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05 Sep 2023

The 8 Best Moments From Beyoncé’s Birthday Concert at LA’s SoFi Stadium

From Diana Ross & Kendrick Lamar surprises to an A-list fan section, here are the most electrifying moments from Bey’s 9/4 B’Day show.

Beyoncé performs onstage during the

Beyoncé performs onstage during the “RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR” at SoFi Stadium on September 04, 2023 in Inglewood, California.

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In the heart of Inglewood, California, on Monday evening, an unforgettable celebration unfolded. Beyoncé Knowles, the Queen Bey herself, rang in her 42nd birthday at SoFi Stadium with 70,000-plus adoring fans and an A-list roster of celebrity admirers in the crowd.

Beyoncé’s birthday concert transcended the boundaries of a typical Renaissance World Tour stop. It became an immersive experience that left a lasting impression on the fortunate attendees.

It was as if the crowd had received a golden ticket to Bey’s real-life birthday party — albeit, a little larger than a typical Carter family soiree. Beyoncé, known for her awe-inspiring stage presence, didn’t disappoint; she took her audience on an electrifying journey through her music, her soul and her message of empowerment to celebrate her big day.

It was a dance party fit for a queen, where the rhythm of Beyoncé’s music became the heartbeat of the stadium. The atmosphere was charged with excitement and anticipation hung in the air as fans eagerly awaited the surprises that Beyoncé had in store — and there were plenty of star-studded surprises (read more below).

Let’s dive into the electrifying details of Beyoncé’s 42nd birthday concert — the final concert of her sold-out three-night stand at the LA-area venue — for a night that was filled with love, freedom, acceptance and incredible surprises.

05 Sep 2023

B.G. Has Been Released From Prison, Birdman Among First To Greet Him

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B.G., a rapper who got his start with Cash Money Records, served over a decade behind bars. On Tuesday, the New Orleans rapper was freed from prison and his fomer label boss Birdman was among the first people to greet him.

B.G., real name Christopher Noel Dorsey, just celebrated his 43rd birthday on September 3 and shared a post on Instagram that it would be his last while incarcerated. It was understood that the rapper also known as Baby Gangsta would be seeing freedom after news went wide last week.

Birdman took to social media and shared the heartwarming moment between him and his one-time protege. Today, B.G. sports long locs and a much bulkier frame and appeared to be in good spirits as he embraced his label boss and friends.

B.G.’s legal woes date back to 2009 after he was pulled over by police in New Orleans via a routine traffic stop. A search of the vehicle turned up three guns, two of which were reportedly stolen. B.G. was charged on an illegal weapons charge and entered a not guilty plea in 2010. However, due to other developments in the case involving other passengers in the vehicle, the prosecution brought an additional charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice.

One of the passengers attempted to take responsibility for the guns but it was determined by prosecutors that the affidavit signed by the passenger was false. That person was sentenced to 20 years in prison while the other passenger was hit with 30 months, according to what was found online

After pleading guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, B.G. was sentenced to 14 years on July 18. 2012.

As a member of the Hot Boys collectible with Lil Wayne, Turk, and Juvenile, B.G. saw fame on the charts early on. That same success was replicated on his third album Chopper City in the Ghetto, and Checkmate, his final under the Cash Money Records imprint.

On Twitter, images of B.G. and Birdman have been circulating with others chiming in with congratulations for the newly-freed rapper.

Check out those reactions below.

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Photo: Raymond Boyd / Getty

05 Sep 2023

Beyoncé’s Star-Studded LA Tour Stop, ‘Pink Friday 2’ Cover Art, Cardi & Megan’s New Song, More | Billboard News

It was a star-studded weekend at Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour stop at LA’s SoFi Stadium and it was extra special on Monday to celebrate the Queen B’s birthday. Nicki Minaj unveils the cover art for her highly anticipated ‘Pink Friday 2’ album, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion announce a new song, Zach Bryan tops the Billboard 200 and Hot 100. We run down the top songs of the summer and talk to Afrobeats artist Asake on his Billboard chart success, his crazy live shows, the global growth of the genre and more!

