R&B/Hip-Hop

18 Jun 2025

Snoop Dogg’s Bow Wizzle & VanVan Team Up for ‘Clean Up Song’ Remix for First Live-Action ‘Doggyland’ Episode

Fans of Snoop Dogg‘s Doggyland have a new song to sing along to.

This time, Snoop’s lovable character Bow Wizzle linked with social media sensation VanVan — who also happens to voice Doggyland‘s Vancy the Dalmatian character — for a new video for a remix of the “Clean Up Song,” which interpolates the classic children’s song “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” The song is part of Doggyland’s first-ever live-action sing-along episode.

“You know we loved working with VanVan,” said Snoop. “She’s an amazing rapper and has the natural swagger to go with it. She’s a perfect fit for Doggyland and I know Bow Wizzle can’t wait to get in the studio with her again.”

Doggyland co-creator Claude Brooks also enjoyed working with VanVan. “We were delighted when VanVan’s rap version of our ‘Affirmations Song’ went viral across social media,” said the actor and producer. “This inspired us to do a full-length video with her and Bow Wizzle, based around her version of the ‘Clean Up Song,’ and we couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. We have more live-action videos with other talented kids coming. Be on the lookout!” 

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And VanVan added: “Working with Doggyland and Uncle Snoop Dogg on the ‘Clean Up Remix’ was such a fun and inspiring experience. I feel truly blessed to be seen and to create music on this level.”

Brooks, Snoop and R&B artist October London launched Doggyland back in 2022 as an educational show for kids that can be seen on YouTube and YouTube Kids.

Kids and parents can catch their favorite Doggyland characters as they head out on tour with Kidz Bop for the Live Certified Bop Tour. You can check out upcoming dates below.

  • June 19 — Hershey, PA — Giant Center
  • June 20 — Raleigh, NC — Coastal Credit Union
  • June 21 — Charlotte, NC — PNC Music Pavilion
  • June 22 — Greensboro, NC — White Oak Amphitheater
  • June 26 — West Palm Beach, FL — iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
  • June 27 — Jacksonville, FL — Daily’s Place
  • June 28 — Alpharetta, GA — Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
  • June 29 — Franklin, TN — FirstBank Amphitheater
  • July 3 — Gilford, NH — Bank of NH Pavilion
  • July 5 — Bangor, ME — Maine Savings Bank
  • July 6 — Bethel, NY — Bethel Woods
  • July 10 — Richmond, VA — Allianz Amphitheater
  • July 11 — Wantagh, NY — Northwell Health at Jones Beach
  • July 12 — Holmdel, NJ — PNC Bank Arts Center
  • July 17 — Wilmington, NC — Live Oak Bank Pavilion
  • July 18 — Baltimore, MD — Pier Six Pavilion
  • July 19 — Boston, MA (2 Shows) — Leader Bank Pavilion
  • July 20 — Wallingford, CT — Toyota Oakdale Theater
  • July 23 — Columbus, OH — Ohio State Fair
  • July 24 — Clarkston, MI — Pine Knob Music Center
  • July 25 — Noblesville, IN — Ruoff Music Center
  • July 27 — Cincinnati, OH — PNC Pavilion at Riverbend
  • Aug. 1 — Saratoga Springs, NY — Broadview Stage at SPAC
  • Aug. 2 — Camden, NJ — Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
  • Aug. 5 — West Allis, WI — Wisconsin State Fair
  • Aug. 8 — Macon, GA — Macon Amphitheater
  • Aug. 9 — Tampa, FL —MIDFLORDIA Credit Union Amphitheatre

18 Jun 2025

Muni Long to Perform at Megan Thee Stallion’s First Pete & Thomas Foundation Gala: Full Details

Muni Long is set to perform at Megan Thee Stallion’s inaugural Pete & Thomas Foundation Gala in New York City next month.

The gala is scheduled for July 16 at Gotham Hall in the Big Apple, as the Houston rapper took it upon herself to completely organize the inaugural event.

Taraji P. Henson will play host for the night while DJ D-Nice will keep attendees grooving on the turntables throughout the gala.

Proceeds from the evening’s auction will benefit initiatives focused on education, housing, health and wellness. Pastors Juanita and Rudy Rasmus, along with Southern Black Girls & Women’s Consortium founder LaTosha Brown and MH Boxes founder Mila Henry are among the gala’s honorees.

