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05 Apr 2024

Nirvana’s 10 Biggest Billboard Hits, From ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ to ‘All Apologies’

When Kurt Cobain passed away on April 8, 1994, Nirvana‘s historic time together was cut painfully short. There’s no telling what the blond-haired, gritty-voiced frontman and bandmates Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic could’ve accomplished in the years after they released what ended up being their final album, the Billboard 200-topping In Utero.

What is for certain, though, is that the disciples of the Seattle trio have been permanently changed by the community of acceptance the guys promoted through their bold political statements and come-one-come-all live shows. Their artistic legacy has only expanded in the years since Cobain’s death, with their distinct grunge sound continuing to ripple through the rock, alternative, pop and hip-hop spaces of today.

In total, Nirvana scored five hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and even more on the alternative and rock charts, the band reaching its highest peak of No. 6 on the all-genre U.S. ranking with “Smells Like Teen Spirit” in ’91. There’s no ruling out more entries in the future, though. Case in point: “Something in the Way” didn’t debut on the Hot 100 until 2022, where it bowed at No. 46 thanks to a major sync placement in Matt Reeves’ The Batman starring Robert Pattinson.

As we approach the anniversary of Cobain’s untimely death, Billboard rounded up Nirvana’s 10 biggest hits on the Alternative Airplay chart. From “Smells Like Teen Spirit” to “All Apologies,” see them below.

Nirvana’s Biggest Hits ranking is based on actual performance on the weekly Alternative Airplay chart through April 6, 2024. The ranking is based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 having the greatest value and weeks at lower ranks proportionately less. Due to various changes in chart rules, methodology and depth through the years, certain time frames were weighted to account for the differences in song turnover rates and to ensure equitable representation of the biggest hits from all years.

05 Apr 2024

Davido’s Dream of Headlining Madison Square Garden Is Part of a Bigger One: ‘We’re Changing the Narrative of Being African in America’

Davido has been on a victory lap since last March when he dropped his fourth studio album Timeless, which earned the Afrobeats heavyweight three Grammy nominations this year. But on April 17, he’ll celebrate a very special stop: his first headlining show at NYC’s Madison Square Garden.

“I always said I want to be at the Garden. I think that’s every artist’s dream. The greats have performed there, like Michael Jackson,” he tells Billboard over Zoom while on the set of his music video for the Fave-assisted “Kante.” “I did five arenas last year for the Timeless Tour. But we didn’t have New York, so definitely this time, we wanted to add New York.”

The North American leg of the Timeless Tour included stops in Washington, D.C., Houston, Chicago, Boston, Toronto and Atlanta (the last stop was part of Davido’s A.W.A.Y Fest, which featured additional performances from his “Unavailable” collaborator Musa Keys, Spinall, Victony, King Promise and more). Following his summer stint, Davido embarked on the European leg, which had stops in the U.K., Germany, Denmark, Sweden and France. He ended 2023 back home with three performances in Abuja, Port Harcourt and Lagos. His MSG show is the first of three additional North American arena dates, which continue with a show at Montreal’s Place Bell on April 19 and end with a show at Orlando’s Additional Financial Arena on April 24.

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“My show right now is over two hours [long]. And my new setup for tour, there’s a Stage A and there’s a Stage B, so I’m running up and down the whole night,” he says. “To produce the Davido show right now, we’re talking about $400,000, almost $500,000 – just for production alone. That’s one thing I think we’ve improved on a lot. And I have an amazing band, The Compozers. It’s the full package.”

Davido says he always has a new favorite Timeless track that he enjoys playing live, but “I definitely love performing ‘Feel,’ ‘cause it’s a very energetic record and it’s a feel-good song.” But when it comes to Davido’s other timeless records, he says the crowd still goes crazy over his 2013 track “Skelewu.” “I don’t feel like there’s a major formula to making timeless music. To me, it just comes naturally.” There is, however, one key ingredient needed for Davido’s pre-show ritual. “I definitely need to get my massage, a little 40-minute massage in,” he adds. “I eat, but I don’t like to eat too much ‘cause I don’t want to be too full ‘cause I gotta move around. And 20 minutes before I get on stage, I like to have a little bit of quiet time to myself.”

Performing in New York has also become a special ritual. The first time the Atlanta-born Nigerian artist born David Adedeji Adeleke performed in New York was in 2014 at the Pulse 48 nightclub in Brooklyn, which the New York Police Department had to shut down because the show was overbooked. “I’ve been coming back to New York almost every year since then,” he says. “New York was one of the first cities that was really putting on for African music in the mainstream. The first song that I got on the radio was in New York, so New York has a special place in my heart.”

