R&B/Hip-Hop
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Cardi B came and took the hip-hop by storm with her breakout single “Bodak Yellow,” followed by her Grammy-winning Invasion of Privacy debut the very next year in 2018.
The Bronx native believes her success had a butterfly effect and changed the way record labels looked at women rappers, which led to much more of them being signed in hopes of the artists following in her footsteps and replicating her success to a degree.
“These labels was not believing in repping new rap artists,” she told Rolling Stone as part of her cover story that arrived on Thursday (May 16). “People from every single label have f–king told me this s–t in my face. They started signing new female rappers after I got signed.”
Cardi doesn’t care much for the debate about whether the women being signed have the chance to become all-time great artists, but thinks they should be appreciated for making hit records that fill fans’ playlists on the daily.
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“Whether some b–ches could be the greatest rappers [or] they just make good music — at the end of the f–king day, guess what? They’re in your playlist right now,” she continued.
Rapsody backed Cardi’s theory during a recent interview with Billboard News. She alluded to how Cardi B’s support of burgeoning women rappers helped them break through.
“I think the way that Cardi supported so many women also helped as well,” Rapsody said. “Because of who she was and the success she had and to speak people’s names and to work with the artists that she did, it definitely made room and space for other artists.”
While Cardi’s holding strong about inspiring other women rappers to enter the industry in an easier fashion, there’s still plenty of questions when it comes to her sophomore album.
After she tweeted and deleted that there would be no such LP in 2024, reps for the rapper confirmed to Rolling Stone that an album was still in the plans for this year.
When the magazine caught up with Cardi in March, she was hard at work in hopes of completing the set. “Being out here is my punishment,” she said of the studio. “Until I have the album ready, I’m not going home.”
Invasion of Privacy arrived in April 2018, and she reflected on the project on its sixth anniversary last month. “6 years ago I released my first album and it broke so many records GAH LEE!!” she wrote. “6 years later I’m preparing to drop the next one this year.. it’s so different from what everyone is expecting and I’m sooo excited.”
IOP debuted atop the Billboard 200, and according to the RIAA, every song on the album is at least certified platinum.
See her Rolling Stone cover below:
Cardi B is deeply unhappy with the state of political affairs, inside and out of the United States. And in a new Rolling Stone cover story published Thursday (May 6), the rapper goes as far as denouncing President Joe Biden for his administration’s involvement in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, as well as the issues she sees happening here at home.
While addressing America’s ongoingfinancial aid to the Israeli military, as well as Ukraine’s military efforts against Russia, Cardi told the publication, “[America] don’t pay for endless wars for countries that have been going through s–t for a very long time.”
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“There’s countries [where] kids are getting killed every single day, but because the [U.S.] won’t benefit from that country, they won’t help,” she continued. “I don’t like that America has this superhero cape on. We never did things to be superheroes. We did things for our own convenience.”
Since Hamas terrorists attacked Israel on Oct. 7 – taking about 250 hostages and killing an estimated 1,200 – Israel and Hamas have been engaged in a deadly war. According to the Associated Press, more than 34,500 Palestinians have been killed, while ABC News reports that an estimated 1,700 people in Israel have been killed. Reuters reported on May 14 that Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani had said talks of a ceasefire in Gaza had reached a stalemate due to Israel’s operations in Rafah.
As for average Americans’ economic struggles on the home front, the “WAP” rapper says she feels “layers and layers of disappointment” about Biden’s inaction. “I feel like people got betrayed,” she said. “It’s just like, ‘Damn, y’all not caring about nobody.’ Then, it really gets me upset that there is solutions to it. There is a solution. I know there’s a solution because you’re spending billions of dollars on any f–king thing.”
