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Following an extended delay in the reopening of New York club Brooklyn Mirage, Josh Wyatt will no longer serve as CEO of the club’s parent company, Avant Gardner, sources close to the situation confirm to Billboard.
Gary Richards, Avant Gardner’s non-executive chairman of the board, will manage day-to-day operations for Avant Gardner in the interim, effective immediately.
The leadership swap follows a turbulent few weeks for Avant Gardner, the company and events complex, and its flagship venue, Brooklyn Mirage. After an extensive remodel and much fanfare, the club was set to open on May 1 with a two-night run from hard techno producer Sara Landry. Those shows were both canceled by the club hours before they were set to begin, after building inspectors declined to grant the recently renovated facility a permit to open.
All subsequent shows at the venue have been canceled or postponed, with the club making a statement on social media earlier this week that read, “We’re sad to announce that our Brooklyn Mirage shows through Memorial Day weekend have been moved to dates in July and August.”
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As reported by Billboard earlier this month, sources monitoring the situation said Mirage officials were given a list of fixes that needed to be completed for the club to open following an extensive renovation at the venue complex Avant Garner, which includes the 80,000-square-foot, 6,000-capacity Williamsburg nightclub. Widely recognized as one of the top stops in New York for electronic and dance acts, the Mirage had operated for years with the support of New York Mayor Eric Adams, whose office has intervened on Avant Gardner’s behalf as part of an ongoing legal fight with New York’s State Liquor Authority.
The former CEO of NeueHouse, Wyatt was hired as Avant Gardner CEO last October. Richards, meanwhile, is a longtime dance industry figure who founded HARD Events in Los Angeles in 2007 (the company was acquired by Live Nation in 2012). He is also the former North American president of Live Style, the founder of the All My Friends and Friendship festivals, and has been a board member at Avant Gardner since 2024.
A representative for Avant Gardner did not immediately respond to Billboard’s request for comment.
Donald Trump has taken to social media to accuse Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen and more for participating in an “illegal election scam” during Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign. Keep watching the video to see what the president had to say about the celebrities who participated in Kamala’s campaign. What do you think of Donald Trump’s accusations? […]
Daniel Williams, former drummer for Ohio metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada, died Thursday morning (May 22) in a San Diego plane crash that also killed music agent Dave Shapiro from Sound Talent Group.
The two men were among six total who died after the plane clipped a power line in a San Diego suburb, according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration, sparking intense flames that scorched several homes, destroyed dozens of vehicles and forced the evacuation of more than 100 people.
While no one on the ground was killed in the crash, all six individuals aboard the flight died. Three of those dead, including Shapiro, worked for Sound Talent Group, a company official confirmed.
The flight was reportedly piloted by Shapiro, a popular music agent, flight instructor and owner of the Sound Talent Group booking agency and Velocity Records label. Prior to taking off, Williams even posted several photos to Instagram of himself boarding the flight with Shapiro and sitting in the cockpit.
The Devil Wears Prada confirmed Williams’ death on their Instagram page, sharing several photos of Williams and Shapiro together.
Shapiro’s Cessna 550 jet crashed 2 miles south of San Diego’s Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport at 3:45 a.m. PT, according to the FAA statement. Flight data shows that the aircraft had taken off from Teterboro Airport, near New York City, late Wednesday night and briefly stopped to refuel in Wichita, Kansas, before continuing on to San Diego.
“Shapiro was a founding member of the National Independent Talent Organization and on Thursday, NITO officials released a statement sharing its members condolences,” the statement reads. “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dave Shapiro and his two colleagues. Dave was a visionary in the music industry and a founding partner of Sound Talent Group. His passion, dedication, and unwavering support for artists shaped the careers of countless musicians and helped elevate the live music experience for fans around the world. As a founding member of NIT0, Dave was instrumental in the initial formation and funding of the organization and assisted countless of our peers successfully navigate the pandemic shutdown of live music. Our sincerest condolences go out to Dave’s family, friends, and everyone at STG. This is a monumental loss to our community.”