His 2017 single “Fall,” which was later included on his sophomore album A Good Time, gradually took over U.S. airwaves two years after its release, reaching No. 13 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and No. 14 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay in 2019. And listeners were eager to discover exactly who was behind it: In New York City, “Fall” became a top 10 record on Shazam in 2019, Rolling Stone reported at the time, while “If,” another big Davido record from 2017, was a top 50 Shazam record two years after it came out.

Davido recently scored another hit with his apperance on Chris Brown’s “Sensational,” which earned Davido and fellow featured artist Lojay their first entries on the Billboard Hot 100. “I feel like I should have 100 entries, bro, but they finally let a n—a in!” he laughs. “Shoutout to CB. Me and him have an amazing working relationship, [we’ve] been working for years now, we got a couple records, performed all over the world with my brother. Me and CB ‘bout to drop more records, too. I think we drop another one in a couple of weeks, so watch out for that.” The two have collaborated on “Blow My Mind” and “Lower Body” in 2019, “Shopping Spree” (also with Young Thug) in 2020 and “Nobody Has to Know” in 2022.

His fans will also have to watch out for his upcoming album (“It’s another classic, trust me,” Davido teases) that he’s currently working on – even while he’s on tour. “We got a mobile studio, so I can literally record anywhere. Inspiration can come anytime whether I’m on stage, whether I’m on the road,” says Davido. “I’ll always set up a studio and I have my producers fly with me, travel with me.” 

And as he continues to spread African music and culture across the globe through his recorded and live music, Davido wants his African fans who will be attending the MSG show to “leave and be proud to be who they are, proud of the culture, proud of how far we’ve come. As Africans, we’re changing the narrative of being African in America. Years ago, it was a different thing. Now, when you say you’re African, you’re proud to say it, eat the food, wear the clothes, play the music,” he says. “And [for] the people that are coming to experience African culture for the first time, I want them to leave knowing that they’re never going to forget this.”

05 Apr 2024

Ante Up: Los Angeles Thieves Steal $30M In Cash On Easter Sunday

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A group of criminals pulled off the biggest heist ever in Los Angeles. Thieves stole almost $30 million in cash from a holding facility on Easter Sunday.

As spotted on Raw Story, the burglars brought the plot from the Ocean’s Eleven to real life. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) say that the crew broke into a money holding facility in the neighborhood of Sylmar. According to a source who spoke to the Los Angeles Times, the unidentified individuals broke into the building’s roof and evaded the security system all together. Once inside, they reportedly accessed the vault without issue and made off with close to $30 million dollars in cash.

The perpetrators were so experienced that the staff at the facility didn’t notice the money missing right away. “It’s just mind blowing that you would never suspect it,” an anonymous employee told ABC News. “$30 million in the Valley, gone. How? Why? I’m still trying to process it. Was it an inside job? Was it just one person? Was it a group? You know, there’s a lot of questions.” The LAPD and FBI have confirmed they are working and “have a joint investigation into an alleged burglary that occurred on Sunday evening, March 31, 2024. No additional information related to the incident is being released,” the agencies confirmed in a joint statement.

You can view reporting live from the scene below.



05 Apr 2024

Il Volo Discuss New Album ‘Ad Astra’ and the Power of Diversity

Ignazio Boschetto, Gianluca Ginoble and Piero Barone joke about 3 Body Problem, the Netflix series that everyone is watching and talking about. The comparison between them and the three planets comes naturally, also because Il Volo’s new album, Ad Astra, talks about stars and human fragility. The unsolved astrophysics problem that the series talks about is the difficulty of accurately predicting the way in which the three planets move, as well as the evolution of the system they constitute. Il Volo also shows a notable evolution with this new album, released on March 29.

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After 15 years of career and 13 albums, in Ad Astra, Il Volo for the first time decided to interpret original songs written for them by some of the most important Italian songwriters and producers (except for the cover of “Who Wants To Live Forever” by Queen): Michelangelo, Federica Abbate, Edwyn Roberts, Michael Tenisci, Stefano Marletta, Federico Nardelli, Luca Faraone and Bungaro.

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But it’s just the beginning. On April 20, their new world tour will start from China and then move to Japan. It will then touch the main European capitals in autumn and will arrive in the USA, Canada and Latin America in 2025.

Billboard Italy met them on a rainy morning at the end of March in Milan. They joke with each other from the start, except when they reflect on what their music means to their audience.

What determined this change of approach?

Gianluca: After great projects in recent years, especially the tribute to Ennio Morricone, we thought the time had come to sing original songs. We wanted to try to be ourselves 100%. Being an interpreter is great, but singing your own songs is a completely different thing. The songwriters got to know us personally because they came to our concerts. We tried to make a real concept album, very diverse, with an intro and an outro. The album perfectly reflects who we are. Well, some songs reflect one or the other of us in particular. We want to demonstrate that diversity is our strength.

Which song represents each of you the most?

