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02 Aug 2023

Lil Wayne: Photos From the Billboard Cover Shoot

Five years ago, Lil Wayne sat down in his Miami recording studio and spoke in depth with Billboard for the first time in almost a decade. The trailblazing rapper and entrepreneur stood at a crossroads: On the verge of releasing what he had declared would be his final album, Tha Carter V, he had finally settled the three-year lawsuit against his former label Cash Money that had delayed the project’s release and just been awarded sole ownership of the Young Money imprint he had launched in 2003.

So as Aug. 11 — the 50th anniversary of hip-hop — fast approaches alongside Young Money’s own 20th birthday, it’s fitting to be sitting down with Lil Wayne once again. One of the genre’s most innovative and still influential artists, the 40-year-old Louisianian occupies a unique vantage point, forged during a now nearly 30-year journey that began in 1997 with the New Orleans group Hot Boys and soon grew into a multimillion-selling solo career. And that’s not counting the still-growing list of hit collaborations he’s had with a diverse array of fellow hip-hop and R&B artists — including Drake, Nicki Minaj, Future, 2 Chainz, Chris Brown, Mary J. Blige and Lil Baby — as well as other intrepid pairings with artists up and down the genre aisles: Madonna, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Imagine Dragons, Fall Out Boy, Romeo Santos and Shakira, among others. In the course of hip-hop’s own evolution, Wayne’s career is a bridge between then and now, between the genre’s storied, hard-won past and its next-gen, global future.

Read the full Lil Wayne cover story here.

02 Aug 2023

Hip-Hop 50: Why Innovation Still Rules Lil Wayne’s World

Five years ago, Lil Wayne sat down in his Miami recording studio and spoke in depth with Billboard for the first time in almost a decade. The trailblazing rapper and entrepreneur stood at a crossroads: On the verge of releasing what he had declared would be his final album, Tha Carter V, he had finally settled the three-year lawsuit against his former label Cash Money that had delayed the project’s release and just been awarded sole ownership of the Young Money imprint he had launched in 2003.

So as Aug. 11 — the 50th anniversary of hip-hop — fast approaches alongside Young Money’s own 20th birthday, it’s fitting to be sitting down with Lil Wayne once again. One of the genre’s most innovative and still influential artists, the 40-year-old Louisianian occupies a unique vantage point, forged during a now nearly 30-year journey that began in 1997 with the New Orleans group Hot Boys and soon grew into a multimillion-selling solo career. And that’s not counting the still-growing list of hit collaborations he’s had with a diverse array of fellow hip-hop and R&B artists — including Drake, Nicki Minaj, Future, 2 Chainz, Chris Brown, Mary J. Blige and Lil Baby — as well as other intrepid pairings with artists up and down the genre aisles: Madonna, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Imagine Dragons, Fall Out Boy, Romeo Santos and Shakira, among others. In the course of hip-hop’s own evolution, Wayne’s career is a bridge between then and now, between the genre’s storied, hard-won past and its next-gen, global future.

Young Money Records executive vp/GM Karen Civil, who began running Wayne’s label and several additional portfolios — including his rum brand, Bumbu, and his underwear line, Ethika — in March, says that she also looks at him “as a tree, a foundation. Through the years, we’ve seen different branches blossom, from Nicki and Drake to his businesses, including Young Money, and his relationship with [label president] Mack Maine. A lot of people know Drake and Wayne. But he’s set up so many other people — Tyga is one — who have given him his flowers, like, ‘You’re the reason I rap.’ Those moments mean a lot because he loves to see people around him win.”

Producer-rapper Swizz Beatz has personally witnessed Wayne’s evolution from the time when, as he recalls, they were both “the youngest ones” on the Cash Money and Ruff Ryders tour in 2000. “I knew he was special then, and he’s definitely special now,” continues Swizz, who has collaborated with Wayne for more than 20 years. “It takes a special eye and ear to see a Drake before he’s Drake or a Nicki before she’s Nicki … or the many other artists he’s been involved with who are some of the biggest artists alongside himself to date. That comes from his investment of time, his eye, energy and business sense. He’s responsible for this generation of music.”

Before he could provide a foundation for others, Wayne had to build his own. Over his career, he’s notched five No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and 12 top 10s. Tha Carter III, released in 2008, spent three weeks at No. 1 — making it the Wayne album with the most weeks at that perch — and has racked up 221 weeks total on the chart, the most of any of his releases; in September 2022, the RIAA recertified it at eight times platinum.

