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Eras Tour, Take 2: What We Noticed Seeing Taylor Swift’s Epic Concert More Than Once

Taylor Swift goes back to December all the time, and the Billboard Pop Shop Podcast crew goes back to The Eras Tour all the time — or at least twice.

On the latest episode, Katie & Keith talk all about hitting SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., for Night 4 of Swift’s epic Eras Tour, just under five months after the Pop Shop duo took a field trip to Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium for the second weekend of the trek back in March.

So what did we notice this time around versus the Sin City show? And what other concert tours have Katie & Keith felt compelled to attend more than once? Find all those answers and more in this week’s episode.

Also on the show, we’ve got chart news on how Travis Scott blasts in at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with his long-awaited Utopia album, how Dua Lipa hits the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart with her Barbie song “Dance the Night,” how Morgan Wallen is back at No. 1 on the Hot 100 with “Last Night” for a staggering 15th total week at No. 1, and how the legendary Joni Mitchell returns to Billboard’s charts with her new live album Joni Mitchell at Newport.

The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard’s managing director, charts and data operations, Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)

Cam’ron “It’s Only Money,” Key Glock “Chromosomes” & More | Daily Visuals 8.8.23

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Legendz Of The Streetz Tour Reloaded - Atlanta, GA

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With the success of his and Ma$e’s internet sports talk show, It Is What It Is, we thought Cam’ron was hanging up the mic and focusing on his new business venture. That is not the case. At least not for now.

Releasing some new visuals for “It’s Only Money,” Killa Cam finds himself having a good time in Miami (much to the dismay of Ma$e who’s all about his money) and turns up with a gang of women out on the streets where a stripper pole is suspiciously installed for no apparent reason. Y’all know Cam paid for that to be put there.

Key Glock meanwhile seems to appreciate fast automobiles and for his clip to “Chromosomes,” pulls out all the ATV’s and fancy cars with his peoples to get their Fast & Furious on. Well, maybe not exactly Fast & Furious as it was accelerated and incensed? Y’all know what we mean.

Check out the rest of today’s drops including work from Blxst and Rembel, CNG and more.

CAM’RON – “IT’S ONLY MONEY”



KEY GLOCK – “CHROMOSOMES”



BLXST & REMBEL – “CHILD OF GOD”



CNG – “PLAYMAKER”



DANNY TOWERS & DJ SCHEME FT. LOE SHIMMY – “CHUNKY MONKEY”



DQFRMDAO – “MODE”



BLP KOSHER – “THE NAC 3”



SA-ROC – “TALK TO ME NICE”



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Tiny Gunman Tory Lanez Sentenced To 10 Years, X Celebrates The Verdict

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Tory Lanez In Concert - New York, NY

Tory Lanez, like many a tiny man before him, learned the hard way that his arms are too short to box with the law. The sawed-off Canadian varmint was sentenced to 10 years behind bars and folks on X are celebrating the verdict.

Details are still in development but according to a report from the Associated Press, Tory Lanez, real name Daystar Peterson, received his sentence on Tuesday (August 8) by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Herriford. Lanez, 31, was initially convicted in December 2022 with three charges: assault with a semiautomatic firearm; having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence, all felonies.

The sentencing ends a long ordeal that stemmed from a fateful night back in July 2020 when Lanez was attending a pool party at Kylie Jenner’s home in the Hollywood Hills along with Megan Thee Stallion. While leaving the event, the artist born Megan Pete testified that Lanez discharged a firearm towards her feet with bullet fragments damaging her to the point of surgery.

“Since I was viciously shot by the defendant, I have not experienced a single day of peace,” Pete shared in a statement read by a prosecutor on Monday (August 7). “Slowly but surely, I’m healing and coming back, but I will never be the same.”

Lanez denied his involvement in the shooting despite the initial lack of cooperation from Pete and conflicting statements given to law enforcement officials. Lanez also continued to seemingly harass and taunt Pete and his fans launched vicious verbal attacks online against her.

In court, Lanez changed his tune and took responsibility for his actions that evening.

“If I could turn back the series of events that night and change them, I would,” Lanez said to the judge while pleading for mercy. “The victim was my friend. The victim is someone I still care for to this day.”

Lanez’s legal team struck down Pete’s testimony at several angles and argued that there was not enough evidence to charge their client with the listed crimes. The legal team requested probation for Lanez and said that they will file an appeal.

On X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, folks are giving their two cents on the rise and fall of Tory Lanez, which wouldn’t have taken that long anyway. Check out the reactions below.

Photo: Johnny Nunez / Getty

1. This Didn’t Age Well

Which Album Cover Is Your All-Time Favorite? Vote!

Nirvana’s Nevermind, Beyoncé’s Lemonade, Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors and more — the art that goes into an album cover is often as pivotal and iconic as the songs on the records themselves.

