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Desus Nice Goes Nuclear On DJ Envious During ‘The Daily Show’ Hosting Appearance

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Desus Mero Rips DJ Envy During 'The Daily Show' Appearance

Source: Variety / Getty / Desus Nice

Desus Nice is also getting on the clown DJ Envy fun.

DJ Envy has been fighting for his life on social media since word of his real estate business partner, Cesar Pina was arrested for his involvement in a multi-million dollar real estate fraud scheme, and many believe the radio host was involved.

Everybody and their mama, including Rick Ross, has been going in on DJ Envy, and the latest public figure to take a dig at the Breakfast Club morning show co-host is none other than Desus Nice.

Desus Nice and his ill feelings towards DJ Envy is no secret, and call it divine timing, he used his special guest appearance as the host of The Daily Show clown DJ Envy.

Per HipHopDX:

“It’s definitely not funny,” he began, sarcastically referring to how their relationship turned sour live on air a few years back. “There’s certainly nothing personal that makes it funny to me. It’s not like RaaShaun [DJ Envy’s real name] accosted me on the radio for making a little joke about him and his wife, which I only thought we were friends!

“It’s not like he called me ‘dickhead’ and then got so mad, he locked himself in the studio for the rest of the show and then told the building security I was a threat. But even if that happened, that’s all in the past.”

“We’re not laughing at this. We’re also not asking, ‘who’s the dickhead now?’” he said. “I’m just doing the news and the news is that DJ Envy’s a DJ — a man who turns tables, and now, the tables have turned.”

Desus Nice Beef With DJ Envy Goes All The Way Back To 2018

Desus Nice and DJ Envy’s beef goes back to 2018 when Desus and Mero stopped by The Breakfast Club, and the interview went left.

Minutes into the interview, DJ Envy checked the former duo about comments made on their Viceland show he perceived as disrespectful towards his wife.

“It’s not a joke when you’re talking about my wife,” Envy told the duo. The comment in question is when Desus joked, “You knew them DJ Envy checks, though,” talking about when Envy’s wife said she didn’t know DJ Envy but knew RaaShaun.

Envy’s wife made those comments while appearing on The Real while talking about her husband’s infidelity.

After the duo offered multiple apologies, Envy, or as Desus calls him, DJ Envious, walked out of the interview, and the beef has been ongoing since.



Photo: Variety / Getty

B.B. King’s Legacy Is the Focus of a Branded Liquor Partnership, New Album With Quavo & More

To borrow from the title of B.B. King’s signature song, the thrill of his music and legacy isn’t gone. Relaying that message is the B.B. King Life Legacy Initiative, which is launching several new partnerships, retail products and brand concepts in honor of the blues and guitar legend who died in 2015.

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Leading the rollout is a bourbon and whiskey line from Washington state-based Heritage Distilling Company: B.B. King One Whiskey. Also in development is a new album of collaborations with contemporary artists featuring King’s music, a theatrical biopic, a documentary and a 24-hour B.B. King Blues Network.

“B.B. King’s music is for everybody,” Vassal Benford, chairman/CEO of The B.B. King Estate, The B.B. King Music Company and the Family Trust, tells Billboard. “He’s an iconic figure all over the world.”

Benford, who began overseeing the $250 million estate and trust three years ago, is a Grammy-nominated producer whose discography includes hits such as Jade’s “Don’t Walk Away,” Deborah Cox’s “Who Do U Love” and Diplo’s “Be Right There,” plus collaborations with Toni Braxton and U2, among others. He announced the establishment of the B.B. King Life Legacy Initiative, the soft launch of the liquor line and the other forthcoming projects in September at Resorts World Las Vegas during a celebration of what would have been King’s 98th birthday (Sept. 16).  

Justin Stiefel, CEO and Co-Founder of Heritage Distilling, Vassal Benford and Jennifer Stiefel, President and Co-Founder of Heritage Distilling.

Justin Stiefel, CEO and Co-Founder of Heritage Distilling, Vassal Benford and Jennifer Stiefel, President and Co-Founder of Heritage Distilling.

Vassal Benford

The vision behind the initiative began taking shape two years ago, Benford recalls, when he met with Bruce Resnikoff, president/CEO of Universal Music Enterprises (UMe).  “We were trying to create ways to keep B.B. King’s legacy alive,” says Benford. “That was the main thing. And of course, that starts through the music.”

Further stoking that vision was the then-unforeseen 2020 release of “B.B. King Freestyle” by Lil Wayne featuring Drake from the former’s No Ceilings 3 mixtape. “That showed us the hip-hop world loves B.B.,” adds Benford. “So we decided, let’s do an album with hip-hop artists.”

Among the contemporary artists involved with the upcoming project are Quavo, Jason Derulo and Swae Lee. The songs use samples of King’s original records such as “The Thrill Is Gone” and “You’re Gonna Miss Me.” Promises Benford, “The album is phenomenal.”

The aforementioned King documentary will feature a song from Quavo that pays tribute to the late icon and Quavo’s late Migos mate, Takeoff. Already recorded, the track may be released before the documentary, which is currently in production under the supervision of Benford’s partner, film producer Mark Canton (Den of Thieves, TV series Power). And with the writer’s strike now ended, Benford and his team are in the process of engaging writers for the theatrical biopic. In addition, a major commercial campaign on behalf of B.B. King One Whiskey will kick off after the first of the year.