On the Billboard Hot 100, the five-time Grammy winner has claimed a total of 25 top 10s — including gems “A Milli”; “She Will,” featuring Drake; and “6 Foot 7 Foot,” featuring Cory Gunz — and three No. 1s: “Lollipop,” featuring Static Major (Wayne’s first RIAA diamond track, certified in December); Jay Sean’s “Down,” featuring Wayne; and DJ Khaled’s star-studded “I’m the One,” which, along with Wayne’s guest spot, also features Justin Bieber, Quavo and Chance the Rapper. With 185 total Hot 100 entries — up from 138 just five years ago — Wayne has the fourth-most songs on the chart ever behind Drake, Taylor Swift and the Glee cast.

“Wayne is definitely somebody who continues to create his own blueprint from rap to rock,” says Civil. “I just love the fact that he doesn’t put himself in one category. He continues to reinvent himself and do new things — like becoming a professional skateboarder at 40. He doesn’t put an age limit on things. He doesn’t allow a title, a job or one career set to define him. Seeing the plethora of different people, from [Lil Uzi Vert] to YoungBoy [Never Broke Again] to others who are creating their own genres and sounds, is a testament to Wayne creating that lane.”

Lil Wayne

Balenciaga T-shirt and jacket, Peter Marco jewelry, Louis Vuitton eyewear.

Ramona Rosales

And it certainly no longer looks like the ever-busy multihyphenate — who has released an album and two mixtapes since Tha Carter V — will stop recording any time soon; “retirement be damned” seems to now be his motto. According to Civil, Wayne has “quite a few singles” in the pipeline as both lead and featured artist. He and 2 Chainz are currently collaborating on ColleGrove II, the sequel to their 2016 collaboration. Though no release date has been set, Tha Carter VI is also in the works. Wayne recently wrapped 30 dates on his Welcome to Tha Carter Tour, where Drake, Chance the Rapper, Cam’ron and 2 Chainz made special appearances.

And he was in his element opening the ESPY Awards in July with an apropos performance of his 2008 hit “A Milli.” “He was being a true artist, rearranging the words to the song to make sure that it was curated to the event,” Swizz Beatz notes. “I thought that was genius.”

Meanwhile, Wayne continues to develop hip-hop’s next generation of talent, working with Civil and Maine to build his Young Money roster, which includes Allan Cubas, Drizzy P, Euro, Jay Jones, Lil Twist, Mellow Rackz and Yaj Kader.

“Wayne is the ultimate outlier. There was nobody in the history of the genre who sounded like him, looked like him, or released music like him. Everybody caught his wave and just tried to hang on for dear life,” says Republic Records founder and COO Avery Lipman (Young Money is distributed through Republic/Universal Music Group.) “It goes without saying he’s one of the greatest artists of all time, but he’s also one of the most visionary businessmen this industry has ever seen.”

It’s a humble, humorous, polite (“thank you, Miss Gail”), self-deprecating and brief, to-the-point Lil Wayne who sits down once again today with Billboard — this time in West Hollywood — to reflect on his legacy and hip-hop’s future against the backdrop of the genre’s 50th anniversary. With a disarming and sly, diamond-studded grin, Wayne underscores his deep-rooted love of hip-hop. “In my mind, every single time I say the word ‘work,’ I ask God to forgive me,” he says. “Cuz I know this has never been a job. It’s just a dream come true.”

Looking back on your career thus far, what does this momentous anniversary mean to you — and to hip-hop itself — since naysayers initially dismissed the fledgling genre as a fad?

I think it probably means more to me than I even know, because I am still in it, a deep part of it, and I’m still learning every day. Hip-hop will never be over. But I also think that maybe down the line, I’ll be able to answer that question better because I don’t think I know how much it means to me yet — because it means that much.

You signed with Cash Money before you were even a teen. Did you know that early that you could build a career as a rap artist?

I’ve been rapping since I was 7, actually. And I signed my deal when I was 11. I didn’t think about nothing else other than “We about to be the biggest everything.” (Laughs.) Like, I’m about to be this … I’m about to date her. I’m about to do … (Laughs again.) I was a kid, you know? It was like, what are you going [to want] for Christmas? As far as unforgettable moments go [back then], I would say that was probably my first time grabbing a mic as a kid at a block party, breaking my fear and rapping stuff that I had rapped in the mirror for, like, thousands of hours the night before.

