News

27 Nov 2023

Bobby Brown Shares Photo With Late Son 3 Years Since His Death

Bobby Brown is honoring his late son Bobby Brown Jr., who died at age 28 on Nov. 18, 2020.

The songwriter and artist took to Instagram over the weekend (Nov. 25) to share a photo with Bobby Jr., and captioned it with a brown heart emoji.


In November 2020, Los Angeles police responded to an undisclosed medical emergency at a home in Encino at around 1:50 p.m., which is when they discovered the body, as the Associated Press reported.

Bobby Jr. died of an overdose of alcohol, cocaine and the opioid fentanyl, according to a coroner’s report received by BBC.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Bobby Jr.’s mother is Kim Ward, who Brown dated for 11 years before he married Whitney Houston.

Brown lost his daughter, Bobby Jr.’s half-sister Bobbi Kristina, in July 2015, after she was found unconscious in a bathtub and was then in a coma for months. The autopsy revealed the cause of death was lobar pneumonia due to “immersion of face in water complicating mixed drug intoxication.” Bobbi Kristina died three years after the February 2012 death of her mom, Whitney Houston.

27 Nov 2023

Busta Rhymes ft. DaBaby & T-Pain “Big Everything,” Bubba Sparxxx ft. Adam Calhoun “They Just Don’t Know” & More | Daily Visuals 11.27.23

HipHopWired Featured Video

Busta Rhymes

Source: Handout / Epic Records

Last week Busta Rhymes released his 11th studio album in Blockbusta and for his day-one fans that have been following his career for the past few decades, the Hip-Hop icon decided to treat them with some brand new visuals to go along with the album release.

Collaborating with DaBaby and T-Pain for the visuals to “Big Everything,” Busta Rhymes and company get on some Dick Tracy ish with their brightly colored tailored suits as they hit some CGI’d streets and hit up the strip bar where they make it rain with CGI dollar bills. Is that like an equivalent to Bit Coins? Just asking.

Bubba Sparxxx meanwhile is still out here rapping after decades of laying low and in his Adam Calhoun assisted clip to “They Just Don’t Know,” Timbaland’s former artist hosts some young women in his home where he and Adam get hype while playing the leather sofa that you’d find at an old lady’s house. Bubba living hella humble. Can’t be mad at that.

Check out the rest of today’s drops and some joints you might’ve missed over the weekend including work from Luh Tyler, Teelow, and more.

BUSTA RHYMES FT DABABY & T-PAIN – “BIG EVERYTHING”



BUBBA SPARXXX FT. ADAM CALHOUN – “THEY JUST DON’T KNOW”



LUH TYLER – “CHANGE MY WAYZ”



TEELOW – “FIND A WAY”



PHAEVA PHAWTY & D-WEEZY – “BOSS MOVES”



MONEY MAN – “COUGHING”



KARRAHBOO – “RUNNING LATE”



VERSA THE RAPPER – “THIS IS FOR ME”



BYRON MESSIA – “LA LA”



27 Nov 2023

Last-Minute Deal! This Fitbit Is Just $69.99 for Cyber Monday

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Amazon has the Fitbit Inspire 3 on sale as part of a Cyber Monday deal. Regularly $99.95, the Fitbit sale brings the price down to just $69.95 for a limited time.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

This is the cheapest price we’ve spotted online for this Fitbit and its lowest price in 30 days at Amazon. Released last year, the stylish fitness tracker that combines the look of a modern bracelet with the functionality of a smart watch.

Fitbit Cyber Monday Sale 2023: $69 Fitness Tracker Deal

Fitbit Inspire 3 Health &-Fitness-Tracker with Stress Management, Workout Intensity, Sleep Tracking, 24/7 Heart Rate & More

$69.95

$99.95

30% off

The Cyber Monday deal gets you the Fitbit Inspire 3 for $69.99 or Fitbit Inspire 6 for $99.95. Both are available in your choice of three colors including black, lilac and morning glow for Fitbit 3 and black, gold and silver for Fitbit 6.

The slim, jewelry-like band keeps track of your steps, heart rate, breathing rate and other exercise metrics, and can even help you estimate your calorie burn, depending on the workout you’re doing. Going on a run? Pair the Fitbit to your phone’s GPS to track your pacing and route.

We also like all the health and wellness features of the Fitbit 3 and Fitbit 6, including the ability to track your sleep and give you a “Sleep Score” in the accompanying Fitbit app. You can also track your daily “Stress Management” levels, and use your watch for guided breathing and mindfulness exercises through the Fitbit app.

