R&B/Hip-Hop
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Partial facial paralysis is no joke. But in a video posted on Monday (April 14), Lil Nas X just had to laugh at the medical condition in a clip he posted from a hospital bed. “And when I smile? This is me doing a full smile right now by the way,” he said in the clip in which the left side of his mouth was open and the right side was immobile. “It’s like, what the f–k? I can’t even laugh right, bro. What the f–k?”
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The video, captioned, “Soooo lost control of the right side of my face 😭,” captured the 26-year-old rapper laying in a hospital be in a hospital gown and white Von Dutch baseball hat. He seemingly had a chipper attitude about the health condition in an Instagram Story featuring a close-up video of his face in which he panned from one side to the other, saying, “We normal over here, we get crazy over here!” with the caption, “I’m so cooked [two crying laughing emoji].”
Though no additional information was available at press time about what is ailing the “Hotbox” MC, another slide assured fans, “Guys I am OK!! Stop being sad for me! Shake ur ass for me instead!” to the strains of Huey’s 2006 hit “Pop, Lock & Drop It.” The final slide contained yet another assurance that things are fine, with a photo of the rapper and the promise, “Imma look funny for a lil bit but that’s it.”
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At press time a spokesperson for Lil Nas could not be reached for additional comment on his condition.
Last month, Lil Nas released the 8-track Days Before Dreamboy EP, which scooped up his recent run of surprise singles, including “Right There!,” “Big Dummy,” “Swish,” “Hotbox,” “Dreamboy,” “Need Dat Boy” and others. Fans are still awaiting word on the release date for the Dreamboy LP, his anticipated follow-up to his 2021 debut full-length album, Montero.
Check out Lil Nas X’s hospital video below.
GloRilla, Summer Walker, Muni Long, Maxwell and Boyz II Men are among the first wave of contemporary stars and legends announced for the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture. Presented by Coca-Cola, the annual music and lifestyle event will take place July 4-6 in New Orleans. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, […]
Young Thug could be making his official return to music with a new album next month. Back in March, he attended a Miami Heat game with his girlfriend Mariah the Scientist, where the two held up white Heat jerseys with their names on the back, except Thug’s No. 5 jersey had the words “UY Scuti” […]
Ja Rule has fired back at his longtime nemesis 50 Cent after the latter made disrespectful comments about the late Irv Gotti. On Sunday, Ja hopped on X to fire a few shots at 50 Cent, who clowned Ja’s appearance on The Breakfast Club last week. During that interview, Ja had told The Breakfast Club […]
Drake announced during a livestream with Adin Ross that he’s working on a new album, and the OVO leader is extremely excited about it. On Sunday (April 13), Drizzy hopped on a Kick livestream with Adin Ross as part of a partnership giveaway with digital gambling platform Stake. During the lengthy hang, Drake took a […]
With Coachella dominating the cultural conversation over the weekend, festival season is in full bloom. During Weekend One (April 11-13), the iconic Cali festival featured showstopping performances from Megan Thee Stallion, Tyla, Missy Elliott, Mustard, Shoreline Mafia, T-Pain, Three 6 Mafia, Glorilla, 4batz, Thee Sacred Souls, Tink, Ty Dolla $ign, Rema, Amaarae, BigXthaPlug, Muni Long and Travis Scott — who mounted a fantasy world with his headlining set, which included a mash-up of his own “Modern Jam” and Drake’s “Nokia.”
Outside of Coachella, live music remained the center of conversation in hip-hop and R&B. On Thursday (April 10), Mary J. Blige played her first solo headlining show at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, featuring opening sets from Mario and Ne-Yo, and guest appearances by Fabolous, Jadakiss and A Boogie wit da Hoodie. The following day (April 11), dancehall legend Vybz Kartel played his first U.S. shows in over 20 years with his first of two sold-out Barclays Center dates in Brooklyn, N.Y. Like Blige, Kartel brought out several guests, including Spice, Rvssian, Blak Ryno, Jah Vinci and Busta Rhymes. Over at the Blue Note, Saba hosted a six-show mini-residency in support of his latest project, From the Private Collection of Saba and No ID.
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With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from kwn’s newest bedroom banger to Saint Lamaar’s smooth Lizzen remix. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
Freshest Find: kwn, “Do What I Say”
Billboard‘s R&B Rookie of the Month for March has unleashed her first solo single of 2025 following successful team-ups with Kehlani (“Worst Behaviour”) and Jordan Adetunji (“Too Many Women”). On the self-written and produced track, kwn further leans into the sensual, dominant lane she’s established with her releases over the past few years. “Paint your nails the way I like ’em/ Uh-huh, s–t/ I might paint mine too/ ‘Cause I know a place I can hide ‘em/ And it’s inside you, ohhh,” she croons in the disarming first verse, immediately pulling her audience into the bedroom making each of them her subjects. With her glossy vocals gliding across the track’s hip-hop percussion and vibrant guitar riffs makes for a smart extension to the colors and sounds she dabbled in on 2022’s Episode Wn EP. — KYLE DENIS
Lihtz, “Margaritas”
This joint is way different than the funny and creative “Simple Souls” pop song Lihtz dropped a few weeks back, but it shows off the Philly artist’s versatility. He’s switching in and out of flows on “Margaritas” just as he switches in and out of genres. I feel like Lihtz is gonna be someone to pay attention to this summer. — ANGEL DIAZ
Jastin Martin, “Again – ’24 (Extended)”
Jatin Martin’s elongated version of fan favorite “Again” is filled with emotional, unpacking the mental exhaustion of loving someone who keeps letting you down. Over a moody, guitar-laced beat, she paints a portrait of repeated heartbreak, singing, “Why did you come ’round again/ Just to let me down again.” But, there’s now a newfound strength in Jastin as she admits the cycle has changed her, saying she turned “to a savage” to protect her peace. By the end, she draws a hard line: “Nah, I’m straight homie,” she declares — setting a boundary and reclaiming her power. This track is a slow-burning, late-night anthem for anyone who’s ever had to choose themselves to finally break free from a relationship they knew was no good. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON
Sabrina Claudio, “Before It’s Too Late”
Sabrina Claudio kicked off 2025 with the tender “Need U to Need Me” in March, and she returned with the airy “Before It’s Too Late” on Friday (April 11). Time is the resource we’re all looking to somehow find more of, but it just can’t be bought. Claudio harps on the relatable topic, whether it’s a significant other, parent, or friend, everyone worries about not making the most of what we have left. The R&B singer-songwriter’s dreamy vocals provide a warm blanket to the electronic guitar riff, which is accompanied by a cinematic visual capturing a romantic getaway ride into the countryside. — MICHAEL SAPONARA
4batz, “n da morning”
4batz’s “n da morning” plays like a hazy love spell with equal parts bedroom confession and emotional affirmation. Anchored by the recurring line “In the morning, when you wake, girl I be on it,” the track exudes intimacy, trust, and an all-consuming pull to devotion. When 4batz sings “we locked in,” it’s a quiet declaration of loyalty — no outside noise, just a bond that stretches from dusk to dawn. “n da morning” is a soft track for anyone wrapped up in something that feels deeper than just the night before and the night ahead. — C.C.
YL & Subjxct 5, “Bobyahead2dis”
From the upcoming tape RRR & 2oo4 Presents…Only Ones Taxin and produced by Jersey producer Subjxct 5, “Bobyahead2dis” features NYC’s own and RRR co-founder YL raps about trying to make it in the city that never sleeps during these trying times. If the rest of the tape sounds like its lead single, then you should have no problem putting this in your summer rotation. — A.D.
Lizzen & Saint Lamaar, “Sweet Thing (Work It Out) [Remix]”
Just a short while after breaking through with “Buss At You,” rising R&B star Saint Lamaar slides on the remix for Lizzen’s “Sweet Thing.” “I think I sent you love/ Girl, let me pick you up/ You look so good, don’t make no sense, that s–t ridiculous/ I’ll be the shoulder you can cry on, tell your issues, love,” he croons in his verse, perfectly matching the lovey-dovey energy Lizzen exudes on the original cut. His slightly hoarse, charismatic tone pairs well with soulful timbre, making for a duet that recalls the rugged sheen of early-’00s hip-hop and R&B collaborations. – K.D.
