called “Promotion” that features Ye, Ty Dolla $ign and Future.
You can see the preview to the Drake and Lil Yachty track below.
Luckily, they didn’t drop it like it’s hot. Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams both carried Olympic torches Friday morning (July 26) in the final leg of the 2024 relay, which will soon culminate in the lighting of the cauldron at the opening ceremonies, signifying the beginning of the Paris Games.
More than two months after the Olympic flame was first lit in Greece — after which it crossed the ocean to be relayed all over France — the Doggfather transported his torch through a stretch of Seine-Saint-Denis. In a video posted shortly afterward, the 52-year-old rapper Crip Walks and waves to nearby fans while carrying the precious cargo.
“I look at this as a prestigious honor and something I truly respect,” Snoop, who will provide on-the-ground coverage of the Games for NBC this year, previously told the Associated Press of being tapped for the relay. “I would have never dreamed of nothing like this. I’m going to be on my best behavior. I’m going to be on my best athleticism. I’ll be able to breathe slow to walk fast and hold the torch with a smile on my face, because I realize how prestigious this event is.”
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Later, Pharrell served as the final bearer of the torch before the flame makes its way to the Olympic cauldron, carrying it to the top of the Basilica of Saint-Denis. French journalist Mohamed Bouhafsi and actress Laëtitia Casta first completed the final handover of the flame to the producer, who then entrusted it to the Keeper of the Flame for storage in the official lantern ahead of the opening ceremonies Friday afternoon.
The “Drop It Like It’s Hot” collaborators are just two of the latest musicians to carry the torch in Olympic history. BTS’ Jin carried the flame earlier this month, while John Legend, Olivia Newton-John, Will.i.am, Loretta Lynn, Lance Bass, Mel C and more have also all participated in the relays of years past.
The Olympic Opening Ceremony is set to kick off around 1:30 p.m. ET Friday, taking place on the Seine. The festivities will air live on NBC, streaming on Peacock, DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and FuboTV.
Watch Snoop participate in the 2024 Olympic torch relay below.
Rakim has been your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper since he and Eric B dropped Paid in Full in 1987. Credited with shifting the way rappers rap, he is often recognized as the inventor of “flow,” as those who came before him rapped with a more flat-footed rhyming cadence. Rakim attacked tracks like Usain Bolt, and his flow has been compared to the way Thelonious Monk played the piano or how John Coltrane manipulated the saxophone.
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However, not too many fans are aware that Rakim is also a producer. For G.O.D’s Network (REB7RTH), his first album since 2009’s The Seventh Seal, the God MC crafted every beat for every song. “This is the first time I’m really showcasing myself as a producer,” he says over the phone. “I always produced tracks. I did a lot of the Eric B & Rakim music, but never really let that be known.”
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Having grown up in a musical family (his aunt was legendary actress and singer Ruth Brown), Rakim always dug for samples — and most notably produced “Juice (Know the Ledge)” from the Juice soundtrack. That’s him playing the live drums on there, and it was him who looped the bassline from Nat Adderley’s “Rise, Sally Rise.”
His new seven-track album is packed with features from rappers new and old, alive and gone. There are verses from the late Nipsey Hussle and Fred the Godson. He has Chino XL and Canibus on the same song. Planet Asia and B.G. make appearances. East Coast underground mainstays Hus Kingpin and 38 Spesh contributed a few bars — as did Wu-Tang Killa Bees Masta Killa, Method Man and La the Darkman.
Rakim talked with Billboard about how this all came together, why he wanted to feature his production skills, the current state of the rap game, and much more. Check out our interview below.
This is your first album since 2009. What inspired you to make this album?
I think the time was just right. The stars finally aligned for me, and I took advantage. There were a couple of label situations that I was trying to get done. Just a deal that I felt was worth my worth. Sometimes things don’t happen the way they should, and I’m not the one to settle. I’ve been in the game for a long time, so my deal isn’t gonna be like an up-and-coming new artist’s deal would be. Artists that have been here for a while, we have to understand our worth, otherwise, everybody else’s goes down. Our art reflects who we are. I was actually working on a project before I started the one I’m putting out now. Me and Jazzy Jeff were doing an album, and I had a song on it called “Reborn.”
So, I feel like now it’s a little easier for artists such as yourself to do things independently because you have the legacy and the fanbase already.
It’s a blessing. You don’t have to conform to what’s going on. If you’ve got a fanbase, do what you’re supposed to do, and they’ll support you.
Someone that was a big proponent of that and helped shift things into where we’re at now is Nipsey Hussle. I noticed that you got a verse from him. How did that come together? Is that a verse that the family let you use in the stash? Or was that something that you and him were working on before he passed? You got Fred the Godson on there, too.