In the wake of launching the B. B. King Life Legacy Initiative to preserve the icon’s legacy and introduce him to a new generation of fans, Benford says, “The blues has been an underserved market. Richie Sambora, Joe Perry, Eric Clapton … I don’t think there’s anybody that I’ve ever talked to who doesn’t love B.B. King. Even the younger guys. When you listen to them on this new album, you can just hear the respect.”

Taylor Swift Leads Finalists for 2023 Billboard Music Awards: Full List

Taylor Swift is the top finalist for the 2023 Billboard Music Awards, which are set for Sunday, Nov. 19. Swift is a finalist in 20 categories. At next month’s show, Swift — who is already the top female BBMAs recipient of all time with 29 wins — could surpass Drake to become the top overall leader. Drake has won 34 BBMAs and is a finalist for 14 more this year.

Swift could also break Drake’s record for the most Billboard Music Awards won in one night. Drake received 13 awards at the show in 2017.

Morgan Wallen and SZA are runners-up, with 17 entries each; followed by The Weeknd (16); Drake and Zach Bryan (14); Luke Combs (10); 21 Savage, Metro Boomin and Miley Cyrus (nine each); Beyoncé and Rema (seven each); Bad Bunny and Peso Pluma (six each); and Ariana Grande, David Guetta, Eslabon Armado, KAROL G, NewJeans and Selena Gomez (five each).

The 2023 BBMAs will deliver a fresh awards show concept that will entertain fans with music and exclusive content, including winner celebrations, behind-the-scenes moments and performances created by the world’s biggest artists. In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, the BBMAs and Spotify ‘Fans First’ will bring fans up-close-and-personal with their favorite artists. Performances and awards will roll out across the BBMAs and Billboard social channels, as well as via BBMAs.watch on Sunday, Nov. 19. Billboard Music Awards performers will be revealed daily on BBMAs social channels, starting Monday, Nov. 6.

Bryan is this year’s leading first-time BBMA finalist. Additional first-time BBMA finalists include Bailey Zimmerman, Coi Leray, Fifty Fifty, Fuerza Regida, Grupo Frontera, Jelly Roll, Ice Spice, Metro Boomin, NewJeans, Peso Pluma and Oliver Anthony Music.

Nine new awards were unveiled this year, including four in the bourgeoning K-pop field – top global K-pop artist, top K-pop tour, top K-pop album and top global K-pop song – and two in the red-hot Afrobeats field — top Afrobeats artist and top Afrobeats song.

Several other award shows have added categories recognizing African music in the past year. Wizkid was the inaugural winner of favorite Afrobeats artist at the American Music Awards in November 2022. “Calm Down” by Rema & Selena Gomez was the inaugural winner of best Afrobeats at last month’s MTV Video Awards. The nominees for the inaugural Grammy Award for best African music performance will be revealed on Nov. 10.

The BBMAs are also adding new categories for top Hot 100 songwriter and top Hot 100 producer. Swift, her frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff and Bryan are among the finalists in both categories.

The show is also adding a new award for top rock duo/group. Last year, there were two rock categories: top rock artist (four groups or duos competed with Machine Gun Kelly) and top rock tour.

Country, rock and Latin are the only genres that have a category for top duos/groups. As a result, country and Latin have seven categories, one more than R&B and rap, which have six each. Those genres are followed by rock, which has five categories; K-pop (four); dance/electronic, Christian and gospel (three each); and Afrobeats (two).

The late Whitney Houston, who amassed 16 BBMA Awards – third-most among women, behind Taylor Swift and Adele – is a finalist for top gospel album for I Go to the Rock: The Gospel Music of Whitney Houston.

Several other all-time BBMA winners are finalists again this year. The Weeknd, who has amassed 20 BBMA Awards, has 16 entries this year; Beyoncé, who has 13 BBMAs, has seven; Bad Bunny, who has 10 BBMAs, the most among Latin artists, has six.

Kanye West/Ye, who has received 17 BBMAs, has one entry this year; Rihanna, who has received 12, has two.

Elton John, who has been turning out top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 longer than most of today’s pop fans have been alive, is a finalist in two categories this year—top rock touring artist and top dance/electronic song, for “Hold Me Closer,” a collab with Britney Spears.

Unique among music awards shows, winners are determined by performance metrics on the year-end Billboard charts, the music industry’s ultimate authority and data-driven measure of success. The eligibility dates for this year’s awards are aligned with Billboard’s year-end charts tracking period, which measures music consumption from the charts dated Nov. 19, 2022, through Oct. 21, 2023. (That corresponds to the tracking period of Nov. 4, 2022 through Oct. 12, 2023.)

The 2023 Billboard Music Awards is produced by Dick Clark Productions.

The 2023 Billboard Music Award is presented by Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott’s award-winning travel program and marketplace. One special BBMAs performance and two exclusive acceptance speeches will be hosted at extraordinary hotel brands within the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio. Additionally, Marriott Bonvoy will be providing a select group of fans access to attend five BBMAs performances via Marriott Bonvoy Moments. Be on the lookout for special access to the final performance, becoming available on Oct. 30.