The interview comes just six months ahead of the 2024 presidential election, during which Biden will once again run against the twice-impeached former president Donald Trump. Leading up to the former’s victory against the latter in 2020, Cardi both interviewed and endorsed the current POTUS, telling SiriusXM at the time, “It’s either we go with Joe Biden or Donald Trump … I have spoken to Joe Biden before. I think he gets it. I don’t know if it’s sympathize, but I think that he understands what we want. I think he understands that what we want are simple things.”
But now? “I don’t f–k with both of y’all n—-s,” she said of Biden and Trump.
See Cardi B’s Rolling Stone cover and photos from the shoot below.
Kid Cudi is feeling confident as he continues his rehab from recent surgery on his foot after he broke his calcaneus — the bone that forms at the heel — while jumping off the stage at Coachella last month. Forced to cancel his planned Insano world tour as a result of the injury, Cudder has been cooling his heels as he rehabs the foot, providing an update on Thursday morning (May 16) about his ongoing recovery and teasing an upcoming album he thinks is his finest work to date.
Wearing a grey hoodie pulled around his face, the rapper, 40, shared some exciting news in a pair of video posts in which he said, “I’m all good. I feel fantastic. Healing is going great. Therapy’s been great. No pain. I think I’m gonna bounce back from this stronger than ever, so there’s that.” He also announced that he’s already rescheduled “about 80%” of the tour and is just waiting to lock in some of the remaining dates, promising to provide an update as soon as he can.
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“I’m excited, man… the tour was gonna be physically demanding, so I might have to change some things depending on how my recovery goes,” he explained. “I think I’ll be go though, I think I’ll make a full recovery. That’s what I’m praying for.”
He then paused the nearly two-minute video and directed fans to check out a second, nearly five-minute clip in which the constantly evolving MC provided a blueprint for what he promised was his very exciting next phase. Noting that he’s been telling fans for months that he planned to hit them up with something new before the year is out, Cudder said, “As you know the past few years I’ve been a machine… I’ve been so inspired and in the studio cooking and trying new things. I started something towards the end of the last year I really think is something special.”
While he did not provide specific details on that mystery project, after a long, thoughtful pause to collect his thoughts, Cudi promised to give a taste of the new phase “soon,” which might include some new music before summer’s end. “Something tasty, something new,” he teased, noting that every one of his album phases is a “reinvention.”
“You know me, you know I always like to switch it up, try something new, challenge myself,” he said. “And I think this is going to remind people of the days where I was really… really trying to explore and feel something in the music.” He said his Insano album and the 2024 reissue, Insano (Nitro Mega), inspired him to elevate his live shows and the goal with the unnamed upcoming project is to bring the joy. Cudi also said he tried to tap into an “elevated” version of the kind of big, anthemic songs his fans love, naming “Up Up & Away” and “Erase Me” and “Heart of a Lion” as examples.
“I want you to know that this s–t is not a game for me,” he concluded. “I work really hard to create new experiences for you guys sonically. When I say you have never heard anything quite like this from me before and that your minds will be blown, I’m not f–king playing games.” He said he could not even explain the vibe of the tracks, but assured fans that it is “some of my best s–t ever… I’m not f–king around.”
Check out Cudi’s video updates below.
Check out Cudi’s video update below.
After debuting at No. 2 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart dated May 11, Tommy Richman’s ”Million Dollar Baby” ends up one spot better on the May 18 survey, ranking at No. 1.
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 May 6-12. Activity on TikTok is not included in Billboard charts except for the TikTok Billboard Top 50.
“Million Dollar Baby” reigns following continued viral usage of the tune on TikTok, the app on which it was first teased on April 13, well prior to its eventual April 26 wide release.
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A recent trend utilizing “Million Dollar Baby” on TikTok involves users referring to the “Black wife/girl effect,” showing them in photos before they began dating a Black woman and then afterward. Some uploads also flip the script, representing before-and-after photos of when they started dating people of other races or ethnicities.
Concurrently, “Million Dollar Baby” remains at its No. 2 peak on the multimetric Billboard Hot 100 chart, led by its 58.3 million official U.S. streams May 3-9, up 54%, according to Luminate.
