R&B/Hip-Hop
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Lest you think Eminem doesn’t suffer for his art, Slim Shady pulled back the curtain on Monday (June 10) to provide fans with a behind-the-scenes peek at the making of the video for his “Houdini” single. The minute-long clip starring the rapper’s not-so-super alter ego, Rapboy, features the caption, “I do my own stunts. #Houdini video shoot behind the scenes – don’t try this at home!!!”
It opens with Rapboy doing a series of jumps off a bed onto a crash pad, repeatedly face-planting on the black mat you don’t see in the finished product. He then does another round of face plants — this time from a kneeling position — onto a dusty rug while complaining to the director about his motivation. “Oh, you want me to smash my f–king face!?,” video veteran Marshall says, adamantly noting that he can’t be responsible for what his cape does when his mug hits the dirt.
“Don’t do the recoil,” director Rich Lee counsels Em, as the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer argues, “that’s my head bouncing off the carpet!” Lee, however, begs to differ and shows Em on an iPad that he is, in fact, bobbing his head as he drops to the ground. “Can you make my nose not as f–king pointy?” the MC asks while changing the subject while viewing the playback.
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Cut to one of the oldest tricks in the book as Rapboy “climbs” a building and gets blown around by a wind machine, appearing to struggle mightily against gravity while actually just standing on a slight incline shot from the side. “Holy s–t, that’s actually not easy,” a winded Em, 51, says after repeated takes. “I need a break.”
The rest of the clip consists of Em doing multiple takes of set-ups where he does tuck-and-rolls and practices a fight scene. It ends with a blonde-haired Marshall kicking a door open so hard he loses one of his shoes.
The video that makes nods to Em’s 2009 “Without Me” visual features cameos from Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent, as well as Marshall’s three kids — Hailie, Alaina and Stevie — as well as former SNL star Pete Davidson. The song is the first single off Eminem’s upcoming 12th album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce), which is expected out this summer.
In the meantime, Eminem landed his 23rd career top 10 debut when “Houdini” entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 2, kept out of the top spot by Post Malone and Morgan Wallen’s “I Had Some Help,” which has been at the peak for four consecutive weeks. The “Houdini” debut is the rapper’s highest-charting single since “The Monster” featuring Rihanna spent four week at No. 1 in December 2013-January 2014.
Watch the “Houdini” BTS video below.
Hot 97’s Funkmaster Flex — who’s been a staple on New York City airwaves for decades — isn’t feeling Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby.” In fact, the legendary DJ went on an epic rant about how much he doesn’t like the song and went as far as to call those who do like it “clowns.” […]
Don Toliver is rolling out his new album Hardstone Psycho with the help of Fortnite. On Monday (June 10), the artist out of Houston is dropping his collab Hardstone with Epic Games — the company behind Fortnite. The special event has been described as an “8v8 turf war between two rival biker gangs (Hardstone & […]
LL Cool J hasn’t released an album since 2013’s Authentic, but the drought should be ending at some point later this year. The Radio rapper on June 7 announced plans for his first single of the year, “Saturday Night Special,” which will be arriving on June 14.
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“In case you missed it, new single ‘Saturday Night Special,’” he said in the clip while posted up in the studio with shades on and his signature Yankee fitted cap. “It’s coming June 14. Go to the link in the bio. Sign up to the pre-save it. Ya know what I mean?”
The surprises didn’t stop there, as LL promised that his long-awaited next “album’s coming in the fall.”
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The New York native continued: “It’s the real deal, baby. It’s go time. ‘Saturday Night Special’ is the first single. I’ll let you know about the features. Couple of days … Hit the link in the bio, you’ll be able to find out a little sooner. Tracklisting for the album is coming. Album will be out in the fall. Yo, it’s on, baby.”
LL Cool J had a busy 2023 as he was part of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop tribute performance at the Grammy Awards and hit the road for The F.O.R.C.E. Live Tour.
The 56-year-old was continually teasing an album throughout last year, which he says is executive-produced by Q-Tip, but hasn’t yet gone through with releasing it. He also didn’t make it clear if this is the same LP.