Other sponsors include Lexus, who will be surprising one lucky fan with the ultimate VIP treatment. In addition to having the best seat in the house, they’ll Experience Amazing with a private ride in a luxury Lexus vehicle to the one-of-a-kind performance.

Follow the BBMAs on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, Threads and YouTube; join the conversation with the hashtag #BBMAs; and get the latest news and updates at BillboardMusicAwards.com and BBMAs.watch.

Here’s the complete list of 2023 Billboard Music Awards finalists. New categories are denoted by the word (NEW).

Top Artist

Drake

Luke Combs

Morgan Wallen

SZA

Taylor Swift

Top New Artist

Bailey Zimmerman

Ice Spice

Jelly Roll

Peso Pluma

Zach Bryan

Top Male Artist

Drake

Luke Combs

Morgan Wallen

The Weeknd

Zach Bryan

Top Female Artist

Beyoncé

Miley Cyrus

Olivia Rodrigo

SZA

Taylor Swift

Top Duo/Group

Eslabon Armado

Fifty Fifty

Fuerza Regida

Grupo Frontera

Metallica

Top Billboard 200 Artist

Drake

Luke Combs

Morgan Wallen

SZA

Taylor Swift

Top Hot 100 Artist

Drake

Luke Combs

Morgan Wallen

SZA

Taylor Swift

Top Hot 100 Songwriter (NEW)

Ashley Gorley

Jack Antonoff

SZA

Taylor Swift

Zach Bryan

Top Hot 100 Producer (NEW)

Jack Antonoff

Joey Moi

Metro Boomin

Taylor Swift

Zach Bryan

Top Streaming Songs Artist

Drake

Morgan Wallen

SZA

Taylor Swift

Zach Bryan

Top Radio Songs Artist

Miley Cyrus

Morgan Wallen

SZA

Taylor Swift

The Weeknd

Top Song Sales Artist

Jason Aldean

Miley Cyrus

Morgan Wallen

Oliver Anthony Music

Taylor Swift

Top Billboard Global 200 Artist

Bad Bunny

Morgan Wallen

SZA

Taylor Swift

The Weeknd

Top Billboard Global (Excl. U.S.) Artist

Bad Bunny

Ed Sheeran

NewJeans

Taylor Swift

The Weeknd

Top R&B Artist

Beyoncé

Chris Brown

Rihanna

SZA

The Weeknd

Top R&B Male Artist

Chris Brown

Miguel

The Weeknd

Top R&B Female Artist

Beyoncé

Rihanna

SZA

Top R&B Touring Artist

Beyoncé

Bruno Mars

The Weeknd

Top Rap Artist

21 Savage

Drake

Lil Baby

Metro Boomin

Travis Scott

Top Rap Male Artist

21 Savage

Drake

Travis Scott

Top Rap Female Artist

Doja Cat

Ice Spice

Nicki Minaj

Top Rap Touring Artist

50 Cent

Drake

Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa

Top Country Artist

Bailey Zimmerman

Luke Combs

Morgan Wallen

Taylor Swift

Zach Bryan

Top Country Male Artist

Luke Combs

Morgan Wallen

Zach Bryan

Top Country Female Artist

Lainey Wilson

Megan Moroney

Taylor Swift

Top Country Duo/Group

Old Dominion

Parmalee

Zac Brown Band

Top Country Touring Artist

George Strait

Luke Combs

Morgan Wallen

Top Rock Artist

Jelly Roll

Noah Kahan

Stephen Sanchez

Steve Lacy

Zach Bryan

Top Rock Duo/Group (NEW)

Arctic Monkeys

Foo Fighters

Metallica

Top Rock Touring Artist

Coldplay

Depeche Mode

Elton John

Top Latin Artist

Bad Bunny

Eslabon Armado

Fuerza Regida

KAROL G

Peso Pluma

Top Latin Male Artist

Bad Bunny

Peso Pluma

Rauw Alejandro

Top Latin Female Artist

KAROL G

ROSALÍA

Shakira

Top Latin Duo/Group

Eslabon Armado

Fuerza Regida

Grupo Frontera

Top Latin Touring Artist

Daddy Yankee

Karol G

RBD

Top Global K-Pop Artist (NEW)

Jimin

NewJeans

Stray Kids

TOMORROW X TOGETHER

TWICE

Top K-Pop Touring Artist (NEW)

BLACKPINK

SUGA

TWICE

Top Afrobeats Artist (NEW)

Burna Boy

Libianca

Rema

Tems

Wizkid

Top Dance/Electronic Artist

Beyoncé

Calvin Harris

David Guetta

Drake

Tiësto

Top Christian Artist

Brandon Lake

Elevation Worship

for KING & COUNTRY

Lauren Daigle

Phil Wickham

Top Gospel Artist

CeCe Winans

Elevation Worship

Kanye West

Kirk Franklin

Maverick City Music

Top Billboard 200 Album

Drake & 21 Savage, Her Loss

Metro Boomin, HEROES & VILLAINS

Morgan Wallen, One Thing at a Time

SZA, SOS

Taylor Swift, Midnights

Top Soundtrack

Barbie: The Album

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From and Inspired By

ELVIS

Metro Boomin Presents Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Soundtrack From and Inspired by the Motion Picture)