“Million Dollar Baby” takes over at No. 1 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 from Lay Bankz’s “Tell Ur Girlfriend,” which drops to No. 2 after three weeks atop the list. Laila!’s “Like That!” reaches a new peak of No. 3, up from No. 4 May 11. As previously reported, “Like That!,” a steady gainer since April on the chart, benefits from a trend in which creators use its its “Do you want me?/ Do you wanna love me like that?” chorus to post often comedic videos trying to distract their significant others from their perceived flaws or shortcomings.
Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” drops 3-4, while Jaxomy, Agatino Romero and Raffaella Carra’s “Pedro” rounds out the top five. “Pedro” hits a new peak after a rise that began with the tune’s No. 24 debut on the April 27 tally. “Pedro” initially found TikTok success through a trend featuring dancing pets within a rotating spotlight.
Though “Pedro” has not yet been able to reach the Hot 100 (it has, however, peaked so far at No. 12 on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs list), its success concurrently takes it to a new peak of No. 17 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. survey dated May 18.
Daya’s “Hide Away” hits the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s top 10 for the first time, vaulting 11-7. The 2015 track scored a peak of No. 23 on the Hot 100 during its original chart run and enjoys newfound success thanks to a TikTok trend featuring creators lip-synching the chorus, with many showing off whether they are a top- or bottom-tooth speaker. Another trend follows users responding to a “maturing is …” prompt, and a third features creators dancing along in turn to the track.
“Hide Away” reaches a new peak of No. 151 on the Billboard Global 200 dated May 18, sporting 13.1 million global streams May 3-9.
The week’s sole top 10 debut on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 is courtesy of Kendrick Lamar, whose “Not Like Us” bows at No. 9. The Drake diss track, which concurrently starts at No. 1 on the Hot 100, achieves TikTok success mostly thanks to users reacting to the song’s incendiary lyrics
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.
Drake has had a tumultuous month, engaging in an increasingly personal diss battle with Kendrick Lamar that has seemingly ended in his defeat, but Thursday (May 16) brought some good news: He leads the nominations for the 2024 BET Awards.
Drake received seven nods, followed closely by Nicki Minaj with six. J. Cole, Sexyy Red, SZA and Victoria Monét each have five nominations. 21 Savage, Beyoncé, Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Tyla and Usher each have four.
The 2024 BET Awards, which bills itself Culture’s Biggest Night, will air live from Los Angeles on BET on Sunday, June 30, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. This year’s theme is Standing on Culture.
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BET also announced the first artists confirmed to perform on the show: GloRilla, Latto, Muni Long, Sexyy Red, Shaboozey and Victoria Monét.
Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is in its third week at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ’Em,” which headed that chart for 10 weeks immediately preceding Shaboozey’s smash, is nominated for the Viewer’s Choice Award. So, as genre walls blur, a performer and a nominee on the BET Awards could find themselves nominated for CMA Awards later this year.
Monét’s Jaguar II, which won a Grammy in February for best R&B album, and Killer Mike’s Michael, which won a Grammy for best rap album, are among the BET nominees for album of the year, along with Chris Brown’s 11:11, Gunna’s A Gift & A Curse, 21 Savage’s American Dream, Usher’s Coming Home, Drake’s For All the Dogs (Scary Hours Edition) and Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2.
Monét’s “On My Mama,” which was Grammy-nominated for record of the year, is nominated here for the Viewer’s Choice Award. Other nominees in that category include two tracks that won Grammys in February – Lil Durk featuring J. Cole’s “All My Life,” which won best melodic rap performance; and Tyla’s “Water,” which won the inaugural award for best African music performance.
Drake and Burna Boy are both nominated for BET Awards for both best male R&B/pop artist and best male hip-hop artist. Doja Cat is nominated in the equivalent categories for female artists, a sign of all three artists’ broad appeal.
A musical biopic, Bob Marley: One Love, and a concert film, Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, are among the nominees for best movie.
