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09 Aug 2023

Foot Locker Refused To Sell Yeezy Sneakers During Much-Hyped Restocks

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Whether you’re copping or boycotting, the adidas Yeezy restocks have been a massive success for the three-stripe brand as they’ve been moving inventory like hotcakes. But when Foot Locker was offered the chance to partake in the sales bonanza, they passed.

According to Complex, the higher ups at Foot Locker wanted no parts of the Yeezy restock happening over the last few weeks for fear of backlash from people who called out adidas for continuing to do business with Kanye West after his antisemitic rants. While there really hasn’t been outcry over the restock due to adidas promising to donate some of the profits to anti-hate charities, Foot Locker wasn’t taking any chances in today’s cancel culture climate and turned down the opportunity to rake in some big money.

Complex reports:

Sneaker industry sources tell Complex that Foot Locker had originally planned to take on stock of Yeezys but later decided against it. Foot Locker, the sources say, was afraid of the backlash that selling shoes associated with West, who now goes by Ye, could generate. The retailer also ran into difficulties trying to integrate a charity aspect into its sale of Yeezys, sources said.

Foot Locker did not respond to multiple requests for comment and Adidas did not provide a comment.

Even when word spread that adidas was planning on selling off its remaining inventory, there wasn’t much backlash, if any, following the announcement. We’re lowkey surprised that Foot Locker was too scared to carry the merchandise, but it is what it is.

The news comes on the heels of adidas confirming that once they’re done selling off their remaining inventory of Yeezy merchandise, they’ll never restock or sell any Yeezy silhouette again. With that being said, you know sneakerheads and collectors will be gobbling up any remaining Yeezy drops that adidas has going forward. The proof is in the pudding as adidas has bagged hundreds of millions of dollars with their Yeezy restocks.

Still, Foot Locker is standing by the statement they released last year at the height of the controversy and isn’t interested in generating any kind of backlash regardless of the amount of money that’s on the table.

More from Complex:

“Foot Locker, Inc. does not tolerate any form of antisemitism, or hateful and discriminatory behavior,” a spokesperson said then. “While we remain a partner with Adidas and carry a wide assortment of their collections, we will not be supporting any future Yeezy product drops, and we have instructed our retail operators to pull any existing product from our shelves and digital sites.”

What do y’all think? Sound off in the comments section below.

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09 Aug 2023

Metro Boomin, Coi Leray & Armani White Bring the Fire at Billboard’s R&B Hip-Hop Live

“You want to go home or you want to keep going?” Metro Boomin asked the packed audience late into his set on Tuesday night (Aug. 8) at Billboard’s R&B Hip-Hop Live event at The Novo in Los Angeles. The answer from the crowd registered as an unintelligible roar — but it was clear they weren’t ready to leave.

The hitmaking DJ and producer, who most recently executive produced the Marvel soundtrack Metro Boomin Presents Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse — which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 in June — played for over an hour following Billboard’s 2023 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players event in honor of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary. Joining him on the bill were “Players” rapper-vocalist Coi Leray and rapper Armani White (“BILLIE EILISH,” “Baazigar”).

Though he was the headlining act of the night, Metro made a casual entrance to the stage, sauntering out in white jeans, T-shirt and purple ball cap to take his place behind the boards. Over the course of the crowd-pleasing set, the hitmaker performed tracks including “10 Freaky Girls,” “Niagara Falls (Foot or 2),” “Creepin’,” “Umbrella,” “Minute,” “No Complaints” as well as Spider-Verse cuts including “Calling” and “Self Love.”

Metro also made several nods to his production work, performing “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” (a cut off Kanye West’s Life of Pablo), Post Malone’s “Congratulations” with Quavo and “Heartless” by The Weeknd.

Metro’s “Self Love” collaborator Leray (sporting close-cropped blue hair) preceded him on stage with an ecstatic set that included such hits as “Bitch Girl,” “Baby Don’t Hurt Me,” “Bops,” “Get Loud,” “Make My Day” and “Players,” which became her first top 10 entry on the Billboard Hot 100 when it peaked at No. 9 on the tally in April. The charismatic rapper was backed by a crew of fatigue-clad dancers, with one male member of the team executing some onstage acrobatics at several points during the performance. This being a Billboard event, Leray made sure to shout out her first Hot 100 entry “No More Parties,” which peaked at No. 26 on the tally in March 2021.

“This s–t real,” Leray said at the top of her set. “I remember when they say I was TikTok, hopped on Tiktok — now they say I’m [Billboard].”

