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Suge Knight has continued to fire at Snoop Dogg for what he thinks is damaging the Death Row legacy with the “Gin and Juice” rapper at the helm.
Suge was interviewed by The Art of Dialogue from behind bars over the weekend, when he went off on The Doggfather after Snoop claimed Knight was just “mad” he was in control of Death Row.
“You trying to create something that Suge Knight created, but instead of making something big, you disappointed the world by making everything flops,” Knight said. “When I put out Tha Dogg Pound, they sold records. You put out Tha Dogg Pound, they sold nothing — it flopped.”
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Suge believes the essence of hip-hop culture is being destroyed, and claimed Snoop is also killing the credibility of the once-feared West Coast record label.
“You don’t got to talk tough,” he added. “We don’t got to talk about each other that gets [us] nowhere. One person or three or four people is not bigger than hip-hop. We should be trying to figure out how to make hip-hop better. Everybody destroying hip-hop — you guys are making it worse. If you have Death Row, you destroyed it. You messed up the name.”
Snoop acquired the Death Row Records brand from the Blackstone-controlled MNRK Music Group (formerly eOne Music) in a February 2022 deal. “It feels good to have ownership of the label I was part of at the beginning of my career and as one of the founding members. This is an extremely meaningful moment for me,” Snoop said in a statement at the time of the transaction. “I’m looking forward to building the next chapter of Death Row Records.”
However, Suge Knight still isn’t buying that Snoop owns Death Row Records, and demanded he show some paperwork before Suge gives him his respect on that endeavor. “Snoop, you said I’m mad because you bought Death Row,” Knight said. “What you buy? Shut me up. Show me where y’all paid the money to buy it. Show me the paperwork — show me what you own.”
Billboard has reached out to Snoop Dogg’s reps for comment.
Suge Knight remains imprisoned on a 28-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter charges that resulted in the death of businessman Terry Carter and injuries to longtime rival Cle “Bone” Sloan. The 59-year-old former rap mogul is eligible for parole in October 2034.Watch the full phone interview with Suge Knight below.
Lil Nas X took some time off, but clearly it was no vacation. The rapper has dropped back-to-back new singles this week and on his latest he’s warning that no games will be played this year. “B–ch, I’m in my prime like a paintbrush/ Big s–t poppin’, walkin’ ’round in a mink vest/ Whoop-whoop, talkin’ […]
An unexpected appearance by Ms. Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean was just one of the many riveting moments at the celebration of life honoring the legendary Roberta Flack inside Harlem, New York’s Abyssinian Baptist Church on Monday (March 10).
Among the additional stars, executives, friends and family lifting up their voices in tribute to the pioneering singer-songwriter-musician-activist were Stevie Wonder, Valerie Simpson, Phylicia Rashad, Dionne Warwick, Alicia Keys, India.Arie, Peabo Bryson and Clive Davis. Flack died on Feb. 24 at age 88.
Before segueing into a beautiful and measured take on the Flack classic “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” an emotional Hill sniffled her way through reflections about her late idol. “We weren’t formally asked to do this because I think they were a little shy in asking us to attend,” Hill began. “So we kind of bum-rushed the service because it really wouldn’t be possible for us to just stand by and not participate.
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“The artistry of Ms. Roberta Flack was beyond trailblazing,” Hill continued in part. “Like Nina Simone, she carved out for me a pathway of soulful Black intellectual sublime beauty that not only spoke to Black resistance directly in lyric and statement, but was Black resistance to racism, bigotry and limitations by virtue of its existence. … She didn’t just write about the beauty; she was the beauty. She didn’t just write about resistance; her existence was a form of resistance. She wrote our stories in forms the established authorities of the time could not deny; compositions wrapped with graceful classical forms and nuances that would not nor could not be dismissed. … I thank my parents for introducing me to her masterful music. Thank you to our Father in Heaven, to our God on high for blessing and enriching all of our lives with her presence and undeniable gifts. Roberta Flack is legend.”