Blue Ivy Carter, the 12-year old daughter of Beyoncé and Jay-Z, is nominated for the YoungStars Award.
Halle Bailey is nominated for best actress and also for the Dr. Bobby Jones best gospel/inspirational award for “Angel.”
Nominations were determined by the BET Voting Academy, which is comprised of entertainment professionals and influencers in the fields of music, media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations and creative arts.
Voting for the BET Awards’ 2024 Viewer’s Choice Award begins June 6 and ends June 30.
Connie Orlando, EVP, specials, music programming & music strategy, will oversee and executive produce the annual show, with Jamal Noisette, SVP, tentpoles & music community engagement to co-executive produce for BET. Jesse Collins Entertainment is the production company for the show, with Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay also serving as executive producers.
Here’s the complete list of nominees for the 2024 BET Awards:
Album of the year
Chris Brown, 11:11
Gunna, A Gift & A Curse
21 Savage, American Dream
Usher, Coming Home
Drake, For All the Dogs (Scary Hours Edition)
Victoria Monét, Jaguar II
Killer Mike, Michael
Nicki Minaj, Pink Friday 2
Best female R&B/pop artist
Beyoncé
Coco Jones
Doja Cat
H.E.R.
Muni Long
SZA
Tyla
Victoria Monét
Best male R&B/pop artist
Brent Faiyaz
Bryson Tiller
Burna Boy
Chris Brown
Drake
Fridayy
October London
Usher
Best group
¥$, Ye, Ty Dolla $ign
2 Chainz & Lil Wayne
41
Blxst & Bino Rideaux
City Girls
Flo
Maverick City Music
Wanmor
Best collaboration
Lil Durk feat. J. Cole, “All My Life”
Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar, “America Has a Problem (Remix)”
Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice (With Aqua), “Barbie World”
Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion, “Bongos”
¥$, Ye, Ty Dolla $ign feat. Rich The Kid, Playboi Carti, “Carnival”
Lola Brooke feat. Latto & Yung Miami, “Don’t Play With It (Remix)”
Nicki Minaj feat. Lil Uzi Vert, “Everybody”
Usher, Summer Walker & 21 Savage, “Good Good”
Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA, “Rich Baby Daddy”
Best female hip-hop artist
Cardi B
Doja Cat
GloRilla
Ice Spice
Latto
Megan Thee Stallion
Nicki Minaj
Sexyy Red
Best male hip-hop artist
21 Savage
Burna Boy
Drake
Future
Gunna
J. Cole
Kendrick Lamar
Lil Wayne
Best new artist
41
4Batz
Ayra Starr
Bossman Dlow
Fridayy
October London
Sexyy Red
Tyla
Video of the year
Doja Cat, “Agora Hills”
Lil Durk feat J. Cole, “All My Life”
Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice (With Aqua), “Barbie World”
Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion, “Bongos”
Drake feat. J. Cole, “First Person Shooter”
Usher, Summer Walker & 21 Savage, “Good Good”
Victoria Monét, “On My Mama”
Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA, “Rich Baby Daddy”
Video director of the year
Benny Boom
Child.
Cole Bennett
Dave Meyers
Janelle Monáe & Alan Ferguson
Offset
Tems
Tyler, The Creator
Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award
Shirley Caesar, “Award All of the Glory”
Kirk Franklin, “All Things”
Halle Bailey, “Angel”
CeCe Winans, “Come Jesus Come”
Erica Campbell, Do You Believe in Love?”