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Those looking to attend the black-tie affair are encouraged to fill out a form on the Pete & Thomas Gala’s website. Megan Thee Stallion launched the Pete & Thomas Foundation in 2022, honoring the names of her late parents, Holly Thomas and Joseph Pete III.

With the foundation, Megan has continued to pursue her goal of uplifting women, children, senior citizens and other underserved communities around the country.

“Launching the Pete and Thomas Foundation is easily one of the most significant endeavors that I’ll ever be part of in my career,” Megan said in a press release at the time. “My family raised me to help others and give back, so I’m incredibly proud to be in a position to accomplish that goal. I have a responsibility to use my platform to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those who may not have access to resources and support services.”

As for Muni Long, the “Hrs and Hrs” artist kicked off 2025 with her sensual “Slow Grind” single in February after the Grammy Award-winning singer delivered her Revenge album last year.

18 Jun 2025

Bun B Believes Travis Scott Won’t ‘Back Down’ From Pusha T: ‘When These Beefs Happen, You Have to Respond’

Bun B thinks Pusha T is “a dangerous man.”

The Texas rap legend sat down with Shannon Sharpe’s Night Cap and was asked about Pusha T’s recent diss aimed at Travis Scott that has been dominating the rap news cycle.

“Pusha’s a dangerous man,” the UGK member told Sharpe. “He’s willing to throw caution to the wind and be like, ‘You know what? I don’t really f— with him anyway.’ You don’t see Pusha at awards shows, you don’t see him at clubs, at parties, they don’t mix like that. They mix with they own and they’re pretty good in the streets as well, so it’s whatever.”

However, he knows Travis personally and believes his fellow Texas native will respond in some way soon, but emphasized that he must proceed with caution when dealing with someone like Push “who operates in a space where he really don’t have nothing to lose.”

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“That being said, Travis ain’t ’bout to back down. He’s from Houston,” Bun said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you hear something before the weekend is done. It’s either go into it or act like it didn’t happen, but the problem is that the people are going to demand a response. When these beefs happen, you have to respond. … But you gotta be careful when people try to bait you in.”

The Clipse caused a stir this week when they dropped the second single to their highly anticipated comeback album Let God Sort Em Out when Push closed out the song with lines directed at Scott. “You cried in front of me, you died in front of me,” he rapped. “Calabasas took your bi— and your pride in front of me/ Her utopia had moved right up the street/ And her lip gloss was poppin’, she ain’t need you to eat.”

Billboard reached out to both Pusha and Travis’ camps for comment.

You can watch the full convo below.

18 Jun 2025

Who’s the GOAT Rapper & Producer Combo? Rapsody Joins ‘Billboard Unfiltered’ Debate

Billboard Unfiltered returned on Wednesday (June 18) with another brand-new episode featuring a special guest: Rapsody was in the building.

This week, senior director of R&B/Hip-Hop Carl Lamarre returned with hip-hop editor Angel Diaz alongside Rapsody to debate who is the greatest rapper/producer combination of all time.

First up, Lamarre made the case for Nas and Hit-Boy, who connected for five projects over the course of 36 months with three installments of the King’s Disease series, which Lamarre holds in the upper echelon of rap album series, and a pair of Magic projects.

“When they came into each other’s lives, I think they changed the dynamic of what hip-hop is today in terms of what we look at from a rapper and producer standpoint,” Lamarre declared. “From 2020 to 2023, we saw the best rapping of Nas’ career.”

He continued: “King’s Disease is probably one of the best series in hip-hop of all-time. Magic one and two, flawless. We introduce Nas in a new era… Some of the best beats in Hit-Boy’s career came from working with Nas and they got a Grammy out of it.”

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Angel Diaz laid out the case for Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, as he believes the duo put the West Coast on the map. “They had The Chronic and Doggystyle back-to-back and then they came back with 2001,” he said. “They put the West Coast on the map.”

Taking things a step further, Diaz explained that there’s still remnants of Dre and Snoop’s G-funk DNA in West Coast rap decades later as seen in Kendrick Lamar’s GNX.

As for Rapsody, she elected to spotlight the Clipse and Pharrell. “From their first project Lord Willin’ to this one — I haven’t heard all of it — but it’s setting up to be a phenomenal classic,” she said. “It’s like they’ve evolved and haven’t missed a step. This ain’t gon’ be a miss, we can feel the energy.”

The North Carolina rapper added: “When you have a producer and a rapper come together and they always create their best work together, it’s undeniable,” “Those two, that’s always their best work.”

