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Taylor Swift is no longer facing a subpoena in the messy legal battle between her friend Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni after Baldoni dropped the document request, which Swift’s reps had fiercely criticized as “tabloid clickbait.”
Lively’s reps confirmed to Billboard on Thursday (May 22) that the Baldoni camp has dropped separate subpoenas they served on both Swift and her longtime law firm Venable earlier this month in litigation over the movie It Ends With Us, in which Baldoni and Lively are hurling dueling accusations of sexual harassment, retaliation and defamation.
Baldoni’s lawyers had sought communications between the Swift and Lively teams, claiming they heard from an unnamed source that Lively had asked Swift to delete text messages and tried to extort the pop superstar into publicly supporting her in the lawsuit. Lively’s reps denied those contentions as “categorically false,” and a judge quickly struck those claims from the case docket as improper, irrelevant and “potentially libelous.”
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Lively’s spokesperson says in a statement shared with Billboard that they are “pleased that Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer parties have withdrawn their harassing subpoenas to Taylor Swift and her law firm.
“We supported the efforts of Taylor’s team to quash these inappropriate subpoenas directed to her counsel and we will continue to stand up for any third party who is unjustly harassed or threatened in the process,” the statement continues.
“The Baldoni and Wayfarer team have tried to put Taylor Swift, a woman who has been an inspiration for tens of millions across the globe, at the center of this case since day one,” Lively’s rep adds. “Faced with having to justify themselves in federal court, they folded. At some point they will run out of distractions from the actual claims of sexual harassment and retaliation they are facing.”
Venable also confirmed in a court filing Thursday that Baldoni withdrew his subpoena targeting the law firm.
Reps for Baldoni and Swift did not immediately return requests for comment Thursday. But a spokesperson for Swift previously said she had no involvement in It Ends With Us and slammed Baldoni for trying to “use Taylor Swift’s name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case.”
The It Ends With Us legal battle began in December when Lively alleged in a lawsuit that Baldoni had sexually harassed her on the set of the movie released last summer and later orchestrated a public relations smear campaign to retaliate against her for complaining about the behavior.
Baldoni then countersued Lively for defamation and claimed the actress leveraged her relationship with a “megacelebrity friend,” presumed to be Swift, to bully her way into more control of It Ends With Us.
Baldoni’s legal filing included text messages concerning an alleged meeting attended by “Ryan and Taylor,” seemingly referencing Swift and Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds. In one message sent by Lively, the actress called Swift and Reynolds her “most trusted partners” and compared them to the “dragons” in the TV show Game of Thrones.
“The message could not have been clearer,” Baldoni’s lawyers wrote in the countersuit. “Baldoni was not just dealing with Lively. He was also facing Lively’s ‘dragons,’ two of the most influential and wealthy celebrities in the world, who were not afraid to make things very difficult for him.”
SM ENTERTAINMENT artist and NCT member CHENLE has made a powerful return with his Chinese special album Lucid, which shattered pre-order and release records. Produced by TME Producers’ Studio, co-produced by SM ENTERTAINMENT, Lucid includes three tracks: the pre-release single “Tear Bridge,” the title track “Lucid,” and “Cosmic Joke” feat. Bibi Zhou. Before his album […]
Bad Bunny has broken records with his ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos’ tour. The Latin star has sold 2.6 million tickets to his tour across Madrid, Mexico, Australia, Italy and other locations. The tour is set to kick off in the Dominican Republic in November. Narrator: Bad Bunny breaks records in Latin America, Europe, and Australia […]
Talent agent and Sound Talent Group (STG) owner Dave Shapiro, 42, was among those killed in a fiery plane crash in San Diego, Calif., in the early morning on Thursday (May 22), according to a statement from his agency.
“We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends,” said a spokesperson for Sound Talent Group. “Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today’s tragedy. Thank you so much for respecting their privacy at this time.”
Shapiro and two other STG employees were killed when their 1985 Cessna Citation reportedly crashed around 4 a.m. on Thursday (May 22) in the Tierrasanta neighborhood. Billboard is not naming the two other victims at this time at the request of company officials, who are trying to notify family members. The plane was also carrying other passengers who have not yet been identified, officials tell Billboard, noting that there were no survivors.