Fred, DMX. I’ve got a Prodigy on there as well. It was an honor to be able to salute those brothers and showcase their work again. My man, Matt Markoff (who served as A&R/executive producer) has so much passion for the project. He went around to the right people and let them put their ear to the project, and was able to get some verses from some of these heavyweight legends.
It’s funny, man — he was going out, making moves and would send me the track back with the verse on it and surprise me. The whole project put a lot of things in perspective for me. The love that I was gettin’ from the artists really let me know who I am. I’m a humble person.
Come on, man, come on. I get it, but it’s like, if Rakim wants a verse from you… I can’t imagine anybody giving you a hard time.
[Laughs.] That’s that love, man, word. When they came back with the finished project, not only did they do their thing, but a lot of them saluted me in a verse — which was humblin’ again. I’m so glad that we did it and got it out, and it’s also a chance for me to showcase my production skills and my DJ skills. I’m kind of enjoying this from a different point of view by being able to produce and mold the project together.
I was gonna ask — I noticed on one of the tracks you say, “Hold up, let me see if I get the scratch right.” So, that’s you scratching on the record?
Yeah, I did all the scratching on the whole project… I DJ’d when I started rhyming when I was young. I used to DJ too. I always loved that element as well. So, it was fun to showcase all of that on this project.
Were those the Kid Wizard days?
Yeah [Laughs.]
I know your thing with Dre didn’t really work out, but the song “Now Is the Time” has a West Coast sound to it. Did you pick up any production tips from working with him?
There were so many lessons and different angles to the game that I learned from Dre. I had a front-row seat to watch the process of producing a track. His energy and passion is unmatched. It made me get back on my grind after seeing his process. I was like, ‘”eah, I’m not applying myself the way I should.” Big up to the Doc, though. Yeah, Dre, I ain’t say nothin’, man. Imma holla at you. I ain’t tell ’em about what we’re working on.
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With you and Eric changing everything with Paid in Full, how do you feel about the way rap has evolved?
I remember when I told my mother that I’ve been going to the studio and that they asked me to sign out of school to go on tour — which was bizarre. I’m sitting there explaining this to my moms and she says, “So, you giving up football? How do you know if this rap thing is gonna last?” Football was my dream, but that stuck in my head.
Mom’s word is golden, but I had that passion. It was something that scared me, but it also kept me focused. I come from that era when not only my mom, but a lot of people didn’t think that hip-hop would last. So, to see it come from where it came from and to see where it’s at now is a blessing. Hip-hop is the biggest genre in music right now. Incredible.
People ask you how you came up with your style because you changed how people rap. You incorporated jazz elements into your rhyme pattern. How does Rakim feel listening to Future, listening to a Young Thug, listening to some of these cats where they talk street sh—t, but it’s not in the traditional 16 bars, they’re singing it, almost like using their voices as instruments?
It’s more R&B/hip-hop, than what I’m used to hip-hop being. But we watched it go from being lyrical to it being what they call “a vibe.” As long as it’s a vibe, they rock to it. It’s a tough situation, when the powers that be morphed it into it being the way it is. There’s no reason Future shouldn’t be able to put out the music that he loves doing and there’s no reason underground artists that love making that grimy boom-bap shouldn’t be able to make what they love. We let the powers that be separate hip-hop and made us work against each other.
We gotta break the limitations down. We have to stop letting them separate hip-hop, and we gotta govern ourselves and take control of our genre. We can’t be where we are now and have no kind of structure, or no kind of understanding about what this is — because it’ll fall to the bottom just as quick as it got to the top.
That’s why the Internet is important because all of this can co-exist now. The major label system isn’t as necessary as before. You can put this album on Bandcamp and there’s going to be a market for it.
And that’s what’s beautiful. We can stick to our guns and make the music that we love making. If you have a fanbase, cater to your fanbase, otherwise, you gonna drift off and you won’t be looking for fans that aren’t gonna know who you are, what you are, or what you do because you changed up on them. It’s important that we take advantage of the platform now. There aren’t any parameters that we have to follow or no cookie cutter that we got to use to get radio play to be relevant.
Make what you love. That’ll help the scale — because right now, the majority rules, and the majority seems to be closer to the R&B/hip-hop side. We need more people to stick to their guns to even that scale out.
How closely have you paid attention to the Drake and Kendrick thing? Because Drake is one of those artists that gets a knock for being an R&B dude, even though he’s battle-tested. He represents the mainstream and Kendrick represents the genre in a more traditional sense to most rap fans.
