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07 Mar 2023

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’: Malaysia Babydoll Foxx Will ‘Forever Troll’ Fans Who Critique Her Silhouette

RuPaul’s Drag Race may not be dedicated to presenting the news of the day, but the latest episode of the series served up Diane Sawyer realness with ease.

Last week’s episode (aired Friday, Mar. 3) saw the queens getting to ask the tough questions in “50/50,” the show’s spoof of classic interview shows like 20/20. Splitting off into three groups, the remaining contestants got to partake in a series of interviews with a trio of celebrity guests, before offering up their best Sasha Fierce interpretations on the Night of 1000 Beyoncés runway.

Sasha Colby once again wowed the judges with her spot-on Bey look as well as her hilarious cooking segment with flamenco icon Charo, earning her third challenge win of the season. Meanwhile, Salina EsTitties and Malaysia Babydoll Foxx found themselves on the chopping block after failing to impress in their interviews of Love Connie and Frankie Grande, respectively.

Tasked with lip-syncing to Beyoncé’s forever iconic “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It),” Salina managed to pull out just enough moves to win her fourth lip-sync of the season, meaning Malaysia was asked to sashay away.

Billboard caught up with Malaysia following her elimination to talk about fans critiquing her runway silhouettes, making good television with some on-camera drama, and why she feels Sasha Colby’s theory about Beyoncé’s alter ego might be a “delusion.”

I want to say thank you for not being afraid to bring some drama this season — what was the experience like on set of going through the little tiffs you had with folks?

I mean … I didn’t plan on being the drama, but when you feel some type of way, it’s kinda hard to hold those emotions in. Honestly, after the first day there, you just get very comfortable, and you don’t even really care about the cameras being there — you’re just kind of being yourself. I’m a very expressive person when it comes down to it. 

Just because I’m checking you or letting you know how I feel doesn’t mean I hate you or dislike you — I’m just letting you know. We can move on from it, which, in every situation on the show, I clearly moved on from it, I just needed my moment. Unless you did something extremely disrespectful, we’re good. 

Right, arguing over who got to be in the fake metal group on national television is not a friendship-ending fight. 

Completely. Also, I could’ve done anything in that challenge, but I’m not gonna back down from a good fight!

I have to tell you, I love that you have been trolling fans of the show right back when they comment on your silhouette. What has it been like dealing with that running commentary since joining Drag Race?

I mean, honestly, I thought there were many other things about me that would be talked about after being on the show. I never knew that wearing a dress would be the hot topic. I was shocked and appalled — but also, for me, I’m strong-minded in everything that I want to wear. So even when I work with designers, they can tell me that I should do this or that, but the final decision is mine. I treat the people out there who critique it the same exact way; there’s nothing you can say or do that will change my mind from what my vision is at the end of the day. It may be the same silhouette, but the idea and concepts are totally different. If you don’t have the imagination to go past the silhouette, then that just goes to show that you are a very close-minded person. I owe them nothing, I owe them no explanation, and I will forever troll people. I do drag for me, and that’s all that matters. If you love it, then thank you. 

Also. wearing a similar silhouette each time worked great for Bianca Del Rio, why shouldn’t it work for you?

Right? We’re in a new era of Drag Race, where every little detail has to be commented on by the fans, I swear. If you let it get to you, it will bring you down to the lowest. If you love what you do, then you’ll be fine.

Let’s talk about the challenge this week — as someone who interviews people for a living, I understand the difficulty of what you were being asked to do in this episode. What was going through your head when you were on the cooking show set with Frankie Grande?

So, here’s the thing, it was forever ago, so I barely remember [laughs]. I was probably nervous! No, I was trying to focus on making sure I was doing everything right — we had cue cards, we had questions, we had all of these things — while also wanting to be as natural as possible. You don’t want to come across as a robot! All that is easier said than done. So that’s what was going through my head, just me saying, “Be natural! Be fun! Make a pizza! Ask a question!” 

