R&B/Hip-Hop
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GloRilla topped Billboard‘s 10 hottest female rappers of 2024 list, and the “Yeah Glo!” star took to social media to spread the love.
“Ayyeee,” she wrote alongside a series of celebration emojis on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday (Dec. 4). “s/o to all da women on da list !!! We dem [fire emoji].”
Other rappers who made this year’s list include, in descending order, Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, Sexyy Red, Latto, Doechii, Doja Cat, JT, Rapsody and Cardi B.
GloRilla is no stranger to a massive accomplishment, and she notched yet another one just last week. Her Sexyy Red collaboration, “Whatchu Kno About Me” topped the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart.
In October, she dropped her debut album, GLORIOUS, featuring Megan Thee Stallion, Latto, Sexyy Red, Kirk Franklin, T-Pain and more.
“Last year, I was supposed to drop my debut album, but I was still just getting used to stuff and working a lot,” Glo told Billboard of the project. “When the top of the year came, I had the project basically done. I was like, ‘OK, I gotta give them the mixtape before I give them the album,’ because I went the whole year without dropping anything. That’s why I said I was gonna give them the mixtape first, get em’ back used to me first, give ’em a feel of me, and then that’s gonna prep me for the album. The mixtape did good and did what it was supposed to do, which prepped me for my album.”
Decemeber has arrived, and that means we’ll be getting more than a few tastes of the soca anthems seeking to dominate Carnival season next year. But December also means the return of Sting — a notoriously length reggae and dancehall showcase that has been held annually in Jamaica on Dec. 26 since 198. Home to countless iconic moments in the worlds of reggae and dancehall, Sting will return this month with a genreation-bridging lineup, including Tommy Lee Sparta, Turbulence, Teflon, Gyptian, Jamal, Quada, Jahmiel, Bushman, Dwayne Stephenson, Shane O, Macka Diamond, Laden, Skippa, Kant10t, Ace Gawd and more.
“We’re trying to slide away from all the things that may hamper us in the future,” said CEO of Supreme Promotions Tahheer Lain said at the press launch. “So, I’m trying to give the show a softer feel. As much as it’s a rough cut show, I’m trying to soften it because we realise that a lot of our younger artists they may not have the capability, or pattern of thinking as the older artists… one time it was just Sting, now it’s Sting Live.”
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There’s one other major performance set to take Jamaica by storm this month, and that’s Vybz Kartel‘s Freedom Street New Year’s Eve homecoming concert — his first live show since being released from prison after serving a 13-year sentence.
Naturally, Billboard’s monthly Reggae/Dancehall Fresh Picks column will not cover every last track, but our Spotify playlist — which is linked below — will expand on the 10 highlighted songs. So, without any further ado:
Freshest Find: Bunji Garlin, “Carry It”
Bunji Garlin is one of the most dependable soca artists that we have, and he already has is eyes set on the 2025 road soundtrack. Self-written and produced by Stemz Productions alongside some live guitar from Kyle Peters, “Carry It” finds Bunji uses the frenetic energy of power soca drums to sing a triumphant story in remembrance of his roots and the unique dynamism that comes the resilience of soca music. “Where can I find that energy, the raw raw magic that comes down from the grass-roots/ Yes ah from a place where soca the resounding power/ Yuh could feel anytime any hour, sunshine or shower,” he proclaims in the opening verse.
Hey Choppi, “Titanic”
With production from Spine and Sucre and writing credits from soca legend Machel Montana, “Titanic” was always destined to be a homerun. Nonetheless, it takes a remarkably committed vocal performance — like that of Hey Choppi — to make sure every last piece falls into place. For his take on the “Kompa Fever” riddim, Choppi builds on Rose and Jack’s iconic Titanic love story with a tender, melodic vocal that plays well against the kompa guitars weaved throughout the soundscape.