Lil Wayne

Ethika T-shirt; Balenciaga jacket, pants and shoes; Peter Marco jewelry; Emotionally Unavailable hat.

Ramona Rosales

So given your early vantage point, what are the biggest changes you’ve seen happen in hip-hop?

Right now is the time where I see the most change in our genre, because back then, I think it was just progress more than change; progression from what was already set before us and also us honoring what was set before us. But now it’s not that no one’s honoring what was before them — it’s just that the world has changed thanks to social media. There was no such thing as social media when I started doing this. But social media has changed the genre and opened doors. That’s definitely what helped contribute to its going global. [Social media] is good and bad.

Want to give examples of the good and the bad?

No. (Laughs.)

What has been the hardest part of your journey?

The hardest part for me is not being able to do [my music], for whatever reason. Not being able to record. Not being able to tour or do a show. That’s always the hardest part.

What one career lesson have you carried along since the beginning?

Never, never stop learning. That’s how you humble yourself. Humility goes a long way and it’ll keep you learning. I just try to get better and better and better.

Did you ever subscribe to the notion that hip-hop is only a young man’s game?

No, never. Because when I was growing up, all the rappers were way older than me. So I don’t know what that notion or narrative was, because it was never a young man’s game to me. I’ve always felt I had to fight my way in when I was a young man.

You’ve mapped a blueprint in terms of musical innovation and entrepreneurial pursuits like your Trukfit fashion line, the Young Money APAA Sports agency, the cannabis brand GKUA Ultra Premium and other business ventures. How do you perceive the role you’ve played in that aspect of rap’s evolution?

Expanding yourself and becoming a brand, getting involved in other businesses … the small part that I’ve played is probably just setting an example for those watching me and those coming after me. And with that said, I got that from watching Jay-Z, Reverend Run and Russ [Simmons] move. How they never stopped and just evolved, [especially] the way Jay has evolved. (Laughs.) I’m trying to follow stuff like that. And hopefully those coming up under me will follow my footsteps.

Do you have a wish list of other business opportunities you’d like to pursue?

Oh, no. I don’t have a list. You limit yourself when you put a list together. (Laughs.) But I can guarantee there has to be a feeling that makes me go forward with any [business] decision that I make. So therefore I know that it is organic.

You underscored your electric stage presence with 2010’s Rebirth, your creative leap into rock after ventures into blending rap with pop and singing. What influence has that had on next-gen artists with similar vibes, like Lil Uzi Vert, Travis Scott, Young Thug and Trippie Redd?

Sometimes people ask me how I feel about everybody looking like me, everybody getting tattoos, etc. That’s like seeing your kid come out of the room and looking just like you; it feels amazing. So the visible influence is kind of obvious because I know for a fact I didn’t get this look from anyone. There was no one that inspired this look. I just ran into looking like this. (Laughs.) But other than that, I hope that my work ethic [is influential as well].

How would you describe your work ethic? You seem like a 24/7 studio guy.

Exactly. So when other artists get around me, you know, they can smell that. It is impossible for them not to. And whenever they leave, they leave with something, as they remember that smell. And hopefully it does something for them.

So is your phone ringing off the hook with people asking you for advice?

No, not advice, not at all. That’s because they don’t have my number. (Laughs.) I have three sons and a beautiful daughter who get the advice.

On Billboard’s recent GOAT list of hip-hop’s top 50 artists, you landed at No. 7, between The Notorious B.I.G. at No. 6 and Drake at No. 8. What did you think of your placement?

That’s awesome. You would be happy to be anywhere on that list.

So which rappers would be in the top five of your own GOAT list?

There’s no specific order, but it’s simple. For me, it’s always been Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, UGK, Goodie Mob and Biggie.

Why those five? What’s the throughline for you in terms of their place in the genre’s evolution?

It’s because I organically grew up on [them]. You know, when you’re asked, “How’d you start listening?,” there’s a story for everybody … like, someone I know told me to start listening or whatever. But like I said, every decision I make is organic.

What does it take to break new hip-hop artists today?