We get to the runway — your Night of 1000 Beyoncés look was one of my favorites! This 2018 Global Citizen look was spot-on, and it looked fabulous on you! What was it about that look that made you want to do it?

I think that I could relate to that one the most — being a queen of color, I knew it would be great to bring this look she wore in South Africa to the runway. And I knew there were a lot of looks from Beyoncé that … wouldn’t be appropriate on some of the girls, let’s say. So I was like, “Let me be the one to take this route and not take something that a typical person could do.” Plus, I like drag! I love all of the feathers and the patterns on this outfit. Also, it was a change of silhouette!

You changed your silhouette, and look what happened. 

Exactly! As soon as I changed the silhouette they were like, “Nope, you’re out.” I knew I should’ve worn that damn gown.

I don’t know if you were listening in the work room, but I need to know your thoughts on Sasha Colby’s theory abut being the inspiration for the persona of Sasha Fierce.

Oh my god. Listen, I think queer people have inspired a lot of people when it comes to fashion, hair, makeup and art. We are very inspiring people. That being said, I think that was delusion [laughs]. No, no, no, I love Sasha! And maybe it is true — after all, Sasha’s old! [laughs] `

Not to bring the mood down, but I know this has been a hard week for queens around the country after everything that’s been going on in Tennessee — how have you been dealing with the news?

I … don’t indulge in the news if I can help it. I know what’s going on, but when you indulge in things like that, you’re making yourself a part of that. They [Tennessee lawmakers] are saying this is a problem, and what I love to do is not a problem. I love to spread love, and it sucks that we are being targeted as a community and as people. But we have to continue to do what we love to do, and I hope we can stand up to this and make a change where it counts. 

Well said. What can we expect to see next from you, Malaysia?

Well, a lot of the same silhouette, of course. No, but listen, I don’t think I took a loss, I think I took a win. Like I said in that talent show, “I’m a queen, I’m a queen, I’m a queen/ I’m the fattest and the baddest on the scene.” This is just the beginning.

The thing about Drag Race is that it’s only a glimpse that the audience gets to see. But now that they’ve gotten the glimpse, they’re gonna want to know more. I’m excited to show folks everything that they didn’t get to see.

07 Mar 2023

UK Rapper Jeshi Gave Away Free Pairs Of Unreleased Nike Air Max Pulse In London

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One definite way to win over fans and make some new ones in 2023 is to bless them with a free pair of sneakers. And if those kicks happen to be Nikes, even better (sorry, adidas, Reebok and Puma).

London rapper Jeshi seems to know this is a true yet not often-tried method. And with the help of Nike, the UK-based artist was able to run through the streets of London and give unsuspecting countrymen brand-new pairs of the Nike Air Max Pulse. We lowkey hating right now. Hypebeast is reporting that over the weekend the “Chrome Benzo” rapper took over a Soho shop in London and actually gave away pairs of the unreleased Nike silhouette that’s sure to be a hit once it becomes publicly available.

From Hypebeast:

Presenting the all-new Air Max Pulse, the sneaker arrives in a clean white and red colour scheme. As a whole, the shoe is the natural successor to the Air Max 270 — a style that saw its most popular era arrive in 2018. Designed with a breathable mesh upper, the sneaker is also complemented with leather overlays that wrap around the lateral sides and toe box.

Additionally, the Pulse features a slew of Swoosh placements, while a new Air Max branding motif hits the rear heel counter. Rounding things off, the forefoot includes a textile-wrapped, Air-assisted, point-loaded midsole that sits alongside a sturdy rubber outsole.

No, they’re not Retro Jordans or Travis Scott collaborations, but these Air Max Pulse’s go hard and seem hella comfortable.

Getting a fresh pair of Nikes for free is a dub any day of the week. So props to Jeshi and Nike for making random people’s days better last weekend.

The Nike Air Max Pulse is set to drop on Air Max Day March 26. Will you be looking to cop a pair, or will you wait for Jeshi to fly to the states and give them away here? (Not gonna happen.) Let us know in the comments section below.

