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Lalah Hathaway may be a five-time Grammy Award winner, but the singer-songwriter tells Billboard that becoming a nominee again never loses its luster. “I never take it for granted,” says Hathaway. She received two nominations in the R&B category: best R&B album (Vantablack) and best traditional R&B performance (“No Lie,” featuring Michael McDonald). Explore See […]
A few years ago, Tom Hardy met Eminem backstage at a show and it didn’t go quite as the British actor expected. Hardy stopped by DJ Whoo Kid’s Whoo’s House Podcast a couple weeks ago and told the G-Unit affiliate about the time he met the Detroit rapper for the first time. “I went to […]
Muni Long now has a chance to bring home a second Grammy for best R&B performance. The singer-songwriter received a second nod in that category during the Recording Academy’s unveiling Friday (Nov. 8) of its nominee slate for the 67th Grammy Awards — this time for the live rendition of her hit song “Made for Me (Live on BET).”
Long also leads this year’s slate of R&B Grammy nominees, scoring three additional nods: best traditional R&B performance (“Make Me Forget”), best R&B song (“Ruined Me”) and best R&B album (Revenge). She received her first Grammy win at the 65th awards ceremony for her vocal work on her hit “Hrs and Hrs.”
After Long, these R&B stars are tied at two nominations apiece in the R&B categories: Chris Brown, Coco Jones, SZA, Lucky Daye, Kehlani and Lalah Hathaway. Also receiving nods were Jhené Aiko and Childish Gambino.
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It’s a strong Grammy showing for Brown this time around. In addition to nods for best R&B performance (“Residuals”) and best R&B album ( 11:11 [Deluxe]), he also picked up a third nomination in the best African music performance category for “Sensational,” also featuring Davido and Lojay. Tems, one of the other four artists vying against Brown in that category (with “Love Me Jeje”), is also up for best R&B song (“Burning”).
Continuing a comeback heightened by this year’s Super Bowl halftime performance and tour, Usher garnered a best R&B album nomination for his first solo project since 2016, Coming Home. Also of note is Marsha Ambrosius’ nod for best traditional R&B performance for the song “Wet,” giving the singer-songwriter her 10th Grammy nomination. The track is featured on Casablanco, executive produced by Dr. Dre and Ambrosius’ first new studio album since 2018.
SZA continues to reign with hit “Saturn,” which received nods for best R&B song and best R&B performance. Also gaining key recognition this year: Kehlani for best R&B song (“After Hours”) and best progressive R&B album (Crash); Lucky Daye for best traditional R&B performance (“That’s You”) and best R&B album (Algorithm) plus Coco Jones for best R&B song and best R&B performance (both for “Here We Go (Uh Oh).” Jones won her first Grammy for best R&B performance for “ICU” this past February. Kehlani is also the featured guest on Jordan Adetunji’s breakout hit “Kehlani,” which is nominated in the best melodic rap category.
In the category of unexpected nominations are such names as longtime indie favorite Avery*Sunshine (So Glad to Know You) and buzzing artist Durand Bernarr (En Route), both for best progressive R&B album. Among the unexpected snubs: Bryson Tiller, 4batz, PartyNextDoor and Tyla, though THR reported that the singer’s self-titled debut album had been moved from best R&B album to the best pop vocal album category.
The 67th Grammy Awards are set to air Feb. 2 on CBS.
Bhad Bhabie is responding to negative rumors about her weight with a health update. The 21-year-old “Gucci Flip Flops” rapper (real name Danielle Bregoli) took to her Instagram Stories on Thursday (Nov. 7) to explain, “I’m sorry my cancer medication made me loose [sic] weight. Im slowly gaining it back. So stop running w the […]
The 2025 Grammy nominations landed this morning (Nov. 8), and two Jamaican powerhouses have earned their first Grammy nods for their own work.