LL previously raved about the project and working with Q-Tip at the 2023 Grammys. “I know all the tricks,” he told E! News at the time. “I got this covered. I think honestly and sincerely, that Q-Tip as a producer is unbelievable and what he did on this record for me, I think is amazing. So the world will decide.”
He continued: “The album, I think, is really, really special. I think it’s something it’s modern without chasing. It’s a whole new thing. I can’t wait for the people to see it.”
LL’s last album, Authentic, was released in 2013 and debuted at No. 23 on the Billboard 200. Find his announcementbelow.
From paying homage to the African continent to packing a punch with boxing ring-ready jams, R&B and rap artists and producers have made memorable movie soundtracks that can fit any scene and that are filled with their own all-star casts.
Eminem not only had his first starring role in the 2002 semi-autobiographical movie 8 Mile, but he also executive produced its soundtrack. Thirteen years later, Slim Shady helmed the official soundtrack for Southpaw. Eminem was originally supposed to play the lead role of Billy Hope, and Southpaw screenwriter Kurt Sutter told Deadline in 2010, “in a way, this is a continuation of the 8 Mile story, but rather than a literal biography, we are doing a metaphorical narrative of the second chapter of his life.” (Eminem eventually passed on the lead role, which went to Jake Gyllenhaal, to focus on music.)
Jay-Z executive produced The Great Gatsby: Music from Baz Luhrmann’s Film in 2013, with Jeymes Samuel (also known by his stage name The Bullitts) as executive music consultant. Almost a decade later, the two worked together again on The Harder They Fall in 2021, which Samuel directed, co-wrote and co-produced; Hov co-produced the film and executive produced the soundtrack.
Jay-Z, Future, Pharrell Williams and Shawn Stockman have all pulled double duty by producing the films they also helmed the soundtracks for, while Eminem and Metro Boomin are the only stars featured on this list who star in the films they also helped make the music for (since we’re counting Metro’s cameo as Metro Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse last year). Plenty of artists have made “cameos” on others’ soundtracks, from Future appearing on Metro’s Spider-Verse soundtrack and Kendrick Lamar‘s Black Panther: The Album to Lamar appearing on Beyoncé‘s The Lion King: The Gift to Hov appearing on Bey’s The Lion King: The Gift, Judas and the Black Messiah: The Inspired Album (which Hit-Boy co-executive produced) and Eminem’s 8 Mile: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture.
And with all this star power fueling these film soundtracks from the front and back ends, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that so many of them have been recognized at major award shows. Beyoncé’s The Lion King: The Gift, which was nominated for best pop vocal album at the 2020 Grammy Awards, produced a Grammy-nominated hit and a Grammy-winning hit: “Brown Skin Girl” by Bey, Blue Ivy Carter, SAINt JHN and Wizkid won best music video at the 2021 Grammy Awards (making Blue Ivy the second-youngest Grammy winner in history at age 9), while “Spirit” was up for best pop solo performance and best song written for visual media at the 2020 Grammy Awards. “Fight For You” by H.E.R. from Judas and the Black Messiah: The Inspired Album won best traditional R&B performance at the 2022 Grammys.
“Spirit,” “Fight For You,” Kendrick Lamar & SZA‘s “All the Stars” and Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” from 8 Mile: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture have also earned best original song nods at the Golden Globe Awards in various years, with “Fight For You” eventually taking home the trophy. H.E.R.’s hit also won best original song at the 2021 Academy Awards, which Slim Shady’s smash won 18 years prior and Dot and SZA’s monster collab was nominated for two years prior. “All the Stars” was nominated for song of the year, record of the year, best song written for visual media and best rap/sung performance at the 2019 Grammy Awards, while “King’s Dead” with Lamar, Jay Rock, Future and James Blake won best rap performance and was nominated for best rap song.
