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Venezuelan DJ Mr. Pauer Signs New Album Deal with Orianna, Sony Music Latin’s Electronic Label

Mr. Pauer has teamed up with Orianna, Sony Music Latin’s electronic label, for the release of his upcoming studio album, Inevitable, Billboard can exclusively announce today (Oct. 30).

The set—marking Pauer’s fourth album following Soundtrack (2014), Orange (2015), and Fiera (2022) — is slated for release in the first quarter of 2024 as the first album to be launched under the Orianna banner. Earlier this year, Orianna and Pauer launched “Pa’Onde Vamos” in collaboration with David Tort, Markem, and Rayo.

“For me it’s a great step in my career to be able to work with a Latin electronic label like Orianna under the Sony Spain umbrella,” the Miami-based, Venezuelan DJ and producer tells Billboard. “This is the first time in my career that I have released an album with a label. I like independence but at this point in my career, I like to work more as a team and grow together with the same intention.”

The first single off Inevitable, a collaboration with Colombian artist GOYO called “Química,” drops on Friday (Nov. 3).

“We’ve known each other for over 20 years, even before ChocQuibTown was created. We’ve always had great respect for each other and the timing was right for our first collaboration,” Pauer says of his relationship with the 2023 Billboard Latin Women in Music Agent of Change recipient.

Created in the summer, “Química” is a dance-ready track that perfectly laces Goyo’s powerhouse vocals and Pauer’s tropi-pop fusions that include Venezuelan cumaco (drums), Colombian tambor alegre, and electronic beats.

“I am excited to have a team that supports, understands and dances to the rhythm of Mr. Pauer,” he notes. “Latin electronic music is in a good moment and it’s dominating globally.”

Mr Pauer and Goyo

Mr Pauer and Goyo

Román Quijano

Jeezy Announces He’s Left Def Jam, New Double Album Out Friday

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Jeezy press photo

Source: Cam Kirk / CTE Records

Jeezy has been busy lately. On Monday (Oct. 30), the Snowman announced that he has departed his longtime Def Jam recording home, but is nevertheless dropping a new double album on Friday, November 3.

The new project from the Atlanta rapper is called I Might Forgive…But I Don’t Forget and is being released via his own label, CTE New World, and in partnership with Stem Distribution. Jeezy’s entire solo career (on a major label) up until now has been with Def Jam, beginning with his critically acclaimed 2005 debut Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101 and concluding with 2020’s The Recession 2.

For his thirteen album, the I Might Forgive… portion of the project will feature production from ATL Jacob, Ricky Polo, Cubeatz, Hendrix and more. However, the But I Don’t Forget side is wholly produced by The J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, who are longtime collaborators with the Snowman and have also crafted beats for the likes of Rick Ross, Mary J. Blige and Drake.

Jeezy has been busy lately. In August he dropped his memoir, Adversity For Sale, where he detailed using therapy to deal all the struggle he’s had in his life. Most recently, he filed for divorce from his wife Jeannie Mai after two years of marraige.

“The decision to end this chapter in my life was not made impulsively and comes with a heavy heart,” said Jeezy in a statement. “Despite this, my love and respect for Jeannie remains and the time we spent together holds a cherished place in my heart.”

The topic, and more, will surely permeate his new music.

The full tracklist to I Might Forgive…But I Don’t Forget is below.

“I Might Forgive…”

1. I Might Forgive

2. My Name

3. No Complaining

4. They Don’t Love Me

5. Trust No One

6. Sad

7. Couldn’t Lose if I Tried

8. Rewrite History

9. Never Had a Bad Day in My Life

10. This Too Shall Pass

11. Don’t Deserve Me

12. If I’m Being Honest

13. Don’t Cheat

14. Shine On Me

15. Keep The Change

“But I Don’t Forget”

1. Delusional

2. Nothin to Prove

3. Titanic

4. Everything About Me Is True

5. Expectations

6. Claim to Fame

7. What I Gotta Do

8. My Intentions

9. Never Be a Fan

10. Sade

11. Don’t Let Up

12. Since Pac Died

13. Free Champagne

14. No Choice

Here Are Five Things You Didn’t Know About PinkPantheress | Billboard

PinkPantheress reveals five things you didn’t know about her!