Earlier in the evening, White pulled off spirited performances of such tracks as “SILVER TOOTH,” “Onederful” and “Thanksgiving.” At one point, the rising rapper referenced his big moment at Osheaga Festival on Saturday (Aug. 5), when Billie Eilish brought him out on stage to perform his hit single — you guessed it — “BILLIE EILISH.”

“I don’t know if any of y’all follow me, but I was on stage with Billie Eilish,” said White, clearly still drinking in the viral moment. “Some wild s–t, right?”

09 Aug 2023

Exclusive: Ras Kass’ Soul Is Still On Ice, But His Mind Burns Brighter Than Ever.

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The Art Of Rap Festival 2015

Source: Scott Dudelson / Getty

Years before rappers began embracing the comparisons to artists like Pablo Picasso and Jean Michel Basquiat, West Coast MC Ras Kass was showcasing his lyrical art for the world to see, all while embracing the Van Gogh legacy.

Emerging on the scene in 1996, MC Ras Kass built a reputation for thoughtful tongue-in-cheek wordplay and heavy societal content with his iconic 1996 song, “Nature of the Threat.” Hailed for its expansive and piercing analysis of white supremacy, the song and the album, Soul on Ice, reimagined the perception of West Coast lyricism in the middle of its East Coast, West Coast tension.

Celebrated by his fans and peers as a wizard of words, his skill became his calling card as he continued to prioritize lyricism years before the culture shifted towards it. In the middle of his ascent, however, he ended up ensnared in a publicized dispute with his record label, Capitol, and the industry at large for respect, autonomy and proper compensation. Stalled and unable to forge the momentum he needed due to label disputes, he continued to fight for his brand, releasing projects with other comparable MC’s like Canibus, Killah Priest and Kurupt, as well as his own projects over the course of the next decade and a half.

Twenty-seven years after his debut release, Soul on Ice, Ras is just as skilled as he was then and equally as cynical. Hopeful, reflective and unapologetic, this interview is one of his rawest reflections on Hip-Hop 50 years after its inception.

HipHopWired: Ras, how are you feeling today?

Ras Kass: I’m alive so I’m blessed man.

Ras, you are regarded as one of the most prolific MCs ever, you know, people use the word legend a lot. I’m hoping that I could get some perspective and get some stuff from you that I don’t typically hear in interviews. So I’m gonna start with the beginning. You coined a phrase that said, Carson raised you, but Watts made you. 

So yeah, I guess that would be right. I lived in Carson my entire life. But I didn’t socialize. I didn’t even go to school in Carson until [the] middle of the seventh grade. So my, you know, kind of my formative years were in Watts. That’s where my friends were. I went to hang with them when I got out of school. That’s where I played at. Summertime, that’s where I stayed at. So I always claimed both, and there’s been certain rappers that try to give me shit over it. I’m a Watts baby. People have to make things mutually exclusive, because people categorize things. And it has to be this or that. And some things are a little more nuanced.



So how did both cities influence you and in what ways?

Lots. By culture, like my culture, how I was raised within Watts is very important. My mother came from a family that moved in the late ’50s to Los Angeles from Louisiana, their culture was Creole. Thereby, I was raised around a lot of Catholics, while most blacks are Baptist and all this other stuff. I was raised and went to Catholic school where the majority of the students were diverse. In Carson, we lived in a neighborhood where there was space. And what happens when you got that kind of space, people don’t socialize, they have enough space to be amongst themselves. So you don’t f*ck with everybody, you stay in your own space. And so I had my bedroom; I did what I did in my bedroom, in my garage, in my backyard. Sometimes I went out to the front and then socialized with those kids. But in general, I have my own world.

“I hope as a collective, as a people on the eve of the 50th we probably should be looking into having some type of a union.”

That makes sense because you rap about how introverted you were. And it was probably a result of being around all these people that have sequestered themselves from everything. You came of age when rap was really progressing. You’ve always mentioned how KRS-One was a major influence. Who else were you listening to at the time? And when did you decide rapping was for you?

So I didn’t even pay that much attention to rap. It existed since I had awareness. But I was like the average uninformed listener for a long time. I’m sure “F*ck The Police” had a very big impact on me for a specific reason. Um, but then KRS- One and I think it was “You Must Learn” that changed things. With KRS it resonated, he started giving these dates and saying stuff like Harriet Tubman freed the slaves at night. And I was like, “Oh, shit. This is different.” You know, it just hit different for me. And that was years later, probably a couple of years later—that I wrote another rap after my homies told me I wasn’t good all those years before.

When you look back at where rap’s gone over the years, how do you feel about it as it approaches its 50th birthday?