Today, you have to know social media. If you don’t, you have to have a team that does. That said, the main thing today is what it has been yesterday and the day before yesterday: You just have to have real talent. Real, everlasting and undeniable talent. That’s how you still break an artist. Once you find that in an artist, then use and highlight that as much as you can, because it’s hard. There are lots of artists that want to be exactly what they see [and hear] on social media. They just want to be that instead of being what they actually can be. So get them to believe in what they are and what they truly can be. And even if it is a challenge, that challenge has always been one of the most fun things ever for me. I love it.

What exactly do you say or do when working with and developing new artists, since, as you just said, it’s so difficult to rise above everything that’s out there?

That you have to be at least good in whatever genre that you’re attacking, whether it’s hip-hop or not. And then you have to be willing to work as hard as you can to turn that good around into great. So come high at me, and you’ll be talking about the greatest. It’s that plain and simple. There are no keys. You just need to believe in what you’ve got and what you’re attacking, if you believe in it. Show me. Think harder, you know? Challenge yourself.

Lil Wayne

Ramona Rosales

What’s been your own secret to longevity?

I don’t have a secret. I just work. I just keep going. I never stop. It’s just the work ethic, plain and simple. No more, no less; I don’t do nothing but my music. And also, in my mind, every single time I say the word “work,” I ask God to forgive me. Cuz I know this has never been a job. It’s just a dream come true. So that’s why I’ve never stopped.

Is it difficult for you to say that to someone who’s not there yet?

Not at all. I can’t tell any other artists that. But if you’re my artist, oh hell, yeah. I’ll let them know. You better go do that sh-t again. (Laughs.)

What are your thoughts on the growing ranks of women rappers? Why has it taken so long for this to happen?

My answer would be, honestly, that it just wasn’t as interesting to women, I don’t think, in the way that Nicki [Minaj], Meg [Megan Thee Stallion] and others are. It’s awesome. I don’t think they looked at or viewed it as something that they wanted to do and actually make a living from it. That’s another part of it. They probably didn’t look at this as something that they could make a living out of.

And perhaps the industry has become a bit more open-minded, too?

Oh, yeah. Definitely. We’re here for everything now.

Where is the future of hip-hop headed — any trends that you’re noticing?

Obviously, always up and bigger and better. Also, what I’m seeing now is the art and the ultimate artist being able to do anything. It’s like when you and I were talking about basketball. Back then, we were looking for a Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar]; if you were tall, we wanted you in the paint. Not even knowing how to shoot a three-pointer; we didn’t even want to see that. Now we’ve got these seven-footers coming in, and we need you [to] know how to dribble like Allen Iverson, how to shoot like Steph Curry. You need to know how to defend like GP [Gary Payton]. And that’s the ultimate artist. I believe that that’s where the genre is headed: artists able to do everything — from singing to tapping into different emotions.

What’s your opinion on artificial intelligence and its potential effect on creativity?

Someone asked me about that recently. And they were trying to tell me that AI could make a voice that sounds just like me. But it’s not me, because I’m amazing. I’m like, is this AI thing going to be amazing too? Because I am naturally, organically amazing. I’m one of a kind. So actually, I would love to see that thing try to duplicate this motherf–ker.

In the wake of AI and other emerging technology, have mixtapes lost their relevance?

The terminology or definition has changed, that’s all. Mixtapes can mean an album mix or anything now. But when it comes to Lil Wayne, everybody knows how I approach mixtapes. So my mixtapes won’t ever change.

Any hints as to what fans can expect when you perform Aug. 11 at the hip-hop 50th anniversary concert at Yankee Stadium?

Do not set expectations for me, because I will always exceed them. So just go there with a clear mind, expect the best — and I’ll be better than that.

Cover, Lil Wayne

This story will appear in the Aug. 5, 2023, issue of Billboard.

02 Aug 2023

Iconic Artists Group Has Got Cher, Babe

She’s already one of the most famous mononymous celebrities in the world, and now Academy Award, Emmy and Grammy winner Cher has partnered with Irving Azoff’s Iconic Artists Group to expose new generations to her prolific, six-decade-long music career.

IAG has acquired Cher’s full interest in her past sound recordings and compositions for a sum that the company declined to reveal.

The 77-year-old singer-actress, who is now recording her first holiday album, has landed a No. 1 single on one of Billboard’s charts in each decade from the 1960s through the 2010s, beginning with her work as half of the duo Sonny & Cher, whose pop hits led to the hit CBS prime-time variety show, The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, which ran from 1971 to 1974. But she got her start when she was 17, singing background vocals for late producer Phil Spector, whom she refers to as “Phillip.”