Maverick City Music, Naomi Raine & Chandler Moore, “God Problems”
Tems, “Me & U”
Kirk Franklin, “Try Love”
Viewer’s choice award
Doja Cat, “Agora Hills”
Lil Durk feat. J. Cole, “All My Life”
Gunna, “Fukumean”
Jack Harlow, “Lovin on Me”
Muni Long, “Made for Me”
Victoria Monét, “On My Mama”
Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA, “Rich Baby Daddy”
Chris Brown feat. Davido & Lojay, “Sensational”
Beyoncé, “Texas Hold ‘Em”
Tyla, “Water”
Best international act
Asake (Africa)
Aya Nakamura (France)
Ayra Starr (Africa)
Bk’ (Brazil)
Cleo Sol (UK)
Focalistic (Africa)
Karol Conká (Brazil)
Raye (UK)
Tiakola (France)
Tyla (Africa)
Viewer’s choice: best new international act
Bellah (UK)
Cristale (UK)
Duquesa (Brazil)
Holly G (France)
Jungeli (France)
Makhadzi (Africa)
Oruam (Brazil)
Seyi Vibez (Africa)
Tyler Icu (Africa)
BET Her
Beyoncé, “16 Carriages”
Nicki Minaj feat. Tasha Cobbs Leonard, “Blessings”
Ayra Starr, “Commas”
Flo feat. Missy Elliott, “Fly Girl”
Megan Thee Stallion, “Hiss”
Victoria Monét, “On My Mama”
SZA, “Saturn”
GloRilla, “Yeah Glo!”
Best movie
American Fiction
Bob Marley: One Love
Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
The Book of Clarence
The Color Purple
The Equalizer 3
The Little Mermaid
Best actor
Anthony Mackie
Colman Domingo
Damson Idris
Denzel Washington
Donald Glover
Idris Elba
Jeffrey Wright
Lakeith Stanfield
Best actress
Angela Bassett
Ayo Edebiri
Coco Jones
Danielle Brooks
Fantasia
Halle Bailey
Issa Rae
Regina King
YoungStars Award
Akira Akbar
Blue Ivy Carter
Demi Singleton
Heiress Diana Harris
Jabria McCullum
Jalyn Hall
Leah Jeffries
Van Van
Sportswoman of the Year Award
A’ja Wilson
Angel Reese
Coco Gauff
Flau’jae Johnson
Juju Watkins
Naomi Osaka
Sha’carri Richardson
Simone Biles
Sportsman of the Year Award
Anthony Edwards
Gervonta Davis
Jalen Brunson
Jalen Hurts
Kyrie Irving
Lebron James
Patrick Mahomes
Stephen Curry
Kru wants you to level up — and has a crew of heavy-hitting hip-hop stars to help spread the message.
The Mumbai-born, California-raised R&B/pop artist is manifesting dreams on her new single “Masterplan,” crafted by multiplatinum producer Cha Cha Malone and featuring rapper Junoflo. Boasting pop and hip-hop influences from across India, Korea and the U.S., “Masterplan” makes its exclusive premiere on Billboard ahead of its worldwide release on May 17.
Over the slinky production that opens with Malone’s signature “I need a Cha Cha beat, boy” producer tag heard across dozens of hit K-pop and Korean hip-hop tracks, Kru lays out her “master plan” for a path to success: million-dollar deals, luxury items galore and unwavering commitment. Junoflo joins her on the journey with the Korean-American MC delivering an innuendo-filled rap verse showing support for his woman’s goals while still pushing his own.
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Classically trained in opera and the traditional Indian Bharathanatyam dance, Kru mixed her range of musical touchstones for a track boasting universal and empowering themes that can transcend any cultural or gender barriers.
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“Designed with women in mind but welcoming of all genders, this song seeks to uplift individuals by showcasing their talents and perseverance, ultimately earning the respect they deserve,” Kru tells Billboard. “‘Masterplan’ was crafted with the aim of inspiring success and empowering listeners to overcome obstacles.”
Junoflo, a longtime admirer of Cha Cha Malone’s work, jumped at the chance to collaborate. “Writing the verse was light work because Cha Cha’s production makes it easy,” the SoCal star says. “Throughout my career in music, I’ve ran into Cha Cha way too many times, in both Korea and America, and we always talked about working on a record, but timing never seemed to work out. One day, he hit me up out the blue telling me about this song he hears me on, and I just said ‘Bet, let’s run that.’ Turns out it was for this talented artist named Kru, and I’m always for working with dope new artists. Even though I don’t make much music in this style anymore, I do my best to be as versatile as I can and am always open to all genres of music as long as it hits!”
