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It’s been three weeks since R&B and soul singer Angie Stone died in a car crash at age 63, and her son is paying tribute to his beloved late mother with a heartfelt Instagram post. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Hey mama, I ain’t want nothing, just wanted […]
Music lovers, rejoice: Playboi Carti‘s 30-track opus is officially a hit.
The new set bows atop the Billboard 200 albums chart this week, moving 298,000 first-week units, according to Luminate — almost exactly triple the number posted by the rapper’s prior Billboard 200-topping effort, 2020’s Whole Lotta Red, in its first frame. In addition, the album charts all 30 of its songs on this week’s Billboard Hot 100, led by “Evil J0rdan,” which enters at No. 2, and already marks Carti’s highest-charting hit as the sole lead artist.
What’s most responsible for the star MC’s improved performance? And what other long-awaited hip-hop albums could meet with similarly explosive opening returns? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.
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1. Playboi Carti debuts atop the Billboard 200 with 298,000 units moved of Music in its first week. Is that number higher, lower or about what you would have expected?
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Angel Diaz: I was hearing crazy predictions, like he was going to move 400k the first week, but this number is around what I expected. Carti going No. 1 was no surprise to those who pay attention.
Carl Lamarre: 298k sounds about right for Carti. Typically, an artist this early into their career can’t afford a five-year layoff. Carti has proven to be the exception, enjoying a torrid features run that has kept his name buzzy in the 2020s rap hierarchy. From Trippie Redd’s “Miss the Rage” to Travis Scott’s “Fe!n” to even Ye’s Hot 100 chart-topper “Carnival,” Carti is a can’t-miss addition every time he pounces on a track. That, plus his rabid fanbase salivating for more solo music, helped him land this incredible feat.
Jason Lipshutz: About what I expected. The follow-up to Whole Lotta Red has been hotly anticipated for years as Playboi Carti has built momentum via guest features and one-off singles. Because of that hype, Music was always going to score one of the biggest debuts of the year when it finally arrived — albeit with enormous streaming totals and no physical releases, which will be coming at a later date. With that in mind, a final figure of 298,000 equivalent album units sounds about right for this Carti project.
Michael Saponara: I’d say slightly under. I probably had him projected for the 300,000 to 350,000 unit range, but still a very solid week to debut at No. 1. Fans have been thirsty for a new Carti album for years, and it paid off in the streaming numbers.
Andrew Unterberger: I would’ve believed just about anything between 100k and 500k — so 300k is right in the creamy middle there, and totally logical.
2. Though it’s his second No. 1 album, Music debuts with nearly three times the units of his prior chart-topper, 2020’s Whole Lotta Red. What do you think is the biggest reason behind the wildly improved performance?
Angel Diaz: There was a ton of hype around this project, especially since Whole Lotta Red ended up polarizing fans. Whether you liked that album or not, WLR showed that he was willing to take risks and it’s hard to deny its influence in today’s landscape. Carti is the leader of the new school and showed that again with this tape. I expect Music to influence the game in similar ways. He took some big swings and showed his versatility with the R&B-type tracks.
Carl Lamarre: Absence makes the heart grow fonder. As I mentioned in my first answer, a five-year gap between albums typically works for well-established acts with proven track records. Carti’s fandom is otherworldly. After years of flexing his handy work on the features side, he’s reaping the benefits of his fans flocking for new music. Despite his meager output on the solo front, he’s a workhorse on the features side, and the results have been golden, both culturally and chart-wise.
Jason Lipshutz: When Whole Lotta Red was released, Playboi Carti was still a rising hip-hop talent with a squelchy sound and jabber-jawed delivery; now, he’s one of the biggest artists in popular music, responsible for a sub-genre and dozens of rage-rap imitators. The gap between Whole Lotta Red and Music gave Carti time to let his influence marinate across hip-hop, and for anticipation to build for his next project’s eventual release. Music’s first-week numbers were always going to surpass those of Whole Lotta Red’s, and for those paying attention, it’s not remotely surprising that the final tally tripled its predecessor’s debut.
