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‘The Voice’ Standouts Bodie & Jaeden Luke Are in Perfect Harmony for Their Justin Bieber Battle

The best battles on The Voice are more like well-orchestrated duets than knock-down, drag-out fights, and in the face-off between bodie and Jaeden Luke — premiering exclusively on Billboard below before airing in full Monday night — the duo are in perfect harmony.

The battle reimagines Justin Bieber‘s decade-old song “As Long as You Love Me,” featuring Big Sean, as an acoustic, lovelorn duet, leaving the 2012 Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit’s synth and hip-hop elements behind.

Both bodie and Luke are on Team Blake, and this battle will determine who moves forward in the competition. But there is a world where both men could advance, if one of the other three coaches (Camila Cabello, Gwen Stefani or John Legend) decide to steal a singer for their team.

It looks like the guys’ best chance will be Cabello, who admitted to getting pretty “hot and flustered” by the track’s “sexy arrangement.”

“Well, it is my team,” Blake Shelton quipped in response.

Cabello had kind things to say about both singers — especially Jaeden, whom she jokingly called “my boyfriend” after they had a flirtatious meeting during his blind audition. “Jaeden, your tone is so beautiful. I want to hear it in my ear,” she said, quickly adding: “I’m just kidding. I’m joking. That was a joke. I want to hear it on a record. I think you as an artist, as the whole package, is special.”

For Bodie, Cabello said, “You were even better than I remember in your blind. Your runs were crazy, then your belts were masterful. You were flawless.”

She also let it be known that she would “steal both of you,” regardless of who Shelton chooses.

So who will he choose? You’ll have to tune in to NBC at 8 p.m. ET on Monday night to find out, but you can watch the full performance and coaches’ comments below:

PnB Rock’s Girlfriend Recalls Rapper Protecting Her During Shooting: ‘My Man Saved My Life’

PnB Rock‘s girlfriend has spoken out for the first time since the couple was robbed at gunpoint in Los Angeles, leading to the rapper’s death.

Steph Sibounheuang returned to Instagram after over a month, sharing a video montage of moments she shared with her late partner, born Rakim Allen, the couple’s two-year-old daughter Xuri and PnB’s eldest daughter, Milan. In the post’s caption, she credited PnB Rock with saving her life and gave her followers some insight into how she is processing her grief.

“I am 100% not ok,” she wrote. “If I wasn’t spiritual I could kill my self (but then I’ll go to hell and my man not there) My man saved my life, Throwing me under that table. I’m not supposed to be here but bc of him. I am. No one would be able to handle this. TBH, I can’t even handle this.”

She went on to detail the moments immediately following the September 12 shooting at Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles, explaining that she was briefly detained by the police following the incident. As a result, she unable to accompany PnB Rock to the Los Angeles area hospital where he succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds.

“To witness what I saw and to keep seeing it in my head,” she recounted, “to being forced out the restaurant, to not be able to go in the ambulance or the hospital, Car keys, purse and my phone taken from me, forced in the back of a police car, locked in an interrogation room all night, while all this is going on and to be the last person in this world to know my man didn’t make it after having the faith and confidence that he was.”

According to the beauty influencer, PnB Rock’s death was preceded by a turning point in their relationship, which had left her hopeful for their future as a couple.

“My man had gave his self to GOD,” she added. “Did a complete 360. He was loyal. He was patient. He was teachable and a teacher. I was finally letting the past go, and letting him show up as his changed self.”

PnB Rock was 30 years old at the time of his death. He was memorialized days later with a traditional Muslim ceremony in his hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Just a little over two weeks after his death, LAPD arrested an unnamed 17-year-old man who authorities allege shot the rapper several times after robbing him and his girlfriend at the South Los Angeles restaurant. Hours later, the teen’s 38-year-old stepmother Shauntel Trone was taken into custody and booked on accessory to murder charges.

Cardi B Defends PnB Rock’s Girlfriend Following Murder Suspect Arrest

The following day, an FBI-led fugitive taskforce captured the alleged gunman’s father, 40-year-old Freddie Lee Trone, in Las Vegas, charging him with similar crimes as his son. In the complaint filed against the father-son duo by Los Angeles County prosecutors, authorities claim a fourth unidentified suspect was involved in the murder.

