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Ice Spice has been eating her oats, and now she’s teasing her first single of 2025 with a snippet of a track touting her curves that appears to be titled “Thick Again.”
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The Bronx native, who was in the City of Lights for Paris Fashion Week, carved out some time to dance to her upcoming hard-hitting track in front of the Eiffel Tower on Tuesday (March 11). “She got thin but she went and got thick again/ Shorty eating her oats/ He stay on my body, it’s hard to get rid of him/ You know that I like him the most,” she raps.
The viral clip sees Ice twerking in a short camouflage dress while giving fans and tourists walking around the Eiffel Tower a glimpse of her bare behind. Her X post currently boasts over 200,000 likes.
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Fans were hyped to see Ice regain her voluptuous figure and showed her love in the replies. “Everyone that switched up betta stay in that side,” one person wrote, while another Munchkin added: “Ice Spice finally returned!”
Diplo chimed in on Instagram, hilariously pleading with Ice to “start an oats company.”
Over the summer, Ice Spice pushed back against rumors she was taking Ozempic and sniped at those talking about her weight. “I actually came on here to talk about that real quick. I wish y’all never learned the word Ozempic,” she said in an August Twitter Spaces. “That’s one thing I wish. Oh my God! Like, what even is Ozempic? What the f–k is that? Genuinely, what is that?”
Ice continued: “You lazy-a– b—–s never heard of a gym? It’s called the gym, it’s called eating healthy, it’s called being on tour,” she added. “Like, what the hell? Maybe if I was sitting at home all f–king day, it’d be easier to stay big.”
The “Thick Again” teaser wasn’t the only time fans saw Ice’s backside in the last week as she showed off a wardrobe malfunction featuring a tight Black dress split down the middle. “It was cute too,” Ice Spice wrote to her Instagram Story in disappointment.
Selena Gomez is proud of her Only Murders in the Building co-stars! So much so, that when Steve Martin and Martin Short’s SAG Awards arrived, she wanted to deliver them to the actors herself. In a clip posted to the popular Hulu series’ social media accounts, Gomez is seen with Michael Cyril Creighton and the […]
Jermaine Dupri found himself in some hot water with fans on social media last week.
The So So Def founder went viral for asking why some artists choose to stay independent while trying to “chase” the same benefits and resources that major label artists have at their disposal. “I’m a little lost,” he wrote. “Can somebody tell me what the goal of being an independent artist is today because all of the things that people are chasing is sh—t major artist do, what’s the thing that indie artist do that make it special?”
Due to his experience in the music business, some felt as if he was downplaying independent artistry and disregarding how much the game has changed over the past decade. However, Dupri felt like his tweet was misconstrued and decided to address it a week later on the New Rory and Mal podcast.
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“As more and more people call me and the pods talk about it,” Dupri wrote in a caption over a clip from his appearance on the podcast. “I can see how people would think I was taking a shot at the independent community, I decided to address it with information I’m sure most y’all don’t have about me in that space, so you can clearly see that wasn’t my intent.”
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On the show, Dupri pointed out that his first foray in the independent market was in 2010 when he discovered singer Dondria on YouTube and paid for her music videos, got her to tour with Trey Songz, and wrote and produced songs on her debut album Dondria vs. Phatfffat. He also brought up the For Motivational Use Only, Vol. 1 EP he produced with Curren$y in 2023, which they released independently, and addressed allegations that he “fumbled Latto” after she won the first season of the reality show The Rap Game.
“The deal with Latto and The Rap Game was that if you win on the show, what you win is a So So Def chain and a contract with So So Def for Jermaine to produce one song for you and put it out on So So Def,” he explained. “I did that independently. So, a lot of people was like if they didn’t feel that push that they felt on a lot of my other records is because it was independent and it was all funded by me.”
He continued by breaking down what an independent artist can expect when they venture down that road. “These are the things that come in the Happy Meal independent box: owning your masters, getting your publishing, doing the royalties and you having to pay the royalties to people that you worked with, and the freedom,” he said. “These are things that are standard to me in an independent deal.”
He continued, admitting that even with his experience in the industry, he still might be missing something. “You never know everything. People believe that you do because you become successful, but I know in my heart of hearts that I don’t know everything,” he said. “If I ask a question, I know that’s what y’all jump to like, ‘Jermaine, he should know better than this.’ That’s what Joe Budden said, but I’m just asking a question.”
Dupri recently made headlines courtesy of Nelly, who declared that the record executive would beat Diddy in a Verzuz fairly easily.
As more and more people call me and the pods talk about it, I can see how people would think I was taking a shot at the independent community, I decided to address it with information I’m sure most y’all don’t have about me in that space, so you can clearly see that wasn’t my… pic.twitter.com/CMPNaxujBZ— Jermaine Dupri (@jermainedupri) March 11, 2025
The Contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week, for the upcoming Billboard 200 dated Mar. 22, we look at whether the latest album from one of the century’s greatest pop stars will return her to the top of the chart for the first time in five years.
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Lady Gaga, Mayhem (Interscope): For the first time since 2020, Lady Gaga has returned with a new album of original material. The long-anticipated Mayhem follows the pandemic-released Chromatica, and arrives on the back of a trio of advance singles: the solo top 30 Billboard Hot 100 hits “Disease” and “Abracadabra,” which lead off the new set, and the Hot 100-topping Bruno Mars duet “Die With a Smile,” which is included as the album’s closer.
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The well-reviewed album also comes following an absolute avalanche of 2025 promotional appearances, including performances at the Grammys, the FireAid benefit concert and the SNL 50th Anniversary Homecoming Concert, and video interviews with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Sean Evans of Hot Ones and Billboard’s own Stephen Daw, among many others. Gaga capped her epic Mayhem promo run last weekend by pulling double duty on Saturday’s SNL, both hosting the show and serving as its musical guest, delivering captivating performances of both “Abracadabra” and “Killah” off the new set.
The 14-track LP is also available for sale in a wide variety of physical formats, including a stunning 14 different vinyl variants – some of which are signed and some of which include the bonus track “Can’t Stop the High,” along with a Target exclusive that features the extra cut “Kill for Love.” There are also four different CD editions, with the same options of bonus tracks and a Gaga signature, as well as a deluxe CD box set with a branded T-shirt and poster and even a cassette version.
It’s all likely to put the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar warring at the top of the Billboard 200 – which resulted in one of the closest races in recent years this week, with Lamar’s GNX ultimately reigning triumphant for a third nonconsecutive frame – to bed, as Mayhem seems a good bet to give Gaga her seventh No. 1 on the chart. It might end up falling short of the 274,000 units moved by Chromatica in its 2020 debut week – back then, merch and ticket bundles still counted towards Billboard chart calculations, and significantly boosted that album’s initial numbers – but it should still land comfortably in the six figures, and has a good chance of passing the 177,000 of Tate McRae’s So Close to What entrance for the best single-week performance for an album by a female artist in 2025.
IN THE MIX
JENNIE, RUBY (Odd Atelier/Columbia): The recent rush of releases from BLACKPINK members reaches its end – presumably anyway – with the English-language solo debut LP from JENNIE. The star-studded RUBY includes collaborations with Dua Lipa, Dominic Fike, Childish Gambino, Kali Uchis, and of course Billboard Woman of the Year Doechii, whose “ExtraL” team-up with JENNIE graced the Hot 100 at No. 75 earlier this month. With a relatively muted streaming presence and no major breakout hits yet, RUBY is unlikely to challenge for the Billboard 200’s top spot, but should follow ROSÉ’s Number One Girl and Lisa’s Alter Ego to the chart’s top 10.