I think that it was important, because these brothers are at the top of the game, and revered hip-hop. You know, a lot of people in that position won’t accept no challenge, because they got too much to lose. So, it was dope that these brothers put the mainstream success down and said, “Yeah, let’s do it.”
The battle put a lot of things in perspective — because it showed the difference between real hip-hop and mainstream hip-hop. Younger artists now know that there’s a difference. A lot of them didn’t even understand that. They just listened to the majority, not knowing that a lot of people don’t categorize what they were hearing as real hip-hop. The battle was very needed for the genre. I tip my hat to them brothers. Let’s just hope that it stays to the music.
To the younger artists out there, do a little history, man, just like anything else. You want to learn about your family history, or your nationality’s history? Research it. Researching hip-hop is one of the illest things you can do. If you find out that your family came from great people and did great things, you’re gonna look at life a little differently. And when you look back at hip-hop and see where it came from and what this thing is about, it’ll give you a better understanding of what these brothers did. It’ll also make you feel a little better about what you represent.
A lot of hit rap records toe the line of pop and R&B these days, and fans are more forgiving about ghostwriters when it comes to some of those songs. I wanted to broach that subject with you because ghostwriting was considered a cardinal sin during your era.
It’s funny. Back early in the game around ’87-’88, people started asking me to write. The first person that asked me, I was so offended by that sh—t. That’s almost like being at practice and this kid is crossing you over like f–king crazy, man. You know what I mean? You’re not gonna go over there and be like, “My man, show me how to do that crossover.” I’m not giving him the golden pen. Like really, man? “Nah. I’m not writing this for you. You crazy?” Not the thought of having a ghostwriter but even me ghostwrite for someone else, you kiddin’?
So, to have a ghostwriter — from where I come from — that’s not acceptable. With singing it’s more complicated, it’s a little different. The singer still has to hit them notes and make it theirs, It’s much different for a singer because if you take a dope song from back in the day that was a hit and you give it to somebody else, it may not be a hit, because they can’t sing it right.
But for MCs, we salute them because of what they say. So, if your words aren’t from you, then how am I supposed to know what you wrote and what you didn’t write? And now, am I still supposed to respect you as an emcee knowing that you didn’t write everything? That’s complicated.
But, if the younger generation accepts that, then, you know, that’s on them. Where I come from, we don’t really respect that. I don’t respect that. Everything I ever said that was a verse, I wrote. I might have let somebody write a hook, or somebody might have sent me a song with a hook on it, but I pride myself on what I do and how I did it. I can’t see somebody else writing my rhymes and feeling like I’m that dude. My man helped me be that dude. I can’t even do that; I wouldn’t even feel right. I can’t even say thank you if somebody came up and was like, “Yo, that last song you did? Bananas.” I’ll feel funny as hell standing there. I would have to say, “You know what, bruh? I didn’t write that.” I can’t front.
I peeped that you have Hus Kingpin and 38 Spesh on the album. How did that come about? Were you fans of theirs? I know Hus is from Long Island. I felt like that was ill because it’s like you’re bridging the gap.
That’s what’s so dope about being able to do this project. We got MCs from every part of the United States. I always keep my ear to the street. From Smack URL to the underground scene, that’s what keeps hip-hop alive and well. I feel good when I see emcees spittin’ like that. I salute them young brothers that’s really wantin’ to be lyrical, pushin’ the envelope and refusing to say, ‘Aight, I’m just gonna make a quick radio song, so I can get out there.’ A lot of these brothers could’ve been tried to do that, but that ain’t where their heart is. They know real MCing and real hip-hop exists and anything outside the line is unacceptable.
Yeah, man, and it’s funny because this has kind of been the theme throughout this interview is just how everything has changed. Before, if you made this album, you would more than likely have had to chase radio play. You don’t have to chase the radio anymore.
I think we made a statement with the project. Straight hip-hop orientated and wasn’t looking to make radio-friendly songs or follow any kind of mold. Everybody did what they love. From watching the underground scene to the URL circuit with cats like Charlie Clips, Goodz — we need to break the walls down and merge all this together. It can’t do nothing but make the genre better. It’s gonna make rappers get in they bag and take their craft seriously.
You gotta show them that underbelly. It’s like when you pick up a log in the woods, and there’s like a whole universe under there.
We talkin’ on a hip-hop level. I won’t even say “street.” You gotta go to the trenches to really understand. I laugh when they try to discover things on Earth, there’s just a few places they don’t go. For one, they don’t go deep in the water and two, they don’t go to the swamps; it’s too dirty for them. It’s the same thing with the hood, they don’t wanna go to the hood; it’s too dirty for ’em. But you ain’t gonna know about too many things on the planet and how things work if you don’t go to the swamps, or you don’t go underwater. You’re on the surface thinking you know what’s going on. You go deep underwater, and you see something swim over and it turns into the thing it just landed on. It ain’t regular down there. There’s some different s—t going on down there.