Program the fitness tracker’s settings and alerts to set goals for yourself, whether you’re going on a run or hitting the gym. You can also send the Fitbit to push a gentle buzz when you reach your target heart rate zones.

A single charge gets you up to 10 days of battery life. The slim and sleek design, meantime, is a welcome change from all the bulky and chunky smartwatch models on the market.

Fitbit Cyber Monday Sale 2023: $69 Fitness Tracker Deal

Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker with Google apps, Heart Rate on Exercise Equipment, 6-Months Premium Membership Included, GPS & More

$99.95

$159.95

38% off

This is one of the best Fitbit deals online, and the price includes the chic activity tracker, a lithium-ion battery and a six-month free trial to Fitbit Premium, which gets you everything from detailed monitoring metrics to health tips and guided, on-demand workouts.

Regularly $159.95+, this Amazon deal gets you the Fitbit 6 for just $99.95. See full details here.

Want something cheaper? The cheapest Fitbit Cyber Monday deal is at Walmart, where you can get the Fitbit Inspire 2 for $65.12. That’s a nearly $20 discount from its regular price of $83.42. This is a more basic fitness tracker compared to the newer Fitbit but if you just need regular exercise and sleep tracking (along with built-in GPS), this is a great deal to pick up.

For more sales, check out our list of Cyber Monday deals under $20 and a list of retailers and sites to shop for Cyber week.

27 Nov 2023

Opening Statements In The YSL RICO Trial Started Today

HipHopWired Featured Video

BET Experience concert, Los Angeles, USA - 24 Jun 2017

Source: Variety / Getty

Young Thug and his associates will finally have their chance in court. The opening statements for the YSL RICO trial began today.

Raw Story is reporting that the much anticipated federal trial regarding Young Thug allegedly running an organized criminal empire commenced today. According to CNN the prosecutor immediately came out swinging and portrayed YSL as a miniature mafia. “YSL operated as a pact,” said Fulton County Chief Deputy District Attorney Adriane Love, and claimed Young Thug was “King Slime.” She went on to further detail their supposed operation. “They created a crater in the middle of Fulton County’s Cleveland Avenue community that sucked in the youth, the innocence and even the lives of some of its youngest members,” she added. The prosecutor also says the “Ski” rapper made sure to not have direct dealings with his team when it came to executing his criminal requests saying Thug “knew that he needed to have distance between himself and the crimes members and associates of YSL were committing on behalf of the gang.”

The road to get this case in front of a judge has been a long one. The man born Jeffery Williams and several members of his team were booked by federal authorities on varying charges related to racketeering, theft, distribution of narcotics and criminal conspiracy to name a few. On May 9, 20222 Young Thug and Gunna were among the 28 members of Young Stoner Life who were in a 56-count Georgia RICO. Since then bringing it to trial has been marred by a host of problems including a jury selection that almost took 10 months and a co-defendant who allegedly tried to pass Young Thug a pill of Percocet.

If found guilty Young Thug could face five to 20 years in prison if found guilty.

27 Nov 2023

TikToker Catches Boyfriend Teaching Puppy Important Taylor Swift News

Taylor Swift is now reaching the canines.

A viral TikTok shared by user @maya.and.hunter this week shows Maya walking in on Hunter teaching their golden retriever puppy about Swift’s recent “Karma” lyric change. “And then she says, ‘Karma is the guy on the Chiefs,’” Hunter is seen telling the pup, who is sweetly falling asleep in his arms.

“Raising the next generation of Swifties,” the caption reads.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The lyric change, of course, came during Swift’s Eras tour stop in Buenos Aires earlier this month, which her rumored boyfriend Travis Kelce attended. While onstage, Swift had altered the lyrics slightly to sing, “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs coming straight home to me,” in reference to Kelce’s position as tight end on the Kansas City Chiefs (The original line goes, “Karma is the guy on the screen coming straight home to me.)

“Yeah no I had no clue [she would do that] … well, I might have had a little bit of a clue, but definitely when I heard it come out of her mouth, it still shocked me,” Kelce admitted during a follow-up episode of his New Heights podcast, which he co-hosts with brother Jason Kelce. “I was like, ‘Oh s–t, she really just said that.’”

Watch the adorable TikTok below.

27 Nov 2023

Jimmy Iovine Accused Of Sexual Abuse Under New York’s Adult Survivors Act

HipHopWired Featured Video

Gwen Stefani Honored With Star On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame

Source: Emma McIntyre / Getty

Legendary music industry executive Jimmy Iovine has been issued a summons by an anonymous plaintiff who has accused him of sexual abuse.

