News

Beyoncé & Kendrick Lamar Lead Music Nominations for 2023 NAACP Image Awards

Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar are the top music nominees for the 2023 NAACP Image Awards, with five nods each. Chris Brown and Tems are next in line with four nods, followed by Drake with three.

Beyoncé and Lamar are both nominated for outstanding album, for Renaissance and Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, respectively. The other three album of the year nominees are Ari Lennox’s age/sex/location, Brown’s Breezy (Deluxe) and PJ Morton’s Watch the Sun.

Mary J. Blige received two nominations, including one for entertainer of the year. Notably, all five of the nominees in that marquee category are women. Blige is competing in that category with Angela Bassett, Quinta Brunson, Viola Davis and Zendaya.

Adam Blackstone, who won a Primetime Emmy last year as music director of the Super Bowl halftime show, is nominated for outstanding new artist and outstanding jazz album – vocal for Legacy.

The other nominees for outstanding new artist are Armani White, Coco Jones, Fivio Foreign and Steve Lacy, whose “Bad Habit” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks late last year.

In non-music categories, the embattled Will Smith is nominated for outstanding actor in a motion picture for his performance in Emancipation.

Music stars who are nominated in motion picture categories include Janelle Monáe, nominated for outstanding supporting actress in a motion picture for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Netflix); Ledisi, nominated for outstanding breakthrough performance in a motion picture for Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story; Yola, nominated in that same category for Elvis; and Cliff “Method Man” Smith, nominated for outstanding supporting actor in a motion picture for On the Come Up.

Music stars who are nominated in TV and streaming categories include  Donald Glover (Childish Gambino on records), nominated for outstanding actor in a comedy series for Atlanta;Sheryl Lee Ralph, nominated for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series for Abbott Elementary; Queen Latifah, nominated for outstanding actress in a drama series for The Equalizer; Zendaya, nominated in that same category for Euphoria; Cliff “Method Man” Smith, nominated for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series for Power Book II: Ghost; Willow Smith, nominated for outstanding host in a talk or news/information (series or special) – individual or ensemble for Red Table Talk; and Jennifer Hudson, nominated in that same category for The Jennifer Hudson Show.

Still more music stars who are nominated in TV and streaming categories include Keke Palmer, nominated for outstanding host in a reality/reality competition, game show or variety (series or special) – individual or ensemble for Password; Lizzo, nominated in that same category for Watch Out for the Big Grrls; Chance the Rapper, nominated for outstanding guest performance for South Side; Billy Porter, nominated for outstanding character voice-over performance (television) for The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder; and Chris Bridges (Ludacris on records), nominated in that same category for Karma’s World.

In addition, Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls is nominated for outstanding reality program, reality competition or game show (series); Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues for outstanding documentary (film); Sacha Jenkins for outstanding directing in a documentary (television or motion picture) for directing the Armstrong film; and Kasi Lemons for outstanding directing in a motion picture for directing the Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

The NAACP Image Awards are presented in 10 broad categories – recording, motion pictures, TV & streaming, documentary, writing, directing, literary, podcast, costume design, make-up and hairstyling and outstanding social media.

The NAACP and BET announced the nominees in four categories (outstanding actor in a motion picture, outstanding actress in a motion picture, outstanding international song and entertainer of the year) on CBS Mornings on Thursday (Jan. 12). All nominations can be found on the NAACP Image Awards Instagram page (@naacapimageawards).

Voting is now open to determine the winners at www.naacpimageawards.net. Voting closes on Feb. 10. Winners will be revealed during the 54th NAACP Image Awards telecast on Feb. 25 on BET. NAACP will also recognize winners in non-televised categories Feb. 20-24, streaming on www.naacpimageawards.net.

ABC and Netflix lead the pack with 28 and 15 nominations respectively, according to BET. Netflix and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever lead nominations across the motion picture categories with 15 and 12 nominations respectively. ABC and Abbott Elementary received the most nods in the television + streaming categories with 28 and nine nods respectively. RCA Records / RCA Inspiration received the most nods across record labels (11).

Here’s a full list of the nominations in recording, motion pictures, television & streaming, documentary, writing and directing categories. For nominations in literary; podcast; costume design, make-up and hairstyling; and outstanding social media categories, go to the NAACP Image Awards Instagram page.

Entertainer of the year

Angela Bassett

Mary J. Blige

Quinta Brunson

Viola Davis

Zendaya

RECORDING CATEGORIES

Outstanding album

age/sex/location – Ari Lennox (Dreamville/Interscope Records)

Breezy (Deluxe) – Chris Brown (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)

Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers – Kendrick Lamar (pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records)

Renaissance – Beyoncé (Parkwood/Columbia Records)

Watch the Sun – PJ Morton (Morton Records)

Outstanding soul/R&B song

“About Damn Time” – Lizzo (Atlantic Records)

“Cuff It” – Beyoncé (Columbia Record/Parkwood Entertainment)

“Good Morning Gorgeous” Remix – Mary J. Blige feat. H.E.R. (300)

“Hurt Me So Good” – Jazmine Sullivan (RCA Records)

“Lift Me Up” – Rihanna (Def Jam Recordings)

Outstanding hip hop/rap song 

“Billie Eilish” – Armani White (Def Jam Recordings)

“City of Gods” – Fivio Foreign (Columbia Records)

“Hotel Lobby” – Quavo, Takeoff (Motown Records/Quality Control Music)

“The Heart Part 5” – Kendrick Lamar (pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records)

“Wait for U” – Future feat. Drake and Tems (Epic Records)

Outstanding male artist

Brent Faiyaz – Wasteland (Lost Kids)

Burna Boy – Love, Damini (Atlantic Records)

Chris Brown – Breezy (Deluxe) (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)

Drake – Honestly, Nevermind (OVO/Republic Records)

Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records)

Outstanding female artist

Ari Lennox – age/sex/location (Dreamville/Interscope Records)

Beyoncé – Renaissance (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment)

Chlöe – Surprise (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment)

Jazmine Sullivan – Hurt Me So Good (RCA Records)

SZA – S.O.S. (RCA Records/Top Dawg Entertainment)

Outstanding duo, group or collaboration (traditional) 

Kendrick Lamar feat. Blxst & Amanda Reifer – “Die Hard” (pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records)

Mary J. Blige feat. H.E.R. – “Good Morning Gorgeous” remix (300)

PJ Morton feat. Alex Isley and Jill Scott – “Still Believe” (Morton Records)

Silk Sonic – “Love’s Train” (Atlantic Records)

Summer Walker, Cardi B, and SZA – “No Love” (LVRN/Interscope Records

Outstanding duo, group or collaboration (contemporary) 

Beyoncé feat. Grace Jones and Tems – “Move” (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment)

Chris Brown feat. Wizkid – “Call Me Every Day” (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)

City Girls feat. Usher – “Good Love” (Motown Records/Quality Control Music)

Future feat. Drake and Tems – “Wait for U” (Epic Records)

Latto feat. Mariah Carey and DJ Khaled – “Big Energy” remix (RCA Records)

Outstanding new artist

Adam Blackstone – Legacy (BASSic Black Entertainment Records/Anderson Music Group/Empire)

