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Fat Joe is mourning the loss of his mother.
On Saturday (May 3), the 54-year-old hip-hop icon shared a heartfelt tribute on social media honoring his mom, Marie Del-Carmen Cartagena, who passed away at the age of 77.
“This a real one, rest in peace to the woman who brought me in this world,” Joe wrote on Instagram alongside a slideshow of family photos. “She didnt have much but she gave us everything.
In the emotional post, the Bronx-born rapper reflected on his mother’s deep love for her family and unwavering commitment to her community.
“Anyone who knows my Mom knows she had a heart of gold, she refused to move out the projects for many years even though i had money,” he wrote. “She loved her community, she loved her people,Ms Ruby the Terror Squad Queen. she was sooooooo proud of us meaning everyone in the crew.”
Joe also shared that his mother died of a “broken heart” following the recent death of his father, Ernesto Delgado, who passed away earlier this year at age 89. The couple had been married for 60 years.
“I tried everything humanly possible,” he continued. “She was happy, to the Castro family, the Cartagena family, the Delgado family i love you and thank you for the outpouring of love.”
Joe concluded the tribute with a touching message to his late mother. “Mommy till i see you again you were my world, my heart, my everything. I’ll continue to make you proud,” he wrote.
The hip-hop community quickly rallied around Fat Joe, offering words of comfort and support in the comments.
“Rest peacefully Beautiful Queen,” Busta Rhymes commented in the post. Questlove added, “Condolences Joe,” along with a prayer hands emoji. And Ja Rule echoed the sentiment, commenting with prayer hands and dove emojis.
See Fat Joe’s full tribute to his mother on Instagram here.
Lewis Capaldi made a rare onstage appearance at Tom Walker‘s charity concert in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Capaldi, who announced he was taking a step back from touring in 2023, was the surprise guest at a benefit show on Friday (May 2) for the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) at Assembly Halls.
Fans at the benefit gig were told to stay for a special guest after Walker’s set, with the promise of another surprise appearance alongside him and Nina Nesbitt, the BBC reports. Concert-goers were then stunned when Capaldi stepped out onstage for a six-song performance that ended with his hit “Someone You Loved,” which spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2019.
“Lewis Capaldi being a surprise guest was the best thing ever. What a gig,” one lucky fan wrote on X. Another added, “lewis capaldi coming out at tom walker oh i’m going to bawl.”
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Attendees at the show were asked not to film any of the sets, with their phones stored in sealed Yondr pouches.
Friday’s event, held ahead of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week (May 12-18), marked the first of three phone-free gigs aimed at raising funds for CALM, a suicide prevention organization. The next show, on Tuesday (May 6), will feature Walker alongside Declan McKenna and Bradley Simpson at Stirling’s Albert Halls. And the final show will take place on May 10 at Glasgow’s Old Fruit Market, with performances by Nathan Evans, Saint PHNX and Caity Baser.
Capaldi announced he was taking a break from touring in a message posted to Instagram in June 2023, just days after struggling to perform “Someone You Loved” during his set at the Glastonbury Festival. Fans rallied to help him finish the song by lending their voices.
“Thank you to Glastonbury for having me, for singing along when I needed it and for all the amazing messages afterwards,” he wrote. “It really does mean the world.
Capaldi continued, “The fact that this probably won’t come as a surprise doesn’t make it any easier to write, but I’m very sorry to let you know I’m going to be taking a break from touring for the foreseeable future.”
The Scottish artist had previously been open about his struggle with Tourette’s syndrome, revealing his diagnosis in September that year. Months later, in an April interview with the U.K.’s The Times, Capaldi shared that he had been struggling to control his tics while performing, and admitted there may come a day when he would quit music because of it.
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Source: NurPhoto / Getty / Donald Trump
Donald Trump is a 78-year-old unserious man. Y’all’s president is feeling social media’s wrath after sharing an AI-generated image of himself as the pope.
We wish we were joking, but Trump really did this nonsense.
Instead of doing his job to improve the lives of Americans, something he has shown he has no intention of doing since getting into office, Donald Trump is spending his time on social media posting AI images of himself.
His latest post is being called blasphemous, and understandably so, because he shared a photo of himself wearing papal gear on the heels of Pope Francis’ passing. He and his “wife,” Melania, attended the funeral, where he also got called out for not wearing a black suit like everyone else who was there to pay their respects.
Social Media Blast Donald Trump For His “Blasphemous” Post
The photo has amassed over 1 million likes, but it’s getting well-deserved criticism. One commenter wrote under the post, “Not ok. Offensive to me as a Catholic.”