The Devil Wears Prada charted two top 10 titles on the all-genre Billboard 200 albums chart during Williams’ tenure with the group: 2010’s Zombie EP and 2011’s Dead Throne. Over on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart, they have two No. 1s among 11 entries: 2009’s With Roots Above and Branches Below and 2010’s Zombie EP. The band formed in 2005 in Dayton, Ohio, as a Christian metal group. Williams exited the group in 2016.
Buckle up, Gleeks, because Rachel Berry finally got her “Drivers License.”
That’s right: Lea Michele stopped by The Kelly Clarkson Show on Thursday (May 22) to deliver a stunning cover of Olivia Rodrigo‘s seminal debut single.
Donning a ruched ivory jumpsuit, the star channeled her Glee character’s famous sense of melodrama as she belted out the eight-week No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit, singing, “You’re probably with that blonde girl who always made me doubt/ She’s so much older than me, she’s everything I’m insecure about/ Yeah, today I drove through the suburbs, ’cause how could I ever love someone else?” (Of course, if this was the early days of Glee, Michele-as-Berry would almost certainly be referring to Dianna Agron’s Quinn Fabray, right?)
Following the number, Michele shared with host Kelly Clarkson that her cover was, in fact, directly inspired by her iconic TV persona.
“I’m on tour right now, and I’m singing a lot of songs from Glee and from Broadway,” she explained. “But I do this section in my show, so it’s: ‘If Glee were on television right now, what would Rachel Berry be singing?’ And the minute I heard ‘Drivers License,’ I was like, ‘That’s such a Rachel Berry song.’”
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After revealing that the cast of Glee did “over 800 songs” during the course of six seasons on the Fox series, Michele also teased that she has “something exciting coming up,” but didn’t give fans any further details besides the fact that she’d be announcing the secret project “very soon.”
Other famous faces who’ve performed “Cameo-oke” numbers on The Kelly Clarkson Show recently include Blake Shelton, Lizzo, Sierra Hull, Ledisi and the Broadway cast of SMASH.
Watch Michele drive through the suburbs on “Drivers License” below.
Kid Cudi took the witness stand Thursday (May 22) in the sex-trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, telling jurors that he believes Combs broke into his Los Angeles house and later torched his Porsche with a Molotov cocktail out of anger over his relationship with Cassie Ventura.
The “Day ‘n’ Nite” rapper (Scott Mescudi) was a much-anticipated witness in the criminal trial of Combs, who’s accused of coercing Ventura and other women into participating in drug-fueled sex shows known as “freak-offs.” The trial closed out its second week on Thursday (May 22) and is expected to continue for at least another month.
Mescudi was photographed arriving at the Manhattan federal courthouse in a leather jacket and smoking a cigarette. According to reporting from CNN and the Associated Press, he began testifying in the morning and told jurors he briefly dated Ventura in 2011.
From the stand, Mescudi said Ventura, an R&B singer who dated Combs for 11 years, became very scared when the music mogul learned about her new relationship in December 2011. He then claimed Combs broke into his L.A. house while he was at a hotel with Ventura, and that items were moved and his dog was locked in a bathroom when he returned.
Combs allegedly tried to talk to Mescudi after this incident, but the rapper said he ignored the mogul’s texts: “You broke into my house, you messed with my dog, I don’t want to talk to you,” Mescudi testified.
Ventura claimed during her marathon testimony last week that Combs had threatened to blow up Mescudi’s car out of anger about their relationship, and, in her 2023 civil lawsuit against Combs, said that shortly after Combs issued these threats, Mescudi’s car was blown up. Mescudi seemed to confirm this, saying his Porsche 911 was torched in his driveway in early 2012.
At one point, the jury was shown a photo of Mescudi’s burnt-up luxury car. “It looks like the top of my Porsche was cut open, and that’s where the Molotov cocktail was put in,” Mescudi testified of the photo.
Mescudi later said he met up with Combs to discuss their differences after the incident, and that Combs acted “like a Marvel supervillain” during their meeting. He added that Combs promised he wasn’t responsible for the car explosion, but Mescudi said he believed Combs was lying.
Combs has not been officially linked to the car explosion — a point that Combs’ attorneys emphasized when cross-examining Mescudi. Defense attorney Brian Steel suggested that DNA collected from the car was identified as belonging to a woman, though Mescudi responded that he never heard from authorities about this.