Met with resounding applause, cheers and a standing ovation inside the packed church, Hill and Jean — accompanied by a pianist and three backing vocalists — launched into a sing-along of the Fugees’ hit reinterpretation of the Flack gem “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” Adding an extra touch to the performance: Wonder standing in the church aisle playing the harmonica.
Following next on the program, Wonder prefaced his musical contribution with insightful comments that touched on Flack’s artistry as well as her commitment to activism. “The great thing about not having the ability to see with your eyes is the great opportunity in being able to see even better with your heart,” he shared. “So I knew how beautiful Roberta was. I celebrate that because I see that so much of the world and yes, this nation too, must be blind at this point … and it breaks my heart. And Roberta, I want to just say to you in spirit, I thank you for letting me hear your voice, letting me know your spirit, letting me know your heart and letting me be able to share with you songs that I was writing.”
One of those songs was “If It’s Magic.” Accompanied solely by a harpist, Wonder delivered a piercing take on the track, which is featured on his award-winning double album Songs in the Key of Life. Joined afterwards by the harpist and a conga player as he sat at the piano, Wonder performed a song that he wrote for Flack, “I Can See the Sun.” Noted Wonder at the end, “She spread love all over this world.’
Songwriter Hall of Fame member Valerie Simpson (along with late husband Nick Ashford) also sat down at the piano for an improvised take on one of Ashford & Simpson’s signature hits “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing,” in salute to Flack’s artistic authenticity. Among the other memorable performances was famed backing vocalist Lisa Fischer’s searing and soaring version of “Somewhere (There’s a Place for Us)” from West Side Story. Also sharing their reflections and memories were actress Phylicia Rashad, Flack’s cousin Carol Flack, Flack’s longtime manager/friend Suzanne Koga and family friend Santita Jackson. Jackson, a singer who once toured with Flack, said her father Rev. Jesse Jackson wanted her to remind attendees of one important fact: that Flack “was the perfect blend of soul and science; she put her ego to the side and just sang the song. A pure genius.”
Rounding out Flack’s celebration of life were video clips featuring reflections from a diverse range of artists and industry personages such as Clive Davis (“There will never be another Roberta Flack”), Oprah Winfrey, Alicia Keys, India.Arie, Peabo Bryson, Dionne Warwick, Les McCann and Yoko Ono. Letters from former vp Kamala Harris and Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. were read as well. Rev. Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy; presiding over the memorial service was Abyssinian Baptist Church’s Rev. Dr. Kevin Johnson. The celebration program also noted that donations in Flack’s memory can be sent to the RobertaFlackFoundation.org.
50 Cent is speaking out after false rumors ran rampant on social media of him being the victim of an alleged Hollywood shooting, which he deemed to be “fake news.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Don’t worry I’m gonna make it, because this is fake news,” […]
Freekey Zekey is back to his hilarious storytelling ways.
This time he’s talking to The Art of Dialogue about one of the many situations that lead to The Diplomats wearing out their welcome over at Roc-A-Fella Records back in the early 2000s. Zekey alleges that he, Jim Jones, and an associate got into an argument with label executive Lenny S. over studio time.
“What really separated us was when the tensions was high — it was me, Jim and Snagz,” he began. “We called Lenny S. saying we needed studio time and Lenny was like, ‘Bet, come on.’ So, we went up there — I think it was a Sunday — we up to the studio, we called Lenny S. like, ‘What’s going on? You said you was gonna give us studio time.’ Lenny S. was like, ‘Kiss my ass, n—a, it’s Sunday. What you talkin’ about?’” Taken aback by the news, Zeke then starts to laugh like a maniacal cartoon villain and replies back, “Really?”
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He then explains how the next day they planned on confronting Lenny at the label office and rushed down an elevator when they figured out where he was before Dame Dash tried to get Jim and Lenny to shoot a fair to settle things and move on. “Next day, we up in Roc-A-Fella like, ‘Where the f—k this n—a at?’ We couldn’t find him,” he said. “So, I got on the elevator and then I got pushed in the elevator by my man Snagz and Jim, and they pressing the button like, ‘Hurry up, let’s go downstairs!’ I don’t know what happened, but I’m pretty sure somebody got slapped or something physical happened to Lenny S.”