According to Fox 11 Los Angeles, prosecutors say the man was outside of Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles when the couple arrived, effectively disproving the theory that PnB Rock’s killers had been tipped off by a social media post by his girlfriend. After having a brief conversation with his alleged accomplice, Trone left the restaurant, returning moments later with his son.

The 17-year-old is believed to have entered the restaurant and shot PnB once in the chest, then two more times in the back after he had fallen to the ground. He then removed the “Fleek” rapper’s jewelry as he lay bleeding on the restaurant floor and ordered Sibounheuang to hand over her valuables before fleeing in the car with his father.

Westside Gunn Announces ‘Hitler Wears Hermes 10’ Featuring Swizz Beatz, Black Star & More

Westside Gunn‘s eagerly awaited Michelle Records won’t be dropping this Halloween — instead, he’s releasing a new installment in his Hitler Wears Hermes series.

During a recent appearance on Peter Rosenberg and Cipha Sounds’ Juan Ep is Life podcast, the Griselda rapper revealed plans to release Hitler Wears Hermes 10 on October 28, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of his first HWH project.

The news will be bittersweet for many, though, as Gunn confirmed it will be the final offering in his long-running series.

“It was supposed to have been Michelle first, and you already know I have a notorious series called Hitler Wears Hermes, which I started 10 years ago in 2012,” he said. “Every year, at this time, I made Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, all the way up to now. So it’s only right if I end it on 10.”

He added: “The last one [Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Side B] was going to be the final one, but I felt weird doing nine and not 10 of them. And you know, like in anything, you always celebrate the 10th year.”

Westside Gunn is looking to end the series with a bang as he revealed Hitler Wears Hermes 10 will feature collaborations with a murderer’s row of Hip Hop legends.

Fans can expect guest appearances from Black Star (Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli), Run The Jewels, Busta Rhymes, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, DJ Drama and Doe Boy, as well as production from Swizz Beatz, RZA and The Alchemist, among others.

The album will also see Westside Gunn spread his wings sonically with two trap beats from his 20-year-old son, affectionally known as “Flygod Jr.”

Lastly, the Buffalo, New York native revealed he’s contemplating packaging the entire Hitler Wears Hermes series into a box set. “I’m looking at all of that, like a crazy art piece, do a real limited, special 10-box of it and go crazy,” he said.

Westside Gunn Hints At Jay Electronica Joining Griselda

The news comes after Westside Gunn had spent months teasing Michelle Records. During an interview with HipHopDX at Rolling Loud New York in September, the Buffalo native hinted at dropping the project in time for Halloween.

Westside Gunn’s last full-length release, Peace “Fly” God, arrived in July featuring collaborations with Madlib, Stove God Cook$, Daringer and others.

EMPIRE Announces ‘Where We Come From (Vol. 1)’ African Compilation Album Featuring Fireboy DML, Olamide, Wande Coal & More

EMPIRE announced its first-ever African compilation album, Where We Come From (Vol. 1), on Friday (Oct. 14). It will feature Fireboy DML, BNXN fka Buju, Olamide, Wande Coal, L.A.X. and more.

Kizz Daniel dropped the first single “Cough (Odo)” from the LP, which aims to celebrate and amplify Africa’s rising stars and their music. “For this song, I wanted to highlight the feeling of new love,” he said in a statement. “The song itself is energetic, celebratory and really captures what it’s like to impress someone new.”

Artists from the continent have grown more prominent in the global music scene over the last few years and gained more notoriety in the West with crossover hits such as Wizkid and Tems’ “Essence,” Fireboy’s “Peru” and Burna Boy’s “Last Last,” the latter of which recently earned the Nigerian Afro-fusion superstar his first No. 1 hit on Billboard‘s Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.

“I feel blessed to have been around so much talent, drive, and creativity all in the same room. This album is about showcasing the best that Africa has to offer, and we’ve done that,” added BNXN.

Leading independent label, publisher and distributor EMPIRE added a new division, EMPIRE Africa, in February 2022 and, just one month later, took part of its blossoming roster of Afrobeats acts — including BNXN, Fireboy DML, L.A.X., Cheque and Wande Coal — from Nigeria to Austin, Texas to perform during “The New Africa” showcase at SXSW, which EMPIRE hosted with Pandora. Shortly after, those artists banded together during a writing camp at EMPIRE’s San Francisco headquarters, where EMPIRE CEO/founder Ghazi says they were “fortunate enough” to record Where We Come From (Vol. 1).

“The artists from Africa really transcend where music is today. This is a legendary moment for EMPIRE to be able to share incredible African music with the world,” he continued.

Added Ezegozie Eze, vp, strategy and market development for EMPIRE Africa: “This album is a collective of multi-talented, independent artists, who we’ve partnered with to help create a legacy. Building this brick by brick has allowed us to develop a chemistry between this diverse catalog of African artists and we’re extremely appreciative of the time and dedication it took to put this together.”

Taylor Swift Unveils 3 Curated Playlists: ‘Quill,’ ‘Fountain’ & ‘Glitter Gel’ Pen Songs

Taylor Swift revealed a detail about her writing process in September: She categorizes each of her songs as having “Fountain Pen,” “Quill Pen” or “Glitter Gel Pen” lyrics. And now, one week ahead of the release of her new album Midnights, the pop star has teamed up with Apple Music to unveil three playlists that reveal which of those uniquely specific groupings are home to a handful of her tracks — from songs on Fearless (Taylor’s Version) to Evermore.

Announced Friday (Oct. 14), Apple’s playlists are titled after Swift’s three “Pen” groupings, something she opened up about while accepting the Songwriter-Artist of the Decade honor at the Nashville Songwriter Awards. “I came up with these categories based on what writing tool I imagine having in my hand when I scribbled it down, figuratively,” she’d said in her speech. “I don’t actually have a quill. Anymore. I broke it once when I was mad.”

Each of the playlists begin with a personal audio message recorded by the 11-time Grammy winner herself, followed by anywhere from 11 to 18 songs spanning her past three albums — Lover, Folklore and Evermore — and her two rerecorded albums, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version). The longest of the playlists is Swift’s “Fountain Pen Songs,” which include modern lyrics full of familiar references and vivid imagery, according to Apple’s description (think “All Too Well,” “Lover,” “Champagne Problems,” etc.).

“Most of my lyrics are ‘Fountain Pen’ lyrics,” Swift said in a statement with Apple. “They’re modern personal stories, written like poetry, about those moments you remember all too well where you can see, hear, and feel everything in screaming detail.”

Songs such as “Willow,” “Red” and “Carolina” — which she composed for the July film Where the Crawdads Sing — make up the “Quill Pen” playlist, while the “Glitter Gel Pen” lineup features bouncier tracks including “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” “You Need to Calm Down” and “You Belong With Me.”

“Glitter Gel Pen songs have lyrics that make you want to dance, sing and toss glitter around the room,” Swift continued. “They remind you not to take yourself too seriously, which is something we all need to hear these days. Quill Pen songs are songs with lyrics that make you feel all old fashioned, like you’re a 19th century poet crafting your next sonnet by candlelight.”

Listen to her three playlists below:

First Stream: New Music From Lil Baby, Blink-182, The 1975 and More

Billboard’s First Stream serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond. 

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This week, Lil Baby takes his turn again, Blink-182 is back and edgier than ever, and The 1975 has a concise mission statement. Check out all of this week’s First Stream picks below:

Lil Baby, It’s Only Me 

On the one hand, Lil Baby is a natural star, with a singular voice and the type of charisma that can carry him through solo hits, guest verses and commercial opportunities; on the other hand, Lil Baby’s music, sometimes anxious and often insular, does not line up with the longstanding tenets of mainstream hip-hop. That tension between personality and product has been fascinating to witness as Lil Baby’s profile has exploded since 2020’s My Turn, and makes up the heart of It’s Only Me, which arrives as a blockbuster (with guest spots from Future, Young Thug, Jeremih and Pooh Shiesty, among others) but is defined by Baby’s attention to detail and searing approach to storytelling instead of any lunges toward catchiness. Complex and affecting, It’s Only Me finds Lil Baby embracing his own definition of stardom.

Blink-182, “Edging” 

“I’m a punk rock kid, I came from hell with a curse / She tried to pray it away, so I f–ked her in church,” Tom DeLonge sings in the opening minute of Blink-182’s comeback single “Edging,” cutting to the chase on his first Blink single since a years-long hiatus. The trio’s focus is on next year’s enormous reunion tour, but “Edging” proves that DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker still know how to get in a room and create tight, catchy, exceedingly sophomoric pop-punk; it’s great to have them back.

The 1975, Being Funny in a Foreign Language 

The 1975 are responsible for some of the most dazzling pop songs of the past decade, so the fact that Matty Healy and co. decided to team up with Jack Antonoff for Being Funny in a Foreign Language — with the seeming intent of making an album about love — should entice anyone who’s even a casual fan of the UK group. What Antonoff offers on the full-length is focus: the band’s typical studio sprawl is streamlined to 11 tracks here, bursting with hope for a better tomorrow in the digital age and adoration of pop song craft (“Oh Caroline,” for instance, is the sound of everyone involved synthesizing the ‘80s and firing on all cylinders).

Zach Bryan, “Starved” 

“Starved” serves as a pristine example of why Zach Bryan has become one of country music’s breakout stars of the year: the new single, which follows the prolific singer-songwriter’s American Heartbreak album and Summertime Blues EP, functions more as an apotheosis of his country-rock songwriting than as a stopgap single, drenched in memories and moving forward with a choked-up growl. “There’s no world in which I am good for you,” Bryan concludes in the bridge, as strings quietly soundtrack his hurt.

Red Hot Chili Peppers, Return of the Dream Canteen 

Red Hot Chili Peppers may have made fans wait six years for new music following 2016’s The Getaway, but they also made the payoff worth their while, with both Unlimited Love and now Return of the Dream Canteen coming out in 2022 (with a stadium tour across North American in between their releases). At 75 minutes, Return of the Dream Canteen (recorded during the Unlimited Love sessions) is both a deluge of what the Chilis do best — opening track “Tippa My Tongue” gives Anthony Kiedis free range to spit his game — and a project that’s more satisfying than a B-sides collection, especially when it comes to blissed-out cuts like the Eddie Van Halen tribute “Eddie.”

Nessa Barrett, Young Forever 

Pop, alternative, pop-punk, emo — however you want to describe Nessa Barrett’s music, the singer-songwriter has found a niche in telling stories that work on radio stations and in TikTok clips. Young Forever, Barrett’s debut album, continues down the emotionally unflinching path that she began with the stunning eating disorder account “Dying on the Inside,” as tracks like “Dear God” and “Tired of California” document feelings of emptiness and ennui above ethereal arrangements.

Beto O’Rourke Is ‘So Grateful’ for Harry Styles’ Endorsement: ‘He’s Well Aware of’ the Issues

Beto O’Rourke is feeling golden after earning Harry Styles‘ endorsement. The Democrat, who is running against incumbent Greg Abbot in Texas’ gubernatorial race in the Nov. 8 general election, is sharing how he feels about the pop superstar showing his support during his Oct. 2 concert in Austin.

“To have his support and to get that push from him, it was really just wonderful,” O’Rourke told Hysteria podcast hosts Erin Ryan and Alyssa Mastromonaco on the episode that dropped Thursday (Oct. 13).

During that sold-out show in Austin — which the politician attended — the “As It Was” singer stood quietly in front of a microphone with his brown and black guitar. As shown on the massive screens in the Moody Center, Styles then started to gently rock the instrument back and forth. As the camera zooms in on the guitar, it focuses on a black-and-white sticker that read “Beto for Texas,” which Styles highlighted by repeatedly pointing to and drawing circles with his fingers around.

“So many young people who weren’t really plugged into this campaign — or really this race — or maybe didn’t know there was an election taking place in Texas or the issues … they’re taking notice,” O’Rourke continued during his chat on the podcast. “They’re curious and they’re coming out and they’re getting registered to vote. So that was a huge boost, and I am so grateful to him.”

The gubernatorial hopeful added that he also had the chance to chat about O’Rourke’s run for governor with the star after meeting him backstage. “He had watched the debate that we had a few days before,” the former presidential hopeful shared. “He said, ‘Brilliant job in the debate.’”

“How cool that he’s watching and paying attention,” O’Rourke added. “But I think he is for the same reason that we’re talking right now, that there’s probably no state that has a greater bearing on this country’s future on the issues that matter most: voting rights, reproductive healthcare freedom, gun violence. I mean, you name it, it is right here in Texas, and he’s well aware of that.”

Styles has been vocal on the issues of gun violence and reproductive rights. After the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, killed 19 young children and two teachers in May, the singer-songwriter announced that he had partnered with Everytown, a non-profit organization that works to end gun violence, and would be donating profits from his Love on Tour trek.

