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04 Nov 2022

Yung Gravy Says He ‘Had a Nice Couple of Dates’ With Addison Rae’s Mom & They ‘Keep in Touch’

Everything’s coming up just gravy. Yung Gravy sat down with Billboard News to discuss his recently released fourth studio album, Marvelous, and also addressed his relationship with Addison Rae’s mother, Sheri Easterling. The 26-year-old rapper, who made headlines when he took Easterling as his date to the VMAs in August, said he “didn’t expect” people’s reaction “to be that crazy.”

Gravy’s original plan was to have a different woman entirely be his date that night. “[Sheri and I] flirted a little bit over the internet and then I got invited to the VMAs, needed a date. I hit up Martha Stewart, she couldn’t make it,” he told Billboard News host Tetris Kelly. “Sheri and I had been talking. I said ‘You know what? Come be my date.’ We had never met in person. It was a good time. I’ve seen her twice since then. She lives in Louisiana.”

“A lot of people ask if we’re dating,” he added. “There’s been rumors that she’s pregnant. She’s not pregnant. We’re not dating, but a good friend. We had a nice couple of dates and we keep in touch.”

The rapper also chatted about the Marvelous’ breakthrough track “Betty (Get Money)” — which made the Billboard Hot 100 top 40 (No. 39) and Hot Rap Songs top 10 (No. 9) in late August.

“Betty” features a sample of Rick Astley’s signature hit, “Never Gonna Give You Up,” but Gravy assured that he was not trying to RickRoll his fans with the track.

“Nah, I just love that song,” he explained to Billboard News host Tetris Kelly. “Great song, I’ve always been a fan. I wanna say my mom was blasting it when I came out the womb. It’s a good songs and I just figured I wouldn’t be able to clear it. Obviously it’s been on my mind as a sample.”

The rapper also touched upon how an oldies radio station and his friendship with Waka Flocka Flame contributed to album single “Dancing in the Rain.”

Gravy shared that he worked extensively on the song with producer Dwilly. “We were listening to this radio station that you can basically pick any era and country and see what was playing there, and we found this Cuban song from 1972, got inspired to play something like that,” he shared. As for how Wacka Flocka inspired the track, Gravy revealed Flaka “actually called me, and I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m gonna pay you a little homage on this.’ And that’s how the hook came together. I was just hyped on it, he inspired me in that moment with that phone call.”

Of Marvelous, the Minnesota rapper adds, “It’s the most refined gravy I’ve dropped to this day. The recipe has been effective and I’ve really put together something that I think is music I’ve made and experimental stuff all spread out. It’s dope.”

Watch Yung Gravy’s full interview with Billboard News in the video above.

04 Nov 2022

First Country: Brothers Osborne, The War and Treaty, Maren Morris, Hailey Whitters & More

First Country is a compilation of the best new country songs, videos & albums that dropped this week.

Brothers Osborne with The War & Treaty, “It’s Only Rock N’ Roll (But I Like It)”

A pair of duos, Brothers Osborne and The War & Treaty, take on a Rolling Stones classic. It’s part of the upcoming tribute album Stoned Cold Country, honoring the 60th anniversary of the Rolling Stones. TJ’s basement-deep vocal, commingling with the raw, vibrant vocals from The War & Treaty’s Tanya Trotter and Michael Trotter Jr., make for an electrifying, swaggering musical moment. They will perform the song live at the upcoming CMA Awards on Nov. 9.

Maren Morris, Humble Quest: In Rare Form

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Morris is offering fans a new, raw look at seven songs from her album Humble Quest (which dropped earlier this year), including “I Can’t Love You Anymore,” “Tall Guys” and the title track. Accompanying the release is a short film, featuring Morris, accompanied by piano and drums, performing stripped-down renderings of these songs — illuminating lyrics that scour through a range of emotions, from maturing love (“I Can’t Love You Anymore”) to searching for the balance of self-fulfillment (“Humble Quest”).