A well-known music agent, Shapiro launched STG in 2018 with Tim Borror and Matt Andersen following successful careers at the Agency Group and United Talent Agency. His roster includes Sum 41, Pierce the Veil, I Prevail, Set it Off, Story of the Year, Silverstein, Parkway Drive and Eve 6. He also operates the Velocity Records music label, whose roster has included Thursday, Concrete Castles and Craig Owens.
Shapiro was also an avid pilot with more than a decade of flying experience and was the owner of Velocity Aviation, through which he offered pilot instruction. Known around the music industry as an adventurous spirit, Shapiro’s aviation website describes his thrill-seeking lifestyle and pursuit of adrenaline.
“From BASE jumping to aerobatic flying, Helicopters to twin engines, flight instructing to furthering his own education, doesn’t matter to Dave as long as he gets to be in the sky,” the website reads. At one point, Shapiro even housed the San Diego office of STG in an airplane hangar alongside some of his aircraft.
Besides aviation, Shapiro was a lifelong supporter of independent music and hard rock, punk and indie acts that didn’t fit within music’s mainstream. With the launch of STG, he and his partners paved the way for the launch of nearly a dozen independent agencies in the years that followed.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Snoop Dogg has new colorways available for his sneaker collection with Skechers. In 2024, the California rapper turned high-style icon dropped new pairs of “Sizzle” basketball sneakers. However, in 2025, Snoop has a new line of fashion clogs for the summer.
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Priced at $65, the Skechers x Snoop Dogg: Arch Fit Footsteps collection is ideal for hangouts at home, or when you’re out and about. The collection is comfortable and cozy casual wear throughout the day.
The unisex Skechers Arch Fit Footsteps “Foamies” are made from a breathable EVA upper, while your foot rests inside of a contoured Arch Fit footbed for comfort and support. They come with convertible heel straps for additional support around your ankles.
Additionally, the fashion clogs come with a number of removeable Snoop-themed charms, such as the rapper’s face, dollar signs, crowns, microphones and more. They even have satin bandanas or gold-colored chain detail around the heel strap that match the footwear.
The footwear comes in two styles: Rolling Glitz (with a bandana) and Rolling N Gold (with a chain).
In the meantime, check out other styles from the Snoop Dogg x Skechers collection:
Skechers
Snoop Dogg X Skechers
Snoop Dogg: Arch Fit Footsteps, Rolling Glitz
Blush Pink
Skechers
Snoop Dogg X Skechers
Snoop Dogg: Arch Fit Footsteps, Rolling Glitz
Blue
Skechers
Snoop Dogg X Skechers
Snoop Dogg: Arch Fit Footsteps, Rolling Glitz
Lime
Skechers
Snoop Dogg X Skechers
Snoop Dogg: Arch Fit Footsteps, Rolling N Gold
White
Skechers
Snoop Dogg X Skechers
Snoop Dogg: Arch Fit Footsteps, Rolling N Gold
Black
The Snoop Dogg x Skechers Arch Fit Footsteps “Foamies” come in women’s sizes and in various colors, such as blush pink, white, purple, orange, lime, blue and black.
Want more? Skechers has more sneakers in various styles and colorways available from the Snoop Dogg collection, below:
For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
U2, Robbie Williams, Charli xcx and Lola Young were among the artists celebrated at the 2025 Ivor Novello Awards on Thursday (May 22) at the Grosvenor Hotel in London.
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Awards were handed out to 22 songwriters and composers across 14 categories, with more than 70% of the honorees winning an Ivor Novello for the first time.
Songwriter of the year with Amazon Music was presented to Charli xcx in recognition of her zeitgeist-busting Brat record. The LP topped the Official Albums Chart in the U.K. and hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
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She was bested in the best album category by Trinidad-born musician BERWYN, who collected the prize for his emotive debut album, Who Am I, released on Sony Music Entertainment. The record, which reflects on the Romford-based rapper’s heritage and upbringing as an immigrant in the U.K., was also nominated for the Mercury Prize in September 2024.
U2 was inducted into the Ivors’ Fellowship Academy, becoming the first Irish act to do so. Previous inductees include Paul McCartney (2000), Elton John (2005), Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb of The Bee Gees (2006), Andrew Lloyd Webber (2012) and Kate Bush (2020). Bruce Springsteen became the first U.S. musician to enter the fellowship in 2024.