Nessa Preppy, “Go Bestie”
To close out November, Badjohn Republic and NMG Music teamed up for the “Yes Please” riddim, which Trinidadian soca star Nessa Preppy absolutely slid across. “Go bestie, go twin/ Go bestie, go twin/ Yuh badder den alla dem/ Yuh hotter den alla dem,” she decalres at the song’s outset, seamlessly switching from a flirty flasetto to a comparatively more commanding chest voice as she sings her support for her bestie as they both enjoy themselves at a given function. “Yes Please” also appears on Nessa’s new Little Miss Arima album, which arrived on Nov. 11 featuring collaborations with Yung Bredda, Lady Lava, Freetown Collective and V’ghn.
Konshens, Silent Addy & 1Mind, “Slow Motion”
For the past decade, Konshens has been a formidable force across dancehall music and this new collaboration with Silent Addy and 1Mind’s Mac Sutphin only reiterates that fact. “Slow Motion” finds the Kingston MC relishing his time spent caught up in the hypnosis of the night’s reigning bad gyal. “How yuh full a style suh? How yuh full a vibes suh?/ What is it about you? How mi jus’ a smile suh?/ Tek di money, tek di money, baby hold a coil nuh/ Cool and deadly, dah love yah nuffi wild up,” he sing-raps over the slow-burninng, synth-laden production. A master when it comes to gyal tunes, Konshens adds another banger to his arsenal with “Slow Motion.”
Malie Donn & Byron Messia, “Alive”
This summer, Malie Donn quickly followed-up last year’s “V6” breakthrough with “Whats Popping,” and now he’s finally unleashed his debut studio album. One of the standout tracks on the album is “Alive,” a collaboration with Byron Messia that trades in a particularly grim brand of gratitiude. The two dancehall stars are, of course, happy with their success and riches, but even the twinkling piano can’t conjure up the warmth that’s noticeably missing from the simmering track.
Shuga, “Love Doctor”
Lovesickness is an emotion that thousands of songs across genres have explored — and Shuga has dropped off one of her own. Set as the lead single from her forthcoming Girl from Montego Bay album, the Donovan Germain-produced “Love Doctor” is inspired by Shuga’s then-boyfriend (now husband). “I’m calling for the love doctor/ ‘Cause tonight, I need some healing/ I’ve got to see the love doctor/ ‘Cause right now I’m in my feelings,” she earnestly sings over gentle reggae guitars in the hook. Grown and tasteful, “Love Doctor” is the kind of intergenerational banger that makes reggae so special.
Jaz Elise, “Unforgettable”
From an opening that recalls the synthesized harp of “The Boy Is Mine” to that whimisical swell of the final chorus, “Unforgettable” is yet another gorgeous release from Jaz Elise. “I won’t take this thing we have for granted/ Feels so good, so natural/ Nuh odda one compare to you, you have it/ A kiss from you, so magical,” she proclaims over a J.L.L. and IzyBeats-helmed soundscape that uses an ebullient horn section to contour its traditional reggae production. Following “Gunman” earlier this year, Jaz Elise is two for two when it comes to 2024 solo releases.
A-Suh Boss, “Chappa Cry”
Beyoncé gifted us her Renaissance album in 2022, and now it’s A-Suh Boss’ turn. For “Chappa Cry,” the opening track of his debut album — also titled Renaissance, to be clear — A-Suh Boss provides a gritty, reflective soundtrack for all the ghetto youths who dream far bigger than their present circumstances. “The house used to leak when rain fall/ Used to dress, guh school inna same shorts/ Life never sweet, dem days hard/ Life change from mi mek di sweepstakes call,” he sing-raps over the Monk Music-helmed production.
Kes, “Cocoa Tea”
Few can hold a candle to Kes when it comes to groovy soca, and “Cocoa Tea” is just further proof why. After dropping off Man With No Door earlier this year — the award-winning soca band’s first studio LP in a decade — Kes has returned with “Cocoa Tea,” an endlessly sweet ode to a love that warms you up like a mug of the chocolate-y beverage. “Darling, heat me up/ Only you alone could put fire back in me soul/ Heat me up/ And they telling me ah should leave that fire alone/ Well, the more they tell me is the more I holding you close,” lead singer Kees Dieffenthaller croons in the pre-chorus before the song explodes into a groovy soca fantasia in the chorus.