Steel did get Mescudi to confirm on cross-examination that Ventura confided in him about physical abuse from Combs, but never mentioned sexual abuse. This supports the defense’s argument that while Combs committed domestic violence, he never engaged in trafficking and that all of his sexual encounters were consensual.
Mescudi posted a video on X thanking fans for support after departing the courthouse.
Also on Thursday, the jury heard additional testimony from Combs’ former assistant George Kaplan, who said he quit in 2015 after witnessing the rapper’s violent treatment of Ventura and other girlfriends.
“The central reason that I left my job as Mr. Combs’ assistant was that I was not comfortable or aligned with the physical behavior that had been going on,” said Kaplan, who began his testimony on Wednesday (May 21). Notably, Kaplan was granted immunity after initially being reluctant to testify.
A parade of other witnesses also briefly took the stand on Thursday. This included Ventura’s former makeup artist, Mylah Morales, who said she saw Ventura with extensive injuries after an argument with Combs in 2010, plus a hotel employee and a computer forensics agent.
The trial is off for the next few days and slated to resume on Tuesday (May 27).
Combs was indicted in September, charged with running a sprawling criminal operation aimed at facilitating the freak-offs and using violence, money and blackmail to keep victims silent and under his control. (Read Billboard‘s full explainer of the case against Diddy here.)
Once one of the music industry’s most powerful men, Combs is accused of racketeering conspiracy (a so-called RICO charge), sex trafficking and violating a federal prostitution statute. If convicted on all of the charges, he faces a potential life prison sentence.
Maria Becerra, Paulo Londra and XRoss unite atop the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 chart as “Ramen Para Dos” debuts at No. 1 on the ranking dated May 24.
As “Ramen Para Dos” bows atop the list, singer-songwriter Becerra extends her record for the most No. 1s on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 among women. She last landed at the summit through “Corazón Vacío” in July 2023, which gave her a first ruler as a soloist, unaccompanied by any other act.
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Londra, meanwhile, scores his first champ in over three years, following the two-week reign of “BZRP Music Sessions Vol. 23,” with Bizarrap, between April and May 2022.
Latin Grammy producer and songwriter, XRoss earns his maiden entry as an artist, and first No. 1 to date. Previously, he secured a No. 4 high as producer through “Piscina,” billed under Becerra, Ovy on The Drums and Chencho Corleone, in 2023.
Miranda! achieves its second top 10 as “Me Gusta,” with TINI, debuts at No. 8. The duo last reached the upper region with the No. 6-peaking “Perfecta,” with FMK and Becerra. TINI ups her career top 10 count to 22, tying with Emilia for the second-most top 10s among all acts, a list that Becerra helms with 30 top 10s to date.
Elsewhere, Argentinians group La Repandilla and singer Aneley earn their first entry on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 as “Estaba Aquí Pensando” launches at No. 53.
Young Miko takes the week’s Greatest Gainer trophy as “WASSUP” climbs 28 spots, from No. 70 to No. 42.
Lastly, two other songs arrive this week, starting with Elena Rose, Los Ángeles Azules and Camilo with “Carteras Chinas,” at No. 92, while Argentinian rock band Viejas Locas make its debut with “Me Gustas Mucho” at No. 90.
Justin Bieber has shared a message of support for Chris Brown after the R&B star was released on bail following his arrest in London.
On Thursday (May 22), Brown celebrated his release by sharing a photo of himself on Instagram walking with a plane visible in the background, as if he’d just stepped off his flight. “Cook, remain humble,” the singer captioned the post.
In the comments, Bieber shared kind words. “Welcome home,” the pop star simply wrote.
Brown’s post and Bieber’s comment come one day after a London judge released the former on bail in the amount of $6.7 million, also ruling that the “Under the Influence” artist has to surrender his passport when not traveling for his upcoming Breezy Bowl XX Tour. The North American and European trek is scheduled to kick off June 8.
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Brown was arrested May 15 while at his hotel in Manchester on “suspicion of grievous bodily harm,” officials told The Independent. The alleged incident took place at a nightclub in February 2023, with prosecutors claiming that the two-time Grammy winner attacked music promoter Abraham Diaw with a tequila bottle.