Following the announcement of his forthcoming album Britpop, Robbie Williams was awarded the PRS for Music Icon Award in honor of his extensive songwriting catalog. The former Take That star is currently tied with The Beatles with 15 No. 1 albums on the Official U.K. Charts, and with his 18 BRIT Awards, he is the most successful artist in that show’s history.
New names, including Lola Young and Myles Smith, also enjoyed success. The former collected the rising star award with Amazon Music following the breakout success of her song “Messy,” which held the No. 1 spot on the Official Singles Chart for four weeks. Smith, alongside co-writers Peter Fenn and Jesse Fink, earned the PRS for Music Most Performed Work prize for their megahit “Stargazing.”
Best song musically and lyrically was presented to Irish singer-songwriter Orla Gartland for her track “Mine,” while the San Soucis collected best contemporary song for its release “Circumnavigating Georgia.”
There were winners across the arts in film, television and video games. The soundtrack for The Substance by Raffertie won best original film score; John Konsolakis triumphed in best original video game score for Farewell North; and Vince Pope won in the best television soundtrack category for his work on True Detective: Night Country.
Bloc Party were on hand to be awarded the prize for outstanding song collection, though original members Matt Tong and Gordon Moakes (who left in 2013 and 2015, respectively) were not in attendance alongside frontman Kele Okereke and guitarist Russell Lissack.
The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers earned the special international prize, and Self Esteem, who recently issued her third LP, A Complicated Woman, won the Visionary Award with Amazon Music.
The Ivor Novello Awards were streamed live on Prime Video, continuing a partnership that began in 2023. See the full list of winners below.
Best Album
WINNER: Brat written by Charli xcx, A. G. Cook and Finn Keane; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing, Concord Music Publishing obo Alias Guild and Universal Music Publishing; Performed by Charli xcx
On Purpose, With Purpose written by Ghetts and TenBillion Dreams; Published in the UK by BMG Rights Worldwide UK; Performed by Ghetts
The Loop written and performed by Jordan Rakei; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing
This Wasn’t Meant for You Anyway written by William Brown, Conor Dickinson, Jared Solomon and Lola Young; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing obo Day One Songs, Sony Music Publishing – Solomon Gouda and Sony Music Publishing; Performed by Lola Young
Who Am I written and performed by BERWYN; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing
Best Contemporary Song
“Allergy” written by Felix Joseph, Alastair O’Donnell and Pa Salieu; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing and Sony Music Publishing; Performed by Pa Salieu
“Angel of My Dreams” written by Pablo Bowman, JADE, Steph Jones and Mike Sabath; Published in the UK by Kobalt Music Publishing, Sony Music Publishing and Universal Music Publishing obo Hipgnosis Hits-Steph Jones Who Music-Vistaville Music; Performed by JADE
WINNER: “Circumnavigating Georgia” written and performed by Sans Soucis; Published in the UK by Sentric Music
“Double Standards” written by Ghetts, EMIL, Sampha Sisay and R-Kay; Published in the UK by BMG Rights Worldwide UK, Ditto Plus Music Publishing and Sony Music Publishing – Young Songs; Performed by Ghetts feat. Sampha
“How Black Men Lose Their Smile” written by Bashy, Toddla T and Linton Kwesi Johnson; Published in the UK by Downtown Music obo DLJ Songs, BMG Rights Worldwide UK and Universal Music Publishing obo L-K-J Music Publishers; Performed by Bashy
Best Song Musically and Lyrically
“Child of Mine” written and performed by Laura Marling; Published in the UK by Kobalt Music Publishing
“Genesis.” written by Rodney Jerkins, RAYE and Toneworld; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music and Kobalt Music Publishing obo Mohemmusic-Songs by Seventy 7 Music; Performed by RAYE
“In the Modern World” written by Grian Chatten, Conor Curley, Conor Deegan, Thomas Coll and Carlos O’connell; Published in the UK by Domino Publishing Company; Performed by Fontaines D.C.
“Messy” written by Conor Dickinson and Lola Young; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing obo Day One Songs and Sony Music Publishing; Performed by Lola Young
WINNER: “Mine” written and performed by Orla Gartland; Published in the UK by Kobalt Music Publishing obo San Remo Music
PRS for Music Most Performed Work
“As It Was” written by Kid Harpoon, Tyler Johnson and Harry Styles; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing and Concord Music Publishing obo These Are Pulse Songs; Performed by Harry Styles
“Houdini” written by Caroline Ailin, Danny L Harle, Tobias Jesso Jnr, Dua Lipa and Kevin Parker; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing obo Viking Jamz Publishing, Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing and Warner Chappell Music obo Radical 22 Publishing; Performed by Dua Lipa
“Last Christmas” written by George Michael; Published in the UK by Warner Chappell Music obo WHAM! Music Limited; Performed by WHAM!