Ignazio: I’d rather say which songs I would listen to every day: “Succede,” “L’infinito,” “Il Mondo all’Incontrario.” I don’t know which one represents me the most. Gianluca: My favorites are “Capolavoro,” “Frammenti di Universo” and “Ad Astra,” with that Genesis-style progressive suite and its theatrical and cinematographic inspiration.

Piero: I too would say “Ad Astra,” then “Saturno e Venere” featuring Irama. We immediately got on well in the studio with him, despite coming from different worlds, and we saw the way he writes his songs. Irama thinks of the melody first, then the words come. It was very fascinating to watch him at work. I also really love “Opera” for the message it sends: try to live your days without thinking too much about tomorrow. It is in small gestures that we must seek happiness.

What’s the most important message you would like to convey to young people who feel under pressure?

Piero: Always look for enthusiasm in what you do, always persevere by pursuing your passions, without putting money first.

Gianluca: I’d say the meaning of the Latin expression “Per aspera ad astra” [“to the stars, through difficulties”]: you cannot achieve great results if you don’t sacrifice yourself. The main problem for young people, but also for adults, is not knowing themselves enough. That way, you don’t feel a sense of purpose.

What kept you together for so long?

Ignazio: We could say the love for music, but that would be too obvious. It is the awareness that our strength lies in our unity and our diversity. As soloists we would never be the same.

Do you feel respected by other artists?

Piero: Things have changed over time: at the beginning we were just newcomers who had signed a contract in the United States, then we made ourselves known. The best answer was the “Tutti per uno” concert at the Verona Arena, with all the artists who wanted to participate. At the beginning it wasn’t easy for them to want to sing with us, but what could they do? There are already three of us and ours is a completely different genre from that of the other singers. But with “Tutti per uno” everyone was able to express themselves as they wanted and it was much simpler. This year too we already have many confirmations for the four night at the Verona Arena in May.

What is the most significant international tour you have done?

Piero: Definitely Japan, where we’ll be returning in a few weeks. We can’t wait. Our music genre gave us the opportunity to have unique, unrepeatable experiences. Last year they wanted us for the inauguration of the Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto, a world heritage site immersed in a forest. We sang between the columns, dressed in white. The emotion was indescribable. Japan is a destination that we recommend to everyone: it showed us how we should behave, always. Respect for others, even for strangers, is an essential value there.

You said that at one of your concerts you initially thought the audience had fallen asleep.

Ignazio: The Japanese close their eyes to concentrate. At the end, however, everyone gets up and wants to come and say hello on stage – strictly waiting for the right moment, of course. Even the way of clapping is different, it’s quieter.

What have been the biggest sacrifices of these 15 years?

Gianluca: Sacrifices are constant, especially in terms of homesickness, despite we do what we love most. There were moments when we didn’t know what to do, like the year before we won Sanremo. In 2014 we kept changing record companies and didn’t know which path to take. With this new album we want to show who we are even more.

And the best moments?

Gianluca: There are many. The victory of Sanremo 2015, the tour with Barbra Streisand, the “We Are The World for Haiti” concert in 2010. But this last edition of Sanremo was also a way to show how much we have grown as artists.

What’s the most unexpected feature you would like to have in one of your songs?

Piero: Lazza, also because he’s very good at playing piano.

05 Apr 2024

Rare Prince B-Side Hits Streaming Platforms for the First Time

When Prince released Musicology in 2004, it was hailed as a comeback — and greeted with a few sighs of relief. The Purple One’s previous albums had either been too conceptual (The Rainbow Children, 2001) or uncommercial (N·E·W·S and Xpectation, both 2003, were fully instrumental) for most listeners, so when he delivered a party album of old-school funk, critics and fans were thrilled to press play.

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The album netted him two Grammys and a No. 3 spot on the Billboard 200 – his first album to reach that peak since 1991’s Diamonds and Pearls. Even better, the ensuing Musicology Live 2004ever tour found the icon delivering lengthy, hit-filled sets with a loose warmth you didn’t always get from Prince on stage. (The album was also sold as part of each ticket to the tour, with the LP’s cost baked into the ticket price.)

For the album’s 20th anniversary, NPG Records and Paisley Park Enterprises, in partnership with Sony Music Entertainment, are releasing his rare B-side “United States of Division” to streaming platforms for the first time. Previously available as an mp3 download to members of Prince’s NPG Music Club, “United States of Division” is a six-minute soul-funk jam that tackles the Iraq War, America’s dwindling global reputation and internal social divisions.

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Musically, Musicology received a warm welcome – and in hindsight, it’s one of Prince’s best latter-day albums, with the title track and the hilarious “Illusion, Coma, Pimp & Circumstance” being particular standouts. But its release strategy had people in the industry a bit confused.

