R&B/Hip-Hop
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A phone call from jail between Young Thug and his girlfriend, Mariah the Scientist, leaked on social media earlier this week, and Drake wants to hold whoever is responsible for the footage emerging accountable.
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The OVO boss reposted his comment on the “disgraceful” matter to his Instagram Story on Wednesday (Jan. 24) and called for Thugger’s freedom, with the YSL RICO trial getting messy.
“This gotta be some form of jail misconduct,” Drake began. “You gonna drag this talented man then not be able to control your employees using his personal business for their own gain? Somebody benefitted from this video even existing and that’s shameful whole case is a wash just 3 the guy and let him come home and continue bringing light to Atlanta!”
The 6 God continued by putting Fulton County Judge Ural Glanville, who is running point on the YSL RICO case, on blast.
“S–t is disgraceful … Is this a criminal case or Atlanta social media promo Ural Glanville?” he wrote.
Despite the call making it to the public, a spokesperson for the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office told Billboard the recording of the conversation between Young Thug and Mariah “was not leaked,” and pointed out that Young Thug is “being housed at the Cobb County Jail, where the call took place.”
Billboard has reached out to the Fulton County DA’s Office and Cobb County Jail for comment.
The leaked phone call appears to have taken place shortly after Christmas or earlier in January, as Mariah thanked her boo for the icy chains and bracelets he gifted her from behind bars.
“Merry Christmas, baby. I love you,” she said in the clip. “Thanks for my gifts … I miss you, baby. I like it a lot, I’m very appreciative … I wish you could be at home with me and you could put it on me.”
Young Thug replied: “I miss you too. You look beautiful. You look like a rapper now.”
Drake wasn’t the only artist to respond to the leaked call. Meek Mill chimed in essentially saying this is a lawsuit waiting to happen.
“This a top tier lawsuit your personal call not suppose to be on the street,” he tweeted.
This is far from the first time Drake has shown his “Ice Melts” collaborator love. He previously called for Thugger to be released from jail on Honestly, Nevermind‘s “Sticky” in 2022, and included a “Free YSL” message in the music video for “Falling Back.”
Young Thug has been locked up in Atlanta since being arrested in the sweeping YSL indictment in May 2022. The highly publicized trial finally began in November, with Thug’s fate yet to be decided.
See Drake’s reaction to the leaked call below.
She may have a hit song titled “Like You’ll Never See Me Again,” but the Billboard charts have been enjoying visits from Alicia Keys for 23 years and counting.
The 15-time Grammy-winner made her Billboard chart debut in 2001 with “Fallin’,” a jazz-inflected R&B classic that reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Fallin’” would soon give way to three more Hot 100 chart-toppers for Keys, including 2004’s “My Boo” (with Usher), 2007’s “No One” and 2009’s “Empire State of Mind” (with Jay-Z). In addition to those No. 1 hits, Keys has earned five other top 10 hits, including 2004’s “If I Ain’t Got You” (No. 4) and 2002’s “Gangsta Lovin’” (with Eve).
On the Billboard 200, Keys has racked up five No. 1 titles: 2001’s Songs in A Minor (three weeks), 2003’s The Diary of Alicia Keys (two weeks), 2005’s Unplugged (one week), 2007’s As I Am (four weeks) and 2012’s Girl on Fire (one week). She also reached the chart’s top 10 with 2010’s The Element of Freedom (No. 2), 2016’s HERE (No. 2) and 2020’s Alicia (No. 4).
Named Billboard‘s No. 1 R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the 2000s, Keys has also scored a slew of records on those genre charts. On Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, she boasts 15 top 10 hits, eight of which have reached the chart’s summit. Those eight chart-toppers have spent 54 cumulative weeks atop the ranking, placing Keys as the woman with the third-most time spent atop the chart behind Aretha Franklin (65 weeks) and Rihanna (56 weeks). The “Un-Thinkable” singer also has the most No. 1 hits in Adult R&B Airplay history, with 14 chart-toppers, including 12-week No. 1 hit “Diary” (with Tony! Toni! Tone!).
Check out the full Billboard Explains video on Alicia Keys’ Billboard chart success.