Then, during one of his six shows at the Moody Center in Austin, Styles spoke out on his stance regarding women’s reproductive rights. “No one can tell you what to do with your own body, it’s yours,” the star said, according to Fox 7 in Austin.

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, Texas has triggered a near-total abortion ban with the Human Life Protection Act. Under this law, any physician who performs an abortion in the state could not only lose their medical license, but also face a potential life prison sentence and massive fine. Texas also has a law — Senate Bill 8 — that prohibits an abortion to be performed after a heartbeat is detected, which could be as early as six weeks.

Watch Beto O’Rourke talk about Harry Styles’ support below:

Akademiks Gets Into Physical Altercation With Girlfriend While Yelling ‘I’m The Prize!’

Miami, FL – Akademiks got into a physical altercation with his girlfriend in Miami that went viral this week.

A video that surfaced on Thursday (October 13) showed the media personality in a heated argument with his partner, which reportedly happened after recording an episode of The Fresh and Fit Podcast.

Akademiks (real name Livingston Allen) can be seen shouting aggressively in his girlfriend’s face while holding a Louis Vuitton bag that appears to belong to her. “Respect the game, n-gga!” he screamed. “Stop this shit! I’m the n-gga!”

After his girlfriend attempted to confront a red-haired woman stood behind Akademiks, the Off the Record host shoved her against the wall and continued to yell in her face.

Ak’s girlfriend retaliated by yanking his hat off his head and throwing it away. The former Everyday Struggle star went to retrieve it while declaring: “I’m the prize!”

His girlfriend then swung at the red-haired woman, sparking a scuffle. Akademiks attempted to break up the fight while screaming: “Stop it!” Another woman joined the fray and assisted the red-haired woman in trying to hit Akademiks’ girlfriend.

The clip ends with a group of security guards stepping in and separating the women.

After the footage gained traction on social media, Akademiks jumped into The Shade Room‘s Instagram comments section and shed light on the incident.

The podcaster claimed his girlfriend was “drunk” and being “aggressive” towards the women after they took photos with him at a party.

T.I. Calls Out Akademiks Over Comments About Lil Wayne’s Daughter

“So I gotta type this again… I was breaking up a fight,” he wrote. “My girl was drunk and being aggressive wit other women cuz they were coming up to me in a party taking pics.

“One of the girls swung on her and that’s where this video starts I’m tryna get women to chill out. But they ain’t listening. They fighting over pics n shit.”

That didn’t stop the reactions and jokes from flooding in on social media, though.

“Fighting over Akademiks gotta be scraping the bottom of the dignity barrel,” one person tweeted, while another wrote: “I promise you Akademiks never got in a n-gga face the same way he did to that woman in that video.”

Check out more reactions below.

Ringo Starr Tests Positive for COVID-19 Again, Cancels Tour

Ringo Starr has tested positive for COVID-19 again. The musician revealed his diagnosis late on Thursday (Oct. 13), and announced that he’s canceling the remainder of his tour.

“I’m sure you’ll be as surprised as I was I tested positive again for Covid the rest of the tour is off I send you peace and love Ringo,” he wrote in an Instagram post alongside a selfie.

The 82-year-old and his All Starr Band’s remaining shows were Oct. 14 in San Jose, Calif.; Oct. 15 in Paso Robles, Calif.; Oct. 16 in Los Angeles; and Oct. 19-20 in Mexico City, Mexico.

Starr initially tested positive earlier in the month, and announced Oct. 3 that he was canceling five shows in Canada. That announcement came after he had canceled a pair of concerts “due to illness.” A week later, on Oct. 10, he shared on Instagram that had tested negative for the coronavirus and was ready to get back to work. “On the road again I will see you in Seattle on Tuesday the 11th Portland Wednesday I am negative peace and love everybody thanks for waiting,” he wrote at the time.

The second leg of the nine-time Grammy winner’s All Starr Band tour kicked off September in Bridgeport, Conn. The tour dates were initially planned for 2020, but when the global coronavirus pandemic hit, the former Beatle’s tour — like many musicians’ around the world — was postponed.

Since touring has resumed, various musicians have had to cancel or postpone shows as they and/or their touring crew contracted COVID-19 while on the road. Drake, The Rolling Stones, Alan Jackson, and Justin Bieber are among those who have delayed shows after testing positive for COVID-19.

See Ringo Starr’s latest announcement below: