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How can somebody be successful and underrated at the same time? That’s the space Cardo finds himself in. The Texas producer — by way of St. Paul, Minnesota — has diamond- (Drake’s “God’s Plan”) and platinum-certified (Travis Scott’s “Goosebumps”) records from the RIAA, and has produced countless songs with underground darlings and blog era legends, yet he still feels left out of the conversation when it comes to rap’s best producers.
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“I’ve been left off these top five, top 10 lists, whatever, people fail to mention me,” he tells Billboard over Zoom, sounding equal parts perturbed and confused. He’s looking to change that narrative, though. Just four months into the new year, Cardo has had a stellar 2024 already, producing a handful of bangers for Playboi Carti and contributing to ScHoolboy Q’s impressive Blue Lips.
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Cardo Got Wings isn’t planning on slowing down either. The producer born Ronald Nathan LaTour Jr. —whose childhood friends dubbed him Ricardo because he looks Puerto Rican — is working on a solo album. He’s using Dr. Dre’s solo debut as inspiration, saying, “The Chronic was a staple of how a producer can take charge of an entire project.”
There’s also a few “I’m the rapper, he’s the producer”-type of projects coming from him as well, a format that has become synonymous with his brand. We talk about all those things, plus much more below, in a condensed version of our conversation.
You look Puerto Rican for real, bro.
I get that every f—in’ day, that’s how I got my name Ricardo. That’s how it happened. They used to call me and my brothers the Hoy Boys because we had curly hair and were lightskin. I kinda ran with the name and let my Latin fans down, though, because they thought I was Puerto Rican or Dominican.
You and Carti have been locked in. You’ve produced the last couple singles.
Yeah, the last four: “HOODBYAIR,” “EVILJORDAN,” “BACKR00MS,” and “KETAMINE.” That’s my little brother, man. Just being around him, the young one, you know, and gaining some kind of different kind of energy and inspiration from what he’s doing, seeing what levels he’s going on, it kind of gives me an idea of what levels I should just keep going. That’s how we’re creating all these fun records, breaking all these barriers that people made up.
Why aren’t the songs on streaming?
I guess testing the waters with social media [first].
Some of the videos are wild.
[Laughs.] Yeah, exactly. But, man, it gives it contrast, it gives it a raw element, back into the artistry. Especially with all these videos being run-and-gun, and they don’t have nothing to it, just the song, you know? The video sometimes makes you love the song even. I feel like that’s what Carti is bringin’. That, plus making sure the visuals are definitely wicked and pushing the envelope because some of these rules are just made up. This is meant for you to do whatever the f—k you want to do and make the s—t that you want to make. And that’s where we at now, you know, so I respect him 100% for just being creative and being a true artist to himself first.
When you made these beats for him, was it over email? Were you in the studio with him?
No, it was really over FaceTime. Me and Carti been working on this project in particular over the last four years. Either I link up with him wherever he’s at, probably New York, or I’ll just send it straight to his phone — or send it to Fritz [Owens, Carti’s engineer] because Fritz [is] with him every day. Carti changes his number all the time too, so I won’t hear from him for a couple months, and then he’ll hit me and boom, –we get reignited, and I start sending files.
You’ve watched Carti’s style evolve. Can you explain how that’s been since you’ve worked so closely with him?
I look at everything that he’s done, with guys like Pierre and everybody else. They all gave him a different sound, a different pocket. They all bring something different to the table. He doesn’t reach out to people because of this or that, he reaches out for a specific sound. Just by seeing his performances and listening to Whole Lotta Read, I’m like, “Man, this is what rap has been missing.” We’ve been missing this kind of energy. You know what I’m saying? Some may not agree with me because that’s not they type of music, but for a listener that listens to any genre of music, I feel like it was probably one of the most unique albums in rap.
I’m not the biggest Whole Lotta Red fan, but I get the appeal and I see the influence, a lot of cats bitin’ that style. It’s a polarizing album; you either love it or hate it.