Top Gun: Maverick

Top R&B Album

Beyoncé, RENAISSANCE

Brent Faiyaz, WASTELAND

Drake, Honestly, Nevermind

Steve Lacy, Gemini Rights

SZA, SOS

Top Rap Album

Drake & 21 Savage, Her Loss

Future, I Never Liked You

Lil Baby, It’s Only Me

Metro Boomin, HEROES & VILLAINS

Travis Scott, UTOPIA

Top Country Album

Luke Combs, Gettin’ Old

Luke Combs, Growin’ Up

Morgan Wallen, One Thing at a Time

Taylor Swift, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)

Zach Bryan, American Heartbreak

Top Rock Album

HARDY, the mockingbird & THE CROW

Jelly Roll, Whitsitt Chapel

Noah Kahan, Stick Season

Steve Lacy, Gemini Rights

Zach Bryan, American Heartbreak

Top Latin Album

Bad Bunny, Un Verano Sin Ti

Eslabon Armado, DESVELADO

Ivan Cornejo, Dañado

KAROL G, MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO

Peso Pluma, GÉNESIS

Top K-Pop Album (NEW)

Jimin, FACE

NewJeans, 2nd EP ‘Get Up’

Stray Kids, 5-STAR

TOMORROW X TOGETHER, The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION

TWICE, READY TO BE: 12th Mini Album

Top Dance/Electronic Album

Beyoncé, RENAISSANCE

Drake, Honestly, Nevermind

ILLENIUM, ILLENIUM

Kim Petras, Feed the Beast

Tiësto, DRIVE

Top Christian Album

Anne Wilson, My Jesus

Brandon Lake, House of Miracles

CAIN, Rise Up

Elevation Worship, LION

Lauren Daigle, Lauren Daigle

Top Gospel Album

Jonathan McReynolds, My Truth

Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin, Kingdom Book One

Tye Tribbett, All Things New

Whitney Houston, I Go to the Rock: The Gospel Music of Whitney Houston

Zacardi Cortez, Imprint (Live in Memphis)

SONG AWARDS

Top Hot 100 Song

Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21 Savage, “Creepin’”

Miley Cyrus, “Flowers”

Morgan Wallen, “Last Night”

SZA, “Kill Bill”

Taylor Swift, “Anti-Hero”

Top Streaming Song

Miley Cyrus, “Flowers”

Morgan Wallen, “Last Night”

SZA, “Kill Bill”

Taylor Swift, “Anti-Hero”

Zach Bryan, “Something in the Orange”

Top Radio Song

Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21 Savage, “Creepin’”

Miley Cyrus, “Flowers”

Rema & Selena Gomez, “Calm Down”

Taylor Swift, “Anti-Hero”

The Weeknd & Ariana Grande “Die for You”

Top Selling Song

Jason Aldean, “Try That in a Small Town”

Jimin, ‘Like Crazy”

Miley Cyrus,“Flowers”

Oliver Anthony Music, “Rich Men North of Richmond”

Taylor Swift, “Anti-Hero”

Top Collaboration

David Guetta & Bebe Rexha, “I’m Good (Blue)”

Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21 Savage, “Creepin’”

Rema & Selena Gomez, “Calm Down”

Sam Smith & Kim Petras, “Unholy”

The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, “Die for You”

Top Billboard Global 200 Song

Miley Cyrus, “Flowers”

Rema & Selena Gomez, “Calm Down”

SZA, “Kill Bill”

Taylor Swift, “Anti-Hero”

The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, “Die for You”

Top Billboard Global (Excl. U.S.) Song

David Guetta & Bebe Rexha, “I’m Good (Blue)”

Harry Styles, “As It Was”

Miley Cyrus, “Flowers”

Rema & Selena Gomez, “Calm Down”

The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, “Die for You”

Top R&B Song

Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21 Savage, “Creepin’”

Miguel, “Sure Thing”

The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, “Die for You”

SZA, “Kill Bill”

SZA, “Snooze”

Top Rap Song

Coi Leray, “Players”

Drake & 21 Savage, “Rich Flex”

Gunna, “fukumean”

Lil Durk ft. J. Cole, “All My Life”

Toosii, “Favorite Song”

Top Country Song

Bailey Zimmerman, “Rock and a Hard Place”

Luke Combs, “Fast Car”

Morgan Wallen, “Last Night”

Morgan Wallen, “You Proof”

Zach Bryan, “Something in the Orange”

Top Rock Song

Jelly Roll, “Need A Favor”

Stephen Sanchez, “Until I Found You”

Steve Lacy, “Bad Habit”

Zach Bryan ft. Kacey Musgraves, “I Remember Everything”

Zach Bryan, “Something in the Orange”

Top Latin Song

Eslabon Armado x Peso Pluma, “Ella Baila Sola”

Fuerza Regida x Grupo Frontera, “Bebe Dame”

