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Source: Jeff Kravitz / Getty / Rick Ross / Snoop Dogg
Welp, it looks like everyone is kissing Trump’s ring. Snoop Dogg, a one-time staunch critic of Donald Trump, along with Rick Ross, Soulja Boy, and Nelly, is feeling the wrath of social media after performing at Trump inauguration events.
All money isn’t good money, especially if it’s coming from Donald Trump, but that didn’t stop some of Hip-Hop’s biggest acts from performing at Orange Mussolini’s inauguration events.
According to CBS News, things got interesting when it was revealed that Nelly, 50, would perform at one of Trump’s three official inaugural balls.
The “Hot In Herre” crafter will take the stage at the Inaugural Liberty Ball on Monday. Ashanti’s baby daddy isn’t the only big-name artist selling their soul to perform for Trump and his MAGA minions. Country music superstar Carrie Underwood will perform “America the Beautiful” to kick off the convicted felon’s swearing-in ceremony, while opera singer Christopher Macchio will perform the national anthem.
The Village People will also be performing their hit record, “Y.M.C.A,” the song that Trump does his stupid a** dance to at his rallies.
As expected, the announcement of Nelly partaking in the celebrating of America’s downfall didn’t hit well with fans, particularly Black folks, who Trump is no fan of.
Nelly will receive the Chrisette Michelle treatment (when she performed at the Bum’s first inauguration back in 2017).
That’s the truth. https://t.co/wun5wMSbEV pic.twitter.com/7e1l8YRzDm
— The Chanteezy Is Real ♉️💛🪷 (@iamchanteezy) January 18, 2025
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But things really took a turn when social media found out that Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, and Soulja Boy performed at Crytpo Ball celebrating Trump’s victory.
It’s time to throw @SnoopDogg in the dumpster with the rest of Trump’s white supremacist, insurrectionist allies. pic.twitter.com/tuWbhIxCWV
— 𝕂𝔼𝕄𝔼𝕀𝕌ℕ 🪷 ℝ𝔼𝕏 (@yourlittldogtwo) January 18, 2025
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Rick Ross, we see you too. pic.twitter.com/Bo8rdu3gUG
— mistergeezy.bksy.social (@mistergeezy) January 18, 2025
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🚨HOLY COW: Rap icon Soulja Boy is currently performing on stage at a Trump Inaugural Ball in DC! pic.twitter.com/Ppvg3zQHqq
— Bo Loudon (@BoLoudon) January 18, 2025
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Social Media Is Telling Them to Keep The Same Energy They Had For Chrisette Michele For Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, Soulja Boy & Nelly
Immediately, users on X, formerly Twitter, didn’t waste time mentioning Chrisette Michele’s name. The R&B singer caught hell for singing Trump’s first inaugural ball.
Y’all gave Chrisette Michelle hell for performing at Trump’s first inauguration; I hope to see the same energy for Snoop Dogg, Nelly, and Rick Ross. pic.twitter.com/fjLZGgwail
— B E A N Z The Gamer Dad(beanzgotgamez.bsky.social) (@BeanzGotGamez) January 18, 2025
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In an interview with Terrell three years ago, Michele said performing at Donald Trump’s inauguration “was the wrong thing to do.”
Well, we shall see if Black folks are really bout it and hold Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, Soulja Boy, and Nelly’s feet to the fire just like they did to Chrisette Michele.
Based on the reactions, they are letting the Hip-Hop superstars know that Trumpin is cool.
You can see those reactions in the gallery below.
1. Nelly should be ashamed oh himself
2. Clearly they needed the funds
3. 2025 is off to a wild start
4. Suckers
5. Damn not Ashanti
8. MLK is rolling in his grave
9. Probably not
From career milestones to new music releases to major announcements and those little important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.
“En Barranquilla Se Baila Así”
Ahead of the launch of her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour in February, Shakira’s hometown is honoring her with a special tribute at the annual Carnaval de Barranquilla. This year, the festival — which kicks off March 1 — has adopted the Colombian hitmaker’s iconic line “En Barranquilla se baila así,” from “Hips Don’t Lie,” as its official slogan. On Jan. 11, fans in Barranquilla gathered at the Shakira statue where the official imagery for this year’s Carnaval was unveiled.
“This tribute touches my heart as a Barranquilla native and fills me with pride,” Shakira said in a statement. “It is an honor and a joy to be part of this in such a way. Since the day I was born, I have always felt incredibly proud to be from Barranquilla, and I always will be. Because that’s what we do here— celebrate life. And above all, we celebrate that we know how to celebrate! Let’s spread this energy to the entire world! Long live the Carnival, long live Barranquilla, its culture, and its people. Let’s show once again that this is how we dance in Barranquilla! Love you all!”
