News

30 Mar 2023

Chlöe Bailey Says Comparisons to Sister Halle ‘Piss Me Off’: ‘That Gets Under My Skin the Most’

It’s Chlöe x Halle, not Chlöe vs. Halle. While sitting down with Latto on the “Big Energy” rapper’s 777 Radio show Thursday (March 30), Chlöe Bailey opened up about feeling sick of people pitting her against her younger sister and bandmate.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“Honestly, it really pisses me off,” the “Have Mercy” musician said. “I think out of everything, that’s the thing that gets under my skin the most, when people are comparing us because we are best friends, we’re sisters.”

“Sometimes we forget that we’re not twins and it’s like, don’t mess with my blood,” added Bailey, who presented Latto with the Powerhouse Award at the Billboard Women in Music Awards earlier this month. “Don’t mess with her. Sometimes I just have to brush it off because people only see what they want to make up, what they want to believe.”

Speaking of the Little Mermaid live action star, Bailey also spoke about her sister’s romance with rapper DDG. “I am so protective of my sister,” she told Latto. “But seeing how happy she is, I’m happy. I told him I had my eye on him.”

If rumors are to be believed, Halle isn’t the only Bailey sister with a man — though Chlöe remained tight-lipped about her rumored relationship with Quavo. “He’s a really nice guy,” was all she divulged about the Migos rapper, with whom she’ll costar in Peacock’s Praise This, despite all of Latto’s efforts to uncover more.

The Grownish star did, however, reveal that she has had love enter her life recently — whether or not Quavo is part of it — something that’s helped her create the music on her new album, In Pieces, out Friday (March 31). “I never went to high school,” she told Latto. “I was homeschooled for high school. So it’s like all the experiences, falling in love, falling out of love, breaking up, making up, all of that, I’m going through it now.”

“So it’s really been motivating the lyrics,” Bailey continued. “And when I’m angry, instead of crying or wanting to throw things, I just sit there and I write, and then I’m like, “OK, s–t.”

Watch Chlöe Bailey chat with Latto about Halle Bailey, Quavo and more on 777 Radio below:

30 Mar 2023

Miranda Lambert Addresses Whether She’d Be Interested in a ‘Yellowstone’ Role

Miranda Lambert is opening up about whether fans could someday see the reigning ACM entertainer of the year on the hit television series Yellowstone.

During her interview with Entertainment Tonight, it was noted that certain scenes from the series feature posters from Lambert’s 2009 Revolution album.

“My baby posters … I was, like, 19 in that picture,” Lambert pointed out.

Lambert’s fellow country artist Lainey Wilson has a recurring role on the series, portraying a musician named Abby, while the series also heavily features country music by artists including Wilson, Zach Bryan, Flatland Cavalry, Myron Elkins and Ryan Bingham. Meanwhile, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill starred in the Yellowstone prequel 1883.

Lambert didn’t completely rule out the possibility of appearing on the show.

“I’ve never been an actress, it’s not my favorite thing. If I can play myself, which I am today, that’s a little bit easier on me,” Lambert said.

At present, Lambert is gearing up for the April 25 release of her book Y’all Eat Yet? Welcome to the Pretty B*tchin’ Kitchen, written with author/journalist Holly Gleason.

If Lambert did ultimately choose to make a Yellowstone cameo, it would not be her first acting role. The 38-time ACM Awards winner previously appeared in a 2012 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, where she portrayed an actress who claimed to have been assaulted by a television producer.

30 Mar 2023

Slash, Wynonna Judd & More Set for Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute During CMT Music Awards

CMT is set to pay tribute to the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd with a power-packed performance during Sunday’s (April 2) CMT Music Awards. Guns N’ Roses lead guitarist Slash will join Wynonna Judd, Billy Gibbons, Chuck Leavell, Cody Johnson, Paul Rodgers, Warren Haynes and LeAnn Rimes as part of the performance, which comes half a century after the 1973 launch of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s self-titled debut album.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The Lynyrd Skynyrd album included many of the group’s signature hits, including “Simple Man,” “Gimme Three Steps” and “Free Bird.” The tribute performance also follows the death of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s final original founding member, guitarist Gary Rossington, who passed away on March 5 at age 71.