Grupo Frontera x Bad Bunny, “un x100to”

KAROL G & Shakira, “TQG”

Yng Lvcas x Peso Pluma, “La Bebe”

Top Global K-Pop Song (NEW)

Fifty Fifty, “Cupid”

Jimin, “Like Crazy”

Jungkook ft. Latto, “Seven”

NewJeans, “Ditto”

NewJeans, “OMG”

Top Afrobeats Song (NEW)

Ayra Starr, “Rush”

Libianca, “People”

Oxlade, “KU LO SA”

Rema & Selena Gomez, “Calm Down”

Victony, Rema, & Tempoe ft. Don Toliver, “Soweto”

Top Dance/Electronic Song

Bizarrap & Shakira, “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53”

David Guetta, Anne-Marie & Coi Leray, “Baby Don’t Hurt Me”

David Guetta & Bebe Rexha, “I’m Good (Blue)”

Elton John & Britney Spears, “Hold Me Closer”

Tiësto ft. Tate McRae, “10:35”

Top Christian Song

Brandon Lake, “Gratitude”

Chris Tomlin, “Holy Forever”

for KING & COUNTRY with Jordin Sparks, “Love Me Like I Am”

Lauren Daigle, “Thank God I Do”

Phil Wickham, “This Is Our God”

Top Gospel Song

CeCe Winans, “Goodness of God”

Crowder & Dante Bowe ft. Maverick City Music, “God Really Loves Us”

Elevation Worship ft. Chandler Moore & Tiffany Hudson, “More Than Able”

Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin ft. Brandon Lake & Chandler Moore, “Fear is Not My Future”

Zacardi Cortez, “Lord Do It for Me (Live in Memphis)”

Struggle Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine Released On $500K Bail In The Dominican Republic

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Tekashi

Source: @JustInMyView / R1 Digital

A few weeks ago Tekashi 6ix9ine was arrested in the Dominican Republic for allegedly beating up some producers in a music studio. Now the most hated rapper in the Hip-Hop game has regained his freedom with some conditions attached to it.

Antena7 is reporting that on Tuesday (October 24) the rapper was able to post $500,000 bail with the La Vega Permanent Court of Attention, but was hit with a restraining order to keep him away from the alleged victims and must take anger management classes as well. Taking to Instagram to address his recent arrest, Tekashi actually thanked the people of the Dominican Republic for their love and support (they were excited that he was on the island) and said he’s leaving everything up to the authorities going forward.

Tekashi 6ix9ine was pinched by authorities in the Dominican Republic on October 15 when he attempting to flee the country on a charter jet after allegedly beating down Christian Anthony Rojas and Nelson Alfonso Hilario Garcia in the studio. Apparently, the infamous Hip-Hop snitch got jealous that the two were spending time with his girlfriend Yailin La Mås Viral.

After the charter flights company checked him for outstanding warrants, authorities arrested him and transported him to the province of La Vega where many allegedly adoring fans waited his arrival and cheered him on for some reason.

How this all concludes is anyone’s guess, but don’t be surprised if it’s settled outside of court with the alleged victims getting their bank accounts blessed by the controversial rapper.

What do y’all think of Tekashi 6ix9ine’s latest run-in with the law? Let us know in the comments section below.

Doja Cat Paints the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge Red With Her Performance: Watch

Doja Cat just brought Scarlet to BBC Radio 1. The latest artist to stop by the Live Lounge, Doja performed two tracks off her new album, Scarlet, as well as a sultry cover of Hiatus Kaiyote’s “Red Room.” For both “Red Room” and her own red-themed track, Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single “Paint the Town Red,” the 28-year-old rapper and her band stood shrouded in deep crimson mist.

As for her third song, “Agora Hills” — which has so far peaked at No. 18 on the Hot 100 — Doja looked angelic in a lacy white top and matching furry jacket, backdropped by blue lighting. Throughout her performances, a red Solo cup sat next to her on a small side table.

The Thursday (Oct. 26) Live Lounge performance comes just over a month after the “Say So” musician dropped Scarlet, which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. The record’s standout single “Paint the Town Red” not only notched Doja her second ever No. 1 on the Hot 100, but also extended her record for most Pop Airplay chart-toppers.

Doja’s latest performance wasn’t the first time “Paint the Town Red” has been sung at the Live Lounge this month. Former Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock made her solo debut on the BBC Radio 1 series Oct. 10 and covered the smash hit.

In other Doja news, the Grammy winner recently celebrated her birthday, getting the ultimate gift from Usher last week when the R&B crooner serenaded her directly at one of his My Way Las Vegas residency concerts. As Usher held her hand, Doja assisted him in singing his hit “There Goes My Baby,” after which Usher said, “Doja Cat, ladies and gentlemen.”

Watch Doja’s BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge performances above and below.





Vicke Blanka on Playing Shows Internationally & The Mind-Set that Went Into His ‘Worldfly’ EP

On Wednesday (Oct. 25), Vicke Blanka released his Worldfly EP. Since the spring of 2023, he has been playing numerous live shows and events around the world. The songs on Worldfly were inspired by these experiences. Billboard Japan spoke with him about the songs on his new EP and his impressions from his time abroad.