07 Mar 2023

Hot 100 First-Timers: Karol G Producer Ovy on the Drums Scores First Artist Entry Thanks to ‘Cairo’

Ovy on the Drums scores his first career entry on the Billboard Hot 100 under an artist billing thanks to his collaboration with Karol G, “Cairo.”

The song, released Nov. 13 via Universal Music Latino/UMLE, debuts at No. 82 on the March 11-dated survey with 5.8 million U.S. streams (up 86%) and 4.4 million radio airplay audience impressions in the Feb. 24-March 2 tracking week, according to Luminate.

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The track concurrently jumps 20-13 on Hot Latin Songs (nearly matching its No. 11 peak in December). Radio-wise, it stands at No. 11 on Latin Rhythm Airplay (after reaching No. 8 in January) and No. 26 on Latin Airplay (after hitting No. 17).

The song is from Karol G’s new album, Mañana Será Bonito, which debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, becoming the first all-Spanish-language leader by a woman in the chart’s history. The only other all-Spanish-language No. 1s are Bad Bunny’s El Ultimo Tour del Mundo and Un Verano Sin Ti.

TikTok has been a factor in the song’s growing popularity, as the track has been used in more than 600,000 clips on the platform to date. (TikTok does not contribute to Billboard’s charts.)

Ovy on the Drums, born Daniel Oviedo in Colombia, has been a consistent hitmaker on Billboard’s charts over the past few years, largely as a producer. While “Cairo” marks his first entry on the Hot 100 as a credited recording artist, he’s charted 13 songs as a producer, all on hits by Karol G.

On Hot Latin Songs, he’s logged 39 entries as a producer, including four No. 1s: Karol G and Nicki Minaj’s “Tusa” in 2019, Becky G and Karol G’s “MAMIII” (2022), Karol G’s “Provenza” (2022) and, as of this week, Karol G and Shakira’s “TQG.”

He’s also scored 10 No. 1 hits on Latin Airplay as a producer. Here’s a recap:

Ovy on the Drums’ Latin Airplay No. 1s

Artist Billing, Title (year):

  • Karol G, “Tusa” (2020)
  • Anuel AA & Enrique Iglesias, “Futbol & Rumba” (2020)
  • Karol G, “Ay, Dios Mio!” (2020)
  • Karol G, “Bichota” (2021)
  • Sebastian Yatra & Guaynaa, “Chica Ideal” (2021)
  • Karol G, Anuel AA & J Balvin, “Location” (2021)
  • Karol G, “Sejodioto” (2022)
  • Blessd, Justin Quiles & Lenny Tavarez, “Medallo” (2022)
  • Becky G & Karol G, “MAMIII” (2022)
  • Karol G, “Provenza” (2022)

Outside of “Cairo,” Ovy on the Drums has charted one other song as a credited artist: “Miedito O Que?,” with Karol G and Danny Ocean, reached No. 14 on Latin Airplay and No. 33 on Hot Latin Songs in February 2021.

Thanks to his work on Karol G’s new LP, Ovy on the Drums concurrently returns to No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Producers chart for an 18th week on top. That’s the third-most weeks spent at No. 1 dating to the chart’s launch in 2019, after only Tainy (119 weeks) and MAG (38). He’s also No. 2 on Latin Songwriters, after spending two weeks at No. 1 last year.

Ovy on the Drums scored his first string of nominations at the 2022 Latin Grammy Awards, for best urban song (“MAMIII”), record of the year and song of the year (“Provenza”) and album of the year (Sebastian Yatra’s Dharma). He was also nominated for producer of the year at the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards.

Ovy on the Drums also finished 2022 as Billboard’s No. 3 year-end Hot Latin Songs producer of the year and No. 21 on the Hot 100 producer of the year list.

07 Mar 2023

‘Mañana Será Bonito’ Leads Karol G to Historic Debut Across Billboard Charts

It’s all about Karol G this week on Billboard charts. Adding to her No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 with Mañana Será Bonito and taking the No. 1 spot on both Global charts with her first Shakira collab, “TQG,” the Colombian also celebrates a dual No. 1 debut of her fourth studio album on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart and Latin Rhythm Albums chart (all charts dated March 11).