PinkPantheress:

Hi, I’m PinkPantheress and this is five things that you do not know about me.

Number one, I’m deathly afraid of planes. And by that, I mean sometimes when I mid-flight, I consider finding a reason to make the plane do an emergency stop. But I realized that if I do that I’ll have a criminal investigation against me so I don’t end up doing it but I always have the thought.

I’m a big gamer. I like playing video games. I’m actually weirdly good at Fortnite. I’m not proud of it, but I play for fun and then I accidentally got good.

Number three, I have a very good nose, i.e., I can smell things from super far. And I can smell things and identify them as soon as I smell them. I kind of feel like the rat for ‘Ratatouille’ sometimes.

Number four, I am half Kenyan, I always feel like I need to let people know where I’m from because I’m super proud of my ancestry and my heritage, specifically Mombasa so rep East Africa.

Number five is that I have two singing voices. If you listen to my music, you can hear that the voice I use is super light and airy and quite high pitched but my other singing voice which is the one that I grew up with when I was singing other styles of music is actually a lot deeper. A little bit more soulful and a bit more heavy so double-sided. I’ve got layers to me.

Watch the full video above.

Edgar Barrera Plays This or That | Billboard

Edgar Barrera plays This or That with Billboard backstage at Billboard’s Latin Music Week 2023.

Edgar Barrera:
Hi, I am Edgar Barrera and we are going to play This or That with Billboard.

[Horchata or agua fresca?]

Agua Fresca.

[Dance bachata or merengue?]

Bachata. The Bachata.

[Tacos al pastor or tacos de pollo?]

Al Pastor Tacos.

[Baseball or soccer?]

Soccer.

[Spicy food or not spicy?]

Spicy, I always have spicy.

[Empanadas or tamales?]

Tamales.

Interviewer:
What type?

Edgar Barrera:
Chicken Tamales.

[Salsa Verde or Salsa Roja?]

Salsa Verde.

[Mariachis or vallenatos?]

Mariachis.

[Tequila or mezcal?]

Tequila, always.

Interviewer:
What brand do you like?

Edgar Barrera:
Of Tequila? All of them give you the same effect, so whichever. Anyone that stuns.

Watch the full video above!

BTS’ Jung Kook Drops 2 New Remixes Featuring David Guetta & MK: Stream Them Now

Jung Kook is kicking off the week with two big surprises for fans: a remix of “Seven” feat. Latto mastered by David Guetta, as well as a revamped version of “3D” feat. Jack Harlow, remixed by MK.

Both tracks — which each find their respective DJs amping up the electro dance feel of the originals — dropped Monday (Oct. 30), just four days ahead of the K-Pop superstar’s upcoming debut solo album, Golden. “Seven,” which crowned the Billboard Hot 100 upon its release in July, and “3D,” which bowed at No. 5 earlier this month, are both featured on the album’s 11-song tracklist — as is a clean version of the BTS star’s duet with Latto.

The “Still With You” singer has an exciting week planned leading up to the release of Golden. On Tuesday (Oct. 31), he’ll preview snippets of all 11 of the album’s tracks; then, on Thursday (Nov. 2), he’ll release a teaser for his “Standing Next to You” music video. Two days after the album drops, he was slated to take the stage at the 2023 MTV EMAs, though the event was canceled due to the ongoing war between Israel and and Palestinian terror group Hamas.

Jung Kook is also fresh off of making U.K. chart history with another one of his recent collaborations, “Too Much” with Central Cee and The Kid LAROI. Though not a part of the Golden tracklist, the song entered the Official U.K. Singles chart this week at No. 10, making him the first South Korean soloist to land three songs in the top 10.

Listen to Jung Kook’s new remixes below:

How to Watch the 2024 Grammy Nominations Announcement Livestream

Thirteen past Grammy winners, ranging from Amy Grant to Kim Petras, will help announce the 66th Annual Grammy Award nominees in a livestream event on Nov. 10. The announcement will be accessible on live.Grammy.com and YouTube.