Like many acts on IAG’s growing roster, Cher has a relationship with Azoff that goes back to the ’70s, when they were introduced by Cher’s sister, Georganne LaPiere, who was a close friend of Azoff’s. “I’ve never worked with her professionally,” he says, “but obviously have been a fan.”

Cher says her decision to make a deal with IAG came down to the respect Azoff shows artists. “I trust Irving,” she says in an exclusive interview with Billboard. “If he has a great idea, I respect him. And if I have a great idea, I know he will listen attentively. My voice will be heard.”

IAG’s first project with Cher will celebrate the 25th anniversary of “Believe,” her electro-pop hit that arrived in October 1998 and was Billboard’s No. 1 song of 1999.

Although she has yet to talk strategy with IAG, Cher says she and Mark Taylor, who co-produced the song, discussed building a box set around “Believe” and her album of the same name — a conversation in which Taylor proposed an ambitious agenda for her. “I said I’d like to do a concert with my favorite songs, and he said, ‘Why don’t you do an album?’ I said, ‘OK.’ And he said, ‘Why don’t you do a concert for the Christmas album?’ And I went, ‘Wait, dude. C’mon,’ ” she recalls with a laugh.

Cher, who is managed by Roger Davies and Lindsey Scott, concluded her last major tour in 2005 and a Las Vegas residency in 2011. Asked if she plans to tour again, she replies: “I don’t know,” although she says there will not be live performances tied to the anniversary of “Believe”: “I’m not going to be ready that soon.”

She would also like to explore releasing a box set of her lesser-known songs, including some of her more recent recordings. “Some of my favorite, favorite songs weren’t hits,” she says. “I wasn’t a very good singer until, oh, my God, I was 40. I met my teacher [Adrienne Angel]. She made me a real singer.”

Her wish list for such a compilation would include tracks that fared well on the dance charts but weren’t necessarily mainstream pop hits, including 2001’s “Song for the Lonely”; 2010’s “You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me,” which won composer Diane Warren a Golden Globe; and 1991’s “Save Up All Your Tears.”

There are also plans to license her vast catalog of hits for film/TV synchs. “I think that’s great because they’re good songs,” Cher says. “Not all of them, but a lot of them are really good. I’m surprised sometimes that people know me or know my songs.”

IAG’s acquisition includes the international share in her late ex-husband Sonny Bono’s publishing catalog, which she received in their 1975 divorce — a collection that Azoff says is “vastly underappreciated” and includes such Sonny & Cher hits as “The Beat Goes On” and “I Got You Babe.” Cher says she would love for those songs to find new ears, but adds, “It never actually occurred to me that kids would want to hear those old songs.” (IAG does not have a stake in her Los Angeles-based CHERlato pop-up gelato truck, which serves flavors like Snap Out of It! and kefir and cardamom.)

IAG president Jimmy Edwards says the company plans to mine all decades of Cher’s career. “She’s the symbol of empowerment,” he says. “She’s successful in everything she does — music, film, TV, fashion, you name it. There’s so much story to tell. That’s our goal, always: to make sure we’re working with our partners to help curate that story.”

02 Aug 2023

Watch the Villainous, Twisted Take on ‘Toxic’ In Broadway’s Britney Musical ‘Once Upon a One More Time’

Fans of Broadway’s Britney Spears musical Once Upon a One More Time demanding “gimme more” just got lucky — or, more specifically, “Toxic.” The team behind the show – which finds fairy tale princesses singing Spears’ pop classics while discovering their own agency beyond “happily ever after” – is offering up a new cast performance clip from the production. This OUAOMT video shows the play’s antagonists, Stepmother (Jennifer Simard) and Narrator (Adam Godley), singing a twisted update on “Toxic,” Spears’ Grammy-winning top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

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In case you haven’t seen the Britney-approved Broadway musical yet, brace yourself for this take on “Toxic.” Yes, the unforgettable strings are present, but the song’s delirious dance-pop energy has been subverted into an unsettling, disorienting electronic abyss, making this a villainous vocal showcase for Simard and Godley, both two-time Tony Award nominees.