“The fact that I’ve hit No. 1 with an album that is so personal is enormous,” Karol G told Billboard.

Mañana Será Bonito becomes Karol G’s second No. 1, and chart-topping debut, on Top Latin Albums, after KG015 opened atop the tally in April 2021. It’s also the first No. 1 debut by a female act since her own KG015. Prior, Selena Gomez debuted atop the chart with Revelación (EP) (March 2021).

Mañana was released Feb. 24 via Universal Music Latino. It starts with 94,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. during the Feb 24-March 2 tracking week, according to Luminate. Streaming powers the 17-track set’s opening sum, with 83,000 streaming-equivalent album units of Mañana’s 94,000-unit start deriving streaming activity. That equals to 118.73 million official on-demand streams for its songs, marking the biggest streaming week ever for a Latin album by a woman.

On the multimetric Top Latin Albums chart as measured in equivalent album units, each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.

Mañana also generated 10,000 in album sales and 1,000 track-equivalent album units. The album sales stem mostly from its digital download album (8,500; offered both a standard download and in two cover variants sold in webstore). Plus, 1,500 copies were sold of its CD format.

As mentioned, Karol G, born Carolina Giraldo, captures her second No. 1 on Top Latin Albums with her fourth charting release. Her first foray onto the list, Unstoppable, debuted and peaked at No. 2 in November 2017. Ocean followed, reaching a No. 2 best in May 2019, while KG015 earned her a first No. 1 in 2021.

Mañana was previewed by the Hot Latin Songs No. 1 single “Provenza” (May 14, 2022-dated chart), “Gatúbela,” which peaked at No. 4 on Sept. 10, 2022 (flies 22-11 on the current chart), and most recently, “Cairo,” which rallies 20-13 for a new peak this week.

The album’s large streaming activity sparks 13 debuts on the multimetric Hot Latin Songs chart, starting with “TQG,” with Shakira, at No. 1. The song concurrently bows at No. 4 on Latin Pop Airplay and No. 27 on Latin Airplay (“TQG” is acronym for “Te Quedó Grande,” roughly meaning “too much for you to handle.”). It’s the most-streamed Latin song of the week, with 29 million clicks in its first seven days in the U.S.

“X Si Volvemos,” with Romeo Santos, meanwhile, shoots 12-4 in its fourth chart week, with 9.5 million clicks. Three other tracks debut in the top 10 on Hot Latin Songs: “Mientras Me Curo El Cora,” the album’s opening track, at No. 8, “Gucci Los Paños” at No. 9, and “Tus Gafitas” at No. 10. The latter track links two of the most successful producers in recent years from two different worlds, Ovy on the Drums and Finneas.

Elsewhere on the charts, Mañana concurrently bows at No. 1 on Latin Rhythm Albums chart. Plus, as the album arrives at No. 1 on the overall Billboard 200, Karol makes history: It’s the first time that an all-Spanish-language album by a woman has topped the list. (The chart’s history dates to 1956, when it began publishing on a regularly, weekly basis.) Only two other mostly non-English-language albums by women have reached No. 1: Selena’s Dreaming of You (1995, which included both Spanish and English songs, though it was more than half Spanish) and The Singing Nun’s all-French-language self-titled album in 1963.

07 Mar 2023

GloRilla ‘Devastated & Heartbroken’ Over Casualties of Stampede at New York Concert

A concert in New York was marked by tragedy Sunday (March 5) after two people died and nine others were injured in a stampede, caused by fans rushing to the venue’s exits to escape as yet unfounded reports of gunshots. And now, GloRilla — who played the show at Rochester’s Main Street Armory along with Finesse2tymes — is sharing her sadness.

“I am devastated & heartbroken over the tragic deaths that happened after Sunday’s show,” she tweeted Monday night (March 6), one day after the fatal crowd rush occurred. “My fans mean the world to me ?praying for their families & for a speedy recovery of everyone affected.”

