R&B/Hip-Hop
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While donning a Luka Dončić Dallas Mavericks jersey, Cam’ron started off the latest episode of his It Is What It Is podcast with a quick freestyle. Over Black Rob’s “Woah,” the Harlem rapper addressed a new Adidas commercial for Anthony Edwards’ signature sneaker, the AE 1.
Adidas Basketball posted the commercial for the Anthony Edwards AE 1 sneaker on its social media accounts on Friday (May 31):
The commercial features the Minnesota Timberwolves’ guard cataloging the receipts of the hate he’s gotten since coming into the NBA in 2020. One of those receipts belonged to Cam’ron, who said, “To me, he an all-star, but not a superstar, yet” on It Is What It Is. Edwards responds with a jump shot and says, “F–k, buddy,” to which his homeboy, who’s on the side reading the receipts, answered, “It is what it ain’t.”
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Naturally, Cam had to respond. But instead of addressing it as “Cam the Sports Pundit,” he decided to answer Ant-Man as “Cam the Rap Legend.” Before getting to Edwards, Cam addressed his viral CNN interview with correspondent Abby Phillip, during which she asked him about Diddy and the allegations he’s facing. “I ducked the FBI, what I care about CNN?” he goes, and “Apologize, Abby, anything I may have said/ But the play was already read/Get a Black woman and a Black man to kill a Black man that’s already dead.”
Then Killa took aim at the NBA player. “But f–k wrong with Ant-Man?/Gave him his props, homie got love from me/New commercial, ya ain’t got love for me?/He shot a jumpshot and said ‘F–k, buddy’,” he rapped. He kept it going with “Kyrie Irving with this s–t, don’t get crossed up/Shooters, pardon that’s just my own thoughts/Luka, I’ll send you home on your home court” as he references the Wolves’ embarrassing Game 6 loss to Dallas at home.
He then goes in on Adidas, putting the blame for the commercial on the athletic apparel company. “Get ’em an Uber, I don’t know what y’all thought/ Adidas, I’m blaming you, this is y’all fault,” he raps defiantly. “Ya think you got the b-ball version of Kanye? Come on, stop it, duke/Y’all just stoppin’ through/He do somethin’ y’all don’t like, you’ll drop him, too.”
Adidas has not yet responded on social media or to Billboard‘s request for comment.
Ye made headlines when he fell out with Adidas in 2022 over antisemitic comments the rapper made in interviews and on social media.
Check out the freestyle below and watch the full episode here.
We now wait for Anthony Edwards to drop a diss track in response.
2024 seems to be the year of beefing in hip-hop. Bia didn’t waste any time responding to Cardi B’s subs on the “Wanna Be (Remix),” and returned the serve with an eviscerating diss track taking aim at the Grammy-winning rapper.
After previewing “Sue Meee?” on Instagram Live, BIA uploaded the track to her official YouTube page on Saturday night (June 1). The cover art features a June 2023 Instagram Story from Offset in which he alleged that Cardi B cheated on him, which he walked back last year.
“My wife f—-d a n—a on me gang yall n—-s know how I come,” read the Story, which he had deleted before it expired.
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Bia alleged that Offset cheated on the “Bodak Yellow” rapper in their home, and claimed Cardi has ghostwriters penning her bars and a second-grade reading level throughout the bristling track.
“Put it on your hubby since you love lying on your vows/ I write all my verses, I can do this s–t for hours/ I be d–ned I let a n—a f–k a b—h inside my house,” she raps.
Bia continues: “All that surgery and how your body looks so mid/ Thought your a– was for the culture, you just tryin’ to ride the wave/ You should be home with your kids ’cause b—h, you speak like second grade.”
The “WHOLE LOTTA MONEY” rapper gets back to antagonizing Cardi B on the chorus: “You ain’t nothing but a f–k girl, I see right through you.” Bia then rides out teasing Cardi about her tattoos and how her friend group always makes fun of Cardi’s ink.
Billboard has reached out to Cardi B’s and Offset’s reps for comment.
The Bia-Cardi feud was reignited on Friday (May 31), when the Bronx bombshell hopped on Megan Thee Stallion and GloRilla’s “Wanna Be (Remix),” on which she seemed to take subliminal shots at Bia using a play on words with her name.
“Hope she talk like that when I see her/ B—h, please, don’t nobody wanna be ya/ Cheap lookin’ a– ho, weak lookin’ a– ho/ Great Value me lookin’ a– ho,” Cardi raps.
The title of “Sue Meee?” seems to be inspired by a recent Cardi B Instagram Live in which she threatened to take legal action against Bia for lying on her name.
Listen to “Sue Meee?” below.
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Despite spotty showers and an often unrelenting sun, Philly didn’t let anything kill its vibe at the 2024 Roots Picnic, which took place June 1-2.
Nas, Jill Scott and Lil Wayne — alongside The Roots, Trombone Shorty and PJ Morton — headlined this year’s festival, which took place at The Mann in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, Pa. Other notable performers included Method Man and Redman with J. Period, Adam Blackstone with Fantasia and Tasha Cobbs-Leonard, Robert Glasper with Yebba, Sexyy Red, Babyface, October London, Smino, the Go-Go Backyard Band with Scarface and Amerie, Wale, Marsha Ambrosius, Funk Flex, Leon Thomas, Kenya Vaun, Q, BLK Odyssy, Shaboozey, André 3000 and more.
Held across two separate stages — as well as the Centennial Stage, which hosted live podcasts, DJ sets and other curated experiential media activations — Roots Picnic celebrated countless facets of Black culture across music, food, liquor, art, double dutch and more. Among the most frequented brand activations was Grand Marnier — who hosted Billboard at the festival — which had a footprint where attendees and talent alike could find a beach-esque reprieve with various cocktails made with Grand Marnier cognac and Espolòn tequila.
Partnering with 2024 Roots Picnic is just the latest iteration of Grand Marnier’s relationship with hip-hop. On April 29, the cognac brand teamed up with Billboard 200 chart-topper 2 Chainz for The Rouge Room, a digital content series celebrating the power and utility of collaboration. And on Nov. 14, 2023, Grand Marnier joined forces with UNWRP for a unique holiday wrapping paper inspired by Billboard’s November 2023 R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Month Teezo Touchdown.
2024 Roots Picnic largely went off without a hitch, save for Cam’Ron standing up attendees who came for his scheduled set, and notable delays on the main stage during the festival’s second day. From André 3000 enrapturing fans with selections from his ambient jazz album New Blue Sun to fans nearly tearing each other to shreds over Method Man’s sweaty T-shirt, there was rarely a dull moment at this year’s Roots Picnic. Even still, the presence of consummate contemporary performers such as Victoria Monét and Tyla — both of whom pulled out of performing due to health issues — was sorely missed.
The festival took big swings with its lineup — the transition from Babyface to Gunna was particularly disorienting for some attendees — but those risks resulted in one of the most heartfelt dedications to the breadth of Black music in 2024 so far. Nearly every sound of the diaspora was present in one way or another during the two-day festival, the perfect way to bring in Black Music Month.
Here are the nine best moments of this year’s Roots Picnic.
The-Dream Returns to the Solo Spotlight
Eminem didn’t hold back with his fiery “Houdini” single as he had smoke for everybody — even his three children weren’t exempt from his disses.
The Detroit legend turned the clock back to the early 2000s, channeling his Slim Shady alter-ego with his first single of 2024 — which dropped May 31 — as he heads into his The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) album this summer. Em dissed his mentor and close friends Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre, along with his kids on the magic-themed track’s final verse.
“F–k them f–k Dre, f–k Jimmy, f–k me, f–k you, f–k my own kids they’re brats,” he raps in classic Eminem fashion.
Em’s 31-year-old daughter, Alaina Marie Scott, responded to the jab in the comments section of his May 31 post on the next day with four middle-finger emojis.
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Fans had a laugh at the playful response, as her comment compiled more than 1,400 likes and 70 replies.
For those who don’t know, Em adopted Alaina in the early 2000s as her mother, who is his ex-wife Kim Scott’s sister, struggled with addiction. He is also the father to the newly married Hailie Jade and Stevie. All three of his kids were also featured in the “Houdini” music video.
Hailie revealed she tied the knot with Evan McClintock in a heartfelt Instagram post on May 20. Photos emerged from the ceremony, featuring Em taking part in the daddy-daughter dance.
“Waking up a wife this week,” she emotionally began in her post. ”We couldn’t have asked for a better, more beautiful weekend celebration. So so many happy tears were shed, laughs & smiles were had, & so much love was felt.
Hailie continued: “Evan and I are feeling so grateful for all of the family & friends that traveled to support us and be a part of this new chapter of our lives as husband & wife.”
Em’s kids, Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine weren’t the only ones who got name-dropped on “Houdini.” Slim Shady also brought up his manager Paul Rosenberg, RuPaul, Harry Houdini and Megan Thee Stallion.
Watch the “Houdini” video below.
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SZA scores her third No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart as “Saturn” rockets to the top spot on the survey dated June 8. SZA previously led the list with “Kill Bill” for a week in April 2023 and as featured on Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” for one frame in July 2021. The Pop […]
Cher really believes her boyfriend’s strong enough. The iconic singer gave her stamp of approval to her boo Alexander “A.E.” Edwards’ fight in Cannes with Travis Scott, after footage emerged last week.
The “Believe” artist took to X over the weekend, more than a week after the Cannes afterparty altercation that included A.E., Scott and producer Southside, among other team members who got involved.
Cher explained that she was “proud” of Edwards — with whom she has been romantically linked since late 2022, after meeting at Paris Fashion Week — and said he didn’t start the brawl, but was the one to end it.
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“I’m Proud of Alexander,” she gushed on X Saturday (June 1). “He Didn’t Start The fight Against 2 Men,… He finished it, Gotta Love Him.”
I’m Proud of Alexander.He Didn’t Start The fightAgainst 2 Men,… He finished it, Gotta Love Him— Cher (@cher) June 1, 2024
Fans hopped into Cher’s replies, happy to see her support A.E. and that everything was all right in wake of the incident.
“Bless him, isn’t it crap all the rubbish that gets published, sad that you’ve had to comment on this. Hope AE is ok and you are too xxxx,” one person responded to the 78-year-old.
The altercation went down at Richie Akiva’s Cannes Film Festival afterparty on May 23 behind the DJ booth when Scott and A.E. began to argue, but it’s unclear what exactly sparked the disagreement.
Sources close to the situation told Billboard that La Flame returned with producer Southside, and that’s when things got physical. Following the brief tussle with punches exchanged, security diffused the fight.
TMZ caught up with A.E. last week to get Cher’s thoughts about the altercation, and he quoted lyrics from Future and Metro Boomin’s “GTA”: “Like Future say, ‘Whatever I’m with, my b—h with it, too.’ My woman, but the lyrics are the lyrics.”
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It’s about to be a Hot Girl Summer. Megan Thee Stallion announced at her Atlanta tour stop on Sunday night (June 2) that her upcoming album will be titled Megan and it’s slated to arrive next month. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news After Friday (May 31) […]
They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, and Rihanna continues to collect crown jewels. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) awarded RiRi with four more diamond plaques, which brings her total to seven diamond certifications. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Per the RIAA website, […]
Shady’s back, tell a friend. Eminem returned with “Houdini,” his first single of 2024 on Friday (May 31). Em attempted to turn the clock back with the single and his early 2000s Slim Shady alter ego. “Houdini” serves as the start of the rollout for the Detroit legend heading into his The Death of Slim […]
Sean Paul’s Tiny Desk Concert dropped Friday (May 31) and it’s as good as you’d expect. The legendary reggae superstar took over the NPR offices and transformed them into a good old-fashioned bashment from the jump. Although there was no daggering or whining to be seen, Paul sounded just like he did when he made […]