There was plenty of back-and-forth, but moderator Delisa Shannon gave the victory to Carl Lamarre and his pick of Nas and Hit-Boy on Wednesday’s show.

Watch the full episode below.

18 Jun 2025

A 20-Year-Old’s Top-Notch Carnival Cruise Karaoke Performance Leads to Huge Gains for ’90s R&B Hit

Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.

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This week: Keith Sweat’s “Nobody” gets a bump from an improbable cover source, a less-remembered Black Eyed Peas gets its moment in the TikTok sun and Playboi Carti may have a new Music breakout following his BET Awards performance.

‘Carnival Cruise Tyler’ Karaoke Performance Sets Off a Keith Sweat Revival

Who can do it like Carnival Cruise Tyler? Nobody, apparently – at least nobody outside of Keith Sweat himself. The 20-year-old Georgia native born Tyler Heyworth has been going viral on TikTok the past couple weeks for an unexpected performance he offered on vacation with his family on the Carnival Cruise line, where he sang Sweat’s 1996 top five Hot 100 smash “Nobody” (featuring Athena Cage of Kut Klose) — released when Tyler was approximately negative nine years old — to what could certainly be described as a receptive karaoke audience. 

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Tyler’s performance, delivered with strong vocals, engaging (but never quite inappropriate) stage moves and an understated confidence, resulted in multiple crowd freakouts, with different captured angles of his now-storied rendition each seemingly revealing new multitudes of enraptured listenership. Unsurprisingly, his viral fame has resulted in much internet celebrity: “I’ve had a bunch of, uh, interesting women in my comments and in my DMs,” he told TMZ. “It’s kinda too much at this point.” 

The young man’s “Nobody” performance is not yet available on DSPs – but of course, Keith Sweat’s apparently well-enduring original certainly is, and fans new and old were motivated to spend time with the ‘90s R&B classic. The song’s daily official on-demand U.S. streams rose gradually throughout last week, hitting a high of 319,000 on Friday (June 13), up 91% from 167,000 the previous Friday (June 6), according to Luminate. Sweat himself even shared video of Tyler’s performance, with the caption, “If everybody don’t sing NOBODY it’s not done correctly.” – ANDREW UNTERBERGER

Black Eyed Peas’ ‘Rock’ Is Rolling With Viral Resurgence

In 2009, “Boom Boom Pow,” the lead single from the Black Eyed Peas’ album The E.N.D., spent 12 straight weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 — and was then replaced by the album’s second single, “I Gotta Feeling,” which proceeded to log 14 weeks in the top spot. The mind-boggling run of chart domination represented the apex of the quartet’s commercial appeal — the Peas would never return to the top of the Hot 100 afterwards, in fact — but now, another song from The E.N.D. has gone viral, and could crack the chart 16 years later if it keeps picking up steam.

“Rock Your Body” followed the same electro-pop-rap blueprint of the album’s biggest hits, with Will.i.am relying heavily on Auto-tune, Fergie’s voice pitched way up and a sample of Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock’s “It Takes Two” heavily involved; the song’s hook, in which Will cedes the floor to Fergie, has slowly grown as a popular TikTok sound, with users creating different dance routines to the vocal hand-off. After earning 667,000 weekly official U.S. on-demand streams six weeks ago (Apr. 18-24), “Rock Your Body” scored 4.14 million streams last week (June 6-12) — an increase of 520%, according to Luminate. Is this a viral one-off, or can the nostalgia cycle fuel a full-on BEP revival? The E.N.D. is an acronym for The Energy Never Dies — maybe we’re about to experience proof of that claim. – JASON LIPSHUTZ

Playboi Carti Fans Like ‘Weezy’ Following BET Awards Performance

Sometimes, when you release an album with an enormous track list, some of the songs in the back half of that full-length require a special platform to reach a larger audience. Case in point: at the 2025 BET Awards last Monday night (June 9), Playboi Carti reached deep into his Music bag to perform “Like Weezy,” the springy 25th track on the 30-song track list, as well as The Weeknd collaboration “Rather Lie” while surrounded by luxury cars and smoke machines onstage at the awards ceremony.

“Like Weezy” has benefitted from the performance choice by Carti: in the four days following the BET Awards (June 10-13), the track earned 1.28 million U.S. on-demand streams, a 90% increase from the previous four days (670,000 streams from June 6-9), according to Luminate. Carti has also been performing “Like Weezy” in his nightly sets opening for The Weeknd’s ongoing stadium tour, which continues through early September — meaning that the song could enjoy a sustained boost instead of a one-week uptick due to an awards show performance. – J.L.

18 Jun 2025

NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s Old Rap Videos Are Going Viral

Zohran Mamdani is a 33-year-old Democratic Socialist looking to become the next mayor of New York City. As voters learn more about potential candidates, curious folks have dug up old rap videos from a previous life for Mamdani, who rhymed under the monikers Young Cardamom and then Mr. Cardamom.

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According to a 2019 story about actress Madhur Jaffrey in The New York Times, Mamdani made his rap debut in the late 2000s while running for vice president at the Bronx High School of Science. He then partnered with his close friend Abdul Bar Hussein to form a rap duo in the mid-2010s.

They would release a six-track EP, titled Sidda Mukyaalo, in 2016, which finds them rapping in six different languages while paying homage to their Ugandan roots.

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Mamdani (Mr. Cardamom) wouldn’t hesitate to touch on politically charged topics in his rhymes and dealt with racism. “When it’s a Black friend or family member, it always takes a bit longer,” he raps on “Askari,” which finds him playing a security guard opening a gate quicker for a white person.

One of the more recent tracks that has gone viral is his 2019 “Nani” video, a tribute to his grandmother, Praveen Nair, who worked for the nonprofit Salaam Baalak Trust. The visual, which stars Jaffrey and even received coverage from The New York Times, has more than 213,000 views on YouTube. It’s the only clip left on his official YouTube account as Mr. Cardamom.

Supporters hopped into the clip’s comments section, saying Mamdani has their vote and they’re convinced he needs to be the next mayor of NYC.

“He’s got my vote, just cause I don’t want smoke with nani,” one person wrote, while a second added, “I don’t even live in NY but please. Please, y’all gotta make him mayor, if only for this banger.”

Another chimed in: “I swear to god Zohran completed every damn sidequest out there lmao.”

The NYC mayoral race continues to heat up in its final days of the primary, with Mamdani closing the gap on former NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo among Democrats in the polls. A recent survey from the Marist Institute for Public Opinion found that 38 percent of voters said they’d rank Cuomo at the top of their ballots, compared to 27 percent for Mamdani.

17 Jun 2025

Suge Knight Says Diddy’s Peers Have Been Silent About Sex Trafficking Trial Because ‘They Are So Scared’

Suge Knight has continuously shared his opinions about Diddy‘s ongoing trial and recently spoke in more detail about why so many of Puff’s supporters are going silent.

On Monday, Suge Knight called in for a lengthy phone call with host Aubrey O’Day, who has been covering the ongoing trial as part of Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes’ iHeartRadio podcast Covering the Diddy Trial.

Knight covered a lot of subjects, including the murder of 2Pac and his relationship to Puff. The former Danity Kane singer then questioned why so many of Diddy’s peers from the ’90s haven’t spoken out about the subject, including Mary J. Blige, Ma$e, Faith Evans and other Bad Boy recording artists.

“The reason why they’re so silent is this: They are so scared,” Suge admitted. “They are slaves. These people are slaves to these people.”

He added that Diddy’s associates are mostly fearful of the business and personal repercussions that may happen. “They’re not scared of the guns and the knives. They’re not scared of the streets. They’re scared of the people in the suites,” Knight said.

Elsewhere in the pod, Suge Knight called out Ray J for claiming earlier this month that Knight sexually assaulted men. While he denied the allegations, he added the “Sexy Can I” singer desperately needs help.

“Now let’s go to the part of this and reason why I brung up Ray J,” Knight continued. “I got love for Ray J. I don’t care for what Ray J say. You know, at the end of the motherf—ing day, Ray is lost. He need help. So let’s not pick on Ray J.”

Check out the full episode below.

17 Jun 2025

Cardi B Announces She’s Back ‘Outside’ With New Single: See When It Arrives

Cardi B is back “Outside” and she’s ready to supply the soundtrack to your summer block party.

The Grammy-winning rapper announced her first solo single of 2025, with “Outside” slated to arrive on Friday (June 20).

“We OUTSIDE this Friday,” she wrote on Instagram. The cover art encapsulates a summer turn-up in NYC, featuring a sidewalk with an overflowing fire hydrant alongside remnants of party favors like dominoes, open lipstick, blunt wrappers and red Solo cups.

The Bardi Gang was ecstatic to hear that Cardi was returning with a hopeful summer smash. “DOWNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN BABY! When I tell you I’m so happy because I ran that snippet out,” one person wrote in her comments.

Cardi has teased snippets of the single on social media in recent months, and the positive reception has finally led to a full release.

“I’ve been cuffed up too long, let me remind n—as,” she raps about moving on from Offset. “Your favorite player on your favorite team, he in my DM.”

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Also this year, she appears on the Smurfs Movie soundtrack and joined Pardison Fontaine for “Toot It Up.” “Outside” marks Cardi’s first single since “Enough” in 2024.

The 32-year-old has kept busy throughout 2025 with appearances at the Met Gala and the start of a new chapter with NFL star Stefon Diggs. Cardi went public with her relationship in May when she was spotted courtside at a New York Knicks playoff game with Diggs.

Cardi’s also been in mom mode, taking care of her three children. She posted the first official photos of her baby Blossom on Instagram earlier this week, which saw Cardi having a fun pool day at home with the kids.

Find the cover art of “Outside” below and look for the single on Friday.

17 Jun 2025

Stefon Diggs Wants to Learn Bachata for Cardi B After She Gushes About Wedding Dance

New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs has been known as a sharp route-runner during his NFL career, but he may need to apply that athleticism to his dance moves to impress Cardi B in the future.

Diggs provided a life update on his Instagram Monday (June 16), and the carousel featured a photo of a recent date night with Cardi B as well as a wedding the NFL star attended.

“Trying find a balance between family and work but it seems like work is taking precedence over everything else,” he captioned the photos.

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Cardi went right to the newlyweds and gushed about the couple dancing bachata at their wedding. “It’s the newlyweds dancing bachata for me,” the Grammy-winning rapper wrote with a Dominican Republic flag emoji.

Diggs hopped into the comments and replied to his girlfriend: “Necesito aprender,” which translates in English to, “I need to learn.” It appears that bachata lessons are going to be on the calendar for the Patriots wide receiver this summer before training camp begins.

Cardi and Diggs are going strong into the summer as they began dating at the top of 2025. After being spotted on a Valentine’s Day outing in Miami, the couple made their first public appearance in May when Bardi and SD were spotted getting cozy courtside at a New York Knicks playoff game at Madison Square Garden.

Cardi B filed for divorce from Offset last August and has entered a new chapter in life. She also gave the Bardi Gang a glimpse of her youngest daughter, Blossom, who was born in September, with a series of photos posted to Instagram on Monday.

17 Jun 2025

Memphis Bleek Looks Back on Why Jay-Z Distanced Himself From Roc-A-Fella: ‘He Had To’

Memphis Bleek understands why Jay-Z eventually decided to distance himself from his Roc-A-Fella Records crew during the early 2000s.

While sitting down with The Breakfast Club on Monday (June 16), Bleek responded to co-host Charlamagne tha God‘s question about Jay “drifting apart” from everybody else. “I knew he had to,” he admitted. “For Jay to be where he at, he couldn’t be around us everyday. I’m a liability. Me now being married, being a businessman, of course, things have changed. But the reckless Bleek? You couldn’t be around us. Anything could happen, and then it spills right back to you.”

Bleek continued, saying the “Empire State of Mind” rapper had business pursuits to think about along with his rap career. “It’s not that he don’t rock with you, or don’t rock with us,” he said “It’s, ‘Aye, dawg, I’m over here gettin’ to these millions, ya still in the club poppin’ bottles. I don’t need that look.’”

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Bleek was then asked why he was able to see signs while others in their camp couldn’t. “I don’t know. I tried to tell these guys,” he replied. “That’s the thing, if you really sit down — see, a lot of people, when these cameras cut on, they got an image, they gotta keep it up. But if they really sit down and have a real conversation with the reality pills on the table, they’ll tell you that I told these guys this was coming.”

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He then recalled a time when his former labelmate Beanie Sigel called him a “hater” when Bleek tried to offer him business advice. “I remember a time Beans had his clothing line State Property … and it said, ‘Manufactured by Rocawear,’” Bleek revealed. “So, I’m telling him as a brother, ‘Yo, bro, check your contracts and all that. Make sure everything is right because I see it’s manufactured by Rocawear — I don’t think Rocawear was making their own clothes, so how they making your clothes?’ And he looked at me — this is when I knew me and Beans’ relationship wasn’t the same — because he was like, ‘Yo, it sound like you hatin’ on me, fam,’ and I’m like, ‘What you mean?’ And he’s like, ‘If Jay your man like you say, why you ain’t got no record label?’”

You can watch the full conversation below.