The “Tomorrow 2” artist first tweeted about the incident early Monday morning, about an hour after crowd flow took a turn for the worse as concertgoers started leaving the venue just after 11 p.m. “I’m just now hearing about what happened wtf,” she wrote. “praying everybody is ok.”

Police confirmed Monday that two women had died, and another is in critical condition. Seven additional people were taken to hospitals and treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.

As for the frenzy over a potential shooter being present at the show, police said there was no evidence of gunshots at the scene. They plan to conduct an investigation to determine what caused the audience members to think they were in danger in the first place.

“We do not have any evidence of gunshots being fired or of anyone being shot or stabbed at the scene,” said Police Chief David M. Smith at a Monday press briefing, according to the Associated Press.

He added that law enforcement will continue to investigate the possible causes of the stampede, which could have been due to “possibly crowd size, shots fired, pepper spray and other contributing factors.”

“We are going to hold people accountable for what happened last night, period,” said Mayor Malik Evans, who called the fatal stampede “a tragedy of epic proportions” and also promised a thorough investigation. 

See Glorilla’s tweets following the fatal stampede at the New York concert below:

07 Mar 2023

After Conquering the U.K., Mimi Webb Is Ready to Go World Wide

In February, Mimi Webb brought her mother to the 2023 Brit Awards, where she was nominated for best new artist. She lost to Wet Leg, but days later, Webb was still beaming over meeting Harry Styles at the ceremony instead of being fazed by the defeat — as she saw it, she had too much more to look forward to.

On March 3, the charismatic rising pop star released her debut album, Amelia, which includes pop radio hits like “House on Fire” and “Red Flags.” The 12-track project, which juxtaposes power-pop songs with catchy confessionals, is the culmination of a yearslong plan that prioritized career development and patience — and rewarded Webb’s drive.

“I always loved being center stage,” the 22-year-old born Amelia Webb recalls of growing up in Canterbury, England. She started music lessons when she was 12 and became active in her school’s band nights. “That’s where I was able to grow more as a musician and find that love for it. That’s when I decided, ‘Right. I’m going to go for it.’ [There was] no backup plan.”

By 16, Webb moved out to attend Brighton Music College. She didn’t stay long: That same year, she scored a manager in music and tech entrepreneur Rob Ronaldson, who was quick to set up studio time and label meetings in Los Angeles. “I just didn’t have time to do college. I had to drop out,” says Webb, speaking quickly as if to match the pace of her ascent. “I learned so much to the point where I took things into my own hands and went out there and just did it.”

From the start, Ronaldson foresaw Webb’s cross-continental appeal and aimed for a record deal abroad rather than signing in the United Kingdom. The approach aligned with Webb’s own goal: “Break worldwide.”

In 2019, she signed a deal with Epic Records, forming an immediate bond with Ezekiel “Zeke” Lewis, the label’s executive vp of A&R. And in 2020, Best Friends Music’s Brandon Goodman signed on as Webb’s stateside co-manager. Still, she continued to grow her domestic fan base, landing a U.K. hit every year since breaking first on TikTok with the impassioned “Before I Go,” a song Charli D’Amelio used to soundtrack a video on the app. (D’Amelio soon after helped Webb create her own account.)

Mimi Webb photographed on February 24, 2023 at zēphyr in London.

Coperni jacket, Justine Clenquet earrings.

Rosaline Shahnavaz

And in 2021, “Good Without,” from Webb’s debut EP, Seven Shades of Heartbreak, crossed the pond and became her first entry on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart, followed by “House on Fire” in 2022. She started 2023 completing a hat trick, as the rousing “Red Flags” became her third entry on the list, peaking at No. 29. The success was steady, but to Webb, who was writing incessantly and building her following on social media, it was a whirlwind. “When I look back, I had no clue what I wanted to really do as an artist — till now.”

On Amelia, Webb introduces the world to her two selves: the chill homebody Amelia and the pop powerhouse Mimi. “With this album, I really wanted to get the mixture of both [my] worlds — get those ballads in, but also get the uptempo, fun songs in there as well,” she says.

