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President Joe Biden will be vacating the White House after serving four years along with his decades of public service, some of which has garnered its fair share of criticism. In his outgoing address, President Joe Biden warned of an oligarchy taking form in Washington and framed the changing landscape of content moderation in social media as a danger to democracy.
In the 17-minute farewell address, President Joe Biden was stern in his delivery as he thanked the American people before taking aim at the formation of what Biden feels is an influential core of Big Tech leaders such as Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk inserting themselves in opposition of democracy.
“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead,” Biden said.
President Biden didn’t explicitly name Zuckerberg or Musk by name but it is little secret that the pair’s recently affirmed proximity to President-elect Donald Trump is questionable considering the influence the pair wield in both wealth and across social media. Further, Meta, helmed by Zuckerberg, is adopting a new policy that does away with content moderation and instead will adopt the community notes feature from X.
Further in the address, Biden suggested that Supreme Court justices serve an 18-year term limit instead of the lifetime appointments of today. He also made slight mention of Trump’s 34-county felony convictions although he won’t face any time.
President Joe Biden’s farewell address can be viewed below.
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Photo: Getty
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Founded by Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier and New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart, Unrivaled is a new women’s pro league that goes for a three-on-three basketball format instead of the traditional five-on-five play.
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There six team in the league, while games span over a two-month long schedule. Additionally, all games are played at Mediapro US in Medley, Florida. Check out a complete schedule for Unrivaled here.
When Does Unrivaled Basketball League Start?
Unrivaled women’s basketball games broadcast live, with tipoff starting on Friday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. All games air across TNT and truTV, and available to livestream on Max (via Prime Video).
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Where to Watch Unrivaled Basketball League for Free
For cord-cutters, there are a few ways to watch Unrivaled — especially if you want to watch for free. DirecTV Stream has a five-day free trial, while other streaming services — such as Hulu + Live TV — also offer a free trial so you can watch TNT and truTV for free.
Keep reading for more details on how to watch the women’s pro basketball game with DirecTV Stream and Hulu + Live TV.
How to Watch Unrivaled Basketball League With DirecTV Stream
A subscription to DirecTV Stream — which comes with TNT and truTV for Unrivaled — gets you access to live TV, local and cable channels, starting at $74.99 per month. The service even offers a five-day free trial to watch for free if you sign up now.
You can watch local networks such as NBC, ABC, Fox, and PBS, while you can also watch many cable networks, including FS1, Lifetime, FX, AMC, A&E, Bravo, BET, MTV, Paramount Network, Cartoon Network, VH1, Fuse, CNN, Food Network, CNBC and many others.
How to Watch Unrivaled Basketball League With Hulu + Live TV
Unrivaled games on TNT and truTV is available to watch with Hulu + Live TV too. Prices for the cable alternative start at $82.99 per month, while each plan comes with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ at no additional cost.
Hulu + Live TV might be best for those who want all of these streaming services together in one bundle. It also features many other networks, including ABC, Hallmark Channel, BET, CMT, Disney Channel, NBC, Fox Sports and more.
How to Watch Unrivaled Basketball League With Max
To watch the Unrivaled, Max starts at $9.99 per month via Prime Video. It’s streamable on smart TVs, smartphones, tablets and on web browsers. However, you’ll need a subscription to Prime Video (or an Amazon Prime membership) to add Max to your account (no free trial available).
Not a member? Sign up for a 30-day free trial to take advantage of all that Amazon Prime has to offer, including access to Prime Video, Prime Gaming and Amazon Photos; fast free shipping in less than two days with Prime Delivery; in-store discounts at Whole Foods Market; access to exclusive shopping events — such as Prime Day and Black Friday — and much more. Learn more about Amazon Prime here.
Max even gets you live sports access to the NBA, NHL, AEW and more, as well as live news from CNN. It also features hit movies and TV shows, including The Penguin, Juror #2, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Peacemaker, Barbie, Dune: Part Two and more.
The streaming service is also the home to exclusive Music Box documentaries, such as Yacht Rock: A DOCKumentary, Woodstock ’99: Peace, Love and Rage, Juice WLRD: Into The Abyss, DMX: Don’t Try to Understand and others.