Armani White – “Billie Eilish” (Def Jam Recordings)

Coco Jones – “ICU” (Def Jam Recordings)

Fivio Foreign – B.I.B.L.E (Columbia Records)

Steve Lacy – Gemini Rights (RCA Records)

Outstanding music video/visual album

“About Damn Time” – Lizzo (Atlantic Records)

“Be Alive” – Beyoncé (Columbia Records/ Parkwood Entertainment)

“Lift Me Up” – Rihanna (Def Jam Recordings)

“Lord Forgive Me” feat. Fat, Pharrell and Olu of Earthgang – Tobe Nwigwe (The Good Stewards Collective)

“The Heart Part 5” – Kendrick Lamar (pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records)

Outstanding soundtrack/compilation album

Black Panther: Wakanda ForeverMusic From and Inspired By – Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Archie Davis and Dave Jordan (Hollywood Records)

Bridgerton Season Two (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series) – Kris Bowers (Capitol Records)

Entergalactic – Kid Cudi (Republic Records)

P-Valley: Season 2 (Music From the Original TV Series) – Various Artists (Lions Gate Records)

The Woman King – Terence Blanchard (Milan Records)

Outstanding international song

“Bad to Me” – Wizkid (RCA Records/Starboy/Sony Music International)

“Diana” – Fireboy DML, Chris Brown, Shenseea (YBNL Nation / EMPIRE)

“Last Last” – Burna Boy (Atlantic Records)

“No Woman No Cry” – Tems (Def Jam Recordings)

“Stand Strong” – Davido feat. Sunday Service Choir (RCA Records/Sony Music UK)

Outstanding gospel/Christian album 

All Things New – Tye Tribbett (Motown Gospel)

Hymns – Tasha Cobbs Leonard (Motown Gospel)

Kingdom Book One – Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin (Tribl Records, Fo Yo Soul Recordings and RCA Inspiration)

My Life – James Fortune (FIYA World/MNRK Music Group)

The Urban Hymnal – Tennessee State University (TSU/Tymple)

Outstanding gospel/Christian song 

“All in Your Hands” – Marvin Sapp (Elev8 Media & Entertainment LLC)

“Fly (Y.M.M.F.)” – Tennessee State University (TSU/Tymple)

“Positive” – Erica Campbell (My Block Inc.)

“Whole World in His Hands” – MAJOR. (MNRK Music Group)

“Your World” – Jonathan McReynolds (MNRK Music Group)

Outstanding jazz album – instrumental

Detour – Boney James (Concord Records)

JID014 (Jazz Is Dead) – Henry Franklin, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Adrian Younge

The Funk Will Prevail – Kaelin Ellis (NCH Music)

The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni – Javon Jackson (Solid Jackson Records)

Thrill Ride – Ragan Whiteside (Randis Music)

Outstanding jazz album – vocal

Legacy – Adam Blackstone (BASSic Black Entertainment Records / Anderson Music Group / Empire)

Linger Awhile – Samara Joy (Verve Records)

Love and the Catalyst – Aimée Allen (Azuline)

New Standards Vol. 1 – Terri Lyne Carrington (Candid Records)

The Evening : Live at Apparatus – The Baylor Project (Be A Light)

MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES

Outstanding motion picture

A Jazzman’s Blues (Netflix)

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

Emancipation (Apple TV)

The Woman King (Sony Pictures Releasing)

TILL (United Artists Releasing/Orion Pictures)

Outstanding actor in a motion picture

Daniel Kaluuya – Nope (Universal Pictures)

Jonathan Majors – Devotion (Sony Pictures Entertainment)

Joshua Boone – A Jazzman’s Blues (Netflix)

Sterling K. Brown – Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul (Focus Features)

Will Smith – Emancipation (Apple)

Outstanding actress in a motion picture

Danielle Deadwyler – TILL (United Artists Releasing/Orion Pictures)

Keke Palmer – Alice (Vertical Entertainment)

Letitia Wright – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

Regina Hall – Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul (Focus Features)

Viola Davis – The Woman King (Sony Pictures Releasing)

Outstanding supporting actor in a motion picture

Aldis Hodge – Black Adam (Warner Bros. Pictures / New Line Cinema)

Cliff “Method Man” Smith – On the Come Up (Paramount Pictures)

Jalyn Hall – TILL (United Artists Releasing/Orion Pictures)

John Boyega – The Woman King (Sony Pictures Releasing)

Tenoch Huerta – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

Outstanding supporting actress in a motion picture

Angela Bassett – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

Danai Gurira – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

Janelle Monáe – Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Netflix)

Lashana Lynch – The Woman King (Sony Pictures Releasing)

Lupita Nyong’o – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

Outstanding independent motion picture

Breaking (Bleecker Street)

Causeway (Apple TV)

Mr. Malcolm’s List (Bleecker Street)

Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story (Hulu)

The Inspection (A24)

Outstanding international motion picture

Athena (Netflix)

Bantú Mama (ARRAY)

Broker (NEON)

Learn to Swim (ARRAY)

The Silent Twins (Focus Features)

Outstanding breakthrough performance in a motion picture

Jalyn Hall – TILL (United Artists Releasing/Orion Pictures)

Joshua Boone – A Jazzman’s Blues (Netflix)

Ledisi – Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story (Hulu)

Y’lan Noel – A Lot of Nothing (RLJE)

Yola – Elvis (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding ensemble cast in a motion picture 

A Jazzman’s Blues (Netflix)

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

Emancipation (Apple TV)

The Woman King (Sony Pictures Entertainment)

TILL (United Artists Releasing/Orion Pictures)

Outstanding animated motion picture

DC League of Super-Pets (Warner Bros. Pictures / WAG / DC)

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix)

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (Universal Pictures)

Turning Red (Pixar Animation Studios)

Wendell & Wild (Netflix)

Outstanding character voice-over performance – motion picture

Angela Bassett – Wendell & Wild (Netflix)

Keke Palmer – Lightyear (Walt Disney Studios)

Kevin Hart – DC League of Super-Pets (Warner Bros. Pictures / WAG / DC)

Lyric Ross – Wendell & Wild (Netflix)

Taraji P. Henson – Minions: The Rise of Gru (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding short-form (live action)

Dear Mama… (Film Independent)

Fannie (Chromatic Black)

Fathead (University of Southern California)

Incomplete (20th Century Digital, Hulu)

Pens & Pencils (Wavelength Productions/Black TV & Film Collective)

Outstanding short-form (animated)

I Knew Superman (Houghtonville Animation)

More Than I Want to Remember (MTV Entertainment Studios)

Supercilious (York Cinemas)

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse (Apple Studios)

We Are Here (271 Films)

Outstanding breakthrough creative (motion picture)

Elvis Mitchell – Is That Black Enough for You?!? (Netflix)

Ericka Nicole Malone – Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story (Hulu)

Krystin Ver Linden – Alice (Vertical Entertainment)

Mo McRae – A Lot of Nothing (RLJE)

Stephen Adetumbi, Jarrett Roseborough – This Is My Black (Campus of Pine Forge Academy)

TELEVISION + STREAMING CATEGORIES

Outstanding comedy series

Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Atlanta (FX)

black-ish (ABC)