Michael Saponara: Carti became the king of the sub-30-year-old rappers, and the leader of a generation in a lot of ways, between his beat selection, rapping styles and fashion. Whole Lotta Red set the sonic landscape of rap for the early 2020s. But as the feverish demand grew exponentially, the supply wasn’t there. He only released one song to streaming services in the time from WLR to Music. Although, Carti dished out a handful of assists with a high hit rate while stealing the show and dishing metaphors on tracks like Ye’s chart-topping “Carnival,” Future and Metro Boomin’s “Type Shit” and he carried Camila Cabello to the Billboard Hot 100 while veering into pop for “I Luv It.” Even as potential pump-faked release dates came and went, the anticipation for Music never waned.
Andrew Unterberger: Releasing 30 new tracks after five years in between releases is certainly a good starting point! But really, the answer is that music kinda caught up to Carti — he felt perennially ahead of his time for his first four or five years of recording, and now it seems like the rest of the hip-hop world has met him on his home turf, with Music really reaping the rewards.
3. All 30 of the album’s tracks debut on the Hot 100 this week, led by “Evil J0rdan” at No. 2 and the Weeknd-assisted “Rather Lie” at No. 4. Does one of those seem like it will be the lasting hit from this album, or do you expect one of the lower-charting songs to have longer legs?
Angel Diaz: I think “Rather Lie” is the safe pick here. However, you gotta remember that “Evil J0rdan” was released as a warmup in January of 2024, so I’m curious to see how long it would’ve stayed on the charts had it been released officially. Maybe it’s charting that high because fans have been waiting for it to hit streaming for quite some time now. I’ve certainly added to those numbers, because it’s probably my favorite song on the album.
Carl Lamarre: I’m happy that “Evil J0rdan” is having a moment, because Carti’s last sustainable hit on his own was probably 2017’s “Magnolia.” It would be great to see this song live in the top 10 for a few months, solidifying his superstardom and hitmaking abilities. And as much as I would love to see “Evil J0rdan” have that extended success, I’d also like to see “Backd00r” flourish and become a runaway hit. It’s a fun record that both the guys and girls can vibe with, and is a favorite among the cluster of collaborations Carti has on this album.
Jason Lipshutz: “Rather Lie” is the one, simply because it’s the track that best crystallizes Playboi Carti’s pop appeal. Songs like “Evil J0rdan,” which finally receives a proper release years after surfacing online, demonstrate the head-banging relentlessness of his style and will continue soundtracking freak-outs both solo and communal, but “Rather Lie” sports a catchy Weeknd hook, reined-in Carti verses and a recognizable verse-chorus structure. Radio will boost “Rather Lie,” and help it endure on the Hot 100 as other Music songs fade off the chart.
Michael Saponara: I think it’s going to be “Rather Lie.” An infectious hook from The Weeknd makes it digestible and can easily be engulfed by radio stations across the country. I expect “Rather Lie” to have legs into the summer, especially with Abel and Carti heading out on a stadium tour together. Don’t count out “Backd00r” either. It didn’t debut in the Hot 100’s top 10, but Kendrick Lamar’s unlikely meshing with Carti’s style shouldn’t go away as K. Dot has made a living on the charts for the better part of the last 12 months.
Andrew Unterberger: For now, at least, it’s “Evil J0rdan” by default — but I could certainly see this being an album where a track from the back end of the tracklist unexpectedly takes off several months from now, and ends up going so viral that we can’t believe we ever considered anything else Music‘s biggest breakout hit.
4. We’ve seen a number of hip-hop albums in recent years debut with a big first-week number and Hot 100 profile, but outside of Kendrick Lamar’s GNX, most have them have fallen off pretty quickly. Do you expect Music to still be a strong Billboard 200 contender a few weeks or a month from now?
Angel Diaz: Yeah, I expect this tape to have some staying power, especially with the weather getting nicer. We can’t underestimate how much younger rap fans and artists obsess over Carti. He even had Ye crashing out on X, because he was dominating the conversation once he finally dropped. Carti and Kendrick are the two kings of their respective generations.
Carl Lamarre: Music should stay a top 10 threat for a month at least. It’s a colossal return for Carti, who rolled out 30 new songs for fans who haven’t heard from him in half a decade. For some, it’s also a slog, where you’ll need constant replays to digest the project fully. It took me three listens to get through the entire album, maybe because I’m officially an old head. Now, imagine someone half my age who’s one of the Carti Faithful. This album was their Christmas — an extended one at that.
Jason Lipshutz: Yes, because Playboi Carti has leapt into the upper class of hip-hop. Sure, GNX includes multiple surefire hits, but it also helps that Kendrick Lamar is enormous, leading the cultural conversation and compelling a wide swath of listeners to return to his messages. Playboi Carti’s music has a different type of appeal, but he’s grown into a force of nature, with a young fan base hungry to stream 30-song projects full of blunt emotion, screeching production and different vocal contortions. His stature suggests that Music and its biggest hits are going to linger on the charts for a long time.
Michael Saponara: SWAMP IZZO. I just wanted to get that in here somewhere. Don’t expect Music to be going anywhere anytime soon from the charts: All 30 tracks debuted on the Hot 100 and fans are having fun sifting through the album with different sounds and flows grabbing their ears each listen. While Carti gets dinged for a lack of lyrical depth, he doesn’t get enough credit for sonic dexterity. From the rage rap to the 2010s trap, Carti served up a ranging platter showcasing his artistic repertoire across the thrilling 76-minute project. SEEEYUH.
Andrew Unterberger: It’s too big and will post streaming numbers too large for it to just go away anytime soon. But the streaming numbers are already starting to trail off in Music‘s second week — the album absolutely dominated the Apple Music chart during its first couple days of release, but now the only songs left in the top 10 are “J0rdan” and “Lie,” at spots No. 9 and 10, respectively. If the album continues to fade at this rate, and doesn’t generate some kind of late-breaking hit, it could still end up the mid-decade version of Lil Uzi Vert’s Eternal Atake: a set whose remarkable early performance was more about catching up to the artist’s prior popularity, rather than actually taking them to that next level.
5. Carti’s new album was arguably hip-hop’s most-anticipated going into 2025, coming nearly a full half-decade after Red. Who do you think now takes over the mantle of the artist with the most anticipated upcoming album?
Angel Diaz: Drake hasn’t dropped a proper solo album in two years, so I’m going to say him. I mean let’s tell the truth, everyone is waiting for his Blueprint 2 where he addresses this past year. The only other projects that I’m really anticipating are the upcoming Alchemist albums with Yasiin Bey and Erykah Badu.
Carl Lamarre: It’s not that he needs to drop, but I’ll go with Jay mainly because Drake is now standing at his front door, waiting to break his record for the most No. 1 albums by a rapper (14). Also, considering the treacherous bulls–t Jay overcame with the sexual assault allegations — which were dismissed with prejudice in the last few months — I would love to hear where his psyche is now, and his thoughts on the rap scene. It would make for some Grade-A caliber bars.
Jason Lipshutz: Flip one letter, and you’ve got “Cardi.” Even though it’s been seven years since Invasion of Privacy, Cardi B is still capable of ascending to the peak of the Hot 100 and snapping the hip-hop world to attention when she finally unveils a new full-length. The wait continues, but the anticipation has not waned.
Michael Saponara: Either A$AP Rocky with Don’t Be Dumb or Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter VI.
Andrew Unterberger: It’s sorta crazy to think we’ve now gone four years since the last proper J. Cole album, especially since he’s been teasing The Fall Off since the album before that one. Folks will still be excited to hear from Cole when he returns, but he’s got more to prove at this point than he’s had in a long time — and the longer he waits, the more work he’s gonna have to do to make his case.
Jeff Goldblum keeps busy. In between a boundless press cycle for Wicked and an anticipated second round ahead of its counterpart, Wicked: For Good, the acclaimed actor found time to record his fourth album — and stop by Billboard News to discuss it.
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Titled Still Blooming, the set arrives April 25 on Decca Records (and Verve in the U.S.). Recorded with his longtime band of 30-plus years, The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, the album collects jazz standards from Broadway’s golden era and the Great American Songbook — and its superstar features match such stellar curation.
Scarlett Johansson guests on the aptly titled lead single “The Best Is Yet to Come” while his Wicked pals Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo each contribute a song of their own. When it came to tapping Johansson, Goldblum says they met thanks to working on two Wes Andreson films together — they both voice acted on Isle of Dogs and appeared in Asteroid City.
“We were at the premiere of [the latter] and on that occasion I got to talking about my musical life,” says Goldblum. “And she said, ‘Well, I’d like to do something.’ And she suggested that song.”
As for Grande and Erivo, Goldblum says, “I just think the world of them.”
“We were on set and I could’ve been intimidated, but they were so warm,” he says. “Pretty soon I was singing everything from The American Songbook, all of which they knew and joined in.”
One day, he recalls, he started singing, “I Don’t Know Why (I Just Do).” Grande immediately recognized it, telling Goldblum her grandfather used to sing it to her all the time. And now, her rendition with Goldblum and his band opens Still Blooming.
As for Erivo, he remembers telling the star he would be equally honored if she wanted to sing on the album as well, and together they landed on “We’ll Meet Again.” She came to The Hobby Shop studio in Los Angeles to record her vocals and, as Goldblum says, there were “chills and tears as usual.”
Goldblum then shared how it felt to have a front row seat watching Grande and Erivo perform at the Oscars — and on the set of Wicked and elsewhere — saying he could cry just thinking about it.
Elsewhere in the conversation, he looked to the past — speaking of his long-lasting love for jazz, even sharing the weirdest place he’s ever hopped on the keys — and the future, sharing how else he hopes to continue blooming for years to come.
“I’ve always said I’m a late bloomer,” he shares. “I just had kids for the first time in my life, nine years ago. My acting feels like it’s better than ever and I’m getting opportunities to exercise that — and my music.”
Watch the full interview above.
Lady A member Charles Kelley and his wife Cassie let fans in on a secret on Tuesday (March 25), revealing that they are expecting their second child this fall. In an Instagram post shared by the couple, they captioned the photos, “Biggest surprise of our lives! Baby Kelley coming early fall 2025 ????? Big brother […]
Playboi Carti continues his triumphant week on Billboard’s charts as he becomes the first rapper — and only third artist overall — to score at least 30 simultaneous hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in a single week. The avalanche comes almost entirely from the 27-year-old Atlanta native’s new album, MUSIC, which concurrently storms in at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
On the chart dated March 29, Playboi Carti claims 31 total hits on the Hot 100 — all 30 of his MUSIC tracks from the project’s streaming edition, and a feature credit on The Weeknd’s “Timeless,” from the pop/R&B superstar’s Hurry Up Tomorrow album. Thanks to the haul, Playboi Carti joins Taylor Swift and Morgan Wallen as the only artists to capture more than 30 spots on the list simultaneously. Wallen owns the record, with 36 placements on the chart dated March 18, 2023, due to his One Thing at a Time drop, while Swift has crossed the 30-song mark twice: 32 on the list dated May 4, 2024, after her The Tortured Poets Department release, and 31 entries the following week.
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With 31 simultaneous hits, Playboi Carti rewrites the record for most Hot 100 entries by a rapper in a single week. Drake previously held the mark, with 27 appearances on the July 14, 2018, chart in the wake of the arrival of his blockbuster Scorpion album.
Playboi Carti’s MUSIC campaign begins with “Evil J0rdan,” which debuts at No. 2 on the Hot 100. The entrance matches Playboi Carti’s best Hot 100 showing as a lead act, tying the four-way track “Type Shit,” with Future, Metro Boomin and Travis Scott, which peaked in the runner-up spot in April 2024. Among all his credits, Playboi Carti featured with fellow guest Rich the Kid on Ye (formerly Kanye West) and Ty Dolla $ign’s “Carnival,” which topped the Hot 100 for one week in March 2024.
MUSIC sparks another Hot 100 top 10 in “Rather Lie,” with The Weeknd, which starts at No. 4. The new single, now being promoted to radio, is the pair’s third shared Hot 100 entry, after “Popular,” also with Madonna, reached No. 43 in June 2023, and “Timeless,” which opened at its No. 3 peak last October.
Thanks to all the MUSIC activity, Playboi Carti surges 75-1 for his first week atop the Billboard Artist 100, which measures artist activity across key metrics of music consumption — album and track sales, radio airplay and streaming — to provide a weekly multi-dimensional ranking of the most popular artists. The rapper previously peaked at No. 2 in January 2021, following the arrival of his Whole Lotta Red album.
Here’s a complete rundown of Playboi Carti’s tracks on this week’s Hot 100:
No. 2, “Evil J0rdan”
No. 4, “Rather Lie,” with The Weeknd
No. 17, “Good Credit,” with Kendrick Lamar
No. 20, “Crush,” with Travis Scott
No. 23, “Timeless,” with The Weeknd
No. 25, “Backd00r,” with Kendrick Lamar and Jhene Aiko
No. 27, “Mojo Jojo”
No. 28, Philly,” with Travis Scott
No. 33, “Fine Shit”
No. 34, “Toxic,” with Skepta
No. 38, “K Pop”
No. 41, “Pop Out”
No. 43, “Radar”
No. 46, “Trim,” with Future
No. 48, “HBA”
No. 49, “Charge Dem Hoes a Fee,” with Travis Scott
No. 52, “Wake Up F1lthy,” with Travis Scott
No. 53, “Jumpin,” with Lil Uzi Vert
No. 54, “I Seeeeee You Baby Boi”
No. 55, “Crank”
No. 56, “Like Weezy”
No. 58, “Twin Trim,” with Lil Uzi Vert
No. 65, “Olympian”
No. 69, “Munyun”
No. 71, “We Need All Da Vibes,” with Young Thug and Ty Dolla $ign
No. 75, “Opm Babi”
No. 80, “Cocaine Nose”
No. 85, “Dis 1 Got It”
No. 86, “Overly”
No. 88, “South Atlanta Baby”
No. 96, “Walk”
On Sunday night (Mar. 23), Playboi Carti notched his second Billboard 200 No. 1 album with MUSIC. The colossal 30-track set scored a wondrous debut for the OPIUM leader, as he secured the biggest streaming week for any album in nearly a year. For Carti, this is his first album in five years, and its debut nearly triples the opening week-performance of his previous album, 2020 demon-driven effort Whole Lotta Red, confirming him as a leading light of this rap generation. Though Carti should savor this win, the late great Ben Parker comes to mind: “With great power comes great responsibility.” If Carti wants to be the undisputed torchbearer for hip-hop, he should consider a few crucial factors on his road to glory.
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Before his MUSIC atomic bomb detonated the charts, Carti was a proven features savant. His eccentric delivery and kooky flows made him a must-listen whenever he was penciled in on a guest slot. Over the last couple years, he’s left indelible prints on songs like Kanye’s “Carnival,” Future and Metro Boomin’s “Type S–t,” Travis Scott’s “Fe!n,” and The Weeknd’s “Timeless,” which all became Hot 100 flamethrowers, with the first becoming his first No. 1 hit. Though Carti is a missile on features, he’ll need more enduring hits on the solo front to cement his legitimacy as a bonafide hitmaker.
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His 2017 breakout “Magnolia” from his self-titled mixtape was a seismic force culturally and musically. The Pierre Bourne-produced hit was his first top-30 song and was beloved by rap fans, with the biggest one being Jay-Z, who dubbed the record “incredible.”But eight years later, “Magnolia” is still the only song with Carti as a lone artist to spend more than 10 weeks total on the chart. If Carti wants to be the “Travis Scott of Atlanta,” as he was rumored to have told Akademiks, he’ll need to churn out bangers of his own like his Houston brethren.
So far, Carti might have a heater on his hands with “EVIL J0RDAN,” which is in the early lead as MUSIC’s most popular record, netting nearly 53 million plays on Spotify and debuts just behind Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s five-week No.1 “Luther” at the runner-up spot on this week’s Hot 100. When you think of rap giants like Drake, Kendrick, Cole, Future, Travis, and now Tyler, they all landed a hit that lasted beyond their album’s opening week. The question going forward will be if “EVIL J0RDAN” can stick around in the top 10 longer than its opening week, and have the legs to compete well into the spring.
Carti’s steadfastness in his sound and lack of compromise is also something that will add to his legacy as he goes deeper into his career. Though he brought in the late-2010s rap Avengers in Kendrick, Future, Travis, and Uzi for MUSIC, he doesn’t sacrifice his sound to do that, which plays into his genesis as a superstar. Lamar, arguably in the midst of the most incredible run in hip-hop history, appears thrice on the project and is pretty malleable, sliding seamlessly into Carti’s orbit. Whether he’s playing lyrical hopscotch with his rap “twin” on “GOOD CREDIT” or ad-libbing alongside him on “MOJO JOJO,” Lamar slips into those pockets like a hand-in-glove, without spoiling Carti’s efforts.
Carti’s vision isn’t one that everyone can understand, especially those from an older era, but the fact that he has earned the trust and respect of both Mount Rushmore-caliber rappers like Lamar and Future and even current generational leaders like Uzi and Travis speaks to his unflappable influence. Whole Lotta Red was rage rap at its finest and, for some fans, a challenging departure from his Die Lit days. On MUSIC, though, Carti tones down the vamp rap and made palatable music for his day-one listeners while still showing love for his mosh-pit bandits, especially on “POP OUT.”
As Carti continues his quest for immortality, he must also continue to nurture his burgeoning Opium collective, which has thrived under his watch. The rise of Destroy Lonely and Ken Carson in the last few years has answered questions about Carti’s executive skills. Last summer, Carson notched his first Hot 100 hit with “Overseas,” and before that, he enjoyed a torrid set at Coachella and toured with revered rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. As for Destroy, last year, he earned his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart with Love Lasts Forever, also debuting at No. 10 on the Billboard 200. Despite not having Carson or Lonely on the album, there’s always time for Carti to put out an OPIUM project to satiate fans’ hunger between releases, which would bode well for his team and excite fans about the collective’s promising future.
Lastly, the huge question mark is Carti’s productivity. After a grueling five-year wait with MUSIC, Carti can’t afford to make fans wait until 2030 for another album, even if he’s dropping fiery features. Past hip-hop greats have traditionally gone at most two to three years without releasing a project. Carti – still in the early stages of his career – needs to increase his output exponentially. There’s no reason why he can’t release at least two more projects before 2030, which would firmly secure his place as one of the decade’s preeminent greats.
With the “Big Three” conversation still oozing out of barbershops and every other rap podcast, the new topic of choice should be: Does Carti now need to be included in any such discussion? If he amps up his output, grows his collective and scores some huge hits of his own, he absolutely will be.
Outside Lands is returning to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, Calif., this summer, and the festival released its star-studded lineup on Tuesday (March 25).
Tyler, the Creator, Hozier and Doja Cat lead the three-day event, which takes place from August 8 to 10. John Summit, Anderson .Paak and the Free Nationals, Vampire Weekend, Glass Animals, Gracie Abrams, Jamie XX, Doechii, and Gesaffelstein are also among this year’s highlighted performers.
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That’s not all. More major performers on the lineup include Bleachers, Jorja Smith, Still Woozy, Thundercat, Marina, Royal Otis, Finneas, Ludacris, Wallows, Role Model and BigXthaPlug, among others.
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“We are beyond excited to return to Golden Gate Park, where we’ll be celebrating everything that makes San Francisco truly world-class—its vibrant culture, its incredible community, and of course, our one-of-a-kind Outside Lands festival,” said Allen Scott, co-founder of Outside Lands and president of concerts and festivals at Another Planet Entertainment, in a press statement. “This year’s lineup captures the dynamic, ever-evolving tastes of the Bay Area. We’re proud to curate a festival that spans generations, bringing something unique and unforgettable for everyone.”
Three-day passes go on sale here on Wednesday (March 26) at 10 p.m. PT. GA tickets start at $499, and fans are encouraged to purchase at the time of the on sale for the lowest possible price. Payment Plans for 3-Day GA, GA+ and VIP tickets start at $99 down. Golden Gate Club passes will also go on sale along with reservations for Cabanas and Box Suites.
See the full lineup below.
It’s Billboard Women in Music week, so let’s go ahead and give the ladies their flowers. On Saturday (March 29), Emmy winner Laverne Cox will host the 2025 Billboard Women in Music event, honoring aespa, Ángela Aguilar, Erykah Badu, Glorilla, Gracie Abrams, JENNIE, Megan Moroney, Meghan Trainor, Muni Long, Tyla and Doechii. With Badu earning the Icon Award, Big Glo being named this year’s Powerhouse honoree, Muni Long snagging the Rising Star Award and Doechii — who recently bagged her first Hot 100 top 10 hit with “Anxiety” — landing the Woman of the Year title, this year’s event will celebrate the breadth of women running hip-hop and R&B.
Outside of Women in Music, Ye kept the hip-hop world on its toes by dropping a link to his Bully album, Jack Harlow and Doja Cat joined forces for a new bop featuring a cameo-filled music video and Casey Wasserman — the chairman of the 2028 L.A. Olympics organizing committee — teased a possible Kendrick Lamar performance at the forthcoming Games. Oh, and Playboi Carti notched the biggest Billboard 200 debut of his career, as well as 30 concurrent Hot 100 entries, thanks to his culture-dominating Music LP.
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With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from JT’s summer-ready banger to Nettspend and Xaviersobased’s new link-up. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
Freshest Find: JT, “Ran Out”
After taking the world by star with City Cinderella and cemeting herself as a solo artist, JT is back with some more heat. “Ran Out,” an infectious, Y2K-nodding banger in the nonchalant, self-assuered spirit on “Okay,” introduces the Miami MC’s new era, complete with an artsy music video starring famed content creator Quenlin Blackwell. Perfectly timed to grow into a summer anthem, “Ran Out” finds JT reviving the irresistible, slightly whiny delivery of the OG City Girl days while building on her penchant for hooks constructed out of flipping the meaning of a word or phrase multiple times. “Had to stay down, bitches ran out/ My card ain’t work, so I ran out/ The time for these niggas done ran out/ I’m still gettin’ money, I ain’t running out,” she spits in the second half of the hook over bass-heavy production from Ben10k, Danes Blood & 254Bodi. — KYLE DENIS
Nettspend feat. Xaviersobased, “Impact”
Brace for “Impact,” a pair of Gen-Z’s burgeoning rap stars have linked up. Virginia meets NYC as Nettspend and Xaviersobased connect for a glimmering track. Nett’s syrupy AutoTune-laced melodies pace “Impact” with a catchy chorus while Xavier fills in the blanks and closes out his verse relaying his “Saks in the mornin’, Neimans in the evening” shopping habits. Rap’s next generation is carving out its own lane, despite the genre’s elder statesmen begrudgingly lending co-signs. — MICHAEL SAPONARA
FLO feat. Chy Cartier, “Get It Till I’m Gone (Remix)“
FLO & Chy Cartier’s “Get It Till I’m Gone (Remix)” is a bold, empowering anthem about reclaiming power after being taken for granted in a relationship. Rather than wallowing in heartbreak, the song flips the script by showcasing confidence and self-worth, with the artists making it clear that they won’t settle for less. The remix adds a fiery intensity, with Chy Cartier’s verse turning up the heat, proving that walking away is the ultimate flex. With its catchy hooks and unapologetic vibe, “Get It Till I’m Gone” serves as both a declaration of independence and a warning to anyone who fails to appreciate the ladies of FLO and Chy Cartier. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON
Droogie Otis feat. Boldy James, “Everything Designer”
Madlib and Your Old Droog are dropping a tape this year, which was news to me until I came across this song. And when you think about it, their styles mesh well together. There’s nothing quite like witty bars over Madlib loops, and MCs like Droog and Boldy have raps like that for days. — ANGEL DIAZ
Jada Kingdom, “G.A.D.”
After spending last year sparring in instantly iconic clashes and ruling fetes with global hits like “What’s Up (Big Buddy),” Jamaican dancehall fusion artist Jada Kingdom is back with a terrific new single ahead of her forthcoming EP. Inspired by local slang that unfairly compares women to drugs, Jada flips the slight on its head, spitting, “Word on the street is girls are drugs/ Dem search fi di tightest buff/ Addicted to the squeeze and clutch/ Wan spend it all pon a serious f–k.” As addictive as she paints women to be, Jada is also primarily concerned with infusing a feminist streak in her reimagning of local slang. “Every gyal man a show me love/ Nah fall fi none, mi put mi feelings up/ Just a girl in a money man’s world/ Mi a have my way, but muss!” she proclaims over the electric guitar-infused Zimi Recrods production. — K.D.
Lil Durk feat. Jhené Aiko, “Can’t Hide It”
Lil Durk tied the knot with India Royale last year, and he opens up about marriage with his Deep Thoughts single. “Can’t Hide It” arrives amid the rapper’s murder-for-hire case as Durk remains behind bars while continuing to flood the streets with music. The raunchy yet romantic track invites Jhené Aiko, who purifies the air and floats above with her celestial vocals while Durk taps into his more melodic side. He even harmonizes alongside the R&B singer turning “Can’t Hide It” into a duet. Look for Smurk’s Deep Thoughts album to be released on Friday (March 28) via Alamo Records. — M.S.
Wolfacejoeyy, “Petty”
Wolfacejoeyy’s “Petty” is a playful yet toxic anthem about turning heartbreak into a competition. Instead of expressing vulnerability, he matches his ex’s energy by flexing his lifestyle, flaunting material success, and even mentioning her best friend. The song captures the ego-driven nature of modern relationships, where social media, status, and revenge take priority over honest emotions. With its smooth, melodic flow and catchy hooks, “Petty” masks frustration with a carefree attitude, making toxicity sound effortlessly cool. — C.C.