Tetris Kelly.
You know Blue Ivy broke it down. Kris Jenner was at another show as well as Lizzo, Katy Perry and so many more. Kaytranada opened the night and Kendrick Lamar joined her for “America Has a Problem.” Wait, did I not mention the horse? I could go on about last night forever. But for now, I’ll just leave you with a little more Yoncé. And let’s keep going with the powerful women we got news from, including Cardi B and Nicki Minaj. Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s announcement is here and Nicki Minaj is giving us more info on ‘Pink Friday 2.’ Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion are following up their Hot 100 chart-topper “WAP.” And this time it’s “Bongos.” They both shared the deliciously colorful cover art for the new track, due out Friday, and they aren’t the only raptresses keeping us fed.

Watch the full video above!

05 Sep 2023

Hot Boys Star B.G. Released From Prison

B.G., a founding member of the popular ’90s rap group Hot Boys, was released from prison Tuesday (Sept. 6) after serving 12 years for gun possession and witness tampering, a Cash Money rep confirmed to Billboard.

Cash Money founder Birdman was on Instagram Live when he greeted his New Orleans comrade with a big hug, welcoming him home. He also came bearing gifts, and B.G. was overwhelmed with emotions upon his release.

In 2009, B.G. was arrested during a traffic stop where cops discovered three guns inside his vehicle, with two of them stolen. Two years later, he entered a guilty plea deal for two counts of firearm possession and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. He received a 14-year federal prison sentence.

This past weekend, B.G. celebrated his 43rd birthday on Instagram, signaling his upcoming status as a free man. “After 12 winters and 13 summers, I see the end zone. It’s my last #Birthday being buried alive. This year I’m celebrating the whole Virgo cycle, matter of fact, from this year forward I’m living and celebrating like everyday is #MyBIRTHDAY,” he wrote.

“The main focus, is to stay focused,” the post continued. “I’m not letting nobody rob me of my productivity, prosperity, positivity and peace of mind. My dreams then got bigger and my vision is clearer. 13 years was more then enough time for me to change the reckless path I was on.”

B.G. helped construct The Hot Boys in the late ’90s, which featured Lil Wayne, Juvenile and Turk. The crew enjoyed success with their 1999 platinum album Guerrilla Warfare, which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and spawned the breakout hits “I Need a Hot Girl” and “We on Fire.” B.G.’s biggest win came from his fourth album, 1999’s Chopper City in the Ghetto, which birthed the phrase “Bling Bling” in the song of the same name, a No. 36 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

05 Sep 2023

Diddy To Be Blessed With The Global Icon Award At The 2023 MTV VMAs

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It’s been three decades in the making, but P. Diddy is finally going to be receiving the Global Icon Award during this year’s MTV Video Music Awards.

Variety is reporting that the OG Bad Boy from Hip-Hop’s golden era will finally be receiving his flowers from MTV when the VMA’s airs live from the Prudential Center Tuesday (Sept. 12) at 8 p.m. ET. Aside from receiving the Global Icon Award, Diddy will also be taking the stage at the VMA’s to perform and show attendees and viewers around the world exactly why he’s being blessed with such a prestigious award.

Variety reports:

The Global Icon Award, originally from MTV’s Europe Music Awards (EMAs), celebrates an artist or band whose unparalleled career and continued influence have achieved a unique level of global success in music and beyond. Diddy also hosted MTV Europe Music Award 2002 at the Palazzo Sant Jordi, Barcelona, Spain.

 

This set will be Diddy’s first solo album since he released “Press Play” in 2006 but follows a recent slate of singles from the hitmaker. In the last year, he recruited Bryson Tiller for “Gotta Move On” — which received remixes from Ashanti, Yung Miami, Tory Lanez and more — along with the PartyNextDoor-featuring “Sex in the Porsche.” He most recently released “Act Bad” with the City Girls and Fabolous and also dropped a remix of Metro Boomin’s “Creepin’.

Real random, but where the heck has PartyNextDoor been this whole time? Just sayin’.

While Diddy is set to hit the stage in celebration of his award, we wouldn’t be surprised if a few guest stars joined him on stage as he’s helped launch the careers of multiple Hip-Hop and R&B stars such as The Lox, Faith and many others. Don’t expect Total to come out of nowhere though.

What do y’all think of Diddy being blessed with MTV’s Global Icon Award? Sound off in the comments section below.

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05 Sep 2023

JAY-Z To Host 007 Themed Blackjack Party With $1M Pot For Charity

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JAY-Z is about to double down on his commitment to criminal reform. He is hosting a 007 themed party that will raise funds for those fighting the system.