[Laughs.] It’s like a punk, alternative [album]. That’s what I like about it most, it’s a grunge-ass rap album that makes you go wild; in the gym, driving, whatever. That album done gave me a few speeding tickets. I’m originally from the Midwest, I’m from the Twin Cities. We’re surrounded by everything. So, by listening to DJ Paul, Juicy J and DJ Zirk and everybody else down to Squeaky, everybody, seeing their production and trying to make something as triumphant as that…Lil Jon, too. I always have that sound in me some way, somehow, some inspiration. So that’s where it comes from too.
It’s not like I just did this. I’ve been a fan of these other producers I look at as my peers. That’s how this sound happens. And I could do some completely different s—t with Larry June, and come back around and do some s—t with Drake. You know? And then Travis Scott. I’m a marksman at this point.
How do you prefer to work? Because you work with certain cats a lot, so I’m always curious, especially in this new era, if most of the work is done over email, FaceTime, in the studio, etc.
I do prefer being hands-on in the session, just because you kind of get more of a vibe of what the artist is trying to do, versus via Zoom, Discord or whatever. The energy don’t even fill the room. That’s how you know that energy is a real thing. It’s always best to be in the same room, especially if you have personalities. It’s best to just get that and bring the best out of it and you make magic because now n—as are more open. You get to break the ice and work more comfortably with each other. It can be awkward when you finally link up [after] you’re just sending things over email or the phone.
What are the benefits of locking in and making an entire project with a rapper?
I blame Dr. Dre, I blame DJ Quik. I look up to the greats. Again, The Legendary Traxster, how he did Adrenaline Rush with Twista, how Quik did Street Gospel with Suga Free. The Chronic was a staple of how a producer can take charge of an entire project. They know how to build a story, they know how to build a concept, and they know what works with different rappers. Doing projects with other producers sometimes throws the balance off. That’s like going on a roller coaster ride and it goes off the rails. You’re forcing it talking about all killas, no fillers and it sounds like all fillers, no killas.
Are you making an album with anybody else that we should know about?
Doing this project with this kid named Nasaan out of Detroit. He’s probably one of the rawest kids coming up out of there right now. I’m also doing some s—t with Wizz Havin, Lil Shimmy, and have been trying to do this project with Luh Tyler this past year. There’s a lot of things — Nutso Thugn out of Atlanta. My objective is to provide new sounds, new artists. There’s too many gatekeepers.
What don’t you like about gatekeepers?
I think it’s lame for artists and producers to have to get approval. The craft should be respected. I hate to be the one that has to come in wrecking s—t, because we ain’t gonna tolerate that s—t no more. You know we ain’t gonna let that slide with a million other motherf—ers coming up that’s still trying to get to the top, that’s trying to provide for their families or just simply have finances. It’s gotta be people like myself that try to help these kids as they try to get somewhere with this music whether it be a producer or a composer or whatever. You gotta practice what you preach.
I wanted to talk about your versatility. Do you feel like you’re underrated?
I feel like I am. People are going to [mimics a crowd of hecklers], man, that’s cool. I feel [I am] on a different level. I do feel like I’m underrated. I’ve been left off these Top five, Top 10 lists, whatever, people fail to mention me. Knowing that I laid a lot of groundwork in this industry for over the last 14, going on 15 years, I deserve a little bit of credit for providing lanes in this s—t too because we came from a whole blogging era where we weren’t getting paid a f—in’ dime. We had to really fight to get paid.
So, for us to have the integrity and the ambition to even keep going, that should tell you a lot about people like myself, Boi1da, Southside, anybody that came from that era. They’ll tell you what this s—t means—[there’s] more of a purpose. It’s not just for myself, it’s for my kids, too—to show them you can keep going and going as long as you don’t stop. Just keep f—in’ going.