Another comment read, “You make it so hard to defend you sometimes.”
Why are you defending this man about anything he does? That is another question for another time.
On X, formerly Twitter, Trump, who is currently one of the most unpopular presidents in our lifetime because of his terrible policies, like his misses of tariffs, is getting excoriated for his “disrespectful” post.
“Asking all the Catholic Trump supporters, how do you feel about Trump mocking your religion? We are the laughingstock of the world,” one user on X asked.
Another post read, “Trump is the antichrist and to the Catholics who voted for him, he is mocking us.”
No lies detected there.
Donald Trump continues to prove how much of moron he is and that he is unfit for office. You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
Anderson .Paak and Mariah Carey are working on new music together.
During a Friday (May 2) appearance on the social media series Track Star — where guests try to identify mystery songs — the 39-year-old singer-songwriter and producer correctly guessed Carey’s “Always Be My Baby,” which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1996.
“This would be Mariah Carey. The Mariah Carey,” said .Paak, who was wearing a T-shirt featuring Mariah’s face. “I remember in like 5th grade, or something, watching the music videos and having a huge crush. We’re working on some music on her new album.”
News of a musical collaboration between .Paak and Carey, 56, comes after the two were seen holding hands after the iHeartRadio Music Awards in March 2025, People reports. .Paak helped the superstar singer onto the stage as she accepted the icon award at the ceremony.
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“Thank you iHeart for this incredible honor,” Carey said during her speech. “As a kid, I used to listen to my favorite artist on the radio and dream of being on the airwave myself. Now, for those of you who may not know what airwaves are, think of it as the non-Wifi version of streaming, OK?”
Around the same time, the pair were reportedly also spotted leaving a restaurant together in West Hollywood. Prior to that, .Paak and Carey were seen holding hands following the conclusion of her Christmas tour in December 2024, according to People.
Carey, recently nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, confirmed in an early April interview with the Associated Press that she’s working on a new album, but she did not share additional details. Her most recent studio album, Caution, was released in 2018.
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of The Emancipation of Mimi, Carey announced a special expanded edition of the album. The upcoming release will include bonus tracks, unreleased remixes and collaborations, instrumentals, a cappella versions, and live recordings. The two-disc vinyl edition is set to drop through Def Jam Records/UMe on May 30.
From career milestones to new music releases to major announcements and those little important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.
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Honored in Los Angeles
Earlier this week, Natalia Jiménez was honored by the City of Los Angeles with an Official Proclamation presented by District 14 Councilvmember Ysabel Jurado. The tribute took place at City Hall as part of the Fiesta Broadway celebrations, where the Spanish singer-songwriter was also named the 2025 Queen of Fiesta Broadway—she will also headline this year’s event.
“It means so much to me because of my strong ties to Mexico and the entire Latino community,” she said in a press statement. “I’ve lived many years in both Mexico and the United States, and I understand what it means to migrate and seek new opportunities. I’m proud to be part of such a united community, especially in challenging times. Thank you for inviting me, for this recognition, and for allowing me to celebrate our culture and language with all of you.”
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Making History on Tour
In other L.A.-related news, Rauw Alejandro made history at the Intuit Dome as the first Latin artist to perform three consecutive sold out concerts. During his Cali shows—part of his Cosa Nuestra world tour—the Puerto Rican artist invited surprise guests Marconi Impara and Yan Block to perform “Espresso Martini” from his album Cosa Nuestra.
Produced by Live Nation, the Broadway-inspired set — a nod to Rauw’s new musical era that symbolizes elegance, maturity and glamour —includes a live band in tow. The Cosa Nuestra stint wraps May 31 in Miami. The “Todo de Ti” hitmaker will perform a four-day sold-out residency from June 5 to 8 at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan before taking the tour to Europe.
Rauw Alejandro
Marco Perretta
Heartfelt Bad Bunny Cover
Laura Pausini has paid a heartfelt tribute to Bad Bunny by releasing her own version of his song “Turista,” part of his chart-topping album Debí Tirar Más Fotos. Produced and arranged alongside her husband and musician, Paolo Carta, Pausini delivers a melancholic cover backed by weeping piano melodies and her potent vocals. “I listened to ‘Turista’ and instantly fell in love with it…so I sang it,” the Italian-born, Spanish-singing artist expressed on Instagram. “Some songs don’t need to be part of a new album or promoted as a single. When a song touches your heart, it’s good in any style, at any time. Bravo Bad Bunny.” Listen to the track below.