“Instead of Musicology, Prince should have gone back into his catalog and named his new album Controversy. That is what he is once again stirring up as he distributes Musicology free to fans at his shows,” reported the May 8, 2004, issue of Billboard. “Nielsen SoundScan is counting those copies as sales. Of the 191,000 copies of Musicology Nielsen SoundScan tracked for the week ending April 18, 12,600 — 6% — were counted from his April 21 concert in Columbia, S.C.”

Despite some questioning the strategy’s efficacy or fairness, it proved influential – dozens of acts would follow suit in the ensuing years until Billboard stopped counting album sales that were part of ticket bundles in 2020.

05 Apr 2024

How to Watch J. Cole’s Dreamville Festival for Free

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It’s that time of year again! J. Cole’s Dreamville Festival returns to Raleigh, North Carolina on Saturday (April 6).

The two-day festival, held from April 6-7, will feature performances from Cole, Nicki Minaj, SZA and more.

“Some of the biggest names in music will travel to Raleigh in only a few short weeks, bringing about one of the most highly anticipated festivals of the year. Our team looks forward to welcoming all of our Day One fans from around the world back to Dreamville Festival,” said Dreamville Cofounder and Festival President Adam Roy said in a news release.

SZA is scheduled to headline on Saturday along with 50 Cent, who replaced Chris Brown as headliner. Minaj and Cole will headline the festival on Sunday.

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Saturday’s lineup includes Sexyy Red, Lil Yachty, ScHoolboy Q, Jeremih, Teezo Touchdown, Amaarae, Luh Tyler and Domani, while Rema, Jeezy, Monica, Rae Sremmurd, Key Glock, Muni Long, TiaCorine and Chase Shakur are scheduled for Sunday.

It’s unclear if Cole will perform his new song, “7 Minute Drill,” at the festival. The North Carolina rapper seemingly takes shots at Kendrick Lamar on the diss track off his surprise project, Might Delete Later, released on Friday.

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Read on for all the ways to stream the 2024 Dreamville Festival for free.

Dreamville Festival Livestream: How to Watch

The 2024 Dreamville Festival will stream live on Prime Video, Amazon Music’s Twitch channel and the Amazon music app.

Amazon Prime members get free access to Prime Video and other member-only benefits such as Amazon Music, Prime Gaming and Prime Reading.

If you’re not subscribed to Amazon Prime, you can join with a 30-day free trial and stream the 2024 Dreamville Festival for free. The live stream will begin at 9 a.m. ET/12 p.m. ET.

Prime Video has a huge selection exclusives, series, movies and more including Música, Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasury of Foggy Mountain, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Daisy Jones & The Six, Invincible, The Boys, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Fleabag, The Summer I Turned Pretty, The Wheel of Time, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and The Legend of Vox Machina.

Prime costs $14.99 per month after the free trial, however, Amazon offers 50% off for eligible students and government assistance recipients.

You can also add Paramount+, BET+, AMC+, Max, Starz and other channels to your Prime Video account and stream from one platform.

05 Apr 2024

Cardi B Drops Angelic, Barely-There Lingerie Photo

Cardi B is leaving fans guessing after posting a sultry new photo that some speculate is a hint at her next era.

Posted on her socials Thursday (April 4), the snapshot finds the rapper posing in platform heels, a barely-there bikini bottom and an angelic veil held up in the back by two helper doves. Another pair of white birds covers her chest, but nothing else — well, besides a metal cross and chain — obscures the rest of her body, leaving the tattoos on her arms, thighs and midriff exposed.

“Jack your set ??,” she wrote in her caption, the OK sign emoji mirroring her pose in the photo.

The Bardi Gang isn’t sure what the artist’s post is for, but many fans are convinced it means she’s gearing up to release her long-awaited new album. “CARDI WHAT IS THIS FOR????” one person commented on the photo on X.

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“OMG IS THIS THE ALBUM COVER,” wrote another admirer.

Billboard has reached out to Cardi’s rep for comment.

Fans have long been waiting for a follow-up to 2018’s Invasion of Privacy, but the Grammy winner has only released a string of singles in the six years since it dropped. These include 2021’s “Hot S–t” with Ye and Lil Durk and 2023’s “Bongos” with Megan Thee Stallion, which peaked at Nos. 13 and 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively.

So far this year, Cardi has shared two solo singles — “Like What (Freestyle)” and “Enough (Miami),” which hit No. 38 and No. 9, respectively, on the Hot 100. Most recently, she joined Shakira on “Puntería,” the first track on the pop star’s new album Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, which hit No. 72 on the chart.

“I always wanted to do a record with Shakira and it’s like, wow, it landed on my lap,” Cardi said of the collaboration in a recent interview with Million Dollaz Worth of Game. “It really landed on my lap … It’s like, ‘B—h, I’ll do whatever the f–k you want me to do, b—h. I’ll fly to Colombia.’ Like I’ll go over there right now.”