You said that you’re humble, but you’re also aware that you’re on top of everybody’s “Best Rapper” list. What keeps you motivated to make music?
I think that alone. The expectations that I not only give myself, but what the people give me. I use that as fuel. I would rather people expect me to succeed than to expect me to fail. I gotta keep doing it at a higher rate because that’s what they expect from me. I just try to use it to help me rather than stagnate me.
So, we can expect more from you. You’re going to do more self-produced stuff, I’m assuming.
Yes, sir. I’m getting confident with my tracks. I gotta a lot of tracks over here. I just been storing the right time. I’m working on a solo Rakim joint and working on a couple other projects as well. So, I’m just looking forward to just staying in the studio. I took the year off from touring just so I could get studio work done. Hopefully, you hear a lot of new music from Rakim.
The Billboard Hot 100 chart ranks the top songs in the United States each week, blending streaming, radio airplay and sales figures (per data tracker Luminate). Unsurprisingly, the biggest hits tend to be relatively new at any given time, as they have been since the survey began in 1958. On the latest list, five acts are even enjoying their first top 10s: Shaboozey, Tommy Richman, Sabrina Carpenter – simultaneously logging her first two top 10s – Teddy Swims and Benson Boone.
But what about the current biggest hits that were released in past decades?
Nostalgia sells, and streams and attracts strong radio play, per a Billboard analysis of the best-performing songs in the July 12-18 tracking week that were originally released in the 2000s, 1990s, ‘80s, ‘70s and ‘60s.
Similarly, as Luminate revealed in its midyear report, catalog music (released 18 months or earlier) accounted for 73% of all album consumption in the first half of 2024, matching its share in 2023, and up slightly from its totals earlier this decade. (Even the Hot 100’s current No. 1 draws from the past, as Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song [Tipsy],” on top for a second week, interpolates J-Kwon’s 2004 hit “Tipsy.”)
Below is a look at the top 10 songs this week from each decade from the ‘00s back to the ‘60s. Notably, the top track from the ‘00s experienced an unexpected surge: Following the July 13 shooting of former president Donald Trump during a campaign rally, memes emerged comparing him to 50 Cent, who was shot nine times in 2000. (Mused a shrugging 50 Cent, “Trump gets shot and now I’m trending.”)
The rapper’s “Many Men (Wish Death)” subsequently reigns as the biggest song from the 2000s July 12-18, led by 6.4 million official U.S. streams – up 224% week-over-week.
The song’s performance outpaces its original showing, as it bubbled under the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in 2003 and has yet to reach the ranking, or the Hot 100. Still, most of the titles below (and, happily, reflecting content of a more peaceable nature) were substantial hits upon their releases, with over 80% top 10 hits on the Hot 100 over the five decades analyzed.
Browse below the most prominent representation of songs from the 2000s (2000-09), 1990s, ‘80s, ‘70s and ‘60s over the past week, encompassing a wide variety of genres, from pop and hip-hop to new wave, classic rock and Motown.
Biggest Hits This Week From the 2000s
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Queens of the Stone Age were forced to cancel another string of summer tour dates on Friday (July 26) due to singer Josh Homme’s unspecified medical treatment. After scotching eight European dates in June when the band announced that Homme had to immediately return to the U.S. for “emergency surgery,” the rockers announced the latest […]
Japanese singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Fujii Kaze has released his new single, “Feelin’ Go(o)d.”
“Feelin’ Go(o)d” bursts with Kaze’s trademark blend of vibrant piano riffs and hypnotic synth loops, creating an uplifting summer anthem. The song’s feel-good vibe is perfect for those sunny days and carefree moments.
Reflecting on the timing of the release, Kaze shared, “This feelin’ good song could’ve been out last summer or so but the universe says now is the time, so here we are. As a result, this single ended up being like a little dessert after releasing 4 meals (singles). Hope it tastes good for ya.”
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The latest release follows the massive success of “Michi Teyu Ku (Overflowing),” which has racked up over 36 million streams on Spotify and 25 million views on YouTube since March.
Fujii Kaze’s musical journey started when he was young and influenced by his father’s classical piano skills. By 12, he was serenading audiences with his piano covers on YouTube, quickly gaining industry attention.
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His debut album, HELP EVER HURT NEVER, released in 2020, topped Billboard Japan’s Hot Albums chart.