Bowen * Young, “Dangerous Love”

Former Nashville actress/vocalist Clare Bowen teams with her husband, Brandon Robert Young, to form this new Americana duo. A spectral melody heightens the tension, trepidation and determination in the pair’s exquisite harmonies, as does the fact that the song was written two days after they experienced a harrowing home invasion. A promising release from this new duo.

Hailey Whitters, “New Baby for Christmas”

The onslaught of holiday-inspired tunes is upon us, but “Everything She Ain’t” singer Whitters offers a shining take on this 1957 George Jones track, ably taking on the traditional country melody and fusing it with her own twangy spin. Further capturing the fiddle-drenched, retro vibe of the song, Whitters recorded it at revered RCA Studio A in Nashville, where artists including Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn have recorded.

Mickey Guyton, “I Still Pray”

Guyton’s commanding voice heightens the spiritual element to this piano-based track, which encourages those who are striving through any number of heartbreaks and painful situations. “When it rains it loves to pour/ That’s when my knees hit the floor,” she sings in this comforting mesh of spirit and song.

Brittney Spencer, if i ever get there: a day at blackbird studio

The newly signed Elektra artist releases her new three-song EP, if I ever get there: a day at blackbird studio. Known for songs including “Compassion” and “Sober & Skinny,” Spencer is also an honorary member of The Highwomen, and has opened shows for artists including Reba McEntire and Jason Isbell. She takes no prisoners on the sassy, frank and vulnerable “Better Than Friends,” and offers a relaxed version of The Chicks’ “Cowboy Take Me Away,” her intimate vocal high in the mix and supported by subdued instrumentation. The stately “A Hundred Years Old” is marked by the introspective musings of one learning permanent lessons from a broken heart.

Phil Vassar and Deana Carter, “Brand New Year”

Pianist-vocalist-songwriter Vassar teams with “Strawberry Wine” hitmaker Carter to offer this holiday track, which they co-wrote together with Steve Dorff. This elegant piano ballad is a quietly optimistic toast to an anticipated year of hope, love and goodness, bolstered by their smooth, easygoing vocal collaboration. A polished track worthy of addition to any holiday playlist.

Jason Aldean, “Christmas in Dixie”

Seventeen years into his recording career, Aldean releases his first holiday song, a cover of the 1982 Alabama hit “Christmas in Dixie.” The instrumentation is respectful of the original, though it builds into kind of sleek production Aldean’s records are known for. His warm vocal comes across as capable and comfortable, infusing the lyrics with his signature vocal twang, though the track of course lacks the front-and-center group harmonies that round out the Alabama original. Still, this is an sincere updating of a country holiday classic.

04 Nov 2022

Why bbno$ Says He’s ‘Rich Forever’

Alexander Gumuchian, aka bbno$, always felt called to help people. After his initial dream of professional swimming ended, he wanted to become a chiropractor. The Vancouver, B.C., native did graduate with a degree in kinesiology, but solidified his future in music upon completing his education. Since, successful albums like recess, eat ya veggies, and most recently, bag or die have earned the 27-year-old agency to fulfill his original purpose — both in his music and in giving back to his community. “I’m definitely helping more people than I ever could have touched,” he says.

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Foundation

Growing up home-schooled by his mother, bbno$ was encouraged to learn how to read music and play piano. In 2008, as a young teenager, his brother’s friend suggested music production, too. But it wasn’t until high school, when he broke his back and derailed his aspirations of professional swimming, that he considered it. Soon enough, playing around with AutoTune during a casual hang with a friend led to an “epiphany” for bbno$ — and helped ease his depression following the injury. “I wish I had started earlier,” he says, “because I didn’t know there was this much fun in creating.”

Discovery

While studying at the University of British Columbia in 2017, bbno$ started writing two songs a day and releasing one a week. The momentum, he says, was fueled by the success of his now-friend and collaborator Yung Gravy, who bbno$ initially cold DM’d. (The two have since created two full projects and numerous singles together, including recent releases “touch grass” and “C’est La Vie.”) “I was like, ‘I’m going to spend every breathing moment trying to make [music] work.’ ” The payoff came two years later, when he released his cheeky, melodic rap single “Lalala” with producer Y2K on his college graduation day. By the summer of 2019, it debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 21 weeks on the chart, peaking at No. 55. The song’s success earned him five record deal offers, though he ultimately remained independent.