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Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran Tour will make a stop in Barranquilla. See the dates of her trek here.
Del Records Feeds First Responders
Amid the devastation that followed the blazing and deadly wildfires in L.A., Del Records CEO Angel Del Villar led an initiative on Thursday (Jan. 16) to feed firefighters, first responders, and support personnel stationed at their base camp at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. Del Villar recruited Tacos Bombero 408, which traveled from San Jose, Calif., with its fire truck turned taco truck. According to a press release, the Tacos Bombero 408 team served more than 1,000 fresh meals, “bringing hope and gratitude to those on the frontlines of the wildfire battle.” About the initiative, Del Villar said, “It’s the least we can do for those putting their lives on the line for us.”
Merch With a Cause
On Thursday, Karol G unveiled special merch dedicated to the city of Los Angeles, with all proceeds set to go towards wildfire relief efforts. The merch, a $120 hoodie and $40 tote bag, are now available for purchase here.
“LA, you are in my heart,” Karol G wrote in a post shared on her Karol G Merch Instagram page. “At Con Cora Foundation, we have joined forces with I Scream Color to create two pieces that represents solidarity with the people affected by one of the most devastating wildfires in California’s history. 100% of the artists proceeds will be donated to the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles to support the individuals, families and resources impacted. This is an act of love and gratitude for a city that means so much to me and to all of us. Together, we can make a difference. Let’s unite and show Los Angeles that it’s in our hearts.”
More Latin Acts Donate to Wildfire Relief Efforts
In solidarity with the community of Los Angeles, artists such as Alejandro Fernández, Maná, Peso Pluma, Chiquis and Fuerza Regida have all stepped up to help the countless of Angelenos who have been impacted by the ongoing devastation. In the past week, thousands of houses and structures burned and more than 100,000 people evacuated due to the wildfires. More than 20 people have died across the L.A. area.
See how Latin artists have helped those affected by the wildfires here.
For health alerts, evacuation updates and additional shelter information as the wildfire battle continues, go to L.A. County’s emergency website. Musicians and music industry professionals who are affected can get details about assistance here.
Blessd Goes All in for Fútbol
Earlier this week, Blessd became the largest investor in the Legacy Sports Partners fund, which has acquired the Danish football club Vendsyssel FF. “I am beyond thrilled to take on this incredible project with Vendsyssel FF,” the Colombian artist said in a statement. “Football has always been a passion of mine, and being able to connect it with my journey in music is a dream come true. Together, we will create something truly special for both music and football fans, uniting the best of two worlds — America and Europe — enhancing the club’s culture, and reaching new heights in Denmark and beyond.”
The first friendly match after the club’s acquisition will take place in Medellín, Colombia, against Atlético Nacional, as part of the preseason and the Copa Bendita.
Heidi Montag & Spencer Pratt went viral overnight after losing their home in the LA wildfires. The couple talk about Heidi’s newfound success in music with her album, ‘Superficial,’ and “I’ll Do It” making its way up various charts, her new song “Prototype,” how Beyonce helped spice up date nights and more!
Heidi Montag:
I can’t thank everyone, not for playing it, for making videos, for streaming it, for like, helping our families
Tetris Kelly:
From losing their home in a devastating wildfire, to fans, returning a 15 year old song and album to the top. And today, releasing brand new music. We talked to Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt on TikTok Live about everything from the tragedy to new music and Taylor Swift to Beyonce.
Spencer Pratt:
We’ve actually… Heidi’s played more Beyonce.
Tetris Kelly:
We break it all down in this week’s ‘Music You Should Know.’
Spencer Pratt:
The audience is… it’s like its own American Idol they are making Heidi, this pop star, and it’s all audience driven. So it’s like a live reality show where the audience keeps pushing her to the top. And it’s like a weird glitch in the matrix.
Tetris Kelly:
After losing their home in the fire destroying large neighborhoods in Los Angeles, Spencer saw a huge boom in his social following.
Spencer Pratt:
Cheers. Thank you to a million followers on TikTok. Who would have thought all I needed is our house to burn down?
Tetris Kelly:
It happened in time with the 15th anniversary of Heidi’s album, ‘Superficial,’ and song, “I’ll Do It,” which hit No. 1 on iTunes, as fans and even celebs rallied behind the project, and they even got ‘Hill’s’ cast support.
Keep watching for more!