“Prada” written by D-Block Europe, Obi Ebele (Da Beatfreakz), Uche Ebele (Da Beatfreakz), Jahmori “Jaymo” Simmons and RAYE; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing, Bucks Music Group Ltd obo Armada Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing obo Fat Pigeon (Publishing) Limited and Warner Chappell Music; Performed by Cassö, RAYE and D-Block Europe
WINNER: “Stargazing” written by Peter Fenn, Jesse Fink and Myles Smith; Published in the UK by Kobalt Music Publishing obo Songs by 308 Publishing-Where Da Kasz At, Lyric Global Copyright Services Crescendo obo Arcade Artists Publishing-Jesse Fink Publishing-Spirit One Music Crescendo and Sony Music Publishing; Performed by Myles Smith
Rising Star Award With Amazon Music
Bea and her Business
Liang Lawrence
WINNER: Lola Young
LULU.
Nia Smith
Best Original Film Score
Fly Me to the Moon composed by Daniel Pemberton; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing obo Apple
Hard Truths composed by Gary Yershon; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing obo Thin Man Films
Kneecap composed by Michael ‘Mickey J’ Asante
WINNER: The Substance composed by Raffertie; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing obo Universal Pictures Music
The Zone of Interest composed by Mica Levi; Published in the UK by Domino Publishing Company
Best Original Video Game Score
Empire of the Ants composed by Mathieu Alvado and Mark Choi
WINNER: Farewell North composed by John Konsolakis
Flock composed by Eli Rainsberry
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II composed by David Garcia Diaz
The Casting of Frank Stone composed by Boxed Ape
Best Television Soundtrack
Black Doves composed by Martin Phipps; Publishing in the UK by BMG Rights Management UK obo Maisie Anthems
Mary & George composed by Oliver Coates; Published in the UK by SATV Publishing
Rivals composed by Jack Halama and Natalie Holt; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing obo Walt Disney Music Company
WINNER: True Detective: Night Country composed by Vince Pope; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing obo T-L Music Publishing
Until I Kill You composed by Carly Paradis; Published in the UK by BMG Rights Management UK obo Veti Music Publishing
PRS for Music Icon Award
Robbie Williams
Songwriter of the Year with Amazon Music
Charli xcx
Outstanding Song Collection
Bloc Party
Special International
Brandon Flowers
Visionary Award with Amazon Music
Self Esteem
When Shamir first broke into music in 2015, the artist made a deal with himself: “Once I feel like I’ve done and said everything that I felt like I wanted to do and say, then I will call it,” he recalls. “I didn’t want to be an artist who was doing this just because it’s their job.”
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One decade and 10 studio albums later, Shamir is making good on that promise. Ten, the mercurial multi-hyphenate’s excellent, indie rock-infused new album (out now via Kill Rock Stars) is his last one, too. Over the course of 10 songs, Shamir tackles big and small questions — the existential struggle with aging on album-closer “29” feels right at home with the simpler understanding of love lost on “I Know We Can’t Be Friends” — before closing out this chapter of his professional life.
As he tells it, the decision to walk away from music was easy, at least in part because he had already experienced the closest thing he’s had to a break between his projects. Since putting out Ratchet in 2015, Shamir has released new albums at almost a yearly pace, occasionally dropping two full LPs in a single calendar year. But after the release of his 2023 project Homo Anxietatem, the singer says he found himself in need of some time off.
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“I was producing with a friend, and we were just, like, throwing the ideas around. And all of a sudden I realized I didn’t have any plans to make an album. I didn’t even really have, like, songs or anything,” he says. “But I was like, ‘I want to work with you just because we’re friends.’ That didn’t end up working out with that person, but the idea of working with friends really stuck with me.”
It was a different mode of operation for Shamir. Since getting dropped by XL Recordings over creative differences shortly after the release of Ratchet, he’s largely self-written and self-released his own projects, occasionally teaming up with other indie labels to help bring his LPs to life.