“Lose Yourself” also won best rap song and best male rap solo performance at the 2004 Grammy Awards, when Kill Bill Vol. 1 Original Soundtrack — which RZA co-executive produced — was up for best compilation soundtrack album for a motion picture, television or other visual media. The Great Gatsby: Music from Baz Luhrmann’s Film was nominated for best compilation soundtrack for visual media at the 2014 Grammy Awards, while “Young and Beautiful” by Lana Del Rey was up for best song written for visual media.
Billboard rounded up 16 times rap and R&B artists and producers have curated or executive produced 2000s movie soundtracks, in order from newest to oldest.
Metro Boomin, Metro Boomin Presents Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Soundtrack from and Inspired by the Motion Picture) (2023)
Gamma CEO and last year’s Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players’ Executive of the Year Larry Jackson sat down with Joe Budden for a one-on-one interview that launched June 6. Jackson, who was once Apple Music’s global creative director, had an interesting thought to share about Drake’s streaming numbers. About an hour into the interview, Budden asks whether or not Drake’s business deals are “a point of contention with his peers.” Choosing not to go into detail, Jackson says, “I can’t answer that question, that’s not appropriate of my place, I have to definitely display good cultural etiquette.”
Budden then explains a theory he has about the Toronto rapper’s relationship with Jackson and his label, Gamma. “My wild theory was that Drake had to have some type of hand in Gamma, which is why he’s promoting [Rick] Ross albums and Sexyy Red, and he must have some type of deal that’s not even available to other people to whereas he gets to be the owner and player,” he shared. “Like he’s twofold right now and it seems to be causing a lot of trouble.”
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The executive then asked if Budden wants the truth and began talking about how he and his partner, Gamma president Ike Youssef, knocked on doors because they believed in their idea for their label. “Private equity was investing so much money into catalogues because capital was cheap in 2019, 2020,” he said. “Interest rates were very low so borrowing capital was easy.”
Jackson then said streaming has made it easier for investors to predict “insight into recurring revenue,” but still no one believed in their vision of “investing in the frontline business.”
He finally got to Drake and their relationship, and puts the artist’s streaming numbers into perspective. “The thing I will say to you about [Drake] you just mentioned, is that if you look at his music, he’s bigger than the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s combined,” he said. “I don’t mean like one artist from that era, I mean all of those eras combined.”
“All the things that we achieved when I was at Apple, with the individual that you’re noting [Drake], imbued me with the confidence and the courage of my conviction to go out and do what we’re doing right now,” Jackson continued. “Can you put a price tag on that? No, you can’t.”
Back when Jackson was Apple’s global creative director, he was instrumental in launching Drake’s OVO Sound Radio on Beats 1 in 2015. Also, Drake’s 2016 album Views was an Apple Music exclusive a week prior to the project being available on other streaming services such as Spotify and Tidal. At the time, Views set a streaming record with 1.04 million equivalent album units in its first week, and debuted No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
You can watch the full interview below.
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Drake is fully leaning into the soccer dad persona. The 6 God pulled up to his 6-year-old son Adonis’ soccer game over the weekend to support the little boy while dressed to the nines. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Drizzy took to Instagram on Sunday (June […]
June is finally hitting its stride, and with Juneteenth (June 19) and the BET Awards (June 30) on the horizon, the worlds of R&B and hip-hop are buzzing with excitement.
The past week in R&B/hip-hop has brought us major updates on highly anticipated new albums, as well as business moves that have left fans puzzled, amused, and angry. On Saturday (June 8), Megan Thee Stallion debuted the alternate artwork for her upcoming self-titled LP, which is slated to drop on June 28. The announcement came the same day the H-Town Hottie broke down in tears while performing “Cobra” on her Hot Girl Summer Tour in Tampa, FL; earlier that day, nefarious social media users circulated explicit AI-generated videos to resemble Megan’s likeness.
On the flip side, Rihanna wore an “I’m Retired” shirt, sending her fans into a tailspin as they debated whether or not the “Diamonds” singer would ever drop another album.
