Music

09 Aug 2023

YOASOBI’s ‘Idol’ Extends Stay Atop Japan Hot 100 to 17 Consecutive Weeks

YOASOBI’s “Idol” continues to blaze the trail on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, logging an unprecedented 17th consecutive week at No. 1 on the chart dated Aug. 9.

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During this chart week, the male-female duo of Ayase and ikura traveled to Los Angeles for its first performance Stateside at 88rising’s Head in the Clouds LA Music & Arts Festival. The pair took the stage on Sunday (Aug. 6) and was joined by the offbeat J-pop girl group ATARASHII GAKKO! for a delightful live rendition of YOASOBI’s monster hit track.

While overall points for “Idol” continue to decrease, the Oshi no Ko opener continues to dominate, holding the top spots for downloads, streaming, video views, and karaoke this week. It’s also at No. 17 for radio airplay and with a total of 13,350 points, the song is 3,200 points ahead of its competition at No. 2. YOASOBI is set to keep the momentum going as the headliner for the Rock in Japan Festival scheduled for Aug. 13.

Debuting at No. 2 this week is THE RAMPAGE from EXILE TRIBE’s “Summer Riot -Nettaiya-,“ the 20th single by the dance and vocal group. Released Aug. 2 as a double A-side single with “Everest,” “Summer Riot” is a collaborative number with Japanese drum performance group DRUM TAO. The song launched with 229,498 copies to hit No. 1 for sales and also comes in at No. 3 for radio. The track didn’t fare too well in the digital realm — No. 35 for downloads with 1,642 units, No. 32 for streaming with 3,195,380 weekly streams, and No. 73 for video — and bowed in its current position on the Japan Hot 100 powered by CD sales.

Jung Kook’s “Seven” featuring Latto holds at No. 3. The youngest BTS member appeared as one of the guests at SUGA’s solo show Agust D TOUR “D-DAY” THE FINAL that took place at KSPODOME in Seoul, South Korea Aug. 4. “Seven” falls 10-14 for downloads, holds at No. 2 for streaming, slips 3-2 for video, and stays at No. 9 for radio this week.

Tatsuya Kitani’s “Where Our Blue Is” rises 5-4 after the rising singer-songwriter performed the track live on the long-running TV show Music Station Aug. 4. The Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 opener collected points in a balanced way, coming in at No. 3 for downloads and streaming, No. 8 for video, No. 38 for sales, No. 27 for radio, and launching at No. 74 for karaoke.

Hikaru Utada’s “Gold” jumps 40-10 on the Japan Hot 100 this week after the movie the track is featured as the theme — Kingdom 3 starring Kento Yamazaki — hit Japanese theaters July 28. The latest song by the iconic J-pop singer-songwriter rules radio and comes in at No. 6 for downloads and No. 54 for streaming.

Mrs. GREEN APPLE charts four songs in the top 20 this week as the pop-rock band prepares for its first dome shows set for Aug. 12 and 13. In the top 10, “Ao to Natsu” moves 10-8 with increases in downloads and streams, while “Magic” is at No. 9 with downloads continuing to increase since the track’s release.

The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.

See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from July 31 to Aug. 6, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.

09 Aug 2023

Metro Boomin, Coi Leray & Armani White Bring the Fire at Billboard’s R&B Hip-Hop Live

“You want to go home or you want to keep going?” Metro Boomin asked the packed audience late into his set on Tuesday night (Aug. 8) at Billboard’s R&B Hip-Hop Live event at The Novo in Los Angeles. The answer from the crowd registered as an unintelligible roar — but it was clear they weren’t ready to leave.

The hitmaking DJ and producer, who most recently executive produced the Marvel soundtrack Metro Boomin Presents Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse — which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 in June — played for over an hour following Billboard’s 2023 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players event in honor of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary. Joining him on the bill were “Players” rapper-vocalist Coi Leray and rapper Armani White (“BILLIE EILISH,” “Baazigar”).

Though he was the headlining act of the night, Metro made a casual entrance to the stage, sauntering out in white jeans, T-shirt and purple ball cap to take his place behind the boards. Over the course of the crowd-pleasing set, the hitmaker performed tracks including “10 Freaky Girls,” “Niagara Falls (Foot or 2),” “Creepin’,” “Umbrella,” “Minute,” “No Complaints” as well as Spider-Verse cuts including “Calling” and “Self Love.”

Metro also made several nods to his production work, performing “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” (a cut off Kanye West’s Life of Pablo), Post Malone’s “Congratulations” with Quavo and “Heartless” by The Weeknd.

Metro’s “Self Love” collaborator Leray (sporting close-cropped blue hair) preceded him on stage with an ecstatic set that included such hits as “Bitch Girl,” “Baby Don’t Hurt Me,” “Bops,” “Get Loud,” “Make My Day” and “Players,” which became her first top 10 entry on the Billboard Hot 100 when it peaked at No. 9 on the tally in April. The charismatic rapper was backed by a crew of fatigue-clad dancers, with one male member of the team executing some onstage acrobatics at several points during the performance. This being a Billboard event, Leray made sure to shout out her first Hot 100 entry “No More Parties,” which peaked at No. 26 on the tally in March 2021.

“This s–t real,” Leray said at the top of her set. “I remember when they say I was TikTok, hopped on Tiktok — now they say I’m [Billboard].”