Jason Isbell, Foxes in the Snow (Southeastern): The latest effort from acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter Jason Isbell is his first in nearly 20 years to not include any contributions from his longtime backing band the 400 Unit. It’s not the only way he’s gone it solo recently, as the album was written in the wake of his divorce with former bandmate Amanda Shires, and was heavily influenced by the split. Isbell’s albums reliably sell well, and Foxes is available in both five vinyl variants and a pair of CD editions.
Spiritbox, Tsunami Sea (Pale Chord/Rise): Canadian heavy metal band Spiritbox turned a lot of chartwatchers’ heads four years ago when its debut set Eternal Blue managed a No. 13 debut on the Billboard 200 – a very impressive number for any hard rock band this decade, but particularly one without much history on the Billboard charts. This month, the now-Grammy-nominated quartet returns with Tsunami Sea, which is getting rave reviews and which is available for purchase on CD, cassette and at least nine vinyl variants.
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While the release of Beyonce’s niche-busting album of the year “Cowboy Carter” drummed up fanfare around Black cowboy fashion, the culture around wide-brimmed hats, denim, pointed-toe leather boots, and ass-less chaps runs as deep as this country’s history.
Black cowboys were crucial in building 19th-century wealth for white Texan southerners. In the early 1800s, Texas was still Mexican-ruled territory, but white Americans migrated West, seeking affordable land to settle and establish cotton farms and cattle ranches. Even though slavery was illegal in Mexico, Southern whites brought the enslaved with them anyway. By 1825, enslaved people made up 25 percent of Texas’ population, according to The Smithsonian. Texas entered into U.S. statehood at the end of 1845.
As the civil war ripped the country at its seams from 1861 to 1865, white Texans left their land to fight for the confederate South. Black enslaved hands were left behind to handle and maintain the cattle-herding. The work was gritty, and included duties like breaking in horses (training wild horses to be ridden), lassoing-up herds, and transporting cattle through unforgiving terrain. Even though Black Americans were freed when the Emancipation Proclamation was signed into law in 1863, White settlers, unwilling to give up the free labor that sustained their businesses, didn’t enforce the legislation. Two years later, on June 19, 1865, General Gordon Granger informed 250,000 Texans who were still enslaved that they were free, which is the day we now celebrate as Juneteenth. As former white enslavers scrambled to maintain their land and livestock without the help of forced, unpaid laborers, skilled Black cowboys were in high job demand. Historians estimate 1 in 4 cowboys were Black, and even though their influence has often been discredited by mainstream culture, music artists have rode alongside them to keep their legacy alive.
Music And Fashion Of The South
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Black cowboy fashion penetrated mainstream culture as big Southern stars gained popularity in America in the 20th century. Georgia-born Ray Charles rocked a cowboy hat during performances of his country songs, The Guardian reports, and other iconic artists, like Otis Redding and Curtis Mayfield, accompanied their music with cowboy stylings. The video for The Gap Band’s single, “Burn Rubber On Me,” featured the group in denim and cowboy hats.
In 2001, while promoting their highly anticipated comeback album Survivor in New York City, Destiny’s Child rocked cobalt blue, tasseled midriff-bearing bralettes, accented with sparkling silver cowboy hats with matching boots (pre-Renaissance era). The women stood strongly together as a newly formed trio, and they let their music and fashion choices do the talking: not only were they still standing, but they were also still insanely talented, country, and Texas AF.
Fast forward, Beyonce’s solo career has continued to be an extension of her Texas roots, with Cowboy Carter triggering an emergence of cowboy fashion into the Black cultural zeitgeist. Hip-hop artists, like Swae Lee, are known to don steel-toe boots during rap performances, and Lil Nas X’s hip-hop, country, genre-blending hit, “Old Town Road” had the whole world rocking gallon-hats with pride.
Beyonce’s upcoming, highly-anticipated Cowboy Carter tour is sure to set off another wave of cowboy fashion obsession, as thousands of fans flock to stadiums all over America in their country’s best. Their fits, whether it’s a white-fringed blouse or a bold-buckled brown-leather belt, are a symbolic bow to the past.
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Wizkid announced on Wednesday (March 12) that he’ll be touring North America again with his latest studio album, Morayo. He posted a Morayo Tour Hotline promotional video on his Instagram, with various operators informing Wiz’s customers that his European dates (Berlin, Rotterdam and Paris) in May are selling out fast and one operator claiming, “People […]
George Clinton is suing his one-time business partner, Armen Boladian, over allegations that he fraudulently obtained the rights to the vast majority of the funk pioneer’s music catalog.
In a lawsuit filed Tuesday (March 11) in Florida federal court, attorneys for Clinton accused Boladian and his Bridgeport Music of “abusive, deceptive, and fraudulent practices” that were aimed at stealing from Clinton and “capitalizing on his success.”
“I’m fighting for my life’s work and to ensure future generations of artists are treated fairly,” Clinton said in a statement released by his lawyers. “When you’re young and just starting out in the music industry, it’s easy for others to take advantage of you.”
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The sweeping complaint accuses Boladian of carrying out a “decades long scheme to defraud Clinton,” including improperly using the star’s signature to grant himself rights to Clinton’s music and fabricating key legal agreements. The conduct has left Boladian and Bridgeport in control of 90 percent of Clinton’s catalog, the lawsuit says.
“For decades, George Clinton has shaped the sound of music and inspired generations of artists, yet he has been systematically deprived of the rights and royalties he rightfully deserves,” said Ben Crump, an attorney who is representing Clinton in the lawsuit.
In a statement to Billboard, Boladian’s attorney Richard Busch sharply denied the allegations: “This is just the latest in a series of lawsuits that Mr. Clinton has filed against Armen Boladian and his companies over the last 30 years raising the same exact issues. He has lost each and every time, including in the very courthouse in which he has filed this latest lawsuit. We will obviously therefore be moving to dismiss this lawsuit and will be seeking sanctions.”
Notably, in addition to seeking damages, the lawsuit is seeking an injunction to stop Boladian from shopping Clinton’s catalog to potential buyers — something the star’s lawyers suggest he’s actively doing: “Plaintiff has reason to believe that Boladian is soliciting the sale of assets including the rights and ownership interests in Plaintiff catalog.”
Bridgeport Music is well-known in the world of music law. The company has filed huge numbers of copyright infringement lawsuits against major artists who allegedly sampled songs by Clinton and others, including one case against Jay-Z and another case over an N.W.A. song that resulted in an influential decision on sampling.
In Tuesday’s lawsuit, Clinton’s attorneys cited that litigation campaign in his allegations against Boladian, calling his foe a “copyright troll” who uses lawsuits to exploit songs “he looted the rights to.”
“Interestingly, Clinton, the rightful owner of said catalog, has never been included as a plaintiff in these lawsuits nor has he received any portion of the millions secured by Boladian,” Clinton’s attorneys wrote.
Read the entire lawsuit here:
Gracie Abrams is showing her fans love amid a tough time.
The “That’s So True” singer performed at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland, on Monday night (March 10), where she spotted a fan’s sign in the front row. As seen in a TikTok video posted by the fan herself, the sign was in honor of her late friend, Lolly, who was supposed to attend the show before she died just six months ago.
“That’s my best friend,” she’s heard telling Abrams. “She had tickets tonight.”
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Abrams, visibly moved, crouches to the front of the stage and holds the sign, telling the fan, “She’s so beautiful. She’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. Thank you so much for bringing her with you tonight. I’m so sorry for your loss. This is so gorgeous.”
She then placed the sign, featuring a photo of Lolly, in front of the stage facing the crowd. “I love you guys so much. Thank you for being here,” she told the fans. “I just can’t imagine how you must be feeling right now. I’m here for you, and I love you so much.”
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Abrams concluded, “She’s gorgeous, and she’s with us. She’s with us.”
See the sweet moment on TikTok here.
Abrams is currently midway through the European leg of her The Secret of Us Tour, which supports her Billboard 200 No. 2 album of the same name. She first kicked off the trek in North America in 2024 and will eventually make her way through Asia and Australia before circling back through the U.S., Mexico and Canada this summer.
Later this month, she’ll accept Songwriter of the Year at the 2025 Billboard Women in Music Awards, where she’ll also perform alongside fellow honorees Doechii, aespa, GloRilla, Tyla and more.
Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.
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This week: A late R&B great sees massive gains for her stellar catalog, a rising singer-songwriter scores a potential breakthrough hit and a beloved TV actor gets a Netflix bump for his music.
Angie Stone’s Catalog Rises After Neo-Soul Icon’s Passing, Led by “No More Rain”
On March 1, neo-soul icon and The Sequence founding member Angie Stone tragically died in a car accident near Montgomery, Ala. at the age of 63. With a three-time Grammy-nominated catalog spanning hip-hop, neo-soul and southern R&B, Angie Stone amassed three Billboard Hot 100 hits and landed seven titles on the Billboard 200 throughout her career.
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According to Luminate, Stone’s catalog earned just over 621,000 official on-demand U.S. streams in the week preceding her passing (Feb. 21-27). During the week of her passing (Feb. 28-March 6), that figure exploded a whopping 1,263% to over 8.4 million official streams. 1999’s “No More Rain (In This Cloud)” was one of her biggest streamers during the week of her death, collecting 2.1 million official on-demand U.S. streams — a 538% boost from the week prior.
Meanwhile, 2002’s “Wish I Didn’t Miss You” — her most recent Hot 100 entry (No. 79) — rose 1,008% during the week of Feb. 28-March 6, collecting 1.44 million official on-demand U.S. streams. And 2001’s classic “Brotha,” a song and music video honoring and uplifting Black men, experienced one of the biggest streaming boosts in Stone’s catalog following her passing. During the week of Feb. 21-27, the song earned just over 42,000 official on-demand U.S. steams. The following week, that figure leapt 2,026% to over 907,000 official streams.
Notably, all three songs debuted in the top five of the R&B Digital Song Sales chart dated March 15: “No More Rain” bowed at No. 1, “Wish I Didn’t Miss You” followed at No. 2, and “Brotha” managed a No. 5 debut. All three songs mark her first entries on this particular ranking, which launched in November 2012. — KYLE DENIS
Streaming Wraps Its Arms Around Sydney Rose’s New Sad Girl Hit
If Drake’s new musical obsession is weepy singer-songwriter ballads with hard-hitting beat-switches, Sydney Rose has just the viral hit for him. The Georgia singer-songwriter, who previously achieved some streaming success with the independently released “Turning Page” in 2020, released her new song “We Hug Now” to DSPs in February. The post-relationship song starts as a gentle, echoing ballad, à la Rose’s musical hero Phoebe Bridges – but it’s the climax, after a switch to a more cathartic mid-tempo singalong, that has taken off on TikTok, with countless users connecting with the lyrics: “You’re just thinkin’ it’s a small thing that happened/ The world ended when it happened to me.”
The world now may just be opening up for Rose, who has signed to CAA for touring and released “Hug” through Mercury Records. Her new signature song has exploded on streaming, racking up nearly 4.3 official on-demand U.S. streams for the tracking week ending on March 6 – a gain of 345% from three weeks earlier, according to Luminate. As the song continues to grow and Rose herself continues to spread the word herself through edits and mashups shared on her TikTok, it might not be long until the 6 God is once again asking for a “Hug.” – ANDREW UNTERBERGER
Gabby Petito Netflix Docuseries Revives 16-Year-Old Matt Berry Song
Last month (Feb. 17), Netflix released American Murder: Gabby Petito – a docuseries about the 2021 murder of travel vlogger Gabby Petito. At the close of the final episode, Matt Berry’s “Take My Hand” begins to play, which has ratcheted up the track’s streaming activity.
During the week of Feb. 14-20, “Take My Hand” earned just over 36,000 official on-demand U.S. streams, according to Luminate. By the first full week since the release of the docuseries (Feb. 21-27), that figure jumped 866% to over 348,000 official streams. The following week (Feb. 28-March 6), that number rose a further 6%, reaching 579,000 official streams. Over the past two weeks, streaming activity for “Take My Hand” has risen over 1,505%.
“Take My Hand” served as the opening theme for Berry’s award-winning Toast of London comedy series, exemplifying the crossover between his acting and music careers. In 2022, there was a small wave of TikToks expressing shock that the What We Do in the Shadows actor also made music. The official “Take My Hand” TikTok song currently boasts over 10,000 posts.
Berry has yet to hit any Billboard chart, but that could soon change should “Take My Hand” maintain its streaming momentum. – KD
Heavy metal legends Megadeth signed a deal with Frontiers Label Group’s new imprint, BLKIIBLK, to release the band’s forthcoming album globally. The deal was struck via frontman Dave Mustaine‘s Tradecraft imprint.
Global avant-pop star Sevdaliza signed a global deal with Create Music Group, which will release her upcoming music via its indie label, Broke, co-founded and led by Andre Benz and Brandon De Oliveira. The imprint put out Sevdaliza’s latest single, “Maria Magdalena,” on Friday (March 7). The first release under the deal was Sevdaliza and Karol G’s “No Me Cansare,” which came out in October and has more than 70 million streams globally, according to a press release.
Kristin Chenoweth signed with UTA for representation in all areas. Best known for originating the role of Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked and for starring in numerous films and TV shows, the Emmy- and Tony-winning singer and actress is set to debut in the forthcoming Broadway musical The Queen of Versailles in the 2025-26 season.
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Guitarist and songwriter Don Felder, best known for his former role as lead guitarist of the Eagles, signed with Frontiers Music Srl, which will release his debut solo album later this year. Felder is managed by Charlie Brusco at Red Light.
Seattle-formed alternative rock band Minus the Bear, which broke up in 2018 before reuniting, signed with Jordyn Reese at Do Better for Artists for management. The band’s label is Suicide Squeeze Records.
Mexican-Dominican songwriter Ambar Lucid signed with Nice Life Recording Company. The label released Lucid’s new song “There Goes My Baby” on Friday (March 7).
Country Latin artist Sammy Arriaga partnered with Chris Ruediger‘s Walk Off Entertainment for the release of his upcoming music, including new single “Left My Heart in Texas,” out Friday (March 14). The deal was struck via Arriaga’s own label, Dead Rose Records.
Boutique music publisher Maison Arts launched a full-service record label, Maison Records, with a roster that includes Swedish multi-instrumentalist Arc De Soleil, writer/producers-turned-artists Social House, Cuban electronic duo Pauza, London-based electronic duo Roi Turbo, DJ Devault, and U.K.-based Afrobeats artist Not3s. Maison Records’ executive team includes Maya Michaelian as head of marketing and A&Rs Livia Piomelli and Arielle Tindel. The Orchard will provide global distribution for the label.
Curb Records signed singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Matthews to its roster. Matthews first found recognition as a lead vocalist and writer for Elevation Worship. He co-wrote and performed on several of the band’s songs, including “Here as in Heaven,” “Resurrecting” and “Echo,” and the group’s Here as In Heaven album. – Jessica Nicholson
Christian hip-hop duo West Indies signed with Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins‘ Alienz Alive label. The duo’s self-titled debut project was released on Feb. 28.
Americana artist Connor Daly signed with Burning Ground Entertainment for management. Daly released his debut album, Colors Fade, in July. Daly, who counts Jason Isbell, Zach Bryan and Ed Sheeran as inspirations, recently released a new single, “Curtains Never Close.” Burning Ground Entertainment also represents artists including Mic Drop, The Pretty Wild, and Tayiha. – Jessica Nicholson