In 2017, Shenseea made waves with a remix of Vybz Kartel‘s “Loodi”; today the dancehall star joins Kartel as a 2025 Grammy nominee for best reggae album thanks to Never Gets Late Here. Released on May 24, Never Gets Late Here serves as Shenseea’s sophomore studio album and features collaborations with Masicka, Di Genius, Anitta, Coi Leray and Wizkid. The album reached No. 4 on Reggae Albums, becoming Shenseea’s second consecutive LP to reach the chart’s top five.
“I was in the office getting my ID done, and I started screaming. The people in the office were like, ‘Oh my God! Who died?’” Shenseea exclusively tells Billboard about her initial reaction to her nomination. “I finally made it amongst the greats, that’s what I first thought. It’s [been] a long road to get here for my country and my culture. Momentum and hype [are] more quickly accepted than quality sometimes, especially in this new generation. For me to even make it here after all I’ve been through from stage zero, I feel like I’m at ten. It’s just the icing on the cake to win.”
Shenseaa earned a pair of Grammy nominations (album of the year and best rap album) in 2022, thanks to her work on Ye‘s Billboard 200-topping Donda LP. She appeared alongside Roddy Ricch on “Pure Souls,” which reached No. 52 on the Billboard Hot 100. “I told myself I would not attend the Grammys until I get nominated for best reggae album for my own project,” she reveals. “Even when Donda got nominated, I did not go to the awards. [This nomination] means everything to me. I feel like my hard work continues to pay off. I’ve been dreaming about this moment ever since I found out I could sing!”
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If given the opportunity to perform at either the telecast or the premiere ceremony, Shenseea selects “Face Lift (Intro)” — which features her son — as her song of choice. Should she take home the Grammy next February, Shenseea would join fellow JA star Koffee as the only women to ever win best reggae album.
Just a few months after he regained his freedom, Portmore’s very own Vybz Kartel earned his first career Grammy nomination with Party With Me, which was released this spring (May 31) via Adidjahiem Records. For over three decades, Kartel has been a leader in the dancehall genre thanks a near-constant stream of releases and sizzling crossover joints ranging from 2009’s Spice-assisted “Romping Shop” to 2016’s “Fever.”
Earlier this summer (July 31), Kartel regained his freedom after the Court of Appeal unanimously ruled that he and his co-accused — Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones and Andre St. John — will not face a new trial for the 2011 murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams. Kartel was originally sentenced to 35 years in prison after a historic 64-day trial back in 2014, but he and his co-accused have always denied their involvement in Williams’ death.
The 2025 Grammy nominees for best reggae album are Play With Me (Vybz Kartel), Never Gets Late Here (Shenseea), Take It Easy (Collie Buddz), Bob Marley: One Love – Music Inspired By The Film (Various Artists) and Evolution (The Wailers).
The Grammys return to Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, Feb. 2.
Earlier this morning (Nov. 8), the Grammys unveiled the nominations for their 2025 awards ceremony. With Beyoncé exuding her prowess once again as music’s immovable force with 11 nominations, Kendrick Lamar came in just behind her, sharing the runner-up spot with Post Malone, Billie Eilish and Charli XCX with their seven nominations each.
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“Not Like Us” was Lamar’s searing dagger against Drake in their hotly contested battle this past spring and became a cultural phenomenon when it topped the Billboard Hot 100 in June. The committee rewarded the track for its ubiquity, as it’ll compete in the song and record of the year categories after reigning supreme on the rap charts for a historic 21 weeks, ousting Lil Nas X’s 2019 champion “Old Town Road” from the all-time leaderboard. Lamar’s successful coup against Drake first began when he partnered on Metro Boomin and Future’s “Like That” last April. Similarly to “Not Like Us,” Lamar’s strategic jabs at the 6 God on “Like That” marked a significant moment, kickstarting the heavyweight feud and now also securing nominations for best rap song and best rap performance.