Rap Sh!t (HBO Max)

The Wonder Years (ABC)

Outstanding actor in a comedy series

Anthony Anderson – black-ish (ABC)

Cedric The Entertainer – The Neighborhood (CBS)

Donald Glover – Atlanta (FX)

Dulé Hill – The Wonder Years (ABC)

Mike Epps – The Upshaws (Netflix)

Outstanding actress in a comedy series

Loretta Devine – Family Reunion (Netflix)

Maya Rudolph – Loot (Apple TV+)

Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Tichina Arnold – The Neighborhood (CBS)

Tracee Ellis Ross – black-ish (ABC)

Outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series

Brian Tyree Henry – Atlanta (FX)

Deon Cole – black-ish (ABC)

Kenan Thompson – Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

William Stanford Davis – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series

Janelle James – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Jenifer Lewis – black-ish (ABC)

Marsai Martin – black-ish (ABC)

Sheryl Lee Ralph – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Wanda Sykes – The Upshaws (Netflix)

Outstanding drama series

Bel-Air (Peacock)

Bridgerton (Netflix)

Euphoria (HBO Max)

P-Valley (Starz)

Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Outstanding actor in a drama series

Damson Idris – Snowfall (FX)

Jabari Banks – Bel-Air (Peacock)

Kofi Siriboe – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Nicco Annan – P-Valley (Starz)

Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us (NBC)

Outstanding actress in a drama series

Angela Bassett – 9-1-1 (FOX)

Brandee Evans – P-Valley (Starz)

Queen Latifah – The Equalizer (CBS)

Rutina Wesley – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Zendaya – Euphoria (HBO Max)

Outstanding supporting actor in a drama series

Adrian Holmes – Bel-Air (Peacock)

Amin Joseph – Snowfall (FX)

Caleb McLaughlin – Stranger Things (Netflix)

Cliff “Method Man” Smith – Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)

J. Alphonse Nicholson – P-Valley (Starz)

Outstanding supporting actress in a drama series

Adjoa Andoh – Bridgerton (Netflix)

Bianca Lawson – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Loretta Devine – P-Valley (Starz)

Susan Kelechi Watson – This Is Us (NBC)

Tina Lifford – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Outstanding television movie, limited-series or dramatic special

Carl Weber’s The Black Hamptons (BET Networks)

From Scratch (Netflix)

The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV+)

Women of the Movement (ABC)

Outstanding actor in a television movie, limited-series or dramatic special

Morris Chestnut – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)

Samuel L. Jackson  – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV+)

Terrence Howard – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)

Trevante Rhodes – Mike (Hulu)

Wendell Pierce – Don’t Hang Up (Bounce TV)

Outstanding actress in a television movie, limited-series or dramatic special

Niecy Nash-Betts – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix)

Regina Hall – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)

Sanaa Lathan – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)

Viola Davis – The First Lady (Showtime)

Zoe Saldaña – From Scratch (Netflix)

Outstanding supporting actor in a television movie, limited-series or dramatic special

Glynn Turman – Women of the Movement (ABC)

Keith David – From Scratch (Netflix)

Omar Benson Miller – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV+)

Russell Hornsby – Mike (Hulu)

Terrence “TC” Carson – A Wesley Christmas (AMC)

Outstanding supporting actress in a television movie, limited-series or dramatic special

Alexis Floyd –  Inventing Anna (Netflix)

Danielle Deadwyler – From Scratch (Netflix)

Melissa De Sousa – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)

Nia Long – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)

Phylicia Rashad – Little America (Apple TV+)

Outstanding news/information (series or special)

#RolandMartinUnfiltered: Black Votes Matter Election Night 2022 Coverage (Black Star Network/YouTube)

ABC News 20/20 Michelle Obama: The Light We Carry, A Conversation with Robin Roberts (ABC)

Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (PBS)

OWN Spotlight: Viola Davis – The Woman King (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

The Hair Tales (Hulu)

Outstanding talk series

Hart to Heart (Peacock)

Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch)

Sherri (Syndicated)

Tamron Hall (ABC)

Uninterrupted: The Shop (YouTube)

Outstanding reality program, reality competition or game show (series)

Legendary (HBO Max)

Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls (Amazon Studios)

Shark Tank (ABC)

Sweet Life: Los Angeles (HBO Max)

The Real Housewives of Atlanta (Bravo)

Outstanding variety show (series or special) 

A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO Max)

BET Awards 2022 (BET Networks)

Deon Cole: Charleen’s Boy (Netflix)

Martin: The Reunion (BET Networks)

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)

Outstanding children’s program

Family Reunion (Netflix)

Raising Dion (Netflix)

Raven’s Home (Disney+)

Tab Time (YouTube Originals)

Waffles + Mochi’s Restaurant (Netflix)

Outstanding performance by a youth (series, special, television movie or limited-series)

Alaya “That Girl Lay Lay” High – That Girl Lay Lay (Nickelodeon)

Cameron J. Wright – Family Reunion (Netflix)

Elisha Williams – The Wonder Years (ABC)

Khali Spraggins – The Upshaws (Netflix)

Ja’Siah Young – Raising Dion (Netflix)

Outstanding host in a talk or news/information (series or special) – individual or ensemble

Jada Pinkett-Smith, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, Willow Smith – Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch)

Jennifer Hudson – The Jennifer Hudson Show (Syndicated)

Kevin Hart – Hart to Heart (Peacock)

Lester Holt – NBC Nightly News (NBC)

Tracee Ellis Ross – The Hair Tales (Hulu)

Outstanding host in a reality/reality competition, game show or variety (series or special) – individual or ensemble

Keke Palmer – Password (NBC)

Lizzo – Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls (Amazon Studios)

Tabitha Brown – Tab Time (YouTube Originals)

Taraji P. Henson – BET Awards 2022 (BET Networks)

Trevor Noah – The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)

Outstanding guest performance

Amanda Gorman – Sesame Street (HBO Max)

Chance the Rapper – South Side (HBO Max)

Colman Domingo – Euphoria (HBO Max)

Glynn Turman – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Gabourey Sidibe – American Horror Stories (FX)

Outstanding Animated Series

Central Park (Apple TV+)

Eureka! (Disney Junior)

Gracie’s Corner TV (YouTube)

The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)

Zootopia+ (Disney+)

Outstanding character voice-over performance (television)

Billy Porter – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)

Cedric the Entertainer – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)

Chris Bridges – Karma’s World (Netflix)

Cree Summer – Rugrats (Nickelodeon)

Kyla Pratt – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)

Outstanding short form series – comedy or drama 

Between The Scenes – The Daily Show (Comedy Central)

Oh Hell No! With Marlon Wayans (Facebook Watch)

Rise Up, Sing Out (Disney+)

Sunday Dinner (Youtube)

Zootopia+ (Disney+)

Outstanding short form series or special – reality/nonfiction

Black Independent Films: A Brief History (Turner Classic Movies)

Daring Simone Biles (Snap)

Historian’s Take (PBS)

NFL 360 (NFL Network)

Omitted: The Black Cowboy (ESPN)

Outstanding breakthrough creative (television)