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Adding, “We get downstairs and Jim shoots out the gate, Jim’s runnin’, Snagz gets outta there, I’m a little fatter so I’m running slow. Dame pulls up: ‘What the f—k’s going on, man?!’ I think he brought Lenny S. down, he got Jim and Snagz there, and he was like, ‘We gonna fight ’cause none of this stupid sh—t is gonna go on. If there’s a problem, let’s fight it out.’ And before that happened, a Jeep or a truck pull up and I don’t if it was [Memphis] Bleek’s brother, but it was his family.”
He continued by speculating that the drama surrounding that day was the beginning of the end. “That’s when we found something hard enough to start to break the diamond,” Zekey recalled. “Because it was like, ‘Hold on, this is Bleek’s people with Lenny S. and y’all n—as gonna ride?’ That’s where the divide came from. It was supposed to be just a Lenny S. and Jim Jones fight, but I guess Lenny S. called somebody from Bleek’s family. So, now it was like, ‘Word?’ And that’s what caused the tension right there. Nobody got it on that day; everybody ended up separating, but the people that we saw let us know like, ‘Oh, now it’s up,’ and there’s where I think the full turmoil came.”
Cam’ron and The Diplomats ultimately released four official projects under the Roc-A-Fella banner before going their separate ways around 2004.
You can watch the clip below.
DDG has aired out the visitation issues he’s apparently experiencing with Halle Bailey over their son, Halo, which he discussed in a new song titled “Don’t Take My Son.” The rapper released the Cash Cobain-produced track on Saturday (March 8), when he addressed the alleged problems surrounding the custody of his one-year-old son. “Don’t take […]
The sun is sticking around a bit longer, the temperatures are rising bit by bit — it looks like spring really is on the way! It’s been a relatively quiet March so far after a particularly jam-packed February, but if anyone is keeping up that momentum, it’s Doechii.
On Monday (March 10), Billboard named the Grammy-winning Tampa MC its 2025 Woman of the Year, making her the first female rapper to earn the honor since Cardi B in 2020. Over the weekend (March 8) — after getting stamps of approval from fashion giants Anna Wintour and Thom Browne during Paris Fashion Week — Doechii collected an incomparable co-sign. Ms. Lauryn Hill brought the “Denial Is A River” rapper to the stage for a joint performance of her 1998 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit, “Doo Wop (That Thing)” during her her headlining set at the Jazz in the Gardens Festival.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Madison McFerrin’s house-soul banger to GELO’s GloRilla-assisted “Tweaker” follow-up. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
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Freshest Find: Madison McFerrin, “Ain’t It Nice”
SanFran multihyphenate and daughter of jazz legend Bobby McFerrin, Madison McFerrin is ready to begin a new era. “Ain’t It Nice,” a sleek house-infused soul track that explores the allure of new infatuation across a swirling mixture of groovy drum loops and twinkling synths, finds McFerrin flaunting her intimate understanding of vocal dynamics and pacing. Instead of immediately firing off the chesty belts that house often evokes, McFerrin opts for soft coos and lush background harmonies — like the ones in the bridge — that eventually help her sneak into the rafters of her range by the song’s close. — KYLE DENIS
GELO & GloRilla, “Can You Please”
GELO recruited his “Memphis twin” GloRilla for his “Tweaker” follow-up with “Can You Please,” who continues to shred every track she lends a guest verse to. The middle Ball brother is now 2/2 with a meteoric start to his rap career. “Tweaker” set the bar high with his top 40 debut hit and GELO continues his 2000s New Orleans rap pastiche run. It remains to be seen if “Can You Please” will match the virality that “Tweaker” hand to earn GELO the first rap hit of 2025. Next up, he’ll be taking his talents to the festival stage with his Rolling Loud performance debut in California next weekend. — MICHAEL SAPONARA
Aaron Page, “Pretty Girls Like R&B”
Houston-based R&B singer Aaron Page channels smooth nostalgia and modern romance on his latest track, “Pretty Girls Like R&B.” The song thrives on a mix of passion, devotion, and material flexing, with Page weaving through memories of late-night connections and heartfelt gestures. “Wanna vibe with you like Jodeci love,” he croons, setting the tone with a nod to the ‘90s R&B icons known for their raw, sensual love songs.