I feel like I’m in my LeBron phase right now. I’m 39, but I’m still out here working the court, I’m still in the starting five, I’m still running up and down that bitch for the next 30-45 minutes, trying to put every point up on the board. I’ve been in the gym every damn day, every year, just waiting for the opportunity to show the world exactly what I’ve been doing. So, yeah, I feel like I’m underrated in a lot of aspects.
People fail to realize we’ve really paved a way for a lot of things to take place. At the same time the record reflects that, it proves itself. And then it came to a point where people started asking who the f—k is Cardo? Alright, cool. That’s the campaign. Who the F—k Is Cardo? Just Google me, baby. I’m at a point in my career where I’ve done enough and you’re not going to disrespect me. You’re gonna respect me for the s—t I’ve done in this industry. I’ve never been no rude fella or nothing like that, but my respect is gonna be given. That’s for damn sure. That’s why I’m acting crazy now. It’s the madman on the loose. I gotta set the world on fire.
On your Joker s—t, working with Carti. You got to put some face paint on.
Man, what? I always feel like I’m a villain. I’m Bane right now. I just bought a mask; I’m waiting for it to come in the mail. [Starts talking like Tom Hardy’s Bane.] “You think you can see the darkness? Ohh”.
I’ve been practicing, bro. I’m just waiting to take the stage like Kanye and just take the mic and get my Bane on real quick.
How many tracks do you have on Wiz Khalifa’s Kush & Orange Juice 2?
I just found out about that. I ain’t know nothing about that. Tell Wiz to holla at me though, man. [Laughs.] I was shocked by it, too. You can’t top Kush & Orange Juice, that’s just my opinion.
When I mentioned you were underrated, I wanted to talk about your versatility. You have so many different sounds. You can go crazy with Playboi and you can do records with Drake, then you can smooth it out with some West Coast s—t with Larry June and some Midwest s—t with Payroll Giovanni. It sounds like some Midwest Chicago…Texas sound, Do or Die, West Coast bounce…
Got the mob music mixed with the The Legendary Traxster, Chi-Bangin’ sound. You a knower. A lot of people don’t know that, man. The Midwest sound, that bounce, that Rich the Factor, that [57th Street] Rogue Dog Villains, all the way to that Psycho Drama s—t. I was always inspired by The Legendary Traxster, he’s still one of the GOATs. He actually produced on “Carnival.” That’s somebody I always looked up to, that’s like my big bro. The Alchemist hit me the other day saying, “Whatever you do, do not stop going f—in’ crazy!” I’m running on what my OGs are telling me to do.
You gotta listen to him too because he’s a workhorse. I don’t know if he sleeps. He floods the streets for multiple eras.
He’s been doing this s—t for over 20-plus years, man. He’s seen everything.
He’s not afraid to work with lesser knows acts. You’re similar in that regard.
He pushes the envelope. That’s what I’m saying. I look up to him. If anyone breaks artists that people may not know of on the underground tip, it’s Alan. I see he’s doing a tape with Slump God and I’m like, “What the hell is going on? [Laughs.] I don’t even know what to expect, because Slump God is one of the most abstract artists with his flow and his character. I just want to see how he’s gonna sound on Alan’s production rapping the way he raps. I know it’s gonna be fire, I just want to know what it’s gonna sound like.
You’re on the ScHoolboy album which I think is going to be one of the best rap albums of the year. So I wanted to know your experience. Did it feel special as you were working on it with him?
Hell yeah. Off top, ’cause just based off me and Q’s relationship, that’s my brother from another. We can be real with each other when we’re in the studio. “This s—t wack that, get out here with that.” It’s not like we’re in there making whatever like we’re a yes man operation. This was the last four years. He was working on [Blue Lips] right before CrasH Talk dropped. So, we were already in, we just didn’t know where it was going to go to, like the concept or any of that, we were just making music.
And during that time period, we still had a fresh wound because we had just lost Mac [Miller] a year before. It was like a healing process; we were making music like it was the remedy to it all. Because we both went through it; that was our brother.