After that video, catch up on more Billboard Explains videos and learn about Peso Pluma and the Mexican music boom, the role record labels play, origins of hip-hop, how Beyoncé arrived at Renaissance, the evolution of girl groups, BBMAs, NFTs, SXSW, the magic of boy bands, American Music Awards, the Billboard Latin Music Awards, the Hot 100 chart, how R&B/hip-hop became the biggest genre in the U.S., how festivals book their lineups, Billie Eilish’s formula for success, the history of rap battles, nonbinary awareness in music, the Billboard Music Awards, the Free Britney movement, rise of K-pop in the U.S., why Taylor Swift is re-recording her first six albums, the boom of hit all-female collaborations, how Grammy nominees and winners are chosen, why songwriters are selling their publishing catalogs, how the Super Bowl halftime show is booked and more.
The Black Regina George has something to say. Megan Thee Stallion is prepping a new single, and the latest teaser promises a scathing takedown of all of the detractors who have had something negative to say about her over the past few years. The Grammy winner first teased her new single on Monday (Jan. 22) […]
Mary J. Blige says she appreciates all the kind words from fans after her name was included on the stacked lineup for this year’s Lovers & Friends festival in Las Vegas on May 4. Unfortunately, the singer said in an Instagram Story on Thursday (Jan. 25) that was a mistake. “I am beyond humbled by […]
Flo Milli’s “Never Lose Me” ranks at No. 1 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart for a second week, while He Is We’s “I Wouldn’t Mind” vaults to No. 2 on the ranking dated Jan. 27.
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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 Jan 15-21. Activity on TikTok is not included in Billboard charts except for the TikTok Billboard Top 50.
“Never Lose Me” attains a second week at No. 1 concurrent with continued gains on streaming services that report to the Billboard Hot 100 and its genre-based charts. The song, released in November 2023, tops 10 million official U.S. streams for the first time, jumping 24% from 9.9 million to 12.1 million streams Jan. 12-18, according to Luminate. As such, the song leaps 42-37 on the Hot 100 as the tally’s greatest gainer in streaming.
As previously reported, “Never Lose Me” is largely driven by a variety of trends, with a more recent theme being uploads highlighting the “never had a bitch like me” lyric.
He Is We’s “I Wouldn’t Mind” has also been previously highlighted, following its debut on the Jan. 20 survey at No. 8. A sped-up edition of the 2010 track continues to drive the most attention, with the song’s TikTok uploads spanning a viral dance trend, POV videos and more. The song concurrently sports a 16% gain in official U.S. streams to 2.5 million.
A few more previously covered songs – Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder on the Dancefloor,” Cordelia’s “Little Life” and Project Pat’s “Choose U” – round out the top five, with the latter two reaching the top five for the first time.
“Choose U” isn’t the only place where you’ll find Project Pat in the top 10. “Good Googly Moogly,” featuring DJ Paul and Juicy J, joins the track in the top 10 by vaulting 18-7.
The main trend for “Good Googly Moogly” on TikTok features creators ogling someone, showing surprise at a passerby or other eyebrow-raising reactions, set to the “good googly moogly” line in the 2006 track’s chorus. Some more recent uploads with higher volume of interactions on the platform include photos and videos of users’ newborn babies, showing how people announced the birth of their children vs. how the child actually looked like when they were born.
Project Pat becomes the fifth different act to land more than one song in the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s top 10 in a single week since the ranking’s September 2023 inception. Nicki Minaj has done so three times, while Lana Del Rey, Kanye West and Drake have accomplished the feat once apiece.
One final song appears in the chart’s top 10 for the first time: MGMT’s “Time to Pretend,” which debuts at No. 9. The lead track from the duo’s 2007 breakout Oracular Spectacular, “Time to Pretend’s” overarching trend involves creators using the same or similar photos, both with the same caption – but using different emojis to represent that the same phrase can mean different things for one’s life.
“Time to Pretend” was MGMT’s first Billboard-charting song when it peaked at No. 23 on the Alternative Airplay survey in May 2008. The song snagged 1.8 million official U.S. streams in the latest tracking week, a 28% gain.