Page Six is exclusively, and allegedly, reporting that the Brooklyn, New York native is planning yet another super exclusive charity event this year. Later this month he will host a party in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Players will have to pony up $100,000 dollars to buy in to the blackjack game where the winner will win a million dollars. Non players will have to pay $50,000 dollars to for general entry. It is rumored that the “99 Problems” MC got the inspiration from Michael Rubin’s yearly all white fourth of July party in The Hamptons.

While the invite list has not been publicly released some of the rumored attendees include Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, Tom Brady, Travis Scott,  DJ Khaled, Emily Ratajkowski, Megan Thee Stallion, several athletes, high profile CEO’s, hedge fund managers and more. Kevin Hart to serve as the emcee with Robert Kraft, Michael Rubin and Meek Mill are set to co-host. The party is said to be happening Saturday, September 30 at Ocean Casino Resort.

JAY-Z’s event will raise funds for REFORM Alliance; which aims to transform probation and parole by changing laws, systems and culture to create real pathways to work and wellbeing. You can read more about organization here.

Photo: Kevin Mazur

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05 Sep 2023

NCT 127, Aespa & More SM Entertainment Artists Are Joining HYBE’s Weverse

WeVerse, the social media platform owned by K-pop company HYBE, will add 13 artists from SM Entertainment on Sept. 12, the companies announced Tuesday (Sept. 5). That opens the platform to such artists as NCT 127, Red Velvet, Girls’ Generation, Super Junior, RIIZE and aespa. The partnership was announced in April. 

“With this momentous occasion, we hope SM artists and their dedicated global fans will enjoy an unparalleled and seamless fan experience through various content and services available on Weverse,” said Joon Choi, Weverse president, in a statement. “The addition of SM artists will further accelerate the global expansion of Weverse, which has already exceeded 100 million downloads and recorded 10 million monthly active users.”

HYBE, which owns nearly 9% of SM shares, decided to partner with SM after its failed bid take take control of the company. After HYBE acquired a 15% stake in SM from the company’s founder, Lee Sio-Man, in February, a bidding war erupted between HYBE and South Korean tech company Kakao to take a controlling stake in SM. Kakao emerged the winner and has a 40% stake in SM. HYBE retained an 8.8% stake in SM and sold the remainder to Kakao, according to a March 28 public filing — making HYBE the second-largest single shareholder after Kakao. 

SM artists have been using Kwangya Club, a similar social platform launched by SM in 2022. Weverse has become a crucial element of HYBE’s multi-faceted business for e-commerce, promoting its artists and building relationships with fans. HYBE has invested in foreign language translation tools and a new payments system for the platform called Weverse Jelly to purchase digital and physical goods at the Weverse Shop. In addition, HYBE runs an annual live event, Weverse Con Festival.

“We’re preparing to integrate Weverse and Weverse shop to offer seamless experiences for fans to stay on the platform and purchase artists, albums and official merch,” HYBE CEO Park Ji-won said during the company’s Aug. 8 earnings call. “We are striving to enhance customer satisfaction including ongoing discussions with various overseas local delivery companies to improve global shipping service quality.”

05 Sep 2023

Joe Jonas Files for Divorce From Sophie Turner

After four years of marriage, Joe Jonas has filed for divorce from Sophie Turner.

The Jonas Brothers singer filed a petition for dissolution of marriage on Tuesday (Sept. 5) that stated “the marriage between the parties is irretrievably broken.”

The news comes amid a firestorm of rumors alleging a breakup, but both Jonas’ and Turner’s social media activity seemed to indicate that there was no merit to the divorce reports. On Monday, Jonas posted a photo that not-so-subtly flaunted his wedding ring days after divorce rumors reached a fever pitch. As for Turner, her most recent Instagram post, dated Aug. 14, celebrated Jonas and his brothers’ latest world tour. On Aug. 12, the Grammy-nominated trio kicked off their massive “Five Albums. One Night. The World Tour” trek at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York.

Nonetheless, the court documents, which were filed in Miami-Dade County, Florida, reveal a different story. Jonas’ petition states that the couple’s two children have been residing with him in Miami and other U.S. locations but that “it is in the best interests of the minor children that the parties have shared parental responsibility.” Moreover, his petition indicates some kind of prenuptial agreement between the couple.

Billboard has reached out to reps for both Jonas and Turner, as well as Jonas’ lawyer.