After crafting 2023 hits for his longtime creative and business partner Jay Park, as well as Korean pop and R&B stars like Han Seung Woo and Hoody, Cha Cha Malone says he is “grateful to both Kru and Juno bringing this record to life.”
“I wanted to sound edgy and charismatic with a touch of sexy,” the Seattle native explains. “Definitely a vibe for a commanding artist that is Kru. Her voice, her dancing, [and] her embodiment is just that; it was an effortless fit. Pair her with Junoflo, it further solidifies my intentions with the track! His tone and cadence have the right sauce for a perfect feature.”
Perfectly timed to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month in May, “Masterplan” marks the first of three singles from Kru’s forthcoming EP, titled INEVITABLE, which will be entirely produced by Cha Cha Malone. Meanwhile, Junoflo announced on May 15 that his new album, JUST JUNØ, drops in a few weeks on June 5.
Listen to “Masterplan” below:
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Soulja Boy isn’t the first rapper to issue an apology, but won’t be the last. Big Draco received heavy backlash from the hip-hop community for his recent tirades dissing Metro Boomin and disrespecting the producer’s late mother.
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See latest videos, charts and news
Soulja Boy was seemingly set off on Sunday (May 12) after a 2012 tweet from Metro resurfaced taking a shot at the “Crank Dat” rapper. “My phone rings to come to the studio with Jeezy. Yours rings to send Soulja Boy a pack of beats. Sit down,” the since-deleted 2012 tweet reads, per VIBE.
After a few days of dwelling on his doubling down on his distasteful sentiments, the SODMG boss is expressing his remorse for his statements and issued an apology on X on Wednesday afternoon (May 15).
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“I apologize to @MetroBoomin for over reacting over an old tweet,” he penned before revealing he’ll be seeking help. “Condolences to his mom. I’m going to seek therapy and anger management. I’m done responding to hate, new or old.”
It’s rare to hear Soulja Boy backing down in any sort of feud, so naturally, fans questioned his sincerity when hopping into his replies.
“I can’t tell if this is a bit,” one person wrote.
Another added: “I hope you reached out to him personally. Wishing you the best on your healing journey. Here’s to putting forth positivity into the world.”
The severe backlash came at Soulja Boy after he repeatedly took shots at Metro Boomin and brought up his late mother, whom the producer was very close with and died in a murder-suicide in 2022.
“F–k that n—a mama!!!!!!!!!! Don’t speak on my name b—h! You sacrificed your own mom @MetroBoomin you a puppet,” Soulja Boy wrote in more since-deleted tweets.
He continued: “All the streams, sales, money, and fame not gone bring your mom back @MetroBoomin was it worth it? can say f–k this money and fame s–t and still be a boss can you?”
21 Savage then stepped in to stick up for his friend and frequent collaborator. He dissed Soulja Boy by posting a screenshot from a XXL article alleging that Big Draco had a negative net worth.
The Slaughter Gang honcho went on to threaten the rapper on X: “Speaking on a n—a mama like shit a game you gone shit on yourself when I see you boy.”
Metro Boomin is yet to react to Soulja Boy’s olive branch apology. Find some of the tweets from the feud below.