Perreo: A Revolution
On the heels of dropping her ultra-personal, ultra-vulnerable, and ultra-experimental album Latinaje, Cazzu presents her first-ever book, Perreo: Una Revolución. “This book tells, vindicates, and denies the urban music industry specifically, about life as a woman in music or in any field. But above all, it aims to be a contribution to continue building equality,” she wrote on Instagram. “I dedicate it to the women who love reggaeton, to those who hate it, to those who want to sing, compose, or produce, to my female colleagues who barely made it and continue to resist […] I also dedicate this to my male colleagues and the artists who inspired me,” she adds, admitting that thoughts of writing her own novel began four years ago. The book is available in all bookstores, as an ebook, and an audiobook (narrated by Cazzu).
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. Instead of having tons of photos and memories stuck to your fridge, this tech-savvy magnet from Gaeshmide allows you to display […]
Though economic uncertainty lingers, some music companies’ stocks got boosts following their first quarter earnings releases this week, while a better-than-expected jobs report on Friday (May 2) lifted stocks across the board.
K-pop companies were among the top performers of the week. Led by HYBE’s 13.8% gain following its first quarter earnings report on Tuesday (April 29), the four South Korean companies had an average share price gain of 10.3%. JYP Entertainment rose 11.7% and SM Entertainment, which announces earnings on Wednesday (May 7), improved 9.0%. YG Entertainment gained 6.6%.
The 20-company Billboard Global Music Index (BGMI) rose 3.6% to 2,690.13, its fourth consecutive weekly improvement. At 2,690.13, the BGMI has improved 19.1% since a two-week slide and stands just 2.4% below its all-time high of 2,755.53 set during the week ended Feb. 14.
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Music stocks slightly outperformed the Nasdaq and S&P 500, which rose 3.4% and 3.1%, respectively. Foreign markets were mostly positive but more subdued. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 rose 2.2%. South Korea’s KOSPI composite index gained 0.5%. China’s SSE Composite Index lost 0.5%.
Universal Music Group (UMG) gained 4.3% to 25.86 euros ($29.23) following a quarterly earnings report showing that recorded music subscription revenue grew 11.5% and overall revenue improved 11.8%. JP Morgan analysts’ conviction on UMG “remains very high,” and the strong quarter “should help rebuild confidence and share price momentum” dented by Pershing Square’s sale of $1.5 billion in UMG shares, analysts wrote in an investor note on Tuesday.
Spotify finished the week up 3.7% to $643.73 despite its shares dropping 3.4% on Tuesday after the company’s first-quarter earnings report included guidance on second-quarter subscription additions that seemed to underwhelm investors. Gross margin of 31.6% beat Spotify’s 31.5% guidance. Loop Capital raised Spotify to $550 from $435, while Barclays lowered it to $650 from $710. UBS maintained its $680 price target and “buy” rating. Guggenheim maintained its “buy” rating and $675 price target.
Live Nation, which reported first quarter earnings on Thursday (May 1) and predicted a “historic” 2025, gained 2.3% on Friday and finished the week up 0.7%. A slew of analysts updated their price targets on Friday. Two were upward revisions: Jefferies (from $150 to $160) and Wolfe Research (from $158 to $160). Two were downward revisions: Rosenblatt (from $174 to $170) and JP Morgan (from $165 to $170).
Nearly all streaming stocks posted gains. LiveOne was the week’s top performer, jumping 18.0% to $0.72. Chinese music streaming companies Cloud Music and Tencent Music Entertainment gained 11.6% and 7.1%, respectively. French music streamer Deezer gained 1.4% to 1.44 euros ($1.63) after the company’s first-quarter earnings on Tuesday. Abu Dhabi-based Anghami fell 3.1% to $0.62.
Cumulus Media fell 33.% to $0.14. Most of the decline came on Friday as the stock ceased trading on the Nasdaq and began trading over the counter.
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Billboard Canada is getting ready to spotlight some of the most vital players in the music industry: music managers.
Managers to Watch — Billboard’s spotlight on the teams behind music’s biggest breakout artists — will expand to Canada for the first time at this year’s NXNE festival.
A special invite-only Managers to Watch reception will take place on June 11, directly before Billboard Canada Power Players. The event will build on Billboard Canada’s new partnership with Music Managers Forum, which is moving its Honour Roll celebration of the most legendary managers in the business to NXNE this year.
Both recognitions will be given out at the Managers to Watch reception, after which all invited managers will be invited to stay and mingle with the most influential members of the industry at Billboard Canada Power Players.
The event will foster community and opportunity for self-managed artists and managers, who play a critical role in the success of Canadian artists on the international stage.