According to Variety, the summons was filed last week in the Supreme Court of the State of New York County. And while the filing doesn’t go into much explicit detail regarding what Iovine is accused of doing exactly, it claims the plaintiff listed as “Jane Doe” has “suffered as a result of being sexually abused, forcibly touched, and subjected to sexual harassment and retaliation in violation of anti-discrimination laws in or around August 2007.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Iovine not only denied the allegations, but they told Variety it was the first time they had heard them.

“We are quite shocked and baffled by this alleged claim,” the spokesperson said. “This inquiry is the first we’ve heard of this matter. No one has ever made a claim like this against Jimmy Iovine, nor have we been contacted or made aware of any complaint by anyone, including this unknown plaintiff prior to now.”

The accuser’s summons comes just before the window closed last Friday for plaintiffs in New York State to file sex abuse lawsuits even after the statute of limitations had expired under the Adult Survivors Act. According to the New York Times, more than 3,000 civil suits had been filed before the window expired. Those suits included filings against former NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo, NYC Mayor Eric Adams, music mogul L.A. Reid, rockstar Axl Rose, and, most notably, Sean “Diddy” Combs, who settled his suit filed by singer and ex-girlfriend Cassie just one day after the news broke.

From Variety:

According to the court document, Doe is asserting claims pursuant to inter alia, New York common law for assault and battery; the New York City Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act; and the New York City Human Rights Law. Attorneys are seeking compensation to be determined at trial, including for punitive damages, inter alia physical injury and more. Iovine is required to serve a notice of appearance or demand for complaint within 20 days after the summon’s servicing, or 30 days after service is complete if the summons isn’t delivered personally to him in New York.

27 Nov 2023

5 Best Gift Card Deals for Cyber Monday You Can Snag for the Holidays

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

The holiday season is officially here, and with it comes hunting for special gifts for everyone on your list. Cyber Monday deals are still going on, which means you have a chance to score gifts for everyone on your list. Have someone hard to shop for? Gift card deals are going on through retailers including Amazon, Best Buy and Target and minimize the hassle of finding the perfect gift.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

No single present is one-size-fits-all, and for the pickier people in your life, it can make finding a specific item all the more challenging. Gift cards offer a way to still personalize a present to your loved one while giving them the opportunity to pick out exactly what they want. Whether you need gifts for music lovers, a gift for musicians or even gifts for coffee lovers, there are gift card deals that will leave them happy and you with some extra pocket change.

Rather than pay full price, Cyber Monday is discounting gift cards on everything from food, tech, fashion and more, so you can get everyone on your list covered. They won’t be going on forever though and will most likely end at midnight on Nov. 27. To help save time and get you saving, we scrolled through and discovered the best gift card deals to take advantage of.

Keep reading to shop the deals.

Best Gift Card Deals

white gift card with rainbow apple logo

Amazon

best tech gift card deal

Apple Gift Card

Apple is giving $15 in promotional credit when you spend $100+ on select Apple gift cards. To redeem the deal just add input how much you want to add onto the gift card, add it to your cart and type in the code APPLET5USA at checkout. You should receive your $15 in credit within 24 hours.

fandango gift card with popcorn graphic

Amazon

best movie gift card

Fandango Gift Card

$39.50

$50

21% off

Movie lovers will appreciate a Fandango gift card and for those who spend $50 on one, you’ll save $10.50 — just make sure to enter the code T5FAN at checkout to receive the discount.

black and white gift card with gap brands

Best Buy

best clothing gift card deal

Gap Options Gift Card

$85

$100

15% off

Best Buy is treating you to 15% off a Gap Options $100 gift card. You don’t need to enter a promo code either, just add the gift card to your cart and the discount will automatically apply.

gift card with golf club and golf ball graphic

Target

best sports gift card

GolfNow Gift Card

$42.50

$50

15% off

If you join Target’s rewards program, Target Circle, you’ll be able to get 15% off GolfNow gift cards to treat the sport lover in your life to. Then, they’ll be able to use the gift card on the online store and stock up on essentials.

silver and white gift card

Amazon

best home gift card deal

Yankee Candle Gift Card

$39.50

$50

21% off

If you know someone who’s always shopping at Yankee Candle, then treat them to a Yankee Candle gift card and save $10.50. The offer works on $50+ gift cards and you’ll need to enter the code T5YAN at checkout to receive it.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best gender-neutral gifts, gifts for dog lovers and gifts for Harry Styles fans.

27 Nov 2023

Nick Cannon Hints at Holiday Plans With His 11 Kids: ‘Saint Nick Will Be in Every Chimney’

Despite having 11 children, Nick Cannon is not stressed about making the holidays great for each of his kids. The Masked Singer host hinted at what he has in store for his kin for the month of December now that Christmas is officially on the horizon in a new interview with Entertainment Tonight.