Word, you worked with Mac a lot.
That was the first artist I worked with. Before Wiz. A lot of people don’t know that. I reached out to him through MySpace. The first song we did was “Laundromat” back in ‘09. He had the “Mesmerized” beat first and everything. He used to brag about it all the time. Whenever me, him, and Wiz would be together he would say, [mimicking Mac Miller’s voice] “I had the “Mesmerized” beat first. [Laughs.] He’s greatly missed, but we feel his energy every day. He’s the guiding light. The boy was different, he was a robot.
Q recently talked about passing on “Goosebumps.” How did you feel when he passed on that?
That s—t was hilarious. He was…I wanna be real because this is my best friend, we talk to each other like this. I was like, “You crazy as f—k. N—a you passed this s—t up.” Every chance I get, I hold it over his head. That’s just what we do, we talk s—t to each other, that’s my brother. [Mimicking ScHoolboy Q’s voice] “Ah, I wasn’t trying to hear that s—t, I wasn’t tryin’ to do no pop s—t, cuz.” Aight, bet, whatever. We joke about it to this day. He did something to it, he just don’t want nobody to hear it. [Laughs.]
That’s an incredible record. One of the best songs to see performed live.
Me and Yung Exclusive having input in two of the biggest records in rap history with “Goosebumps” and “God’s Plan” is one of those things where you can sit back and reflect on everything that you’ve done and accomplished. This was all work at first and then all of it came to fruition and it pays for itself. People start checking for your work more.
You’ve mentioned that you’re 39 now. With the success of “God’s plan” and “Goosebumps,” do you feel like you’ve gotten better since making those beats?
That’s crazy that you asked me that. Nobody’s ever asked me them kind of questions. So, check this out: I started noticing I was getting better when I started making s—t with the greats like Travis, Dot, and Drake. I would listen to my beats and be like, “F—k, I’m really getting up there.” I’m learning how to make my drums sound clearer, I’m learning how to do this and do that, just on the simple side of things. I used to think it was about overdoing it, but I’ve learned that simplicity is sometimes the best. It’s about balancing things because I can go crazy and then I can go super simple on a beat.
Once I mastered those powers, I can give an artist whatever they need. I became a weapon. That’s why I became a villain. F—k the underrated s—t. I’m an anti-hero. This is the movie where you wanna see the villain win.
That’s why you work with polarizing artists? Lil Yachty is another artist you’ve been working with recently. How has it been working with him? He’s not afraid. He doesn’t give a f—k about nobody’s opinion. He doesn’t care about what you think he’s doing and that’s what I respect about him. I was one of these people, when he came out with “Minnesota,” I thought he was disrespecting my hometown — like, “Who the f—k let this n—a put this s—t out?” And then me and him became cool. It ended up becoming one of those things [where] I seen him as an artist growing, I seen the potential in him, I seen his personality.
I’ve always looked at Yachty as a creator. I put him up there with Tyler almost. His creativity, vision, style, them n—as could both dress. That’s what I like about Boat. He provides a different space in hip-hop because he doesn’t care. Some like Pepsi, some like Coke. That’s how I look at it.
You’ve done things with some R&B artists like Brent Faiyaz recently. Are you looking to get into making more R&B beats?
Hell yeah, of course. Shout to my boy Justice over at LVRN. I’m trying to get in with Summer [Walker] soon.
So once the villain era is over, we’re going to get Certified Lover Boy Cardo?
You’re gonna get the smooth operator. That’s the next concept. I’m creating a universe and I’m trying to figure out these characters. For this album that I’m working on there’s a character called Madman Van Damme based on Jean-Claude Van Damme who’s one of my favorite actors. I’m gonna take ‘em to the Kumite and f—k ‘em up real quick. Even if I get powder in my eyes, I’m still gonna whoop everybody’s ass. [Laughs.] I’m trying to balance everything and at the same time unbalance things too if you catch my drift. I wanna disturb the peace.