Earlier in the evening, White pulled off spirited performances of such tracks as “SILVER TOOTH,” “Onederful” and “Thanksgiving.” At one point, the rising rapper referenced his big moment at Osheaga Festival on Saturday (Aug. 5), when Billie Eilish brought him out on stage to perform his hit single — you guessed it — “BILLIE EILISH.”

“I don’t know if any of y’all follow me, but I was on stage with Billie Eilish,” said White, clearly still drinking in the viral moment. “Some wild s–t, right?”

09 Aug 2023

Exclusive: Ras Kass’ Soul Is Still On Ice, But His Mind Burns Brighter Than Ever.

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The Art Of Rap Festival 2015

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Years before rappers began embracing the comparisons to artists like Pablo Picasso and Jean Michel Basquiat, West Coast MC Ras Kass was showcasing his lyrical art for the world to see, all while embracing the Van Gogh legacy.

Emerging on the scene in 1996, MC Ras Kass built a reputation for thoughtful tongue-in-cheek wordplay and heavy societal content with his iconic 1996 song, “Nature of the Threat.” Hailed for its expansive and piercing analysis of white supremacy, the song and the album, Soul on Ice, reimagined the perception of West Coast lyricism in the middle of its East Coast, West Coast tension.

Celebrated by his fans and peers as a wizard of words, his skill became his calling card as he continued to prioritize lyricism years before the culture shifted towards it. In the middle of his ascent, however, he ended up ensnared in a publicized dispute with his record label, Capitol, and the industry at large for respect, autonomy and proper compensation. Stalled and unable to forge the momentum he needed due to label disputes, he continued to fight for his brand, releasing projects with other comparable MC’s like Canibus, Killah Priest and Kurupt, as well as his own projects over the course of the next decade and a half.

Twenty-seven years after his debut release, Soul on Ice, Ras is just as skilled as he was then and equally as cynical. Hopeful, reflective and unapologetic, this interview is one of his rawest reflections on Hip-Hop 50 years after its inception.

HipHopWired: Ras, how are you feeling today?

Ras Kass: I’m alive so I’m blessed man.

Ras, you are regarded as one of the most prolific MCs ever, you know, people use the word legend a lot. I’m hoping that I could get some perspective and get some stuff from you that I don’t typically hear in interviews. So I’m gonna start with the beginning. You coined a phrase that said, Carson raised you, but Watts made you. 

So yeah, I guess that would be right. I lived in Carson my entire life. But I didn’t socialize. I didn’t even go to school in Carson until [the] middle of the seventh grade. So my, you know, kind of my formative years were in Watts. That’s where my friends were. I went to hang with them when I got out of school. That’s where I played at. Summertime, that’s where I stayed at. So I always claimed both, and there’s been certain rappers that try to give me shit over it. I’m a Watts baby. People have to make things mutually exclusive, because people categorize things. And it has to be this or that. And some things are a little more nuanced.



So how did both cities influence you and in what ways?

Lots. By culture, like my culture, how I was raised within Watts is very important. My mother came from a family that moved in the late ’50s to Los Angeles from Louisiana, their culture was Creole. Thereby, I was raised around a lot of Catholics, while most blacks are Baptist and all this other stuff. I was raised and went to Catholic school where the majority of the students were diverse. In Carson, we lived in a neighborhood where there was space. And what happens when you got that kind of space, people don’t socialize, they have enough space to be amongst themselves. So you don’t f*ck with everybody, you stay in your own space. And so I had my bedroom; I did what I did in my bedroom, in my garage, in my backyard. Sometimes I went out to the front and then socialized with those kids. But in general, I have my own world.

“I hope as a collective, as a people on the eve of the 50th we probably should be looking into having some type of a union.”

That makes sense because you rap about how introverted you were. And it was probably a result of being around all these people that have sequestered themselves from everything. You came of age when rap was really progressing. You’ve always mentioned how KRS-One was a major influence. Who else were you listening to at the time? And when did you decide rapping was for you?

So I didn’t even pay that much attention to rap. It existed since I had awareness. But I was like the average uninformed listener for a long time. I’m sure “F*ck The Police” had a very big impact on me for a specific reason. Um, but then KRS- One and I think it was “You Must Learn” that changed things. With KRS it resonated, he started giving these dates and saying stuff like Harriet Tubman freed the slaves at night. And I was like, “Oh, shit. This is different.” You know, it just hit different for me. And that was years later, probably a couple of years later—that I wrote another rap after my homies told me I wasn’t good all those years before.

When you look back at where rap’s gone over the years, how do you feel about it as it approaches its 50th birthday?

It’s bittersweet man. I don’t know how to say it. I’m trying to write these things and finish a project. And I’m trying to write this song, and I think that’s the name of it: when will we do better? Like by now like, What the f*ck, bro? Like one of the homies just said to me like it’s over. He’s like, “Man, it’s just we lost” and I’m like, I can’t take a defeatist attitude. And this is a brother of mine. It does sometimes feel like pointless. We hate our heroes; we keep letting our devil pick our heroes. I don’t get it, man.

Are there people in rap who you admire and see parallels to your career?

There are so many people besides myself who I root for. Black Thought is finally getting his. He was always overlooked because of how dope his band is, and we always knew he was nice, you kidding me? But what about the unsung others? For every J. Cole and Kendrick, there’s an Ab-Soul and a lot of other nice people. Bro, I’ve said this to Kurrupt: “You know if once a week the community picked a deserving artist and showcased that person daily, they’d have a shot.”