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For one of the week’s more amusing business deals, Nick Cannon insured his much-discussed “family jewels” for $10 million. It was a necessary reprieve from the debate Jay-Z spurred when Roc Nation announced their participation in a campaign to secure $300 million in scholarships for underprivileged kids to private and religious institutions, leaving hundreds of hurting public schools in the dust.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from BIA and JID‘s new late-’00s-esque banger to summery new singles from Amanda Reifer and Cash Cobain. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
J.P., “Bring ‘Em Here”
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After bringing Milwaukee lowend to the national stage with his hit single “Bad Bitty,” J.P. has kept his foot firmly on the gas, offering up his new album, Coming Out Party. The new record primarily consists of more bite-sized “Bad Bitty”-esque bangers that combine J.P.’s soulful vocals and the rattling bass of Milwaukee lowend, but it’s “Bring ‘Em Here” that immediately stands out among the new joints.
“S–t, I remember being broke/ Had to ration all my s–t, n—as thought it was a joke/ But now they see me living/ And now they wanna ask me for my digits,” he muses in the intro, employing a rap-sung cadence that becomes the perfect framework for his later proclamations of being a “freak” who’s “tryna f–k you and a plus one.” Produced by Ibn Farmacia & Tombo, there’s a delicate guitar buried far in the background of the mix that picks up the markedly morose tone J.P. sings with across the sultry midtempo jam — and it’s that sonic quirk that makes the track one of the most interesting ones on the rising rapper’s new project.
BIA & JID, “Lights Out”
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It’s already been a highly memorable June for BIA, and we’re only 10 days into the month. Sandwiched between dissing Cardi B and performing in her hometown at Game Two of the NBA Finals, BIA collaborated with JID for the first time on “Lights Out.” The StarGate-produced song landed on the Bad Boys: Ride or Die soundtrack, but packs more of a punch than typical digestible soundtrack music that can feel monotonous at times. The “Whole Lotta Money” rapper delivers a catchy hook and JID gets tagged in late for an assist, which finds him recalling T.I.’s “Top Back” anthem. “I got my top way back and my beat down low/ We put so much in the grind ’cause we was on the ground floor,” the Dreamville resident proclaims.
Amanda Reifer, “Colonize”
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After picking up a pair of Grammy nominations thanks to her work on Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, Bajan singer-songwriter Amanda Reifer is stepping into her own spotlight. Built around a lift from fellow Bajan artist Rupee’s timeless “Tempted to Touch,” “Colonize” arrives as an evocative, sensual ode to remaining steadfast in your own existence and rejecting the imposition of outside ideals or expectations. “Aw, bless you, I ain’t saying I ain’t glad that I met you/ I ain’t saying what I’m saying just to vex you/ But you would mark territory if I let you,” she warns over Dahi’s shimmering dancehall-inflected beat. Fans who were immediately captivated by Reifer’s warm, alluring tone on “Die Hard,” will absolutely love the way her voice takes center stage on “Colonize.”
Doechii, “MPH”
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The tension between the conscious and the commercial — which is much more complex than that binary suggests — is one of the longest-standing debates in hip-hop. With “MPH,” a high-octane continuation of the raucous dance and house-rooted hip-hop of her JT-assisted “Alter Ego,” Doechii offers a simple answer: “Yeah, I could give you the conscious s–t, but I’m too busy giving you c–t.” It’s really that simple. “MPH” finds Doechii combining camp, humor, and an irresistible just-short-of-bratty timbre to make a song that heralds her own greatness and, in turn, spurs listeners to revel in their own. She smartly anchors the song’s more quippy moments with a first verse that recalls her come-up story; “I tell you what it took to get me here, but I don’t think you really understand it/ Went from bitches trying to call me out my name, to calling my name in the stands,” she spits over the Deameanor-helmed beat.