Lady Lava & Jordan English, “Baddd B”
For his “Bad B” remix, Jordan English staged a collaboration between Barbados and Trinidad, tapping Lady Lava, who recently received her flowers from Cardi B, for a sizzling guest verse. “Bad B” is English’s take on DJ Vibes, Hit It Records and Supa Nytro’s “Pressure” riddim — a sparse, percusssive number with ample room for MCs to flow over. An easy-rocking, tongue-in-cheek tune sure to set the dance floors ablaze as we enter the new year, look for “Bad B” to have some legs going into the spring.
Hailey Knox has lived many lives.
There’s the doe-eyed, guitar-toting singer-songwriter who, along with her sister Samantha in their duo The Knox Sisters, performed covers at intimate clubs and coffee shops in her native New York in 2012. There’s the solo act, who drew inspiration from Justin Bieber‘s YouTube take off and Ed Sheeran‘s one-man band performances, as Knox paved her own path with an acoustic guitar, loop pedal and soulful voice that makes up the essential core of her music even to this day.
Then there’s Hailey Knox the teenage internet sensation, who built a massive fanbase on the live-streaming app YouNow, where she performed more covers and original songs from her bedroom, that led to her first record label deal with S-Curve Records in 2015. The following year, she released her debut EP A Little Awkward, a short collection of poignant yet playful adolescent pop songs that felt like they were ripped right out of her diary. She made Awkward with renowned producers Michael Mangini (Joss Stone, David Byrne) and Peter Zizzo (Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez) – who discovered Knox years ago through her YouTube covers – as well as songwriter Imani Coppola.
Her viral acclaim continued paving the way for her first breakthrough: getting a co-sign from Meghan Trainor, opening for Charlie Puth’s We Don’t Talk Anymore Tour in 2016 and AJR’s What Everyone’s Thinking Tour in 2017, and scoring a nomination in the new social star award category at the 2017 iHeartRadio Music Awards. She kept the momentum going with the release of her 2018 mixtape Hardwired, on which Knox showcased her confessional and cunning lyricism about romantic uncertainty and adjusting to life on the road as well as her boundary-pushing indie-soul sound through fully fleshed out tracks and late-night voice memos.
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But Knox truly can’t fit her genre inside any one box. She later dabbled with rap on braggadocious singles like “Butterfly Doors” and “Gucci Prada Balenciaga,” the latter of which interpolates Mike Jones’ 2004 debut single “Still Tippin’,” featuring Paul Wall and Slim Thug. The genre’s self-assured cadence stuck with her most as she continued experimenting with her sound, exploring various musical styles while learning production and new melodic flows through “trial and error,” she tells Billboard over Zoom from her Los Angeles home.
And now, there’s Hailey Knox the multidisciplinary star. SZA sang her praises earlier this year when she teased “Stranger,” a brooding ballad about wasting time with someone you wish you never knew, and “11th Hour,” an intoxicating earworm about a selfish ex wanting to salvage a relationship even though it’s too late. Those singles were eventually included on her 2024 EP For the Best, which she released in July via 10K Projects.
Across its eight tracks, Knox bares all about the intimate lifecycle of her own seven-year relationship through spellbinding vocals that tug at the heartstrings and polished, R&B-leaning production. “We were writing about stuff we go through, which was kind of therapeutic in a weird way,” she says. “Even though we did end up back together through the breaks and everything, I think it was for the best because there’s a lot of love there.” For the Best has garnered 33.5 million official on-demand U.S. song streams through Nov. 21, according to Luminate.
Billboard spoke with December’s R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Month about why producing “opened more doors” for Knox’s genre experimentation, how Russ’ open verse challenge led to her first major collaboration and how she and her boyfriend opened up about their past relationship troubles while co-writing songs on her latest EP For the Best.
When did your fascination with the guitar begin?
My dad taught me [when] I was 7 years old. He would come home and jam, it was definitely a hobby for him. My first song I learned was “Blackbird” by The Beatles, it was very finger style. I grew up in a really musical household. I was in a duo with my sister for a few years. It’s something naturally I’ve always been drawn to.
