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The gripping story of 1960s/early 70s musical supernova Sylvester Stewart, better known as Sly Stone, will unfold in the upcoming musical doc Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius). The first, heady trailer for the eagerly anticipated film directed by Roots drummer Questlove dropped on Thursday night (Jan. 23) and it promises to unpack the unbelievable highs, and shocking lows of the once-in-a-generation talent behind Sly and the Family Stone.
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The first look at the film that will begin streaming on Hulu on Feb. 13 hints at the too-much-too-soon supernova ride taken by Stone and his then-pioneering multi-racial band, who burst onto the scene in 1968 with their first hit, “Dance to the Music,” before becoming household names thanks to 1969 No. 1 hit “Everyday People.” The group that preached unity and brotherhood went on to score a number of other indelible Billboard Hot 100 top 10s, including “Hot Fun in the Summertime,” “Dance to the Music,” and No. 1 smashes “Family Affair” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again).”
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The two-minute trailer opens with Quest asking OutKast’s André 3000 if he believes in the concept of musical genius over footage of Stone in his musical heyday, owning the stage with his hyperkinetic moves, peacocking costumes, oversized shades and voluminous afro. A larger-than-life figure whose message of peace and unity was custom-built for the late 1960s age of Aquarius, Stone broke all the rules and inspired generations of Black (and white) musicians to come, as attested to by the film’s A-list line-up of talking heads.
Proof of that legacy comes with D’Angelo, Chaka Khan, George Clinton, Terry Lewis and Living Colour’s Vernon Reid attesting to the Family Stone’s massive popularity at the time over footage of the group rocking the stage.
“Sly created this unique space,” says Q-Tip, with P-Funk icon Clinton noting that at that time a group with a “mixed” line-up of men and women, white and Black, was a new thing. “They sounded like nothing else sounds,” says producer Jimmy Jam of the group’s uplifting, life-affirming mix of soul, pop, R&B, funk and gospel on records such as “I Want to Take You Higher” and “If Want Me to Stay” at a time when the country was riven by division over the Vietnam War.
The film mixes in archival footage of the enigmatic singer and new interviews with Nile Rodgers, P-Funk singer Ruth Copeland and music industry icon Clive Davis, as well as Family Stone members Larry Graham Jr., Jerry Martini and Greg Errico. In addition to introducing a new generation to Stone’s music, it also seeks to understand the pressure put on Black geniuses by society’s expectations, and how that spotlight can sometimes lead, as in Stone’s case, to destructive results. Or as Stone says, “at the time… it was almost too much all at once.”
The preview makes it clear that Quest will delve into the “anxiety, the pressure, the drug use,” the latter a nod to Stone’s long struggle with mental health issues and substance use, which led to cancelled concerts, arrests and the bitter dissolution of the band whose public calling card was unity.
“If you’ve been on this heightened, explosive life… your body has taken in so much energy and you’ve given out so much energy and you stop… where’s that energy go?,” wonders André 3000 about the rocket ride to the top and nearly as rapid descent into chaos experienced by Stone.
A description of the film that premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival on Thursday night promises that it, “examines the life and legacy of Sly & The Family Stone, the groundbreaking band led by the charismatic and enigmatic Sly Stone… [capturing] the band’s rise, reign and subsequent fadeout while shedding light on the unseen burden that comes with success for Black artists in America.”
It is the follow-up to Quest’s Oscar-winning 2021 Summer of Soul doc about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival (aka “Black Woodstock”).
Watch the Sly Lives! trailer below.