After initially being denied bail, Brown was released on Wednesday (May 21).
The “Forever” artist and Bieber have worked together in the past, collaborating on “Next to You” in 2011 and “Don’t Check on Me” with Ink in 2019. The former reached No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100, while the latter peaked at No. 67 on the chart.
Bieber’s “welcome home” comment isn’t the first time he’s publicly expressed support for Brown. In 2019, he praised his past duet partner on Instagram, writing, “Everyone wants to wait til people die To give them the credit they deserve.”
“I’m calling it now when CB passes away after a long full life, you will miss what you had in front of you the whole time … trust me watch you will see,” he continued at the time. “The people who have over looked this mans talent because of a mistake he made.. you need to reevaluate! Love you @chrisbrownofficial.”
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Ever wonder what Hailey Bieber keeps in her bag? Well, you’re in luck. The model just shared her go-to beauty products and the internet is going crazy.
The model sat down for an interview with Vogue for the magazine’s “What’s In My Bag” series, offering an in-depth look at a slew of products she keeps on hand. Bieber even brought a pug named Bonnie along for the ride. In the video, Bieber rummaged through her hefty Saint Laurent shoulder bag, pulling items out one by one. Accompanying the video, Bieber also appeared on Vogue’s summer 2025 cover.
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There were even a couple of joke products that she shared that poked fun at herself, including a cheeky vanilla-scented perfume titled “Eau d’Nepo” referencing her “nepo baby” status. From hand creams to scrunchies, here’s how to grab the star’s must-have products for cheap on Amazon.
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Mario Badescu Rose Hand Cream with Vitamin E
A rose-scented hand cream with hydrating Vitamin E.
It’s practical and smells good. What could be better than that? This Bieber-approved hand cream from Mario Badescu features a sweet but subtle rose scent and a heavy dose of Vitamin E that works to boost hydration, healing cracked and dry skin.
The formula is non-greasy and fast absorbing, leaving the skin feeling replenished and non-sticky after use. While this product is marketed toward folks with dry skin, anyone with any skin type can put it to use. It’s the perfect thing to keep in your bag for a quick boost of hydration on the go. This bottle will run you a cool $8.00 for 3 Oz.
LULUSILK Mulberry Silk Sleep Eye Mask
A pink silk eye mask with an elastic strap.
Beauty sleep is essential. Take it from Bieber. The model seems to take her sleeping ritual seriously and it shows. I mean, the girl is pretty stunning. Why not take a page out of her book with this silk eye mask. Retailing for just $9.99, this sleeping mask is made of soft and supple mulberry silk in pink that is gentle around the eye area.
The fabric is also hypoallergenic which is a major plus for those with sensitive skin. For those restless sleepers, the elastic band detailing keeps the mask in place. Another plus is that the mask is machine washable. If pink isn’t your thing, the LULUSILK mask also comes in a variety of other hues from “Black” to Peacock Blue.” This would make a great gift for the nap-lover in your life.
COSRX Advanced Snail Mucin Glass Glow Hydrogel Face Masks
A hydrating sheet mask with snail mucin.
While this face mask isn’t made by utilizing the eggs of the rare sunfish, the COSRX Advanced Snail Mucin Glass Glow Hydrogel face mask is one that Bieber has been known to use often. While it may sound icky, this mask features 87% of snail mucin for hydration, further beefed up with help from niacinamide that helps improve the skin barrier.
Niacinamide also reduces redness and pore size. You’ve also got collagen that provides firmness and potentially added anti-aging benefits, along with hyaluronic acid, which may help fight off acne. The bottom line, this mask is well worth the price for the great ingredients in boasts. If Bieber uses it, well you just know it works.
Set of 2 Solid Scrunchies (Light Grey)
A pack of two gray scrunchies.
We’re urging you to ditch the hair ties this spring for an option that might just save your hair. These scrunchies, similar to the ones Bieber carries in her purse, come in a set of two for just $6.99. Why choose scrunchies over hair ties you may ask? Well, they have been proven to offer more protection for hair and reduce the risk of breakage and damage.