Which guitar players did you look up to?
I grew up listening to Dave Matthews Band because my dad would listen to him a lot. And Ed Sheeran because he does a lot of percussive guitar stuff that I probably subconsciously picked up on.
When did your interest in making loops begin, and how did you start learning to create them?
The first loop I got was a one track, so I would do a lot of experimenting with that. I was 16 or 17. And the one that I’ve been using in my videos is this handheld Boss RC-500 my mom got me as a gift for Christmas. It sparked this whole different thing because online, people love to see the process and it’s a really good way to get my ideas out without thinking about it.
How often do the loops you create become the groundwork for songs you end up releasing?
It’s 50/50. For the most part, I do it for fun and just jam for hours. And sometimes it’s not even to make a song. But there’s been some instances like “Available For Me” [where] I did the loop not thinking anything of it, posting the video, and people really loved this guitar riff. So I was like, “Man, I gotta make this a song,” because it went crazy viral. It’s an interesting way to see what people resonate with.
When did you start producing?
During COVID, I really dove in. When I worked on my first EP, I had been around producers absorbing as much information as I could.
What kind of music did you grow up listening to, and how has that informed the music that you currently make?
So much different stuff, between what my parents listened to – Stevie Wonder, Dave Matthews Band – but then I also loved Miley Cyrus and Aly and AJ. My first concert was Hilary Duff. I loved those pop girlies and people that really went for it.
And who are you listening to now?
A little jazz, a little Yussef Dayes. Mk.gee. People that are all about the music.
Your music has evolved a lot over the years. A few years ago you were making acoustic ballads and indie pop songs. But now, you’ve dug deeper into R&B. How did you make that sonic transition?
Because I am a music lover, naturally I’m doing a lot of different things and seeing what excites me the most. Nobody has one phase of what they listen to, the same way I make music. I like to explore different pockets. I started out in a singer-songwriter space with guitar. When I started producing is when it opened more doors for me. I produced “Gucci Prada Balenciaga.” I got into a really big rap phase of loving Baby Keem. I love the way hip-hop makes you feel [and] hypes you up. When I produced “Charismatic,” that was a space for me to make a record where I can feel really confident in myself. I have a lot of different sides to me. One day, I feel like the more Hardwired Hailey, but other days, I’m like, “No, I f–k with Doja Cat so much. That could be sick to try something like this.” I don’t like to box myself in.
How did you eventually find your flow?
It was a lot of experimenting with my voice, playing with my tone and seeing what feels the most authentic and natural. I think “Butterfly Doors” hit a little too far one way, and “11th Hours” is where I felt most confident. I was like, “Oh, I like this space right here. It’s a little touch of R&B, but I’m still singing from a place that feels genuine to me.” [Sometimes] the perfectionism kicks in and I’m like, “I don’t want it to feel too perfect.” I want there to be that freeness.
When was the first time you remember going viral?
There were a lot of little moments in my career, but maybe the first was when I collaborated with my friend Juno and we did this video cover of “It’s Strange” [by Louis the Child, featuring K. Flay]. And then the Russ thing was a big moment because I had gone independent from my label. TikTok was hitting at that point, and I was like, “Let me explore this and see what I can do.” Open verses were really big, and I did an open verse to his song [“Remember”] and then he put me on the actual record. To see the power of the internet in that way, I was like, “Wow.” I flew out to his house, and we worked on the song. He was really sweet.
You were an internet sensation on YouNow in 2016. Almost a decade later, you’re experiencing viral success yet again but on TikTok. What are the similarities and differences between your experiences with both platforms, especially as it pertains to promoting and performing your own music?
When I was on YouNow, it was all about livestreaming. There was a bit of collaboration, too, because people go live together, the same way people do now. YouNow is more in real time, telling people, “Hey, I put a song out! Go listen.” Or you’d play the song on live. With TikTok, I’m always trying to find unique ways to promote the song because nowadays, our attention span is zero. [Laughs] I like to lead with the music, regardless of what platform, and show people something I made, whether it’s a breakdown of the beat or something I produced within the record. The passion of what I do comes through.