Just outside the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s top 10, Muni Long’s “Made for Me” debuts at No. 12. Its trend highlights the song’s “Twin/ where have you been? / nobody knows me like you do” lyric, with users making videos with friends, family or significant others. Long herself has also posted TikToks lip-synching to the song, as have Chloe, That Girl Lay Lay and more.
“Made for Me” debuts on the Hot 100 dated Jan. 27 at No. 93, Long’s third appearance on the ranking and first solo since breakthrough “Hrs and Hrs” peaked at No. 16 in February 2022.
Ariana Grande’s “Yes, And?,” which debuts at No. 1 on the Hot 100, makes an appearance on the TikTok Billboard Top 50, bowing at No. 23. It’s Grande’s third song on the tally since it began and first non-holiday entry, as “Santa Tell Me” and “Last Christmas” comprised her previous appearances.
See the full TikTok Billboard Top 50 here and on the TikTok app. 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.
Jack Harlow attains a new milestone on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart as “Lovin on Me” adds a 10th week at No. 1 on the list. With the latest week in charge, on the chart dated Jan. 27, Harlow becomes only the third artist to have three No. 1 hits that have each ruled for […]
Victoria Monét and Usher received the most nominations in the music/recording categories for the 2024 NAACP Image Awards, earning six and five nods, respectively. RCA Records received 20 nominations, the most across record labels.
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Winners will be revealed during a two–hour live TV special, airing Saturday, March 16, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and CBS.
Usher is nominated for entertainer of the year, where he is competing with Colman Domingo, Fantasia Barrino, Halle Bailey and Keke Palmer.
Usher is also nominated for outstanding male artist, where he is squaring off against Burna Boy, Chris Brown, Davido and Jon Batiste.
Monét is competing for outstanding female artist with Ari Lennox, H.E.R., Janelle Monáe and Tems.
The awards recognize excellence across a broad range of categories. Here, we focus on the nominees in 15 recording categories, as well as two general categories, but the full list also includes 30 TV/streaming categories, 16 in motion pictures, nine in literary, six in podcasts, five in directing, four in writing, three in documentaries, three in costume design/make-up/hairstyling, one in stunt work.
Nominees for outstanding motion picture are American Fiction, Origin, Rustin, The Color Purple and They Cloned Tyrone. Of these five films, only American Fiction was nominated for an Academy Award for best picture.
Domingo leads the nominations across the motion picture categories with three nominations: outstanding actor in a motion picture for Rustin and two nods for his work in The Color Purple — supporting actor in a motion picture and outstanding ensemble cast in a motion picture.
Ayo Edebiri received the most nominations in the television and streaming categories with two for Abbott Elementary and The Bear.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the achievements of this year’s nominees, whose outstanding contributions across film, television and streaming, music, literature, podcasts, and more have inspired us all,” Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, said in a statement.
“As we reflect on the rich legacy of the NAACP, we take pride in honoring the artistic brilliance of this year’s nominees. We are excited to illuminate and celebrate the extraordinary talent within our community,” said Scott Mills, President and CEO, BET Media Group.
By visiting NAACPImageAwards.net, the public can vote to determine the winners of the 55th NAACP Image Awards in select categories. Voting closes Feb. 24 at 9 p.m. Winners will be revealed during the 55th NAACP Image Awards telecast on March 16, on BET and CBS. NAACP will also recognize winners in non–televised Image Awards categories March 11–14, which will stream via NAACPImageAwards.net.
Here are all the nominees in the 15 recording categories, preceded by the nominees in two general categories.
General categories
Entertainer of the year
Colman Domingo
Fantasia Barrino
Halle Bailey
Keke Palmer
Usher
Outstanding social media personality of the year
Angel Laketa Moore
Druski
Keith Lee
Lynae Vanee
Terrell Grice
Recording categories
Outstanding album
Clear 2: Soft Life – Summer Walker (LVRN/Interscope Records)
For All the Dogs – Drake (OVO/Republic Records)
I Told Them… – Burna Boy (Atlantic Records)
Jaguar II – Victoria Monét (RCA Records/Lovett Music)
The Age of Pleasure – Janelle Monáe (Atlantic Records/Bad Boy/Wondaland)
Outstanding soul/R&B song
“Back to Your Place” – October London
“Good Good” – Usher feat. 21 Savage x Summer Walker
“ICU Remix” – Coco Jones feat. Justin Timberlake
“On My Mama” – Victoria Monét
“Lipstick Lover” – Janelle Monáe
Outstanding hip hop/rap song
“All My Life” – Lil Durk feat. J. Cole (Alamo Records)
“Blue Eyes” – Vic Mensa (Roc Nation Records, LLC)
“Cobra” – Megan Thee Stallion (Atlantic/Warner Bros/Mattel and 10K Projects/Capitol Records)
“Palisades, CA” – Larry June & The Alchemist (The Freeminded Records/ALC/EMPIRE)
“Sittin’ on Top of the World” – Burna Boy & 21 Savage (Atlantic Records)
Outstanding male artist
Burna Boy (Atlantic Records)
Chris Brown (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
Davido (RCA Records/Sony Music UK)
Jon Batiste (Verve Records)
Usher (Mega/Gamma)
Outstanding female artist
Ari Lennox (Dreamville/Interscope Records)
H.E.R. (RCA Records)
Janelle Monáe (Atlantic Records/Bad Boy/Wondaland)
Tems (RCA Records/Since ’93)
Victoria Monét (RCA Records/Lovett Music)
Outstanding duo, group or collaboration (contemporary)
Burna Boy & 21 Savage – “Sittin’ on Top of the World” (Atlantic Records)
Chris Brown feat. Davido & Lojay – “Sensational” (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
Lil Durk & J. Cole – “All My Life” (Alamo Records)
Usher, 21 Savage, Summer Walker – “Good Good” (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
Victoria Monét feat. Lucky Day – “Smoke” (RCA Records/Lovett Music)
Outstanding duo, group or collaboration (traditional)
Ciara feat. Chris Brown – “How We Roll” (Beauty Marks Entertainment
Coco Jones feat. Justin Timberlake – “ICU Remix” (Def Jam Recordings)
Dreamville, Bas & Black Sherif feat. Kel–P – “Creed III: Soundtrack” (Dreamville/Interscope Records)
Karen Clark Sheard, Hezekiah Walker, Kierra Sheard – “God Is Good” (Timeless Music Group/Roc Nation Records, LLC)
Voices of Fire – “Joy (Unspeakable)” (Columbia Records)
Outstanding new artist
FLO (Uptown Records / Republic Records)
Jordan Ward (Artium/Interscope Records)
Leon Thomas (EZMNY Records/Motown Records)
October London (Death Row Records)
Victoria Monét (RCA Records/Lovett Music)
Outstanding gospel/Christian album
All Yours – Kierra Sheard (RCA Inspiration / Karew Entertainment)
Father’s Day – Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul Recordings and RCA Records)
Impossible – Pastor Mike, Jr. (Rock City/Black Smoke)
My Truth – Jonathan McReynolds (MNRK Music Group)
The Maverick Way Complete – Maverick City Music (Insignia & TRIBL Records)
Outstanding international song
“Amapiano” – Asake feat. Olamide (YBNL Nation / EMPIRE)
“City Boys” – Burna Boy (Atlantic Records)
“Me & U” – Tems (RCA Records/Since ’93)
“People” – Libianca feat. Ayra Starr & Omah Lay (RCA Records/Sony Music UK/5K Records)
“Unavailable” – Davido (RCA Records/Sony Music UK)
Outstanding music video/visual album
“Boyfriend” – Usher (Mega/Gamma)
“Cobra” – Megan Thee Stallion (Hot Girl Productions)
“How We Roll” – Ciara (Beauty Marks Entertainment)
“On My Mama” – Victoria Monét (RCA Records/Lovett Music)
“Sensational” – Chris Brown feat. Davido & Lojay (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
Outstanding soundtrack/compilation album
Creed III: The Soundtrack – Michael B. Jordan, Ludwig Göransson, Archie Davis, Frank Brim (Dreamville / Interscope Records)
Godfather of Harlem: Season 3 (Original Series Soundtrack) – Swizz Beatz & Avery Chambliss (Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment)
Metro Boomin Presents Spider–Man: Across the Spider–Verse (Soundtrack From and Inspired by the Motion Picture/Deluxe Edition) – Metro Boomin (Republic Records)
The Color Purple–Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Various Producers (WaterTower Music/Gamma)
The Little Mermaid Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Alan Menken, Mike Higham and Lin–Manuel Miranda (Walt Disney Records)
Outstanding gospel/Christian song
“All Things” – Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul Recordings and RCA Records)
“All Yours” – Kierra Sheard feat. Anthony Brown (RCA Inspiration / Karew Entertainment)
“In The Room” – Maverick City Music (TRIBL Records)
“It’s Working” – Todd Dulaney (DulaneyLand / MNRK)
“JOY (Unspeakable) – Voices of Fire feat. Pharrell Williams (Columbia Records)
Outstanding jazz album
Brand New Life – Brandee Younger (Impulse! Records)
Melusine – Cécile McLorin Salvant (Nonesuch Records)
Who Are You When No One is Watching? – Braxton Cook (Nettwerk Music Group)
Phoenix – Lakecia Benjamin (Whirlwind Recordings)
Truth Be Told – Angie Wells (Cafe Pacific Records)
Outstanding original score for TV/film
American Fiction – Laura Karpman (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)
Rustin – Branford Marsalis (Netflix)
The Color Purple – Kris Bowers (Warner Bros. Pictures)
The Other Black Girl – EmmoLei Sankofa (Hulu)
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts – Jongnic Bontemps (Paramount+)
If you’ve seen pics of 50 Cent lately you may have noticed that the rapper looks markedly slimmer these days. And while that kind of dramatic celebrity weight loss is often met with snarky suggestions of possible medical intervention, Fiddy promises you that his cut down is all natural and wholesome. Explore Explore See latest […]
Slipknot singer Corey Taylor posted an Instagram video on Wednesday (Jan. 24) in response to fan concern over his well-being following the cancellation of the hard rocker’s previously scheduled North American solo tour. The clip also addressed fan reaction to his subsequent announcement of a four-show run in Asia in late March and early April that includes three dates in Japan (March 25, 26, 28) and an April 1 gig in the Philippines; Taylor is also booked for a European summer tour scheduled to run from June 3 to July 2.
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“I decided to make this video in response to a lot of the feedback that came out after I announced that I would be carrying on with my Southeast Asia run. Originally, that was supposed to be mentioned in the statement that I released relating to my mental health lapse,” Taylor explained, telling fans he understood why they were so upset.
“I, over the last year, have had a complete and utter breakdown of boundaries, mental health, ego, entitlement, the whole nine yards, culminating in a very, very real, very near relapse that… I kind of don’t recognize myself,” he said. “So, again, I wanted to address this and just tell people that I needed time to reset, I needed time to start working on my heart and my mind and get straight. The reason I’m keeping the Southeast Asia run, it’s literally four shows, it’s literally a week. I’m gonna see how I do with that and just take it day by day, basically. I’m working on self-care right now, getting the help that I need and surrounding myself with my family.”
Taylor thanked fans again for their concern and said he’s doing what’s best for him now. “It’s a long road and I don’t know what’s at the end of it, but I look forward to it. I have gratitude for it, and I hope you can show me some patience,” he said.
On Jan. 5, Taylor announced that he was pulling out of his North American tour citing struggles with mental and physical health. “For the past several months my mental and physical health have been breaking down, and I reached a place that was unhealthy for my family and I,” he wrote in a statement. “I know this decision will come as a shock to some and may be regarded as unpopular by others – but after taking a hard look at where I am and where I was going, I need to pull myself back and be home with my family for the time being. Those of you who bought tickets and VIP packages for this upcoming run will get a full refund.”
The tour had been scheduled to kick off on Feb. 3 in Toronto and wrap up on March 3 in Omaha, following Taylor’s European and North American swings in 2023 in support of his second solo album, CMF2.
See Taylor’s statement below.
Looks like Miss Westie is getting a music video! Kanye West took to Instagram on Wednesday (Jan. 24) to tease a video for his daughter North West‘s feature on his upcoming Vultures album. “TALKING VIDEO TREATMENT BY YOUR BESTIE MS MS WESTIE,” the rapper captioned the photo, which featured a preliminary music video treatment including […]