Let’s say we pick Lupe [Fiasco] and he got this incredible record. And for that week, as a community, Pete Rock, Nas and Wu-Tang and everybody say, “Yo, I’m gonna post bro sh*t, we’re gonna post them on Wednesday.” We could control our industry if we worked as a collective, not as individuals. Just think about it. Everyone has a union but us: writers, musicians, opera singers, everybody except us.



I gotta ask you, man, your sons are basically a part of like, one of the major West Coast groups, Coast Contra. And I’m just gonna say groups have taken over the rap game. How do you feel as a dad about that? And what are your hopes for them?

I love them. Period. I love all those guys, man. They’re just good. They’re good people. I know how much they love this culture. I’ve watched them do their own work and take it seriously. And I’m very grateful that the community gave them a chance. And so that’s, I think, a fair shot. Like it’s almost like the shot I never really got. And so I am always grateful. I don’t believe in pride. I believe in respect. And so I’m just really grateful to the culture for giving them a shot. I love them creatively. And I love watching them learn the wisdom to ask questions because they have a wealth of like, you know, their mother and in their aunties. I’m sure we don’t have any monetary thing to gain from them. I’m not trying to beat them or hustle them. I just want them to have the best situation because that makes me happy.

Ras at this point, man you’ve had all of it. You had the highs, the lows. When you examine your career, what are your most significant moments? What are the moments that you’re the most proud of, and what advice would you give yourself if you could talk to yourself in 1996?

Oh, man. The whole journey man is just there’s always, even in the bad times, there are learning experiences, and there was some funny shit and some learning. So I don’t have any particular, you know, good times. I mean, the better times is when there’s $100,000 in the bank; I can’t wait to get there again, I like having $100,000 in the bank. So I want more than that, I want a million

liquid in the brain. And my goal is to get my return on my investment. I’ve invested in this culture and I’m gonna keep fighting for it.

And the only advice I would have given me is, you know, I was naïve. I was trusting the people I probably shouldn’t have trusted. My journey changed when I was legally 18 and I signed a contract without an attorney. And that became the beginning of fights that took forever to resolve and put me on a route of having a harder career than was necessary. So that’s unfortunate.

What parting words would you give to Hip-Hop fans who will read this next month for Hip-Hop’s 50 years?

We got to do better. We should know better and I hope that we do better. I hope as a collective, as a people on the eve of the 50th we probably should be looking into having some type of a union. I don’t believe in royalty like that. Whoever’s royal out here, royalty ain’t really helping the people, so I’m down with revolution and like chopping their hands off. I’m not saying hurt the superstars, but if n*ggas are still trying to tell you how much they got when you don’t got anything, why do you keep buying it and f*cking with them?

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09 Aug 2023

Billboard’s 2023 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players Event: See the Photos

Lil Wayne, Nas, Ice Spice and more helped celebrate the genre.

Lil Wayne, Gail Mitchell, Nas, Carl Lamarre

Lil Wayne, Gail Mitchell, Nas and Carl Lamarre at Billboard R&B Hip-Hop Live held at The Novo on August 8, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Brandon Todd for Billboard

Hundreds of R&B and hip-hop executives helped Billboard honor key power players across both genres and celebrate 50 historic years of the genre on Tuesday (Aug. 8). Held at Novo in downtown Los Angeles, Billboard’s 2023 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players Event featured appearances from a slew of hip-hop’s biggest and brightest stars, including recent Billboard cover stars Lil Wayne and Nas.

Weezy, who has earned five Grammy awards and 185 Billboard Hot 100 entries to date, graciously accepted his induction into Billboard’s Hip-Hop Hall of Fame, saying, “You already know I gotta give thanks to the man up above.”

Fellow hip-hop icon Nas, who recently released fifth Hit-Boy-produced album in three years, also received the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame Inductee Award at the event. Other honorees included Larry Jackson, this year’s Executive of the Year Award winner, and Ice Spice, who was crowned 2023’s R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Year. Quality Control CEO Pierre Thomas took home Billboard’s first-ever peer-voted R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players’ Choice Award.

Billboard’s 2023 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players event was a history lesson as much as it was a celebration. From Jackson’s rousing speech — during which he read a 1997 letter from Clive Davis to Billboard that blasted the publication for “a personal crusade against the genre of rap albums” — to Gail Mitchell — Billboard executive director, R&B/Hip-Hop — reminding attendees that 50 years ago, hip-hop was being dismissed as a fad, the event commemorated the longevity and persistence of one of the world’s most powerful and influential art forms.

Check out Billboard’s 2023 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players event in the photos below:

09 Aug 2023

Taylor Swift Left Wonderstruck Over 8-Minute Standing Ovation at L.A. Eras Tour Show

Taylor Swift was definitely wonderstruck, blushing all the way home after her Tuesday (Aug. 8) concert. The pop star was left in awe in the middle of her fifth consecutive Eras Tour show at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., when, following her performance of “Champagne Problems,” the crowd rewarded her with a nearly eight-minute standing ovation.

“What do I say to you after that?” Swift said in response to the applause, as captured in videos from the night. “That was so deeply abnormal and beautiful. I don’t know what to do or say.” 