I apologize to @MetroBoomin for over reacting over an old tweet. Condolences to his mom. I’m going to seek therapy and anger management. I’m done responding to hate, new or old. 💯🙏🏾— Soulja Boy (Draco) (@souljaboy) May 15, 2024
Speaking on a nigga mama like shit a game you gone shit on yourself when I see you boy— Saint Laurent Don (@21savage) May 13, 2024
Metro Boomin stands poised in quiet confidence, silhouetted against the backdrop of the Great Pyramids of Giza. With an aura of timeless grandeur, the three pyramids echo the iconic rhythm of his “Young Metro 3x” producer tag. Framed meticulously by his photographer, Gunner Stahl, the moment is frozen in time, capturing not just an artist, but a convergence of history, culture and creativity. As the desert sun bathes the scene in a golden light, Metro Boomin’s presence among the pyramids becomes more than a photograph – it’s a testament to the enduring legacy of artistry and innovation.
In this juxtaposition of ancient wonder and contemporary music, Metro’s presence before the pyramids speaks volumes. It demonstrates hip-hop’s enduring influence and its ability to transcend time and space, from Missouri to the Middle East. Metro Boomin’s April 30 concert at the Kundalini Grand Pyramids venue sold out in record time, whereby Live Nation, the organizer, announced a second night in his routing through the Middle East (including a show in Abu Dhabi’s BRED Festival). The majority of the audience knew the words to at least one if not several of his songs and collaborations played during his nearly two-hour set, suggesting that Metro Boomin’s music has found a home in hearts of youth culture worldwide.
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Per Billboard Explains, Metro Boomin’s Billboard Hot 100 breakthrough as a producer came with Future’s “Honest,” which hit No. 55 in 2013. Over the next three years, he produced 23 more Hot 100 hits. He earned his first No. 1 on the Hot 100 for his work on Migos and Lil Uzi Vert’s collab “Bad and Boujee,” which topped the chart for three weeks in 2017. The episode explains that Metro boasts a remarkable tally of 16 top 10 hits on the Hot 100, including noteworthy productions like The Weeknd’s “Heartless” in 2019 and his collaborative effort with Future and Kendrick Lamar, “Like That,” which clinched the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100 for three weeks this year.
His collaborations with prominent rap artists on groundbreaking albums have been stellar, with seven top 10 entries on the Billboard 200. According to Billboard Explains, notable highlights include Double or Nothing with Big Sean, which peaked at No. 6 in 2017, Savage Mode II, which ascended to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2020, and his solo project Heroes and Villains, which claimed the top spot on the Billboard 200 in 2022, maintaining a record-breaking 18-week reign atop the Top Rap Albums chart. So far in 2024, Metro’s collaborative album with Future, We Don’t Trust You, and the follow up album, We Still Don’t Trust You, both debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200.
Despite the accolades, Metro maintains a subtle balance of confidence and humility, driven by what feels like a clear sense of purpose in how he approaches making music and chart-topping hits. Throughout his two shows at the Kundalini Grand Pyramids venue, Metro praises his audience and carries with him a sense of wonderment at performing against the backdrop of some of the oldest structures in the world. “I’ve always wanted to see this [the pyramids] with my own eyes, but I could never even fathom doing a show and performing in front of something as crazy and legendary and history as this,” says Metro. “I’m grateful for everyone, for the whole country.”
Metro displays this love in his Cairo shows, wrapping himself in an Egyptian flag as the epic intro of “Superhero (Heroes & Villains)” with Future and Chris Brown plays out in one of his closing tracks in the set. He seems completely unfazed that he is performing solo. He emcees his set, engaging frequently with the audience while delivering a mixtape of his massive body of work, masterfully scripted together in a way that tells a story of what it means for a kid from St. Louis, Miss., to end up making music that captivates the entire world.
When asked about his first hip-hop memory, and what song or album compelled him to pursue the genre artistically and professionally, Metro points back to the year 2000, with the release of Nelly’s Country Grammar. Still in kindergarten at the time, there was no going back for Metro, and with the support of his mother, Leslie Joanne Wayne, he went on to become the most sought-after hip-hop producer of his generation, and a catalyst for reviving the genre’s placement on the Billboard charts.