Amy Wang – From Scratch (Netflix)

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins – Kindred (FX)

Hannah Cope – Karma’s World (Netflix)

Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Syreeta Singleton – Rap Sh!t (HBO Max)

DOCUMENTARY CATEGORIES

Outstanding documentary (film)

Civil (Netflix)

Descendant (Netflix)

Is That Black Enough For You?!? (Netflix)

Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues (Apple TV+)

Sidney (Apple TV+)

Outstanding documentary (television)

Black Love (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Everything’s Gonna be All White (Showtime)

Frontline (PBS)

Race: Bubba Wallace (Netflix)

Shaq (HBO Max)

WRITING CATEGORIES

Outstanding writing in a comedy series

Aisha Muharrar – Hacks – “Episode 206” (HBO Max)

Ayo Edebiri, Shana Gohd – What We do in the Shadows – “Episode 405” (FX)

Brittani Nichols – Abbott Elementary – “Student Transfer” (ABC)

Karen Joseph Adcock – The Bear – “Episode 105” (FX)

Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary – “Development Day” (ABC)

Outstanding writing in a drama series

Aurin Squire – The Good Fight – “Episode 603” (Paramount+)

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins – Kindred – “Episode 101” (FX)

Davita Scarlett – The Good Fight – “Episode 604” (Paramount+)

Joshua Allen – From Scratch – “Episode 105” (Netflix)

Marissa Jo Cerar – Women of the Movement – “Episode 101” (ABC)

Outstanding writing in a television movie or special

Bree West – A Wesley Christmas (BET Networks)

Ian Edelman, Maurice Williams – Entergalactic (Netflix)

Jerrod Carmichael – Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel (HBO Max)

Lil Rel Howery – Lil Rel Howery: I said it. Y’all Thinking it (HBO Max)

Matt Lopez – Father of the Bride (HBO Max)

Outstanding writing in a motion picture 

Charles Murray – The Devil You Know (Lionsgate)

Dana Stevens, Maria Bello – The Woman King (Sony Pictures Releasing)

Jordan Peele – Nope (Universal Pictures)

Krystin Ver Linden – Alice (Vertical Entertainment)

Ryan Coogler – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

DIRECTING CATEGORIES

Outstanding directing in a comedy series

Angela Barnes – Atlanta – “The Homeliest Little Horse” (FX)

Bridget Stokes – A Black Lady Sketch Show – “Save My Edges, I’m a Donor!” (HBO Max)

Dee Rees – Upload – “Hamoodi” (Amazon Studios)

Iona Morris Jackson – black-ish – “If A Black Man Cries in the Woods” (ABC)

Pete Chatmon – The Flight Attendant – “Drowning Women” (HBO Max)

Outstanding directing in a drama series

Debbie Allen – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey – “Robyn” (Apple TV+)

Giancarlo Esposito – Better Call Saul – “Axe and Grind” (AMC)

Gina Prince-Bythewood – Women of the Movement – “Mother and Son” (ABC)

Hanelle Culpepper – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey – “Sensia” (Apple TV+)

Kasi Lemmons – Women of the Movement – “Episode 106” (ABC)

Outstanding directing in a television movie or special

Anton Cropper – Fantasy Football (Paramount+)

Marta Cunningham – 61st Street (AMC)

Sujata Day – Definition Please (Netflix)

Tailiah Breon – Kirk Franklin’s The Night Before Christmas (Lifetime)

Tine Fields – Soul of a Nation: Screen Queens Rising (ABC)

Outstanding directing in a motion picture

Antoine Fuqua – Emancipation (Apple)

Chinonye Chukwu – TILL (United Artists Releasing/Orion Pictures)

Gina Prince-Bythewood – The Woman King (Sony Pictures Releasing)

Kasi Lemmons – I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Sony Pictures Releasing)

Ryan Coogler – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

Outstanding directing in a documentary (television or motion picture)

Nadia Hallgren – Civil (Netflix)

Reginald Hudlin – Sidney (Apple TV+)

Sacha Jenkins – Everything’s Gonna Be All White (Showtime)

Sacha Jenkins – Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues (Apple TV+)

W. Kamau Bell – We Need to Talk About Cosby (Showtime)

Machine Gun Kelly Celebrates Engagement Anniversary With Megan Fox in a Sweet Throwback Video

Machine Gun Kelly and fiancée Megan Fox have hit another milestone in their relationship — the twin flames have been engaged for a year. To celebrate, the “Papercuts” singer shared a throwback video to his Instagram Story on Wednesday (Jan. 11) from the day he proposed.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The video features MGK delicately slipping the emerald portion of Fox’s ring onto her finger. He captioned the sweet moment, “one year ago under a banyan tree.”

The banyan tree Machine Gun Kelly references is the one he discussed after announcing his and Fox’s engagement. “‘Yes, in this life and every life.’ Beneath the same branches we fell in love under, i brought her back to ask her to marry me,” he shared one year ago. “I know tradition is one ring, but i designed it with Stephen Webster to be two: the emerald (her birth stone) and the diamond (my birth stone) set on two magnetic bands of thorns that draw together as two halves of the same soul forming the obscure heart that is our love. 1-11-2022.”

Fox also shared the significance of the banyan tree in her engagement announcement, in which she wrote, “In July of 2020 we sat under this banyan tree … Somehow a year and a half later, having walked through hell together, and having laughed more than I ever imagined possible, he asked me to marry him. And just as in every lifetime before this one, and as in every lifetime that will follow it, I said yes… and then we drank each other’s blood. 1.11.22.”

Watch MGK’s anniversary video before it disappears here.

Golden Globes Pianist Chloe Flower Says She Didn’t & ‘Would Never’ Play During Winners’ Speeches

Some winners at the 2023 Golden Globe Awards Tuesday (Jan. 10) weren’t too pleased when it sounded like live pianist Chloe Flower playing to urge them to wrap up their acceptance speeches. Neither was the internet.

Since the event, though, Flower has cleared the air with folks such as Michelle Yeoh and Austin Butler, both of whom made digs at the play-off music during their time onstage. And now, she wants to set the record straight for everyone else: It wasn’t her who was playing the piano in the middle of winners’ speeches — it was a pre-recorded track.

“I was hired to play piano when we come back from commercial break and re-enter the program,” she told People in a story published Thursday (Jan. 12). “It’s called a rejoin. That was the only time I was ever supposed to play, and that’s the only time I played. I think that all of the winners and celebrities who were being cut off didn’t … all of a sudden, I became the face of the playoff music.”

“I was kind of sad,” she continued. “I mean, you saw it. They cut to me. I’m not an actress. I was sad that everyone thought that I would be that disrespectful. I would never do that as a live musician.”

Flower caught a lot of flack on social media during the course of the show from upset viewers who assumed it was her piano-playing that was interrupting the stars’ big moments. An insta-viral clip of Yeoh looking off stage, presumably at Flower — who was sitting at the piano but not playing — “Shut up, please … I can beat you up, OK? And that’s serious,” while accepting the award for best actress in a musical or comedy didn’t help the misunderstanding.