Megan Thee Stallion and GloRilla might have something even hotter in store than their upcoming Hot Girls Summer tour. The dynamic duo teamed up on Tuesday (April 2) for a preview of a collaboration due out soon. “Too thick [crying laughing, peach emoji] glo dropping 4/5 !!! We getting activateddddd,” Meg wrote on Instagram alongside […]
Muni Long’s “Made for Me” asserts its place atop the R&B radio game as it rises to No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart dated April 6.
The single ascends from the runner-up spot after a 3% gain to 21.6 million in audience that made it the most-heard song on U.S. monitored adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop radio stations in the March 22 – 28 tracking week, according to Luminate.
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The new champ gives Muni Long her second No. 1 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, after the eight-week ruler “Hrs and Hrs,” in 2022. While that song raced to the top in 12 weeks, Muni Long’s second coronation took considerably longer – 26 frames. Having debuted on the chart dated Oct. 19, 2023, “Made for Me” wraps the seventh-longest trek to the summit among the chart’s 303 leaders.
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Here’s a review of the songs that needed the most weeks to top the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, dating to its 1992 launch:
Weeks to No. 1, Song Title, Artist, Date Reached No. 135, “Step in the Name of Love,” R. Kelly, Dec. 6, 200333, “Free Mind,” Tems, Nov. 12, 202231, “You,” Lloyd featuring Lil Wayne, Feb. 17, 200729, “There Goes My Baby,” Aug. 14, 201029, “Snap Yo Fingers,” Lil Jon featuring E-40 & Sean Paul of the YoungBloodz, July 29, 200629, “I Wanna Know,” Joe, April 1, 200026, “Made for Me,” Muni Long, April 6, 2024
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“Made for Me” takes the throne from SZA’s “Snooze,” which pauses its No. 1 domination after a record-breaking 36 nonconsecutive weeks on charge, but remains virtually even in radio airplay compared to the prior week. But don’t count the juggernaut out just yet: During its historic run, “Snooze” was bounced twice from the top spot – two weeks each for Usher, Summer Walker and 21 Savage’s “Good Good” and Victoria Monet’s “On My Mama” – but recovered each time.
Steady support from both adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop stations give “Made for Me” enough radio audience to manage the win. It adds a third week atop the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart even with a 5% decline in plays for the week. On Adult R&B Airplay, despite having peaked at No. 2 in December, the track remains in high rotation, improving 6-5 on the latest chart, essentially remaining even in plays during the last tracking week compared to the prior frame. The consistency dates to the single’s second wind following viral buzz on TikTok for clips based on its “twin, where have you been?” lyric.
Elsewhere, the tune climbs on Rhythmic Airplay, with a 10-7 boost after a 22% surge in weekly plays at the format. Coupled with strong results on the R&B/hip-hop side, the gains help “Made for Me” push 18-14 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart. There, the hit added 10% in audience to reach 33.5 million for the week across all genre formats.
Hozier claims his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart in nine years, as “Too Sweet” debuts atop the April 6-dated tally.
The song bows with 28.8 million official U.S. streams, 268,000 radio audience impressions and 4,000 downloads in the U.S. March 22-28, its first week of release, according to Luminate.
It’s the Irish singer-songwriter’s second Hot Rock & Alternative Songs No. 1, after “Take Me to Church” reigned for 23 weeks, all consecutively, from the Nov. 1, 2014, through April 4, 2015, surveys.
Hozier’s nine-year break between No. 1s marks the longest in the chart’s nearly 15-year history, exceeding the six years, 11 months and two weeks between Coldplay’s “A Sky Full of Stars” in 2014 and the band’s “My Universe,” with BTS, in 2021.
In between the debut of “Take Me to Church” and his new No. 1, Hozier racked up 37 chart appearances, including four top 10s, led by the No. 6 debut and peak of “Eat Your Young” last April.