Where Are the Team Names In Unrivaled Basketball League?
At the moment, there are six teams (known as clubs) in Unrivaled. Check out the names, below:
Laces Basketball Club
Lunar Owls Basketball Club
Mist Basketball Club
Phantom Basketball Club
Rose Basketball Club
Vinyl Basketball Club
Who’s Playing In Unrivaled Basketball League
Unrivaled features some of the best and brightest players from the WNBA. However, it doesn’t feature some of the marquee players, such as Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jonquel Jones and others. Below, you’ll find some of the top players featured in Unrivaled this season.
Napheesa Collier
Breanna Stewart
Sabrina Ionescu
Angel Reese
Alyssa Thomas
Rickea Jackson
Courtney Vandersloot
Brittney Griner
Brittney Sykes
Arike Ogunbowale
Cameron Brink
How to Buy Unrivaled Basketball League Tickets Online
Want to attend Unrivaled games in person? There are still last-minute tickets available via Vivid Seats (get $20 off purchases of $200 and over with code BB2024), SeatGeek (your first purchases can get $10 off ticket order $250 and with code BILLBOARD10), StubHub and GameTime (score $20 off ticket orders of $150 and over with code SAVE20). Prices vary depending on the city and seats available.
Moreover, you can save $150 off when you spend $500 with promo code BILLBOARD150, or $300 off when you spend $1,000 with promo code BILLBOARD300 at TicketNetwork.com.
Starting on Friday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, Unrivaled Basketball League broadcasts on TNT and truTV. It’s also available to livestream on Max via Prime Video and DirecTV Stream.
Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
Karol G has unveiled special merch dedicated to the city of Los Angeles, with all proceeds set to go towards wildfire relief efforts. The Colombian hitmaker joins artists like Chiquis, Fuerza Regida and Peso Pluma, to name a few, who’ve used their platform to express solidarity with the community of L.A. which, since last week, […]
Bad Bunny debuts at No. 1 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50, and LiAngelo Ball and Flawed Mangoes make their way into the top 10. Keep watching to see where they land! Tetris Kelly:This week sees two top 10 debuts and one of them is taking the top spot. Bad Bunny’s “DTMF” debuts at the […]
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Today would’ve been Aaliyah’s 46th birthday, and she’s still one of the most influential artists in music, even though she passed away in 2001. Aaliyah was more than just a singer—she was a trendsetter. She mixed R&B, hip-hop, and pop in a way nobody had done before, and her smooth vocals and chill vibe made her a legend. Albums like One in a Million and Aaliyah were ahead of their time and still inspire artists today.
Even though she’s gone, Aaliyah’s impact is still felt everywhere. Artists like Beyoncé, Rihanna, and The Weeknd have all mentioned how she influenced their music. Rappers have also shown love to Aaliyah by sampling her songs. Jay-Z used her track “Rock the Boat” in his song “Blueprint 2,” and Drake always gives Aaliyah props, whether it’s through lyrics or using her music in his own tracks like “Enough Said.” Missy Elliott, who was close to Aaliyah, also keeps her memory alive in her music.
After Aaliyah passed, Ashanti stepped up and became the next big thing in R&B. Her debut album, Ashanti (2002), had that same smooth vibe Aaliyah was known for, mixing R&B with hip-hop. Ashanti’s vocals and catchy songs reminded everyone of Aaliyah’s style, and she was crowned the “Princess of Hip-Hop Soul” as the next queen of the sound. Tracks like “Foolish” and “Happy” showed she could do it all—smooth ballads and street-smart hits. Ashanti took the torch from Aaliyah and kept that whole vibe alive, making her the new face of that sound.
Aaliyah’s legacy is strong, and her style and sound are still shaping the music we hear today. She may not be here, but she’ll always be remembered as a true icon. Let’s go down the list of some of the best rappers that have sampled Aaliyah and did justice to it.