Johnson and Rodgers will lead vocals with Gibbons, with Slash and Haynes on electric guitar for a one-time-only performance of a pair of timeless Lynyrd Skynyrd hits. Nashville studio musicians Ethan Pilzer and Rich Redmond will round out the lineup on bass and drums. Rimes and Judd will fill the role of The Honkettes.

Rossington’s wife and band member Dale Krantz Rossington is set to attend the event, along with fellow Lynyrd Skynyrd members Johnny Van Zant and Rickey Medlock.

In 2016, Lynyrd Skynyrd appeared on CMT Crossroads with Brantley Gilbert. The CMT Music Awards will air live on CBS, from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, and will stream live and on-demand on Paramount+.

The tribute performance joins previously announced performances from Darius Rucker with The Black Crowes, as well as sets from Carrie Underwood, Jelly Roll, Tyler Hubbard, Ashley McBryde, Carly Pearce and CMT Music Awards co-hosts Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown.

30 Mar 2023

‘The Breakfast Club’ Will Join BET’s 2023 Programming Lineup

BET has joined forces with iHeartMedia to bring over the award-winning radio show The Breakfast Club to its 2023 programming lineup. The famous show from New York’s Power 105.1 FM with personalities DJ Envy and Charlemagne Tha God will air a special televised edition for an hour beginning April 17 at 9 AM EST on BET and VH1, with episodes running Monday through Friday after that. Episodes from the week will be available to stream every Sunday on BET+.

“We’re thrilled to partner with iHeartMedia to bring The Breakfast Club and their unique brand of entertainment and cultural commentary to our audiences,” said BET CEO and president Scott Mills in a statement. “We recognize the show’s influence and popularity, and we are confident that the partnership will be meaningful to our viewers and to our partners. Hosts Charlamagne and DJ Envy are long time members of the BET and Paramount family, so we couldn’t be more excited to welcome The Breakfast Club home to BET.”

Adds iHeartMedia’s president of Entertainment Enterprises, John Sykes: “What began as a daily morning radio show over a decade ago in New York City has now become a cultural beacon across America. This new partnership with BET will expand the radio show’s reach to millions more watching on this iconic television network.

Since Angela Yee departed from the show last December, The Breakfast Club has enlisted celebrity guest co-hosts to occupy her spot, including Ray J, Jason Lee, Nene Leakes, and more. This also marks the BET’s first daily program since 2014 with 106 & Park.

30 Mar 2023

Flo Rida’s Son In ICU After Fall From Apartment Building

HipHopWired Featured Video

Nelly, TLC & Flo Rida In Concert - Clarkston, MI

Source: Aaron J. Thornton / Getty

The young son of Flo Rida is in an intensive care unit in serious condition after suffering a fall from an apartment building in New Jersey.

According to reports, 6-year-old Zohar Dillard is in intensive care after falling five stories from his family’s apartment in Jersey City, New Jersey. The incident occurred three weeks ago, leaving the boy with multiple pelvis fractures, fractures in his left foot, a grade three liver laceration, internal bleeding, and collapsed lungs. This was disclosed in a civil lawsuit filed by his mother, Alexis Adams on Monday (March 27th).

“As a single mom to a special needs child, this feels like a nightmare,” Adams said in a statement according to local news reports. “My heart is broken into a million pieces. It is devastating to see my child go through such pain and trauma knowing that this could’ve been avoided.I am devastated, angry, and struggling to come to terms with the fact that my only child has suffered severe injuries due to willful negligence of our landlord and others involved In failing to take necessary safety measures.” Zohar suffers from hydrocephalus, a condition caused by an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain’s ventricles.

Adams is suing the owners of the apartment complex as well as its managers, a window installer, and others claiming that the building had “incorrect-sized guards,” creating a “hazardous condition.” She is seeking payment for Zohar’s medical bills, damages, and attorney’s fees.