It’s bittersweet man. I don’t know how to say it. I’m trying to write these things and finish a project. And I’m trying to write this song, and I think that’s the name of it: when will we do better? Like by now like, What the f*ck, bro? Like one of the homies just said to me like it’s over. He’s like, “Man, it’s just we lost” and I’m like, I can’t take a defeatist attitude. And this is a brother of mine. It does sometimes feel like pointless. We hate our heroes; we keep letting our devil pick our heroes. I don’t get it, man.

Are there people in rap who you admire and see parallels to your career?

There are so many people besides myself who I root for. Black Thought is finally getting his. He was always overlooked because of how dope his band is, and we always knew he was nice, you kidding me? But what about the unsung others? For every J. Cole and Kendrick, there’s an Ab-Soul and a lot of other nice people. Bro, I’ve said this to Kurrupt: “You know if once a week the community picked a deserving artist and showcased that person daily, they’d have a shot.”

Let’s say we pick Lupe [Fiasco] and he got this incredible record. And for that week, as a community, Pete Rock, Nas and Wu-Tang and everybody say, “Yo, I’m gonna post bro sh*t, we’re gonna post them on Wednesday.” We could control our industry if we worked as a collective, not as individuals. Just think about it. Everyone has a union but us: writers, musicians, opera singers, everybody except us.



I gotta ask you, man, your sons are basically a part of like, one of the major West Coast groups, Coast Contra. And I’m just gonna say groups have taken over the rap game. How do you feel as a dad about that? And what are your hopes for them?

I love them. Period. I love all those guys, man. They’re just good. They’re good people. I know how much they love this culture. I’ve watched them do their own work and take it seriously. And I’m very grateful that the community gave them a chance. And so that’s, I think, a fair shot. Like it’s almost like the shot I never really got. And so I am always grateful. I don’t believe in pride. I believe in respect. And so I’m just really grateful to the culture for giving them a shot. I love them creatively. And I love watching them learn the wisdom to ask questions because they have a wealth of like, you know, their mother and in their aunties. I’m sure we don’t have any monetary thing to gain from them. I’m not trying to beat them or hustle them. I just want them to have the best situation because that makes me happy.

Ras at this point, man you’ve had all of it. You had the highs, the lows. When you examine your career, what are your most significant moments? What are the moments that you’re the most proud of, and what advice would you give yourself if you could talk to yourself in 1996?

Oh, man. The whole journey man is just there’s always, even in the bad times, there are learning experiences, and there was some funny shit and some learning. So I don’t have any particular, you know, good times. I mean, the better times is when there’s $100,000 in the bank; I can’t wait to get there again, I like having $100,000 in the bank. So I want more than that, I want a million

liquid in the brain. And my goal is to get my return on my investment. I’ve invested in this culture and I’m gonna keep fighting for it.

And the only advice I would have given me is, you know, I was naïve. I was trusting the people I probably shouldn’t have trusted. My journey changed when I was legally 18 and I signed a contract without an attorney. And that became the beginning of fights that took forever to resolve and put me on a route of having a harder career than was necessary. So that’s unfortunate.

What parting words would you give to Hip-Hop fans who will read this next month for Hip-Hop’s 50 years?

We got to do better. We should know better and I hope that we do better. I hope as a collective, as a people on the eve of the 50th we probably should be looking into having some type of a union. I don’t believe in royalty like that. Whoever’s royal out here, royalty ain’t really helping the people, so I’m down with revolution and like chopping their hands off. I’m not saying hurt the superstars, but if n*ggas are still trying to tell you how much they got when you don’t got anything, why do you keep buying it and f*cking with them?

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09 Aug 2023

Billboard’s 2023 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players Event: See the Photos

Lil Wayne, Nas, Ice Spice and more helped celebrate the genre.

Lil Wayne, Gail Mitchell, Nas, Carl Lamarre

Lil Wayne, Gail Mitchell, Nas and Carl Lamarre at Billboard R&B Hip-Hop Live held at The Novo on August 8, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Brandon Todd for Billboard

Hundreds of R&B and hip-hop executives helped Billboard honor key power players across both genres and celebrate 50 historic years of the genre on Tuesday (Aug. 8). Held at Novo in downtown Los Angeles, Billboard’s 2023 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players Event featured appearances from a slew of hip-hop’s biggest and brightest stars, including recent Billboard cover stars Lil Wayne and Nas.

Weezy, who has earned five Grammy awards and 185 Billboard Hot 100 entries to date, graciously accepted his induction into Billboard’s Hip-Hop Hall of Fame, saying, “You already know I gotta give thanks to the man up above.”