In 2021, Kaze made headlines with a groundbreaking solo concert at an empty NISSAN Stadium, streamed globally during the pandemic. The event, Free Live 2021, was a viral sensation, becoming the top trending topic on Twitter.
Kaze’s second album, LOVE ALL SERVE ALL, released in 2022, continued his streak of success, featuring the viral hit “Shinunoga E-Wa.”
The album topped both the Japanese Billboard charts and the Oricon Albums Chart.
October 2022 saw Kaze perform at a sold-out Panasonic Stadium Suita in Osaka, a concert now available on Netflix. His 2023 Asia tour sold out across all seven cities, proving his international appeal.
Fans can look forward to Kaze’s first U.S. tour in May 2024, followed by a two-night event at Nissan Stadium in August.
Check out “Feelin’ Go(o)d” by Fujii Kraze below.
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Billy Joel crashed his historic Madison Square Garden residency run to a close on Thursday (July 25) with a sold-out gig marking his record-setting 150th show at the storied New York arena. After serving up such classics as “New York State of Mind,” “The Entertainer,” “Allentown” and “The Downeaster Alexa,” Joel invited Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose out for a mini-set of covers and duets.
Wearing a Las Vegas-worthy sequin-covered sparkly sport coat, black jeans and shirt and dark shades, Rose came out mid-show to croon his iconic take on Wings’ James Bond theme “Live and Let Die,” with Joel tinkling the ivories as Rose stalked the stage, tossing off wailing high notes and stomping his foot to the song’s staccato stabs.
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Joel busted protocol and stepped up from his piano to strap on an electric guitar as the two also jammed on a cover of AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell. Though it seems out of character, the cover was wholly appropriate since Rose filled-in for ailing AC/DC singer Brian Johnson on the hard rockers’ 2016 tour and Joel and Rose have collaborated on the song before, including at Billy’s 2017 Dodger Stadium show in Los Angeles.
After Joel, 75, rolled through a run of other classics — “Only the Good Die Young,” “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant,” “Piano Man,” “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” “Uptown Girl” and “Big Shot” — Rose was back for the big finale: a duet on Joel’s 1980s Glass Houses burner “You May Be Right.”
The epic MSG run, during which Joel has sold nearly two million tickets, began on Jan. 14, 2014 and was eased into the history books with some help from Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon, who ran onstage to mark the moment when a blue banner reading “Billy Joel 150: Most Lifetime Performances by Any Artist” was unfurled in the rafters.
Joel — who released his first new pop song in 17 years, “Turn the Lights Back On” in February — is not nearly done, with stadiums shows in the UK, Cleveland, St. Louis, Los Angeles, San Antonio and Las Vegas keeping him on the road through November.
Watch fan video of the Rose and Joel performances below.
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From its ‘00s chart-topping splendor to its trap-inflected late ‘10s iterations, Spice has seen it all in the world of dancehall. The Grammy-nominated deejay has launched countless hits – including 2005’s “Fight Over Man,” 2009’s “Romping Shop” (with Vybz Kartel), 2013’s “So Mi Like It,” and 2021’s “Go Down Deh” (with Sean Paul & Shaggy) — and made inroads on American reality TV as well, with appearances on Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta and Baddies Caribbean.
Since her debut at the 2000 Sting Festival, Spice has cemented herself as one of the most fearless onstage performers in dancehall — and one of the most provocative artists. From her fearless embrace of her femininity and sexuality to her eye for conversation-provoking visuals, Spice has built a brand and character unlike anything dancehall has ever seen. She has the hit records to back up her Queen of Dancehall title – though some may argue otherwise – but her real claim to the title comes from her ability to pull tactics from the pop world and apply them to dancehall, while retaining her authenticity and globalizing her fanbase.
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With Billboard chart-topping albums and hit singles under her belt and two nominations at the upcoming 2024 Caribbean Music Awards (female dancehall artist of the year and dancehall performer of the year), Spice is ready to unleash her third studio album, Mirror 25. Led by the Busta Rhymes-assisted “Round Round” and featuring songs such as the soul-baring “2085 Tea” and “Gangster,” which features Chronic Law and Ireland Boss, Mirror 25 promises to be Spice’s most introspective and musically ambitious offerings yet.
Equal parts a celebration of her quarter-century in the music industry and a reflection on past traumas, a life-altering health scare and industry sabotage, Mirror 25 finds Spice injecting her dancehall sonic foundation with notes of country, Afrobeats and R&B. The album’s latest single, the evocative “Ex-Boyfriend,” presents a Spice that is primarily concerned with tackling the harsh realities of domestic violence.