05 Apr 2024

New Music Latin: Listen to Releases From Camilo & Carin León, Aventura & More

New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.

Camilo & Carin León, “Una Vida Pasada” (Sony Music Latin/Hecho A Mano)

Leave it to Camilo to get Carin Leon to sing salsa music for the first time. In “Una Vida Pasada,” the Colombian pop star and the música mexicana sensation (who previously collaborated on “Ni Me Debes, Ni Te Debo”) sing about a love so strong that comes from a past life, but unfortunately, can’t be together. “Tell me why if we were meant for each other/ How do you pretend to forget the love of you life?” they ask in part of the lyrics. Musically, the song is a captivating salsa, where Camilo even flaunts his trombone-playing skills. “Una Vida Pasada” is part of Camilo’s experimental three-track EP dos, where he also dips his toes in the pambiche merengue genre (“Autodiagnóstico”) and traditional vallenato (“En Tus Sueños o En Los Míos”). The set comes on the heels of uno, which includes “PLIS,” his feel-good, romantic salsa tune with his wife and artist Evaluna Montaner. — JESSICA ROIZ

Santa Fe Klan & Nicky Jam, “Una Raya Más” (Cuatro Siete Tres/Sony Music Latin)

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A departure from Santa Fe Klan’s hip-hop roots, the Mexican rapper dives into a reggaetón-pop sound — a nod to his collaborator Nicky Jam, who is known for his melodic and poetic approach to reggaetón. While the song’s beat may be softer, Santa doesn’t hold back his rapid-fire verses about a love story that turns into a nightmare, with betrayal and deception. Meanwhile, Nicky Jam — whose melodic vocals offer a contrast to Santa’s raw rap skills — sings emotionally about the complexities of heartbreak. — GRISELDA FLORES

Morat, “Faltas Tú” (Universal Music Spain)

In their new single “Faltas Tú” (“Only You Are Missing”), Colombian boyband Morat immerses us in a nostalgic atmosphere in sound and visuals, as they explore the theme of missing a loved one. The pop-rock track at times evokes the distinctive vintage sound of ’70s rock classics, driven by electric guitar, with vocals wrapped in reverb effects and captivating melodies. “To start the season of our fifth album, we leave you a song that represents the new sound, the new aesthetic, and the new attitude. See you at the concert, ‘Sólo Faltas Tú (only you’re missing)’”, the says said in a statement about the release. The music video, filmed in Mexico, complements the song’s themes by showing incomplete elements, such as a hot dog without the meat and Paris without the Eiffel Tower, while the band members travel and perform in a retro silver Airstream trailer. — LUISA CALLE

Aventura, “Brindo Con Agua”

With haunting sincerity, Aventura’s “Brindo Con Agua” delves into the stark realities of alcoholism, domestic strife, and familial anguish. Instead of Romeo Santos taking the lead, Henry Santos fronts the bachata song, navigating its emotional depths against nylon guitar plucks and bongo rhythms. “Always when I drink I think I’m Superman/ And I want everything in my house to be done my way/ I came home drunk one night/ And in front of my children I grabbed my wife,” he sings with raw intensity. As Henry grapples with his inner demons, Romeo intervenes as a beacon of reason midway through the song, urging him to reclaim his life.

Channeling the essence of amargue music (bachata’s original name), this single marks Aventura’s grand return since 2021’s “Volví” with Bad Bunny. In February, Romeo Santos revealed that he was reuniting with Aventura for their final tour, called Cerrando Ciclos, which will kick off on May 1 in Sacramento, Calif. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

Sheila E., Bailar (Stiletto Flats)

For her first salsa album, Sheila E. recruited great legends of Latin and tropical music, such as Gloria Estefan, Rubén Blades and Gilberto Santa Rosa. The “Queen of Timbal” presents 10 songs mostly of classical salsa that will make the listener, as its title promises, dance — from the first chords of “Anacaona,” the song that opens the set with Rubén Blades, to “Bemba Colorá” with Gloria Estefan and Mimy Succar, “El Rey del Timbal” with Gilberto Santa Rosa and the album’s title song with Luis Enrique.

Six of the set’s tracks are in Spanish, including “Gente Buena” with Víctor Manuelle and the electrifying “Descarga” with José Alberto “El Canario” and Pete Escovedo, Sheila’s famous dad. Three are in English: “The Way That You Do” with Jean Rodriguez, “Mi Amor” with Mychel Gabrial, and “Playa Tequila”, the only one without a guest singer. One, “Possibilities” with Debi Nova, is in Spanglish.

With stunning big band orchestration and arrangements, Bailar is a testament to the Latin flavor and star power of Tito Puente’s goddaughter, who rose to fame in the early ’80s as Prince’s percussionist. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Listen to more editors’ Latin recommendations in the playlist below:

05 Apr 2024

Watch Jake Paul Tune Up For Mike Tyson Fight With One-Punch Lil Pump Knock-Out

By now you may have seen the sweat-drenched videos of former world heavyweight champ Mike Tyson, 57, prepping for his July 20 match with YouTuber-turned-professional-boxer Jake Paul. The bout — which will air on Netflix from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX — will feature the champ taking on 27-year-old Paul in Iron Mike’s first official fight in nearly two decades.

And now we have a clip of Paul’s work-out regime, which appears to involve easily leveling defenseless non-pugilists. In a clip uploaded on Thursday (April 4), Paul positions MAGA rapper Lil Pump just so in the middle of a boxing ring. After Paul asks if he’s ready, Pump, with his be-gloved arms in the air, takes the shot and immediately crumples to the ground in agony after Paul unleashes a single left hook into the unguarded “Big MAGA Steppin” MC’s midsection.

“Ohhhhhhhh!” a shirtless Pump yelps in agony as he crawls around the mat clutching his midsection, his face red from the screaming. With a crew of videographers swarming around the prostrate Pump to capture the clickbait moment for viral posterity — mission accomplished — Paul smiles and says, “I told you not to do it.”

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The just-for-the-cameras stunt was clearly meant to help hype the fight — as Paul was only wearing one glove — and Pump appeared to seriously, and immediately, regret agreeing to take the mighty blow. “Jake Paul is officially 10-1 [face sweating emoji],” Pump captioned the video. “Not gonna lie, that liver shot made me feel like I was dying [crying laughing emoji].”

While Tyson has been hitting the gym hard, over the past few weeks Paul appeared to be easing his way into his latest bout, posting a video on March 26 of him partying and chugging champagne with the classic trash-talking caption, “Day 1 of sending Mike Tyson back to his podcast for good.” By the next day, though, he posted an update from his 6,000-foot elevation training camp in Colorado Springs, where he said he was training hard with Olympians, followed by another in which he openly taunted Tyson, saying, “Mikey, Mikey, your hands can’t hit what your eyes can’t see.”

Last month, Tool’s Maynard James Keenan posted pics with Tyson, who has been training at the rocker’s Cottonwood, AZ Verde Valley BJJ martial arts school. The legendarily hard-hitting boxer with a career 50-6 record (including 44 knockouts), has been posting sweat-drenched videos of his intense workouts in the lead-up to his first fight since his controversial draw against fellow former champ Roy Jones Jr. in Nov. 202 in an exhibition match. Tyson is 21 years from his last win and both men are expected to take home major paydays for the headline-grabbing showdown.

Since his improbably pivot from Bizaardvark and YouTube prank video fame, Paul has fought a series of MMA fighters, former professional boxers and basketball players, boosting his record to date to 9-1 (6 by KO), with his one loss coming at the hands of the only active boxer he’s faced to date, Tommy Fury, in Feb. 2023.

Watch the one-punch knockout video below.

05 Apr 2024

WWE Superstar Big E on Why Hip-Hop Stars Are Loving Wrestling Again

WrestleMania XL is upon us. As WWE fans of all ages prepare for the Super Bowl of pro wrestling this weekend in Philadelphia, WWE Superstar Big E is one of the company’s brightest ambassadors and building blocks for what will be an iconic 48 hours.  

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Following a devastating injury in 2022, when he suffered a broken neck during a match on Smackdown, the former WWE champion has become a vital figure outside of the ring. He undertook a significant endeavor, crafting a poignant short film about the life of Ruby Bridges, the first Black student integrated into an all-white school. Collaborating with Grammy-nominated MC Rapsody, who recorded original music for the NAACP-nominated project, Big E infused his love for hip-hop and history. He transformed a heavy moment in Black history into a light and stirring conversation starter for kids living in the modern era. 

“I think there are so many stories of Black heroes, and we’re so often taught as young people: MLK, Rosa Parks, slavery, and that’s about it,” he says. “But our history is so much deeper. The Black men and women who have contributed to this country and our legacy have been incredible. We want to continue to tell these stories because there are so many out there, and we want to do it in a fun way.” 

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Big E’s love for hip-hop and history is palpable. It blossomed during his tenure at Iowa University, where he became an avid lover of the Blog Era. While playing college football as a defensive lineman, Big E became a fan of Wale and his seminal 2008 project, The Mixtape About Nothing. After E ventured into the WWE and learned of Wale’s fandom in 2012, their mutual appreciation ultimately turned into a close-knit friendship. 

“We ended up DMing years ago, and we connected more than just him being a wrestling fan and me being a fan of him,” he recalls. “We connected on life. So many times, we were texting about life on the road a lot more than just being industry friends. I’m such a massive fan of him, not just as an artist but as a human being.”