It’s all about the fabric covering the elastic, which acts as a barrier that minimizes friction and tension on your precious hair follicles. Of course gray isn’t the only color option. They’ve also got funky hues like “Wine,” “Blue” and “Light Green.”
Nécessaire The Lip Balm
A creamy mint scented lip balm with a metal applicator.
Bieber sure has a lot of her Rhode Peptide lip treatments tucked away in her bag. While Amazon doesn’t carry her beloved brand just yet, Nécessaire’s The Lip Balm comes as a close second. Retailing for $20.00 at 0.3 oz, this product features a nearly identical formula to Rhode’s lip treatment, including key ingredients like moisturizing shea butter, hydrogenated polyisobutene for moisture retention and its lubricating properties and diisostearyl malate, another hydrating agent. Both treatments are even comparable price-wise, so you aren’t losing out on much if you opt for this one.
Watch Bieber’s “What’s In My Bag” video with Vogue below.
Loco Dice materializes on Zoom from his home in Düsseldorf, cheerful, ready for a weekend of shows in Ibiza and Morocco and first ready to discuss his new album.
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The characteristically sleek and funky project, Purple Jam, is out tomorrow (May 23) and is the latest in a stacked catalog that extends back more than 20 years. In a way, the project in fact nods to Dice’s legendary status with a list of old school, newer and new school collaborators that include friends like Carl Cox, The Martinez Brothers, Marco Carola, Skrillex and rapper Trinidad James.
Here, the artist born Yassine Ben Achour discusses the project, linking with Skrillex, playing Coachella and influencing new generations of fans and artists.
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1. Where are you in the world right now, and what’s the setting like?
Right now I’m at home in Düsseldorf, and it’s just my usual day. I just came from training, and this morning I was listening to music for my label — new demos and promos to play for the weekend. This weekend I will have my All Night Long kickoff party for the season at Pacha Ibiza, then on Saturday I play Caprices festival in Marrakech. And I’m packed already, so I’m perfectly ready.
2. What is the first album or piece of music you bought for yourself, and what was the medium?
The first album I bought for myself — I don’t know if it was a Public Enemy album or if it was an Ice-T album, but the medium was wax. I didn’t have much money, but I could afford that.
3. What did your parents do for a living when you were a kid, and what do they think of what you do for a living?
My father left us when I was very, very young. I don’t know what he was doing. My mom was basically left alone, trying to survive. She was cleaning offices and later worked her way up to be working as a cashier in a big department store.
For a long time I think she thought I was a drug dealer. She didn’t know where the money was coming from. She didn’t believe in music for a very long time, even when she saw my name on posters or flyers. She she’s pretty old school, and she thought it’s not a real job. I grew up in a very rough neighborhood. But I think she started to believe when I had my own private health insurance and could afford to pay my own rent. She was realizing, “OK, he’s on a legit path.” But it took a long time.
4. What is the first non-gear thing you bought for yourself when you started making money as an artist?
The first money I had I spent it on clothes and sneakers. Gear came very late, because my first gear was a turntable, a Technics MK2, which was a ridiculous amount of money, so I had to play a couple of gigs to afford that.
5. If you had to recommend one album for someone looking to get into dance music, what album would you give them?
It’s very difficult to say. I can only say the first thing that really caught me was Basic Channel, a group from Germany. They were doing a kind of dub techno with a lot of dub and reggae elements with the reverbs. That was the thing where I was first understanding the technology behind dance music. Very nerdy, I would say. If we want to stay cool and easy, I would say the first mix compilation by Danny Tenaglia.
6. What is the last song you listen to?
Let me think, because I was listening to a lot of music just now in the car. I think it was something from Lil Baby.
7. How did you link with Skrillex to make “Heavy Heart”?
I was a fan of his music and his sound from the very beginning. I listen to hip-hop, I listen to all kinds of stuff, and when someone comes with electronic music, no matter what type it is, which is interesting and which combines a lot of elements, my ears are like radars. Like, “Wow, wait a minute. What is that? What is he doing?”