“I think it’s safe to say that I, like all people, will experience a certain amount of emotional downward spirals throughout the course of the rest of my life and in those moments, you can rest assured I’m gonna think about what you just did,” she continued, getting slightly emotional. “And I’m gonna feel better. So thank you. That was insane. It was crazy.” 

The show marked Swift’s second-to-last night at SoFi Stadium, where she’s scheduled for a total of six nights, concluding the first U.S. leg of the Eras Tour. Starting Aug. 24, she’ll take the trek global with a slew of international dates in Latin America, Asia, Australia and Europe before returning to the states in 2024 for a second North American leg.

“I’m going to spend several decades trying to figure out words for how that just made me feel,” Swift added after the night five standing “O.” “I’m trying to get it together. I’ve completely lost control over my brain, and that’s your fault. I’m just gonna float through the rest of the show, so thanks for that.”

The first five nights at SoFi have been jam-packed with great moments, from the magical “Exile” singalong to the emotional mid-show hug Swift shared with Bianka Bryant, daughter of the late Kobe Bryant. Fans have been treated to some quality surprise songs over the course of the miniature residency — “I Can See You,” “Maroon,” “Our Song,” “You Are in Love,” “Death by a Thousand Cuts,” “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” “Dress,” “I Know Places” and “King of My Heart” — and stars such as Lupita Nyong’o, Mindy Kaling, Brie Larson, Kesha, Gayle King and many, many more were in attendance.

Watch Taylor Swift react to her eight-minute standing ovation below:

09 Aug 2023

Travis Scott’s ‘Meltdown’ No. 1 as ‘Utopia’ Floods Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart

Travis Scott storms to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart as “Meltdown,” featuring Drake, launches atop the list dated Aug. 12. The track leads a parade of all 19 songs the streaming edition of Scott’s new Utopia album on the chart. The long-awaited parent set, first teased in 2020, debuts at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart with the biggest week for any rap album in 2023, and gives Scott his third champ.

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“Meltdown,” released on Cactus Jack/Epic Records, traces its chart-topping start to 32.2 million official U.S. streams in the week ending Aug. 3, according to Luminate, more than enough to secure its No. 1 entrance on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs chart. The tune also sold 2,000 copies in its debut week, prompting a No. 5 bow on the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales list. For the third and final metric that informs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – radio airplay – the collaboration registered 8,000 audience impressions – well below the threshold of any R&B/hip-hop radio chart, though the song is not being promoted as a single for radio airplay. (“K-POP,” the pre-release track with Bad Bunny and The Weeknd, is the current radio focus.)

Thanks to “Meltdown,” Travis Scott achieves his sixth No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Here’s a recap of his now half-dozen leaders:

Song Title, Artist (if other than Travis Scott), Weeks at No. 1, Date Reached No. 1

  • “ZEZE,” Kodak Black featuring Travis Scott & Offset, one, Oct. 27, 2018
  • “Sicko Mode,” 10, Nov. 3, 2018
  • “Highest in the Room,” one, Oct. 19, 2019
  • “The Scotts,” with The Scotts & Kid Cudi, one, May 9, 2020
  • “Franchise,” featuring Young Thug & M.I.A., one, Oct. 10, 2020

Featured artist Drake, meanwhile, adds a record-extending 28th Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs No. 1 to his account. It’s his second visit to the summit in 2023, after his one-week champ “Search & Rescue,” likewise debuted at No. 1 in April. As Drake further distances himself from the competition, here’s a review of the acts with the most No. 1s on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs since the chart became an all-encompassing genre survey in 1958:

  • 28, Drake
  • 20, Aretha Franklin
  • 20, Stevie Wonder
  • 17, James Brown
  • 16, Janet Jackson
  • 15, The Temptations
  • 13, Marvin Gaye
  • 13, Michael Jackson
  • 13, Usher
  • 11, Lil Wayne
  • 11, R. Kelly


https://youtube.com/watch?v=pz6P2vCF6tg&si=aTSVXHOIfbTiUFcw&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

Behind “Meltdown,” Scott floods Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart as the entire 19-track Utopia album lands on the list, including five additional tracks in the top 10. Seventeen of the ranks go to debuts, with the lone exception being “K-POP,” which debuted at No. 2 last week.

Here’s the full Utopia recap on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs this week:

  • No. 1, “Meltdown,” featuring Drake
  • No. 2, “FE!N,” featuring Playboi Carti
  • No. 5, “I Know ?”
  • No. 7, “Hyaena”
  • No. 9, “Thank God”
  • No. 10, “Topia Twins,” featuring Rob49 & 21 Savage
  • No. 11, “K-POP,” with Bad Bunny & The Weeknd
  • No. 12, “My Eyes”
  • No. 13, “Modern Jam,” featuring Teezo Touchdown
  • No. 14, “Delresto (Echoes),” with Beyoncé
  • No. 15, “Telekenesis,” featuring SZA & Future
  • No. 16, “Sirens”
  • No. 17, “God’s Country”
  • No. 18, “Skitzo,” featuring Young Thug
  • No. 19, “Circus Maximus,” featuring The Weeknd & Swae Lee
  • No. 20, “Til Futher Notice,” featuring James Blake & 21 Savage
  • No. 22, “Lost Forever,” featuring Westside Gunn
  • No. 23, “Looove,” featuring Kid Cudi
  • No. 24, “Parasail,” featuring Yung Lean & Dave Chappelle

The Scott show is much of the same on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, where “Meltdown” opens at No. 3 as the highest Utopia track of the week. All 19 Utopia songs are present on the list as well, pushing Scott into the rare triple-digits club as he becomes the 15th act to surpass 100 career hits on the chart.