Shoreline Mafia, “Back in Bidness”
Shoreline could not have picked a better time to make a comeback as the West Coast is currently in somewhat of a resurgence, thanks largely to Kendrick Lamar and his friends over at TDE. This song and video remind me of when Capone-N-Noreaga came back after War Report with the Reunion album. Shoreline hasn’t dropped an album since 2020’s Mafia Bidness, but this is a perfect lead single to get folks ready for the return. — A.D.
Nija, “32nd Floor”
Three-time Grammy-nominated songwrite Nija is back with a new joint, finally giving us the follow-up to last year’s “Unruly.” When we in the hotel lobby, all of them people ‘round me/ Keep calm, but as soon as we go up, boy you know you got me/ Keep it on the 32nd Floor,” she croons over Eliasodt and Mike Hector’s joint production. The privacy of the penthouse suite is a tired-and-true setting for music’s greatest love escapafes, and Nija doesn’t disappoint with her sultry, guitar-inflected take on the concept ahead of her forthcoming new project, her first since 2022’s Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You. — K.D.
TheARTI$T, “Ghost”
TheARTI$t’s “Ghost” captures the raw, haunting aftermath of a love that burns out too soon. With vivid imagery of California sunsets and moonlit drives, the song turns heartbreak into a ghostly presence that lingers long after the love is gone. The ARTI$t’s confusion and longing are palpable as they reflect on what went wrong, leaving them to navigate an emotional void. “Ghost” perfectly blends nostalgia with the painful reality of being left with nothing but memories. — C.C.
Reign, “Lowjacc”
Brooklyn rapper Reign delivers a formidable, fiery tape with It’s Up Forever — and “Lowjacc” is a standout on a project filled with them. Across Dizzy Banko’s high-octane production, Reign spits an impressive stream-of-consciousness verse that finds him balancing talking a big game with dropping incomparable nuggets of wisdom. “What you think we trap for? Push a f–king RAV4/ Run this town you gotta build a f–king rapport/ Live on a prayer and call up a f–king task force/ You know the vibes, what the f–k you gotta ask for?” he spits. — K.D.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: TMZ / TMZ
Rapper SKG Is Celebrating Big U’s RICO Arrest
Big U, an alleged Los Angeles Rollin’ 60s Crips gang member and community activist, has been arrested, along with other individuals, on a RICO charge. While 58-year-old Eugene Henley is denying the allegations, others associated with him are celebrating his arrest.
Rapper SKG told TMZ that she was a “victim” of Big U, adding, “He’s a monster.”
Helecia Choyce, known professionally as SKG—which stands for “Suge Knight Girl”—is a former Death Row Records artist. She told the gossip site that Big U was responsible for having her assaulted numerous times. She also claims that he extorted her and regularly threatened other artists who wanted to work with her.
She also expressed sympathy for the family of Rayshawn Williams, the 21-year-old aspiring rapper who federal prosecutors allege Big U murdered in Las Vegas back in 2021.
When asked if she believes that Big U had any involvement in the death of Nipsey Hussle nearly six years ago—she noted that the public is likely to be “shocked” once the details of the allegations against Big U are made public, adding that the elder gang leader was “jealous” of the deceased rapper.
For their part, the feds are not alleging that Big U was involved in Nipsey’s death. The shooter, Eric Holder Jr., is the only person convicted in the 2019 murder and is currently serving 60 years to life.
This is not SKG’s first time speaking out about Big U. In a previous interview with Wack 100, she stated that Big U was involved in Williams’s death. She also added that she and her community will be safer with Big U off the streets.
SKG is best known for her 2022 album, Unfinished Business. The indie release featured appearances by Boosie, Paul Wall, Juvenile, Suga Free, Beenie Man and more. She also appeared in an independent film called F Friendship, and directed a short documentary about being mentored by Afeni Shakur.
As previously reported by HipHopWired, in the 107-page federal complaint, officials say that Henley ran his self-styled enterprise similarly to how the Mafia operates, using his “stature and long-standing association with the Rollin’ 60s and other street gangs to intimidate businesses and individuals” across the city.
Big U has denied the allegations against him and says he has contributed positively to his South Los Angeles community.
Maren Morris has announced the release date for her anticipated fourth studio album, Dreamsicle. The 14-track LP is slated to drop on May 9, with the first single, “Carry Me Through,” slated for release on Thursday morning (March 27). Morris has been doing a slow reveal of the new album on her newly wiped Instagram […]