“It creates an important conversation surrounding how women should value themselves and not settle for less. I wanted to remind women that it’s OK to have an ex-boyfriend if their current relationship has red flags and that includes domestic and emotional abuse,” she tells Billboard. “I’ve been caught in domestic violence situations before and walked away without hesitation. I need women to sing this song with ease, knowing with that same intention that it’s that easy to walk away and move on from toxic relationships. I want to be the voice for empowering women to leave toxic relationships.”
In a candid conversation with Billboard, Spice unpacks her 25-year career, details her new album, reflects on her time within the reality TV circuit and opens up about the health scare that almost killed her.
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How’s your day been?
So far, it’s been good. I’m feeling good and the [release] date for the album is drawing near. That [stress] is going to be off my shoulder [now.] Because I’m the [executive] producer, all the weight is on my shoulders — wanting to make sure that you’re not biased to your own songs, that you chose the right song, that you’re going in the right direction, etc. Being that one person that’s doing everything, [I’ve been] getting a little bit nervous leading up to it. Also, as an independent artist, it’s not easy. You are doing literally everything, making every decision by yourself.
You kicked off the Mirrror 25 era with “Round Round,” which features Busta Rhymes. Tell me more about how your relationship with him has evolved over the years.
So a lot of people don’t know, but I’ve known him for over 10 years. I met him when he came to Jamaica around the time I had just released “So Mi Like It,” which is one of my biggest songs. A friend of mine who was his friend was taking us around and she introduced us. I remember him going everywhere and just hearing, “Yes, that’s how mi like it!” And he was like, “Yuh song bad!” With my little shy self, I was like “You should do the remix!” And he was like, “Yea man, this hot man!” because every party, everywhere he went, he would hear it.
He did do the remix, but at the time, I didn’t have the resources to really get it out there. Fast forward to us building that friendship and stuff, [now] I have the opportunity to do it again. It means so much to me, and I’m just so grateful for someone with a legendary status like Busta to jump on it.
Getting the clearance as an independent artist was very humbling. It was refreshing to have someone at his level look out for me., so I have to big him up fi that. I think he’s just so humble and 0I’m grateful for this opportunity.
How did “Round Round” come together?
The composer — who is [YowLevite], a super talented producer from Jamaica — built the riddim. When he presented it to me, I immediately was just going “Hee-haw!” because it gave [me] that country feel. We wasn’t sure about it, because we’re like, “We’re doing a dancehall album.”But that’s where the versatility comes in. What I like about the song is that my fan base is so diverse, so I get to reach my fans in [different] parts of the world [through the music.] So, when he came with the riddim, I was like, “No man, let’s work and see what we come up with.”
When I recorded my part, we started brainstorming and I [thought] it would have been great if I had a collab on it. I start to think of who would be that person that would bring the elements of Jamaica, country and also authentic hip-hop, and Busta was the first person that came to mind. It was a no-brainer. I sent him the track and I was nervous, [but] in two days he sent it back to me and I was blown away.
The second single, “2085 Tea,” is pretty explosive. Why did you feel that now was the right time to address those controversies and sort of reclaim your truth and reclaim your narrative?
The name of my album is Mirror 25 because I’m celebrating 25 years in the industry. I came up with the name because I’m in the era of reflecting on all the things that I’ve been through. 25 years is a long time in a business. In reflecting, I started to think of all the things that I overcame. When you look in the mirror, you also have to be true to yourself. I could have dished the tea on a lot of gossip on a lot of other people, but this album is personal. It’s about me. It was just the perfect way to dish the tea on myself. And it was a funny way to speak about my truth.
Everything in that song is true: the betrayals, the heartaches, the pain. I’ve managed to overcome them, and I also wanted to be vulnerable with my fans to remind them that I’m also human, so they can understand that we have been through similar things. If I was able to overcome them, you too can overcome them. You have a lot of women out there who are going through depression, who have mental issues, suicidal thoughts, a lot of things. I wanted to be vulnerable. My friends betrayed me. I was stuck in a contract for 10 years. People held me down in the music business. I’ve been targeted. But here I am as the Queen of Dancehall, I was able to do it. You can do it too.
In “2085 Tea,” you allege that people were paid to not play your songs. How did you come to believe that?
I’ve had people in the industry come to me and say: this person — and mentioned people name — is paying us to not play your song. And I’m like, “Wait, what?” I’ve had people confess to me about people that tried to sabotage my career. I haven’t done anything, but I also know I’m super-talented. I’m not sure why people feel like they need to move someone out the way for them to also progress. I always tell people that the cake is big enough to share for everyone. You don’t have to move anyone. There will never be another Spice. You will be you and I will always be me. We all can still make it in the business. It’s just sad. Anything that I put out that they thought would be successful, they would try to have people not play it. Anywhere that they could find a person that they could call, they tried to sabotage my career. I appreciate when people [tell me this] because it shows a lot of respect. When they’re able to tell you that, you know this is not fair.