With Kendrick having a strong hold on the rap side of things, his former TDE compatriot, Doechii, is arguably the shining star in this year’s nominations, earning three nominations, most notably for best new artist. Alligator Bites Never Heal garnered critical acclaim and established Doechii as a formidable contender in the rap scene. The most impressive feat of Doechii’s inclusion at next year’s ceremonies is that Alligator Bites Never Heal has made her the first female rapper to land in the best rap album category since Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy in 2020.
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In addition to Doechii’s triumph, female rappers Latto, GloRilla, Rapsody and Cardi B all earned nominations this year. The speaker-rattling “Yeah Glo!” anchored GloRilla’s explosive 2024 and earned the Memphis superstar two Grammy nominations for best rap song and best rap performance, matching Rapsody’s total. Rapsody, a previous Grammy nominee with 2017’s Laila’s Wisdom and 2019’s Eve, caught the attention of the committee this year with her lyrical masterwork Please Don’t Cry. As proven in the past, Rap’s affinity for storytelling and chilling candor makes her a consistent presence when Grammy season rolls around.
Some notable omissions of female rappers did still stand out, particularly the absence of Sexxy Red. The St. Louis darling enjoyed a torrid run with her streak of hit singles, including “Get It Sexxy” and the Drake-featuring “U My Everything.” A best new artist look would have benefited Sexxy, who has been at the forefront of rap for the last two years.
Megan Thee Stallion and Nicki Minaj, the leaders of the female rap scene, both released new chart-topping albums — with the latter debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 228,000 album equivalent units in its opening week in 2023 — but neither are anywhere to be found in this year’s nominations. For Megan, her June self-titled album is arguably the pinnacle of her career, showcasing her at her most comfortable as an MC. Though she finally found her footing there, unlike within her Grammy-nominated run in 2020, Megan didn’t have a grand-slam single like “Savage” to give her an extra push in the race.
Tommy Richman, one of music’s brightest rookies this year with his hit “Million Dollar Baby,”also received zero nominations, despite the song’s resounding success — which included a No. 2 peak on the Hot 100. Richman dealt with controversy online several months ago, when he scoffed at the notion of him making a rap song with “Baby.” Reports emerged shortly after Richman’s tweets that his team placed “Baby” for consideration in the best melodic rap performance category, leaving fans bemused by the decision after his initial comments.
Lastly, it’s important to highlight Eminem and Common’s nominations, as they debunked the theory that rap is a young man’s sport. The two lyrical wordsmiths will each be competing in the best rap album and best rap performance categories. Eminem made his grand return this year with his 12th studio album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), while Common reconnected with revered producer Pete Rock for their joint album The Auditorium, Vol. 1.
Nicki Minaj season is right around the corner. The rapper announced on Friday (Nov. 8) that she will be celebrating the one-year anniversary of Pink Friday 2 with Pink Friday 2 – The Hiatus, which will arrive on Dec. 13.
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Nicki had previously been teasing Pink Friday 3, but it appears she’s set to go in a different direction with The Hiatus, which will serve as final deluxe installment and closing chapter of the PF2 era.
“Pink Friday 2 – The Hiatus The final deluxe installment On the 1 year Anniversary of PF2 12.13.24,” she wrote to X.
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Fans had mixed reactions to the news. While the Barbz were ecstatic to know they’d be receiving new music, they were also worried about a “hiatus” meaning Minaj potentially stepping away from music for a considerable amount of time in 2025.
“IS THIS A DELUXE OR A HIATUS IM CONFUSED-,” one fan tweeted, while another added, “Wait I skipped the hiatus word…. Idk how to feel now.”
Minaj was originally slated to drop Pink Friday 2: Gag City Reloaded in September to coincide with the second U.S. leg of her record-breaking Pink Friday 2 World Tour, but pivoted to Pink Friday 3.
“Instead of doing a DELUXE to Pink Friday 2, I’ve decided to do a brand new album. I’ll still incorporate new songs like #Mamita & [The ‘anxiety’ song] for the remainder of the tour tho…and I’ll announce the new date within the next couple weeks,” she tweeted at the time. “The new music is just too good to be thrown away on a deluxe album. Last night, the songs I recorded were just way too iconic. I love you guys so much. You know that. I know you do. I’ll still give you something leading up to the announcement, so no worries.”