Last December, you posted a freestyle on Instagram about the “story of my life” that spoke on the challenges of being an artist in today’s music industry, from the faux affectionate moochers to the “algorithm A&Rs.” You sang, “I questioned my career, almost pivoted.” Did you have a Plan B if music didn’t work out?
I do not. Naturally, there’s self-doubt with any artistic thing you do. It’s a full-time job – there’s so much that goes into it day to day, like branding and sessions and being “on” at all times but also finding the vulnerability in opening up and trusting people to collaborate with. I don’t have a Plan B. This is what I’m doing.
The beat for that freestyle was from Drake’s “Stories About My Brother.” Why was that the right choice?
I loved that beat. Conductor [Williams] actually sent me some beats too, I love his stuff. It feels old-school but still modern. He’s really talented.
SZA commented “Ate” underneath the clip, and it’s not the first time she’s publicly supported you and your music. How did you react when you saw her comment, and what does her co-sign mean to you?
It’s kind of wild. I have a hard time really allowing things to sink in like that. I’m like, “SZA? Are you kidding me?” I love her so much.
What was the inspiration behind For the Best?
I was reflecting on my relationship, which I’ve been in for seven years, and I write with my boyfriend a lot. We were writing about stuff we go through, which was kind of therapeutic in a weird way. The majority of the project is [about] relationships and realizing even though we did end up back together through the breaks and everything, I think it was for the best because there’s a lot of love there.
Was it hard to revisit those rough moments with your man?
We’re in a good place, so to revisit these times and relive this stuff that I don’t want to relive, it puts this weird energy in the room like, “Wait, we’re back here?” We’re writing about these emotional times and difficult things we’ve gone through, and still being in a good place, but you’re living in that place, too. That was the hardest part.
[But] we communicate really well, and we find a way to write these unique almost rap bars through melody. We balance each other out in that way, and it’s cool ‘cause we both write and I find ways to put melody to some of his lyrics.
Did it feel cathartic for the both of you?
With “Innocence,” it’s talking a little bit about him being my first love and diving into that hook of “something’s gotta change” and feeling like there’s something that could be better in the relationship, but I don’t know how to let him know that. Those moments of “Do I communicate this, or is it going to ruin our relationship?” So, I guess.
I love the beat breakdown you did for “Don’t Matter” on TikTok. What was the most intricate song to produce on For The Best?
“Don’t Matter” actually was the hardest because it was a whole other song before, like all new verses, it was more guitar-based. And then I ended up reproducing the entire thing last minute because I felt like I’d outgrown this acoustic part of me, not completely, but in that sense of this song. I was like, “I need to reinvent this song somehow because I want to feel excited about it.”
On the contrary, what was the easiest and quickest song to produce?
The reinvention of “Stranger” came kind of quickly. The first record was more in this R&B, slow chill mood. And I was like, “Let me explore because I think it could be nice to bring the tempo up.”
Which song are you most excited to perform?
“11th Hour.” That one’s going to be just a vibe live.
I loved the promo song you made for your tour last month to the beat of 50 Cent’s “Candy Shop.” How did you come up with that idea, from the song itself to the video of you riding around in a blue toy car?
It’s funny, I guess it’s similar to “Candy Shop,” but I literally just made the beat and then people were like, “This sounds like ‘Candy Shop.’” And I was like, “Oh sh–, I guess it kind of does.” I was like, “Let’s find a fun way to promote this tour.” And that was the first thing we thought about. I had that blue car sitting here forever, it was for “Butterfly Doors.” I tried to do a video years ago with it and it was really bad, so we did not put it out. But I used it in the tour video.
What’s been the biggest “pinch me” moment of your career so far?
The moments with SZA and Justin Bieber [following me on Instagram] are really big because they’re people that I admire, and it gives me a little bit of the confidence I need some days where I’m like, “Oh sh–, people f—k with me.”
Manifest your next biggest career accomplishment.
