News
Page: 51
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: DUTCH/Bauer-Griffin / Getty
If you’ve been keeping up with the political landscape as of late you’d know that Nazism has seemingly made a comeback and while many are denying that the fascist ideology has any influence on their beliefs, Kanye West has no problem embracing the title and is in fact looking to profit from it.
Weeks after debuting his new line of T-shirts featuring swastikas on his website, yesterday (Feb. 27), Kanye West once again took his infatuation with Hitler’s infamous movement to another level when he took to X to showcase his latest Nazi-inspired brainchild: an diamond encrusted swastika. You read that right, Kanye debuted what he would want an iced-out swastika to look like on his page and asked potentially interested jewelers to submit their own designs writing, “For all jewelers I’m looking for swastika chain designs. Please submit to swastachain@yeezy.com.”
https://x.com/kanyewest/status/1895180246099669350
We would say “that man needs Jesus” but Nazi’s were known to be mostly “Christians” so that probably wouldn’t help in this matter.
While many people were outraged that Kanye continues to take his antisemitism views to new extremes, others mostly are chalking this up to “Ye being Ye” at this point as he continues to seemingly spiral down a hole of hate, bigotry, anger, and porn? The man is basically single-handedly out MAGAing the most faithful of MAGA cult members out there, and we just aren’t surprised anymore.
Still, he’ll continue to somehow justify his Nazism and die on that hill. He later tweeted how “NIGGAS RAP ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY KILLED BUT THEY SCARED TO WEAR A SWASTIKA T SHIRT CAUSE THEY LABELS AND MANAGERS AND STREAMING SERVICES AND TOURING COMPANIES MOB UP TO STOP N*GGAS MONEY NOBODY BETTER NEVER SAY SH*T TO ME ABOUT MY T SHIRT,” before ended it with, “WHITE PEOPLE WHO ARE AGAINST THE SWASTIKA DON’T WANT TO HAVE A CONVO ABOUT BLACK ABORTION.”
https://x.com/kanyewest/status/1895353780276994411
Nah, we’ll just go ahead and say it, that man needs Jesus. Black Jesus. Just sayin’.
https://x.com/kanyewest/status/1895433905425219991
Lord only knows if Kanye will ever return to being the old Kanye, but from the looks of things, that’s not happening anytime soon and even if he somehow miraculously snapped out of his Nazi state of mind, would his fans and the world ever get past this MAGA version of Kanye West? We may never know.
What do y’all think about Kanye trying to get an diamond encrusted swastika out there? Let us know in the comments section below.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Bill Pugliano / Getty
The Black residents of a town in Ohio have formed an armed watch after neo-Nazis attempted to march nearby and Ku Klux Klan flyers appeared there.
Residents in the historically Black community of Lincoln Heights, Ohio, have formed an armed watch to protect themselves after a group of neo-Nazis attempted to march nearby before being chased off, in addition to flyers from the Ku Klux Klan being found in the area. Members of the town mobilized after the neo-Nazis rallied on the border of Lincoln Heights and another Cincinnati suburb, Evandale on Feb. 7. The confrontations on the I-75 bridge, which saw residents chase the group off, were caught on video.
“An American individual protecting his homeland with a firearm — I thought that was the most American thing that we [could] do,” said Lincoln Heights Safety and Watch (SAW) Program spokesman Daronce Daniels in an interview with the Washington Post. The group has set up checkpoints around Lincoln Heights and is armed per Ohio’s open-carry firearms law. In a press conference held Monday (Feb. 24), the group shared flyers they claimed were distributed throughout Lincoln Heights and neighboring towns touting the 160th anniversary of the Klan. They also shared video footage showing members of the watch catching a man tossing the flyers from his car the previous evening at a traffic stop. The footage was shared with the Local 12 news network.
The SAW group along with the nonprofit Heights Movement also laid out a list of demands for leaders of Evandale to find a new firm to conduct a third-party investigation into the thwarted neo-Nazi rally after Lincoln Heights Mayor Ruby Kinsey Mumphrey stated she was shut out of the process. The demands also call for the firing of Evandale police officers who aided members of the group (including one who drove a member to his car to retrieve his service animal) and those who didn’t activate their body cameras as well as the surrender of all the unedited bodycam footage from that day.