1. Drake – “Enough Said” (sampled “At Your Best (You Are Love)”
2. Blow my high – Kendrick Lamar (sampled “4 Page Letter”)
3. Outkast – Pink & Blue (sampled “Age Ain’t Nothin’ But A Number”)
4. A$AP Rocky – F**kin’ Problems (sampled “Quit Hatin’”)
5. Nipsey Hussle – A Million (sampled “One In a Million”)
Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga and several more stars have joined the lineup for FireAid, an upcoming benefit concert at the Intuit Dome supporting victims of the ongoing wildfire crisis that has devastated the Los Angeles area. As reported Thursday (Jan. 16) by The Hollywood Reporter, the “Bad Guy” singer and Joker: Folie a Deux actress […]
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Cam’ron sparred with Elliott Wilson on a podcast, with the rapper stating that Wilson resembled a “sloppy sandwich.”
The beef between veteran journalist Elliott Wilson and Cam’ron came to a head as the two spoke face-to-face in a debate session on the Talk With Flee podcast. It was the first time the two directly spoke since Wilson’s comments on Cam’ron’s podcast with Mase, It Is What It Is. The first question zeroed in on Wilson’s words. The Rap Radar CEO confessed that he was wrong to disparage Cam’ron and noted how much time and money he had invested in the show. “I was caught in a vulnerable moment and expressed my passion, but that’s not how I ultimately feel,” he said. The “I Really Mean It” rapper, however, wasn’t going to let that ride without a comment.
“When I’m looking at Elliott now, I didn’t know your face look like pepper jack turkey, like the texture of your skin looks like pepper jack turkey,” Cam’ron said at the 5:30 mark of the interview. “It looks like you sweat duck sauce. You look like a sloppy sandwich in the face. Pause, man. My bad, I never really looked at you like that.” He continued, expressing confusion about Wilson’s stance but took no offense. “As far as what Elliott said, I’m not running around trying to be anybody but myself,” he replied. “As far as comparing me to Stephen A. Smith, I take that as a compliment because he’s kind of the standard.”
Wilson’s remarks about Cam’ron and others getting into media were made during his visit to The Rory & Mal Show earlier in the year. “Everybody is media. Cam’ron’s running around like he’s Stephen A. Smith. It’s what we’re dealing with,” Wilson said. “Why is he a sports journalist? Because he has an opinion? He’s got Mase having a job because the bag is there! […] This is the s**t I do well and now everybody wants to do it. I don’t like it.” Cam’ron and Mase swiftly responded in posts to their Instagram account.
The debate would lead to a thoughtful discussion between the two on journalism and today’s media. “If you have millions of followers, you don’t really have to wait to do an interview,” Cam’ron mused. Wilson agreed, saying: “This isn’t the big interview era anymore, it’s about content creation, it’s about adapting to what’s going on.”
Check out the entire interview above.
Robbie Williams is a Swiftie!
The English singer-songwriter stopped by SiriusXM Hits 1 this week to promote his recently released, CGI monkey-led musical biopic Better Man. During his conversation with host Ben Harlum, Williams opened up about his love for Taylor Swift, with whom he performed “Angels” in 2018 at London’s Wembley Stadium.
“I love Taylor Swift. Who doesn’t and who can’t?” he said. “There are levels to this stuff, and she is achieving levels that have been unreached, unmatched. When I was in my pocket of omnipresence, I couldn’t help but go, ‘Hey, the crazy’s showing itself. Hey, this is what crazy looks like. This is making me crazy.’ And people went, ‘Oh, he’s being crazy.’ ‘Yes, I am. I’m insane right now, and I’m having a nervous breakdown.’ The poise that she has and the way that she is navigating very, very unfair things leveled at her — she’s just a girl singing some songs, trying to entertain people. Obviously, with great love comes great hate too. With omnipresence, comes the crazy and she’s navigating it all so well, it would seem from the outside.”
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Elsewhere, in an interview with Andy Cohen on SiriusXM, Williams opened up about his love for Madonna after Cohen called him out for previously “slagging” her for her age. “That’s not nice of me,” Williams said. “Here’s the thing, too, is I absolutely adore her and love her.”
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He continued, “The thing is about being a 90s British person, it was wrestling and you did this thing in the press where — which made me me and made us us — but you fill a space and in the 90s and the tail end of that, you filled a space sometimes by being mean, but funny.”
However, despite at times being “unkind” to Madonna, Williams added, “I adore her, respect her, love her music, love everything about her, everything that she’s managed to do in her career. I’ve been a d—. I can be a d—.”