So I was really into his stuff, not the mainstreaming stuff, but more the dubstep and experimental stuff he was doing. Then it was during the pandemic, all of a sudden he was standing in my DJ booth at Space Miami, and it was like we had known each other for ages. He knew so much about my music, so much about so much music, so it was super cool to hang out with him. That day we said “We’ve got to do something together.” But it took us quite while until we came together for the album. All the album features are important features for me, because there is a link with everyone. It’s not fabricated.
8. Yeah, everyone on the project feels really authentic to you and who you are and who you’re naturally surrounded by. You’re not trying to create some pop star moment. How did this crew of collaborators come together?
Exactly. Every DJ means something. Sonny was someone from outside the bubble who I always wanted to do a track with. Carl Cox is the DJ I knew from day one. We’ve been DJing back to back and never did a track, so it was about time. The same goes with Marco Carola, a very good friend of mine. Trinidad James is the only one which was a little bit outside, but he was the rapper who always was special. He was not a superstar, but he’s killed it with his own tracks, and he killed it on the on the remix for a for A$AP Ferg, the “Work (Remix).” All the parts were great, but his part was special.
When I was sitting there creating the album, I was not creating it with features in mind. It was first my music. The other features were looped selections that I sent to these particular artists. I was looking on my Whatsapp like, “Who am I communicating with? Who are the ones I always wanted to do something with?” I combined it and everything worked out.
9. Why purple?
Simple! Very easy! When I was in the studio creating music I didn’t think to make an album. Who does an album these days? The kids don’t listen to albums. All this blah, blah, blah in my head. But I wanted to make music that I can play, not music I like. The old Loco Dice [music] is 80% music that’s not focused on “can I play it, or can other DJs play it?” The focus would be more on after hours, or a crescendo track. Mood driven.
This time, I tried working on music I can play no matter if it’s peak time or off time. And I always organize my music in crates through colors. Red is peak time, green is more chunky, blue is more dubby, gray is very artistic, and purple is the vocal tracks. So purple are the tracks that survived all the testing and that are very special. [Through the testing process] I had a bunch of tracks that I knew I could do an album with, and they are the purple tracks.
10. How is the new generation of dance fans and people who consume your music different from generations that have come before?
Without dissing the new generation, let’s say it this way — the new generation has more freedom. They are not tied to “I have to learn what I am dancing to.” Back in the day, it was a religion. You go to the club, you want to know who the DJ is. You want to know his biography. You want to know his discography. You want to know who are the legends, the creators, the origins of house music, what is the connection to funk and soul, Motown and hip-hop.
Today, you don’t need all this, because you’re just free. You just go to dance, to have a good time. There’s so much distraction in your brain, and there’s so much going on in the world. The world is moving fast, faster than ever before, and with the social media it’s very difficult to understand what’s going on. We don’t have record stores anymore. We don’t have music music magazines anymore. With all due respect, we don’t have many music journalists anymore in our scene. So the kids are kind of lonely.
So I cannot expect the new generation — when I play Kevin Saunderson or when I play Jeff Mills — that they know who it is. I don’t want to be that old guy with gray hair and being the teacher with the finger, so I have to adjust myself to the new generation and the situation. It’s freedom. Everything is allowed. Back in the day when you play a Latin vocal track or maybe a Bad Bunny vocal, people will kill you in the comments. Now, times have changed. Nobody kills you. Everything is allowed, everything is possible.
11. So more freedom for them also means more freedom for you?
It’s a good and a sad thing. The people who really like you and are really are into the music, they will get the information; they will dig deep. But the people who just come to consume it, fair enough, consume it.
12. What does success for the album look like to you?
That a lot of people get this album. These days it’s not like you put it in the record store and people know… These days we are driven by algorithm, so we’re kind of screwed. If we are lucky, we get in your “for you” page. If we are not lucky, you find out a year later, or never.
[At live sets] maybe 20% of people know [who I am], but for sure 50% don’t care. They just come because you’re a badass DJ, or because the party is great. So this is the difficulty, and that’s why, when you ask what is success for the album, it’s that everybody gets a chance to listen to and appreciate it.
13. Speaking of badass parties, you played Coachella last month during a b2b with The Martinez Brothers. What are your most vivid memories of that set?