09 Aug 2023

Rodriguez, Subject of Oscar-Winning Doc ‘Searching For Sugar Man,’ Dies at 81

Enigmatic singer-songwriter Sixto Diaz Rodriguez — commonly referred to as just Rodriguez — has died at 81. The Detroit musician whose slow boil rise to international acclaim was chronicled in the Oscar-winning 2012 documentary Searching for Sugar Man, died on Tuesday night (Aug. 8) according to a statement on his official website.

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“It is with great sadness that we at Sugarman.org announce that Sixto Diaz Rodriguez has passed away earlier today,” read the note. “We extend our most heartfelt condolences to his daughters – Sandra, Eva and Regan – and to all his family.” According to the Detroit News, Rodriguez had been in declining health but at press time a cause of death had not been revealed.

The Dylan-esque folk singer recorded two albums in the early 1970s that were released to little notice, Cold Fact (1970) and Coming From Reality (1971), leading the aspiring troubadour to give up on his musical dream, start a family and pursue a philosophy degree as he unsuccessfully ran for a series of local poltical offices.

The News said after failed bids at mayor and state senate, Rodriguez could often be seen walking in Detroit’s Cass Corridor neighborhood with a guitar slung over his shoulder, with most onlookers unaware of his former musical aspirations. That changed in 1979 when he was invited to perform in Australia to celebrate the re-release of his albums; he toured there again in 1981. At the time, it was rumored that he had taken his life by shooting himself on stage (another false story claimed he’d died of a drug overdose) after releasing Coming From Reality on Detroit’s Sussex record label, a false report his absence only served to feed amid a bubbling popularity Down Under.

A decade later, he discovered that his music was even more influential in South Africa, where, unbeknownst to him, his psychedelic-tinged, wistful folk ruminations had become wildly popular among South African youth, who embraced them as anthems against the repressive, racist apartheid government. Though long retired from touring, Rodriguez booked some arena gigs in the nation in 1998 to rabid response and later saw his music re-discovered by artists such as DJ/producer David Holmes, who used Cold Shot‘s opening track, “Sugar Man” for his 2002 Come Get It, I Got It compilation alongside songs by Muddy Waters, The Staples Singers, Cyril Neville and Betty Adams. Nas sampled Rodriguez singing the chorus from “Sugar Man” on his 2001 Stillmatic song “You’re Da Man.”

The uptick in interest led to the re-issues of the albums and a world tour, a renaissance that was capped by the best documentary feature Oscar-winning 2012 film Searching for Sugar Man, which chronicled two fans’ journey to find out what happened to their favorite singer. In fact, it was those two Cape Town diehards, rock journalist Craig Bartholomew and Stephen “Sugar” Segerman, who would become the focus of the film thanks to their dogged search to find out what happened to their favorite musician.

“Like a lot of people here, I discovered Rodriguez while I was in the army, which every 18-year-old used to have to do,” Segerman told the Detroit paper in 2008. “He was on everyone’s cassette tapes. It’s great pop music. But you start to realize this is raw, brutally honest ― and that’s the chord it struck. I was in the army, but I didn’t want to be a soldier. I didn’t support apartheid. Raw, brutal honest had lots of appeal… I told him, ‘In South Africa, you’re bigger than Elvis.’”

Dave Matthews, who was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, met Rodriguez before playing Pine Knob in Clarkston, MI in 2022 and later praised him from the stage, telling the crowd that the singer was “one of my heroes growing up” in South Africa.

Rodriguez was born on July 10, 1942 in Detroit as the sixth child of Mexican immigrants. He began his career in 1967 with his debut single, “I’ll Slip Away,” followed by his signing to Sussex — a division of Buddah Records (Isley Brothers, Melanie, The Five Stairsteps) — which released his two albums.

His music earned comparisons to Dylan and Cat Stevens, who gentle 1970s folk anthems of love and understanding were tame compared to Rodriguez’s often more politically leaning lyrics. “Talking about the rich folks/ Rich folks have the same jokes/ And they park in basic places/ The priest is preaching/ From a shallow grave/ He counts his money/ Then he paints you saved,” he sang on the acid-tongue acoustic anthem “Rich Folks Hoax” from Cold Fact.

Both of his studio albums were re-issued by Light int he Attic in 2009 and the upswell in interest thanks to the film led him to perform with a full orchestra on The Late Show With David Letterman in 2012, as well as at the Coachella, Montreaux Jazz and Glastonbury festivals in 2013.

Listen to “Rich Folks Hoax” and watch Rodriguez on Letterman below.



09 Aug 2023

10 First-Timers on Billboard’s Charts This Week: Dylan Gossett, MCVERTT, Dennis Quaid, Flamy Grant & More

Billboard has more than 200 different weekly charts in its menu, encompassing numerous genres and formats.

While established artists often compete for a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and Billboard 200 albums ranking, which track the most popular songs and albums of the week, respectively, up-and-coming talents typically start off on genre-specific lists.

Here’s a look at 10 acts who appear on surveys for the first time on the Aug. 12-dated charts.

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Dylan Gossett

The singer-songwriter enters Billboard’s charts for the first time with his new song “Coal.” The track, which he self-released July 27, debuts at No. 24 on Country Digital Song Sales with 1,000 downloads sold in its first full week of tracking, according to Luminate. Gossett has released one additional song so far, “To Be Free,” on June 30. Gossett rose to prominence through TikTok, where he boasts over 150,000 followers. He had been teasing “Coal” through acoustic snippets for weeks leading up to its official release. One such clip has garnered more than 5 million views on the platform.

MCVERTT

The New Jersey-based rapper and producer (real name Mohamed Camara) scores his first entry on Billboard’s charts under an artist billing, thanks to his new collaboration with recent First-Timer Sexyy Red and A$AP Ferg, “Face Down.” The song, released July 28 on 100% Pure/1865/Defiant/Warner Records, debuts at No. 3 on both the Rap Digital Song Sales and R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales charts, as well as No. 16 on the all-genre Digital Song Sales chart with 3,000 downloads sold in its first week (boosted by sped-up and slowed-down versions). “Face Up” interpolates 2 Live Crew’s classic 1990 song “Face Down, Ass Up,” which was also interpolated by Ludacris breakthrough 2000 hit with Shawnna, “What’s Your Fantasy.”

MCVERTT earned his first chart entry as a producer and songwriter in late 2022, as he co-produced and co-wrote Lil Uzi Vert’s “Just Wanna Rock” with Synthetic. The song spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs chart and reached No. 5 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and No. 10 on the Hot 100. Its success help MCVERTT climb to No. 2 on both the Rap Songwriters and Rap Producers charts, plus No. 25 on Hot 100 Songwriters. MCVERTT has released one solo EP so far: the three-song President Obandman (along with sped-up and slowed-down versions of the set) in April.

Dennis Quaid

The actor is officially a Billboard-charting artist thanks to his new 12-track album, Fallen: A Gospel Record for Sinners. The set, released July 28 on Gaither Music Group/Capitol CMG, debuts at No. 15 on Top Christian Albums, No. 46 on Top Current Album Sales and No. 79 on Top Album Sales with 2,000 copies sold in its opening week. It contains a blend of original songs and covers of gospel standards “Amazing Grace,” “Just As I Am,” “I’ll Fly Away” and “The Lord’s Prayer.” Several of the tracks on the album were inspired by Quaid’s struggle with addiction, according to Gaither. “I’m grateful to still be here, I’m grateful to be alive really every day,” he recently told People about his struggles. “It’s important to really enjoy your ride in life as much as you can, because there’s a lot of challenges and stuff to knock it down.” Quaid has starred in numerous box office hits, including Any Given Sunday, The Day After Tomorrow, The Parent Trap, The Right Stuff and The Rookie.

Flamy Grant

The drag queen (real name Matthew Blake) arrives on Billboard’s charts for the first time with her breakthrough song “Good Day” featuring Derek Webb. Released in October via Glam & Glory Records on her debut studio album Bible Belt Baby, the cut debuts at No. 20 on the Christian Digital Song Sales chart. Grant is a self-described “shame-slaying, hip-swaying, singing-songwriting” drag queen making Christian music from her perspective as a queer person. After Christian singer and preacher Sean Feucht targeted Grant on Twitter with homophobic remarks, Grant began a campaign among her TikTok followers to get “Good Day” to chart. “It’s wild because the album is 10 months old,” Blake recently told Billboard. “I’m still in that touring phase, but this certainly brought it up to a level I did not anticipate 10 months into the release of this.” Blake developed their Flamy Grant persona, a play on Christian mainstay Amy Grant, during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Ryan Jesse

The upstate New York native, now based in Nashville, reaches Billboard’s charts for the first time with his breakthrough song “Outrunning.” The track, which he self-released July 28, debuts at No. 5 on Hard Rock Digital Song Sales with 1,000 downloads sold in its opening week. TikTok has been a major factor in the song’s growing profile. Jesse, who has over 100,000 followers on the platform, had been teasing the song with various snippets leading up to its official release. Jesse has released four additional songs to date: “Like I Do” (in 2021), “Too Far Gone,” “This Damn Town” (both in 2022) and “You’re Tellin’ Me” (this March).

Yung Wylin’

The Miami-based artist, whose music blends hip-hop and Afrobeats elements, notches his first Billboard chart appearance with “Good Energy.” The song, which he self-released in December, debuts at No. 11 on the World Digital Song Sales chart and No. 45 on the U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart. TikTok has helped the track reach new heights, as it’s been used in more than 60,000 clips on the platform to date. Yung Wylin’ has released five other songs so far: “Shoot My Shot” (in 2020), “Wiin” (2021), “Smoke With Me” (2022), “My Girl,” with S.K and Soulsa (this May) and “The Way of Life” (this June).

Natalie Layne

The singer-songwriter, based in Nashville via Colorado Springs, Colo., hits Billboard’s charts for the first time with her breakout single “Amen.” Released July 14 via Centricity Music, the song debuts at No. 48 on Christian Airplay (up 48% to 106,000 in audience). It appears on her new six-track EP Amen, released July 28. Layne self-released her debut studio album, Be Human, in 2020, followed by the five-track EP Castles in 2021. She has opened for fellow Christian music acts Jeremy Camp, Chris Tomlin and We the Kingdom. Her major-label debut album (on Centricity) is due this year.