I want to collaborate more with artists next year and put more stuff out without dissecting the sh—out of it [Laughs] and not overthinking my steps all the time. We’re in a world where you’ve got to stay on top of things, but I also don’t want to force anything, so finding that balance for myself.
Are there any artists you’d love to collaborate with in the future?
I love Yussef Dayes, he’s an incredible drummer. SZA, throwing it out there. Justin Bieber.
What’s next for Hailey Knox?
I am planning on releasing some songs top of next year that I’m finishing up now and am really excited about.
When you’ve been on the kind of career rip that Beyoncé‘s had for the past two decades, you get used to winning. That was the message from the singer’s mother, Tina Knowles, when TMZ caught up with her on Tuesday (Dec. 3), just hours after Billboard revealed that Bey was named the No. 1 Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century.
Asked to respond to the honor, Knowles said, “that’s nice… very nice.” As for the follow-up question about whether the family ever gets used to the accolades heaped on their their daughter, Knowles offered up a succinct, “yeah.”
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The expectation of excellence was mirrored by Bey’s father Matthew Knowles as well, who boasted about the singer’s accomplishments in a loving post on X on Tuesday. “Beyoncé was shy growing up. But, as soon as she started singing, it was like a different person emerged and we knew from a very young age that she was destined to pursue her passion in music,” he wrote. “She turned everyone around her into a believer with her determination, work ethic, stage presence and talent.”
He also addressed his daughter directly, saying, “Beyoncé, I am so proud of you. This is another one of your many major distinctions, yet I sit here not surprised because I knew you were meant for greatness from the moment I held you in my arms for the first time!”
“While Taylor Swift is the century’s biggest pop star by the numbers — from album sales to streams to touring dominance — our editorial staff chose Beyoncé as our Greatest Pop Star of the Century, based on her full 25 years of influence, evolution and impact,” reads the intro to the essay about the Beyoncé.
The No. 1 slot placed Queen Bey over Swift (No. 2), as well as the rest of the top 10, which included Rihanna, Adele, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Drake.
Billboard staffers are ranking the 10 Hottest Female Rappers of 2024. From Megan Thee Stallion to Latto to Cardi B, we’re explaining why these artists made our list. Do you agree with No. 1? Let us know who you think your Hottest Female Rapper of 2024 is in the comments below! Carl Lamarre:The Hottest Female […]
A time capsule of Jay-Z’s decorated career was on display at the Brooklyn Public Library in 2023, and the immersive exhibit has been turned into The Book of HOV: A Tribute to Jay-Z.
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Published by Assouline, The Book of HOV coffee table book was released on Wednesday (Dec. 4), which is also Jay’s 55th birthday.
The classic version of the collector’s item is available for $120, while the ultimate version is going to run fans $2,000, as a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Brooklyn Public Library. The tome is filled with nearly 700 iconic images broken down into eight chapters depicting different pillars of Jay-Z’s artistry, along with personal essays penned by those who know the Roc Nation mogul best.
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One of those legendary images from Jay’s career is his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, from when he became the first solo rap act to enter the HoF as part of the class of 2021. But it wasn’t exactly a smooth ride from the time Mr. Carter received the induction call to getting on stage at the ceremony to make a moving acceptance speech.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame chairman John Sykes had his work cut out for him convincing Hov to make the trip to Cleveland, and Billboard can exclusively reveal his poignant essay as an excerpt from The Book of HOV.
Sykes recalled Jay imploring, “Rock is dead. Rap is the new rock!” He spent the next half-hour explaining how six of the first 10 artists in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame were Black, and there would be no rock n’ roll without Black artists.
“My last words, as I pleaded for Jay to come to Cleveland to accept his award, were that rock n’ roll is not any one sound, rather a gumbo,” he wrote. “To paraphrase the great Barry Gordy, rock n’ roll created the sound of young America. It’s a spirit, and the spirit of hip-hop and rap connected rock n’ roll with an entirely new generation.”
Sykes was in the dark and didn’t hear from Hov until Jay-Z and his family showed up in Cleveland on Oct. 30, 2021, and the chairman could breathe a sigh of relief. The rapper’s induction video included star-studded cameos from wife Beyoncé, LeBron James, Rihanna, Chris Rock, Usher, Rick Ross, Dave Letterman and his daughter Blue Ivy.