The residents of Lincoln Heights, which dates back to the 1920s, state that their primary concern is for the youth of the town. “The way I found out that the Nazis were in my neighborhood was through children,” said DeRonda Calhoun, a teacher in the area. “They were afraid.” The Heights Movement did state that they secured funds for mental health services available to those children who requested it.
Benson Boone wasn’t on hand to perform at a birthday celebration for Mark Zuckerberg‘s wife, philanthropist Priscilla Chan, so the Meta CEO simply decided to do it himself. In a truly wild video posted to Zuckerberg’s Instagram Friday (Feb. 28), he jumps on stage at a black-tie party honoring his better half and spreads out […]
LISA is opening up about a negative side of fame.
The BLACKPINK superstar joined Thai radio talk show WOODY FM this week, where she recalled a particularly scary moment with a boundary-pushing fan. “I’ve never shared this before,” she said. “Last year, it was the first time I actually experienced [stalkers] myself. I’ve heard a lot about it from other idol friends, mostly from male idols. But it just happened to me.”
She continued, “Usually, when my flight lands in South Korea, fans will be there waiting at the airport. That’s normal, and I appreciate that they come. But when I got home, I saw them waiting. So I told that person, ‘I’m really not comfortable with this. If you want to see me, let’s meet somewhere public. Showing up like this at my house, I feel uncomfortable.’”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Thankfully, the superstar noted that things did not escalate further from there and that she is safe.
Trending on Billboard
Despite the scary situation, LISA has reached a lot of positive milestones in recent months. The singer has officially made her foray into the acting world, taking on the role of Mook in the third season of HBO’s The White Lotus.
She also unveiled on Friday (Feb. 28) her long awaited debut solo album, complete with 15 new tracks and collaborations from Megan Thee Stallion, Future, Tyla and more. The project features the previously released singles “Rockstar,” “New Woman” featuring Rosalía, “Moonlit Floor (Kiss Me)” and “Born Again” with Doja Cat and RAYE.
LISA will soon be reuniting with BLACKPINK, as the foursome announced a summer 2025 world tour earlier this month. It’ll mark the ladies’ first trek together since 2022-2023’s Born Pink World Tour, which supported Billboard 200-topper Born Pink.
Now that A$AP Rocky was found not guilty of shooting his former friend A$AP Relli, he can focus on releasing his long-awaited fourth solo album Don’t Be Dumb. While sitting down to talk with GQ about his creative director role with eyewear maker Ray-Ban, the Harlem rapper gave fans updates on his album and his […]
Selena Gomez is turning up the heat on her next song with Benny Blanco. On Friday (Feb. 28), the singer/actress shared a teaser for a sultry new song titled “Talk” that is expected to appear on the couple’s upcoming joint album I Said I Love You First. In the clip, she sits in a car […]
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
The 2025 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells is a two-week tennis tournament in Southern California. It features the best and bright stars in tennis, including Coco Gauff, Taylor Fritz, Aryna Sabalenka and others.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
You can catch all of the tennis action live broadcasting from the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California starting on Sunday, March 2. The tennis tournament ends on Sunday, March 16. Check out a complete Indian Wells Open competition schedule here.
Keep reading for ways to watch and stream from anywhere without cable.
Where to Watch the 2024 Indian Wells Open From Anywhere
The 2025 Indian Wells is available on on the Tennis Channel and T2.
The Tennis Channel and T2 will broadcast the Indian Wells Open, including the semifinals and finals, with all coverage accessible for streaming on TennisChannel.com and the Tennis Channel app. Check out a complete Indian Wells Open TV schedule here.
For those without cable, streaming services, like Fubo and DirecTV Stream offer excellent streaming options for Tennis Channel and TV. Both of these services provide a free trial upon signing up and offer access to numerous cable channels, such as ESPN, Fox, ABC, Nickelodeon, MSNBC, Fox Sports, AMC, HGTV, Lifetime, BET, CNN, Disney Channel, E!, Fox News, IFC, Weather Channel and many others.
Fubo starts at $59.99 for your first month of service and $84.99 per month afterwards with more than 210 channels, unlimited cloud DVR, up to 10 screen at the same time and other benefits. Learn more about Fubo here.
Meanwhile, you can use ExpressVPN to access streaming platforms and channels from outside the U.S.
Looking for an alternative option? The Tennis Channel is part of the Sling Sports Extra add-on for an additional $11 per month with any of the streaming service’s plans, which starts at $23 for your first month of service ($45.99 afterwards).
And since the tennis tournament is located in Southern California, it’s likely that celebrity tennis fans, like Shakira, Justin Timberlake, Zendaya, Lil Wayne, Pink and others, may be in attendance in the city of Indian Wells. The only to find out is to tune in.
Starting on Sunday, March 2, you can watch Indian Wells Open 2025 on Tennis Channel and T2 with Fubo and DirecTV Stream.
Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
The Damian Lillard and GloRilla saga took another turn this week when Dame’s Milwaukee Bucks teammate, Giannis Antetokounmpo, teased Lillard during a press conference by singing some of Big Glo’s lyrics.
Giannis loudly rapped bars from Glo and Sexyy Red’s “Whatchu Kno About Me” collab in the background of Lillard’s presser following the Bucks’ loss to the Houston Rockets on Tuesday.
“Big G-L-O in that GLE,” the Greek Freak can be heard rapping. Dame initially ignored his teammate to finish answering a question before he couldn’t hold it in any longer. “This dude is crazy, man,” Lillard replied. “I knew it, I knew it,” Giannnis said with a childlike innocence.
Trending on Billboard
It’s unclear if Giannis is familiar with the backstory of Dame and Glo’s relationship, as the Bucks star previously rapped lyrics from GELO’s “Tweaker” during a Lillard presser earlier in February.
Glo and Dame — who raps under the alias Dame D.O.L.L.A. — linked up for the first time at All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis last February. The Memphis rapper proceeded to shoot her shot when commenting on their photo together. “Who n—a dis is? Cause I want him #GetEmGlo,” she wrote before adding, “Whoever she is can’t whoop me so I really dgaf.”
The 34-year-old hooper filed for divorce from his estranged wife Kay’la Lillard last fall, and he’s kept his relationships out of the spotlight since being shipped from Portland to the Milwaukee Bucks prior to the start of the 2023-24 season.
Lillard downplayed his friendship with Glo being anything romantic during the Milwaukee Bucks’ media day in September. “I’m weak. That is hilarious. Nah, I keep my personal life personal, you know? And I let it be that. I respect her as an artist,” he replied. “We know each other, she’s an artist, I’m an artist. But as far as anything else, it ain’t nothing going on. That’s what I can tell you.”
In November, GloRilla claimed she was single and planned to remain celibate until marriage. “Single & celibate until God send me my husband,” she wrote.
Watch the clip below.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Rich Fury/VF22 / Getty
According to Variety Magazine, Diddy is facing four more sexual assault lawsuits as the lookback window for the Gender-Motivated Violence Act is about to close on March 1.
The new suits accuse him of drugging and sexually assaulting the plaintiffs, claiming they were forced into sex acts without consent. These lawsuits were filed under the act, which allows survivors of gender-based violence to file claims for incidents that happened years ago but were outside the statute of limitations until now. New legal battles come with serious allegations, with the accusers saying they were manipulated, drugged, and assaulted by Diddy in past encounters.
These lawsuits are part of a larger trend, as victims of sexual violence in the entertainment industry are now able to take legal action, according to the Gender-Motivated Violence Act, which opened a window for claims to be made even after the usual time limits have passed. As the clock runs out on the March 1 deadline, Diddy’s facing more legal heat. These accusations are just the latest in a growing list of sexual assault claims against him, and they’ve got people talking about the deeper issues of abuse and power in the industry.
With the lookback window closing, it’s a critical time for survivors to seek justice, and Diddy could be in for some tough legal battles ahead as these cases move forward. More news to come as the story develops.
Though the RIAA has yet to release revenue numbers for recorded music in the U.S. in 2024, early returns from a handful of international markets are in — and they show that digital revenue maintained or gained momentum last year while physical sales slowed from 2023.
In Germany, the world’s fourth-largest recorded music market, total revenue grew 7.8% to 2.38 billion euros ($2.53 billion) in 2024, trade group Bundesverband Musikindustrie announced earlier this week. That was an improvement on the 6.3% gain seen in 2023 and the 6.1% gain in 2022. Notably, audio streaming, which accounted for 78% of total revenue, grew 12.6% to 1.86 billion euros ($1.98 billion), an improvement on the 7.9% gain in 2023 but below the 14.0% spike seen in 2022.
The full year ended with the same momentum Germany established in the first half of 2024. Through June, total revenue was up 7.6% and audio streaming was up 12.7%, while physical sales — which were down 11.9% through June — improved in the second half of the year, leading to a less-drastic 7.4% drop below 2023 revenue.
Trending on Billboard
On the physical front, Germany’s vinyl sales improved 9.4% to 153 million euros ($163 billion) in 2024, accounting for 6.4% of total revenue — though they cooled a bit from 2023, when sales increased 12.6%. However, CD sales fell 17.1% to 207 million euros ($220 million) last year, a markedly steeper decline than the 5.9% drop seen in 2023.
In Spain, recorded music revenue grew 9.4% to 569 million euros ($606 million), according to Promusicae, the country’s trade association for the record industry. That was down from growth rates of 12.4% and 12.3% in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Audio streaming totaled 376 million euros, up 14.1% year over year, and accounted for 66% of total revenue. But just as in Germany, physical sales plummeted. Total physical sales fell 13.3% to 54 million euros ($57 million), with vinyl sales sinking 4% after jumping 19.4% in 2023. Meanwhile, CD sales dropped 25.4%, a much sharper decline than in 2023 (when they were down 1.3%) and comparable to 2022 (down 29.2%).
The Spanish market slowed considerably in the second half of the year, leading to end-of-year gains that were six to seven percentage points lower than mid-year results. Through June, total revenue was up 16.6%, while the year finished with a smaller 9.4% gain. Digital revenue fell from an 18.8% gain at the mid-year mark to a 12.6% gain at the end of the year, and vinyl sales were up 11.9% in June but finished the year down 4% — a nearly 16-percentage point swing.
In Japan, the world’s second-largest recorded music market, physical audio sales rose 2% to 148.96 billion yen ($985 million), a worse showing than in 2023 (when they were up 8%) and 2022 (up 5%), according to the RIAJ. And physical music video sales fell 21% to 90.5 billion yen ($598 million), which brought the total physical market down 8% from 2023.
The RIAJ has not yet published year-end digital numbers, though total digital revenue was up 5% and streaming revenue was up 7% through the third quarter. Japan is unlike most music markets in that physical formats remain the dominant moneymakers. Through September, streaming revenue accounted for 35% of total revenue while physical sales — mostly audio formats — accounted for the remaining 65%.
In the U.S., another data point arrived Thursday (Feb. 27) when ASCAP announced that revenue increased 5.7% to $1.84 billion in 2024, with domestic royalties up 5.3% to $1.4 billion and foreign receipts growing 6.8% to $483 million.
As for U.S. recorded music numbers, RIAA figures are likely to be released in March, assuming the organization sticks to prior timings of its release. Mid-year RIAA data showed the U.S. market increased 3.9% to $8.69 billion, with paid streaming improving 5.1% to $5.22 billion. Physical revenue rose 12.7% and was driven by a 17% increase in vinyl sales. Year-end numbers should benefit from Spotify’s U.S. price increase in July.
The IFPI’s release of 2024 global figures, with a country-by-country breakdown, will offer a more complete picture of global trend lines and reveal how the U.S. fared against other nations. That report is typically released each March.