Butler, accepting best actor in a motion picture, drama for his title role in Elvis, quipped: “You could at least play ‘Suspicious Minds’ or something.” And Farrell, who won best actor in a motion picture, musical or comedy said, “You can forget that piano.”

Though viewers may have missed it as many in the crowd were talking over him in the moment, host Jerrod Carmichael set the record straight on camera before the show had even ended — something Flower said made her cry because she felt “protected.”

“Look, this show here is not easy,” Carmichael said during the ceremony. “We are very lucky to have tonight, someone who is an incredible, incredible pianist. People on Twitter are like, ‘Man, she’s playing people off.’ It’s actually a track.”

According to Flower, she was able to explain what had really happened to Yeoh before the night was over. “She walked past the piano, and I stopped her and I was like, ‘I would never play during your speech,” she recalled. “I respect you, and I am a huge fan,’ and she held my hand. She was so lovely, and she was so nice.”

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Flower shared that she also got the chance to clear the air with Butler. “I definitely reached out to him and I said, ‘I was not playing during your play-off,’” she said. “He was like, ‘Really?’ He’s like, ‘Sorry. Thank you.’”

“They’re all artists, and I think they just want their moments to say thank you, and they don’t want to be cut off,” she added. “I think in the moment, they’re not really thinking about me. They’re not thinking about the producers, they’re just thinking about, ‘Why is someone cutting me off?’ I didn’t feel like it was necessarily directed at me, if that makes sense, even though it was at me.”

Ovy on the Drums, Edgar Barrera & More Hitmakers Predict 2023 Latin Music Trends

The Latin music industry is unstoppable, and for insight into how that dominance might continue, Billboard reached out to some of today’s biggest hitmakers and industry leads to predict the musical trends we can expect in 2023.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

MAG, who’s topped the Billboard Latin Producers chart for 36 weeks, says he’s thrilled to see more artists dip their toes outside of reggaetón music. “It’s exciting to see bachata and regional Mexican music growing outside of their rooted territories,” he tells Billboard via email.

Meanwhile, Billboard’s current No. 1 Latin Songwriter, Edgar Barrera, encourages artists to release lots of new music this year. “Don’t keep songs captive in a hard drive, put it out there and see what happens,” he notes.

MAG and Barrera, along with other Latin music experts like Ovy on the Drums and Eden Muñoz, share their predictions for the year to come below:

Are there any trends in Latin music that you’re looking out for or that excite you the most? 

Ovy on the Drums (producer and artist): Right now the trend that excites me the most is that I have been experimenting with the RKT in Argentina — this new movement that is happening there. And the truth is that it is something very innovative that I hope will go viral, and that more colleagues will join this new movement. That really excites me a lot. It is something very different from [the traditional] sounds in the Latin industry and what we are used to hearing. I have had the opportunity to experiment with many genres, but never with RKT and cumbia villera from the Argentine movement.

Eden Muñoz (singer-songwriter and producer): Definitely cumbia and everything in the tropical realm. That’s something that I’m excited to experiment with.

Elena Rose (singer-songwriter): I love the Afro influence in the Latino world. I identify with dancehall and R&B melodies, and when I travel to other countries and learn about other cultures, this hybrid helps me communicate better musically. I am excited to express myself in Spanish with global sounds.

Emiliano Vasquez (A&R at Sony Music Latin): Bachata is becoming more popular as it merges with different musical genres, such as R&B, pop, electronica, hip-hop and trap. It is very common to see pop and urban artists recording bachata in their promotional singles and achieving great acceptance, even without originally being bachateros. Latin festivals will also become a worldwide trend due to the growing popularity of Latin music and its fusion after the pandemic, with North American trap and urban music dominating the world pop scene.

MAG (producer): I love that we’re seeing the global expansion of several Latin music subgenres other than just reggaetón. It’s exciting to see bachata and regional Mexican music growing outside of their rooted territories. It’s also exciting to hear electronic/house-infused Latin music again. A lot of Latin music in the ’90s and early 2000s had dance music elements.

Ali Stone (producer, songwriter, and artist): I’m very excited to see electronic music, especially house, making its way into Latin music and crossing over with pop and urban. I’ve also noticed punk rock having its comeback. It’s refreshing to hear Latin artists that aren’t afraid to mix these contrasting sounds.

Julio Reyes Copello (songwriter, producer, and pianist): I’m looking for passionate singer-songwriters and R&B artists [recording] in Spanish.

Maffio (producer): I’m super excited about a trend that’s happening in the Dominican Republic called “El Sonido de la 42,” which is gaining viral traction thanks to local artists such as Flow 28 and Angel Dior.

Edgar Barrera (songwriter and producer): I think the common trend among successful acts is that they’re being raw and authentic, being true to their sound and not trying to chase whatever is working for someone else. I’m very excited about the growth and evolution of Mexican music and how it’s expanding to new markets outside of Latin America.

Camilo, Eduin Caz and Edgar Barrera speak onstage during “Superstar Q+A with Camilo” panel at Billboard Latin Music Week 2022 held at Faena Forum on September 27, 2022 in Miami, Florida.

Camilo, Eduin Caz y Edgar Barrera durante el panel “Superstar Q+A with Camilo” en la Semana Billboard de la Música 2022, el 27 de septiembre de 2022 en el Faena Forum en Miami.

Gus Caballero for Billboard

What should artists be avoiding, and what should they be doing more of this year? 

Stone: I feel the main focus should be to make art with substance, with identity, to make songs that feel intentional. “Quality over quantity” should be this year’s mantra.

Vasquez: Artists should avoid controversy. Their focus should be on the music and art, not the controversy. Latin artists should try to maintain a positive and professional reputation by staying away from any type of negative behavior that could affect their careers.

MAG: Avoid chasing trends and bring more authenticity to your artistry.

Maffio: Artists should avoid controversies and get to the basics of making music. Create dope music and fuse it with the trend.

Rose: They should avoid overthinking when creating. No one has the formula to make a “hit” anymore — being you is enough. But be you in your 100%. [They should] worry about their daily routines, what they eat and how they stay physically and mentally healthy. Who do they have around them? Cheerleaders or real friends? All of this influences our creative process and how we evolve in our careers. I think it’s a year of organizing inside and cleaning outside.

Elena Rose Emilia Mernes

Elena Rose and Emilia Mernes at Billboard Latin Music Week 2022 held at Faena Forum on September 27, 2022 in Miami, Florida.

Christopher Polk for Billboard

Barrera: In my opinion, artists should avoid sticking to the rules all of the time. Music is consumed today very differently than it was a couple of years ago, so the old way of releasing music every three months is outdated. Don’t keep songs captive in a hard drive, put it out there and see what happens.

OVY: I feel that artists should avoid continuing in the same thing, continuing in the same sound, in the same trend. Many producers and artists stay in that same sound for a long time and it’s like: ok, a sound already worked, let’s change and look for other different things. I think that all producers and artists should start doing [music where] we don’t know if it’s going to work or not, that’s the difference.  

Muñoz: Continue working [hard] even when we have one or two hits, good royalties, etc. To think that what we’ve achieved is enough has to be avoided at all costs.

Copello: Artists should avoid copying Bad Bunny, please. They shouldn’t be afraid of trying new ways of exploring the folklore of their own cultural heritage.