Watch below.
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Just when it seemed like Drake was about to move on from the massive loss he took at the hands of Kendrick Lamar by dropping his legal petition against Universal Music Group and Spotify over their promotion of “Not Like Us,” the Certified Lover Boy artist shocked the Hip-Hop world by turning around and suing UMG for “defamation” over the record. Christ on crutches.
Continuing to make himself look funny in the light, “Deposition” Drizzy sued his own record label stating that the new classic diss record slandered his reputation for alleging that he was a pedophile amongst a few other head-nodding allegations. Not taking the lawsuit lying down, Billboard is reporting that Universal Music Group has responded to Drake’s lawsuit by calling it “illogical” and accusing the Canadian crooner of “weaponizing the legal system.”
While it’s safe to say that many Hip-Hoppers agree that Drake is reaching with his latest lawsuit, it’s also become obvious that Drake is looking for any way to save some face, as Kendrick’s scathing diss track has cost Drake not only his “street credibility” but also his popularity amongst Hip-Hop fans who aren’t so interested in hearing any new material from Drake anytime soon. That being said, filing such a lawsuit not only makes him look that much worse out on these streets, but continues to give life and notoriety to Kung Fu Kenny’s now-classic club diss record.
Per Billboard:
In a strongly-worded statement issued Wednesday afternoon (Jan. 15), UMG flatly denied the allegations in Drake’s lawsuit — filed earlier in the day in New York federal court — and sharply criticized its superstar artist for bringing it.
“Not only are these claims untrue, but the notion that we would seek to harm the reputation of any artist—let alone Drake—is illogical,” the company wrote. “We have invested massively in his music and our employees around the world have worked tirelessly for many years to help him achieve historic commercial and personal financial success.”
In his new lawsuit, Drake claims that UMG knew that “Not Like Us” contained false allegations against his character but that his record label decided to put it out anyway and “chose to place corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists.”
UMG clapped back by saying that Drake himself has engaged in numerous rap battles where he too participated in the slandering of his fellow Hip-Hop peers.
“Throughout his career, Drake has intentionally and successfully used UMG to distribute his music and poetry to engage in conventionally outrageous back-and-forth ‘rap battles’ to express his feelings about other artists,” UMG wrote. “He now seeks to weaponize the legal process to silence an artist’s creative expression and to seek damages from UMG for distributing that artist’s music.”
“We have not and do not engage in defamation—against any individual,” UMG said in the statement. “At the same time, we will vigorously defend this litigation to protect our people and our reputation, as well as any artist who might directly or indirectly become a frivolous litigation target for having done nothing more than write a song.”
Most rappers would just take the loss and move on with their life (See Ja Rule). Not Drake though. That man will obviously go to great lengths to salvage whatever “honor” he feels he has left even if it means making him look like a Canadian Karen to millions of Hip-Hoppers in the process.
God help us all.
What do y’all think about Universal Music Group’s response to Drake’s latest lawsuit? Are they in the right? Does Drake have a case given Hip-Hop’s history of rap battles? Let us know in the comments section below.
The class of new country artists with debut projects coming in the first six months of 2025 looks a little different. Thankfully.
Of 13 acts readying their first album or EP for a major label or indie of significance, three are projects by solo females and three belong to vocal duos. Those subsets include Kat Luna, a singer with Cuban-American roots; and two multi-racial duos: Neon Union and 2 Lane Summer.
That development comes at a time when country labels are recognizing the nation’s changing consumer base, which practically requires a universe of artists that better resembles those shifts.
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That doesn’t mean that the genre’s history is being overlooked: John Morgan, Tucker Wetmore and Bryce Leatherwood continue to work the kind of musical vein that country listeners expect. Luna, Neon Union and 2 Lane fit within those historic boundaries, too, while owning their own sonic brand.
“The country market is a lot of male country singers,” says 2 Lane’s Chris Ray, “so we were like, ‘Let’s just come together. Let’s do something that’s bigger than our solo careers.’”