Central Cee dropped his long-awaited debut album Can’t Rush Greatness on Friday (Jan. 24) via CC4L and Columbia Records. The 17-track LP features previously released singles “BAND4BAND” with Lil Baby, “Gen Z Luv” and “GBP,” featuring 21 Savage. “BAND4BAND” hit No. 1 on the U.K. Hip-Hop and R&B Singles chart and reached No. 3 on the U.K. Singles chart. In the U.S., […]
Travis Scott’s highly-anticipated “4×4” single is here. La Flame unleashed his latest track on Friday (Jan. 24) after a series of teasers on WWE’s Raw and a debut live performance atop Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Scott is feeling philanthropic and he’ll be […]
Bruno Mars is reportedly rounding up his girl gang for his newest collaboration! The singer is teaming up with Sexyy Red this week for a fun new single tentatively titled “Fat, Juicy & Wet,” and it seems like he’s including his recent collaborators in the corresponding music video. In a leaked teaser clip circulating social […]
Barry Michael Cooper, the journalist who coined the term “New Jack Swing” to describe the music Teddy Riley was making during the ’80s and wrote the screenplays for influential movies like New Jack City featuring Wesley Snipes’ iconic role as Nino Brown, Above the Rim starring 2Pac in one of his most memorable roles as street hustler Birdie, and Sugar Hill (also starring Snipes) passed away Tuesday (Jan. 22).
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Nelson George, another influential hip-hop journalist, broke the news on his Substack. “Barry Michael Cooper died today in Baltimore, according to his son Mathew,” he wrote. “It’ll take me a minute to gather all my thoughts, but just wanted to thank him for recommending to Robert Christgau at the Village Voice when I was trying to write for the Riffs section back in 1981. It was a key moment in my career and life.”
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Adding, “Barry helped define pop culture in the ‘80s and ‘90s with his early reporting on crack, by naming Teddy Riley’s sound ‘new jack swing’, and writing star vehicles for Wesley Snipes (New Jack City, Sugar Hill) and Tupac (Above the Rim.) Though he lived much of the last decades of his life in Baltimore, he was Harlem to his core.”
Michael A. Gonzales, who co-wrote the important Bring The Noise: A Guide to Rap Music and Hip-Hop Culture with Havelock Nelson, tweeted out the Village Voice article profiling Teddy Riley where the term New Jack Swing was invented and referred to Cooper as one of his “main inspirations.”
A&R extraordinaire Dante Ross wrote a lengthy caption on Instagram about how much of fan he was of his writing and acknowledged the influence his movie scripts had on the hip-hop genre and community. “His Harlem trilogy of flicks, New Jack City, Sugar Hill and Above The Rim were beyond influential in terms of Hip Hop cinema, they literally changed the game,” he said.
New Jack City, Above the Rim, and Sugar Hill continue to be referenced by rappers and meme’d online by fans 30 years later.
So far, no cause of death has been announced. He was 66 years old.
Future laments over the loss of his friend to fentanyl in the new “Lost My Dog” music video that he dropped on Thursday (Jan. 23). Henri Alexander Levy directed the black-and-white accompanying visual for the poignant penultimate track from Future’s Billboard 200-topping Mixtape Pluto last year. Future, who typically conceals his face behind a dark pair […]
The Brothers Clipse were at Paris Fashion Week for Pharrell‘s Fall/Winter 2025 Louis Vuitton Men’s collection runway show dipped in custom LV and were stopped by social media style account @thepeoplegallery_. First, No Malice was asked for styling advice, with the Virginia rapper giving a simple answer: “Being comfortable, being you.” The brothers were then […]
Kendrick Lamar is gearing up to take the Superdome stage in New Orleans at the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show and he’s bringing at least one friend with him to the Big Easy.
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On Thursday (Jan. 23), K. Dot teamed up with Apple Music to release a teaser for his anticipated NOLA performance on Feb. 9. In the clip, Lamar revealed that his upcoming tourmate SZA will be joining him on the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show stage.
The Compton native appears on the phone while walking the Caesars Superdome turf and he’s surprised by SZA, who gives him a blue Gatorade bath as he teases a special guest hitting the stage with him.
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“You know this field a lot bigger than people think so that’s a must,” Lamar says into the phone. “Exactly. Nah, I been thinking about a guest performer.” The 30-second clip then comes to a close soundtracked by Lamar’s GNX cut “Hey Now.”