Future

“My financial adviser just told me I am essentially rich forever,” says bbno$, who in October released his seventh project since 2018, bag or die. He’s now thinking about his impact beyond music, including a desire to create a nonprofit organization on the downtown east side of Vancouver to combat the city’s opioid crisis. But don’t expect his output to slow: He’s already working on music for next year, starting with a project full of ballads that he hopes will draw in listeners outside of his current fan base. His 2023 goal, he says, is simple: “Drop as much music as I humanly can.”

This story will appear in the Nov. 5, 2022, issue of Billboard.

04 Nov 2022

Drake Eulogizes Migos‘ Takeoff: ’We Love You and I Appreciate the Memories’

The hip-hop world is reeling from the loss of Migos rapper Takeoff, who was killed during an early morning shooting on Tuesday in Houston. And while police are still on the hunt for the shooter in the incident, Drake took a few moments on the night of the album release for his 21 Savage collab album Her Loss to eulogize his fallen comrade.

“Before I get into the pleasantries, I’d just like to send our deepest condolences from the family to the entire QC, to our brother Quavo, to our brother Offset, to the friends and loved ones of the legendary, unprecedented Takeoff — a guy that I knew for a long, long time,” Drake said in the open of his Table For One show on Drizzy’s Sound42 SiriusXM channel on Thursday night.

The OVO boss nodded to the remix of the Migos 2013 debut single, “Versace,” that he was featured on as the origin story of their close connection before emotionally diving deeper into their bond. “And from there, you know, we formed a brotherhood. I always talk about the fact that this was one family. My friends in the music industry are not friends, they’re family,” he said. “So, our deepest condolences — tragic loss for all of us and, you know, a dark cloud over this business that we love so much.”

Takeoff (born Kirsnick Khari Ball), 28 was killed after suffering gunshot wounds to the head and torso early Tuesday at downtown Houston’s 810 Billiards & Bowling while hanging with uncle and Migos bandmate Quavo when investigators say shots rang out during an afterparty. Takeoff was pronounced dead at the scene, and two other victims — a 23-year-old male and 24-year-old female — checked themselves into a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. At press time police had not yet announced a suspect in the case.

In his eulogy, Drake encouraged everyone to “lock into” a mindset of honoring life as he became the latest in a long list of fellow musicians paying homage to the man considered by many to be the musical heartbeat of the Atlanta-bred trio. “It’s a life that’s worth living, and everybody deserves that chance,” Drake said. “It’s unfortunate that one of our dear, dear brothers had to leave us this week. And it’s tough to even talk about, I don’t even know how to really — I don’t have the words, I feel like I’m rambling, but, yeah… Again, our deepest condolences from the family. We love you, and I appreciate the memories, appreciate the memories.”

The tribute came two days after Drake posted a picture of him on stage with Takeoff, writing, “I got the best memories of all of us seeing the world together and bringing light to every city we touch. That’s what I’ll focus on for now rest easy space man Take ?.”

Charlamagne Tha God also had thoughtful words for Takeoff during an episode of his Comedy Central talk show Hell of a Week, where he took a minute to give the MC his flowers while noting that he was much more than just a rapper. “He was a rapper but that man is a human, and a son, and a nephew, and a friend and we’re mourning the fact that we won’t ever get any more new music from Takeoff, but his family is mourning the fact they won’t see Takeoff at Thanksgiving this year,” Charlamagne said. “Rest in power, king.”

Listen to Drake and Charlamagne below.

04 Nov 2022

Carin León Reveals The Next Step In Building His Own Empire

After being the lead vocalist of norteño act Grupo Arranke for four years, Carin León is certain that going solo in 2018 was the best thing to happen in his career. “There’s a time to make those kinds of decisions,” he says. “I made it when I felt capable. I felt that I could dominate a stage. I felt that I could compose, produce [and] make my product by myself … And I didn’t have to deal with people who didn’t have the same vision as me.”