Though Big E remains in great shape, possessing the same burly physique that made him an elite champion, he is enjoying the sidelines, watching his peers, most notably the Black WWE superstars, carry the torch during his hiatus. 

“It’s really just been an incredible time for Black talent, and I just think it’s gonna keep growing and growing,” he says. “We’ve made a lot of progress, and I still think we have more progress to go.”

Billboard spoke to Big E ahead of WrestleMania XL about hip-hop and wrestling becoming synonymous, his friendship with Wale, working with Rapsody on his short film Bridges, his “Big 3” in the WWE, and more. 

This year marks the 15th anniversary of Wale’s debut album Attention Deficit. You guys are obviously friends and shared a WrestleMania moment when he performed your entrance song “Feel the Power” in 2021. When did you first become a fan of his? 

I’m a big Seinfeld fan. The Blog Era for me was when I was in college. That was when I really first learned about Wale. Then, when he came out with The Mixtape About Nothing, that changed things for me. So I started really paying more attention and then I started following him on Twitter and saw that he was a wrestling fan. So between his Seinfeld stuff, him being an incredible MC and also being a wrestling fan, I was just like, “I gotta reach out to this man.”

It’s been a pleasure to have him perform for me at WrestleMania for me in my hometown. That was special. I’m so grateful to have Wale on my team. He’s also done so much to make wrestling cool.

I feel like wrestling is at this great stage right now where you have The Rock around, all these celebrities who wanna be involved, but let’s give some credit to the homie Wale for making wrestling cool and for doing WaleMania every single year. I’ve reached out to so many people who are excited for WrestleMania, but honestly, the biggest thing for them is WaleMania. Like, “What’s my WaleMania fit? I can’t wait. What’s the lineup?” Shout-out to Wale for what he’s done for the culture, and what he’s done for hip-hop and wrestling.

There were so many closeted wrestling fans, especially in the hip-hop community. Why do you think so many people are coming out and embracing the sport now more than ever before?

I think it’s just cool now, man. I don’t know exactly what to point to, but you have The Rock involved now. You have [WWE president] Nick Khan involved. You have so many connections with sports and entertainment. I feel like a lot of people were closeted wrestling fans because it wasn’t cool, because it was the nerdy thing to do — but now that it’s becoming more accessible for people, I think a lot of people are coming out of the wooodwork.

I think back to his celebrity flag football game I did a couple of years ago right before the Super Bowl, and I was amazed that Diplo knew who I was. He wanted to talk about storylines and whatnot. That stuff always blows me away. But you’d be surprised how many people watched back in the day when they were kids, and watch right now and love what we do. You know, when Wale started WaleMania a couple of years ago, it wasn’t really the cool thing to do. People felt like they had to keep it in, but now, it’s a lot more mainstream. You see the WWE titles all the time. You see how proudly people wear those WWE custom belts after they win a Super Bowl or World Series. It’s just really cool to see our product become mainstream again. 

I spoke to Jey Uso a while back and we touched on the famous freestyle battle between The Usos and The New Day. What were you so surprised about from a lyrical standpoint in that battle?

Well look, I was hesitant to do it because I’m a hip-hop fan, but I can’t rap [Laughs.] The three of us can’t rap. Me, Kofi [Kingston] and [Xavier] Woods can’t rap. We all knew this — but man, that segment was so much fun. Having Wale be a part of it and be the host of that thing [was great]. The Usos, I told them a while ago that they need to drop an EP or something. They can actually spit. They got some bars. They did their thing. That segment was a lot of fun.

One of the things I remember was Daniel Bryan — who is such a wrestling head that I thought would be critical [of the segment] — he said, “Man, you guys could have done that for an hour and I would have been locked in and entertained.” I think a lot of people went into that with trepidation because segments like that in wrestling aren’t very good and are very corny. But I think with Wale being there, The Usos really bringing it, really just added so much to our programming and our rivalry. I also think we did it the right way. That’s a segment that I’m really proud of.

Over the years, we’ve seen wrestlers like John Cena to even recently Montez Ford release music. Has there been anybody in the locker room that impressed you from a rapping standpoint?

I haven’t heard anything original from him, but Omos will surprise you. Omos can spit a whole Jay-Z verse. He’s a big hip-hop head. Omos is one of those dudes who haven’t been able to show his full charisma and full personality on TV, but he’s definitely a big hip-hop head, and a dude I love talking hip-hop with.

Because you grew up in the Blog Era, you know the big three is Drake, Kendrick and J. Cole. Who would you say from a wrestling standpoint is the holy trinity of the WWE and why?

That’s a really good question. You know what? I’ll go Randy [Orton]. He’s just one of the GOATs who I feel like sometimes as much credit as he gets, he still doesn’t get enough credit. So I’ll go Randy, Cena and I gotta put one more in there. This is hard. I’ll go Roman [Reigns]. He’s been doing his thing. 