In that song, you also said that when the cameras come out, people start to cap. Who was capping on Love & Hip-Hop?
The TV World was a shocker for me. I used that line because it wasn’t specifically targeted to one person. Oftentimes there would be situations where we’ll be in a room on Love & Hip-Hop and people are voicing their opinion on a specific topic. Everybody knows how everybody feels about a certain topic, but when the camera come on, it’s a switch-up. Coming from Jamaica trying to make it big in America, I always felt like a loner. I’m the only Jamaican on Love & Hip-Hop. I always felt like I had to change my dialect so they could understand me a little bit more. I always felt like I was looked at differently from them, so it was very weird to me. It was just strange. When they start shooting, it’s like a different person I’m looking at. That’s not even who you are.
When you look back at your time on Love & Hip-Hop, do you have regrets or mostly fond memories?
I think that there are more fond memories. I don’t have regrets, but there are definitely bad moments. I think that the fun moments outweighed [the bad ones] because, at the end of the day, I do credit them for kind of opening the door for a lot of people to kind of get to know the brand Spice a little bit better. I remember when I went on Love & Hip-Hop, a lot of people felt like I was bigger than the show. But I also remember going on [the show] and a lot of people [were] getting to know who Spice was from Love & Hip-Hop. A lot of people were saying “Spice from Love & Hip-Hop” instead of “Spice, the Queen of Dancehall,” so it does come with a scale of ups and downs.
I think the bad part about being on Love & Hip-Hop is that people don’t realize that the only difference [between] them and I is that I’m living my life out on TV. Sometimes they’ll be like, “Oh, why she gotta talk about that?” I don’t. I didn’t choose to. It’s because I’m on TV you’re seeing it.
I also feel like there’s a lot of hypocrisy that I challenge [on the show.] I talk about a lot where I would probably show you a lot of emotions when I’m delivering certain [things.] And as a Jamaican, my dialect and my delivery comes off a little bit different than theirs. And they would say, “Why is she so angry?” Then someone else is allowed to be angry and deliver their tone however they choose. But when I do it, I’m labeled as the angry Black woman.
Do you think that the mess and the drama and the negative perception of reality TV was worth the exposure that you got from those shows?
Yes, I think it was worth the exposure. There’s a popular saying, “There’s no bad press.” I believe that — because it doesn’t matter, as long as people are knowing about you, they’re speaking about you. It’s promotion for me. A lot of times you have celebrities who cover up, and then the big reveal comes and then the cancel culture gets them. I’m not sure if I’m going to have that moment, because my fans know who I am. Even though it may come with what people look at as backlash, it also gives my fans an opportunity to know the real me. They know that I stand ten toes down on certain things. I don’t stand for the for the cap. You got to accept me for who I am or don’t accept me at all. And I’m OK with that. I could have presented another person to you, but I’m not about that.
I’m also the executive producer for the Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta cast album, which is the first time that has ever happened. I’m trying to get people on the show to chase music. It felt like it was taking a backseat. Being a girl that is always producing my ow music, I wanted to open that door for my friends and my castmates to say, “Listen, let’s get back to the music. Let’s get back to what it really should be.” That’s the main storyline this season. I feel like I was just the right person to do it.
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In “2085 Tea,” you also speak about a former dancer sleeping with your ex. That former dancer has alleged that she was sexually assaulted by said ex. Would you like to comment on that matter?
I don’t know if I want to [comment] on that [right now].
Shortly after the release of “2085 Tea,” Mr. Vegas wrote a lengthy Facebook post calling the song a “tasteless insensitive jab” at that former dancer. He also wrote that you are a “mediocre recording artist” with “mediocre songs” who “is not talented enough to become a musical icon.” What did you make of that post? How does it feel to have a peer publicly disparage you like that?
I didn’t read the entire post, but the minute I started reading it — because my fans were sending it to me, and they were very disgruntled and upset over the post — I immediately realized that it was jealousy. It’s a jealous reaction that I get not just from Mr. Vegas, but [also from] a lot of other people who are just not happy to see that I’m still leading. A lot of people who started out back in the day [are] not current right now.
It’s also hypocrisy, because Mr. Vegas did a song insulting me over my surgeries that I did in the past, speaking on my breast augmentation and my liposuction. He was delivering the song publicly, promoting it, and it never became famous. So, for him to now say, “Oh, why would [she] sing a song trying to degrade a woman?” — it’s obvious that it’s hypocrisy and jealousy. I just skip over those jealous things because there’s so many of them that appear every day.