To help launch his solo career, the regional Mexican artist born Óscar Armando Díaz de León Huez signed to Tamarindo Rekordsz, the independent label owned by his manager, Javier “El Tamarindo” González. He found quick success, scoring his first entry on Billboard‘s Regional Mexican Airplay chart in 2019 with “Me La Aventé” and since collecting eight top 10 hits, two of which reached No. 1 (“El Tóxico” with Grupo Firme in 2021 and “Ojos Cerrados” featuring Banda MS in March).

Starting next year, León will expand his independence with the launch of his own label, through which he will sign and develop new talent — primarily from his hometown of Hermosillo, Mexico. He also plans to release a new studio album (his first under his own label), where he will experiment with other genres such as vallenato, bachata and bluegrass, but with, as he says, “a lot of soul.”

“The moment you have the freedom to make the music that you like, it gives you a very strong power called ‘sincerity,’ ” adds León. “When your essence is really there and you are not satisfying the needs of the industry and you are the owner of your image, people feel it and connect with it.”

Most of your Billboard hits are collaborations. As an independent regional Mexican artist, why is this beneficial?

I’ve always noticed it in the urban market, but in our genre, a lot of artists are territorial with their work. After I began collaborating, I realized that I can progress a lot and I could solidify my audience. It’s not so much that collaborations have benefited me, but it’s simply the model of the music that is being used now.

As you’ve gained momentum, why did you remain independent?

I was never open or closed to the possibility [of signing a major-label deal]. I think things began to happen in my solo career, and I don’t know why, but no record company paid attention to what I was doing at the time. Then I began to see that the path could be achieved independently. I personally think that being independent is the best thing that can happen to any artist because it means developing your art in the freest way possible and not depending on many things.

What is key for indie artists when building a team?

It’s letting the artist develop, taking care of them to a certain point and always trying to polish and exploit the best things about them. In the end, there are many people who can influence the final product but might not really trust or love it the way that you do. Make sure that the interests are not only for business or numbers but that there is also chemistry for making art. Everyone on your team has to like how the music and the product are being made and feel proud of it.

What’s your advice for emerging indie artists?

Learn from the opportunities that life gives you, and pay attention to what the music industry is lacking. I feel that looking within, you’ll realize what type of music fans want to listen to. But truthfully, be sincere with your music. Learn how to express yourself and discover what makes you different. Regardless, after any good deal or promo plan, I believe that when you make good music, there is no human power that can prevent something from working.

This story will appear in the Nov. 5, 2022, issue of Billboard.

04 Nov 2022

Beyoncé Shares Rare Family Photo in ‘The Proud Family’ Halloween Costumes

Proud, proud family! Beyoncé shared a look at her family’s epic Halloween costumes on Thursday (Nov. 3), with her entire brood dressed up as characters from Disney Channel’s The Proud Family.

In the photo, Queen Bey does double duty as Suga Mama and Trudy Proud, while Blue Ivy Carter is a real-life doppelgänger for middle schooler Penny Proud. Meanwhile, Jay-Z does his best Oscar Proud impression — suspenders and all — while wrangling 5-year-old twins Sir and Rumi as BeBe and CeCe Proud.

The superstar and her Destiny’s Child bandmates — Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams — famously served backing vocals for her younger sister Solange on the beloved Zoog Disney-era sitcom’s original theme song back in 2001.

However, the network opted to enlist rising R&B singer Joyce Wrice to remake the bop for the 2021 Disney+ revival The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, which brought back original stars Kyla Pratt, Paula Jai Parker, Soleil Moon Frye, Karen Malina White, Jo Marie Payton, Alisa Reyes and Tommy Davidson, along with new characters voiced by Zachary Quinto, Billy Porter, Keke Palmer, A Boogie with da Hoodie and more.

Recently, the “Alien Superstar” singer also posted a few behind-the-scenes looks on social media of the custom Gucci gown she wore to the 2022 Wearable Art Gala organized by her mother, Tina Knowles-Lawson. During the event’s lively auction, Blue Ivy got into a bidding war over a pair of Lorraine Schwartz diamonds once worn by the superstar, and Bey seemingly confirmed an upcoming world tour in support of her latest album Renaissance by auctioning off a VIP ticket package for the show of the highest bidder’s choice.