Speak about Roman’s current run as champion — especially heading into Mania — considering we haven’t seen a run like this since Hulk Hogan. A lot of people want to see his reign end this weekend.

It’s just one of those things that I think a lot of fans have been so locked into. You say everyone wants it to end — but not everyone though. There’s still a lot of people riding with Roman that wanna see him push through.

When I see his run, I think of someone who reinvented himself — because you can think of someone who was really being pushed as “The Guy,” and a lot of fans didn’t accept him as much. He’s really found his footing since the pandemic. Since he came back, this has been a generational run. That’s what I think he’s a real testament to.

I think a lot of people are impatient with talent and they want them to have it all figured out right now, but sometimes, you need time to grow. You need time to really get in your feet and know, “This is who I am.” So Roman was a guy who obviously had a ton of talent first getting on the main roster, but he wasn’t quite himself yet. He wasn’t as comfortable as he could have been, but now I think you’re seeing him at his very best. You’re seeing him at his most natural. This is the guy he’s always been.

Don’t get me wrong, he was a good dude in the locker room and whatnot, but he always had that alpha mentality. He played football at Georgia Tech. He was all-ACC. I was a defensive tackle at the same time and watching him, hearing his name. So he’s always had that attitude of an alpha. I think so many times that he was positioned as a babyface and as a guy who had to pretend he wasn’t that guy, but I think he’s a lot more comfortable and you see it now. You see how natural his promos are. You see how comfortable he is in this position. So when I think of his run, I just think it’s a testament to riding a wave. 

With Bianca Belair gracing WWE 2K24, the emergence of Jade Cargill and the rise of Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams in NXT, how would you describe this current renaissance we’re seeing right now with Black wrestlers?

It’s been beautiful to see, man. It’s a long time coming, and it’s one of those things where I just look around and I’m really proud of Black talent because I don’t think you can look at any of the Black talent in WWE who are in the spots they are in and say, “Oh, they’re just given [these opportunities] because it’s a quota system or because of the color of their skin.

What I love is how different everyone is and how they standout on their own. They all deserve those spots. They all bring something to the table. The Black men are killing it, but to see Black women doing their thing [is amazing]. You see what they’re doing on the main roster, but we got a crop coming behind them in NXT, as well. We as Black people, we dominate in the NBA and the NFL, it also makes sense to do the same thing here in WWE and pro wrestling. It’s been an exciting time and I’m really proud to see the amount of Black talent doing incredible things and standing out on their own.

Seeing the way Jade has came in and how the fans have taken to her has been incredible. Someone like Naomi, who doesn’t get enough credit for how she’s inspired young Black women to enter this business as well, [has been great too.] It’s really just been an incredible time for Black talent and I just think it’s gonna keep growing and growing. We’ve made a lot of progress, and I still think we have more progress to go. I think of someone like a Montez Ford and he hasn’t even approached his ceiling. Not even close. And [Angelo] Dawkins as well. A lot of people sleep on what Dawkins has been doing. Another super talented dude. There’s a bevy of Black talent in our industry. I love seeing it and I wanna see more of it.

What was your experience working with Rapsody on your short-film “Bridges,” which honored Ruby Bridges, the first Black student to be integrated into an all-white school in the 1960s?

It was a real labor of love for us. It’s called Bridges. We got an NAACP nomination for it. It’s on YouTube right now, if you Google, Our Heroes Rock, but it’s something that we’re really proud of. We wanna tell more of these stories. Rapsody did an incredible job. She recorded an original song for us and we made a music video as well. It tells the story of Ruby Bridges in a way that I think is more engaging. I think for a lot of people, history can be heavy and can be dry, but we wanted to make it more engaging. So I voice this nine-foot tall robot who takes you through this futuristic museum and shows you all the myriad of Black leaders, politicians, and writers from all different backgrounds who have helped shape our history.

We just felt the first story we wanted to lead with was Ruby’s story because it’s a six-year-old Black girl simply trying to go to school in 1960 and being integrated in an all-white school for the first time. Seeing the type of vitriol, the anger and nastiness that this little girl who was simply trying to go school was met with — if you can’t emphasize, do you really have a heart at all? 

One of the great things that I love about her story too is that there was one teacher who decided to stay. Parents were pulling their kids out of school, teachers were refusing to teach Ruby, but one teacher who was named Barbara Henry — still alive and with us — was able to say that something was wrong and did the right thing. I think there’s so many stories of Black heroes and we’re so often taught as young people MLK, Rosa Parks, slavery and that’s about it, but our history is so much deeper. The Black men and women who have contributed to this country, to our legacy as Black Men and women have been incredible. We just wanna continue to tell these stories because there’s so many out there and we wanna do it in a fun way.