State Champ Radio Music
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An unexpected appearance by Ms. Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean was just one of the many riveting moments at the celebration of life honoring the legendary Roberta Flack inside Harlem, New York’s Abyssinian Baptist Church on Monday (March 10).
Among the additional stars, executives, friends and family lifting up their voices in tribute to the pioneering singer-songwriter-musician-activist were Stevie Wonder, Valerie Simpson, Phylicia Rashad, Dionne Warwick, Alicia Keys, India.Arie, Peabo Bryson and Clive Davis. Flack died on Feb. 24 at age 88.
Before segueing into a beautiful and measured take on the Flack classic “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” an emotional Hill sniffled her way through reflections about her late idol. “We weren’t formally asked to do this because I think they were a little shy in asking us to attend,” Hill began. “So we kind of bum-rushed the service because it really wouldn’t be possible for us to just stand by and not participate.
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“The artistry of Ms. Roberta Flack was beyond trailblazing,” Hill continued in part. “Like Nina Simone, she carved out for me a pathway of soulful Black intellectual sublime beauty that not only spoke to Black resistance directly in lyric and statement, but was Black resistance to racism, bigotry and limitations by virtue of its existence. … She didn’t just write about the beauty; she was the beauty. She didn’t just write about resistance; her existence was a form of resistance. She wrote our stories in forms the established authorities of the time could not deny; compositions wrapped with graceful classical forms and nuances that would not nor could not be dismissed. … I thank my parents for introducing me to her masterful music. Thank you to our Father in Heaven, to our God on high for blessing and enriching all of our lives with her presence and undeniable gifts. Roberta Flack is legend.”
Met with resounding applause, cheers and a standing ovation inside the packed church, Hill and Jean — accompanied by a pianist and three backing vocalists — launched into a sing-along of the Fugees’ hit reinterpretation of the Flack gem “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” Adding an extra touch to the performance: Wonder standing in the church aisle playing the harmonica.
Following next on the program, Wonder prefaced his musical contribution with insightful comments that touched on Flack’s artistry as well as her commitment to activism. “The great thing about not having the ability to see with your eyes is the great opportunity in being able to see even better with your heart,” he shared. “So I knew how beautiful Roberta was. I celebrate that because I see that so much of the world and yes, this nation too, must be blind at this point … and it breaks my heart. And Roberta, I want to just say to you in spirit, I thank you for letting me hear your voice, letting me know your spirit, letting me know your heart and letting me be able to share with you songs that I was writing.”
One of those songs was “If It’s Magic.” Accompanied solely by a harpist, Wonder delivered a piercing take on the track, which is featured on his award-winning double album Songs in the Key of Life. Joined afterwards by the harpist and a conga player as he sat at the piano, Wonder performed a song that he wrote for Flack, “I Can See the Sun.” Noted Wonder at the end, “She spread love all over this world.’
Songwriter Hall of Fame member Valerie Simpson (along with late husband Nick Ashford) also sat down at the piano for an improvised take on one of Ashford & Simpson’s signature hits “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing,” in salute to Flack’s artistic authenticity. Among the other memorable performances was famed backing vocalist Lisa Fischer’s searing and soaring version of “Somewhere (There’s a Place for Us)” from West Side Story. Also sharing their reflections and memories were actress Phylicia Rashad, Flack’s cousin Carol Flack, Flack’s longtime manager/friend Suzanne Koga and family friend Santita Jackson. Jackson, a singer who once toured with Flack, said her father Rev. Jesse Jackson wanted her to remind attendees of one important fact: that Flack “was the perfect blend of soul and science; she put her ego to the side and just sang the song. A pure genius.”
Rounding out Flack’s celebration of life were video clips featuring reflections from a diverse range of artists and industry personages such as Clive Davis (“There will never be another Roberta Flack”), Oprah Winfrey, Alicia Keys, India.Arie, Peabo Bryson, Dionne Warwick, Les McCann and Yoko Ono. Letters from former vp Kamala Harris and Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. were read as well. Rev. Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy; presiding over the memorial service was Abyssinian Baptist Church’s Rev. Dr. Kevin Johnson. The celebration program also noted that donations in Flack’s memory can be sent to the RobertaFlackFoundation.org.
When we say j-hope is comfortable on the stage, we mean from his head all the way down to his fuzzy feet. On Monday night’s (March 10) episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the BTS star will make his solo debut performance on the late-night show, joined by R&B singer Miguel for their […]
Benny Blanco turned 37 years old on Saturday (March 8), and Selena Gomez celebrated her fiancé’s birthday with an adorable Instagram post. “I’m not sure what I did to deserve you but damn am I glad you were born.. happy birthday baby,” the “Love You Like a Love Song” singer wrote alongside photos of the […]
J Balvin and Feid’s “Doblexxo” snags the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart as the song climbs 6-1 for its first week atop the March 15-dated list. The song lands at the summit in its 13th week.
“I feel super excited to know that our fans have embraced this song in such a way,” Balvin tells Billboard. “Feid’s talent is undeniable and our chemistry when it comes to making music has always been amazing. I can’t wait to sing ‘Doblexxo’ live during my upcoming Rayo tour.”
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In the tracking week ending March 6, “Doblexxo” pulled 8.4 million audience impressions earned in the U.S., according to Luminate; that’s a 32% gain from the week prior when the song generated 6.1 million.
With “Doblexxo,” Balvin achieves his record-extending 37th No. 1s since the Latin Airplay chart began in 1994, opening a wider gap from his next competitor (Ozuna, 34 champs). Feid bags his ninth ruler. The latter last reached the top with “Si Sabe Ferxxo,” with Blessd, which spent a week at No. 1 in June 2024.
Except for 2024, Balvin has placed at least one champ every year during his decadelong No. 1 chart career, dating back to “6AM,” featuring Farruko (May 2014). He completed his most lucrative period in 2022, placing nine No. 1 hits between February and October then. The year before, Balvin reached his second-best run, with six No. 1s in 2019.
Good reception across Latin rhythmic stations also spurs its coronation on the Latin Rhythm Airplay chart, where “Doblexxo” jumps 3-1. There, Balvin also stands firmly ahead of the rest, with 37 No. 1s. (Daddy Yankee follows with 35.)
The song’s 13-week climb to No. 1 marks a longer stride to the top than Balvin and Feid’s past pair-up, “Porfa” — where Maluma, Nicky Jam, Sech and Justin Quiles are also part of the billing — as it ruled after eight weeks in August 2020.
“Doblexxo” is the fourth radio promoted single from Balvin’s sixth studio album Rayo, which debuted and peaked at No. 5 on Latin Rhythm Albums last August.
All charts (dated March 15, 2025) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, March 11. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Kendrick Lamar’s GNX returns to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for a third nonconsecutive week on top. The set climbs 3-1 (on the March 15-dated chart) with 90,500 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending March 6 (down 15%), according to Luminate. GNX debuted atop the chart dated Dec. 7, 2024, and returned to the top on the Feb. 22-dated chart in the wake of its physical release and Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show (Feb. 9).
Meanwhile, the lone debut in the top 10 is LISA, whose first full-length studio album, Alter Ego, enters at No. 7. She becomes the second member of the chart-topping group BLACKPINK to notch a solo top 10 effort, following ROSÉ.
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The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new March 15, 2025-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on March 11. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Of GNX’s 90,500 equivalent album units earned in the latest tracking week, SEA units comprise 73,000 (down 15%, equaling 103.14 million on-demand official streams; it holds at No. 3 on Top Streaming Albums), album sales comprise 16,500 (down 13%; it’s a non-mover at No. 2 on Top Album Sales) and TEA units comprise 1,000 (down 18%).
PARTYNEXTDOOR and Drake’s chart-topping $ome $exy $ongs 4 U holds at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 90,000 equivalent album units earned (down 24%; while it holds at No. 1 on Top Streaming Albums for a third week).
Tate McRae’s So Close To What falls to No. 3 with 87,000 equialent album units (down 51%) after debuting atop the chart a week ago.
Nos. 4-6 on the latest Billboard 200 are all former chart-toppers, and non-movers, as SZA’s SOS is No. 4 (74,000 equivalent album units; down 10%), Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet is No. 5 (64,000; down 16%) and Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos is No. 6 (56,000; down 11%).
LISA has the top debut of the week as her first full-length studio effort, Alter Ego, enters at No. 7 with 45,500 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, album sales comprise 28,000 (it debuts at No. 1 on Top Album Sales), SEA units comprise 16,500 (equaling 23.12 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs; it debuts at No. 31 on Top Streaming Albums) and TEA units comprise 1,000.
During the album’s release week, LISA performed on the Academy Awards (March 2), taking part in a tribute to the music of the James Bond film series, where she performed Wings’ “Live and Let Die.” She recently made her acting debut in the third season of HBO’s The White Lotus (which premiered on Feb. 16).
Alter Ego was preceded by a trio of charting songs from the album on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: “Rockstar” (No. 70 peak in July 2024), “New Woman” (featuring Rosalía; No. 97 in August) and “Born Again” (featuring Doja Cat and RAYE; No. 68 in February).
Alter Ego was issued as a standard 12-song album (on streamers, and to purchase as a digital download, CD and vinyl), a 15-song set (with three bonus tracks, on streamers and as digital download) and a 19-track set (with three additional remixes and a voice note from the artist, sold as a digital download exclusively on LISA’s official webstore). The set was issued across nine CD variants (including a signed edition; with all containing collectible paper ephemera such as randomized photocards), six deluxe CD boxed sets (each containing a copy of the album on CD and a branded piece of clothing) and two vinyl variants (including one signed edition).
LISA is a member of the Billboard 200-topping quartet BLACKPINK, who saw its last album, BORN PINK, debut atop the chart dated Oct. 1, 2022, after the act’s The Album became its first top 10 (No. 2, 2020). LISA is the second member of the group to notch a top 10-charting solo effort on the Billboard 200, following ROSÉ, whose rosie debuted and peaked at No. 3 on the Dec. 21, 2024-dated chart.
Rounding out the rest of the top 10 on the latest Billboard 200: Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess is a non-mover at No. 8 (43,000 equivalent album units earned; down 8%), Morgan Wallen’s chart-topping One Thing at a Time is steady at No. 9 (42,000; up 2%) and The Weeknd’s former leader Hurry Up Tomorrow falls 7-10 (40,000; down 19%).
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.
Alex Warren found his out of the “Ordinary” love with wife Kouvr Annon, and he took that feeling to the stage of Love Is Blind. The 24-year-old star delivered his newest hit on the Netflix series’ season 8 reunion, marking the first-ever performance on the show. Warren was introduced by Love Is Blind co-hosts Nick […]
50 Cent is speaking out after false rumors ran rampant on social media of him being the victim of an alleged Hollywood shooting, which he deemed to be “fake news.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Don’t worry I’m gonna make it, because this is fake news,” […]
Freekey Zekey is back to his hilarious storytelling ways.
This time he’s talking to The Art of Dialogue about one of the many situations that lead to The Diplomats wearing out their welcome over at Roc-A-Fella Records back in the early 2000s. Zekey alleges that he, Jim Jones, and an associate got into an argument with label executive Lenny S. over studio time.
“What really separated us was when the tensions was high — it was me, Jim and Snagz,” he began. “We called Lenny S. saying we needed studio time and Lenny was like, ‘Bet, come on.’ So, we went up there — I think it was a Sunday — we up to the studio, we called Lenny S. like, ‘What’s going on? You said you was gonna give us studio time.’ Lenny S. was like, ‘Kiss my ass, n—a, it’s Sunday. What you talkin’ about?’” Taken aback by the news, Zeke then starts to laugh like a maniacal cartoon villain and replies back, “Really?”
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He then explains how the next day they planned on confronting Lenny at the label office and rushed down an elevator when they figured out where he was before Dame Dash tried to get Jim and Lenny to shoot a fair to settle things and move on. “Next day, we up in Roc-A-Fella like, ‘Where the f—k this n—a at?’ We couldn’t find him,” he said. “So, I got on the elevator and then I got pushed in the elevator by my man Snagz and Jim, and they pressing the button like, ‘Hurry up, let’s go downstairs!’ I don’t know what happened, but I’m pretty sure somebody got slapped or something physical happened to Lenny S.”
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Adding, “We get downstairs and Jim shoots out the gate, Jim’s runnin’, Snagz gets outta there, I’m a little fatter so I’m running slow. Dame pulls up: ‘What the f—k’s going on, man?!’ I think he brought Lenny S. down, he got Jim and Snagz there, and he was like, ‘We gonna fight ’cause none of this stupid sh—t is gonna go on. If there’s a problem, let’s fight it out.’ And before that happened, a Jeep or a truck pull up and I don’t if it was [Memphis] Bleek’s brother, but it was his family.”
He continued by speculating that the drama surrounding that day was the beginning of the end. “That’s when we found something hard enough to start to break the diamond,” Zekey recalled. “Because it was like, ‘Hold on, this is Bleek’s people with Lenny S. and y’all n—as gonna ride?’ That’s where the divide came from. It was supposed to be just a Lenny S. and Jim Jones fight, but I guess Lenny S. called somebody from Bleek’s family. So, now it was like, ‘Word?’ And that’s what caused the tension right there. Nobody got it on that day; everybody ended up separating, but the people that we saw let us know like, ‘Oh, now it’s up,’ and there’s where I think the full turmoil came.”
Cam’ron and The Diplomats ultimately released four official projects under the Roc-A-Fella banner before going their separate ways around 2004.
You can watch the clip below.
Lady Gaga‘s Mayhem has officially been out for an entire weekend, meaning Little Monsters have had ample time to choose their favorite tracks. Even so, picking a favorite is no easy task for an LP as versatile and interesting as the pop star’s seventh studio LP, which dropped at long last Friday (March 7). Led […]
Ice Spice and Chappell Roan linked up at the Vivienne Westwood show during Paris Fashion Week, but that wasn’t the only similar experience they endured in France. Roan slipped her bare behind into her PFW recap post to Instagram on Sunday (March 9), which included the ripped red Ludovic de Saint Sernin dress exposing her […]