Get a look at the Carters as The Proud Family below.

04 Nov 2022

Selena Gomez Calls Justin Bieber Breakup ‘the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me’

Selena Gomez‘s headline-making romance with Justin Bieber may not have worked out in the end, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t gain anything positive from the breakup. In her new documentary My Mind & Me, the 30-year-old pop star opened up about how her high-profile split from the “Baby” singer, though painful, turned out to be the best thing that could have happened in her journey toward independence, confidence and self-love.

Gomez dated Bieber on and off for most of the 2010s, starting in 2011 and ending for good in 2018. Just a couple months after that final split, Bieber got engaged to his now wife, model Hailey Bieber.

“Everything was so public,” the Only Murders in the Building star said in the doc, which dropped Friday (Nov. 4) on Apple TV+. “I felt haunted by a past relationship that no one wanted to let go of. Then I just moved past it, and I wasn’t afraid anymore.”

The “no one” she’s referring to would be the millions of “Jelena” fans who rooted for Gomez and Bieber’s romance, many of whom continued to make their devastation over the breakup known on social media for months — and in some cases, even years — afterward. The public fixation on Gomez and the “Peaches” musician’s relationship is something Hailey also recently spoke about while appearing on the podcast Call Her Daddy, describing how she she sometimes feels “numb” from the hate she gets from people who think she “stole” Bieber from Gomez.

“I feel like I had to go through the worst possible heartbreak ever and then just forgetting everything at the drop of the hand, it was really confusing,” Gomez, who was recently photographed being friendly with Hailey, continued in My Mind & Me. “But I just think that needed to happen and ultimately it was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

The Grammy nominee also recalled writing her single “Lose You to Love Me,” which was inspired by her breakup from Bieber. “I text Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter and said, ‘I think I’m ready to just say I’m sad,’” she said, referring to her co-writers on the 2019 track. “We wrote the song in 45 minutes. The fastest song I’ve ever written.” 

The song appeared on Gomez’s Billboard 200 chart-topping album Rare, which came out in 2020. A couple weeks after its release, “Lose You to Love Me” ascended to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, marking the singer-actress’ first ever No. 1 single.

“It’s about more than a lost love,” she added. “It’s me learning to choose myself, to choose life, but also hoping that people can find grace and peace in that too. The song is about knowing that you completely lost every part of who you are just to rediscover yourself again.”

04 Nov 2022

Twitter Layoffs Begin as New Owner Elon Musk Complains of Ad Revenue Drop

Employees braced for widespread layoffs at Twitter Friday as new owner Elon Musk overhauls the social platform. In a letter to employees obtained by multiple media outlets, the company said employees would find out by 9 a.m. PDT (noon EDT) if they had been laid off. The email did not say how many people would lose their jobs.

Some employees tweeted early Friday that they had already lost access to their work accounts. They and others tweeted messages of support using the hashtag #OneTeam. The email to staff said job reductions were “necessary to ensure the company’s success moving forward.”

Twitter’s roughly 7,500 employees have been expecting layoffs since Musk took the helm of the company. Already, the billionaire Tesla CEO has fired top executives, including CEO Parag Agrawal, on his first day as Twitter’s owner.

He also removed the company’s board of directors and installed himself as the sole board member. On Thursday night, many Twitter employees took to Twitter to express support for each other — often simply tweeting blue heart emojis to signify Twitter’s blue bird logo — and salute emojis in replies to each other.

As of Friday, Musk and Twitter had given no public notice of the coming layoffs, according to a spokesperson for California’s Employment Development Department. That’s even though the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification statute requires employers with at least 100 workers to disclose layoffs involving 500 or more employees, regardless of whether a company is publicly traded or privately held.

A class action lawsuit was filed Thursday in federal court in San Francisco on behalf of one employee who was laid off and three others who were locked out of their work accounts. It alleges that Twitter intends to lay off more employees and has violated the law by not providing the required notice.