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“We’re proud to partner with MMF Canada to spotlight the managers powering the next wave of talent,” says Mo Ghoneim, president of Billboard UK and Billboard Canada. “They’re key players behind many of the industry’s biggest breakthroughs, and we’re excited to recognize their contributions on a global stage through Billboard.”
The Music Managers to Watch list will feature a hand-selected list of artists and self-managed artists making waves in the industry. It will be chosen by the editorial team at Billboard Canada. Managers can submit for consideration using this form.
Find more info here. – Richard Trapunski
CIMA Makes an Appeal to Prime Minister Mark Carney
The votes were still being tallied in the Canadian federal election on Monday morning (April 29) when the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) sprang into action. The trade org issued a press release congratulating Mark Carney and the Liberal Party of Canada on their electoral victory while urging Carney to, in its words, “make the investment in and promotion of Canadian-owned cultural businesses a top priority.”
The statement stressed that “the global cultural economy is changing rapidly, and with it come significant risks to Canada’s cultural and economic sovereignty. Recent developments — including TikTok’s decision to walk away from licensing negotiations with Merlin, a key representative of independent music worldwide; Universal Music Group’s acquisition of Downtown Music’s assets; and the legal challenge by global tech platforms, in partnership with foreign-owned multinational record companies, to avoid regulation under Bill C-11 — starkly illustrate the growing concentration of global corporate power in Canada’s cultural sector. If left unchecked, these trends threaten to erode Canadian ownership of intellectual property, diminish our global competitiveness, and compromise the future of Canadian cultural exports.”CIMA emphasizes four priorities for the most industry and suggests the government act quickly:
Prioritize Canadian ownership in cultural policy and investment frameworks;
Strengthen competition, trade, and copyright policies to protect Canadian IP holders;
Champion independent Canadian businesses in international markets;
Defend Canada’s right to regulate its cultural industries against multinational corporate resistance.
CIMA concluded by noting, “We are eager to work with your government to secure a strong future for Canadian culture — Canadian culture remains Canadian-owned, Canadian-created, and world-renowned.”
Read more here. – Kerry Doole
Black Eyed Peas’ Apl.de.Ap and Other Lapu Lapu Day Festival Performers Speak After Van Attack in Vancouver
Artists are sharing their heartbreak after a deadly attack at Vancouver’s Lapu Lapu Day festival.
The attack killed 11 people, leaving dozens more injured, when an SUV drove through the block party on Saturday (April 26.) A 30-year-old man has been charged with eight counts of second-degree murder.
Organized by Filipino BC, the festival is a celebration of Filipino hero Datu Lapu-Lapu and an annual occasion for the Filipino-Canadian community to celebrate resilience and cultural heritage.
The attack took place in the evening, following a day of performances from artists like The Black Eyed Peas‘ apl.de.ap (the Filipino-American artist also known as Allan Pineda Lindo), multi-disciplinary artist Kaya Ko and R&B singer Sade Awele. Festival performers are sharing messages and calling for support for the B.C. Filipino community following the attack.
Apl.de.ap and Filipino singer J. Rey Soul had recently left the stage after finishing their headlining set when the attack took place.
“It’s hard to describe the shock and heaviness we feel,” they shared in a joint statement on social media. “Please keep the victims, their families, and the organizers in your prayers.”
“The one thing I have noticed, from the audience to the messages sent around, is the sense of community that wraps its loving arms around us.”
Festival chair RJ Aquino spoke about the support that’s been pouring in from around the world.
“It’s not lost on us … that the spirit of the festival was about that resistance, resilience, that courage, that strength,” he told reporters, per CBC.
“And you know, we’re going to have to call that up in ourselves.”
Awele shared her prayers for the B.C. Filipino community on Instagram. “I was barely able to sleep thinking about the tragic incident that occurred after the festival,” she said. “We can’t keep living like this — treating each other with hate and violence. We have to do better.”
Read more here. – Rosie Long Decter
FIFTY FIFTY released their newest EP, ‘Day & Night,’ and the group shares the inspiration behind the concept album, how they created the music video for “POOKIE” and more! What do you think of FIFTY FIFTY’s ‘Day & Night?’ Let us know in the comments! FIFTY FIFTY: For ‘Day & Night,’ our album ‘Day & […]
Mase is considering making an appearance at Diddy‘s upcoming trial. The former Bad Boy artist opened a recent episode of his sports talk show It Is What It Is by asking viewers to vote on whether he should pull up or not. “I wanna put it out to the fans,” he said. “I’ll let the […]