Beyond the allure of attraction, Page reflects on moments of intimacy like holding her hair when she was sick and proving his loyalty through lavish gestures (“Brought the Maybach out to Kamp for you”). His reference to Drake’s Take Care signals an openness to emotional depth, evoking the vulnerability that made Drizzy’s 2011 album a staple for lovers and heartbreakers alike. “Pretty Girls Like R&B” taps into the kind of love story that resonates with those who cherish both old-school romance and modern-day ambition. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON
Curren$y & Harry Fraud feat. Wiz Khalifa, “Airport Industries”
What year is it? Did we wake up and go back in time to the Blog Era? While Curren$y has stayed consistent when it comes to dropping music and posting miniature diecast car content on his hobby page, Wiz has been on a freestyle run of the likes we haven’t seen in a while. This generation’s rap Cheech & Chong link up with one of the game’s most potent horticulturalists in Harry Fraud for a smokey number that sounds better when it’s a sunny day and you have one lit and one rolled already. — ANGEL DIAZ
Icewear Vezzo feat. Big Sean & Skilla Baby, “Worth Something”
Undefeated, Icewear Vezzo’s latest EP — which dropped last Friday (March 7) — is another thrilling collection of Detroit-set street tales. On “Worth Something,” he recruits Big Sean and Skilla Baby, two of his city’s biggest rap stars, for some A1 trap storytelling. “In the Nap with Milly ‘nem, just popped a Tesla, now I’m geeked/ Turned a dream into reality, that’s why I’m laughin’ in my sleep/ Cooked the Vezzo in the lab and now my hands, it smell like bleach/ Rather go to trial than cop no plea, we just cop bags and Louis V,” he spits in his opening verse, opting for a reflective tone that pairs well with Hawkey’s skittering snares. — K.D.
Turbo & Gunna, “Classy Girl”
Turbo and Gunna have been one of the best rapper-producer duos in hip-hop, and it’s been that way for some time now. They reunited on an anthem for the ladies just in time for International Women’s Day with “Classy Girl.” Gunna’s life of luxury allows him to bless the women in life with opulent experiences that most can only dream of. “Pеnthouse suite, we been livin’ on the road/ I’m in Bottega matchin’ slippers to your robe/ And I been runnin’ through a bankroll,” he raps over the bouncy production. It’s almost time for another project from the pairing. — M.S.
Dylan Sinclair, “Lemon Trees” (Motherland Sessions)”
Toronto’s own Dylan Sinclair brings a new depth to his For the Boy in Me album with Motherland Sessions, a live EP paying tribute to his Filipino heritage. Stripping back the production, Sinclair leans into a more intimate, organic sound — especially on “Lemon Trees,” a soulful reflection on love, ambition, and timing. Sinclair’s smooth vocals glide over the laid-back beat as he wrestles with the push and pull of commitment. “I’ll hold you down,” he promises in the chorus, offering devotion while grappling with his own hesitations. He paints his love interest as his “queen” and the “girl of my dreams” and contrasts that adoration with the realities of personal ambition and the fear of settling down too soon; Sinclair lets the tension linger, never forcing an easy resolution. “Lemon Trees” is a tender, honest take on romance. — C.C.
Skepta & PlaqueBoyMax, “Less Is More”
Streamer PlaqueBoyMax’s series “In the Booth With” is one of the more unique online series, helping bring fans into the recording booth with their favorite rappers. Max had U.K. rap legend Sketpa come through recently to lay down a track, and of course, it’s a banger. Big Smoke lays some game down to start off his verse, rapping, “London City is dark and cold/ Don’t take picks with the members screaming that gang if you aren’t involved/Wanna be a ‘G’ better be fully active, gotta do the road with your heart and soul/They wanna know if the street life worth, I told them the answer’s no,” as PlaqueBoyMax delivers a smooth sample flip of the Judy Bailey Quartet’s “Colours Of My Dreams.” — A.D.
Larrenwong, “Out the Frame”
Former NFL player Warren Long has been operating as rising R&B star Larrenwong for some time now, and his new 4th & Long EP is another winning entry in his growing catalog. Standout cut “Out the Frame” finds him moving from the field to the bedroom, crooning “I know that it’s been fun and games/ But you better hold tightly/ Because I go crazy when I’m inside.” At one point, he even nods to Usher, spelling out his name just like the Grammy-winner did on 1997’s “Nice & Slow.” — K.D.
Dende, “Need U Like”
Fresh off signing with Def Jam, rising R&B talent Dende keeps the momentum going with his latest single, “Need U Like.” Through vivid metaphors, Dende paints a picture of unwavering devotion, comparing his connection to his partner to classic, inseparable duos. The verses push that passion even further, with bold declarations of loyalty — he’d spend his last dollar, defy the impossible and rewrite history just to prove his love. Yet, underneath the grand gestures, there’s an emotional core: a promise to heal the wounds of past heartbreak and ensure his partner never feels unappreciated again. With its smooth production and raw lyricism, “Need U Like” is Dende at his best — vulnerable, confident, and completely lost in love. — C.C.
Lady London, “Is You Krazy?”
Walk around the streets of NYC for an hour, and you’re likely to hear one version of someone yelling, “Is you crazy?” Lady London is back with her first single of 2025, and she’s disgusted with the nerve and audacity of these men from around the way. “Cop me the Rollie, cop me the Wraith, and when you see me, you copy and paste,” she raps over Hitmaka’s thumping production. Next up, the Howard University alum is heading out on the road to open for Coco Jones on the North American leg of her Why Not More Tour. — M.S.
03/10/2025
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03/10/2025
Mase is planning a comeback. During the March 7 episode of his sports talk show It Is What It Is, the Harlem rapper-turned-sports pundit kicked things off by revealing that not only is he going to drop his first album since 2004’s Welcome Back, but Cam’ron helped curate the tracklist. “Mo, what’s good? Can y’all […]
Tory Lanez released his Peterson album on Friday (March 7), which was entirely recorded while behind bars serving his 10-year sentence in the 2020 felony shooting case against Megan Thee Stallion. The incarcerated Canadian singer examines his relationships with his peers in the music industry, and how most have turned their backs on him since he got locked up.
However, Lanez showed love to Chris Brown on “T.D.F x L.A. County Jail” for allegedly supporting him financially and helping take care of legal fees.
“Where was you n—-s when I was in Cali fed up with no covers to bundle up/ Only real n—a that helped me was Chris Brown, that really my brother,” he raps.
Lanez continued to address his legal situation and standing with those in the music game on the outro of his album closer, “Free Tory.”
“I had no real, like, access to my funds. I was fed up and my lawyer wanted over, like, a quarter million to represent me for the appeal,” he said. “So, you know, I start hollering at all my rap friends, my celebrity friends, and nobody was there.”
Tory continued: “N—-s treating me like I was dead and this n—a Chris Brown — I’ll never forget it — this n—-a Chris Brown came out of nowhere. He just gave me the money. He said, ‘Look, bro, when you get outside, holla at me. Hope you come home.’ That’s a real n—a, bro.”
Billboard has reached out to Chris Brown’s rep for comment.
Lanez and Brown have a friendship that goes back to the 2010s, as they’ve teamed up in the past on tracks such as “The Take,” “Feels,” “Tell Me How You Feel,” “Flexible,” “Lurkin,” “Bad Then a Beach” and more.
Lanez (real name Daystar Peterson) was sentenced to 10 years behind bars in August 2023 after being convicted on three felony charges stemming from the 2020 Megan Thee Stallion shooting following a pool party in L.A.’s Hidden Hills.