The layoffs come at a tough time for social media companies, as advertisers are scaling back and newcomers — mainly TikTok — are threatening the older class of social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.

In a tweet sent Friday while employees were learning if they’d lost their jobs, Musk blamed activists for what he described as a “massive drop in revenue” since he took over Twitter late last week. He did not say how much revenue had dropped.

Big companies including General Motors, General Mills and Audi have all paused ads on Twitter due to questions about how it will operate under Musk. Volkswagen Group said Friday it is recommending its brands, which include Skoda, Seat, Cupra, Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley, Porsche and Ducati, pause paid activities until Twitter issues revised brand safety guidelines.

Musk has tried to appease advertisers, but they remain concerned about whether content moderation will remain as stringent and whether staying on Twitter might tarnish their brands.

“Twitter has had a massive drop in revenue, due to activist groups pressuring advertisers, even though nothing has changed with content moderation and we did everything we could to appease the activists,” he tweeted.

04 Nov 2022

Cory Marks Ready to Support a Major Tour, After 3-Year Pandemic Delay

After years of trying to sell his hard-charging sound to Canadian country radio, Cory Marks had finally found his hit song and opening tour slot to propel his career forward in 2020. The year prior he released his first bankable hit, “Outlaws and Outsiders” — an anthemic track produced by his new label boss and  collaborator Ivan Moody from Five Finger Death Punch with features from country legend Travis Tritt and rock icon Mick Mars of Mötley Crüe.

The song hit No. 1 on Billboard’s rock chart and helped earn him an opening slot for Canadian country legend Gord Bamford’s 2020 tour. 

Then the pandemic hit, and the breakout career of the former Royal Military College hockey player was temporarily put on ice. But after a three-year wait, Marks is returning to the road, opening for a joint headlining tour with 5FDP and country singer Brantley Gilbert. 

“I am ready to get out there,” Marks tells Billboard from his home in North Bay, Ontario. “We came out of the COVID-19 lockdown much later than everyone else and now I’m ready to get back out there and perform some of the new music I’ve been working on.”

In August 2020, Marks released his debut album Who I Am, a mix of hard rock and metal with a countrified guitar-style and lyric-play on songs like “Blame it on the Double,” “My Whiskey Your Wine” and “Another Night in Jail.” Marks recorded the album with award-winning producer Kevin Churko in Churko’s Las Vegas studio and the pair will soon be dropping an EP with more rock-oriented tracks, including new single “Burn It Up” on Moody’s label Better Noise Music as a track for BPM’s 2021 film The Retaliators.

Staying busy, Marks said, helped his mental health and kept him balanced – he also got his pilot license during the pandemic and recorded a video at an airbase belonging to the Royal Canadian Air Force for his new song “Flying,” which will be his hardest rock oriented track yet. 

“I almost got into some Lamb of God vocals with that track” Marks jokes. “It’s inspired by fighter pilots, which has always been my dream, and the intensity of that type of flying as well as the time spend waiting on the tarmac, sometimes for hours.” 

Marks is managed by Jim Cressman. His tour with Five Finger Death Punch and Gilbert opens Nov. 9 at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI. Learn more at CoryMarks.com.  

04 Nov 2022

Drake’s ‘Jimmy Cooks’ Tops Radio Charts as He Replaces Himself at No. 1 Again

Drake and 21 Savage’s “Jimmy Cooks” collaboration conquers two more Billboard radio charts this week with coronations on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Rap Airplay lists. Though the song arrived in June, promotional efforts have ramped up in recent weeks, with the song’s official music video release on Oct. 22 and the pair’s joint album, Her Loss, released Friday (Nov. 4). (“Cooks” does not appear on the album.)

“Jimmy Cooks” jumps 5-1 to crown Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay following a 9% increase in plays that made it the most-played song on U.S. monitored mainstream R&B/hip-hop radio stations in the week ending Oct. 30, according to Luminate. With the leap, Drake replaces himself at No. 1 for a seventh time in his career, as “Jimmy” ousts Future’s “Wait for U,” featuring himself and Tems, from the top slot.