You’ve said before that the songs on this EP were inspired by your time overseas. Specifically, what kind of inspiration are you talking about?

The mindsets I encountered. I’m not saying I was inspired by the types of instruments that people were using or anything like that. It’s the way people live. How they think. For example, people in Sicily have a very “take it easy” approach. The people of Saudi Arabia can’t keep up with how the country has evolved, but they don’t see their inability to keep up as a bad thing. In France, people still feel a sense of pride in being French, and that sense of pride is separate from the country’s morals. But because the country has kept apace with people’s pride as Frenchmen and Frenchwomen, it seems to function as a noble and majestic country. I was inspired by those trends and the humanity of the people in these countries.

When did you sense these things?

I often felt them when communicating with event staff or fans. These experiences didn’t just affect my music, they also had a huge impact on my own values. For example, I think Japanese overthink things.

What made a particularly big impact on you?

The people of Sicily, I guess. They seemed to live really happy lives. It was wonderful. Sicily has this image of luxury, and of time flowing slowly, right? And that’s really how it is. The people are really kind, and there’s this feeling of “always being homies with people from your hometown (laughs).” You don’t really see that in Japan much. It’s amazing that you have those kinds of values right in the heart of Europe. There’s just so much room to breathe.

I’m sure the live shows are different, too. You’ve played a lot of shows in Japan. What big differences have you found?

It’s totally different. Everybody’s doing different things. In Japan, everyone in the audience does the same thing. But with overseas crowds, people aren’t swayed by what other people are doing. Even if other people are grooving along with the music, when there’s a part that someone likes, they’ll jump in, like “Yes! I love this part!!” People are true to themselves — to their own happiness and joy.

Are there any countries where performing live is especially easy?

Based off my recent experiences, I’d say Italy. Playing shows is fun, whether it’s overseas or in Japan. Sometimes I felt extraordinarily welcome. France was unbelievable. The French soccer powerhouse, Paris Saint-Germain, has a fight song, and if people sing it, it means they’re giving you the ultimate praise. I was overjoyed when they sang that at one of my shows. Italy is more upfront, though. I had one audience about half the size of my Parisian audience — a little under 2,000 people. But the crowd had just as much power as the Parisian audience. When I finished the show, I went into the audience to sign autographs. When I did, this woman in the audience started hitting on me, using local slang. At the time, I didn’t know what she was saying, but later I looked it up and understood. I felt like I’d unwittingly gone fishing and let a big one get away (laughs).

I’m sure you’d already had some overseas experience in the past, but this year’s experiences made an even bigger impact, right?

Yes. Playing live shows really made a big impression on me. I’d say that was the biggest change — connecting with people through music. It reinforced my belief that music has no barriers. It even crosses language barriers. Everybody wants to hear Japanese. When I played in China, too, the local show staff told me, “everybody wants to hear Japanese, so speak in Japanese.” I’d heard that, overseas, people are more moved when they see people being as they truly are.

You can see people’s national character come out in that respect. You’re really popular with overseas audiences. Have you ever analyzed what it is about you that resonates with audiences?

The first thing is, of course, the music. But given just how much praise there was for my shows, I guess personality also plays a bit of a part. I happen to be able to speak English, so my shows aren’t recitals, but real live shows. When I say “recital,” I mean, for example, going to France, giving a little greeting to the audience in French, saying the lines in the show script, performing, and then ending with “Au revoir, Paris!” My shows aren’t like that. I can actually engage in conversation up on stage. Like I can say “You’ve got some songs you want to hear, right? Shout the titles out to me!” So it’s a truly live show. I think that’s what led to the Paris Saint-Germain song tribute.

So your language ability makes a really big difference.

Yes, the ability to speak English is an advantage. That said, Italians don’t really care about what language you’re speaking. I don’t speak Italian, so I’d speak in English, but there aren’t that many English-speakers in Italy. But that didn’t make a difference. People would chat up a storm anyway —      so did I. It’s just part of the national character, I guess.

As we mentioned earlier, your music is heavily inspired by your overseas experiences. How do you reflect that inspiration in your actual music?

I put the essential human nature of the people into the music. Take “Luca,” for example. The theme of the song is Sicily, and the only instruments are drum, bass, and piano. If you look at the lyrics, it’s about how life is essentially meaningless, so it’s okay to just go with the flow. The reason the song is like that is because that’s really how Sicilians live. They don’t search for meaning in life, they’re good with enjoying the individual moments of their lives and being surrounded by friends. People like that aren’t going to be making really involved music, which is why the song only has three instruments.

I see!

“Sad In Saudi Arabia” reflects a Saudi Arabian mindset. It’s quiet, but there’s a deep-seated passion, the powerful energy of Saudi Arabia. That’s why the theme is “the flame that smolders beneath.” The same is true of the people of Saudi Arabia. When I put on a show, no matter how excited people got, they all remained seated. It was like they were watching a play. But when I finished, there was this huge standing ovation. That’s just considered proper manners there. They’re very calm, or I guess self-disciplined. To reflect that, I used a very regular rhythm. The air is really dry, too, which I expressed through the use of reverb.