That changed when the artist found a new home at Kill Rock Stars. Since signing with the label in 2023, prior to the release of Homo Anxietatem, Shamir says he no longer felt burdened by the expectations of doing everything himself. “To have that space and have that backing from the label gave me a little bit more clarity,” he explains. “Ending this chapter of my career felt like it came from a place of peace instead of frustration, which I love.”
Where other artists might use a final album to say all the things they’ve ever wanted to say in their music, Shamir didn’t have to do the same — he’d already shared his deepest thoughts through albums like Heterosexuality and Hope. Instead, he decided to draw his conclusions about working with friends to their eventual conclusion.
Every song on Ten, for the first time in Shamir’s career, are entirely written and produced by others. Whether he was asking his closests friends to let him sing a song they wrote or combing through those same friends’ unreleased demos to find songs he could perform, Shamir ended up with 10 tracks, written by and for others, now being interpreted through his own distinct artistic lens.
“I have so many incredible friends who aren’t necessarily songwriters by trade, yet are just incredible songwriters,” he explains. “I didn’t want them to write ‘a Shamir song,’ you know what I mean? I wanted demos and vault tracks tracks, and to metabolize those and bring them into my world and make them my own.”
A key example of the selection process, Shamir says, is the album’s opening track “I Love My Friends.” Back in 2021, Shamir received an email from his close friend Andrew Harmon, with the song’s title as a subject line and nothing but an MP3 in the body. Enclosed was the song, written by Harmon exclusively as a dedicated thank you to his close-knit circle for helping him deal with the death of his father.
“I remember listening to it, and by the end I was just in tears,” Shamir says of the song. “A dedication like that, unprompted and as a thank you — as opposed to just sending a thank you card or something like that — was just so beautiful to me.”
Another standout from the album, the heartbreaking “I Don’t Know What You Want From Me,” was written by Torres, who Shamir “wasn’t even particularly close with.” But when he presented them with the idea backstage at a music festival, they immediately said they wanted to send him a track. “[Torres] was literally on tour, and still sent me three demos,” he says. “That one was definitely the most shocking, just in terms of their enthusiasm for the idea.”
It’s for that reason that Ten plays out as a love letter rather than a farewell, where Shamir thanks the people who buoyed him in a turbulent career for a decade. It’s also why Shamir decided to release the album on May 19 — the one year anniversary of his debut album Ratchet.
“It was just like an extra kind kismet thing that I was able to add on to the triple entendre of it all,” he says. “It’s so rare when that happens, so when it does happen, it just feels so much like confirmation.”
As it turns out, having said everything he wanted to say in his career is just one of the reasons Shamir made the decision to call it quits after Ten. Part of the reason he relied so much on the support of his friends was simply because the music industry is a hard place to thrive, especially as a Black queer artist wanting to do something different.
Shamir qualifies that with the simple fact that “we made a lot of strides with queer people in pop music.” But after a certain point, the singer saw a pattern emerge, and it was one that he had no interest in adding to. “As a Black queer person, it’s not only hard to assimilate, but we are rewarded when we assimilate. We have to play the game to for survival,” he says. “In a lot of ways, I have suffered because I refuse to assimilate — but it was worth it for me.”
Sure, there are drawbacks that came with that: “I was not able to reach a certain level of mainstream success,” Shamir relents. But broad recognition isn’t the metric by which he chooses to measure himself. “Whenever anyone looks back on my career in five, 10, 15, 20 years from now, they’re going to be like, ‘Oh, but he never compromised,’” he says. “And I never will.”
Mozzy is all smiles and good energy as he sits in a darkened studio.
The West Coast rapper is hard at work on Intrusive Thoughts 2 — which he tells me unprompted, without any lead in. That tape will serve as the follow-up to April’s Intrusive Thoughts, which is why he’s chatting with Billboard in the first place. The album delves even deeper into the trials and tribulations that have come to define some of Mozzy’s best work. His relationship with fame versus the streets, the loss of his loved ones to incarceration, death and more. Like his 2024 record Children of the Slums, Intrusive Thoughts explores difficult topics head on in the hopes of finding motivation in the darkness.
“I would appreciate if the youth got some good game up out of it and utilized it through the gangsta s—t that they gotta endure,” Mozzy says of the album. “I done seen a lot of young throw they life away. That s—t heartbreaking and disappointing. So if I can throw a n—a an alley oop and he can cram it and push for it off of that, I’m gonna throw it every time.”