Here’s a rundown of Drake’s seven exchanges at the summit:

Drake’s Self-Replacements at No. 1 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay

  • “Make Me Proud,” featuring Nicki Minaj, replaced by “The Motto,” featuring Lil Wayne, March 3, 2012
  • “ Tuesday,” ILOVEMAKONNEN featuring Drake, replaced by “Only,” Nicki Minaj featuring Drake, Lil Wayne & Chris Brown, Jan. 10, 2015
  • “For Free,” DJ Khaled featuring Drake, replaced by “Controlla” Aug. 27, 2016
  • “God’s Plan,” replaced by “Look Alive,” BlocBoy JB featuring Drake, April 28, 2018
  • “Look Alive,” BlocBoy JB featuring Drake, replaced by “Nice for What,” May 19, 2018
  • “In My Feelings,” replaced by “Yes Indeed,” with Lil Baby, Aug. 25, 2018
  • “Wait for U,” Future featuring Tems & Drake, replaced by “Jimmy Cooks,” featuring 21 Savage, Nov. 5, 2022

Overall, “Jimmy Cooks” secures Drake’s record-extending 43rd No. 1 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay. He’s clear and away the leader, with more than double the champs of second-place Lil Wayne (20), with Chris Brown (17) in third.

Featured artist 21 Savage, meanwhile, acquires his third No. 1 on the radio list. He previously ruled through a guest spot on Post Malone’s one-week champ, “Rockstar,” in 2017, and again for a week with his own “A Lot” in 2019.

Over on Rap Airplay, “Jimmy Cooks” climbs from No. 2 following a 5% bump in registered audience in the week ending Oct. 30. The new champ gives 21 Savage his second Rap Airplay No. 1, after “Rockstar.” Drake lands a record-extending 39th song to reach No. 1, and as “Jimmy Cooks” dethrones “Wait for U,” a remarkable 12th time knocking himself from the top slot. Here’s the dozen count:

Drake’s Self-Replacements at No. 1 on Rap Airplay

  • “Fancy,” featuring T.I. & Swizz Beatz, replaced by “Right Above It,” Lil Wayne featuring Drake, Nov. 6, 2010
  • “I’m on One,” DJ Khaled featuring Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne, replaced by “Headlines,” Oct. 15, 2011
  • “Make Me Proud,” featuring Nicki Minaj, replaced by “The Motto,” featuring Lil Wayne, Feb. 18, 2012
  • “No Lie,” 2 Chainz featuring Drake, replaced by “Pop That,” French Montana featuring Rick Ross, Drake & Lil Wayne, Oct. 20, 2012
  • “F**kin Problems,” A$AP Rocky featuring Drake, 2 Chainz & Kendrick Lamar, replaced by “Started by the Bottom,” April 6, 2013
  • “Only,” Nicki Minaj featuring Drake, Lil Wayne & Chris Brown, replaced by “Truffle Butter,” Nicki Minaj featuring Drake & Lil Wayne, three, Feb. 21, 2015
  • “Hotline Bling,” replaced by “Jumpman,” with Future, Jan. 23, 2016
  • “Controlla,” replaced by “For Free,” DJ Khaled featuring Drake, Sept. 10, 2016
  • “God’s Plan” replaced by “Look Alive,” BlocBoy JB featuring Drake, May 5, 2018
  • “Look Alive,” BlocBoy JB featuring Drake, replaced by “Nice for What,” May 19, 2018
  • “Way 2 Sexy,” featuring Future & Young Thug, replaced by “Girls Want Girls,” featuring Lil Baby, Nov. 27, 2021
  • “Wait for U,” Future featuring Drake & Tems, replaced by “Jimmy Cooks,” featuring 21 Savage, Nov. 5, 2022

Plus, two other Drake-related tracks have also been direct successors at No. 1 on Rap Airplay. The Young Money collective track “Bedrock,” featuring Lloyd, in which Drake delivers one of six verses from the imprint’s roster yielded to Timbaland’s “Say Something,” featuring Drake, in March 2010. And in October 2018, “Nonstop” ceded to Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode,” which also featured uncredited vocals from the superstar.