Selena Gomez may be “almost done” with making music… but not quite yet. The superstar’s new fiancé Benny Blanco took to TikTok on Friday (Jan. 17) to respond to a fan who commented on a previous video, “Benny please make some new songs for our queen.” In his reply video, he walks into a home […]
The Music Sustainability Alliance announced Friday (Jan. 17) that its Music Sustainability Summit is being postponed amid the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires. Originally scheduled to happen on Feb. 3, the event will now be held on April 16 at L.A.’s Solotech Studios, the same location where it was originally set to take place. Programming for the […]
Led by SM Entertainment and JYP Entertainment, K-pop stocks soared above other music stocks in a strong week for markets in general. SM, home to such artists as Red Velvet and aespa, rose 13.8% to 78,400 won ($53.76) after news broke on Wednesday (Jan. 15) that the company will introduce a new girl group on Feb. 24. Meanwhile, JYP gained 6.7% to 76,400 won ($52.39), while YG Entertainment and HYBE rose 5.6% and 3.7%, respectively.
The gains made by K-pop companies in recent weeks have outpaced the overall Korean stock market. In the week ended Jan. 17, the four South Korean music companies had an average gain of 7.5%, beating the 0.3% gain of the KOSPI composite index, a measure of all stocks traded on South Korea’s exchange. South Korean stocks have rebounded from their low points since a declaration of martial law by South Korea’s prime minister on Dec. 3 that caused political turmoil and instability in the country’s market. The four K-pop companies are up an average of 20.6% from each company’s post-Dece. 3 low point, while KOSPI has gained 6.9% since hitting a low point on Dec. 9.
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The 20-company Billboard Global Music Index rose 4.7% to 2,226.11, its second-highest mark since reaching 2,280.51 on Dec. 6 and the third-highest one-week gain in the last year. Only four of the index’s 20 stocks posted losses while the remainder finished the week in positive territory. Radio companies led the way with an average gain of 13.3%. Multi-sector companies (labels and publishers such as Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group) gained 4.3%. Live music companies followed with a 3.6% gain. Streaming companies had an average loss of 1.1%.
Stocks were helped by news that the consumer price index, a widely used measure of inflation faced by consumers, rose a lower-than-expected 3.2% in December. The producer price index, a measure of wholesale prices, also beat expectations by rising just 0.2% last month. In the United States, the Nasdaq composite rose 2.4% to 19,630.20 and the S&P 500 had its best week since the presidential election, gaining 2.9% to 5,996.66. In the United Kingdom, the FTSE 100 rose 3.1% to 8,505.22. China’s Shanghai Composite Index climbed 2.3% to 3,241.82.
iHeartMedia was the top music performer of the week, rising 23.9% to $2.33 in the absence of major news. The only significant public development was Barclays’s announcement through a regulatory filing on Friday that it increased its stake in the radio giant by 513% in the third quarter. Cumulus Media rose 9.1% to $0.84. The other radio company, satellite broadcaster SiriusXM, gained 6.9% to $22.27.
Spotify shares rose 5.7% to $485.53 on Friday after surpassing $500 per share on Thursday (Jan. 16) — marking only the second time Spotify shares have hit the $500 mark in intraday trading. Investors reacted positively to UBS increasing its Spotify price target on Wednesday (Jan. 15) to $540 from $485. Then on Friday, Wolfe Research downgraded Spotify to “peer perform” from “outperform,” helping Spotify shares fall 1%.
Concert promoter Live Nation rose 5.5% to $135.61. The stock peaked at $136.21 on Friday, its highest point since Dec. 17 and just 3.5% below its 52-week high of $141.18. Live Nation will co-produce the FireAid benefit concerts to benefit victims of the wildfires in Los Angeles. The Azoff family and AEG are also producers of the concerts, which will be held on Jan. 30 at the Kia Forum and Intuit Dome.
Abu Dhabi-based music streaming company Anghami was the week’s worst performer after dropping 10.3% to $0.70, while French music streamer Deezer fell 5.3% to 1.24 euros ($1.28) and LiveOne shares fell 1.7% to $1.18. LiveOne announced on Thursday that it has reached 500,000 Tesla users and projects to reach 550,000 Tesla owners — including 150,000 new ad-supported subscribers — by Feb. 1.
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 Kansas City Chiefs are hosting the Houston Texans this weekend for an AFC divisional round showdown at Arrowhead stadium. Kicking off Saturday, Jan. 18, tune in to watch the defending Super Bowl champs — including Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce — take on a young and motivated C.J. Stroud streaming live on DirecTV, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV.
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The two teams have already faced off this season, with the Chiefs coming out on top with a close 27-19 victory. With Kansas City having home field advantage, as well as Mahomes being undefeated in the divisional round throughout his career, the Texans will have a tough matchup on their hands. However, with Stroud, Nico Collins and a superb defense, Houston could achieve the biggest upset of the playoffs so far.