If you think this version brings to mind the moody music of a Grammy-sweeping “Bad Guy,” you’re not wrong. “We love ‘Toxic’ as it was originally created, but tonally, it was too inherently playful for a musical narrative that needed to darken and take a turn,” Keone & Mari Madrid, the directors and choreographers of OUAOMT, tell Billboard. “So, we decided to take inspiration from some of our old work with Billie Eilish. Basically asking ourselves, ‘If Billie covered “Toxic,” what might that sound like?’ Our cast and creative team all leaned in to that dark, monochromatic tone.”

“It’s an honor and responsibility to try and do justice to Ms. Spears, and the song for which she won her first Grammy. There is only one Britney, and I think it would be a mistake to try and do an impression,” Simard tells Billboard. She adds that a total re-imagining of the song was a necessity for the storytelling arc of the musical. “It is a real turning point in the show where we illustrate that fairytales are, in fact, dark. If that moment doesn’t work, the entire show doesn’t work. No pressure! But I think we did it,” she says. (You can watch the video above for proof of that.)

“We all realized early on that it was vitally important that ‘Toxic’ shows these two characters, Stepmother and Narrator, undergoing a complete transformation. Story-wise, it is a crucial turning point, as the Stepmother takes matters into her own hands and transforms Narrator into something – that by the end of the number – even she can’t control,” says Godley, who joins Simard during the mind-bending “Toxic” performance. “At the heart of it, of course, is Jennifer’s unmatched ability to sing the number in such an incredibly powerful, extraordinary, and unexpected way. “

“This is undeniably a huge hinge moment for the show. Narrative-wise. Energy-wise. It’s the ‘dark night of the soul’ and if we’re not delivering here, the rest of the story truly suffers,” Keone & Mari Madrid tell Billboard. “Jennifer and Adam helped us find such a delicate yet sensual dance of power that happens between their characters. They bring so much to the table – and are incredible humans, as much as they are artists. One example is Jennifer’s wild-siren-song-note at the end of the number. It was something she was keeping in her pocket, that we didn’t know she had, and when she brought it forward that moment really brought the number to a crescendo. That vocal absolutely nails everything home.”

You can check out Simard’s eyebrow-raising note beginning at the 3:15 time stamp. Be sure to catch Liv Battista’s eerie back bend at the 1:40 mark — keep in mind she’s doing that move eight times a week.

“All our company and our departments came through for this moment,” the directing-choreography duo tell Billboard. “And when all the elements are firing together, it’s really something.”

Once Upon a One More Time is currently running at the Marquis Theatre on Broadway in New York City.

02 Aug 2023

Nike SNKRS Day 2023 Is On The Horizon, But Will It Live Up To The Hype?

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Nike SNKRS Atlanta

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Sneakerheads across the globe have been cursing the Nike SNKRS app for a while now due to the impossibility of hitting on a coveted pair of grails in recent years. But best believe we’ll all be checking in when SNKRS Day 2023 goes down come next month.

According to Highsnobiety, SNKRS Day 2023 is set take place on September 9 and though information is scarce, we do expect some high profile sneakers such as the Air Jordan 1 “Lost and Found” and Air Jordan 4 “SB”‘s to restock on that special day. At the same time, Nike has a habit of restocking kicks that no one asked for such as the Air Jordan 1 “Brotherhood” and Air Jordan 13 “Playoffs,” so there’s a good chance that SNKRS Day will be offering enough bricks to build an outhouse on your property.

Highsnobiety reports:

Fans are already predicting the return of a coveted drop like the Chicago 1s, Nike SB Jordan 4 “Pine Green,” Tiffany AF1s, or Jarritos Dunks for 2023 SNKRS Day.

Last year, Nike dropped the Taxi Jordan 1s, Canyon Purple 4s, Air Max 1 “Tour Yellow,” and Air Force 1 “SNKRS Day.” And judging by screenshots shared across social media, quite a few Nike fans got lucky that day — some glimmer of hope for those over their endless SNKRS Ls.

We honestly doubt Nike will restock that kind of heat this year, but even if they do chances are they’ll raffle them off, hence, leading to all kinds of rage and disappointment that tends to follow after having to wait 10 to 30 minutes to be told “Hold this L, b.” Should it actually be a FCFS scenario, then expect the app to crash ridiculously and have a problem submitting your payment if you’re not getting booted out the app entirely.