It’s anyone’s guess as to what the Grand National Tour running mates could be performing as they boast a plethora of collabs, including “30 for 30,” “Luther,” “Gloria,” “All the Stars” and “Doves in the Wind” to name a few.
Roc Nation and Jesse Collins are joining forces as executive producers of Kendrick’s Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show with pgLang providing creative direction.
Kendrick made a brief appearance as a special guest at Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre’s West Coast-themed Super Bowl Halftime Show in Los Angeles in 2022, but now it’s his turn to take the headlining slot. “Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date,” Lamar said in September when it was announced he’d be on the Super Bowl stage. “And I’ll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one.”
Between the Drake battle and the positive reception to GNX, 2024 was a banner year for Lamar, and he’s looking to take things to another level in ’25. February will be a busy month for Kendrick, who’s up for seven Grammy Awards, and will look to take home a few trophies before heading to New Orleans.
Super Bowl Sunday will only be a teaser for K. Dot and SZA as the former Top Dawg Entertainment teammates are headed out on a stadium run for the North American leg of their Grand National Tour starting up in April.
Watch the trailer for the upcoming performance below.
Kid Cudi’s L.A. residence was the target of a home burglary earlier in January, which reportedly saw the intruder make himself at home as he enjoyed snacks, took a shower and used the bathroom before L.A. County Sheriff’s deputies apprehended him.
Cudi heard fans and some on social media were making light of the invasive situation, and the Ohio native took to his Instagram Story and X on Thursday (Jan. 23) to set the record straight on the trolling of his home invasion by what he called an “unhinged 34 year old man.”
“I see the internets running w things and making jokes this s–t is not funny,” Cudi wrote. “The person that broke into my house was a crazed fan that has been stalking me for years without me knowing. He’s been to shows, events I’ve done in the states and overseas.
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Mr. Rager continued: “He drove across the country and broke into my house hoping to talk w me about collabing and ideas he had. There is nothing funny about this. My privacy was violated, and now I have to protect myself. I don’t feel safe now. He rummaged through personal things, my fiance’s stuff, took a shower and ate, all while thinking he was gonna have a conversation w me. This was an unhinged 34-year-old man.”
Cudi went on to push back on speculation that the intruder was homeless, and says he’s going to take more extreme measures to make sure he and his family are safe going forward so that this never happens again.
“I’m not online to see the comments but word got back to me people are making light of this and it’s not okay,” he added. “If I’m standoffish when u see me in public now, this is why.”
Per TMZ, Cudi wasn’t present at the time his home was burglarized. Earlier in January, Kid Cudi returned to social media to reveal he and his family were safe after evacuating his Los Angeles residence due to the devastating wildfires.
“Hey guys, had to evacuate my crib,” he began in an Instagram Story at the time. “Im safe, w my loved ones, dogs are safe. For all the folk who lost their homes, people that are dealing with this, my heart hurts for you and Im for praying us all and I send ALL my love to you and yours. if you have to evacuate, get out immediately. Dont hesitate. Be safe LA. Love you guys.”
See Cudi’s message about the burglary below:
Hey, so I wanna clear this up cause I see the internets running w things and making jokes and this shit is not funny. The person that broke into my house was a crazed fan that has been stalking me for years with out me knowing. He’s been to shows, events I’ve done in the states…— The Chosen One (@KiDCuDi) January 23, 2025
Nearly a decade after its release, Supa King’s “Tell on Me” is No. 1 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50, debuting atop the Jan. 25-dated survey.
The TikTok Billboard Top 50 is a weekly ranking of the most popular songs on TikTok in the United States based on creations, video views and user engagement. The latest chart reflects activity Jan. 13-19. Activity on TikTok is not included in Billboard charts except for the TikTok Billboard Top 50.
The latest TikTok Billboard Top 50 includes all available data in the U.S. from Jan. 13-19; the app was unavailable in the U.S. for multiple hours between Jan. 18 and 19.