Any new Latin artist who has caught your eye, and who you think will make it big in 2023?

Rose: Bilianca. She’s very talented and super humble.

Maffio: I think Beéle from Colombia has a bright future. He has something unique and soothing to the ear. He has all the tools to become a legacy artist.

Barrera: Grupo Frontera is a band from my hometown that I’m working with very closely. I contacted them because I saw a lot of potential, and the idea of starting a project from the Valley really excited me — this was weeks before they went viral, and now I’m helping them take their career to the next level. I’m very proud to see them become the first regional Mexican act to have three songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the same week.

Muñoz: Grupo Frontera I feel is very strong with a good foundation. I congratulate them on it.

Vasquez: I really like Pol Granch. Beware of this super-talented singer/composer with great on-stage energy making him different from the others. Another super talent is GALE. I really like her music and her songs are on another level.

Copello: Yes! Agris Lopez and Joaquina Blavia.

OVY: The truth is, there is no specific one. One of the things that I love the most in my career is that I am a producer who likes to work with new artists, not knowing if they are going to become a hit or not. Simply because I like to support the new generations and I have had the opportunity to share with many, without saying names, from Argentina, Colombia, and Spain, I know they are going to have a great 2023 and that they are going to break globally.

MAG: I love Young Miko and what she stands for. She has built an organic following, and is at the forefront of diversifying what música urbana looks and sounds like.

Stone: Yes, there are two amazing Latinas that come to my head! One of them is Young Miko: I had the pleasure of working with her in mid-2022 and I was so impressed by her talent as a writer, rapper, singer and performer. She’s insane. The other one is Bruises, who I also got to work with in late 2022, and for whom I’m producing her upcoming Monstruos Tour. I love that she’s so authentic and unapologetic. I feel these two girls have a genuine identity and sound like no other. They’re also so kind and beautiful as human beings. As we would say in Colombia, “tienen angel.” They’re both killing it already, but I’m sure 2023 is gonna be their year.

Jeff Beck: 12 Surprising (But Essential) Career Moments

The late Jeff Beck’s career was marked by an abundance of excellence. And surprises.

From his playing choices to his stylistic maneuvering and frequent changes of personnel, Beck made a career out of keeping everyone guessing — including those who played with him. He was a restless chameleon, starting in rock and blues and then incorporating jazz – mostly of the ‘70s electric fusion variety – into his mix, achieving mastery on all fronts. But it was never just for change’s sake; Beck’s experiments and diversions almost always had purpose.

It worked out, of course. Beck – who passed away Tuesday (Jan. 10) at the age of 78 in England – was a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee (with The Yardbirds in 1992 and on his own in 2009) and won eight Grammy Awards, five of them for best rock instrumental performance. He also received the British Academy’s Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music in 2014 along with a slew of other honors. He’s universally acknowledged as one of the greatest guitar players of all-time, in any genre.

His skill on the instrument could and often did leave our jaws on the floor. But some of his decisions did the same — or at least made us raise our eyebrows. As we continue to celebrate one of (and to some, the) best proponent of the electric guitar, here’s a look back at a dozen of the most surprising moments in Beck’s long career.

The Deals: ASM Global Buys Madison Entertainment; Anderson .Paak Alter-Ego Signs With MAC

ASM Global acquired talent buying agency Madison Entertainment, which works with both small-capacity venues and larger concert series/multi-day festivals. “We are committed to add resources to our promoter and live content division in order to ensure that all of our managed venues continue to be leaders in live-event performances,” said ASM Global president/CEO Ron Benison in a statement. “Under Roger’s leadership, the addition of Madison Entertainment will further grow live music content for our clients, particularly within our industry-leading nationwide theater network.”

DJ Pee .Wee, the “vinyl-spinning alter ego” of rapper Anderson .Paak, signed with the Las Vegas-based MAC Agency for representation. DJ Pee .Wee has several headlining dates on the schedule, including appearances at the Sundance Film Festival and a slot at the Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest in February. Previous appearances included Spotify Beach with Kendrick Lamar in Cannes, the Ami After Party at Paris Fashion Week and Dave Chappelle‘s set at the Netflix Is a Joke festival at the Hollywood Bowl, among other engagements.

TikTok signed a licensing deal with Saudi Arabia-based Rotana Music Group, whose portfolio includes artists across the Arab world and Gulf region such as Mohamad Abdo and Amr Diab, among many others. “We at Rotana are very thrilled with this licensing agreement, which will facilitate Arab Music reach into the MENA music industry and young communities,” said Rotana Music Group CEO Salem Al Hendi in a statement. “The creative culture in MENA is so vibrant and diverse, and this agreement will enhance the exchange of music content, while promoting and supporting local artists on a proven leading platform for short-form videos.”

Vevo partnered with TikTok to create and program Trending on TiKTok, a new weekly Vevo show that will round up the music videos for the top trending songs on the TikTok platform, alongside clips of creators using the songs in their content. The show will be available across the Vevo networks in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Brazil and will be a staple TV premiere on Vevo’s FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) channels, with consecutive airing during peak viewing hours throughout the week.

Warner Music Group (WMG) partnered with digital fashion retailer DRESSX to provide WMG artists with a new revenue stream. Under the agreement, select WMG artists will collaborate directly with DRESSX to design and launch 3D and AR virtual clothing that fans can collect on Instagram, Snapchat and other platforms.

Independent singer-songwriter Cody Jinks’ Late August Records signed a partnership with The Orchard, under which the latter company will provide Late August artists “with the tools and support to build, sustain and elevate their global reach.” The first artist signed to Late August (other than Jinks, who previously started the label as a home for his own music) is singer, songwriter and guitarist Erin Viancourt, who will release her debut album in May 2023. Late August Records will continue to be led by Jinks and his longtime manager Arthur Penhallow, Jr., while Stephanie Hudacek will lead the label’s new Nashville office.

Event technology company Events.com secured a capital commitment of $100 million in the form of a share subscription facility (SSF) from Gem Global Yield (GGY). The investment will accelerate the company’s growth strategy through acquisitions, partnerships and other initiatives. Under the deal, Events.com will be able to draw down up to $100 million following an equity exchange listing. The company — which previously acquired an AI event discovery company, an event sponsorship technology company and a ticketing company — is set to announce a new acquisition soon.

Mastercard will use the Polygon blockchain to host its newly-announced Mastercard Artist Accelerator, which will connect five artists from across the globe with mentors and a “dynamic fanbase as they learn and create in Web3,” according to a press release. Slated to launch this spring, the program will give selected artists exclusive access to special events, music releases and more while teaching them how to build their brand via Web3 experiences including minting NFTs. Music fans will also be invited to purchase a limited-edition “Mastercard Music Pass” NFT that will give them access to the new platform. The Mastercard Artist Accelerator will culminate in a livestreamed artist showcase later this year.

Music marketing firm Feature.fm partnered with YouTube in a deal that will allow Feature.fm users to enjoy access to conversion and attribution data reporting to track streams in YouTube and YouTube Music that came from a Feature.fm smart link. Under the partnership, artists, managers and labels will be enabled to automatically connect YouTube and YouTube Music to their smart links, allowing them to better understand how to effectively market their music on the YouTube platform.