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Billboard chats with Mozzy about working with CMG, his new album and what the vibe is on the West Coast right now.
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Take me through the recording process of Children of the Slums vs. Intrusive Thoughts. How did you approach Intrusive Thoughts differently? How did the album start to come together?
Children of the Slums, I was more reflective of the people that I lost, people that I loved dearly. I think on Intrusive Thoughts it’s self reflection. Hoping I made ‘Pac proud — I don’t wanna be no role model, it’s self reflection. That’s the difference.
You talk about some pretty intense topics on this record. You’ve explored such tough themes dozens of times in your career at this point. Does it ever get emotionally taxing to keep diving into such intense emotions for your music?
I like how you said that, “emotionally taxing” — emotional extortion. Most definitely. But it’s also helped with the healing process. I just wrote a bar the other day: “I think of Skeemo every day, because I’m still grieving,” and he had died a couple of years ago. I’m able to identify that through the music. It naturally ooze out of me — and when I get to reflecting on what I was really saying in that booth, I can hear that pain, that trauma. So I think it’s very therapeutic.
On “Seven 2’s” you rap, “cleaning up my image, but there’s still a glimpse of residue.” How have you gotten better over the years at navigating your complex journey from a kid from the West Coast projects to the rap star you are now? What lessons have you learned along the way and what kind of “residue” has been difficult to leave behind?
As far as the residue, that’s just the trenches. Like [Nipsey Hussle] said: “My circle got smaller, everybody can’t go.” That s—t is heartbreaking, still dealing with losses, n—as goin’ to jail, expiring at an early date. That’s the residue of me staying connected and still loving that part of me, but I’m most definitely cleaning up my image. I’m not talkin’ about nobody dead ones in my music. I’m providing more nutritious bars for the youth. The way I conduct myself, I’m a business man now. I can’t afford to go to jail… You can’t play in water without gettin’ wet. So it’s about transitioning, bossing yourself up and understanding that you’re bigger than some of these circumstances.
Has navigating that journey of bettering yourself been an intentional act that you’ve constantly had to be aware of, or has it become more subconscious now?
Nah, I think it requires the same amount of intentional energy. I’m forcing myself. I’m currently on paper probation, and it’s like, I gotta walk this thin line. I gotta deal with they stipulations but it’s okay because it’s forcing me to stay within my envelope. It’s forcing me to focus on things that matter. Ain’t nobody gonna come save me.
I wanna ask briefly about your bar on “10 Percent,” where you rap, “Quit asking why I signed to CMG/ Advise you guys not to get me started.” What type of push back have you gotten about your relationship with CMG? What’s your relationship like with Gotti at this point?
Everybody’s entitled to their own opinion. So, when I see n—as asking, I be feeling like, “N—a, mind your muthaf—kin’ business. Don’t ask me why I do what the f—k I do. I got us this far, n—a. Let me do my s—t, fall back, watch out.”
I’m cut from an independent cloth, so you know my independent loved ones have been rooting for me. So now, to sign is like — you just exited out the chat, you hear me? [Gotti] my thug, my loved one. Imagine someone walk you in the building and get you a million. How your relationship gonna be with ’em?
What’s changed for you on the business side since inking that deal with CMG?
I just learned how majors tweak their projects, run their roll-outs, a lot of political things. I was very asleep on the process and how tedious they is — the business they stand on is very strict. Independent ain’t that strict, you can kinda do it as you please. [CMG] just on point.
How has your expectation of rap success measured up to the reality of it?
As a kid, I expected this s—t to be like — you remember how they was trippin’ over Michael Jackson? Bobby Brown, Whitney [Houston]? Even Lil Wayne, the dopest to do it. Remember that Bow Wow era? I thought it was gonna be like that. I didn’t know this s—t was gonna be regular, and 100,000 n—as from each city doin’ the same shit. But it’s a gangsta party. It’s just about being a regular, real n—a.
You gonna meet a lot of entertainers and they gonna be on that entertainment, Hollywood bulls—t. You once looked at him like a super hero, and now it’s like, “F—k that man.” So I feel like I just don’t wanna ever give nobody that feeling. Never do no corny s—t.
What can you tell me about Intrusive Thoughts 2?