Introduced by Dave Chappelle, Jay-Z took the stage and moved the room with his speech detailing his journey from Marcy Projects to mogul status, while paying respect to the legends who paved the way before him.
Read the excerpt in full below.
The Book of HOV: A Tribute to Jay-Z
There have been few times in my years in the music industry where I have been a witness to asingle moment that changed popular culture forever. Being in the room when we launchedMTV on August 1st , 1981, was one of them. The night of October 30th, 2021, in Cleveland,Ohio was another.
The occasion was the 36th Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony at a sold-out sportsarena in Cleveland, just down the street from the storied Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum. The museum was established to honor those artists whose original sounds created and promoted the growth of Rock and Roll Music and had a profound impact on culture. Gathered backstage that evening was a “who’s who” in music and arts, from Paul McCartney to Taylor Swift, Dave Chappell, Angela Bassett, Jennifer Hudson, Eminem, Lionel Richie, Keith Urban, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Lopez and more. All had traveled to Cleveland from around the globe to induct and honor the Class of 2021 inductees which included: LL Cool J (the original GOAT), Tina Turner, Clarence Avant, The GoGo’s, The Foo Fighters, Billy Preston, Charley Patton, Carole King, Gil Scott-Heron, Kraftwerk, Fela Kuti, Todd Rundgren, Randy Rhoads, and JAY-Z.
I had just been named the third Chairman in the history of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which was founded in 1986. It was a dream job for me, as a lifelong obsessed music fan. I accepted the position with one promise and vision; to honor the original mission of the Hall, which was to recognize artists who, regardless of race, gender, or style, contributed to the continued growth and spirit of Rock & Roll music. Rock & Roll was born in 1955 not from one singular sound, but rather a collision of Rhythm & Blues, Gospel, and Country, and continues to evolve as new artists and sounds are created.
Artists spend their entire careers hoping to one day be inducted into the Hall of Fame. It’s a rare honor. On the day the ’21 inductees were announced, I personally called my longtime friend JAY Z to give him the good news. We had worked together for over two decades during my time at MTV, VH1, iHeartRadio, and as a board member of the New York charity, the Robin Hood Foundation. I was beyond excited, as JAY had made the coveted ’21 inductee list on his first year of eligibility, which is a seldom accomplished feat. And, while the Hall of Fame had previously inducted great rappers like Grandmaster Flash, Public Enemy and N.W.A, JAY stood out. He was not only the greatest rapper of his time but was now an icon for bringing Hip Hop to the mainstream, as well as becoming an enormously successful business executive, and a beacon for culture.
This was exactly the direction that I envisioned the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame moving towards. However, JAY’s response to my good news was not exactly what I was expecting. “Rock is dead,” he said. “Rap is the new Rock.” For the next 30 minutes I explained to him that “Rock” is not “Rock & Roll”. Yes, it’s an important part, but it’s only one part. In fact, six of the first ten artists inducted into the Hall of Fame were Black: James Brown, Fats Domino, Ray Charles, Chuck Berry, Sam Cooke, and Little Richard. The next year Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, and Bo Diddley were inducted. Without Black artists there would be no Rock & Roll.
My last words, as I pleaded for JAY to come to Cleveland to accept his award, were that Rock & Roll is not any one sound, rather a gumbo. To paraphrase the great Barry Gordy, Rock & Roll created the sound of young America. It’s a spirit, and the spirit of Hip Hop and Rap connected Rock & Roll with an entirely new generation.
Then, we waited.
On the induction evening of October 30th JAY-Z arrived in Cleveland with his family and team. After a moving induction video featuring “A-list” pop culture icons, including a former President of the United States, Dave Chappelle took the stage to give a powerful induction speech. He then invited JAY to come up to accept his statue. What followed was a speech for the ages. Just like Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, or Paul McCartney did before him, JAY told the 16,000 people in the room, and millions more watching on television, his own story of being turned down by record companies who called his music “trash”, and how he refused to compromise, never giving in to conventional wisdom. JAY looked over to his fellow inductee LL Cool J and gave him his admiration and thanks. He then ended his passionate speech, holding his statue high in the air proclaiming, “Now THAT’s Rock & Roll”.