Music and influencer management firm Innovo Management invested in content aggregation platform JamFeed, marking them as the first investor in JamFeed’s second round of financing. JamFeed manages over a dozen TikTok creators/artists — enabling them to build their businesses and connect with fans — and also boasts a brand marketing division. As part of the investment, Innovo co-founder Sam Saideman has been added to JamFeed’s board of advisors to assist in the next phase of the company’s expansion.

Rapper Asian Doll signed a distribution partnership with music tech company Vydia, which will provide her with a suite of services, including video and audio supply chain, global distribution, analytics, rights management, payments and detailed revenue reporting in support of her forthcoming EP slated to drop on Jan. 31. The first new music released under the deal is the single “Sky Falling.”

Country singer Bryan Martin signed with WME for global representation. Martin has a national tour and a new album in the works, with a single, “Wolves Cry,” slate for release on Jan. 27 via Average Joes Entertainment.

Talking Stick Resort is the new name-in-title sponsor of Live Nation‘s 20,000-capacity outdoor Phoenix venue the Ak-Chin Pavilion. The venue is now known as the Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre.

The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) partnered with r.Cup, a sustainable platform that provides reusable cups to replace single-use plastic cups. Under the deal, NIVA members in r.Cup operating cities Denver and Seattle will be able to reduce their environmental imprint by using r.Cup’s reusable cup system, with $.01 of every cup used by a NIVA member donated to NIVA’s National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF). NIVA members in Los Angeles and Milwaukee will also soon have the option to utilize the platform.

Griffen Palmer, winner of a 2020 episode of NBC’s Songland, signed with Big Loud Records, which will release his solo debut single “Second Guessing” — originally crafted during his appearance on Songland — on Friday (Dec. 13). Palmer’s debut album is slated to drop later this year. He previously signed a publishing deal with Big Loud Publishing in 2019.

Get Physical Music added the master and publishing catalog of house-music imprint Definitive Records (Jetstream, Dance Fever, Robot Man) to its portfolio of labels. Definitive co-founder John Acquaviva will remain with the label and continue to be active on the A&R front while working with the Get Physical team.

Canadian lifestyle brand October’s Very Own (OVO) partnered with FaZe Holdings, parent company of gaming and lifestyle brand FaZe Clan, on a collection that will include FaZe Clan and OVO co-branded gaming controllers, mouse pads, hoodies, varsity jackets and more. The collection was made available starting Dec. 21 at OVO’s online store and OVO retail locations. Further initiatives under the partnership are expected later this year.

Jack Harlow Super Bowl Ad Preview Hints a Spicy ‘Love Triangle’

Jack Harlow is getting an early jump on Super Bowl LVII in a new teaser for his big game Doritos commercial. In the 15-second clip that dropped on Thursday morning (Jan. 12), the “First Class” rapper runs a red carpet gauntlet as paparazzi scream his name, with one in particular smashing his face up against the limo window with a super important question.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

As Harlow gets a moment’s peace inside his ride and begins digging into a bag of the brand’s new sweet and tangy BBQ Doritos, the pap yells, “Is it true about the love triangle?” Harlow considers the question before popping a three-corner chip into his mouth and slyly saying, “Maybe.” The photog, however, mishears him and yells, “Baby? You’re having a baby?”

The full ad will drop closer to Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Harlow is just one of the A-list names on tap for this year’s championship game, joining Rihanna, who will be headlining the halftime show.

Last month, Harlow landed at No. 8 on Billboard‘s list of greatest pop stars of 2022 after scoring a breakthrough year scoring hits including “Nail Tech” and “First Class” and landing a starring role in the remake of White Men Can’t Jump before releasing his album Come Home the Kids Miss You.

Last year’s viral Doritos SB ad was soundtracked by Queen’s 1984 hit “I Want to Break Free” and famously featured actor Matthew McConaughey in the bizarro role of #FlatMatthew. The 2020 version featured a dance-off between Lil Nas X and Sam Elliott in a wild west showdown cued to LNX’s global hit “Old Town Road.”

Check out Harlow’s ad preview below.

Corade’s Prayer: Naomi Osaka Announces Pregnancy, Twitter Says Cordae Won At Life

HipHopWired Featured Video

CLOSE

Gervonta Davis v Rolando Romero

Source: Cassy Athena / Getty

Cordae found his name trending on Twitter starting on Wednesday (Jan. 11) after his girlfriend, Naomi Osaka announced she was expecting her first child. Fans of the rapper and tennis superstar are naturally celebrating the news and getting off jokes at Cordae’s expense but it isn’t mean-spirited in the least for the most part.

Cordae, 25, and Osaka, also 25, have been quite the pair over the past few years with the talented rapper often seen courtside supporting his lady. Since 2019, the couple has been going strong, and the addition of a little one all but signals that this is a union that was meant to last. We should note that while Osaka never mentions the DMV rapper, it can be assumed that he is indeed the father.

In Osaka’s announcement, she shared a photo of an ultrasound showing off the couple’s upcoming bundle of joy along with the promise that she’ll make a return to the court and says her child will be there cheering mom on. For Osaka fans, the news comes with the caveat that she’s intending to take off the entire year of 2023 but will make a return to the court in 2024.

“I realize that life is so short and I don’t take any moments for granted, everyday is a new blessing and adventure,” Osaka tweeted yesterday. “I know that I have much to look forward to in the future, one thing I’m looking forward to is for my kid to watch one of my matches and tell someone, ‘that’s my mom,’ haha. 2023 will be a year that’ll be full of lessons for me and I hope I’ll see you guys in the start of the next one cause I’ll be at Aus 2024 (Australian Open).”

Cordae hasn’t been terribly active on social media, last tweeting on Jan. 5 writing “I feel like I’m the underdog” and “just until 2 ??” in a pair of tweets.

As it stands, congrats are in order for the happy couple and the reactions below are saluting Cordae for what people are saying is the A$AP Rocky package of wifing up and having a baby with a bonafide star. In all seriousness, we’re very happy for the couple.

Check out the tweets below.

Photo: Getty

Peep The Trailer For The Final Season Of Hulu’s ‘Wu-Tang: An American Saga’

HipHopWired Featured Video
Wu-Tang An American Saga Artwork

Source: Huli / hulu

The Wu-Tang is back! However, it’s not with a brand new group album, but for hardcore Wu fans it may be the next best thing.

The third and final season of Hulu’s Wu-Tang: An American Saga is upon us, and fans who’ve been following the hit series are in for quite the swan song. In the trailer for the final season, we find our favorite Clansmen reaping the benefits of their hard work. But they soon find out that with success comes expectations, jealousy and turmoil. In other words, mo’ money, mo’ problems.

The official synopsis for the season explains:

Off the release of their debut album and their continued rise to fame, we follow the Wu-Tang Clan over the course of their five-year plan as they face and overcome different challenges. While each of the members go on separate journeys to figure out where they fit in the music world, RZA struggles to stay on top of things in order to fulfill the promise he made to his Wu brothers. As money, fame, ego, and business threaten to tear the group apart, they must find a way to come together and cement their legacy.