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As reported by Billboard, with We Still Don’t Trust You arriving atop the Billboard 200 only three weeks after We Don’t Trust You debuted at No. 1, that marks the shortest gap between new No. 1s by an artist since Future replaced himself at No. 1 in 2017 in successive weeks with his self-titled album (March 11, 2017, chart) and HNDRXX (March 18, 2017), both of which debuted at No. 1.
According to Metro Boomin, this success came as a result of what he calls “really caring,” coupled with the urgent need to continue competing with oneself, in order to do better than whatever he did last. But there was a deeper force at play beyond just his individual work ethic, which propelled his consecutive albums with Future to unprecedented heights.
In June 2023, Billboard reported that “rap had yet to produce a Billboard 200-topping album or Billboard Hot 100-topping single” that year, while industry executives grew concerned over the genre’s growth and potential stagnation. So for Metro, things got personal.
“I really took it personally, in the past couple years, seeing different outlets and people sh-tting on hip-hop, saying ‘hip-hop is dying, hip-hop is this, it’s been this long since there was a hip hop No 1…’ says Metro Boomin. “Just trying to spin that whole hip-hop is dying narrative, at the same time trying to celebrate 50 years of hip-hop. I felt they were trying to wash our genre and culture away, I’m still in the game, and I take it personal. Those kind of things disturbed me, at the same time, it was the kind of fuel I needed.”
Reflecting on his roots and the impact of his work on hip-hop, Metro’s passion for the genre is radiant. This undeniable drive propels him to continuously elevate his presence on the Billboard charts and within the genre at large. With each chart-topping hit and sold-out show, Metro Boomin not only cements his own legacy but also pays homage to hip-hop while ensuring its continued relevance for generations to come. Because for Metro, hip-hop is not dead, it’s very much alive and thriving.
Metro Boomin for Billboard Arabia
Gunner Stahl
Metro Boomin for Billboard Arabia
Gunner Stahl
Metro Boomin for Billboard Arabia
Gunner Stahl
Milo Yiannopoulos has resigned from his position as Yeezy’s Chief of Staff, according to Rolling Stone. In a copy of his resignation letter obtained by TMZ, he blamed Ye‘s plans to venture into the porn industry for his departure. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In the […]
Yesterday, Google held its annual I/O conference keynote and, as expected, introduced a bevy of AI tools and products that it believes will completely transform the company as we know it today.
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Writing on the company blog, CEO Sundar Pichai explained how the 2023 launch of Google’s Gemini AI model was the start of a new era for the search giant. “A year ago on the I/O stage we first shared our plans for Gemini: a frontier model built to be natively multimodal from the beginning, that could reason across text, images, video, code, and more,” he wrote. “It marks a big step in turning any input into any output — an ‘I/O’ for a new generation.”
And to help introduce that new generation, Google made a commercial using one of the most beloved songs in Jay-Z’s catalog — 2003’s “Public Service Announcement (Interlude),” from his eighth full length The Black Album. The ad, called “Welcome to the Gemini Era,” premiered on YouTube and features clips from the keynote that highlight all the new products and functionalities that AI model will bring to consumers.
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The clip starts with the somber keys Just Blaze sampled from The Little Boy Blues’s “The Seed of Love” as Google’s homepage appears on screen. Then, as Jay bellows out, “Allow me to reintroduce myself! My name is,” the Google logo transforms to highlight new AI features.
The tenor of the yesterday’s presentation was that of rebirth. Each executive who took the stage explained how every Google product will be infused with the power of Gemini. Search, imagine and video generation, virtual assistants, and more will all inherit new features thanks to this company-wide AI push.
Outside of Gemini’s new multimodal capabilities, the most interesting part of the keynote for creators and artists involved the introduction of Veo, Google DeepMind’s generative video model. According to Kory Mathewson, a Google DeepMind research scientist, Veo is “trained to convert input text to output video.” And to help introduce that product, Google tapped Donald Glover who praised the technology because it will allow artists to “make a mistake faster, which is all you really want at the end of the day.”
You can watch the entire keynote presentation below.
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