Other Grammy winners on board for the event include: Arooj Aftab, Vince Gill, Jimmy Jam, Jon Bon Jovi, Samara Joy, Muni Long, Cheryl Pawelski, Judith Sherman, St. Vincent, Jeff Tweedy and “Weird Al” Yankovic. They will be joined by CBS Mornings co-hosts Gayle King, Nate Burleson and Tony Dokoupil and Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr.

Joy was the surprise winner for best new artist last year. Jon Bon Jovi will be the 2024 MusiCares Person of the Year honoree.

The nominations event will kick off with a special presentation announcing the nominees in the general field and select other categories. There will be two changes in general field categories this year. There will be just eight nominations, down from 10 the last two years, for album, record and song of the year, plus best new artist, which have always comprised the general field. Also, two additional categories are being bumped up to the general field for the first time – producer of the year, non-classical and songwriter of the year, non-classical.

Video announcements of the nominees in the remaining categories will also be published on live.Grammy.com and YouTube while the event is underway. The full list of nominees will be published on Grammy.com immediately following the presentation.

Here’s the timeline for when these events will occur on Nov. 10. All times are approximate and subject to change.

10:45 a.m. ET / 7:45 a.m. PT: Grammy nominations pre-show

11 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. PT: Nominations livestream event

11:25 a.m. ET / 8:25 a.m. PT: Nominations livestream event ends: Full nominations list posted on Grammy.com

11:25 a.m. ET / 8:25 a.m. PT: Grammy nominations wrap-up show

Drake, Jennifer Lopez Sign Artists4Ceasefire Letter Urging a Pause in Israel/Palestinian Conflict

Drake, Jennifer Lopez and Adam Lambert have joined the increasingly lengthy list of performers who’ve signed an open letter asking President Joe Biden and the U.S. Congress to push for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and the militant terror group Hamas. Last week the Artists4Ceasefire letter was sent to Biden and Congress urging them to get the parties to agree to a cessation in fighting in the three-week war.

“We urge your administration, and all world leaders, to honor all of the lives in the Holy Land and call for and facilitate a ceasefire without delay – an end to the bombing of Gaza, and the safe release of hostages,” reads the letter originally signed by Dua Lipa, Michael Stipe, Caroline Polachek, Killer Mike, Vic Mensa, Miguel, Kaytranada, Macklemore, Cate Blanchett, Joaquin Phoenix, John Cusack, Lena Waithe and others.

“More than 5,000 people have been killed in the last week and a half – a number any person of conscience knows is catastrophic. We believe all life is sacred, no matter faith or ethnicity and we condemn the killing of Palestinian and Israeli civilians,” the letter continued, before adding, “Half of Gaza’s two million residents are children, and more than two thirds are refugees and their descendants being forced to flee their homes. Humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach them.”

The latest conflict between Israel and Hamas began on Oct. 7 when thousands of Hamas soldiers poured over the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip, killing more than 1,400 Israeli women, children and other civilians while taking more than 200 hostages, whose fates are still unknown. Israel has launched hundreds of retaliatory strikes since, pounding Gaza with an endless barrage of bombs and on-the-ground incursions that have reportedly killed more than 8,000 Palestinians as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced over the weekend that a ground-focused “second stage” of the war was beginning.

See the full open letter here.

Ice Spice Gets Social Media Buzzing With Her Betty Boop Costume

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iHeart Powerhouse 105.1

Source: Michael Loccisano / Getty

Though Halloween is still one day away, over the weekend costume parties were all the rage amongst adults as they tapped into their inner silly and/or sexy selves.

Partaking in the festivities was none other than Ice Spice who had social media buzzing with her costume as she took on the looks of the 1930’s cartoon icon, Betty Boop and truth be told it fit her like a glove. Ditching her own iconic red mini fro for the black bob cut and tight red dress, Ice Spice definitely stole the show as she performed at Power 105.1’s Powerhouse concert in Newark, New Jersey this past Saturday night (October 28).

Y’all know she’s gonna have even more rappers and ballers sliding into her DM’s after seeing her in this particular costume. Heck, Jordan Poole might drop another half-a-mill just to once again get curbed by this cute ghetto girl.