Filled with classic songs, pointy RZA rings, and some action scenes straight out of a Saturday night Kung-Fu flick on Fox 5, the trailer to the final season to Wu-Tang: An American Saga promises fans an entertaining sendoff for a show many have grown to love.

Will you be checking out the last season of the Wu-Tang saga when it hits Hulu Feb. 15? Let us know in the comments section below.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=NCIScuN0XvM&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

Chartbreaker: Phony Ppl’s Prospects are ‘Up,’ Thanks to a Timeless ’80s Sample

Just before 2022 came to a close, Phony Ppl ended the year on a hard-earned high. One month after releasing its third album, Euphonyus, in November, the act celebrated with a pair of nearly sold-out shows at Sounds of Brazil in Manhattan’s Hudson Square neighborhood. The five-piece band opened the sets with “Nowhere But Up,” an uptempo, feel-good track that was beginning to take off at radio.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“It’s one of those songs that’s just as easy to digest for a newcomer as a fan that’s been there for 25 shows in a row,” says drummer Matt “Maffyuu” Byas. “It invokes a lot of energy and optimism” — two things the band has in spades. Last year, Phony Ppl embarked on an 18-date Nowhere But Up tour, testing the song live long before it arrived.

Phony Ppl

Clockwise from top left: Matt “Maffyuu” Byas, Elijah Rawk, Aja Grant, Elbee Thrie and Bari Bass of Phony Ppl photographed on December 28, 2022 at S.O.B.’s in New York, NY.

Krista Schlueter

Formed as a nine-piece collective in Brooklyn in 2010, Phony Ppl’s members all met in high school, and the current lineup is a tight roster of classically trained musicians, including Byas, vocalist Elbee Thrie, guitarist Elijah Rawk and brothers Aja Grant (keyboard) and Bari Bass (bass). Phony Ppl’s debut, Yesterday’s Tomorrow, arrived in 2015 as a blend of soul, R&B, jazz and rock. Its second album, 2018’s mō’zā-ik, was the first official release on 300 Entertainment following a distribution deal in 2014, development deal in 2017 and a record deal at the start of 2020.

“The way they treat one another and the democratic style in which they operate is a very unique situation,” says the band’s manager Jon Kaslow, who worked as Kid Cudi’s tour DJ and musical director before getting into management (he first met Phony Ppl through former member Dyme-A-Duzin). “Transparently, sometimes you want someone to just say, ‘It’s my way or the highway,’ because then a decision gets made. But that’s not who they are and that’s not what our team is.”

“The thing about Phony Ppl is we have different angles of thinking about everything,” adds Grant. “We’ve put trust in each other.”

Phony Ppl

Clockwise from top left: Aja Grant, Matt “Maffyuu” Byas, Elijah Rawk, Elbee Thrie and Bari Bass of Phony Ppl photographed on December 28, 2022 at S.O.B.’s in New York, NY.

Krista Schlueter

The sunny outlook of “Nowhere But Up” not only taps into Phony Ppl at its core, but signals the return of its mainstream momentum. The band hit a stride at the top of 2020 thanks to a collaboration with 300 Entertainment labelmate Megan Thee Stallion titled “Fkn Around.” The hand-clapping groove, which they live debuted during Meg’s NPR Tiny Desk concert in 2019, reached No. 7 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart and put Phony Ppl on radio’s radar. 

Then, the pandemic hit. “Especially since we couldn’t tour, they were great about doing call-ins and Instagram Lives with program directors and DJs at stations that were supporting the record,” says Kaslow. “The band learned that radio is important and our very strong performance on ‘Fkn Around’ gave us that initial momentum.” 

And though the pandemic also delayed Euphonyus longer than the band would have liked, they now see the extra time as something that improved the album. “It allowed us time to really zero in,” says Byas. “And a lot of tracks that in 2019 were considered done, we got to open those back up — and make new songs.”

Grant recalls the night that producer Ivan Barias (who the band worked with on “Fkn Around”) hit him up with the idea for “Nowhere But Up” back in 2020. “At like, two in the morning, he was like, ‘Yo, Aja, listen to this song.’ I was thinking he was trying to put me on to something and I was like, ‘Ivan, I know this song.’ I’m not that young.” 

Barias had sent him “I Didn’t Mean To Turn You On,” the synth-funk debut hit from mid-80’s rhythmic pop star Cherrelle. The producer then instructed him to open Ableton and play the chords, part of what Grant now calls “an experiment” during which the two jammed over Zoom. Weeks later, the band met in Philadelphia to finish recording the album and decided to add the new track. “When the music was presented, I just felt fireworks,” recalls Thrie. 

But when he learned the song was built on a sample (unlike his bandmate, he was initially unfamiliar with the Cherrelle hit, written by songwriting duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis) he had hesitations. “My emotions changed about the idea. ‘How can I still feel excited writing this music knowing it’s not something we created from scratch?’ ” he questioned. “But at a certain point I was like, ‘Let’s just do what we can do.’ If we were to sample something, let’s make it the best we can.”

“It keeps songs and artists’ memories alive and sends it down another generation,” says Bass of sampling. “And I think that’s a lesson that we were learning.” Adds Rawk: “It’s important that whatever we’re trying to do, our intention matches our execution.”

Phony Ppl

From left: Bari Bass, Matt “Maffyuu” Byas, Elbee Thrie, Elijah Rawk and Aja Grant of Phony Ppl photographed on December 28, 2022 at S.O.B.’s in New York, NY.

Krista Schlueter

The end result was exactly what the band and its team had hoped for: a growing radio smash. Kaslow credits 300’s Shadow Stokes, executive vp of promotions, for getting Phony Ppl right back on the airwaves — and the airplay charts — today, as if no time had passed. “He went back and did the rounds with a lot of people. Like, ‘Hey, remember these guys that had that record with Meg? This is their new song.’ ” As a result, “Nowhere But Up” currently sits at No. 30 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and could soon enter the top 10 on Adult R&B Airplay.

And though Kaslow admits he sent “Nowhere But Up” to some A&Rs to see about a potential feature, he believes it was important for the band to have a hit without another name attached. Still, Thrie views the song as a collaboration of sorts, citing Jam and Lewis as unofficial features. “They cleared it, but I hope that they really enjoy the song,” he says. “And they’re not like, ‘These young motherf–kers just ran with our s–t!’ ”

Soon, it will become a sprint. Kaslow is preparing to get Phony Ppl back to “a full-time touring act, both domestically and internationally.” “Phony Ppl’s superpower is their live show,” says Lallie Jones, vp of marketing for 300 Entertainment, while teasing a global tour and upcoming festival appearances. 

Meanwhile, the band is brainstorming just how far its hit can go — from a 50-piece orchestral rendition to a FIFA placement to becoming an airline’s official song. Grant’s wish is a bit more simple: “I just really hope this song goes nowhere but up — and that’s the corniest thing I could say.”

Phony Ppl

From left: Matt “Maffyuu” Byas, Aja Grant, Elbee Thrie, Bari Bass and Elijah Rawk of Phony Ppl and Jonathan Kaslow photographed on December 28, 2022 at S.O.B.’s in New York, NY.

Krista Schlueter