You were able to express things like this through the skills you’ve built up through the years.

That’s probably true. I know a lot of different musical approaches, so I’d pick the ones that were the best fits and build up the songs that way.

How do you expand your repertoire of musical approaches?

By listening to music, I guess. Yesterday, I had ramen, even though I knew it would leave me bloated. The music that was playing in the ramen restaurant was great. In situations like that, I kind of take mental note that the melody is interesting. When I was taking a taxi in Italy, there was an Italian song playing on the radio. I asked the driver if this kind of music was popular in Italy now. He said “It’s an old song, but everyone still loves it. Young people love it, too.” That’s how I learned that in Italy, simply being old doesn’t make a song uncool. So I build up experience like that. The longer I live, the more experience I accrue.

So you’ve always got your eyes and ears peeled. Were there any songs you struggled with?

“Snake” was hard. When I was writing the song, I was really busy, plus I was jetlagged and sleep deprived. But I think that’s what enabled me to make a song with that kind of frantic feel.

So you reflect everything in your music. You don’t let anything go to waste.

I let myself go with the flow. There are songs that I can only create when I’m in a bad mood. On the other hand, the last song, “Worldfly,” went really smoothly. I wrote it in two hours. Or, more accurately, I had three days to work on the song, but for the first two days I just slept and did other things while kind of thinking about the song (laughs).

Do you use that kind of approach a lot?

Yeah. I tend to slack off until the last minute. I’ve had a lot of successes with that approach, so going forward, I’m sure I’ll still be writing songs at the last minute. My staff is always saying “Hurry up and turn in the song (laughs).”

This interview by Azusa Takahashi first appeared on Billboard Japan

Estate Of MF DOOM Files Lawsuits Against Former Stones Throw Label Manager

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MF DOOM created a lyrical masterwork with producer Madlib on their joint project, Madvillainy, on the famed Stones Throw label, catapulting them both to revered status within Hip-Hop. The estate of MF DOOM filed a lawsuit earlier this week, accusing the former manager of the label of possessing over two dozen notebooks containing lyrics that found their way into the rapper’s classic works.

Billboard reports that Jasmine Dumile Thompson, the widow of MF DOOM, real name Dumile Daniel Thompson, filed a lawsuit against former Stones Throw manager Eothen “Egon” Alapatt, alleging that he stole a stack of rhyme books.

The suit was filed in California federal court this past Tuesday (October 24) and is part of an ongoing battle enacted by the estate to have the rhyme books returned to the family. Earlier this year, Mrs. Thompson shared an image on DOOM’s Instagram account displaying email exchanges she had with Alapatt with the caption reading “Egon Give the Notebooks Back.”

Alapatt once served as the general manager and A&R for Stones Throw Records, one of the leading independent music labels. Alapatt was also a former manager for Madlib and now heads the Now Again Records company.

In the lawsuit, the estate alleges that Alapatt wants the notebooks to be “donated to a university or government archive” or another such place that keeps historical records of his choosing despite that plan going against what the estate has asked.

How the notebooks came into Alapatt’s possession, according to the suit, came after DOOM traveled to the United Kingdom for a show in 2010 but was barred from leaving the country due to immigration issues. At the time, DOOM worked out of a Los Angeles, Calif. studio that housed his rhyme books and Alapatt obtained them in his absence.

“Alapatt never consulted with DOOM about his acquisition of the notebooks and took advantage of DOOM’s being out of the country to obtain them,” reads another portion of the lawsuit.

Alapatt’s lawyer Kenneth Freundlich issued a statement on his client’s behalf to Billboard.

“Mr. Alapatt looks forward to his day in court to dismiss these frivolous and untrue allegations. Mr. Alapatt rescued these books from DOOM’s unpaid landlord who had taken possession of all of his belongings. With DOOM’s blessing, Mr. Alapatt intended to donate the books to either the Smithsonian or the Cornell University Hip Hop Archive, where they could be considered and studied by scholars, in the same way that manuscripts by great poets or sheet music by great composers are. Mr. Alapatt will do everything he can to ensure that these historically significant books are archived and protected.”

Photo: Getty

Beyoncé ‘Renaissance’ Concert Movie to Premiere in London, Los Angeles

Beyoncé will host the dual premieres of her Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé concert movie in Los Angeles on Nov. 25 and London on Nov. 30, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The roll-out will happen just a few days before AMC Entertainment and Bey’s Parkwood Entertainment open the film in theaters around the world on Dec. 1.

The doc chronicling the singer’s highest-grossing tour to date was co-directed by the singer, who also wrote it and executive produced the project. Tickets for international territories — including Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, South America and the Caribbean — will go on sale on Nov. 9 here; tickets are on sale now in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

A description of the film notes that it, “accentuates the journey of Renaissance World Tour, from its inception, to the opening in Stockholm, Sweden, to the finale in Kansas City, Missouri. It is about Beyoncé’s intention, hard work, involvement in every aspect of the production, her creative mine and purpose to create her legacy, and master her craft. Received with extraordinary acclaim, Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour created a sanctuary for freedom, and shared joy for more than 2.7 million fans.”