According to the host, Christmas is his “favorite time of year,” and as such, he has a few surprises up his sleeves for both fans and his little ones in the upcoming weeks leading up to the holiday.

“Saint Nick will be in every chimney I could possibly be in,” he told the outlet, noting that the main focus is making his children happy ahead of Christmas and beyond. “It’s all about the kids so, you’ll definitely see us doing some fun, over the top stuff in the next 30 days.”

Cannon’s shopping list will likely be a hefty one this year. The former Wild N’ Out star is father to twins Monroe and Moroccan with ex-wife Mariah Carey; twin sons Zion and Zillion, as well as daughter Beautiful Zeppelin with Abby De La Rosa; Golden Sagon, Powerful Queen and Rise Messiah with Brittany Bell; Zen — who died in December 2021 — and Halo Marie with Alyssa Scott; Legendary Love with Bre Tiesi; and Onyx Ice Cole with LaNisha Cole.

“People even often ask, ‘Are you gonna have more? You gonna stop?’” Cannon recalled of people’s critique of his amount of children in a 2022 interview with Men’s Health. “I’m like, those are questions that I don’t really even sit around and think about. I’m just walking in my purpose and trying to be the best father and best provider I could possibly be.”

27 Nov 2023

Listeners Remain Wary of AI in Music, New IFPI Survey Shows

Listeners remain wary of artificial intelligence, according to Engaging with Music 2023, a forthcoming report from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) that seems aimed in particular at government regulators.

The IFPI surveyed 43,000 people across 26 countries, coming to the conclusion that 76% of respondents “feel that an artist’s music or vocals should not be used or ingested by AI without permission,” and 74% believe “AI should not be used to clone or impersonate artists without authorisation.” 

The results are not surprising. Most listeners probably weren’t thinking much, if at all, about AI and its potential impacts on music before 2023. (Some still aren’t thinking about it: 89% of those surveyed said they were “aware of AI,” leaving 11% who have somehow managed to avoid a massive amount of press coverage this year.) New technologies are often treated with caution outside the tech industry. 

It’s also easy for survey respondents to support statements about getting authorization for something before doing it — that generally seems like the right thing to do. But historically, artists haven’t always been interested in preemptively obtaining permission. 

Take the act of sampling another song to create a new composition. Many listeners would presumably agree that artists should go through the process of clearing a sample before using it. In reality, however, many artists sample first and clear later, sometimes only if they are forced to.

In a statement, Frances Moore, IFPI’s CEO, said that the organization’s survey serves as a “timely reminder for policymakers as they consider how to implement standards for responsible and safe AI.”

U.S. policymakers have been moving slowly to develop potential guidelines around AI. In October, a bipartisan group of senators released a draft of the NO FAKES Act, which aims to prevent the creation of “digital replicas” of an artist’s image, voice, or visual likeness without permission.

“Generative AI has opened doors to exciting new artistic possibilities, but it also presents unique challenges that make it easier than ever to use someone’s voice, image, or likeness without their consent,” Senator Chris Coons said in a statement. “Creators around the nation are calling on Congress to lay out clear policies regulating the use and impact of generative AI.”

27 Nov 2023

Cardi B Welcomes the Holiday Season With Peppermint Whipshots Campaign Photo

‘Tis the season to get turnt — with some help from Cardi B.

The “I Like It” rapper’s alcoholic whipped cream company, Whipshots, re-launched its festive peppermint flavor for the holiday season, and Cardi stuns in the campaign photos, in which she’s seen sitting amid a winter wonderland full of trees and presents in a flowing red gown. “The holidays are all about coming together and getting lit – and we’re not just talking about the Christmas tree, Fam,” the caption reads. “Elevate your celebrations with Whipshots Peppermint vodka whipped cream – the perfect stocking stuffer to bring the bougie to your holiday bash. (Besides, bringing a bottle of wine for your friends and family is so been there, drank that!).”

See the photo here.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Back in March, Whipshots celebrated selling two million cans of its boozy treat. “We just went double platinum! We’re not playing around when we say Whipshots is the best,” Cardi said in a statement. “Boozy and beautiful since day one, and two million cans later, there is no slowing us down. I love the fans supporting our brand – let’s keep this party going!”

The Bronx native partnered with Starco Brands to release the alcohol infused, non-dairy whipped cream, which sold its first million cans in just 10 months and went on to sell another million cans four months later.

Cardi B’s Whipshots can be found where most alcohol is sold, including Total Wine, DoorDash, GoPuff, Drizly, Albertsons and Vons.