Fellow hip-hop icon Nas, who recently released fifth Hit-Boy-produced album in three years, also received the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame Inductee Award at the event. Other honorees included Larry Jackson, this year’s Executive of the Year Award winner, and Ice Spice, who was crowned 2023’s R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Year. Quality Control CEO Pierre Thomas took home Billboard’s first-ever peer-voted R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players’ Choice Award.

Billboard’s 2023 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players event was a history lesson as much as it was a celebration. From Jackson’s rousing speech — during which he read a 1997 letter from Clive Davis to Billboard that blasted the publication for “a personal crusade against the genre of rap albums” — to Gail Mitchell — Billboard executive director, R&B/Hip-Hop — reminding attendees that 50 years ago, hip-hop was being dismissed as a fad, the event commemorated the longevity and persistence of one of the world’s most powerful and influential art forms.

Check out Billboard’s 2023 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players event in the photos below:

09 Aug 2023

Reason & TDE Co-President Moosa Argue Over Label Practices During Podcast

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Reason, a member of the sprawling Top Dawg Entertainment operation, is prepping for the release of his upcoming album Porches this Friday (August 11). The Carson, Calif. rapper aired out some grievances with TDE, getting into a heated discussion with label co-president Anthony “Mossa” Tiffith Jr. over features that didn’t happen.

Reason was a guest on the BACKONFIGG podcast with hosts T-Rell and Smac. During the chat, the artist born Robert Gill Jr. had plenty to say about the practices of TDE as a label, explaining that features from Latto and EST GEE were lined up but lost due to time.

“We had certain features lined up that could’ve went through,” Reason said. “We had the budget, we had the feature lined up, takes too long to get pushed through, feature price ended up going up or something goes away. Content ideas lined up, not executed. Rollout ideas lined up, not executed.”

He went on to explain that Latto was all but set to go as well as EST GEE but TDE execs held up the process.

“I had Latto lined up for something, not executed. I had EST Gee lined up, not executed. Like, us not pushing through. Features lined up, we got a price set, video and verse for the love, takes too long,” Reason added.

The EST GEE feature in particular jumped in price by $25,000, which apparently would’ve been a huge hit to the album’s marketing budget.

During the interview, Moosa called into the podcast to challenge some of the points made by his artist. Moosa explained that much of what TDE does is a process and kept pointing to the “motion” that TDE artists Ray Vaughn and Doechii have managed to garner as far as fan interest goes.

Moosa then challenged the co-hosts, self-proclaimed fans of their guest, to name 10 Reason songs, which they both failed to do. Also in the call, Moosa explained that former TDE exec Dave Free didn’t want to sign Reason, citing that the rapper gave off, “substitute teacher” vibes.

Reason took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to explain that he’s very much releasing his album on TDE and seemingly wants to remain on the label.

“I appreciate ppl that’s reached out to me. Trust I’m as good as I can be. We’ll have a real convo at some point about what happened, just trust that wasn’t a “rollout move” lol that actually happened! All positive energy as of now moving forward tho! Porches Friday! Love y’all!” he tweeted.

Check the full BACKONFIGG podcast episode with Reason below. Hop to the 1:24:00-minute mark to see the moment in question.



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Photo:

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09 Aug 2023

Rihanna & Savage X Fenty Just Dropped a Sultry Maternity Line: Shop It Here

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.

Rihanna is proving pregnancy is sexy through Savage x Fenty’s new maternity collection, which is available to shop now. Rather than focus strictly on regular lingerie and undergarments, the apparel brand is expanding to include moms and moms-to-be with sultry options that are also breastfeeding-friendly.

The new line was announced on Tuesday (Aug. 8), via social media and features a photo of the pregnant 35-year-old singer breastfeeding 1-year-old son RZA in one of the lingerie brand’s new maternity bras, with the line featuring soft fabrics and stylish features.

“Not ur mama’s maternity bras…designed by @badgalriri, approved by baby RZA ?? #SavageXMaternity,” the caption on Instagram read followed by photos of the two modeling the maternity wear.

Keep reading to shop the new collection and visit the entire shop here.

black cotton maternity bralette

Savage x Fenty

Savage X Cotton Maternity Bralette

$44.95

Looking for an everyday bra? The cotton maternity bralette comes with a soft, breathable material that aims to be sensitive skin-friendly for added comfort. When it’s time to feed your child, the adjustable flap will open up to make breastfeeding as simple as a snap.

light purple lace maternity bralette

Savage X Fenty

Savage Not Sorry Lace Maternity Bralette

$49.95

Add some chicness to your maternity bra collection with this lace version that comes with similar features as its cotton predecessor. It comes in a gorgeous light purple shade and black, allowing you to stock up and feel sexy even when it’s time to give your baby their morning breakfast.

white and black t-shirt that reads

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Make More Graphic Tee

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Celebrate making babies with a shirt that encourages just that! This graphic T-shirt comes in an oversized fit you can easily pair with some maternity pants, leggings, jeans, bike shorts and more.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best SKIMS dupes, sticky bras and the best comfortable sandals.