Webb officially started working on Amelia last April, finishing the bulk of it in under six months, she estimates. “I had a lot of songs in the bag,” she says, noting that she wrote the wishful “See You Soon” four years ago, while she co-wrote newer songs like “Red Flags,” “Roles Reversed” and “Last Train to London” in one week with Connor and Riley McDonough (who last year scored a Billboard Hot 100 top 10 with Joji’s “Glimpse of Us”).

And even though Webb is embracing her offstage persona, she’s grateful for her foresight in creating a moniker, comparing it to a wall. “I think it was a way of protecting [myself],” she says, “and also feeling that confidence to go onstage and not worry about what’s going to happen.”

She admires peers like Tate McRae, whom she opened for on tour, and praises the dominant onstage presence of Dua Lipa, an artist she has “completely fallen in love with” — and one with whom she shares a milestone. “Red Flags” made Webb the first British female artist since Lipa (who was also a U.K. star before crossing over to the United States) to chart two singles in the top 15 of the U.K. Official Singles Chart before releasing a debut album. “I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from how she has done the steps and built from scratch, doing the small shows to the big arenas,” Webb says.

That slow climb is exactly how Webb and her team have arrived at this moment: a hit single leading into a debut album leading into a U.K. and European headlining tour. What will follow, the artist hopes, is U.S. stardom.

“For the last two-and-a-half years, we have been focused on the recording and artist-development process,” Epic chairman/CEO Sylvia Rhone says. “By releasing music and content consistently, coupled with touring, it has allowed her to mature as an artist and build a loyal and global audience.”

“I’m definitely excited for people to get to know Amelia and to tell the story of growing up and how intense everything feels,” says Webb. “I just want people to really get to know me more as an artist — and as a person.”

Mimi Webb photographed on February 24, 2023 at zēphyr in London.

Mimi Webb photographed on February 24, 2023 at zēphyr in London.

Rosaline Shahnavaz

This story will appear in the March 11, 2023, issue of Billboard.

07 Mar 2023

Prosecutors Urge Florida Supreme Court to Steer Clear of YNW Melly’s Death Penalty Case

Florida prosecutors are urging the state’s supreme court to reject an appeal by YNW Melly over whether the rapper should face the death penalty if convicted in his upcoming murder trial.

Last month, lawyers for Melly (real name Jamell Demons) asked the Florida Supreme Court to tackle his case, arguing that prosecutors had forfeited the right to seek the death penalty by failing to give proper notice that they planned to do so.

But in a response last week, Florida’s attorney general told the top court that it should steer clear of the rapper’s case.

“Demons has suffered no harm,” prosecutors wrote in the Feb. 27 brief. “He was on notice for three years that the State was seeking death and at no time had the State indicated it was altering its sentencing intent.”

In asking the state high court to take up his case, Melly has argued that it raises issues of “great public importance” for Florida law beyond his individual charges. But in their response, prosecutors said there was no such pressing need for such judicial review.

“No other district court has been faced with this issue, thus showing that the issue rarely arises,” the state wrote in its brief. “Should a death sentence be imposed, this Court will have the opportunity to resolve this unique matter on direct appeal.”

Melly has spent years awaiting trial on first-degree murder charges over accusations that he and another YNW rapper shot and killed Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams and Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas Jr. in 2018.

A first-degree murder defendant in Florida would typically face the possibility of execution if convicted, but Melly’s attorneys argued last year that the state had failed to comply with strict laws on how they must warn defendants that they’ll seek the death penalty.

Florida requires prosecutors to give notice 45 days after arraignment if they plan to seek capital punishment. In Melly’s case, the state attorney filed such a notice when they originally indicted the rapper in 2019, but failed to do so when a so-called superseding indictment was handed down earlier this year.

In July, a trial judge sided with Melly’s attorneys and said prosecutors had forfeited the chance to seek death. But in November, an appeals court ruled the judge’s decision was incorrect. The court wrote that since prosecutors gave notice that they might seek death when they first charged Melly in 2019, they had complied with state rules: “Notice is notice.”