There’s most definitely gonna be a Part 2 and you can expect the same things as Part 1. Just more detail, a little more emotional about the situation, etc. I’m not gonna give you the feature list but you know I’m comin’ with my thugs!
You and Millyz just linked on “Trenches Famous…”
You think we need a whole EP or something?
I was just gonna ask. Any chance we could get a collab tape?
Shout out Millyz, that n—a the truth with what he do. One of the dopest to do it. Most definitely, I think we got an EP or somethin’ on the way.
What is the general feeling on the West Coast right now?
It’s a gangsta party, it’s been a gangsta party, it’s still a gangsta party. That’s the aura, that’s the energy, that’s the vibration. So that’s why you get that out of my project. When you hear this next one that’s gonna tell you the vibes of what the West Coast on right now.
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Fat Joe is putting major respect on Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s name, saying they’re on the verge of becoming the greatest rapper/singer duo the game has ever seen.
Chopping it up on his Joe and Jada podcast, the Hip-Hop OG spoke on how the TDE heavyweights are making serious noise together. “What you don’t know is that they’re gonna be best friends and all that forever,” Joe said. “Right now, they got like six or seven joints. They number one. They could take the slot, 100%. They fire together.”
Crack even put them in the same convo as Ja Rule and Ashanti—one of the most iconic duos in the game—but made it clear Kendrick and SZA are on a different level ‘cause they both run things as solo stars. Their collab “Luther” is doing big numbers, breaking records left and right. It’s now the longest-running No. 1 hit by a co-billed solo male and female duo, beating out Diddy and Faith Evans’ ‘94 classic “I’ll Be Missing You.”
That’s not all—“Luther” is officially the biggest Hip Hop single of the decade, passing Roddy Ricch’s “The Box” which held it down for 11 weeks back in 2020. Only Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” has spent more time at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Fat Joe’s calling it early: if Kendrick and SZA keep this wave going, they might just lock in that GOAT duo status for real.
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Tory Lanez’s father, Sonstar Peterson, joined NewsNation’s CUOMO hosted by Chris Cuomo on Wednesday night (May 21), where he revealed that his son is being transferred to a new prison after being stabbed while in prison earlier in the month.
Peterson explained that Lanez isn’t receiving any special treatment, but his move is part of California prison protocol following an act of violence.
“He’s being moved because it’s part of the prison’s protocol that when a situation like this happens. They believe it’s better for him to be in another facility, and so he is being moved as we speak,” he said. “One thing of course, we are concerned about is because my son is a high-profile person and when things like this happen, there is always some kind of weird news going out trying to spin it to be something else.”
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Lanez was attacked on May 12 by another inmate at California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi around 7:20 a.m. PT, and rushed to a nearby hospital, a spokesperson for the prison told ABC News. A message posted to the singer’s verified Instagram account said he suffered a pair of collapsed lungs and was stabbed 14 times in total, but was in “good spirits” while recovering.
Lanez’s father said that when he arrived at the hospital, he spoke to correctional officers who claimed they were surprised that the singer was involved in an altercation because Tory, according to his dad, “is someone who is liked. He’s not someone who is a troublemaker.”
The Toronto native is currently serving a 10-year sentence in prison after being convicted on three felony counts tied to him shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the feet during an argument outside of a Hollywood Hills party in July 2020.
Between the stabbing and claims of new evidence, Lanez’s case is picking up steam once again. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida’s 13th district called for California’s Gov. Newsom to pardon Lanez. The congresswoman claimed that there was new evidence exonerating Lanez.
Unite the People attorney Walter Roberts claimed that Kelsey Harris’ bodyguard, Bradley James, filed an affidavit saying he overheard Harris admit to firing the weapon and not Lanez.
Megan Thee Stallion posted a message to her TikTok calling Lanez a “demon” and pushed back against the hate she’s received in recent weeks regarding the shooting case, while SZA also came to Meg’s defense. “FACTS ARE FACTS, he did it , it was PROVEN IN COURT,” she wrote in part. “Ain’t no new f–king evidence yall been saying the same s–t for years.”
Megan’s legal team also released a report on Thursday (May 22) pushing back against the claims of new evidence and support from Tory fans, arguing that the findings are filled with “false narratives” from “foolish bullies.”
Watch the interview between Chris Cuomo and Tory’s father below.