Cash Cobain, “Rump Punch”
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From “Fisherrr” to “Attitude” — “Grippy” not included — Cash Cobain has been taking his slizzy summer vibes from NYC to the world. “Rump Punch,” his latest addition to the “sexy drill” lexicon, finds the Bronx rapper-producer comparing his lady’s taste to the always-satisfying drink that is rum punch. “Hеnny got you bent, but I’ma bend you too/ If you got a man, we could bеnd the rules/ If I was your man, I’d be tender too/ If you really wanna bring a friend or two,” he spits in a fast-paced flow that matches the slightly sleazy vibe of his lyrics. Cash is aware that he’s a bit of a dog, and that’s why he’s flying through lyrics that acknowledge his indifference to pre-existing relationships. Then again, why would that be of any concern to someone who’s truly partaking in a slizzy summer?
Isaia Huron, “Circle”
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When you aim for perfection, you discover that it’s a moving target. In a showcase of creative transparency, Isaia Huron’s “Circle” was left intentionally unfinished. The burgeoning R&B singer narrates the trials and tribulations of a certain woman in his life while showing off his vocal versatility which climbs to a falsetto. Icy piano keys kick off the 90-second sprint before a stark halftime switch to brooding drums with a pulsating bass reaching a crescendo along with an outro that feels like something out of the Frank Ocean playbook. “Circle” is the South Carolina singer-songwriter’s first single of 2024, and Huron has a project slated to arrive this summer.
Ski Mask the Slump God & Future, “Monsters Inc.”
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Ski Mask the Slump God returned with his first project in three years, as the dark 11th Dimension hit streaming services. An early standout from his sophomore LP finds Ski facing off with Future on “Monsters Inc.” Just don’t expect any references to Mike Wazowski, Sully or any ties to the Pixar classic for that matter. Future does the early heavy-lifting and floats over the menacing ATL Jacob production, while the sniper admits he’s still got Jennifer Lopez on his wish list. “Real spill, I’m still goin’ after J. Lo, uh-huh/ Can’t go back on my word,” he raps. Pluto’s syrupy ad-libs serve as an interlude of sorts with Ski Mask taking the baton and his skittering rhymes bringing “Monsters Inc.” across the finish line. “Y’all n—-s just the benchwarmers, I can’t take you serious,” Ski spews.
While the wins continue to pile up for Megan Thee Stallion, there are still those looking to bring her down. Meg continued her Hot Girl Summer Tour over the weekend, and she appeared to become visibly emotional during her performance inside Tampa’s Amalie Arena in Florida.
Footage surfaced from Saturday night’s (June 8) concert of Megan choking up, with the instrumental to her “Cobra” single booming. In fan-captured video, the three-time Grammy winner shakes her head, fans her face and attempts to pull herself together as the vocals start playing. The serpentine-themed track finds Thee Stallion opening up about her resilience and darkest days.
“Breakin’ down and I had the whole world watchin’/ But the worst part is really who watched me/ Every night I cried, I almost died/ And nobody close tried to stop it,” she raps on the tune.
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Earlier on Saturday, Megan Thee Stallion addressed those looking to bring her down while threatening that this will be their last time playing with her.
“It’s really sick how yall go out of the way to hurt me when you see me winning,” she tweeted. “Yall going too far, Fake a– s–t. Just know today was your last day playing with me and I mean it.”
Though Meg didn’t specify who she was directing her comment at, fans believe she was talking about an alleged AI-generated sex tape that has reportedly surfaced on social media.
“Not liking Megan thee Stallion is fine, but creating an AI sextape is just evil and vile,” one person wrote. “People actually enjoy doing shit like this.”
Another added: “They created a fake AI video of Megan Thee Stallion in a ‘sex tape’ i hope she sue all you delusional, twisted sick fans that always take shit to far just bc you don’t like someone….”
Billboard has reached out to Megan Thee Stallion’s reps for comment.
The show goes on for the 29-year-old. Meg’s Hot Girl Summer Tour continues this week with shows in New Orleans before returning to Texas for an Austin date, and then a pair of hometown concerts in Houston at the Toyota Center.
MTS is building momentum heading into her anticipated MEGAN album, which she announced is slated to arrive on June 28.
Watch the clip of her emotional performance below.
06/10/2024
The weekend was packed with performances of new songs, killer costumes and more.
06/10/2024