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If the Chiefs didn’t already have enough momentum going into this game, Kelce hinted on a recent Pat McAfee Show episode that Taylor Swift will be in attendance, which many fans have speculated has become a good-luck charm for the team. In the 20 games the pop star has attended, Kansas City’s record is 17-3 — a 0.85 winning percentage. If you’re a Chiefs fan, you’d happily take those odds.
To see if the “Taylor Swift effect” will help the Chiefs conquer the Texans, here’s every way to watch the game this Saturday.
Here’s How to Watch the Chiefs vs. Texans AFC Divisional Round Game
The Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans game will kick off this Saturday, Jan. 18, at 4:30PM ET live on Direct TV, Fubo, and Hulu + Live TV. DirecTV is currently running a five-day free trial, as well as a limited-time $15 discount on your first two months. Use it to livestream the NFL for free. You can cancel before your free trial is up to avoid being charged.
Hulu + Live TV streaming plans start at $82.99/month for access to 90+ live channels, plus Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ where the game will be aired.
Another great way to watch the awards show online for free is through Fubo. The service is offering a seven-day free trial here that you can use to stream the playoff game online free through your phone, laptop, tablet or smart TV.
Chris Stapleton fans will have more chances to see him on the road in 2025. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter has added nine new concerts to his 2025 All-American Road Show Tour.
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This year will find Stapleton playing shows in Australia and New Zealand in February and March, before returning to the U.S. for shows starting in June.
The newly-added slate of dates find him doubling up performances in nine U.S. cities, adding shows in Charlottesville, Va. (with a new show on June 6), Grand Rapids, Mich. (June 13), Tinley Park, Ill. (June 28), New York, N.Y. (July 26), Noblesville, Ind. (Aug. 2), Phoenix, Ariz. (Aug. 9), Salt Lake City, Utah (Aug. 16), Denver, Colo. (Aug. 23) and Hollywood, Fla. (Oct. 11).
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Special guests on various dates on the tour are Allen Stone, Brittney Spencer, Grace Potter, Maggie Rose, Marcus King, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs, Nikki Lane, and The War and Treaty.
Tickets for the new shows will be open for pre-sale starting Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 10 a.m. local time. General on-sale will start Friday, Jan. 24 at 10 a.m. local time. Fans can gain early access to tickets through signing up for Stapleton’s fan club.
Beyond his headlining tour, Stapleton is nominated for two accolades at the upcoming 67th annual Grammy Awards: best country album (for Higher) and best country solo performance (for “It Takes a Woman”). In November, Stapleton added three additional CMA Awards wins to his already stacked collection, including lengthening his own record for the most CMA male vocalist of the year wins, with eight trophies.
See Stapleton’s Instagram post regarding the new shows below:
Wallo has stepped in to try to mediate the recent back and forth between Cam’ron and Jim Jones.
Known for giving motivational pep talks to young rappers, and the Internet in general, through his social media platforms and his Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast with his cousin Gillie, the Philly native wrote a lengthy caption addressing the two Dipset members.
“I’m writing this letter from a place of deep admiration and respect,” he began before referencing the his 20-year bid. “From my prison cell, I witnessed something truly incredible—the bond and brotherhood you two shared. Through BET, MTV, college radio, XXL, The Source, and so many other platforms, you brought Harlem’s energy to the world in a way that was nothing short of legendary.”
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He continued by highlighting their chemistry on songs and the influence their group The Diplomats had during the early 2000s. “The connection between you brothers was unmatched. The energy, the swag, the culture—it was magnetic,” he said. “Watching you both rise together gave people like me something to admire and hold onto, even in the toughest times. Straight up, I HATE seeing the distance now, because what you two had was more than music; it was a movement.”
Adding, “I’m sitting here catching a cold, but before I lay it down tonight, I had to get this off my chest. I needed to let you know how much I appreciated everything you shared with us all. Y’all embodied that Harlem pride and made it feel like we were all part of something bigger. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for giving us that. I truly believe that tomorrow can be better than yesterday, and I’m holding onto the hope that you two can find that brotherhood again. I love y’all, and I’ll forever respect the impact you’ve made.”
Cam and Jimmy have been feuding on and off for years now with this new round being set off by an interview Killa conducted with former foe 50 Cent where they brought up a time when Capo and Juelz decided to make an appearance at a G-Unit concert as 50 and Cam were beefing on wax.
As the impending TikTok ban looms over the social media platform, Kesha is reminding fans of the OG “TiK ToK.” The star took shared a video on Thursday (Jan. 16), soundtracked by her breakthrough hit. “TikTok may be temporary but TiK ToK is forever,” she wrote over the selfie-style clip. The 2009 track gave the […]