Funny enough Ice Spice’s antics might’ve caused someone to have a religious experience as she took to her IG stories to say a fan blessed her with a Bible after her show. While we’re sure said fan might’ve had good intentions, we lowkey doubt they’ll be “saving” Ice Spice’s soul anytime soon. Who knows though, maybe in a few years the Bronx bombshell might circle back and find Jesus or something. Just look at Ma$e, Malice of the Clipse, and Kanye West. You never know.

SZA Spends Record-Extending 50th Week at No. 1 on R&B Songwriters Chart

SZA adds a record-furthering 50th week at No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B Songwriters chart (dated Oct. 28), thanks to her song “Snooze” and Drake’s “Slime You Out,” on which she’s featured.

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The tracks rank at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, on the latest Hot R&B Songs chart. SZA co-wrote “Snooze” with Babyface, BLK Beats, Leon G. Thomas III and Khristopher van Riddick-Tynes. She’s also a co-writer on “Slime You Out,” with Drake, 40, BNYX, Noel Cadastre, Grant Lapointe, Chris Powell and Dalton Tennant.

A week earlier, SZA broke the record for the most weeks notched at No. 1 on R&B Songwriters, as her 49th frame at the summit lifted her past The Weeknd, with 48. Along the way over her record run, her smash “Kill Bill” spent 30 weeks at No. 1 on Hot R&B Songs.



Across Billboard’s 13 weekly songwriter charts, SZA joins a select number of talents who have reached the milestone of 50-or-more weeks at No. 1. Here’s a recap.

Weeks Spent at No. 1, Chart Name, Artist:
121, Gospel Songwriters, Kirk Franklin
96, Latin Songwriters, Bad Bunny
62, Dance/Electronic Songwriters, f a l l e n
62, Dance/Electronic Songwriters, SAINt JHN
57, Alternative Songwriters, Dave Bayley
56, Rock & Alternative Songwriters, Zach Bryan
56, Rock Songwriters, Zach Bryan
53, Dance/Electronic Songwriters, Elton John
53, Dance/Electronic Songwriters, Bernie Taupin
50, Rock & Alternative Songwriters, Dave Bayley
50, R&B Songwriters, SZA

In March, Kirk Franklin became the first and, to date, only creative to have led a songwriters survey for 100 weeks.

Spending 50 weeks atop one of Billboard’s 13 producers charts is even more rare. Only five producers have achieved the feat: Joey Moi, with 122 weeks spent at No. 1 on Country Producers; Tainy (119, Latin Producers); Jonathan Lindsey Smith (84, Christian Producers); Kanye West (59, Gospel Producers); and Jeff Pardo (54, Christian Producers).

Billboard launched the Hot 100 Songwriters and Hot 100 Producers charts, as well as genre-specific rankings for country, rock & alternative, R&B/hip-hop, R&B, rap, Latin, Christian, gospel and dance/electronic, in June 2019, while alternative and hard rock joined in 2020, along with seasonal holiday rankings in 2022. The charts are based on total points accrued by a songwriter and producer, respectively, for each attributed song that appears on the Billboard Hot 100. The genre-based songwriter and producer charts follow the same methodology based on corresponding “Hot”-named genre charts. As with Billboard’s yearly recaps, multiple writers or producers split points for each song equally (and the dividing of points will lead to occasional ties on rankings).

The full Hot 100 Songwriters and Hot 100 Producers charts and full genre rankings can be found on Billboard.com.

Lawsuit Filed By Man Who Says Chris Brown Beat Him With A Liquor Bottle In London

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Ant Tha Ladies Man Birthday Celebration

Source: Prince Williams / Getty

Forever-embattled R&B legend Chris Brown just can’t seem to stay out of the news for allegedly doing something aggressive and/or violent out of anger. Now, a man has filed a lawsuit accusing the “Look At Me Now” singer of beating the hell out of him at a nightclub in London back in February, according to TMZ.

Abe Diaw, a man who is claiming to have known Brown for at least seven years, said he spotted the recording artist at TAPE nightclub in England and, when Diaw saw Chris come his way, he thought he was doing so to give him a hug, but instead, Brown smashed him over the head with a bottle of Don Julio 1942 tequila. The lawsuit claims Brown repeatedly beat Diaw over the head with “crushing blows” from the bottle.

From TMZ: