nsfs
Page: 6
Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ attorneys have filed a motion seeking the dismissal of a sex trafficking charge in the hip-hop mogul’s indictment, citing the alleged racist origins of the count. Combs’ legal team, which made the filing official on Tuesday (Feb. 18) in New York federal court, argues that “no white person has ever been the […]
The charity album Good Music to Lift Los Angeles makes a chart-topping debut, as the 90-track set arrives atop Billboard’s Compilation Albums chart (dated Feb. 22).
The effort — which boasts acts such as Dawes, R.E.M. and Perfume Genius — was sold for 24 hours only through Bandcamp as a digital download on Feb. 7. The price of the album was $20.25, but customers could choose to pay more. Proceeds from the project benefit the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Fund, both supporting individuals impacted by the January wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
In total, the Good Music to Lift Los Angeles album sold just over 10,000 copies in the week ending Feb. 13 in the U.S., according to Luminate. The last non-soundtrack compilation to sell more in a single week was another benefit project, Cardinals at the Window: A Benefit for Flood Relief in Western North Carolina, which sold nearly 12,000 and debuted atop the Compilation Albums chart dated Oct. 19, 2024.
The 90-track project is comprised entirely of previously unreleased recordings, including new songs, covers, remixes, live versions and unreleased demos. Other acts featured on the collection include K.Flay, Faye Webster, Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service, Mac DeMarco, Neko Case and TV On the Radio.
Good Music to Lift Los Angeles also launches at No. 5 on the Top Album Sales chart and in the top 40 on Top Alternative Albums (No. 16), Independent Albums (No. 20), Top Rock Albums (No. 20), Top Rock & Alternative Albums (No. 26). It was also the top-selling digital download album in the U.S. in the week ending Feb. 13.
As Good Music to Lift Los Angeles opens at No. 5 on the Top Album Sales chart, let’s take a look at the rest of the chart’s top 10. Kendrick Lamar’s GNX reenters the list at No. 1 for its first week on top (116,000; up 10,100%) after its physical release on CD, vinyl and cassette; The Weeknd’s Hurry Up Tomorrow falls 2-1 in its second week (29,000; down 92%), Dream Theater’s Parasomnia starts at No. 3 (16,000) and Chappell Roan’s chart-topping The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess dips 3-4 (14,000; up 24%).
Closing out the top 10: Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet slips 5-6, Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft is steady at No. 7, the Wicked film soundtrack falls 6-8, Stray Kids’ former No. 1 HOP descends 4-9 and Lamar’s Good Kid, M.A.A.d City jumps 18-10.
A lawsuit accusing Bassnectar (born Lorin Ashton) of sexually abusing three underage girls has been settled ahead of trial. According to court documents filed in U.S. District Court in Tennessee on Tuesday (Feb. 18), the case against the electronic music producer was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled, after the two sides reached […]
Kid Rock showed some respect for Kendrick Lamar‘s Super Bowl Halftime Show performance in an appearance on Real Time With Bill Maher. He also said he doesn’t think it would’ve happened without the NFL’s DEI initiatives.
“To put it nicely, it wasn’t my cup of tea, but I got to respect it,” he told Maher on the Valentine’s Day episode of Real Time. “And here’s why. You know, I grew up loving, emulating hip-hop, all things hip-hop — break dancing, deejaying, graffiti, rapping, and so I understand the culture a little bit more than most. And when I say most, of course, I mean white people.”
Kid Rock continued, “So when you’re watching it, after, there’s a lot of things going through your head. You know, everyone’s like, ‘That sucked,’ this, that and the other. I’m like, man, this kid pretty much came out figuratively with both middle fingers in the air, doing what he does for the people who love what he does, unapologetically. And I don’t think he gives a frog’s fat a– what anyone thinks about it.”
“So I go, huh, it’s pretty much how I built my whole career. I gotta respect it,” said Kid Rock, who recently performed in support of Donald Trump’s inauguration and said the president is “one of the greatest men to ever walk the Earth” and “screams ‘American Badass,’ just by the way he walks,” and professed his love for Trump again during his conversation with Maher on Friday.
Kid Rock then attempted to theorize how Lamar — a frequent Billboard chart topper and 22-time Grammy Award winner, and the top Grammy winner this year (with five wins, including record and song of the year) — got invited to headline the Super Bowl Halftime Show, which made history as the most-watched Halftime Show of all time, with 133.5 million viewers.
“How did he get there?” he wondered out loud. “I’ve heard nobody answer this question. How did he get that gig? Jay-Z. What happened there? I think Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar should both send Colin Kaepernick a Bundt cake and a six-pack of beer and a ‘thank you’ note with a bunch of money in it because without him kneeling and getting everyone’s panties in a bunch over the anthem, self-included, I don’t think that happens.”
Maher started to move the conversation along at that point, but Kid Rock kept going.
“And by the way, one more point,” Kid Rock said. “This was the epitome of DEI blowing up. Because the NFL was all this DEI, end racism, all this stuff. They got Jay-Z in there booking this. Kendrick Lamar goes out there and basically turns DEI into an IED. It’s all Black people, or all people of color, speaking to his crowd, in the hood, Black people. It was like the most exclusive thing ever and I’m like, ‘F— yeah, that’s awesome.’ I’m laughing my a– off.”
Later in Friday’s interview, when asked his about thoughts on democrats, Kid Rock reminded Maher he’d also once performed (but didn’t vote) for Barack Obama, and told him, “Half my band’s liberal, or gay, or Black, or this. I have one of the most diverse bands out there. Not because of this DEI s—. Just because they’re the best at what they do. We all love each other and get along.”
As the conversation shifted over to Kid Rock’s upcoming tour dates, he spoke of the need for an upheaval in the concert ticket business. The TICKET Act, a ticketing reform law meant to clean up the concert industry, was recently revived in the U.S. Senate after nearly becoming law in 2024. The TICKET Act would introduce mandatory all-in pricing, require refunds for canceled events and ban speculative ticket sales.
“In the last however long, it’s complete horse s—,” Kid Rock said of what it’s currently like to purchase a concert ticket, adding that “the customers get screwed.”
“What we have to really look at right now is what’s going on in some of these European markets, like France. They basically put a price cap on reselling a ticket of like 10 or 15%,” he suggested.
In another clip from the show, which aired during the “Overtime” segment and can be watched below, Kid Rock confirmed that he’s got a gospel album in the works.
“Early beginnings now,” he told Maher. “Doing a gospel album with my old friend Rick Rubin.”
Rubin previously produced Kid Rock’s 2010 album Born Free, which reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
The civil lawsuit accusing Jay-Z (Shawn Carter) of raping a 13-year-old girl alongside Sean “Diddy” Combs in 2000 has been voluntarily dismissed, according to court documents filed on Friday (Feb. 14).
“Today is a victory. The frivolous, fictitious and appalling allegations have been dismissed,” Carter wrote in a post on Roc Nation’s official Instagram account. “This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere. The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims. I would not wish this experience on anyone. The trauma that my wife, my children, my loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed.”
The case was dismissed with prejudice against all defendants, meaning it cannot be refiled.
Filed in New York federal court in December, the complaint alleged that Carter and Combs drugged and assaulted the Jane Doe plaintiff during an after-party following the MTV Video Music Awards. The case arrived as an updated version of a previous lawsuit filed against Combs only.
At the time, Carter called the lawsuit a “blackmail attempt” designed to result in a settlement. He further called the Jane Doe’s attorney, Tony Buzbee — notable for filing a slew of sexual assault lawsuits against Combs — a “fraud,” a “deplorable human” and an “ambulance chaser in a cheap suit.”
In his Instagram post on Friday, Carter took further aim at Buzbee, writing, “This 1-800 lawyer gets to file a suit hiding behind Jane Doe, and when they quickly realize that the money grab is going to fail, they get to walk away with no repercussions. The system has failed.
“The court must protect victims, OF COURSE, while with the same ethical responsibility, the courts must protect the innocent from being accused without a shred of evidence. May the truth prevail for all victims and those falsely accused equally.”
In a statement sent to Billboard, Carter’s attorney, Alex Spiro, said the following: “The false case against JAY-Z, that never should have been brought, has been dismissed with prejudice. By standing up in the face of heinous and false allegations, Jay has done what few can — he pushed back, he never settled, he never paid 1 red penny, he triumphed and cleared his name.”
“Today’s complete dismissal without a settlement by the 1-800 attorney is yet another confirmation that these lawsuits are built on falsehoods, not facts,” said a lawyer for Combs in a statement. “For months, we have seen case after case filed by individuals hiding behind anonymity, pushed forward by an attorney more focused on media headlines than legal merit. Just like this claim, the others will fall apart because there is no truth to them. Sean Combs has never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone—man or woman, adult or minor. No number of lawsuits, sensationalized allegations, or media theatrics will change that reality. We will continue to fight these baseless claims and hold those responsible. This is just the first of many that will not hold up in a court of law.”
Buzbee declined to comment on the dismissal.
This story was updated to add statements from Carter and Combs’ attorneys.
The Avicii estate is again opening the vault Friday (Feb. 14), releasing of a new version of the late producer’s 2016 track “Forever Yours.” Titled “Forever Yours – Tim’s 2016 Ibiza Version,” the song comes on the heels of a pair of Avicii documentaries — I’m Tim and My Last Show — released on Netflix […]
Issa Rae has canceled her sold-out show at the Kennedy Center following Donald Trump’s board takeover, with the actress calling the president’s actions an “infringement on the values” of the cultural organization.
In a statement posted to Instagram Stories on Thursday (Feb. 13), Rae thanked fans for buying tickets to her event titled “An Evening With Issa Rae” before writing, “Unfortunately, due to what I believe to be an infringement on the values of an institution that has faithfully celebrated artists of all backgrounds through all mediums, I’ve decided to cancel my appearance at this venue.”
Noting that all tickets would be refunded, the producer added, “Thank you so much for understanding, and I hope to see you soon.”
Rae’s announcement comes shortly after Trump gutted much of the Kennedy Center’s historically nonpartisan board of trustees and appointed his own supporters in their places. Naming himself chairman, the twice-impeached POTUS also fired the institution’s longtime president, Deborah F. Rutter; the board has replaced her with interim president Richard Grenell, who served as ambassador to Germany during Trump’s first term in the White House.
The Barbie actress is just one of multiple people in the entertainment industry distancing themselves from the Kennedy Center amid the changes. Ben Folds has left his position as adviser to the National Symphony Orchestra, while Shonda Rhimes has resigned as treasurer of the center’s board.
Philadelphia rock band Low Cut Connie has also followed Rae’s lead, with frontman Adam Weiner announcing Wednesday that the group would be pulling out of its scheduled March 19 concert at the iconic Washington, D.C., venue. “Our little rock n roll act stands for diversity, inclusion and truth-telling,” the musician wrote in a message announcing the cancelation on Instagram. “Maybe my career will suffer from this decision, but my soul will be the better for it.”
Trump first announced his plans to overhaul the Kennedy Center leadership team last Friday (Feb. 7), writing on Truth Social, “I have decided to immediately terminate multiple individuals from the Board of Trustees, including the Chairman, who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.”
Specifically condemning the center’s inclusion of drag shows in its past programming, the politician added that performances “targeting our children” will come to an end under his supervision. “The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation,” he concluded. “For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!”
Jimmy Kimmel is calling out Kanye West after the rappers string of hate speech over the past week. During the monologue kicking off his late night talk show on Wednesday night (Feb. 12), Kimmel called Ye a “Nazi.” He added, “In the wake of his antisemitic spinout this weekend, Adolf Twitler was cut by his […]
Macklemore is once again criticizing the United States government, this time taking President Donald Trump and Elon Musk to task in a scorching new protest song titled “F–ked Up.”
In the track posted to his YouTube channel Wednesday (Feb. 12), the rapper weaves his way through verses connecting racial injustice in America to the twice-impeached POTUS’ administration, which now includes the Tesla billionaire. Macklemore also calls out the United States’ financial support of Israel throughout the country’s ongoing war against Hamas, a conflict that has killed at least 45,000 Palestinians between the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks — which left more than 1,200 Israelis dead and about 240 people taken hostage — and the temporary ceasefire the two sides reached in January.
“New era ushered, but white supremacy is still in charge/ Talking colonizing Gaza from the White House lawn/ But the people mobbing, and we ain’t backing off/ Finally see the oligarchy and the men that control us all,” the Washington native spits over a dark, intense beat. “Tax breaks for the elite and then they taxing y’all/ Killing Palestinian kids and we getting hit with the cost.”
Macklemore paired the song with a video compiling footage of American and Palestinian protestors, including a clip of the rogue dancer who waved a combination Palestine-Sudan flag during Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show Sunday (Feb. 9). It also shows numerous clips of Trump, Musk and fellow billionaires Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos corresponding with lyrics about rich men in power suppressing the American people.