As such, Billboard has ranked the 100 Best Album Covers of All Time, spanning from the 1930s to the present day, in order to give flowers to the best album art concepts thought the decades. But which album do you think has the best cover?

Album cover art came to be in 1939 when Alex Steinweiss, a graphic designer who worked at Columbia Records, came to the realization that records have the potential to sell more copies if there was an interesting design on the cover. Steinweiss’ hypothesis was correct, and was put into practice in the years following. Smash Hits by Rodgers & Hart was the first to receive the treatment in 1939, and recording artists thereafter followed suit.

The 1970s is the most represented decade on Billboard‘s list, with inclusions from Janis Joplin (Pearl, 1971), Funkadelic (One Nation Under a Groove, 1978), Bob Marley & the Wailers (Rastaman Vibration, 1976), Pink Floyd (The Dark Side of the Moon, 1973) and more. By the 1980s, pop divas entered the mix, with entries from Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Madonna and Grace Jones on our ranking.

And yes, present-day albums earned their respective spots on the list, with Indigo from BTS’ RM, Japanese Breakfast’s Jubilee, SZA’s SOS and more representing for the 2020s. But which album cover is your all-time favorite? Vote in our poll below.

Kourtney Kardashian Flaunts Her Pregnant Belly in Bright Orange Bikini

Kourtney Kardashian has that pregnancy glow! The 44-year-old The Kardashians star took to Instagram on Tuesday (Aug. 8) to show off her growing baby bump with a series of summery photos.

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In the snaps, Kardashian is seen posing among a pathway lined with florals and trees, belly on full display as she rocks an orange string bikini. “growing you inside of me, my son, is the greatest blessing, honor and joy,” she captioned the photos. See the post here.

In mid-June, Kardashian revealed she was pregnant by holding up a poster during Blink-182’s concert at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, where her husband Travis Barker was rocking out on drums. In big black letters, the sign read, “Travis I’m Pregnant.”

This marks the first baby for the couple, who confirmed they were married on May 16, 2022, before hosting a gorgeous Italian wedding on May 22, 2022. Both Kardashian and Barker have children from previous relationships. Kardashian has son Mason, 13, daughter Penelope, 10, and son Reign, 8, with ex-boyfriend Scott Disick. Barker has son Landon, 19, daughter Alabama, 17, and stepdaughter Atiana, 24, with ex-wife Shanna Moakler.

On June 24, the couple announced the sex of their upcoming bundle of joy in a sweet video shared through Instagram, in which they confirmed with a fitting drumroll that they are expecting a baby boy.

Tory Lanez Sentenced to 10 Years In Prison for Megan Thee Stallion Shooting

Tory Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in prison Tuesday (Aug. 8) for shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the foot, capping off three years of legal drama over the violent 2020 incident.

The long sentence for Lanez (real name Daystar Peterson) comes after he was convicted in December on three felony counts over the incident, in which he shot at the feet of Megan (real name Megan Pete) during an argument after a pool party in the Hollywood Hills.

Handed down by Judge David Herriford, the sentence was much harsher than the probation sought by Lanez’s lawyers but less than the 13 years that prosecutors had requested. Neither Tory’s lawyers nor the DA’s office immediately returned a request for comment.

According to The Associated Press, Lanez pleaded for mercy ahead of the sentencing, asking Judge Herriford for probation or a minimal prison sentence: “If I could turn back the series of events that night and change them, I would,” he reportedly said. “The victim was my friend. The victim is someone I still care for to this day.”

“Everything I did wrong that night, I take full responsibility for,” he added.

For his part, Judge Herriford reportedly said it was “difficult to reconcile” the caring person described by Lanez’s supporters in statements delivered in court on Monday (Aug. 7) with the man who shot Megan: “Sometimes good people do bad things. Actions have consequences, and there are no winners in this case.”

Tuesday’s hearing occurred nearly three years after the July 12, 2020, shooting, which happened as a driver was shuttling Lanez, Megan and her assistant and friend Kelsey Harris from a party at Kylie Jenner’s house. According to prosecutors, Megan got out of the vehicle during an argument and began walking away when Lanez shouted, “Dance, bitch!”, and proceeded to shoot at her feet.

Following the incident, Megan initially told police officers that she had cut her foot stepping on broken glass, but days later alleged that she had been shot. Lanez was eventually charged with the shooting in October 2022.

During the trial, Lanez’s lawyers made their best effort to sow doubt over who had pulled the trigger, painting a scenario in which Harris could have been the shooter. But a key defense witness offered confusing eyewitness testimony, and prosecutors pointed to an earlier interview in which Harris pinned the blame squarely on Lanez. Megan herself offered powerful testimony that Lanez had been the one to shoot her; neither Lanez nor the driver took the witness stand.