The “Right Round” rapper has not offered any public comment to the press. Adams has gone on record of stating that the Grammy Award-nominated artist has not been heavily involved in his child’s life. “Flo Rida has only seen his son once during the paternity test [in December 2016] but kept his shades on and his back turned,” she said in an interview with the Daily Mail in 2018.

30 Mar 2023

Faith Hill, Meghan Markle & More to Be Honored at 2023 Gracie Awards

The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation revealed on Thursday (March 39) the winners of the 48th annual Gracie Awards, which recognize outstanding programming and achievements by women, for women and about women.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Among the winners this year are Faith Hill, Meghan Markle, Christina Applegate, Ava DeVernay, Amanda Seyfried, Danielle Monaro, Shelley Wade, Abbott Elementary, TODAY, The Drew Barrymore Show, frontline journalists and more. The theme of the 2023 celebration is “storytelling,” which highlights the narratives shared by the inspiring, informative winners.

Additionally, the Showtime series The First Lady will be honored with the prestigious Grand Award, which signifies a distinct level of talent, dedication and production. During the ceremony, the Gracie Awards will feature a special in-show moment dedicated to recognizing women directors, following a record number of women director submissions, serving as an important reminder of the crucial role that women play in molding the stories that we see on screen.

“As we close out Women’s History Month, it is important to remember the legacy of Gracie Allen, the inspiration behind these esteemed awards,” AWMF President Becky Brooks said in a press statement. “This year’s recipients exemplify Gracie Allen’s spirit through their exceptional talent, innovation, and vision. Their steadfast dedication to their craft and their tenacious resolve to break boundaries serve as a compelling testament to the essential role women play in molding the cultural landscape. We eagerly anticipate celebrating their outstanding accomplishments.”

The Gracie Awards Luncheon will take place at Cipriani in NYC on June 20. See the full list of honorees here.

30 Mar 2023

Mother of Flo Rida’s Son Files Suit After Child’s Fall From Fifth Floor Window

The mother of Flo Rida‘s six-year-old son has filed a lawsuit against the owners of a rental property after Zohar P. Dillard was seriously injured in a March 4 fall from a fifth-floor window of her New Jersey apartment building.

According to People, Dillard’s mother, Alexis Adams, is named as a plaintiff in the negligence suit — along with her special needs son — in documents submitted to the Superior Court of New Jersey on Monday (March 27) against Pitch Perfect 74, LLC, Goldberg Management and others. The legal action came after the child was reportedly seriously injured in a fall in which he landed on a patch of concrete below the window; a spokesperson for Goldberg had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment on the suit at press time.

A spokesperson for Flo Rida (born Tramar Lacel Dillard) did not return Billboard‘s request for comment at press time; the rapper is reportedly not a party to the lawsuit.

According to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by New Jersey’s Daily Voice, Zohar suffered a shattered pelvis, left metatarsal fractures, a grade 3 liver laceration, internal bleeding and collapsed lungs in the incident and he remained in the ICU as of Wednesday (March 29). “As a single mom to a special needs child, this feels like a nightmare,” Adams told the Voice. “My heart is broken into a million pieces. It is devastating to see my child go through such pain and trauma knowing that this could’ve been avoided.”

Adams’ attorney, Steven P. Haddad, demanded a jury trial and claims the building’s managers are at fault for maintaining the building in a “negligent, careless and reckless manner creating foreseeable and dangerous conditions,” according to People. The suit claims that management installed “incorrect sized guards” on the windows on the fifth-floor apartment, “thereby breaching their duty of care.” At press time Haddad had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment on the filing.

The suit is seeking an undisclosed amount of damages for Dillard’s current and future medical bills, legal feels and any ongoing and future medical and mental pain and suffering.

30 Mar 2023

Had Enough of Ticketmaster? Try These Platforms Instead

Last July, fans fumed over the high cost of Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing — the model that responds in real time to consumer demand and can cause prices to skyrocket, especially at on-sale — for Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band’s 2023 tour.