One clip the music video repeatedly comes back to is of the X CEO doing a Nazi-like salute at one of Trump’s inauguration events in January. “They got us f–ked up,” Macklemore rages in the song’s chorus. “And Elon, we know exactly what that was, bruh.”
Billboard has reached out to reps for the White House, Musk, Zuckerberg and Bezos for comment.
“F–ked Up” is just the latest protest song the hip-hop star — who has been vocal in both his support of Palestine and his disappointment in the U.S. government — has released in the past year. In May 2024, he ripped into then-president Joe Biden while advocating for Gaza on a track titled “Hind’s Hall,” the proceeds of which went to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s assistance and protection programs for Palestinian refugees. The following September, he dropped a sequel to the song with assists from Gazan rapper MC Abdul and Palestinian-American singer Anees, featuring the chant, “From the river to the sea/ Palestine will be free.” (The American Jewish Committee has deemed the phrase antisemitic.)
When Macklemore performed “Hind’s Hall 2” that month at Seattle’s Palestine Will Live Forever Festival, he also led the crowd in a “F–k America” chant, after which Las Vegas’ 2024 Neon City Festival dropped him from its lineup. Later, the “Thrift Shop” hitmaker said in a statement, “My thoughts and feelings are not always expressed perfectly or politely. Sometimes I slip up and get caught in the moment.”
“I’ve slipped in front of the world before,” he continued at the time. “I’m sure I’ll do it again. But they will not silence my voice, and they will not close my heart. I’ve lost endorsements, I’ve lost shows, I’ve lost business ties. I am still here, unwavering in my support for a Free Palestine.”
A Manhattan federal judge has tossed out a sexual assault lawsuit against Russell Simmons on grounds that he now lives in Indonesia, but legal problems still abound for the Def Jam co-founder.
In a decision issued Tuesday, Judge John Koeltl ruled that Simmons had shown by “clear and convincing evidence” that he is now a permanent resident of the Indonesian island of Bali, meaning his federal court lacked required form of jurisdiction to hear the case.
The ruling is a setback for the unnamed Jane Doe plaintiff, who sued Simmons last year over accusations that he raped her in the 1990s while she served as an executive at Def Jam. But the case can likely be re-filed in state court, where it would potentially not face the same issues.
In a statement to Billboard on Thursday, her attorneys vowed to do so – claiming Simmons was trying to “dodge accountability for his reprehensible behavior and escape litigation on procedural grounds.”
“From the beginning of this case, Simmons has claimed to be a stateless citizen domiciled in Bali, despite building his life and career in New York and taking advantage of his clear ties to the state when it benefits him,” said Kenya Davis, a lawyer at the firm Boies Schiller Flexner. “Our plaintiff is not deterred by this gamesmanship. We respect the judge’s decision, and we will see Mr. Simmons in New York state court.”
In his own statement, an attorney for Simmons praised the judge’s decision to dismiss the case: “Our justice system is based on rules and procedures,” said David Fish an attorney at the law firm Romano Law. “We are pleased that the court followed the rules of civil procedure and case law related to who can be brought into court.”
Asked about whether the case would continue in state court, Fish said: “I can’t predict what plaintiff’s counsel will do going forward.”
Simmons, who founded Def Jam Recordings in 1984 and later built a formidable hip hop empire, has faced a slew of abuse allegations since 2017 — first in an investigative article by the New York Times, then in a 2020 documentary film that featured interviews with numerous alleged victims.
Last year, Simmons was hit with two lawsuits over such claims. The first came from the Jane Doe at the center of this week’s ruling, who says that she was serving as a successful music video producer when she was “sexually harassed, assaulted, sexually battered, and raped by her boss.”
The other case came from Drew Dixon, a former A&R at Def Jam who accused Simmons of rape in both the Times article and the documentary. In her February 2024 lawsuit, Dixon accused Simmons of defaming her by suggesting during an interview that she was lying about the incident.
That case remains pending. Simmons had moved to dismiss Dixon’s lawsuit at the outset on free speech grounds, but that request was denied by a judge last week, sending the case toward more litigation and an eventual trial.
Simmons also faces additional litigation from three other accusers — Tina Klein-Baker, Toni Sallie and Alexia Norton Jones – who alleged in New York court filings last month that the hip hop mogul had reneged on confidential settlements that separately required him to pay them a total of nearly $8 million.