Yes, SNKRS day will be struggle one way or another, but best believe we’ll be trying our best to pick up a pair of any highly coveted grails that we missed out on throughout this year.

What do y’all think will happen come SNKRS Day 2023? Is Nike going to bless us with a second chance to get some heat or are they just going to unload all the remaining bricks they have left in their warehouses? Sound off in the comment section below.

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02 Aug 2023

Fat Joe Admits He Is Jealous Of Drake

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Hublot Collectors Dinner with Haute Living Cover Star French Montana At Papi Steak

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Fat Joe lives a life but Drake apparently lives a different life. The rapper recently admitted he is jealous of Champagne Papi.

As spotted on HipHopDX the South Bronx, New York native continues comment on the culture via his ongoing Instagram Live series. Last week he hosted a live stream where he discussed why Drizzy is one of the greatest to ever do it. He also added that while he has a historic run in music that may never be duplicated he also says that he gets serious love from people in very high places.

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“Let me tell you why I might be jealous of Drake,” Fat Joe explained. “I’ve never seen a guy people love more. Because it’s rumors his airplane — which looks like the flyest plane in the world — was actually given to him by a friend. Someone who wants to be down with the man who has a 15-year run of unstoppable hits.”

The “Lean Back” rapper went to speculate that that Drake’s private jet was also gifted. “Then there’s a guy who owns all the crypto sh*t, he buys the 2Pac ring for $1 million and he gives it to Drake. Who the f*** is giving people this type of sh*t? Yes, I’m not making this sh*t up!” Joe went on to joke that he can’t even get dad gifts. “Bro, they won’t give me a f****** pack of socks! They won’t give me a croissant. F***, this some bullsh*t.”

You can see Fat Joe talk Drake below.

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02 Aug 2023

Wyclef Jean To Host Caribbean Music Awards In Brooklyn

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2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ - Caesar's Superdome - Day 1

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Wyclef Jean will be presiding over the upcoming Caribbean Music Awards, which will be held in Brooklyn this month.

The organization behind the Caribbean Music Awards, Caribbean Elite Group, made the announcement of that Wyclef Jean would be the host of their awards gala last Thursday (July 27). The awards show will be held in the heart of New York City’s Caribbean community, at Kings Theatre in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn.

In an appearance on NBC’s Today Show, The Carnival artist spoke about getting the opportunity to host the gala and cited the overwhelming success of the Verzuz battle between Bernie Man and Bounty Killa, which took place in Jamaica back in 2020. “[The success of that Verzuz] reminded us how much we love the Caribbean,” he explained. “For me what’s exciting is that Caribbean culture is shared, whether it’s fashion or music.” 

A reference was made to a previous hosting gig by the rapper and singer at the 2000 MTV Europe Music Awards, which were held in Stockholm, Sweden. There, he made his entrance on an elephant and hopes to match that amount of grandeur at this event. “I want the entrance to be grand and very carnival-like,” he said.

The event will see artists receive awards in 26 categories spanning several genres including reggae, soca, zouk and kompa in addition to “Album of the Year,” “Song of the Year,” “Producer of the Year,” and “Video of the Year.” Michel Montano, the lauded soca singer and producer from Trinidad and Tobago, is slated to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award honoring his career, which includes ranking in the top spot on Billboard’s reggae charts with his G.O.A.T. album.

The Caribbean Music Awards will be held Thursday, Aug. 31. For those unable to attend, it will be livestreamed on YouTube beginning at 8 p.m. ET. Tickets are available at the gala’s website. 

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02 Aug 2023

Who Will Receive the MTV Video Vanguard Award at This Year’s VMAs? Breaking Down the Likely Contenders

Not many non-technical awards given out at the first-ever MTV Video Music Awards in 1984 — which included such now-defunct categories as best stage performance in a video and most experimental video — are still around in any form nearly three decades later. But the Video Vanguard, a lifetime achievement honor awarded to an artist for their “outstanding contributions and profound impact on music video and popular culture,” has not only survived, it’s arguably come to rival video of the year as the most anticipated award of the night.

While not given out consistently — many years were skipped in the ’90s and ’00s, as well as the COVID-stricken first two years of the 2020s — the award (officially named the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard in 1991) has evolved from the ’80s, when it was given out to directors and technicians as well as artists (often in the same year), to the past decade, where it has come to be a solo artist-specific honor. Starting with Justin Timberlake in 2013, the award has also come to be accompanied by an extended performance from the recipient, usually featuring a career-spanning medley of hits.

Last year, Nicki Minaj became the 26th recording artist to win the award, a list of performers that dates back to The Beatles and David Bowie at the first-ever VMAs, and also includes such legendary names as Janet Jackson, Madonna, U2, Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Ye and Rihanna. Before Minaj, the most recent inductee was Missy Elliott in 2019, after an online movement that criticized the channel for not rewarding her previously gained viral momentum. Outside of the Video Vanguard award, other artists who have received career-saluting honors from the VMAs this decade include Lady Gaga (recipient of the “Tricon” award in 2020), Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chilli Peppers (both named “Global Icon,” in 2021 and 2022, respectively).

With Billboard having confirmed that the award will be handed out again in 2023, we figured it was a good time to look into some of the viable candidates for this year’s honors. From least likely to most likely, here’s how we break down the best options.

Additional reporting by Paul Grein.

02 Aug 2023

Rafael Madroñal Promoted to VP Business Development at Sony Music U.S. Latin

Rafael “Rafa” Madroñal has been promoted to vp of business development for Sony Music U.S. Latin. In his new, expanded role, Madroñal leads a team that negotiates multi-million-dollar partnerships that increase Sony Music U.S. Latin’s income and audience.

Madroñal also supervises the label’s new business and sponsorship strategy and department, working with a stable of acts that includes superstars like Ricky Martin, Chayanne and Manuel Turizo.

Madroñal was previous senior director of business development for the label. Based out of Miami, he will continue to report to Esteban Geller, managing director of Sony Music U.S. Latin.

Since arriving in the U.S., Madroñal has supervised the creation and execution of global deals for multiple artists, including Camilo with La Liga, Rosalía with Pull & Bear and Nicky Jam with Air Europa. Madroñal was also key in closing Camilo’s massive free concert at Puerta de Alcalá in Madrid last year. Madroñal also conceived and launched Sony’s first Live! By Sony Music Festival in Barcelona and Madrid in 2014, which brought together showcases, panels and publishing in a single day and night, featuring performances by emerging acts like the National and the Kooks, among others.

Prior to joining the Sony U.S. Latin team, Madroñal led business development for Sony Music Spain for over eight years, becoming one of the first executives in that market to actively seek out business development deals between artists and brands. Madroñal has a degree in sociology and is a devout soccer fan who roots for Atlético de Madrid.

02 Aug 2023

Jamie Foxx Pays Loving Tribute to His Sister: ‘Without You I Would Not Be Here’

Jamie Foxx has kept a relatively low profile since his daughter, Corrine, announced on April 12 that her dad had been hospitalized for an as-yet-undisclosed “medical complication.” The actor/singer has made just a few appearances in public and has not yet discussed his illness or recovery in detail, but on Tuesday (Aug. 1) he took time to praise his sister, Deidra Dixon, heaping praise on his sibling for, in his words, saving his life.

“Happy birthday to my beautiful for sister @frequency11 “D”… you are magical you are beautiful you are the courageous lionesses #leoseason,” he wrote on Instagram along with a carousel of 10 pictures. “And without you I would not be here… had you not made the decisions that you made I would’ve lost my life…. I love you forever and ever happy birthday sis #swipeleft.”

Foxx, 55, did not offer context for what decisions he was referring to, but the accompanying pictures showed him hugging Dixon from behind, followed by nine close-ups of his younger sibling; Foxx’s other younger sister, DeOndra Dixon, died at 36 in Oct. 2020.

The post from Foxx was his first since July 22, when the actor appeared on camera for the first time since news of the health scare broke. In that clip he thanked his sister, as well as daughter Corrine, for their “protection” during his recovery from the illness. “To be honest with you, my sister Deidra Dixon, my daughter Corinne Marie saved my life,” Foxx said in the video, in which he said he wanted fans to see him laughing, having fun and partying and not with “tubes running out of me and trying to figure out if I was going to make it through.”

“I cannot tell you how great it feels to have your family kick in in such a way, they kept it airtight, didn’t let nothing out. They protected me, and that’s what I hope everyone can have in moments like these,” said Foxx, who is currently back on screen in the Netflix conspiracy drama They Cloned Tyrone.

Check out Foxx’s post below.