London Cheshire

The 16-year-old actor, model and singer makes his first visit to Billboard’s charts with his debut release “Uncomfortable.” The song, released July 28 through Blackground Records, begins at No. 35 on Digital Song Sales with 2,000 downloads sold in its first week. He also starts at No. 42 on the Emerging Artists chart. Cheshire has a recurring role in CBS’ Young Sheldon as Marcus Larson. His other credits include the series 9-1-1 and Gordita Chronicles.

SUM SUN

The New York-based DJ duo — comprised of Nick Benton and Ilan Pomerance — arrives on Billboard’s charts with its new collaboration with BONNIE X CLYDE, “Memory.” The song, released May 26 on the independent label Lowly, debuts at No. 34 on the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart (up 30% in plays). In an interview with People in March, the pair said they’re working on their debut EP, due this year.

Hades66 & Dei V

Both Latin rappers reach Billboard’s charts for the first time with their team-up with Jay Wheeler, Anuel AA and Bryant Myers, “Pacto.” Released July 28 on Linked/Dynamite/EMPIRE, the single debuts at No. 29 on the Hot Latin Songs chart with 4.5 million official U.S. streams. The track is a remix of Wheeler, Dei V and Hades66’s original recording, featuring Luar La L, released in April. (All versions of the song are combined into one listing for Billboard’s charts.) The song is also building internationally, as it debuts at No. 168 on the Billboard Global 200 and No. 171 on Billboard Global Excl. U.S. Hades66 released his debut studio album, El 6EI66EI6, in April. Dei V dropped his debut LP, Yin Yang, in 2021.

09 Aug 2023

Brandon Lake Leads 2023 GMA Dove Awards Nominations: Full List

Brandon Lake is the top nominee for the 2023 GMA Dove Awards, sponsored by the Gospel Music Association. Lake received 11 nominations, including artist of the year, where he is competing with CeCe Winans, for KING + COUNTRY, Lauren Daigle and Phil Wickham. Winans won the award last year. For KING + COUNTRY and Daigle are both two-time winners in the category.

Lake has a co-writer credit on three of the 10 songs that were nominated for song of the year – “Fear Is Not My Future,” “Gratitude” and “Same God.”

Lake, 33, has won three Dove Awards. He has had two No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart – Elevation Worship’s “Graves Into Gardens,” on which he was featured, and his own “Gratitude.”

Other top nominees were songwriter Jeff Pardo with eight nods, and Jason Ingram and Kirk Franklin, with six nods each. New artist of the year finalist Katy Nichole received four nods — more than any other woman. She was followed by Daigle, Naomi Raine and Tasha Cobbs Leonard, each of whom received three nominations.

Country stars Dylan Scott, Tyler Childers and Walker Hayes each received their first nominations.

“I want to congratulate his year’s wonderful list of Dove Awards nominees, GMA president Jackie Patillo said in a statement.

Nominees were announced in a livestream on the GMA Dove Awards’ YouTube channel featuring Jason Crabb, Jordan Feliz, Danny Gokey, Natalie Grant and JJ Hairston. Final-round voting will run from Aug. 17-24.

The two-hour awards show will tape in Nashville on Tuesday Oct. 17 and will air exclusively on TBN and the TBN app three nights later, on Friday Oct. 20, at 8 p.m. ET and again at 10 p.m. ET.

The 54th Annual GMA Dove Awards are produced by the Gospel Music Association. Jackie Patillo and Justin Fratt serve as showrunners and executive producers, alongside Curtis Stoneberger and Paul Wright as producers. Russell E. Hall returns as director, Michael Nolan as scriptwriter, Scott Moore and Go Live Productions as production manager.

Here’s the full list of categories that were announced on today’s livestream. For a complete list of nominees in all categories, visit doveawards.com.

Artist of the year
Brandon Lake
CeCe Winans
for KING + COUNTRY
Lauren Daigle
Phil Wickham

New artist of the year
Ben Fuller
Hulvey
Jon Reddick
Katy Nichole
Naomi Raine

Song of the year
“Build A Boat,” writers: Colton Dixon, Seth Mosley, Johan Lindbrandt, Sandro
Cavazza, Mikey Gormley
“Fear Is Not My Future,” writers: Kirk Franklin, Brandon Lake, Jonathan Jay,
Hannah Shackleford, Nicole Hannel
“God Really Loves Us,” writers: David Crowder, Ben Glover, Jeff Sojka, Dante
Bowe
“Goodness of God,” writers: Ben Fielding, Ed Cash, Jason Ingram, Jenn
Johnson, Brian Johnson
“Gratitude,” writers: Brandon Lake, Ben Hastings, Dante Bowe
“In Jesus Name (God of Possible),” writers: Ethan Hulse, Katy Nichole, David
Andrew Spencer, Jeff Pardo
“Love Me Like I Am,” writers: Joel Smallbone, Luke Smallbone, Michael
Pollack, Josh Kerr
 “Perfectly Loved,” writers: Rachael Lampa, Andrew Ripp,
Ethan Hulse
“Same God,” writers: Brandon Lake, Steven Furtick, Chris Brown, Pat Barrett
“Then Christ Came,” writers: Bart Millard, Phil Wickham, Jason Ingram, David
Leonard

Pop/contemporary recorded song of the year
“Brighter Days” – Blessing Offor
“I’m So Blessed (Best Day Remix)” – CAIN
“Love Me Like I Am” – for KING + COUNTRY ft. Jordin Sparks
 “God Is in This Story” – Katy Nichole ft. Big Daddy Weave
 “Thank God I Do” – Lauren Daigle

Worship recorded song of the year
“Gratitude (Radio Version)” – Brandon Lake
“Honey in the Rock” – Brooke Ligertwood, Brandon Lake
“Holy Forever” – Chris Tomlin
“Fear Is Not My Future (Radio Version)” – Maverick City Music ft. Brandon
Lake, Chandler Moore
“This Is Our God” – Phil Wickham

Bluegrass/country/roots recorded song of the year
“Jordan” – Darin & Brooke Aldridge, ft. Ricky Skaggs, Mo Pitney, Mark Fain
“Good Morning Mercy” – Jason Crabb, Dylan Scott
“Matchless” – Tiffany Coburn, ft. Point of Grace
“Way of the Triune God (Hallelujah Version)” – Tyler Childers
“Jesus’ Fault” – Zach Williams, ft. Walker Hayes

Spanish language recorded song of the year
“Guarda Tu Corazón” – Alex Zurdo
“So Good (Cuán Bueno)” – DOE, ft. Lilly Goodman
“Nubes” – Indiomar, ft. Blanca
“Coritos (En Vivo)” – Miel San Marcos, Daniel Calveti, Marcos Witt, Ingrid
Rosario
“Suelto” – Sarai Rivera

Gospel worship recorded song of the year
“One Name (Jesus) [Live]” – Naomi Raine
“Impossible” – Pastor Mike Jr., ft. Jame Fortune
“I Still Have You” – Smokie Norful
“The Moment (Live)” – Tasha Cobbs Leonard
 “You’ve Been Good to Me” –  Zacardi Cortez

Contemporary gospel recorded song of the year
“New Day” – Blanca, ft. Jekalyn Carr
“Your World” – Jonathan McReynolds
“Miracles” – Kierra Sheard, ft. Pastor Mike Jr.
“Bless Me” – Maverick City Music, Kirk Franklin
“Get Up” – Tye Tribbett

Pop/contemporary album of the year
My Tribe – Blessing Offor
Jesus Changed My Life – Katy Nichole
Always Only Jesus – MercyMe
Life After Death – TobyMac
A Hundred Highways – Zach Williams

Worship album of the year
Come Up Here – Bethel Music
Honest Offering (Live) – CAIN
God Is Good! (Live) – Cody Carnes
LION: Live From the Loft – Elevation Worship
Lamb of God – Matt Redman

Southern gospel album of the year
Think About There – Greater Vision
Come on In – Guardians Quartet
John 3:16 – Perrys
Believe – The Hoppers
Hymns & Worship – Triumphant Quartet

Contemporary gospel album of the year
My Truth – Jonathan McReynolds
Kingdom Book One (Deluxe) – Maverick City Music, Kirk Franklin
Impossible – Pastor Mike Jr.
Overcomer (Deluxe) – Tamela Mann
All Things New – Tye Tribbett

Rap/hip hop album of the year
Church Clothes 4 – Lecrae
Sunday in Lagos – Limoblaze
Everyone Loves a Comeback Story – Social Club Misfits
Tree – Steven Malcolm
NEW HOLLYWOOD – WHATUPRG

Feature film of the year
Big George Foreman
Family Camp
I Heard the Bells
Jesus Revolution
Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story

09 Aug 2023

Pregnant Rihanna Breastfeeds Son RZA in Savage x Fenty Campaign Photos

This just in: Rihanna looks glamorous even while breastfeeding. In a new photo shoot for Savage x Fenty’s new maternity line, the 35-year-old singer shows off her baby bump while holding her 1-year-old son, whom she shares with A$AP Rocky. She wears just a simple black bra, which boasts cups that open up for breastfeeding access, as demonstrated in the photos by little RZA.

“Not ur mama’s maternity bras…,” the company captioned the photos on Instagram. “designed by @badgalriri, approved by baby RZA ??”

It’s definitely not the first time Ri has modeled her Savage x Fenty clothing while pregnant — just last month, she posed in a shoot for the brand’s new sheer lingerie — but this is her company’s debut functional maternity line. It follows a series of red carpet and streetwear fashion moments from the “Rude Boy” singer that defied the traditional expectations for pregnancy clothing, proving to the world how stylish, sexy and fun women can still dress while they’re expecting.

Rihanna — who is expecting her second child with the rapper — founded Savage x Fenty in 2018, the year after she launched her Fenty Beauty company. Shortly after celebrating Savage’s five-year anniversary in May, she stepped down as CEO from the lingerie brand, remaining on as an executive chairman.

In recent months, Ri has made trips to France — for Paris Fashion Week, supporting Pharell’s debut as Louis Vuitton’s head of men’s fashion — as well as her home country of Barbados, where she and her soon-to-be family of four enjoyed some beach time together. At one point, she shared a photo of Rocky holding RZA in front of palm trees, the picturesque sunset reflecting on the water, which she lovingly captioned: “my Bajan boyz…”

See the photos from the maternity shoot below: