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A fellow musician and friend of Chris Brown has been charged alongside the Grammy-winning singer on allegations they beat and seriously injured a music producer at a London nightclub in 2023, police said Saturday (May 17).
Omololu Akinlolu, 38, who performs under the name HoodyBaby, was due to appear in Manchester Magistrates’ Court on a charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Brown, 36, was jailed without bail on the same charge Friday (May 16), throwing his upcoming tour into question. He is scheduled to appear at Southwark Crown Court in London on June 13, which is the third day of his world tour.
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Akinlolu is a rapper from Dallas, Texas, who has collaborated with Brown and Lil Wayne. He also goes by the names Fat Leopard and Super Hood.
Police gave no details on what role Akinlolu played in the alleged assault but said he was charged in connection with the same incident as Brown.
Brown was on tour in the U.K. in February 2023 when he launched an unprovoked attack on producer Abe Diaw, striking him several times with a bottle at the Tape nightclub in the swanky Mayfair neighborhood in London, prosecutor Hannah Nicholls said in court Friday.
Brown then chased Diaw and punched and kicked him in an attack caught on surveillance camera in front of a club full of people, she said.
Brown did not enter a plea and only spoke to confirm his name, birth date and gave his address as the Lowry Hotel, where he was arrested in Manchester early Thursday and taken into custody.
Brown’s representative has not responded to multiple requests for comment from The Associated Press.
Brown, often called by his nickname Breezy, burst onto the music scene as a teen in 2005 and has become a major hitmaker over the years with notable songs such as “Run It,” “Kiss Kiss” and “Without You.”
He won his first Grammy for best R&B album in 2011 for F.A.M.E. and then earned his second gold trophy in the same category for 11:11 earlier this year.
He is scheduled to launch an international tour next month with artists Jhene Aiko, Summer Walker and Bryson Tiller, opening with a European leg on June 8 in Amsterdam before starting North America shows in July.
In 2014, John Mellencamp signed a lifetime recording agreement with Republic Records. He demonstrated why that was a smart investment on Republic’s part with a winning performance at the second annual Grammy Hall of Fame Gala. The event was held on Friday night (May 16) at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. — the site of the first Grammy ceremony in 1959.
Mellencamp performed as part of a salute to Republic Records, which was this year’s record company honoree. Conan Gray performed his 2020 hit “Heather” as part of that salute, though Muni Long, who had been announced as a third performer in the segment, did not appear. (Atlantic Records was the label honoree at last year’s inaugural Grammy Hall of Fame Gala, which was held at the Novo Theater at L.A. Live.)
The Grammy Hall of Fame Gala, presented jointly by the Recording Academy and the Grammy Museum, was conceived as a way to elevate the stature of the annual Hall of Fame inductions, which had long announced with little more than a press release. The Grammy Hall of Fame was established by the Recording Academy’s national trustees in 1973, initially to honor recordings that were released prior to the inception of the Grammy Awards in 1959. The selection criteria was long ago changed to include any recording that is at least 25 years old.
The Grammy Hall of Fame used to be the only major institutional award to honor classic recordings, but the arrival in 2002 of the National Recording Registry, administered by the Library of Congress, means the Grammy Hall of Fame no longer has this field all to itself.
Though it’s not their stated purpose, the Grammy Hall of Fame serves as a second chance for the Grammys to honor recordings they may have missed when they were first released. Of this year’s 13 honorees, 11 were released since the inception of the Grammy Awards. Of those 11, only two — Santana’s Supernatural (1999) and Emmylou Harris’ Wrecking Ball (1995) — had won Grammys when they were eligible. Only one other — Luther Vandross’ Never Too Much (1981) — had even been nominated.
Inducted recordings are selected annually by a member committee, with final ratification by the academy’s national board of trustees. Counting these 13 new titles, the Grammy Hall of Fame has 1,165 inducted recordings. The full list of past inducted recordings can be found here.
The artists could have as much or as little involvement in the Grammy Hall of Fame Gala as they wanted. Harris performed two songs from Wrecking Ball. R&B veteran Eddie Floyd performed his 1966 hit “Knock on Wood.”
Carlos Santana, honored for Supernatural, and Yusuf, the former Cat Stevens, honored for his 1970 album Tea for the Tillerman, accepted their awards with remarks on video. Santana thanked Clive Davis, who signed the band to both Columbia Records and, 30 years later, Arista Records. Of the Arista deal, which kicked off with Supernatural, he thanked Davis “and his belief that we could rock the world. Together we created a masterpiece of joy.”
JAY-Z, who is tied with Ye (formerly Kanye West), for the most Grammy wins by a rapper (25), didn’t even send in a video to acknowledge his Hall of Fame induction for his 1996 album, Reasonable Doubt.
The event attempted to serve multiple agendas. At one point, the proceedings were interrupted by a fund-raising drive for the Grammy Museum. That’s a worthy endeavor, but it undermined the program’s momentum.
Anthony Mason of CBS News hosted the event, with production led by Ken Ehrlich, who produced or executive produced the Grammy telecast for 40 years. Ron Basile, Lindsay Saunders Carl and Lynne Sheridan were also on the production team. Grammy and Latin Grammy winner Cheche Alara served as music director.
Here are eight highlights of the second annual Grammy Hall of Fame Gala.
John Mellencamp Honors Republic Records
Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem is off to a blockbuster start. The country superstar’s fourth studio album, released Friday (May 16) through Big Loud/Mercury, is already breaking streaming records on Spotify and Amazon Music. On Friday afternoon, Spotify announced that the 37-track album had set a new benchmark as the most streamed country album in […]
Alex Warren has achieved a rare chart feat on the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart with his song “Ordinary” (May 16).
With its ninth week at No. 1, he is now the longest-running U.S. male solo chart-topper in over 70 years, surpassing Elvis Presley in the process. The King had an eight-week stay at the summit in 1960 with “It’s Now or Never,” one of 21 No. 1 singles in the U.K.
Florida-born artist Slim Whitman earned an 11-week stint at the top spot in 1955 with “Rose Marie,” the title track from the 1954 western epic starring Ann Blyth and Howard Keel.
In its 13th week on the Billboard Hot 100, “Ordinary” is now up to No. 2, closely trailing Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther,” which has had a 12-week stay at the summit. “Ordinary” has also hit the top spot on the Global 200 for a second consecutive week.
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Speaking to Billboard in January, Warren discussed using challenging moments in his personal life, including the passing of both of his parents and his stint of homelessness, in his material.
“I recently started doing this thing where I write about those [experiences], and I try to take control in a way,” he said. “For me, something really beautiful is taking something so sad and dark, and what most would view as something that ruined their life, and turn it into something that can help people.”
The remainder of the top five remains relatively unchanged with Ravyn Lenae’s “Love Me Not” (No. 2), Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” (No. 3), and WizTheMC and Bees & Honey’s “Show Me Love” (No. 4) all maintaining their positions from last week.
Sombr’s breakout hit “Undressed” is in the top five for the first time (No. 5), up one place from the previous week, while his song “Back to Friends” also rises three spots to No. 12.
The week’s highest new entry comes from Calvin Harris and Clementine Douglas, as their collaboration “Blessings” lands at No. 8. The feat gives Harris his 45th top 10 hit.
Sleep Token has secured its first U.K. No. 1 Album on the Official Albums Chart with Even in Arcadia (May 16). The masked metal band previously hit the No. 3 spot with their 2023 LP Take Me To Eden, and have three songs in this week’s U.K. top 40 singles. In June, the band are […]
Pitbull surprised Shakira‘s fans on Friday (May 16) by opening the Colombian superstar’s concert at MetLife Stadium with a rocker set of his own that included songs such as “Hotel Room Service,” Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” and guitar riffs of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.” The Cuban-American star was announced as a special guest, but […]
Jonah Kagen reigns on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart for the first time, topping the May 24-dated survey with “God Needs the Devil.”
The song, which rises a spot, marks Kagen’s first ruler on any Billboard ranking, earned with his second charted title. Previously, Kagen spent a week on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs in 2021 with the Matoma collaboration “Summer Feeling.”
Kagen becomes the sixth act to rule Alternative Airplay for the first time in 2025. Almost Monday accomplished the feat first in February (“Can’t Slow Down”), followed by Justice and Tame Impala (both on “Neverender” in March), Balu Brigada (“So Cold,” March) and Lola Young (“Messy,” April). Of that group, Justice, Balu Brigada and Young led in their first appearances on the list, like Kagen.
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Roughly halfway through 2025, the year is the best for acts notching inaugural Alternative Airplay No. 1s with their first entries on the chart in five years; in 2020, Absofacto, White Reaper, Sub Urban and All Time Low all reigned on their first tries.
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Kagen’s 29-week trip to No. 1 is the lengthiest since 2023, when Bad Omens’ “Just Pretend” took 32 weeks.
Concurrently, “God Needs the Devil” lifts 9-8 for a new high on the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart with 2.6 million audience impressions, up 10%, in the week ending May 15, according to Luminate. The song peaked at No. 22 on Adult Alternative Airplay in November.
“God Needs the Devil” is on Kagen’s EP Black Dress, which was released in November and has earned 27,000 equivalent album units to date.
All Billboard charts dated May 24 will update on Tuesday, May 20, on Billboard.com.
From career milestones to new music releases to major announcements and those little important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.
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Gushing Over Karol G
Thalia reacted to Karol G’s Netflix documentary, Tomorrow Was Beautiful, with a heartfelt post on social media. “Seeing you shine and hearing that, in some way, I was part of your inspiration touched me to the core,” the Mexican singer and actress expressed. “Thank you for that lovely detail in your documentary. You also inspire me with your strength, your authenticity, and that enormous heart you put into everything you do.”
In the documentary, a young Karol G is seen talking about Thalia’s impact and even singing “Piel Morena” during a local TV interview. “How beautiful it is to see how women can push each other forward, rise up, and celebrate every step together. Here I am, always applauding and admiring you, beautiful babe. Keep flying high, this is just the beginning!” Thalia continued.
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@thalia @Karol G… verte brillar y escuchar que, de alguna manera, fui parte de tu inspiración me emocionó hasta el alma. Gracias por ese detalle tan lindo en tu documental. Tú también me inspiras con tu fuerza, tu autenticidad y ese corazón gigante que dejas en todo lo que haces. ❤️ Qué hermoso es ver cómo las mujeres podemos impulsarnos, elevarnos y celebrar juntas cada paso. Aquí estoy, siempre aplaudiéndote y admirándote, bichota hermosa. ¡Sigue volando alto, que esto apenas comienza! #MujeresQuelnspiran #OrgulloLatino #BichotaPower ♬ sonido original – Thalia
Blessing the Block
Fuerza Regida’s frontman Jesus Ortiz Paz (JOP) hit the streets for his birthday that took place on May 13. But, instead of flaunting his gifts on social media, he opted to give back to the community. In a short clip posted on social media, the Mexican-American singer is seen giving one of his neighbors money, to which she reacts with a thank you, wishes him a happy birthday, and gives him a tight hug. “Blessed the block for his birthday,” reads the video’s caption on TikTok.
Also this week, Fuerza Regida’s new studio album, 111XPANTIA, debuted No. 2 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, becoming the highest-charting Regional Mexican album on the chart and highest-charting Spanish-language album ever by a duo or group. Watch the sweet JOP and vecina encounter below:
Taking Over New York City
This week, the Empire State Building in New York City honored Gloria Estefan’s 50-year music career. In celebration, the iconic building lit up in blue, green, and hot pink to not only tribute her five decades in music, but also commemorate all of her No. 1 hits, including “Raíces,” which is currently at the top of the Billboard Latin Airplay, Latin Pop Airplay, and Tropical Airplay charts. “Wow wow!!! Thank you Empire State Buildingfor lighting up theNew York sky in celebration of 5 decades of No.1s. We feel the love!!” the Cuban-American artist expressed, along with a recap video of her, and Emilio Estefan Jr.s, visit to the coveted building.
Gloria Estefan visits the Empire State Building on May 12, 2025 in New York City.
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust
Celebrating a Queen
Olga Tañón has been named the Queen of the 2025 National Puerto Rican Day Parade set to be celebrated along fifth avenue in New York City on Sunday, June 8. The Puerto Rican merengue star, who was recently honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 Billboard Latin Women in Music Awards, “will lead the parade alongside other notable figures, sharing a day of music, pride, and celebration with her people,” according to an official statement.
“Being part of this tradition that celebrates with such love our roots, culture, and the unbreakable spirit of Puerto Ricans in the diaspora is an immense gift,” the renowned “Mujer de Fuego” (woman of fire) expressed on Instagram. “My heartfelt thanks to the National Puerto Rican Day Parade for this special distinction. Let’s bring all our love, commitment, flavor, and fire! Let’s represent it properly!”
Barbra Streisand has recruited Paul McCartney to join forces for a new version of his 2012 single “My Valentine,” which was released Friday (May 16) via Columbia Records. “What if it rained? We didn’t care/ He said that someday soon the sun was gonna shine/ And he was right, this love of mine/ My valentine,” […]
Drake wants fellow Canadian rapper Tory Lanez to “come home soon” after he was stabbed multiple times in prison and hospitalized earlier this week. On his Instagram Story Friday (May 16), Drake wrote “@torylanez come home soon” while sharing a Change.org petition urging California Governor Gavin Newsom to pardon the fellow Toronto MC, who’s currently […]