While locations for the U.S. and European premieres have not yet been announced, an invitation for London suggested a “formal opulence” dress code, while the L.A. premiere calls for “Cozy opulence,” a seeming reference to the Renaissance album track “Cozy.”

“When I am performing, I am nothing but free,” Bey said in the voiceover of the film’s two-minute trailer that also includes the singer casually walking to stage while flashing a peace sign, stretching pre-show with her kids — including rehearsing with backup dancer/eldest daughter Blue Ivy Carter — and having a cocktail in the green room. Husband Jay-Z also makes a cameo, pumping his fist and smiling from the crowd in the clip that also featured the couple’s twins, Rumi and Sir.

The two-hour-and-thirty-minute unrated film is the latest concert film from Bey, following on the heels of her 2019 Netflix doc Homecoming — which chronicled her 2018 Coachella headlining set — as well as her 2013 HBO movie, Life Is But a Dream, a hybrid live performance and video diary project, and 2009’s I Am… Yours: An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas.

Watch the Renaissance trailer below.



Ultra Music Festival 2024 Releases Phase 1 Lineup: Calvin Harris, Peggy Gou & More

The end of 2023 is on the horizon, which means that the start of 2024 festival season is too. On Thursday (Oct. 25), Ultra Music Festival — one of the first major events of the next year — announced its phase one lineup. The Miami fest will have Calvin Harris playing his first Ultra Miami set in a decade, Peggy Gou will make her debut on the festival’s massive Resistance Stage, along with some of the world’s most popular genre stars including Eric Prydz, Amelie Lens, Zeds Dead, David Guetta, Martin Garrix (who, minus 2018, has headlined every edition of the festival since 2014), Zeds Dead, Sasha & Digweed, Vintage Culture and many more.

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The festival will also see Fisher and Chris Lake playing together as part of their Under Construction project for the first time ever at Ultra. Stages curated by Nora En Pure’s Purified brand and Armin van Buuren’s A State of Trance are also on the bill.

The festival happens March 22-24, 2024, at downtown Miami’s Bayfront Park. Three-day tickets start at $350 and are available now.

The festival reports bringing in 165,000 attendees from more than 100 countries to its 2023 edition, with 42 million people watching the festival’s livestream.

2024 will mark the 24th edition of Ultra Music Festival Miami. The Ultra brand has also put on shows around the world, throughout South America, Europe, India, Asia, Australia and in South Africa. Ultra debuted its first event in the Middle East in Abu Dhabi this past March.

See the complete phase one lineup below.

Ultra Music Festival Miami Phase 1 Lineup

DA Says London Police Report Involving Jonathan Majors Is Relevant To Domestic Violence Case

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US actor Jonathan Majors' trial on assault charges begins in New York

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According to prosecutors, there’s a new development in the domestic violence against embattled TV and movie star Jonathan Majors, who was arrested in Manhattan earlier this year after being accused of assault and aggravated harassment of his then-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari.

In a 115-page filing obtained by Variety, prosecutors claim Majors was involved in another incident involving Jabbari, a U.K. citizen, that allegedly occurred in London in September of last year. It’s unclear what happened exactly, but prosecutors are reportedly attempting to get a copy of a London Metropolitan Police report that includes references to medical care that Jabbari received at the time. The legal officials say that whatever is in that file is relevant to their current domestic violence case against Majors, who was in London at the time of the alleged incident filming season two of the Disney+ Marvel series Loki.

From Variety:

This development comes a day before Majors has to return to court for his domestic violence case. Wednesday’s court appearance is expected to be one of the final pre-trial hearings before the judge rules on whether to proceed with or dismiss the case.

The lengthy filing from the Manhattan District Attorney’s office is in response to the actor’s motion to dismiss the case. It does not entirely lay out the D.A.’s case, though it is intended to provide enough detail to move the case toward trial.

The DA’s office is also claiming Majors’ lawyers leaked and misrepresented court evidence, and that they even tried to get the police to create a wanted poster with Jabbari’s photo. The filing also shows prosecutors are not launching a case against Jabbari, who Majors’ legal team claimed actually physically abused their client, not the other way around.

Furthermore, while it’s been reported that the March 25 incident began when Jabbari read a text on Majors’ phone that indicated he was cheating, so she took his phone, the filing gets a little more detailed in regards to what the DA says took place.

More from Variety:

She allegedly took the phone out of his hands to see who sent the message. Majors then “began grabbing the right side of Ms. Jabbari’s body and prying Ms. Jabbari’s right middle finger off the phone, causing bruising, swelling, and substantial pain.” The filing continues that Majors “then grabbed Ms. Jabbari’s arm and right hand and proceeded to twist Ms. Jabbari’s forearm, causing substantial pain to her finger and arm. The defendant then struck Ms. Jabbari’s right ear, causing a laceration to the back of her ear and substantial pain.”

After he retrieved his phone, Majors exited the vehicle and Jabbari attempted to follow the actor. That’s when “the defendant grabbed her, picked her up, and threw her back inside … [and] sustained substantial pain, including a fractured finger, bruising about her body, a laceration behind her right ear, and a bump on her head,” according to the filing.

Prosecutors also denied that there’s any video evidence clearing Majors and implicating Jabbari.