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Fat Joe says he got depressed once he reached age 40 because he worried his hit-making days might be over.
On the latest episode of Joe and Jada on Tuesday (Oct. 28), Joe opened up about aging in a career that values partying and young people, and said it was hard for him to reimagine his career.
“I’ve been rapping, I’ve been in the game since I’m 19,” Joe explained. “So, when I’m about to turn 40, all I know is standing on couches and popping bottles. But that 40 hit you like a different, like… I was depressed.”
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He added that people had been telling him they’d “never [seen] a rapper hit one out the park after 40,” meaning it was hard to make a hit record once you hit middle age.
“So my man Dre [from] Cool & Dre came over on my birthday. I was straight depressed and he was like, ‘Yo, Joe, you know Tina Turner ain’t have her first hit till she was 47.’ So he start breaking all this down. Made me feel a lot better,” Joe said. “‘Cause I was scared of what the future was for what we’re doing…So what we’re doing is we’re selling this brand. We’re selling this and this and that. And then, for a guy like me, it felt like, Oh, they know I’m old now.”
Jada then joined in the conversation and said he’d actually planned on retiring from rap at age 30. “I remember saying, I don’t want to rap at 30,” Jada recalled. “When 30 came, that was out of the f—king question. Then when forty came, I’m like, ‘Yo, got to live a little.’ I felt like I had a lot of more work to do.”
A lot of rappers — including Lil Wayne and Raekwon — have had plenty of success in their 40s and beyond. However, André 3000 admitted in 2023 that his age was a big factor when it came to him hanging up the microphone.
“I’m 48 years old. And not to say that age is a thing that dictates what you rap about, but in a way it does,” André told GQ. “And things that happen in my life, like, what are you talking about? ‘I got to go get a colonoscopy.’ What are you rapping about? ‘My eyesight is going bad.’ You can find cool ways to say it, but….”
Check out the full episode of Joe and Jada below.
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Jewelry can take your outfits to another level, adding some sparkle that you can personalize to fit your mood and activity. Trends like toe rings and belly chains come and go, and typically it’s the basic chains or pearls that are always considered fashionable, but there are some statement pieces that never go out of style — including nameplate necklaces.
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The classic jewelry trend has maintained its spot within the fashion realm for decades now and has no plans of fading anytime soon. Celebrities have long been fans of the nameplate necklace, proving that the look still dominates accessories today. Just look at Ice Spice’s iconic princess necklace, seen throughout her Instagram feed and even in a partnership with Dunkin Donuts.
Shows like Sex and the City also spotlight the necklace, which can be seen on Sarah Jessica Parker’s character, Carrie.
Other stars including Jennifer Lopez, Halsey, Beyonce, Rihanna, Adele and Madonna (just to name a few), have also been spotted sporting a nameplate necklace, proving that time has no meaning when it comes to the trend.
What Are the Best Nameplate Necklaces?
From simple designs to more bold and glimmering rhinestone styles, the best nameplate necklaces span multiple styles and materials. What’s even better is you can completely customize most styles to say whatever you want, whether it’s your name, a nickname or someone close to you’s name. Nameplate necklaces also make thoughtful gifts to surprise everyone from new moms to your best friend.
To help inspire you, Billboard Shopping went through and found the most-loved and highly-reviewed nameplate necklaces, to help you hop on the trend no matter your budget or aesthetic. All of the our top picks below let you customize the necklace with the initials or letters of your choice.
most colorful
Rainbow Color Enamel Name Necklace
$24
$30
20% off
A colorful nameplate necklace.