Concurrently, “Too Sweet” starts atop the multimetric Hot Rock Songs and Hot Alternative Songs charts. On the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, it debuts at No. 5, marking Hozier’s second top 10, and first time in the top 30, since “Take Me to Church” hit No. 2 in 2014.
Additionally, “Too Sweet” blasts in at No. 1 on both Rock Streaming Songs and Alternative Streaming Songs, his first leader on each list since “Take Me to Church.” The all-format Streaming Songs chart finds the song represented at No. 3, just one position below his best rank, set by “Take Me to Church” in 2015.
“Too Sweet” also slots in at No. 1 on Rock Digital Song Sales and Alternative Digital Song Sales, again Hozier’s second chart-topper on each, after “Take Me to Church.” It’s No. 5 on the all-genre Digital Song Sales chart, becoming his second top 10, after “Take Me to Church” reached No. 2.
“Too Sweet” is one of four songs on Unheard, Hozier’s EP released March 22. The set starts at No. 4 on Top Rock & Alternative Albums with 38,000 equivalent album units earned, including 34,000 in streaming units and 3,000 in album sales. The EP also debuts at No. 10 on the all-genre Billboard 200.
All four Unheard tracks make Hot Rock & Alternative Songs. After “Too Sweet” are “Wildflower and Barley,” with Allison Russell (No. 11, 6.1 million streams), “Empire Now” (No. 14, 5.5 million streams) and “Fare Well” (No. 19, 4.2 million streams). “Wildflower and Barley” (No. 88) and “Empire Now” (No. 98) also reach the Hot 100, where the former is Russell’s first entry.
Hozier doubles his total of career Hot 100 hits, with five of his six charted titles logged in the past year; in between “Take Me to Church” and the charted trio of tunes from Unheard, “Eat Your Young” reached No. 67 last April, while Noah Kahan’s “Northern Attitude,” on whose remix Hozier was added as a co-lead, hit No. 37 last November.
Unheard features music that originally recorded during the sessions for Hozier’s 2023 album Unreal Unearth but did not make its final tracklist. The LP debuted at No. 1 on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart dated Sept. 2, 2023, and has earned 417,000 equivalent album units to date.
Last year, the world celebrated the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with months of star-studded concerts, awards show tributes, museum exhibitions and more – but that wasn’t the only genre commemorating its golden anniversary in 2023. Soca – which Road March-winning Kes frontman Kees Dieffenthaller describes as “happy music, a young version of calypso… a mixture of Afro, Indian and ‘world’ beats in one place” — also celebrated its half-century milestone.
To kick off the next 50 years of soca’s evolution, Kes has returned with its first studio album in ten years, Man With No Door. Inspired by a man who litter lived in a house with no door – whom Kes met while wandering around Trinidad and rediscovering his favorites places on the island – the new LP is a manifestation of that man’s energy. “He just lives free,” he says. “I felt like that creatively at the time. I am the man with no door. I want to create this world based on that experience.”
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The new album marks something of a renaissance for Kes. The band officially formed in 2005, and have for nearly two decades provided some of the most dominant Carnival anthems of the young century. From instant soca classics like “Wotless” (2011) to breezier tunes like “Hello” (2017), Kes’ singular sound and vibrant live show has lifted the band to international stages such as Essence Festival and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and collaborations with this likes of Wizkid and Snoop Dogg.
Soca, of course, is infused with live instrumentation at its core. Although the genre has recently began to shift towards a producer-first bent, Kes remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the legacy of live playing, especially in their studio recordings. “It goes back to the tradition of it all,” he muses. “In a band, you get to understand how different people play the same instruments differently. There is something very powerful about actually witnessing what that is, rather than [getting it] off a computer. Live instrumentation also give a unique blend and mix. You can’t play the same thing twice, it’s a fingerprint unique to that time and air. We can from that live world and that’s a big part of our entire act. I feel like there is a hidden language that is translated to people through live music.”