The crowd roared. JAY smiled and walked off the stage and to the exit, knowing that he had accomplished his mission of recognizing rap as a true force in music and culture, while at the same time opening the door for the next generation of musical dreamers and creators to follow in his footsteps and continue to honor and evolve the attitude, spirit, and many sounds of Rock & Roll.
John SykesChairman, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
After releasing the first iteration of the Hottest Female Rappers List in June, Billboard returns with the final rankings for 2024.
While Eminem has not yet commented on the death this week of his mother Debbie Nelson at 69 due to complications from advanced lung cancer, the rapper’s half-brother Nathan “Nate” Mathers issued a terse, five-word reaction to the loss.
“Hatred and mixed emotions today,” Nate Mathers wrote on his Instagram Stories on Tuesday (Dec. 3) in a curt message in keeping with the sometimes contentious Mathers family dynamic between mother and sons. Nelson died in St. Joseph, MO on Monday and at press time Marshall had not yet issued a public statement about the loss of the woman who was frequently a subject of disdain and ridicule in his songs before their more recent rapprochement.
Music producer Nate was Nelson’s youngest son, born to her and partner Fred Samra when Eminem was 13-years-old; she married the MC’s father, Marshall Mathers Jr., when she was 16 and gave birth to Eminem (born Marshall Mathers) two years later in 1972. Eminem became Nate’s legal guardian when his half-brother turned 16.
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Eminem was often at odds with his mother in his music, lashing out at her on such hits as 2002’s “Cleanin’ Out My Closet,” on which he rapped about his mother abusing prescription pills and said, “Wasn’t it the reason you made that CD for me, Ma?/ So you could try to justify the way you treated me, Ma?/ But guess what, you’re gettin’ older now, and it’s cold when you’re lonely/ And Nathan’s growin’ up so quick, he’s gonna know that you’re phony.”
He also took aim at her on his iconic 1999 Slim Shady LP track “My Name Is,” rapping, “99 percent of my life, I was lied to/ I just found out my mom does more dope than I do/ I told her I’d grow up to be a famous rapper/ Make a record about doin’ drugs and name it after her.”
Nelson sued Eminem for defamation in 1999, seeking $11 million in damages; the judge ruled in her favor, but she was only awarded $25,000 in a 2001 judgement. She later delved into their prickly relationship in her 2007 tell-all memoir My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem. Years later, on the 2013 Marshall Mathers LP 2 track “Headlights” he extended an olive branch when he apologized with the lyrics, “I went in headfirst, never thinkin’ about who, what I said hurt/ In what verse, my mom probably got it the worst/ The brunt of it, but as stubborn as we are, did I take it too far?/ ‘Cleanin’ Out My Closet’ and all them other songs/ But regardless, I don’t hate you ’cause, ma/ You’re still beautiful to me, ’cause you’re my ma.”
The thaw continued in 2022, when Nelson gave her son kudos for his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, saying in a video, “Marshall, I want to say, I could not let this day go by without congratulating you on your induction into the Hall of Fame. I love you very much. I knew you’d get there. It’s been a long ride. I’m very, very proud of you. And also I’m very proud of [granddaughter] Hailie Jade, my big girl. I want to tell you, Hailie, great job on your podcast and God bless you guys. I love you very much.”
If you weren’t able to make it out to the Brooklyn Public Library last year to check out the 40,000 square-foot “The Book of HOV” exhibit honoring the legacy of Jay-Z, high-end publisher Assouline has the perfect stocking stuffer for you. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news […]
Eminem’s mother, Debbie Nelson, died at 69 years old as Billboard confirmed the tragedy on Tuesday (Dec. 3). TMZ was the first to report the news as the publication cited Nelson suffering from complications related to a lung cancer diagnosis and passed away in St. Joseph, Mo. As the oldest of five children, Nelson gave […]