This Rainbow Enamel Name Necklace from Etsy is one of the more affordable options that we’ve seen. It’s also extremely colorful, making it a standout on our list. Retailing for $24, this necklace can be customized down to the size of the chain you’d like. You have the option to pick between Rose Gold, Gold and Silver chains. You’ll also be able to pick out the colors you’d like to use for the letter charms. While we think going full-on rainbow is awesome, you can also color coordinate or keep it monochrome. The letter charms are in a funky bubble style, giving the jewelry a maximalist vibe. If you’re looking for a statement necklace that you can tailor to your specifications, then this Etsy option is for you.
editor’s pick
Build Your Own Beaded Charm Necklace
A funky nameplate necklace.
This is one of the most unique options we’ve seen for nameplate or nameplate adjacent styles. This Build Your Own Beaded Charm Necklace from Brook & York retails for $110 and is a more maximalist option than the rest. When shopping the style, you can customize the charms and how many you’d like on your necklace (you can have up to five). You’ll also be able to change the chain the charms sit on with options like a Snake, Curb and Tennis. If you don’t want your full name on a chain for all to see, this nameplate option gives folks the opportunity to stick to initials.
dainty option
Caitlyn Minimalist Safety Pin Name Necklace
$29.63
$39.50
25% off
A dainty nameplate necklace.
Nameplates can kind of be on the nose. If you’re looking for a less-traditional name-forward nameplate, Caitlyn Minimalist has a version accompanied by a cute safety pin motif. The dainty style retails for $29.63 and comes in three finishes: Rose Gold, 18K Gold and Sterling Silver. Just beneath the necklace is where your chosen name lies, a subtle touch. We’d pick up the delicate style to use as a layering piece to make your go-to necklace stack a little fuller.
Oak & Luna
classic pick
Belle Custom Name Necklace
A custom nameplate necklace.
For under $100, you can snag this dainty name necklace from Oak & Luna. It comes in a variety of shades including silver, gold, rose gold and more. The design has racked up a 4.7 star rating with more than 3,000 reviews praising how “beautiful” and “sturdy” the design is.
Amazon
budget-friendly pick
UMagicBox Name Necklace
Affordable nameplate necklace.
You don’t have to break the bank to hop on the nameplate necklace trend and thanks to UMagicBox’s necklace, you can flaunt a stylish piece for only $11. You can also choose from a variety of chains from colored beads to chainlink styles depending on your aesthetic.
Jewlr
SPLURGE-WORTHY PICK
Personalized Birthstone Name Necklace
$120
$184
35% off
Birthstone nameplate necklace.
Level up your personalization game with not just your name, but your birthstone as well with this necklace from Jewlr. They offer customizations on various metals depending on your preference, and a choice between genuine and simulated stones as well, so your pick can be perfectly curated within your budget and style.
Brook & York
UNIQUE PICK
Sofia Name Necklace
A unique nameplate necklace.
A different take on the nameplate design- this one from Brook & York offers a more spaced out aesthetic for a more unique look. It comes in three different 18K metals and made from recycled materials.
Rellery
GIFTABLE PICK
Double Heart Necklace
Heart-shaped nameplate necklace.
This dainty necklace still makes a statement with its stylish double-heart design. One of Rellery’s best-selling pieces, this jewelry makes a great gift because not only is it customizable with letters and symbols, it’s also water & tarnish resistant and hypoallergenic- a great pick under $100.
Amazon
layering pick
MeMoShe Layered Name Necklace
Layered nameplate necklace.
Snag two necklaces for less than $20 with MeMoShe’s nameplate necklace deal. You’ll receive a choker style with a heart charm along with a nameplate design that you can personalize before adding to your cart.
Amazon
two-tone pick
BlingSparkle Double Plate Personalized Name Necklace
Double-plated nameplate necklace.
BlingSparkle offers an under-$50 name necklace decked out in silver and gold shades that’ll help you embrace the metal mixing trend. You can personalize it with names up to 10 letters and choose from 24 styles.
For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best belt bags, keychain plushies and festival accessories.
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Steve Martin extends his prolific creative legacy with his and frequent collaborator Alison Brown’s new album, Safe, Sensible and Sane. The project debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Bluegrass Albums chart (dated Nov. 1) with 2,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States Oct. 17–23, according to Luminate.