Then, in November, Ticketmaster’s presale for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour sold over 90% of the trek’s inventory — breaking the record for the most tickets sold in a single day by a touring artist — but online traffic stranded millions of infuriated fans in digital queues and caused website outages. Ticketmaster canceled the general on-sale for the remaining inventory, and Swift lambasted the company in a statement: “We asked them, multiple times, if they could handle this kind of demand, and we were assured they could. It’s truly amazing that 2.4 million people got tickets, but it really pisses me off that a lot of them feel like they went through several bear attacks to get them.”

Soon, politicians were calling for accountability, and in January, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on competition within the ticketing industry, including whether the 2010 consent decree governing the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster has worked — or if the company has monopolized the sector.

Ticketmaster effectively controls major live-music events in many North American arenas and stadiums: It’s the primary ticketing system for 27 out of 32 NFL stadiums and Live Nation-promoted arena shows across the continent. But since its merger with Live Nation, viable alternatives have emerged.

“With ticketing systems, you may not know who they are, and that’s a good thing. Frankly, when a ticketing system makes the news, usually something went wrong,” says International Ticketing Association president/CEO Maureen Andersen, who adds that millions of tickets for music, sports and other live entertainment are sold every day on various platforms in North America without a hitch.

“There is a lot of ticketing technology available,” says Andersen. “A lot of ticketing companies [are] coming to the U.S. to test the waters and see what kind of market share they can get. That rings to me as healthy competition.”

Artists looking for ticketing alternatives in 2023 will fare better than Pearl Jam did nearly 30 years ago when the band tried — and failed — to route a tour without using Ticketmaster in protest of the company’s service fees. In December, country singer Zach Bryan released his album All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster (Live at Red Rocks) — the Denver-area amphitheater is ticketed by AXS, the Ticketmaster rival owned by the second-biggest North American promoter, AEG Presents — and took to social media: “I am so so tired of people saying things can’t be done about this massive issue while huge monopolies sit there stealing money from working class people.” Within weeks, he announced and sold out a 28-date tour, exclusively ticketed by AXS. “We sold all the tickets in 3 waves to actual fans, we hired teams to limit bots, and we sacrificed a lot of personal things to give real people, real seats,” Bryan posted afterward.

And in March, when fees for some dates on The Cure’s Ticketmaster-ticketed arena tour exceeded face-value prices, frontman Robert Smith called on the company to correct the matter — which it did in short order, issuing $10 credits to many purchasers.

Ticketing platforms in both the primary and secondary markets — which facilitate sales from rights holders and resale from other consumers, respectively — are experimenting with new features and working to keep prices in check. Billboard highlights some of the notable companies increasing competition in the sector.

AXS (primary and secondary markets)

Founded: 2011
The Gist: Ticketmaster’s most significant U.S. competitor duplicates many of Ticketmaster’s strengths, including its ability to handle high-volume on-sales and a lottery system called Fair AXS. (AEG previously licensed Ticketmaster technology as a condition set by the U.S. Department of Justice in its approval of the 2010 Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger, but used other software to build AXS.) Following the 2019 merger of AEG Facilities and SMG, AEG now owns, manages or operates more than 350 venues, many of which use AXS for ticketing.

CashorTrade (secondary)

Founded: 2009
The Gist: With roots in the jam-band community, CashorTrade eschews a first-come, first-served model, instead allowing buyers to plead their case to sellers, who are required to upload receipts to prove they’re selling at face value. Buyers can’t offer more than face value for tickets but can “creatively barter,” most often by pitching trades of other concert tickets or artist merchandise, in order to be selected. After The Cure’s tour went on sale, the band publicly endorsed CashorTrade and Twickets, a U.K.-based resale platform operating in the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States, for resale of its tickets.

DICE (primary)

Founded: 2014
The Gist: DICE entered the U.S. market in 2019 with a bold promise: to help eradicate scalping. Digital tickets are locked to a buyer’s smartphone, and back-end technology prevents the resale of tickets above face value. DICE also blocks tickets from the secondary market by allowing fans to return them to sold-out shows, which are then redistributed to customers on waitlists.