When last Mr. Vegas did music? That should be his main target. All of a sudden, now that I’m doing music, I’m the main target for everyone. I’ve done so much for the culture and for dancehall. I have so many hit songs and Billboard songs. I’m not sure what his post was about.
Do you ever feel like your controversies overshadow the music?
I don’t feel like the controversies overshadow the music, because look at 2018. I used makeup to make my appearance seem lighter. That was a whole movement. Everybody was talking about “Black Hypocrisy.” I had the world’s undivided attention. The song was No. 1 on [Reggae Digital Song Sales].
The controversies set me apart. It makes me different with my delivery. It makes my fans feel anxiously over the edge with what I’m coming with next, because I’m always that entertainer. I’m not just putting out music, I’m always delivering good entertainment for them. I’m always coming with something different, revamping myself in an ever-growing music industry.
The two Mirror 25 singles certainly feel fresh in terms of dancehall sonics. How else do you plan to evolve on the new album?
By tackling different genres. There’s one song on the album called “D.D.D.” that is one of my favorites, because there’s a moment in there where nobody can tell me that I didn’t have my little Toni Braxton moment. [Laughs.] Nobody going to take that little moment from me!
There’s gonna be a little Afro sound on the album. There’s a song where I start speaking Hindi, which I did because on my song that I did with Sean Paul [“Go Down Deh”], one of my biggest streaming markets was India. I also [spoke some] Spanish [on that same song], and I can’t speak Spanish! I had to Google the words to put it together! But it was fun, because I know that I have fans that speak Spanish and they will appreciate it. They’ll all feel included.
So much of the album’s reflection is inspired by the near-death experience you had. How did that whole ordeal impact that way you approached this particular album?
I had problems with my hernia. When it erupted, it sent my body into a sepsis, and they literally had to open me up to save my life because the sepsis was poisoning my body. I still have hernia issues to this day. I’ve done maybe six surgeries because of it.
When they opened me up, it also caused another hernia — because they left my stomach walls open, since they weren’t able to sew me back up, because the sepsis was leaking into my entire body. They had to leave me to self-close and then go back in again. It was a lot of going back in and repairing, which took two years — which I’m also grateful for, because I didn’t even know that my body could really sustain six surgeries.
Every single time I went in there, God came through for me. I just feel even more blessed and more grateful for this journey. I’m not sure why he loves me so much, because I’ve been a bad girl so many times, but I know I’m here for a reason. I’ve definitely drawn closer to him. I started the album with a gospel song that I had to dedicate to him because of what I’ve been through. I came up with the [title] celebrating 25 years because I feel like it’s something to celebrate because I could not have been here. But I’m supposed to be here because God saved my life for a reason. I escaped death. I don’t take that lightly.
You are the executive producer for the album, and it’s coming out on your own label. That’s a level of freedom that so many artists dream about. How does it feel to operate in that space after so many years of label woes?
This is the first time I’m owning something after 25 years. I feel like I’ve fought through so much to be independent. I don’t know if my fans even understand what it means to just be independent — to be doing it on your own, to have your own, to be able to make your own decisions on what you’re doing and what songs you’re putting out and what you’re recording. It’s a breath of fresh air for me, and it makes me feel more accomplished because I’m my own music boss.
Who’s helping you with radio and streaming promotion?
We are. It’s not easy. I’m not going to pretend that it’s easy. It’s very difficult. It’s not easy being an independent artist overall. I’ve had days where I crash out, where people were just pulling me from all angles. I’m still in the process of learning and figuring out stuff.
Getting things playlisted is not easy as well, so I’m not going to lie to anyone and let them believe anything else. It’s difficult. But I feel like once you have the right team and the right mindset and the knowledge on music business and you know what to do and who to reach out to and you remain consistent, it’s just a matter of growing relationships. And I feel like I’ve built a brand that when we get a hold of someone and you say “Spice,” they always welcome me with open arms.
You’re also working with Empire on the distribution side. Why were they the right partner for you?
I felt like they were the right partner because they have so much history with Caribbean artists and African artists. I wanted a [distributor] that knows or has a background in our music.
Any plans to tour this album?
Absolutely yes! I’m definitely planning to go on tour. I already have so many single shows that were booked previously, so I’m not sure how far back I’ll have space to accommodate the tour. I wanted to go on tour as early as October.
What’s on your playlist right now?
YG Marley, “Praise Jah in the Moonlight.” Shaggy and Lavinia, “Move.” Me and Busta, “Round Round.”