Ahead of sentencing, prosecutors had sought a 13-year sentence for Lanez, telling the judge Lanez had “waged a campaign to humiliate and re-traumatize the victim.” They said the rapper “not only lacks remorse” but also is “clearly incapable of accepting any responsibility for his own actions.”

In their own filing last week, Lanez’s lawyers asked the judge to sentence him to only probation. They maintained that he was innocent, but said that even if he had committed the crimes, that his punishment should be lessened in light of “childhood trauma” and “alcohol-use disorder.”

Following sentencing, Lanez can still appeal his conviction at a state appellate court. But such a challenge will face an uphill climb: In 2022, California appeals courts overturned a defendant’s guilty verdict in just 19% of cases.

Raekwon Granted Approval To Open Dispensary In New Jersey

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Wu-Tang And Nas Perform At The OVO Hydro

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Raekwon is about to conquer more land. The Chef has been granted conditional approval to open a dispensary in Newark, New Jersey.

As spotted on HipHopDX the Wu-Tang Clan member is taking his talents to the cannabis industry. According to NJBiz Newark Central Planning Board did not approve an application by Hashstoria, an Oregon based franchise that The Chef has partnered with, earlier this year. But the news outlet reports that the board changed their mind and at their July 24 hearing the committee granted the organization conditional approval to open up shop at 799-805 Broad St.

On Friday, August 4 the “Ice Water” rapper took to social media to make the announcement. “THANKYOU NEWARK , NEW JERSEY !!!!!!!!!!and all my Amazing Partners @jeddcanty @bakarisellers @cthagod on this wonderful and culture shifting Endeavor .” he wrote. “@hashstoria is Guaranteed to be the top tier consumption lounge / dispensary to hit the east coast period ! you heard it from chef himself .we will be right in the heart!”.

Rachael Grochowski, founder of RHG Architecture+Design, also expressed her enthusiasm about working on the project. “Design plays a crucial role in elevating the overall cannabis experience, and we are committed to creating an environment that offers a sophisticated, inclusive, and enjoyable experience. The cannabis industry is undergoing a remarkable transformation, driven by the vision and creativity of innovative designers and creatives, leaders from across the industry who are revolutionizing cannabis consumption” she explained. “We are so excited to craft a space that harmonizes aesthetics, functionality, and sensory engagement, ultimately enhancing the journey of both seasoned cannabis enthusiasts and the cannabis-curious alike.”

The final step in the process for Raekwon and company is getting approval from the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission. According to their website the agency seeks to “establish and grow a responsible, regulated medicinal and recreational cannabis industry.”

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Celebrate National CBD Day The Right Way With These Products

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CBD oil becomes a staple in young woman's daily routine

National CBD Day (August 8) is here and if you’ve been following this website for a while, you’re well aware that we believe in the proper use of cannabis for both healing and relaxing purposes. To help bring your National CBD Day into focus, we’ve put together a handful of gifts and suggestions to try, some of which we’ve had the pleasure of trying ourselves.

For those that are unaware, CBD stands for Cannabidiol, touted for its many therapeutic benefits such as pain relief, inflammation, restlessness, anxiety, and a host of other potential treatments. It can be ingested orally, smoked or vaporized, and even applied topically much like marijuana, the psychoactive version of cannabis that gets you “high” as hemp does not contain THC.

As most might know, CBD won’t get you high but it can be used with marijuana to create varying effects. CBD can also aid in lowering someone’s “high” as well while also building up tolerance.

The origins of National CBD Day start CBD company cbdMD according to National Day Calendar. The company declared August 8 as the day and it has been in existence since 2018. Much of the purpose of the holiday is to raise awareness of CBD and hemp products and to educate those who might be curious about its effects.

Below, we’ve got a list of products we think you should try. All products are listed in alphabetical order.

Alchemy Naturals

2023 Mother's Day Cannabis Gift Guide for Canna-Moms

“Alchemy Naturals offers an array of delicious gummies tailored for different effects broken into categories such as intimacy and sleep. We’ve tried the relief and de-stress gummies and are happy to report that not only are the gummies tasty but the purported effects took hold. The company does urge that daily use of the products will lead to better results.” – D.L.

Cookies

2023 Canna-Dads Gift Guide

“Cookies, the brainchild of rapper and entrepreneur Berner, might be known for its high-end marijuana strains, the company has an entire line of CBD products that can be shipped nationally. I’ve used the brand’s Caps product, which is a blend of mushrooms, CBD, and CBN (which aids in sleep) in capsule form. I’ve never used HHC or Delta 8 products so I can’t speak that but I have used the brand’s CBD oil in earlier times.” – D.L.