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Release schedules can change, but here’s a look at 13 acts expected to launch a first album or EP between Jan. 1 and June 30, and how they’re staking out unique territories:
• 2 Lane Summer (Quartz Hill) – Illinois-bred Joe Hanson and Mississippian Chris Ray were both chasing solo careers when they found harmony. Big harmony. Their combined voices are bold and beautiful, evident in their Jan. 10 release “Eyes That Ain’t Yours (Wedding Version).” An EP is in progress, possibly for spring.
• Bayker Blankenship (Lone Star/Santa Anna) – His 2024 indie breakout “Maxed Out” garnered 60 million streams on Spotify alone in 2024, and Blankenship’s label is teaming with Sony Music Nashville on a spring EP release, his first with major-label assistance. The Tennessean’s lonesome tone and somnolent phrasing make him easily relatable.
• Mackenzie Carpenter (Valory) – A co-writer on Lily Rose’s “Villain” and Megan Moroney’s “I’m Not Pretty,” Carpenter owns a cutting tone that allows her to sound country without seeming backwoods. The Georgian’s 13-track Hey Country Queen, due March 7, frames small-town scenarios with subtly engaging melodies, delivered with a fierce confidence.
• Carter Faith (Capitol Nashville) – Faith wears her heart on her breath, exuding fragility with a smoky resonance. She’s played the Grand Ole Opry a dozen times, collaborated with Alison Krauss, opened for Willie Nelson and issued a well-received 2024 EP, The Aftermath. A full album is currently in the works.
• Zach John King (Sony Music Nashville) – King might be the first artist to cite George Jones and Switchfoot among his influences, and those threads are both faintly evident in his just-released “Slow Down.” After issuing a series of singles and EPs independently, King’s first major-label EP likely arrives in March.
• Bryce Leatherwood (Mercury Nashville) – Leatherwood’s understanding of country music was formed first by a Conway Twitty compilation during his youth, and a tinge of that influence comes through in his adult approach to a song. A former Blake Shelton apprentice on The Voice, Leatherwood’s first album blooms in the spring.
• Kat Luna (Sony Music Nashville) – Her original Nashville recordings came as one-half of Latin country duo Kat & Alex, but Luna – to quote a subsequent solo outing – is not “That Girl” anymore. The Miami product owns powerful pipes, and she’s got a spring EP on the way to showcase them.
• Vincent Mason (Interscope/MCA Nashville) – Heartbreak and loneliness come in multiple gears, and the Roswell, Ga., native leans on ballads and midtempos with a languid vocal style that conveys emptiness without throwing in the towel. His first headlining tour is around the corner, as is more music – perhaps a debut album.
• John Morgan (Night Train/Broken Bow) – Currently in circulation with the Jason Aldean collaboration “Friends Like That,” Morgan likely unleashes his first album in the first quarter. Whether he’s crafting a country ballad or riding a ‘90s-rock pulse, Morgan’s work is consistently melodic, designed to hook a listener in a heartbeat.
• Ty Myers (RECORDS Nashville/Columbia) – Raised on a central Texas cattle ranch, Myers wraps a little blues-rock and a fair amount of red-dirt alternative texture around a commercial vocal tone and Black Crowes phrasing. His first album – The Select, featuring already-released “Ends of the Earth” – is set for Jan. 24 release.
• Neon Union (Red Street) – Miami native Leo Brooks and North Carolina-bred Andrew Millsaps met in Nashville and quickly discovered they shared an appreciation for edgy, spirited, party-time country. The duo’s first album, Good Years, arrives Jan. 31, with shades of Montgomery Gentry and Brooks & Dunn influencing its grinding, upbeat sound.
• Pitney Meyer (Curb) – Longtime Curb solo act Mo Pitney paired with bluegrass vet John Meyer for a concert at Nashville’s Station Inn, and the blend was so inspiring they started a duo. They cut their first album – Cherokee Pioneer, due April 18 – in three days, with rippling acoustic rhythms and aptly lonesome harmonies.
• Tucker Wetmore (Back Blocks/EMI Nashville) – With “Wind Up Missin’ You” in the Hot Country Songs top 10 and two RIAA-certified platinum singles in his favor, Wetmore’s first full-length album is due this spring. His ultra-country vocals are tempered by a mix of sharpened steel guitar and reverberant classic rock beats.