The set, on Compass Records, marks Martin’s seventh leader on the list in as many visits, five of which have opened at No. 1. Featuring collaborations with Jackson Browne, Vince Gill and Jason Mraz, among others, the album is Brown’s second to top the chart.
Once viewed as a sideline to his film and comedy career, Martin’s music has instead become a defining pillar. Since his 2009 debut, The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo — itself a 31-week No. 1 — the creative polymath has logged 84 weeks at the summit of Bluegrass Albums, the most among male soloists. Four of those leaders reached the top 10 on Americana/Folk Albums, while five have made appearances on the all-genre Billboard 200.
But chart success is nothing new for Martin. Long before his banjo ever hit the charts, his comedy albums were already fixtures, helping define a golden era of recorded stand-up. Between 1977 and 1981, he placed four comedy albums on the Billboard 200, including two top 10s, highlighted by A Wild and Crazy Guy, which reached No. 2 in 1978. Selections from those albums, “King Tut,” “Grandmother’s Song” and “Cruel Shoes,” even cracked the Billboard Hot 100, with “King Tut” dancing to No. 17.
Martin’s momentum only grew when the stage gave way to the screen. At the height of the home-video rental boom, he logged 22 top 10s, including five No. 1s, between 1984 and 2009 on Billboard’s since-discontinued Video Rentals chart. Among those titles: enduring favorites such as Roxanne, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Father of the Bride, movies that helped cement his reputation as one of entertainment’s most versatile storytellers.
After all these years, Martin seems to be enjoying the spotlight as much as ever. He’s still out on the road on a comedy tour with Martin Short — his co-star, along with Selena Gomez, among others, on Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building (which he co-created) — and recently co-hosted the 2025 IBMA Awards in Chattanooga, Tenn., with Brown.
Safe, Sensible and Sane adds another win to a career built on timing, curiosity and the kind of joy that keeps audiences coming back, no matter the stage.
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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: Kehlani eyes a big chart move thanks to a new pack of remixes, a surreal viral trend helps put a rising singer-songwriter on the streaming map, basketball’s greatest soundtrack makes a comeback and more.
Star-Studded ‘Folded’ Remix Pack Lifts Kehlani’s Current Hit
On this week’s Billboard Hot 100 (dated Nov. 1), Kehlani’s “Folded” ranks at No. 14, marking the highest peak of her career on the all-genre singles chart. Next week, thanks to her new Folded Homage EP, the Grammy-nominated R&B singer’s ascendant hit could slide into the top 10.
Featuring Brandy, Toni Braxton, Jojo, Mario, Tank and Ne-Yo, the Folded Homage EP finds six ‘90s and ‘00s R&B heavyweights reimagining Kehlani’s hit, which recently topped Rhythmic Airplay. According to early data provided by Luminate, “Folded” earned 5.9 million official on-demand U.S. streams from Oct. 17-20. In the equivalent four-day period of the tracking week following the remix EP’s release (Oct. 24-27), that number leapt 20% to over 7.2 million official streams. Notably, the new set of remixes also spurred a boost in digital sales for “Folded.” Two weekends ago, the track sold just over 900 digital downloads, and that number jumped nearly 60% to nearly 1,500 digital downloads following the release of the remix EP.
A frontrunner for best R&B song and performance at next year’s Grammys, “Folded” continues to impress as its run unfolds. – KYLE DENIS
Lucky ‘Group 7’ for Viral New Sophia James Trend
To promote her new single “So Unfair” while simultaneously testing which content the TikTok algorithm favors, Sophia James devised a simple plan: post seven videos sorting viewers into different groups, based on which one they saw first. As it turned out, the ever-mysterious algorithm loves the number 7, with videos 1-6 getting a handful of viewers apiece, whereas the seventh one was shown to millions.
With seemingly everyone and their mother pledging allegiance to Group 7 – including NFL teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots, fast-food chains Wendy’s and Jimmy John’s, and other brands such as Fenty Beauty, Oreo and Hellman’s Mayonnaise — James’ artist profile got a major boost. From the tracking week ending Oct. 16 to the following week ending Oct. 23, the singer-songwriter’s catalog experienced a 265.9% increase, jumping from around 44,000 official on-demand U.S. streams to nearly 162,000 according to Luminate.
The growth on “So Unfair” itself was even more astonishing, with the track’s stream count jumping up 1,013% from just under on-demand U.S. streams to 97,576 in that same time frame. That’s an increase of about 13,939 groups of 7. – HANNAH DAILEY
4 Non Blondes TikTok Trend Boosts Nicki Minaj’s “Beez in the Trap”
Between a recent interpolation courtesy of Cardi B and Lizzo’s “What’s Goin On” and still-trending mashup with Nicki Minaj and 2 Chainz’s “Beez in the Trap,” 4 Non Blondes’ undying “What’s Up?” has experienced a huge resurgence on streaming. Now, Nicki’s track is getting in on the fun.
For the period of Oct. 17-20, “Beez” logged over 608,000 official on-demand U.S. streams and sold over 160 digital downloads. For the equivalent four-day period the following week (Oct. 24-27), “Beez” spiked 55% to over 943,000 official on-demand U.S. streams, according to early data provided by Luminate. Of course, “Beez in the Trap” is one of the most memorable singles from 2012’s Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. The 2 Chainz-assisted joint reached No. 48 on the Hot 100.
The 4 Non Blondes/Minaj mashup trend dates back to an Aug. 11 post by user @dj.auxlord. TikTok users quickly latched onto the mashup’s bizarre dichotomy and used the accompanying sound, which now soundtracks over 726,000 creates, to showcase everything from Halloween costumes to seemingly oppositional vibes. Most clips using the remix feature two friends standing back-to-back with one person singing the “What’s Up” hook while the other raps Nicki’s “Beez” hook.
Already parodied by Sabrina Carpenter and Marcello Hernandez for SNL, recent celebrities who have joined the trend include PinkPantheress, Ice Spice, Quen Blackwell, Jimmy Fallon, Malala Yousafzai, Khloé Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Jennifer Lopez and 4 Non Blondes’ own Linda Perry. — KD
Long Live ‘Roundball Rock’: Basketball Classic Revived With ‘NBA on NBC’ Return
For the first time since 2002, the NBA returned to NBC last week. With NBCUniversal regaining NBA rights in 2024, starting with this current 2025-26 season, games aired both on the television broadcast network and on the Peacock streaming platform — giving longtime hoopheads a rush of nostalgia for the league’s ‘90s halcyon days airing on the channel. And of course, a large percentage of those good feelings were reserved for the iconic musical theme to the channel’s coverage: “Roundball Rock.”
The rousing instrumental, composed by new-age musician and longtime Entertainment Tonight co-host John Tesh, has long been beloved by basketball fans of all stripes — and was even sampled in the ‘00s on songs by star rappers Nelly and Joe Budden. With the return of both the league and its onetime home network, Tesh’s “Roundball Rock” saw an unsurprising surge on DSPs last week, racking up 37,000 official on-demand U.S. streams — a 417% gain from the prior week, according to Luminate. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER
Trending on Billboard Three-time Grammy winner Tim McGraw recently told an audience that he contemplated leaving his music career behind due to health issues, according to a video shared by Fox News. Explore See latest videos, charts and news During a concert in Highland, California on Saturday (Oct. 25), McGraw candidly discussed the health issues […]
Trending on Billboard Earlier today (Oct. 29), Billboard published the September Boxscore report, with Chris Brown repeating as the biggest touring act of the month. But while the biggest stars of rock, hip-hop and more packed stadiums, comedians were road warrior-ing their way to sold-out theaters and arenas. Here, we’re looking at the five biggest […]
Following the Oct. 18 death of longtime bassist Sam Rivers, Limp Bizkit’s catalog surged, as reflected on Billboard’s Nov. 1-dated charts, paced by its 1999 classic “Break Stuff,” which hits No. 1 on the Hot Hard Rock Songs survey.
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Over Oct. 18-24, “Break Stuff” earned 3.7 million official U.S. streams, a boost of 6%, according to Luminate. It’s part of a wider catalog-inclusive gain for the band’s music, which jumped 17% in official on-demand U.S. streams in that span.
Perennial streaming favorite “Break Stuff” was the most streamed song in the band’s catalog in the week following Rivers’ passing. From Limp Bizkit’s 1999 Billboard 200 No. 1 Significant Other, it reached No. 14 on the Alternative Airplay chart in April 2000.
The track also enters Hot Rock & Alternative Songs at No. 18. (Older songs are eligible to enter multimetric charts if ranking the top half and with a meaningful reason for their resurgences.)
“Break Stuff” is additionally No. 13 on Hard Rock Streaming Songs.
Below “Break Stuff,” Limp Bizkit’s “Rollin’” drew with 2.5 million streams Oct. 18-24, up 12%, while “My Way” earned 1.9 million, a boost of 15%. Both songs are from the group’s 2000 album Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water, also a No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The set returns to Top Hard Rock Albums at No. 22 with 6,000 equivalent album units earned, up 10%.
Meanwhile, the band’s current single, “Making Love to Morgan Wallen,” lifts 12-11 on Hot Hard Rock Songs, following its No. 1 debut in September. It also holds at its No. 20 best on Mainstream Rock Airplay and rises 29-25 on Alternative Airplay.
Rivers died Oct. 18 at age 48 following reported cardiac arrest. “Sam Rivers wasn’t just our bass player — he was pure magic,” the group shared in a statement following his death. “The pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, the soul in the sound. From the first note we ever played together, Sam brought a light and a rhythm that could never be replaced. His talent was effortless, his presence unforgettable, his heart enormous.”
Play By Play Studios / NBA The Run
Gamers have been screaming for the return of NBA Street. Now, former developers of the long-dormant video game franchise look to answer those cries with NBA The Run.
Play By Play Studios, which is comprised of former EA Sports developers, has secured both official NBA and NBPA licenses for its new game, NBA The Run.
NBA The Run will serve as a spiritual successor to EA Sports Big’s iconic 3v3 basketball game, NBA Street, and its equally, if not more popular, sequel, NBA Street Vol . 2.
Before the game landed NBA and NBPA licenses, it was known simply as The Run: Got Next in 2024 and was only going to feature original characters. Now players can look forward to playing street-style basketball using their favorite pro hoopers like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry, Anthony Edwards, and even Cooper Flag.
Speaking with Brian Shea of Game Informer, studio founder and CEO Scott Probst touched on learning that he and his team were not alone in their love and appreciation for arcade-style streetball basketball games.
“We didn’t know; we were working in the shadows,” Probst told Game Informer. “We were making The Run: Got Next before it was licensed, and we didn’t really know. We had this sense that players would love this and players would still want it, and I think the reaction that we got was bigger and better than we actually thought it was going to be.”
NBA The Run Will Utilize Rollback Netcode
What made NBA Street so popular among gamers was its coop couch play, sparking many a battle between friends.
NBA The Run hopes to recapture that same energy, but with online crossplay, while using rollback netcode, which fighting games use to reduce the impact of ping differences in multiplayer sessions and level the playing field.
Bobbito Garcia, who handled the play-by-play in NBA Street, is in talks to return to NBA The Run when it launches on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S in 2026.
The reception to the game has been lukewarm, with many asking why not just bring NBA Street back?
We’re gonna hold judgment until we get hands-on with the game. Who knows, NBA The Run could be a banger.
Peep more reactions below.
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The 50 Cent-produced BMF series has been canceled at Starz after four seasons, the last of which wrapped up in August.
The series was based on the rise and fall of the Black Mafia Family empire, which was started in Southwest Detroit by brothers Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory and Terry Flenory in 1985.
The drug trafficking and money laundering organization built a network that spanned the United States, with hubs in Atlanta and Los Angeles, lasting into the 2000s when a plethora of federal raids, arrests and indictments caused the empire to crumble.
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50 Cent produced the show through his G-Unit Film and Television division alongside Lionsgate TV. Big Meech’s son, Demetrius Flenory Jr. and Da’Vinchi starred as the Flenory brothers in the series, which also boasted a cast that included Russell Hornsby, Kash Doll, Michole Briana White, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Myles Truitt, Steve Harris and Lala Anthony.
As pointed out by The Hollywood Reporter, Starz CEO Jeffrey Hirsch revealed his disappointment in season four during a quarterly earnings call in August. “[Season four] resulted in modest sequential declines in OTT subscribers and revenue,” he said.
The cancellation echoes Hirsch’s statements at a conference in March, where he revealed the company’s pursuit of launching new series rather than continuing older shows, since they become costly after a few seasons.
“When seasons go from one to two to three to four [seasons], three to four is where the cost really pops because most of the actors get bigger raises, and you have to really manage that,” he said, per Deadline. “So, you have to have in your portfolio of development shows that can actually replace shows as they get into later seasons.”
As far as what’s left of the 50-Starz empire, Power spinoffs Raising Kanan and Force are returning for a final season. There’s also a Power: Origins prequel series in production.
Billboard has reached out to Starz and 50 Cent for comment.
Kid Rock is facing backlash for another of his appearances on Fox News. During his Oct. 24 appearance on Jesse Watters Primetime, the musician used the R-word when telling the host that he was going to be for Halloween, and now, the Special Olympics is speaking out about his use of the slur.
“The R-Word deeply demeans and harms people with intellectual disabilities,” begins the open letter posted to the Special Olympics website that was penned by Loretta Claiborne, the organization’s chief inspiration officer. “I’m writing to you personally with an urgent request: Please acknowledge the hurt caused and use this moment to stand with us in rejecting that word and the prejudice it represents … Words like ‘retarded’ and ‘retard’ have a long, painful history of being used to belittle and dehumanize. When anyone, especially someone in the public eye uses them, it reopens wounds that so many of us have worked so hard to heal.”
A Pennsylvania native, Claiborne is a speaker and multi-sport athlete who earned the 1996 Arthur Ashe ASPY Courage Award, which Denzel Washington personally presented to her. The seven-time gold medalist was also the first Special Olympics athlete elected to the Special Olympics International Board of Directors.
“You have the chance to turn this incident into a statement of strength, to acknowledge the harm, to stand with people with intellectual disabilities, and to help lead the conversation toward greater understanding and respect,” the letter continues. “I would be honored to speak with you and share more about the movement for inclusion and respect that has changed so many lives, including my own. Together, we can use this moment to build a world where every person is valued and respected.”
Although the 2010s saw a decline in the use and tolerance of the R-word, the slur has been creeping back into the mainstream lexicon this decade — but people are pushing back on its resurgence.
Billboard has reached out to Kid Rock for comment.
The musician’s R-word controversy isn’t the first time Kid Rock’s language has drawn ire. In a 2024 Rolling Stone profile, the country-rock singer repeatedlyfired off the N-word and brandished a gun. Three years prior, he spouted a homophobic slur while onstage at a Tennessee bar. “You f—king [slur] with your iPhones out!” he screamed. He defended his words on X at the time, writing in third-person, “If Kid Rock using the word f—-t offends you, good chance you are one. Either way, I know he has a lot of love for his gay friends and I will have a talk with him.”