Escape Artists

2023 Mother's Day Cannabis Gift Guide for Canna-Moms

“Escape Artists specializes in tinctures and topicals along with pre-rolls and edibles. The topical pain relief creams and tinctures are among the best I’ve experienced since taking flight with cannabis and hemp products some 20 years ago. The relief creams have been especially for my old man knees and the sleep tincture helps aid a good night’s sleep.” – D.L.

Susan’s Own

2023 Mother's Day Cannabis Gift Guide for Canna-Moms

“Susan’s Own is the cool, chill sister to Blazy Susan, which provides a host of accessories for the cannabis user. Using Colorado hemp, Susan’s Own offers tinctures, gummies, creams, and bath bombs, all of which we’ve sampled in the past and have purchased on our own.” – D.L.

Tonic

2023 420 Gift Guide

“Tonic got its start back in 2017 and combines the power of CBD with adaptogens, which are plant substances, typically herb-based, used for various health reasons. We’ve tried the Zone CBD vape pen that provided the balance of clear-eyed clarity and a positive nudge of energy.” – D.L.

Photo: Getty

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Megan Thee Stallion Details “Suffering” During Tory Lanez Hearing

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2023 Essence Festival Of Culture

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Megan Thee Stallion related how much suffering she’s endured daily after being shot by Tory Lanez in a written statement read during his sentencing hearing.

On Monday (August 7th), Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Kathy Ta read a statement from the “Cognac Queen” rapper during the sentencing of Lanez in the courtroom. “Since I was viciously shot by the defendant, I have not experienced a single day of peace,” the statement began. “Slowly but surely, I’m healing and coming back, but I will never be the same.”

She asked that her absence from the courtroom not be perceived as a sign of indifference, writing that she struggled with trying to be present for the sentencing but decided that she “simply could not bring myself to be in a room with Tory again.” Megan Thee Stallion did ask Judge David Hereford to deliver a stiff sentence. She also pointed out that Lanez “has blamed the system, blamed the press, and as of late has tried to take advantage of his childhood trauma.”

Lanez, also known as Daystar Peterson, was convicted last year of three felonies – assault with a semiautomatic weapon, discharging a firearm with gross negligence, and having a loaded and unregistered firearm in a vehicle. All charges stem from the 2020 incident where he shot Megan in her feet after the pair and a friend left a party at Kylie Jenner’s home in Hollywood Hills. Lanez faces up to 13 years in prison based on those charges.

Judge Herriford allowed the legal teams for the prosecution and the defense to argue every factor leading to the potential sentence. In doing so, the proceedings would go on for hours, with Lanez’s lawyers also providing statements and 76 letters including one from his six-year-old son defending the rapper and asking for leniency in light of his charitable work. The delay means that the sentencing hearing will resume on Tuesday (August 8th).

One of those letters was composed by Iggy Azalea, which garnered some controversy leading her to state that the letter was “for the judge only”. She also issued a lengthy post of clarification via Twitter. “I am not in support of throwing away ANYone’s life if we can give reasonable punishments that are rehabilitative instead. I support prison reform. Period,” she wrote.

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Eminem Calls Out Donald Trump Brainwashing, MAGA Stans Triggered

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50 cent honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Los Angeles, USA - 30 Jan 2020

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Eminem has called out the hypocrisy and tone-deafness of Donald Trump’s core base of supporters. The all-time great rapper is calling out the irony of “middle-class” white people supporting an alleged billionaire who has never struggled a day in his life.

The man born Marshall Mathers started trending after a clip originally shared on the @Rising_path TikTok page on Monday, (August 7)  of him talking about Trump went viral. At the start of the video, the “Stan” rapper admits that talking Trump can get him “flustered” because he has so much to say about the guy—spoiler, none of it is good. Nevertheless, Em got to the point of why most people look at his most stringent supporters like they’re cult members rather eloquently.

“I just get flustered and frustrating watching him play to his base that thinks that he cares about them and it’s actually the people that he cares about the f*cking least,” said Em. “If you’re talking about his core being, ya know, a majority white middle class, what I don’t understand is how in the f*ck do you feel like you relate to a billionaire who has never known struggle his entire f*cking life?”

The question is rhetorical considering Em is spot on in noting the game Trump has been playing. He continued, “I will say this, he talks a good one. And if you’re in his base, let’s say you’re going to the rallies or whatever, you watch him on TV, you hear him talking this sh*t, there’s part of me that understands, like, Alright, he’s somehow still got them because he’s brainwashing them into thinking something great is going to happen. Nothing’s happening.”

Where is the lie?

Of course, the GOP and MAGA Stans who watched the video (we hope it’s not AI) are flustered themselves since, ya know, hit dogs will holla. See reactions to Em’s truth-telling in the comments.

7. Yeah, okay.

8. Blue Check Twitter…ahem, X…is the slums now.

9. The hurt is real. LOL.