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“Tell On Me” marks rapper Supa King’s first appearance on a Billboard chart and the second No. 1 debut in a row, following Bad Bunny’s “DtMF,” which topped the Jan. 18 ranking and appears at No. 2 on the latest tally.
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The 2016 track from that year’s SKBP, Vol. 1 reigns thanks to a trend in which users dance to the song’s “tell on me” chorus often while doing so in strange positions, whether seemingly dangling from the ceiling, from the wall or in other acrobatic postures, often in a bathroom (understandably: many of the top-performing clips feature a disclaimer noting that “participating in this activity could result in you or others getting hurt”).
“Tell On Me” concurrently earned 717,000 official U.S. streams in the week ending Jan. 16, up from a negligible amount the previous frame, according to Luminate.
Its No. 1 predecessor “DtMF,” meanwhile, continues to thrive via TikTok clips highlighting the song’s sentiment of wishing one had taken more photos and given more hugs and kisses to a loved one who’s no longer with them. “DtMF” vaults to No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs chart and to No. 2 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.
Though “Tell On Me” is the only debut within the chart’s top 10, it’s far from the only newcomer. In all, six of the top 10 reach the region for the first time, with “Tell On Me” followed by Sage the Gemini’s “Gas Pedal,” which vaults 13-3 in its second week.
Released in 2013 and featuring Iamsu!, “Gas Pedal” was Sage the Gemini’s top-charting song as a lead artist on the Hot 100 in its time, peaking at No. 29 in September 2013. With lyrics that begin with “slow down, grab the wall, wiggle like you’re tryna make your ass fall off,” the song seems practically tailormade for an app like TikTok in retrospect, and over a decade later, “Gas Pedal” rises thanks to a dance trend (though a new one, rather than anything featured in, say, the original’s music video in 2013).
“Gas Pedal” sports a 52% increase in streams to 1.3 million in the week ending Jan. 16.
Another song that debuted on the Jan. 18 TikTok Billboard Top 50, So Supa, Tre Loaded and Big Boogie’s “Dumb Crasy,” also jumps into the top 10, shooting 34-5. Though newer than “Gas Pedal,” “Dumb Crasy” isn’t exactly brand new, having been released in June 2023.
“Dumb Crasy” benefits from a trend on TikTok in which one user (the cameraperson) pushes another person, who then does a quick dance, usually in response to a prompt related to something they like (“what would you do for some McDonald’s fries,” “when our least-favorite teacher is absent,” etc.).
The song is up 174% to 297,000 streams in the week ending Jan. 16. It’s So Supa and Tre Loaded’s first appearance on any Billboard chart.
SZA’s Kendrick Lamar collaboration “30 for 30” jumps into the top 10 for the first time, rising 17-7 in its third week on the list. From SZA’s deluxe version of SOS, SOS Deluxe: Lana, released Dec. 20, “30 for 30” is viral on TikTok by highlighting Lamar’s “But if it’s f–k me then f–k you/ And that’s the way I like it” lyric.
“30 for 30” appears at No. 26 on the latest Hot 100 (its peak so far is No. 22), garnering 14.2 million streams, 9.5 million radio audience impressions and 1,000 downloads in the week ending Jan. 16.
Sexyy Red’s “She’s Back” and Neton Vega’s “Loco” are the final two TikTok Billboard Top 50 top 10 newcomers, ranking at Nos. 8 and 10, respectively. “She’s Back” leaps back onto the ranking after referencing TikTok’s return in the U.S. following its brief service outage (the app was removed late Jan. 18, citing a law banning it in the U.S., but returned the next day, with President Donald Trump signing an executive order on Jan. 20 temporarily pausing the ban). “Loco,” meanwhile, caps a four-week rise to the top 10, with its trends including one where creators write comments about themselves or about love and relationships, often with a city skyline passing them by.
See the full TikTok Billboard Top 50 here. You can also tune in each Friday to SiriusXM’s TikTok Radio (channel 4) to hear the premiere of the chart’s top 10 countdown at 3 p.m. ET, with reruns heard throughout the week.