The stage, the intro, everything. I was looking at the boys like, “Hey, we’re gonna have a good time.” And they look at me like, “Yeah, if some people come.” Because the stage was empty. Then seeing all the people storming in and remembering, “We’re at Coachella and people are doing stage hopping.” Then it was massive. It was huge. All the people came, and the smiles came up. It was like, “We’re good.”
14. What are the proudest moments of your career so far?
Inspiring the new kids. When I meet new artists that are already on their peak and hyped… Most of them are shy to come to your party or say hi. It’s not like it used to be. Then when you get to know them and they tell you story… like, Fisher, we had dinner and he told me how he was dancing with his brother on the dance floor during the old Cocoon days and listening to Loco Dice and being inspired. And Fisher is f–king huge now. That makes me proud. I’m like, “Okay, I’m a piece of your success too, b—h!”
15. What are you currently finding the most challenging element of your career?
Finding good music. There’s too much music. I’m flooded with music on WhatsApp, iMessage, Instagram here, there. I can’t follow up anymore. Then you spend like, four hours of your time and don’t find one track. It’s kind of demotivating. Everybody’s trying to do the copy/paste or trying to pick up samples that you played live. It’s devastating. For me this is the most challenging part — finding the right artist, sent to me through the right channel, music that I can play it, release, or just get inspired by to make more music out of it.
16. Are there artists that you want to shout out that are doing things right now that you think are cool?
There’s one guy from Serbia, Mene. He’s on fire. He got badass tracks. There’s another guy from Peru called Sunday Noise. He’s on fire too.
17. What’s been the best business decision you’ve ever made?
Oh, I’m so bad in business. I had a lot of bad business decisions. But the best business decision I made was believing in my feelings, even though I’ve sometimes believed in my feelings but gone the other way, and then I get schooled again to listen to my instincts.
Sometimes you get overshadowed by a lot of people talking, talking, talking: “You should do this, you should do that.” Sometimes your emotions are also low, and you think you have to change. That was always wrong, and the best decisions were always when I knew “I believe in it. It might take a while, but that’s the way.”
18. What’s something you’re proud of?
My career was a lot of ups and downs, but it was solid. I was always there. I survived every hype. This is always my proudest moment when I say, “Okay, I’ve done all these albums, all this music.” It might be not for everyone, but they brought me here. I’m still here. I’m still playing on the big stage. I’m still doing Coachella.
So right now, I’m in a very good state of mind. I’m having the best agency with Wasserman. I have a great new music manager who’s amazing. My team is great. Everybody around me right now is so positive. And I think maybe creating my team, with all the respect to my old teams, was a good business decision.
19. Who’s been your greatest mentor and what’s the best advice they’ve given you?
I was the guy who was always a mentor for other people, but on the street and the way I grew up, I had to lead, and I had to make sure everybody was on the right track. My mom took very good care of me, and she was mentoring me to be a good person, a good boy. She did her best, and I have to thank her for this. So I would say this goes to my mom for just giving me the love and the confidence, to be a confident person in a foreign country, that created who I am now.
Music wise, it’s all the old school cats, all of them. Start from Danny Tenaglia over to Carl Cox, Kevin Saunderson, Mike Banks, Underground Resistance, they’re all my mentors. In hip-hop, it’s the same, Ice-T, Chuck D, Ice Cube, Grandmaster Flash, they’re all my mentors. I was sucking music like no other. Carlos Santana, Frank Sinatra, Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, Prince, these are my musical mentors. Even the new generation guys. You only have to be open minded and open to everything and not be the one who’s like, “Yo, I’m the boss. I know how it works.” I’m not that guy.
20. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self?
Don’t trust other people too much. Trust yourself. It’s very important. Always be yourself, and don’t give that away. When we start getting famous or hyped, all these managers, agencies, labels, best friends, party friends, they come. I think a mistake every artist has done at one point is giving away [responsibilities.] Letting other people do this or that for you, and you become just the act. No. Be aware, and control everything. It’s the right way.
Fat Joe thinks Kendrick Lamar and SZA could eventually dethrone Ja Rule and Ashanti as the greatest rapper/singer duo. During a recent episode of their Joe and Jada podcast, Jadakiss brought up Lamar and SZA’s hit record “Luther” making history by spending the most weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 among duets […]