Lyte (supplementary)

Founded: 2013
The Gist: Lyte works with primary ticketing platforms to eliminate scalping and get in-demand tickets to actual fans. Partners like See Tickets integrate Lyte’s technology to field ticket requests and credit card information prior to on-sales, allowing fans to return tickets that are then offered to preregistered fans at fair market price (which can exceed face value).

SeatGeek (primary, secondary)

Founded: 2009
The Gist: SeatGeek established itself as a secondary ticketer similar to resale giant StubHub — and continues to expand its reach in that market, including through new resale deals with MLB and college-athletics ticketing giant Paciolan — but has since become the primary ticketer for a handful of NFL and NBA teams, Broadway theaters and other venues. (Major League Soccer and Brooklyn’s Barclays Center recently ended partnerships with SeatGeek in favor of Ticketmaster.) The ticketer also introduced SeatGeek Swap in 2021, which allows the return of eligible tickets, no questions asked, for credit at 100% of the purchase price.

See Tickets (primary, secondary)

Founded: 1991
The Gist: Since opening a Los Angeles office in 2014, the U.K.-based ticketer has steadily grown, including working with boutique North American festivals and independent clubs and theaters. After becoming a National Independent Venue Association sponsor in 2020, See signed deals with 100 new indie venues and promoters in a 12-month period. The platform’s tools include fan-to-fan resale technology.

This story will appear in the April 1, 2023, issue of Billboard.

30 Mar 2023

Here’s Why Missy Elliott Thinks Her ‘Craig of the Creek’ Role Is ‘Perfect’ for Her

Add another entry to Missy Elliott’s already lengthy list of credits. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominee and Grammy-winning artist will guest star on Cartoon Network’s hit series Craig of the Creek. The episode will premiere Monday, April 3 (5 p.m. ET/PT).

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Titled “The Jump Off,” the episode finds series characters Craig, Cannonball, Sparkle Cadet and Diane gearing up for a Double Dutch tournament. When the group asks Craig’s mom Nicole for a few pointers, she tells them a story about her own Double Dutch rivalry with a girl named Carla Frazier, voiced by Elliott, at the regionals (pictured holding the trophy in the art above).

“I’m so excited to be part of this Craig of the Creek episode,” Elliott tells Billboard exclusively via email. “Voicing the Carla character was perfect for me as I am a huge Double Dutch fan. I hope the fans enjoy the episode!”

According to Jeff Trammell, one of the writers of “The Jump Off” episode, the idea of Elliott voicing a guest role on the series took shape while the team was working on the show’s Halloween episode, “Trick or Creek.” Supervising director Tiffany Ford had pitched the notion of having Craig’s mom, Nicole, dress up as Elliott’s iconic image from the rapper’s video for “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly).”

“The second the [costume] idea came up,” Trammell tells Billboard, “we knew we had to pay homage to one of the greatest musicians of our lifetime and thought it would be cool if Missy somehow saw it. The fact that she not only saw it but was a fan of our shoutout meant the world. So we were hopeful she’d agree to do an episode of ‘Craig of the Creek.’ Needless to say, once Missy agreed, we were thrilled and thought a fun twist on Nicole’s costume would be to have Missy voice Nicole’s (extremely one-sided) rival Carla Frazier, jump-rope extraordinaire. As with everything, Missy knocked it out of the park. We couldn’t have been more excited to work with her; a dream come true for the entire crew.”

See a clip from “The Jump Off” below:

30 Mar 2023

With TikTok’s Future Uncertain, Artists Test YouTube Shorts

The first life of Justine Skye‘s “Collide” was that of a minor radio hit: It peaked at No. 38 on Billboard‘s R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. The single was rediscovered last fall, when hordes of TikTok users started to upload videos incorporating an altered version of the track — a sped-up remix that transformed the chilly, brooding single into something giddy and urgent. 

TikTok trends were once believed to ensure streaming success; as the platform has expanded rapidly and splintered into niche communities, that is no longer the case. “More often than not, these records on TikTok tend to be insulated,” says Drew De Leon, president and partner at MPR Global, a marketing and distribution company. “One of the goals is always to take it off platform.” Part of De Leon’s mission was to push “Collide” on YouTube Shorts, the video streamer’s own short-form destination. 

Skye’s other social media platforms were “more curated — her Instagram is more about her personality,” De Leon explains. “So our strategy approaching Shorts was to highlight all the fan content.” Starting in December, De Leon’s team uploaded seven clips a day to shorts, repurposing fan dance videos and iced beverage how-to’s. The deluge paid off: Skye had accumulated 263,000 YouTube subscribers between starting her channel in 2010 and December of 2022. In the next four months, her subscriber count nearly doubled, rising to 515,000. All the interest on various short-form video platforms helped drive streams to “Collide,” which earned a Gold certification in March, close to nine years after its release.

YouTube launched Shorts globally in the summer of 2021; music marketers have been trying to determine its value for pushing music ever since. As TikTok has become increasingly saturated with all kinds of promotion — not just from music labels but from deep-pocketed brands and Hollywood studios — it has become harder for artists and their songs to get attention, making it more important for marketers to identify viable alternatives. 

On top of that, it usually pays to be an early adopter because there is less competition and YouTube is heavily invested in marketing the platform. “There’s this level of organic reach that you’re going to have for a limited amount of time,” says Brendan Kennedy, a digital marketer for Cinematic Music Group. The thinking is, “Let’s really ramp up, pump out content with a good strategy, and take advantage of this opportunity.” 

YouTube unveiled a blizzard of statistics on Thursday (March 30) pointing to Shorts’ effectiveness as a marketing tool. Shorts are racking up more than 50 billion views a day (as of December); clips made by fans increased the average artist’s unique viewer total by more than 80% (in January); and artists who post Shorts weekly or more saw those posts drive more than 50% of their new subscriptions (also in January). 

“We’re really seeing Shorts vastly increase the reach of an artist on the platform,” says Vivien Lewit, YouTube’s global head of artist partnerships. “We’re seeing it as an integral driver of audience growth.” YouTube also announced that it updated its “Analytics for Artists” tools to incorporate Shorts uploaded by fans in addition to clips uploaded by artists themselves.

Marketers are testing an assortment of strategies on the platform. While De Leon focused on highlighting user content — “fans wanted to see themselves participating,” in a trend, he says, and have that participation acknowledged by the artist whose music soundtracks that trend — Cinematic has also experimented with “repurposing the artist’s long form videos.” 

“If an artist is putting out a music video, we’ll chop down the best parts of that, use them as Shorts, and stagger those uploads after the actual music video comes out,” explains Michael Epstein, another member of Cinematic’s digital marketing team. “We do the same with interviews. Just keep bringing people back. We’ve definitely seen that Shorts are one of the biggest drivers of actual artist channel growth,” spurring listeners to subscribe. (“A subscriber becomes a stickier fan,” Lewit notes.)

Cinematic is also “trying to build relationships with the emerging YouTube channels that are focusing on Shorts content,” Epstein continues. YouTube channels’ role in bringing new ears to music has never gotten the same level of attention as Spotify editorial playlisting or TikTok mega-influencers. But Epstein says “we’ve seen direct correlations with streaming consumption and growth just based on those uploads.”

Shorts doesn’t yet have the slam-dunk breakout artist story. But now that TikTok faces an uncertain future, with a bipartisan government coalition pushing for a ban or a sale, understanding the nuances of Shorts has taken on a new urgency. “Needless to say, we’re pushing all of our artists to start playing with it now just in case,” says one label executive. “If the TikTok ban happens, you’re really only going to have YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and potentially Snapchat as the places that have that high level of short-form content to discover,” Kennedy adds. 

In a blog post on Thursday, global head of music Lyor Cohen highlighted the platform’s role in helping two massive hits — Rema and Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down” and Oliver Tree and Robin Schulz’s “Miss You” — spread around the globe. In addition to Skye’s Shorts-boosted subscriber growth, Cinematic has seen Shorts drive listeners to rapper That Mexican OT. 

“It has the potential to become a powerful feature,” Epstein says.