It’s unclear if there are still plans for Pink Friday 3 as her next era, or if it’s been replaced with The Hiatus deluxe edition.
The 41-year-old rapper wrapped up North America’s second leg of her world tour in October, which already was the highest grossing and bestselling rap tour by a woman in Boxscore history following the first leg.
Pink Friday 2 arrived on Dec. 8, 2023, and debuted atop the Billboard 200 with 228,000 album-equivalent units, according to Luminate.
Travis Scott‘s ‘FE!N,” featuring Playboi Carti, has surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify, the streaming service announced on Thursday (Nov. 7). “Travis Scott and Playboi Carti’s FE!N is the newest member of the BILLIONS CLUB,” Spotify wrote on X and Instagram. “Thanks to all the fans.” Carti shared the infographic on his own Instagram Story. […]
Latto’s Sugar Honey Iced Tea Tour rumbled through Toronto on Thursday night (Nov. 7), and Drake popped out to make a surprise guest appearance. The Atlanta rapper and Drizzy teamed up for “Housekeeping Knows,” which arrived earlier this year as part of the 6 God’s 100 Gigs drop. While the track isn’t typically part of […]
Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive has come to his superstar DeMar DeRozan’s defense and he’s channeling Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” anthem, possibly to needle Drake.
Seated near former Raptor and No Limit boss Master P, Ranadive was courtside at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif., on Wednesday night (Nov. 6) wearing a black T-shirt inscribed with “They Not Like Us” as his Kings took on Drizzy’s Toronto Raptors.
Fans liked seeing the Kings owner stand up to Drake and defend DeRozan, who previously played for Toronto. Sacramento ended up throttling the Raptors 122-107 to improve to 5-3 on the young season.
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“This level of petty > > >,” one fan tweeted, while another called Vivek the “goat.”
For context, the Kings took on the Raptors over the weekend of Nov. 2 in Toronto, where Drake joined the TV broadcast and called DeRozan a “goof.”
On the same night, Vince Carter’s No. 15 went into the rafters, the 6 God — who is an official ambassador of the Raptors — trashed the idea of the franchise retiring DeRozan’s No. 10 one day. “If you ever put up a DeRozan banner, I’ll go up there and pull it down myself,” Drake said during the broadcast.
DeMar was asked about Drake’s comments in his post-game presser, which he brushed off. “He’s going to have a long way to climb,” the athlete quipped. “Tell him good luck.”
DeRozan spent nine seasons with the Raptors and delivered a close friendship with Drake, but Drizzy appeared to feel a type of way about DeMar — a Compton native — seemingly siding with Kendrick Lamar during their feud. DeRozan also made a cameo in the “Not Like Us” music video.
Joe Budden chimed in on the DeRozan-Drake beef, and while he understood Drizzy’s feelings toward the NBA star for seemingly switching up on him, he doesn’t appreciate how he’s navigated the conflict.
“I’m not mad at [Drake] for feeling — he should feel that way,” he explained on a recent episode of his eponymous podcast. “It’s never the conflict. It’s the inability to navigate the conflict … But all that standing at the game … the mumbling under his breath … You a b—h. I’m not about to sit here and do a bunch of unpacking. You went to the game and cut his eyes.”
“Not Like Us” arrived in May and proved to be a decisive blow in the Drake-Kendrick feud, which Billboard declared K. Dot the winner.
The Mustard-produced anthem has continued to haunt Drake and be part of pop culture throughout 2024, as it broke the record for most weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs chart when it held firm for a 21st week at the apex in early October.
Drake has yet to respond to Vivek’s move, and he’ll have to wait until next year to see DeRozan again, as the Kings won’t make another trip to Toronto for the rest of the season.