Melly appealed that ruling to the Florida Supreme Court last month, arguing it was important that the death penalty law have “precisely defined and easily understood rules.” But like the U.S. Supreme Court, Florida’s top court hears only a small percentage of the appeals it receives.

In its new brief, state prosecutors urged the court to refuse to do so in Melly’s case: “Demons attempts to find conflict were there is none.”

A decision on whether to take the case will be issued by the high court in the months ahead. If it takes the case, both sides will then present more in-depth arguments on the disputed issues. If not, the case will return to the lower court for a jury trial on the murder charges against Melly.

07 Mar 2023

Jharrel Jerome To Play Gentle Giant In Boots Riley’s ‘I’m A Virgo’

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I'm A Virgo Jharrel Jerome

Jharrel Jerome returns to the streaming screen this fall in a new series, I’m A Virgo, from director and creator, Boots Riley. Jerome is set to play a 13-foot man in Oakland, Calif. and a new trailer reveals what viewers can expect this summer.

Jharrel Jerome, 25, will play Cootie, who was large from the time he was a baby en route to shooting up to 13 feet. According to a report from TV Line, I’m A Virgo will be coming to Amazon Prime this summer and is billed as a “darkly comedic and fantastical coming-of-age joyride.”

From TV Line:

“Having grown up hidden away, passing time on a diet of comic books and TV shows, Cootie escapes to experience the beauty and contradictions of the real world,” reads the synopsis. “He forms friendships, finds love, navigates awkward situations, and encounters his idol, the real life superhero named The Hero (played by Justified‘s Walton Goggins).

Mike Epps, Carmen Ejogo, Brett Gray, and Kara Young are also part of the cast.  Riley, who also directed the acclaimed film, Sorry To Bother You, directed all seven episodes of I’m A Virgo. Some might remember James in his role as Kory Wise in the stirring drama When They See Us.

Jharrel Jerome is also one of the executive producers for the upcoming series.

Check out the trailer for I’m A Virgo below.



—

Photo: Amazon Prime / Youtube

07 Mar 2023

ROSALÍA Wins First-Ever Producer of the Year Award Presented by Bose

The Billboard Women in Music Awards returned to YouTube Theater in Los Angeles on March 1, 2023. Emmy-winning writer/actress Quinta Brunson hosted the ceremony honoring the innovative women who are shaping music today. 

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This year, Billboard and Bose teamed up to create the first-ever Producer of the Year Award. During Quinta Brunson’s introduction of the award presentation she debuted Bose’s “Turn The Dial” campaign, which was created to shed light on the jarring statistics of gender inequity in music and drive an industry commitment to closing the gap.

Lila Snyder at Billboard Women In Music held at YouTube Theater on March 1, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Bose CEO Lila Snyder at Billboard Women In Music held at YouTube Theater on March 1, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Gilbert Flores for Billboard

“The latest study from Dr. Stacy Smith’s Inclusionists initiative at USC Annenberg, which examines gender parity in the music industry, was just released and the stats do not tell a good story. Across 8 years, and 800 songs, only 2.8% of all producers were women, while 97.1% were men. That’s a ratio of 34.1 men to every one woman. And 94.8% of the songs examined didn’t have even one woman producer credited!”

Brunson also gave a shout-out to Bose CEO Lila Snyder for her work as a woman CEO in spaces that are often dominated by men. Snyder was interviewed by Billboard Music Publishing Reporter Kristin Robinson on the red carpet. The industry won’t see true change until more women across all positions in music are able to be heard.

In 2019, Rosalía was honored with the Billboard Women in Music Rising Star Award. But in addition to her skills as a singer, songwriter and dancer, Rosalía also produces music. Since her first win at Women in Music, ROSALÍA has evolved into one of the most dynamic, versatile artists in the world. She has production credits on some of her biggest tracks and latest hits, including SAOKO and Despecha, her first solo Hot 100 hit. In addition to using her voice to create music, she’s been outspoken about the bias against women producers in the industry.

Rosalía and WondaGurl at Billboard Women In Music held at YouTube Theater on March 1, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Rosalía and WondaGurl at Billboard Women In Music held at YouTube Theater on March 1, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Michael Buckner for Billboard

After thanking God, her family, and her team, ROSALÍA made sure Women in Music viewers understood the work it took to become a great producer. Producers don’t typically receive the same praise as artists and ROSALÍA highlighted this in her acceptance speech. 

“A producer’s job is a job in the shadow, it’s not very fun … it’s 15 hours a day working on a sound. It comes from love and obsession and that’s why you stay in that small room with no windows while everyone else is living life and doing regular human s–t, while we are in the studio for hours and hours looking for the perfect snare.”

WondaGurl at Billboard Women In Music held at YouTube Theater on March 1, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

WondaGurl at Billboard Women In Music held at YouTube Theater on March 1, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Brandon Todd for Billboard

She cited iconic women producers like Björk and Missy Elliot as early sources of inspiration and dedicated the award to the next generation of women producers. 

The Producer of the Year Award is just one of the many ways Bose is showing up for women in music production. Bose’s Turn the Dial campaign includes interviews with four iconic women producers such as H.E.R., WondaGurl, PinkPantheress, and Blondish. WondaGurl was in attendance at Women in Music to present the Producer of the Year Award to ROSALÍA. Check out Bose’s Turn the Dial campaign here and stay tuned for more content from Billboard and Bose. 

07 Mar 2023

Hot 100 First-Timers: Justin Quiles, Angel Dior & Carla Morrison Debut With Karol G Collabs

Justin Quiles, Ángel Dior and Carla Morrison all score their first career entries on the Billboard Hot 100 (dated March 11), thanks to their appearances on Karol G’s new album, Mañana Será Bonito.

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The set debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, becoming the first all-Spanish-language leader by a woman in the list’s history. The only other all-Spanish-language No. 1s are Bad Bunny’s El Ultimo Tour del Mundo and Un Verano Sin Ti.

Quiles and Dior both appear on Karol G’s “Ojos Ferrari.” The song starts at No. 95 on the Hot 100 with 5.5 million official U.S. streams in the Feb. 24-March 2 tracking week (its opening week), according to Luminate.

Quiles has been a regular visitor to Billboard’s charts over the past decade. He notched his first entry in November 2013, when “Orgullo” debuted on Latin Rhythm Airplay. Since then, he’s upped his count to 16 Hot Latin Songs hits, reaching as high as No. 11 with 2020’s “Porfa,” with Feid, J Balvin, Maluma, Nicky Jam and Sech.

The Puerto Rican-American reggaeton artist has also charted 15 songs on the Latin Airplay chart, including three No. 1s: “Porfa”; “Loco,” with Chimbala and Zion & Lennox; and “Medallo,” with Blessd and Lenny Tavarez.

Quiles has also sent four titles onto the Top Latin Albums chart, including two top 10s in 2016: La Promesa (No. 2) and Imperio Nazza: Justin Quiles Edition (No. 9).

Dior is brand new to Billboard’s charts, as “Ojos Ferrari” marks the Dominican singer’s first chart appearance. Dior has also collaborated on songs with Rauw Alejandro, Chimbala and El Alfa, among others.

Carla Morrison is credited on the title track on Karol G’s new LP, new at No. 98. The Mexican singer first appeared on a Billboard chart in 2013, as her album Déjenme Llorar reached No. 15 on Latin Pop Albums. She’s charted one additional album since: Amor Supremo crowned Latin Pop Albums and hit No. 4 on Top Latin Albums in 2015. The sets earned Morrison Grammy nominations for best Latin rock, urban or alternative album in 2013 and 2017, respectively.

Morrison has also garnered 10 Latin Grammy Award nominations, bringing home three trophies, for best alternative music album in 2012 for Déjenme Llorar and best alternative song in 2012 and 2016 for “Déjenme Llorar” and “Vez Primera,” respectively.

Morrison is currently on the U.S. leg of her El Renacimiento Tour.