Jonas and Turner first met in 2016. They were engaged the following year and married in 2019. The couple legally married in Las Vegas in May 2019, a month before having a full ceremony with friends and family at Chateau de Tourreau in the south of France. Jonas and Turner share two children: daughter Willa and a second daughter who arrived in July and whose name is yet to be revealed.

The Jonas Brothers have amassed six top 10 albums on the Billboard 200, including three No. 1s. The sibling band has also scored three top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, including the 2019 No. 1 hit “Sucker.”

Joe Jonas’ band DNCE has charted a pair of projects on the Billboard 200. Their self-titled debut studio album topped out at No. 17 and spawned the Hot 100 top 10 hit “Cake by the Ocean.” As a soloist, Jonas reached No. 15 on the Billboard 200 with his debut album and No. 9 on the Hot 100 with the Camp Rock soundtrack single “This Is Me” (with Demi Lovato).

05 Sep 2023

Billboard Expands in South America With Launch of Billboard Brasil

Billboard announced Tuesday (Sept. 5) the launch of Billboard Brasil, expanding its footprint in South America.

“We are thrilled to be launching Billboard in Latin America’s biggest music market,” said Hannah Karp, editorial director of Billboard. “We look forward to serving Portuguese-speaking fans and creators around the world as their No. 1 source of news and insight about the business of music—with unparalleled access to the artists who power it.”

Added Dana Droppo, Billboard‘s chief brand officer, “We were inspired to bring Billboard to Brazil. We have a great team in place for what feels like a significant moment for the Brazilian music industry, which is gaining strength in international markets. We feel that this will be a new era of success and growth for Billboard.”

According to a press release, the first print edition of Billboard Brasil is set to arrive on newsstands in the coming weeks. The inaugural issue will feature exclusive coverage of The Town, the five-day festival in São Paulo, taking place now through Sept. 10. To celebrate the launch of the first issue, Billboard Brasil will host an afterparty. Additional details are forthcoming.

“Billboard is a solid brand, and we look forward to welcoming it to the Brazilian market. We are excited to develop an innovative format for bold, differentiated, and comprehensive projects,” said Fátima Pissarra, CEO of Billboard Brasil, who previously spent eight years at VEVO.

“There is a big gap in music coverage and, at the same time, a very strong market,“ said Débora Miranda, editor-in-chief, Billboard Brasil, who has been working in cultural coverage for 25 years. “It is a joy to be part of a project whose mission is to reflect the musical diversity of Brazil and a privilege to do this with one of the most important brands in the world.”

With over 30 years of experience in music journalism, Sergio Martins will be responsible for exclusive articles and interviews in the print publication. “We want to make a magazine that unites entertainment with quality content,” said Martins, musical director & artistic curator, Billboard Brasil. “At Billboard, all musical styles will have a voice and their stories will be told by an attentive and talented team.”

Carlos Scappini, Marcus Buaiz, Marcello Azevedo, Murilo Henare, Raquel and Michel Kury round out the publication’s operations team.

Billboard Brasil adds to the list of the publication’s international editions, including Billboard Japan, Billboard Korea, Billboard Arabia, Billboard Español and others.

05 Sep 2023

Billboard Reveals The Top 5 Songs of The Summer 2023 | Billboard News

Billboard counts down the top five songs that ruled the summer of 2023.

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It’s here… the official song of the summer. We’re going through the top five songs that you’ve been rocking to all summer long. Two country songs made the list along with some songs of the summer faves.

Let’s jump right in with No. 5. Lil Durk kicks off the story with “All My Life” featuring J. Cole.

Our next song is from a songs of summer favorite empowering us to love ourselves and our single status this summer. Miley Cyrus comes in at No. 4 with her hit “Flowers.”

Another songs of summer veteran comes through with an Afrobeats hit alongside Nigerian star Rema. Selena Gomez lends her vocals to a remix of Rema’s hit “Calm Down,” coming in at No. 3.

And from here on out country music takes over. For the first time in history, two country songs dominate the top spots of the songs of the summer. Let’s start with the No. 2 song, Luke Combs’ remake of the Tracy Chapman hit “Fast Car.”

It’s time for the big reveal. What song was in our heads all summer long? The one we just couldn’t get enough of, another country hit. It dominated the Hot 100 and dominated the hottest song of the summer, Morgan Wallen wins summer with his massive hit “Last Night.”