09 Aug 2023

Taylor Swift Left Wonderstruck Over 8-Minute Standing Ovation at L.A. Eras Tour Show

Taylor Swift was definitely wonderstruck, blushing all the way home after her Tuesday (Aug. 8) concert. The pop star was left in awe in the middle of her fifth consecutive Eras Tour show at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., when, following her performance of “Champagne Problems,” the crowd rewarded her with a nearly eight-minute standing ovation.

“What do I say to you after that?” Swift said in response to the applause, as captured in videos from the night. “That was so deeply abnormal and beautiful. I don’t know what to do or say.” 

“I think it’s safe to say that I, like all people, will experience a certain amount of emotional downward spirals throughout the course of the rest of my life and in those moments, you can rest assured I’m gonna think about what you just did,” she continued, getting slightly emotional. “And I’m gonna feel better. So thank you. That was insane. It was crazy.” 

The show marked Swift’s second-to-last night at SoFi Stadium, where she’s scheduled for a total of six nights, concluding the first U.S. leg of the Eras Tour. Starting Aug. 24, she’ll take the trek global with a slew of international dates in Latin America, Asia, Australia and Europe before returning to the states in 2024 for a second North American leg.

“I’m going to spend several decades trying to figure out words for how that just made me feel,” Swift added after the night five standing “O.” “I’m trying to get it together. I’ve completely lost control over my brain, and that’s your fault. I’m just gonna float through the rest of the show, so thanks for that.”

The first five nights at SoFi have been jam-packed with great moments, from the magical “Exile” singalong to the emotional mid-show hug Swift shared with Bianka Bryant, daughter of the late Kobe Bryant. Fans have been treated to some quality surprise songs over the course of the miniature residency — “I Can See You,” “Maroon,” “Our Song,” “You Are in Love,” “Death by a Thousand Cuts,” “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” “Dress,” “I Know Places” and “King of My Heart” — and stars such as Lupita Nyong’o, Mindy Kaling, Brie Larson, Kesha, Gayle King and many, many more were in attendance.

Watch Taylor Swift react to her eight-minute standing ovation below:

09 Aug 2023

Travis Scott’s ‘Meltdown’ No. 1 as ‘Utopia’ Floods Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart

Travis Scott storms to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart as “Meltdown,” featuring Drake, launches atop the list dated Aug. 12. The track leads a parade of all 19 songs the streaming edition of Scott’s new Utopia album on the chart. The long-awaited parent set, first teased in 2020, debuts at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart with the biggest week for any rap album in 2023, and gives Scott his third champ.

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“Meltdown,” released on Cactus Jack/Epic Records, traces its chart-topping start to 32.2 million official U.S. streams in the week ending Aug. 3, according to Luminate, more than enough to secure its No. 1 entrance on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs chart. The tune also sold 2,000 copies in its debut week, prompting a No. 5 bow on the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales list. For the third and final metric that informs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – radio airplay – the collaboration registered 8,000 audience impressions – well below the threshold of any R&B/hip-hop radio chart, though the song is not being promoted as a single for radio airplay. (“K-POP,” the pre-release track with Bad Bunny and The Weeknd, is the current radio focus.)

Thanks to “Meltdown,” Travis Scott achieves his sixth No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Here’s a recap of his now half-dozen leaders:

Song Title, Artist (if other than Travis Scott), Weeks at No. 1, Date Reached No. 1

  • “ZEZE,” Kodak Black featuring Travis Scott & Offset, one, Oct. 27, 2018
  • “Sicko Mode,” 10, Nov. 3, 2018
  • “Highest in the Room,” one, Oct. 19, 2019
  • “The Scotts,” with The Scotts & Kid Cudi, one, May 9, 2020
  • “Franchise,” featuring Young Thug & M.I.A., one, Oct. 10, 2020

Featured artist Drake, meanwhile, adds a record-extending 28th Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs No. 1 to his account. It’s his second visit to the summit in 2023, after his one-week champ “Search & Rescue,” likewise debuted at No. 1 in April. As Drake further distances himself from the competition, here’s a review of the acts with the most No. 1s on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs since the chart became an all-encompassing genre survey in 1958:

  • 28, Drake
  • 20, Aretha Franklin
  • 20, Stevie Wonder
  • 17, James Brown
  • 16, Janet Jackson
  • 15, The Temptations
  • 13, Marvin Gaye
  • 13, Michael Jackson
  • 13, Usher
  • 11, Lil Wayne
  • 11, R. Kelly


https://youtube.com/watch?v=pz6P2vCF6tg&si=aTSVXHOIfbTiUFcw&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

Behind “Meltdown,” Scott floods Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart as the entire 19-track Utopia album lands on the list, including five additional tracks in the top 10. Seventeen of the ranks go to debuts, with the lone exception being “K-POP,” which debuted at No. 2 last week.