Annie Tracy, “To Love and Be Loved”
Annie Tracy’s “To Love and Be Loved” is a glowing ode to the kind of love “where all your troubles melt away.” From the very first few lines — “These words they won’t come out” — Tracy captures that overwhelmed, heart-on-fire feeling of trying to describe something too big for language. But even without the perfect words, the emotion radiates through. The track moves from hushed vulnerability to full-on celebration, soundtracking both the stillness of being understood and the joy of nights spent dancing, laughing, and getting lost in each other’s company. — C.C.
Having won the Grammy Award for best musical theater album in February, Hell’s Kitchen is celebrating another achievement: its one-year anniversary. Inspired by 17-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys’ life, the musical — which made its Broadway bow on April 20, 2024 — marked the upcoming anniversary with a VIP-attended performance at New York’s Shubert Theatre (April 9). And this fall, Hell’s Kitchen will launch a national touring production.
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“It’s kind of a magical experience to say, ‘Wow, look how this incredible idea that started as just a seed over 13 years ago is continuing to grow, take shape and touch people’s lives,’” Keys tells Billboard. “No matter who you are in the world or where you’re from, you’re going to see yourself in this show. You’re going to recognize your family, you’re going to recognize your own spirit, you’re going to recognize the relationship you’ve had with an important mentor in your life.
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“You’re also going to leave this show and feel not only uplifted but excited and touched,” she continues. “I love the remarks and notes from all the different people that come to see the show. We’re so excited for more people to continue to discover and fall in love with it.”
Among the celebs on hand for the recent anniversary performance and the post-show party at eatery Sei Less were Ava DuVernay, Norah Jones, Phylicia Rashad, Debbie Allen, Sherri Shepard, Busta Rhymes and Keys’ husband Swizz Beatz. The Empire State Building being lit in the play’s signature colors of blue and yellow also added to the festivities.
The current Hell’s Kitchen cast includes Grammy-nominated singer Durrell “Tank” Babbs, Tony Award winner Kecia Lewis, Jade Milan, Phillip Johnson Richardson and Jessica Vosk. Both Lewis and former original cast member Maleah Joi Moon won Tonys — for best actress in a featured role in a musical and best actress in a leading role in a musical, respectively — in 2024. Those nods were among the 13 Tony nominations the play received last year.
Alicia Keys
Tony Eaton
Produced by AKW Productions with a book by Kristoffer Diaz and music/lyrics by Keys, Hell’s Kitchen has achieved several other milestones during its first year. “Kaleidoscope,” one of the musical’s original songs, doubled as the anthem of the 2024 U.S. Open Tournament. Two Keys hits featured in the musical, “No One” and “Empire State of Mind,” were certified diamond by the RIAA, with “Empire” also celebrating its 15th anniversary. And through an ongoing partnership with the Keys co-founded organization Keep A Child Alive (KCA), Hell’s Kitchen has donated $1.3 million to date to provide aid for children across the globe.
Prior to the kickoff anniversary celebration for Hell’s Kitchen, Keys and the musical’s director, five-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif, talked with Billboard about the play’s successful first year and the upcoming October launch of its national touring production (hyper here) at Cleveland’s Playhouse Square:
What was the easiest and hardest challenge in bringing the musical to life?
Keys: The hardest challenge was just holding on to the vision and making sure that through all of the processes, all of the years, all the versions and integrations of different moments and people, that it really stayed pure. I think we did a really good job of that. I’m also proud of us finding the right team to support all of it. The easiest part was the creation. Although it was long, there was an ease to it because the creative team is so special and so aligned with myself, Michael, Kris Diaz, [choreographer] Camille Brown and [music supervisor] Adam Blackstone. There’s an ease to it when everyone is ready to bring their greatest and feels so attached to it.
Greif: You stole my easiest. [Laughs.] The process was creative, exciting and productive. We liked each other, really listened to each other, and we made each other better all the time. This group coming together was so special for me. The most difficult part is happening right now, which is all about maintaining the vitality, excitement and big heart of the show as we bring it out into the world. We have the great opportunity to make new companies and ensure that that special chemistry exists between these new companies.
Alicia, looking back what was more difficult: breaking into Broadway or the music industry?
Keys: It was equally hard. Holding on to your vision, your spirit and who you are, while having the tenacity to stay the course until it all comes together and happens, is hard — no matter what you’re doing and whatever business you’re doing it in. It’s never going to be easy, because if it was easy, everybody could do it.
And I would say it was equally challenging in different ways. One of the things I love about creating Hell’s Kitchen is that I was so much more connected to myself as a person, as a businessperson, than I was as a kid coming into the music industry. So in that way, it was better, because I had a real clear sense of what it was. All the funny stuff and mistakes had happened so now I was in more of a sense of power.
Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz
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And Michael, given your directing background with Rent, Dear Evan Hansen and other Broadway musicals, did this project feel like an immediate slam dunk?
Greif: You just go in and try your best. Even when everything is working, there’s something that’s just alchemical in a live performance; a magical combination of things coming together. It helps when you have a group of people who are looking at it and refining it all the time. But I thought this had a whole lot going for it with Alicia’s music and the story is fantastic. But you really don’t ever know. I think what this [Hell’s Kitchen] found was a unique look at what it is to begin to find yourself in the world. And that’s such a powerful and universal story.
Keys: It’s such a beautiful thing to see people put themselves on the line for the sake of a beautiful piece of work. So I did feel really confident and remain very confident in what this is. Like with a great song: you can sing that song with no music, and you feel it. You could sing it just on guitar, just on piano, and you can get a sense of the story and feel it in your heart. The same spirit lives with Hell’s Kitchen. That’s the beauty of what Kris was able to create, the direction that Michael’s been giving and the dancing is so emotional. Then the songs all tell the story in such an authentic way.
How far along are you in casting the national touring production?
Keys: We’re in auditions right now, finding ourselves back in the buildings where we began the original cast. It’s really an incredible experience being able to discover young actors that are just out of high school and offer them this chance of a lifetime. Powerful young actors about whom we’re going to be able to say in five, 10, 15 years that this is the beginning of where they started. And I love the way this story lends itself to such a diverse group of people who are really identifying with this story. And we’re so grateful for that.
04/14/2025
XG, Ty Dolla $ign, Zedd, BigXthaplug were among those to hit the desert on Sunday (April 13).
04/14/2025
Sometimes you just have to go for it. And sometimes when you do that, things go horribly wrong. But, if you’re like d4vd, you can laugh at yourself and not get too hung up on the particulars. During the 20-year-old “Feel It” singer’s set at the Coachella Festival on Friday, he got super hyped and […]
Doja Cat was in a generous mood this weekend, giving fans what appears to be the latest preview of her upcoming Vie album. After seemingly sharing the track list in November, when she posted and then quickly deleted a 13-song roster that included the songs “Break My Heart,” “Take Me Dancing,” “Anything,” “Ain’t News,” “Turn the Lights On,” “Slow Burn,” “Wood Holly” and “Appreciation,” Doja was at it again on Sunday (April 13).
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This time around the list included 16 songs, some of which matched the earlier roster, with no additional information on a release date or first single. “dont ask me where crack is rn,” she captioned the weekend post, which did not include one of the songs on the earlier roster, “Crack.” While “Turn the Lights On” matched the earlier run-down, other songs appear to have dropped off, including “Break My Heart,” “Take Me Dancing,” “Anything,” “Aint News,” “Slow Burn,” “Wood Holly,” “Did I Lie” and “Appreciation.”
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The new apparent track list includes: “Turn the Lights On,” “Slide,” “One More Time,” “Make It Up,” “Lipstain,” “Kink,” “Jealous Type,” “I Like You,” “Happy,” “Gorgeous,” “Couples Therapy,” “Come Back,” “Cards,” “Amen,” “All Mine” and “Acts of Service.”
Fans recorded an Instagram live over the weekend in which Doja previewed the bouncy “Jealous Type,” a Janet Jackson-like pop funk jam. “Boy, let me know if this is careless/ I could be torn between two roads that I just can’t decide/ Which one is leading me to hell or paradise?/ Baby, I can’t hurt you, sure, but I’m the jealous type/ I’m the jealous type,” Doja sings in a breathy register on the song.
Back in March, Doja also previewed the slow-burn jams “Acts of Service” and “Lipstain.”
Doja Cat’s last album, 2023’s Scarlet, was the follow-up to 2021’s hit-packed Planet Her. Scarlet reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and hit No. 2 on the Top Rap Albums chart. She also dropped Scarlet 2 CLAUDE deluxe edition in May and earlier this year teamed up with BLACKPINK’s LISA and RAYE on “Born Again” and Jack Harlow on his song “Just Us.”