Here’s the full Utopia recap on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs this week:

  • No. 1, “Meltdown,” featuring Drake
  • No. 2, “FE!N,” featuring Playboi Carti
  • No. 5, “I Know ?”
  • No. 7, “Hyaena”
  • No. 9, “Thank God”
  • No. 10, “Topia Twins,” featuring Rob49 & 21 Savage
  • No. 11, “K-POP,” with Bad Bunny & The Weeknd
  • No. 12, “My Eyes”
  • No. 13, “Modern Jam,” featuring Teezo Touchdown
  • No. 14, “Delresto (Echoes),” with Beyoncé
  • No. 15, “Telekenesis,” featuring SZA & Future
  • No. 16, “Sirens”
  • No. 17, “God’s Country”
  • No. 18, “Skitzo,” featuring Young Thug
  • No. 19, “Circus Maximus,” featuring The Weeknd & Swae Lee
  • No. 20, “Til Futher Notice,” featuring James Blake & 21 Savage
  • No. 22, “Lost Forever,” featuring Westside Gunn
  • No. 23, “Looove,” featuring Kid Cudi
  • No. 24, “Parasail,” featuring Yung Lean & Dave Chappelle

The Scott show is much of the same on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, where “Meltdown” opens at No. 3 as the highest Utopia track of the week. All 19 Utopia songs are present on the list as well, pushing Scott into the rare triple-digits club as he becomes the 15th act to surpass 100 career hits on the chart.

09 Aug 2023

Rodriguez, Subject of Oscar-Winning Doc ‘Searching For Sugar Man,’ Dies at 81

Enigmatic singer-songwriter Sixto Diaz Rodriguez — commonly referred to as just Rodriguez — has died at 81. The Detroit musician whose slow boil rise to international acclaim was chronicled in the Oscar-winning 2012 documentary Searching for Sugar Man, died on Tuesday night (Aug. 8) according to a statement on his official website.

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“It is with great sadness that we at Sugarman.org announce that Sixto Diaz Rodriguez has passed away earlier today,” read the note. “We extend our most heartfelt condolences to his daughters – Sandra, Eva and Regan – and to all his family.” According to the Detroit News, Rodriguez had been in declining health but at press time a cause of death had not been revealed.

The Dylan-esque folk singer recorded two albums in the early 1970s that were released to little notice, Cold Fact (1970) and Coming From Reality (1971), leading the aspiring troubadour to give up on his musical dream, start a family and pursue a philosophy degree as he unsuccessfully ran for a series of local poltical offices.

The News said after failed bids at mayor and state senate, Rodriguez could often be seen walking in Detroit’s Cass Corridor neighborhood with a guitar slung over his shoulder, with most onlookers unaware of his former musical aspirations. That changed in 1979 when he was invited to perform in Australia to celebrate the re-release of his albums; he toured there again in 1981. At the time, it was rumored that he had taken his life by shooting himself on stage (another false story claimed he’d died of a drug overdose) after releasing Coming From Reality on Detroit’s Sussex record label, a false report his absence only served to feed amid a bubbling popularity Down Under.

A decade later, he discovered that his music was even more influential in South Africa, where, unbeknownst to him, his psychedelic-tinged, wistful folk ruminations had become wildly popular among South African youth, who embraced them as anthems against the repressive, racist apartheid government. Though long retired from touring, Rodriguez booked some arena gigs in the nation in 1998 to rabid response and later saw his music re-discovered by artists such as DJ/producer David Holmes, who used Cold Shot‘s opening track, “Sugar Man” for his 2002 Come Get It, I Got It compilation alongside songs by Muddy Waters, The Staples Singers, Cyril Neville and Betty Adams. Nas sampled Rodriguez singing the chorus from “Sugar Man” on his 2001 Stillmatic song “You’re Da Man.”

The uptick in interest led to the re-issues of the albums and a world tour, a renaissance that was capped by the best documentary feature Oscar-winning 2012 film Searching for Sugar Man, which chronicled two fans’ journey to find out what happened to their favorite singer. In fact, it was those two Cape Town diehards, rock journalist Craig Bartholomew and Stephen “Sugar” Segerman, who would become the focus of the film thanks to their dogged search to find out what happened to their favorite musician.

“Like a lot of people here, I discovered Rodriguez while I was in the army, which every 18-year-old used to have to do,” Segerman told the Detroit paper in 2008. “He was on everyone’s cassette tapes. It’s great pop music. But you start to realize this is raw, brutally honest ― and that’s the chord it struck. I was in the army, but I didn’t want to be a soldier. I didn’t support apartheid. Raw, brutal honest had lots of appeal… I told him, ‘In South Africa, you’re bigger than Elvis.’”

Dave Matthews, who was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, met Rodriguez before playing Pine Knob in Clarkston, MI in 2022 and later praised him from the stage, telling the crowd that the singer was “one of my heroes growing up” in South Africa.

Rodriguez was born on July 10, 1942 in Detroit as the sixth child of Mexican immigrants. He began his career in 1967 with his debut single, “I’ll Slip Away,” followed by his signing to Sussex — a division of Buddah Records (Isley Brothers, Melanie, The Five Stairsteps) — which released his two albums.

His music earned comparisons to Dylan and Cat Stevens, who gentle 1970s folk anthems of love and understanding were tame compared to Rodriguez’s often more politically leaning lyrics. “Talking about the rich folks/ Rich folks have the same jokes/ And they park in basic places/ The priest is preaching/ From a shallow grave/ He counts his money/ Then he paints you saved,” he sang on the acid-tongue acoustic anthem “Rich Folks Hoax” from Cold Fact.

Both of his studio albums were re-issued by Light int he Attic in 2009 and the upswell in interest thanks to the film led him to perform with a full orchestra on The Late Show With David Letterman in 2012, as well as at the Coachella, Montreaux Jazz and Glastonbury festivals in 2013.

Listen to “Rich Folks Hoax” and watch Rodriguez on Letterman below.



09 Aug 2023

10 First-Timers on Billboard’s Charts This Week: Dylan Gossett, MCVERTT, Dennis Quaid, Flamy Grant & More

Billboard has more than 200 different weekly charts in its menu, encompassing numerous genres and formats.

While established artists often compete for a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and Billboard 200 albums ranking, which track the most popular songs and albums of the week, respectively, up-and-coming talents typically start off on genre-specific lists.

Here’s a look at 10 acts who appear on surveys for the first time on the Aug. 12-dated charts.

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Dylan Gossett

The singer-songwriter enters Billboard’s charts for the first time with his new song “Coal.” The track, which he self-released July 27, debuts at No. 24 on Country Digital Song Sales with 1,000 downloads sold in its first full week of tracking, according to Luminate. Gossett has released one additional song so far, “To Be Free,” on June 30. Gossett rose to prominence through TikTok, where he boasts over 150,000 followers. He had been teasing “Coal” through acoustic snippets for weeks leading up to its official release. One such clip has garnered more than 5 million views on the platform.

MCVERTT

The New Jersey-based rapper and producer (real name Mohamed Camara) scores his first entry on Billboard’s charts under an artist billing, thanks to his new collaboration with recent First-Timer Sexyy Red and A$AP Ferg, “Face Down.” The song, released July 28 on 100% Pure/1865/Defiant/Warner Records, debuts at No. 3 on both the Rap Digital Song Sales and R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales charts, as well as No. 16 on the all-genre Digital Song Sales chart with 3,000 downloads sold in its first week (boosted by sped-up and slowed-down versions). “Face Up” interpolates 2 Live Crew’s classic 1990 song “Face Down, Ass Up,” which was also interpolated by Ludacris breakthrough 2000 hit with Shawnna, “What’s Your Fantasy.”

MCVERTT earned his first chart entry as a producer and songwriter in late 2022, as he co-produced and co-wrote Lil Uzi Vert’s “Just Wanna Rock” with Synthetic. The song spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs chart and reached No. 5 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and No. 10 on the Hot 100. Its success help MCVERTT climb to No. 2 on both the Rap Songwriters and Rap Producers charts, plus No. 25 on Hot 100 Songwriters. MCVERTT has released one solo EP so far: the three-song President Obandman (along with sped-up and slowed-down versions of the set) in April.

Dennis Quaid

The actor is officially a Billboard-charting artist thanks to his new 12-track album, Fallen: A Gospel Record for Sinners. The set, released July 28 on Gaither Music Group/Capitol CMG, debuts at No. 15 on Top Christian Albums, No. 46 on Top Current Album Sales and No. 79 on Top Album Sales with 2,000 copies sold in its opening week. It contains a blend of original songs and covers of gospel standards “Amazing Grace,” “Just As I Am,” “I’ll Fly Away” and “The Lord’s Prayer.” Several of the tracks on the album were inspired by Quaid’s struggle with addiction, according to Gaither. “I’m grateful to still be here, I’m grateful to be alive really every day,” he recently told People about his struggles. “It’s important to really enjoy your ride in life as much as you can, because there’s a lot of challenges and stuff to knock it down.” Quaid has starred in numerous box office hits, including Any Given Sunday, The Day After Tomorrow, The Parent Trap, The Right Stuff and The Rookie.

Flamy Grant

The drag queen (real name Matthew Blake) arrives on Billboard’s charts for the first time with her breakthrough song “Good Day” featuring Derek Webb. Released in October via Glam & Glory Records on her debut studio album Bible Belt Baby, the cut debuts at No. 20 on the Christian Digital Song Sales chart. Grant is a self-described “shame-slaying, hip-swaying, singing-songwriting” drag queen making Christian music from her perspective as a queer person. After Christian singer and preacher Sean Feucht targeted Grant on Twitter with homophobic remarks, Grant began a campaign among her TikTok followers to get “Good Day” to chart. “It’s wild because the album is 10 months old,” Blake recently told Billboard. “I’m still in that touring phase, but this certainly brought it up to a level I did not anticipate 10 months into the release of this.” Blake developed their Flamy Grant persona, a play on Christian mainstay Amy Grant, during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Ryan Jesse

The upstate New York native, now based in Nashville, reaches Billboard’s charts for the first time with his breakthrough song “Outrunning.” The track, which he self-released July 28, debuts at No. 5 on Hard Rock Digital Song Sales with 1,000 downloads sold in its opening week. TikTok has been a major factor in the song’s growing profile. Jesse, who has over 100,000 followers on the platform, had been teasing the song with various snippets leading up to its official release. Jesse has released four additional songs to date: “Like I Do” (in 2021), “Too Far Gone,” “This Damn Town” (both in 2022) and “You’re Tellin’ Me” (this March).

Yung Wylin’

The Miami-based artist, whose music blends hip-hop and Afrobeats elements, notches his first Billboard chart appearance with “Good Energy.” The song, which he self-released in December, debuts at No. 11 on the World Digital Song Sales chart and No. 45 on the U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart. TikTok has helped the track reach new heights, as it’s been used in more than 60,000 clips on the platform to date. Yung Wylin’ has released five other songs so far: “Shoot My Shot” (in 2020), “Wiin” (2021), “Smoke With Me” (2022), “My Girl,” with S.K and Soulsa (this May) and “The Way of Life” (this June).

Natalie Layne

The singer-songwriter, based in Nashville via Colorado Springs, Colo., hits Billboard’s charts for the first time with her breakout single “Amen.” Released July 14 via Centricity Music, the song debuts at No. 48 on Christian Airplay (up 48% to 106,000 in audience). It appears on her new six-track EP Amen, released July 28. Layne self-released her debut studio album, Be Human, in 2020, followed by the five-track EP Castles in 2021. She has opened for fellow Christian music acts Jeremy Camp, Chris Tomlin and We the Kingdom. Her major-label debut album (on Centricity) is due this year.

London Cheshire

The 16-year-old actor, model and singer makes his first visit to Billboard’s charts with his debut release “Uncomfortable.” The song, released July 28 through Blackground Records, begins at No. 35 on Digital Song Sales with 2,000 downloads sold in its first week. He also starts at No. 42 on the Emerging Artists chart. Cheshire has a recurring role in CBS’ Young Sheldon as Marcus Larson. His other credits include the series 9-1-1 and Gordita Chronicles.

SUM SUN

The New York-based DJ duo — comprised of Nick Benton and Ilan Pomerance — arrives on Billboard’s charts with its new collaboration with BONNIE X CLYDE, “Memory.” The song, released May 26 on the independent label Lowly, debuts at No. 34 on the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart (up 30% in plays). In an interview with People in March, the pair said they’re working on their debut EP, due this year.

Hades66 & Dei V

Both Latin rappers reach Billboard’s charts for the first time with their team-up with Jay Wheeler, Anuel AA and Bryant Myers, “Pacto.” Released July 28 on Linked/Dynamite/EMPIRE, the single debuts at No. 29 on the Hot Latin Songs chart with 4.5 million official U.S. streams. The track is a remix of Wheeler, Dei V and Hades66’s original recording, featuring Luar La L, released in April. (All versions of the song are combined into one listing for Billboard’s charts.) The song is also building internationally, as it debuts at No. 168 on the Billboard Global 200 and No. 171 on Billboard Global Excl. U.S. Hades66 released his debut studio album, El 6EI66EI6, in April. Dei V dropped his debut LP, Yin Yang, in 2021.