Although Man With No Door marks Kes’ first studio LP in a decade, they did release We Home – a joyous live album that reimagines the band’s catalog – during the pandemic (Aug. 28, 2020). During the same period, the band was also working on several singles that would eventually become part of Man With No Door. “Doing We Home was therapy,” Kes reveals. “I felt like I was closing a chapter in my creative life where I pay homage to the last decade of music that I did. [Doing] We Home while creating new music felt like death and a beginning at the same time. And both are glorious in their own way.”
The new LP recruits a flashy list of guest stars to execute Kes’ “application” of soca across different styles and sonic traditions, including Shaggy, Queen Omega, Busy Signal, Dwala, Tano, J Perry and Michaël Brun. While Kes is most excited about “Rise Up,” a collaboration with fellow Trinbagonian Queen Omega, whose music he calls “powerful,” he also highlights his work with J. Perry and Michael Brun, noting, “We experienced freedom because of [Haiti]. I just really wanted them a part of the Caribbean of my experience musically. The language barrier and history have kept a lot of us apart, it was important for them to be on this record.”
For Kes, Man With No Door is part of a concerted effort to usher in the next era of soca. Despite the genre’s storied history, its global crossover appeal has been somewhat limited, due to its allegiance to single releases timed to the Carnival season calendar. “We as a genre need to diversify all dimensions,” proclaims Kes. “Get some more energy outside of just the Carnival calendar situation, and step into Billboard and step into different venue spaces and create collabs that bridge gaps. It’s time for us to really position ourselves in a global way, and I think creating bodies of work is very important [for that].”
“Everybody listens to soca. There’s that one soca song that caught someone’s ear that influenced the next studio session. We all know that,” Kes says. “[Soca] has provided the world with a particular energy that only it can provide. And there’s still so much of the word that is yet to discover it.”
Keep reading to find out the stories behind Kes’ five favorite tracks on the band’s brand new Man With No Door album, told in his own words.
“Jolene” (with Dwala)
Lil Yachty has gone from working at McDonald’s as a teenager in Atlanta to starring in commercials for the iconic Golden Arches brand. Lil Boat adds to his list of lucrative partnerships while teaming up with McDonald’s Canada on Tuesday (April 2) for the launch of their Remix Menu. As part of the celebration, Yachty […]
With WrestleMania XL inching closer, Wale’s anticipation is mounting. This Thursday (Apr. 4), the wrestling enthusiast won’t be lacing up his boots for a bruising Philadelphia Street Fight, nor will he be strolling down the ramps of Lincoln Financial Field, vying for WWE domination against the Head of the Table, Roman Reigns. That’s because he’ll be busy grappling with producing one of the premier highlights of WrestleMania weekend, WaleMania.
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Since its inception in 2015, WaleMania has been a unique fusion of hip-hop and wrestling. It’s not just another event on WrestleMania weekend, but a close-knit gathering where fans and professional wrestlers unite to celebrate the daring athletes who risk it all in the squared circle every night.
“I’m a maniac every year because of that,” Wale told Billboard ahead of the event. “I always lean on [my partner] Kaz, but every year he always gets it done. I go through the phases of nervousness, and as it approaches, I’m cool, and Kaz is like, ‘It’s fine, it’s fine.’ Every year, there’s pressure because we need certain things to happen. I’ll be cool. It’s gonna be a good time, it’s gonna be packed, it’s gonna be sold out. It’s the same nervousness I feel when I hit the stage for a big show.”
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Former music journalist and WWE writer Kazeem Famuyide joined Wale’s expedition around a decade ago, after the two realized they shared a profound love for wrestling. Over the years, Famuyide and Wale have produced incredible events for WaleMania, reeling in major talent from both arenas, including Scott Hall, Big E, The Usos, Westside Gunn, Flatbush Zombies and more. This year, the stage will be even brighter in Philadelphia, as the WWE celebrates the 40th anniversary of WrestleMania. With Wale and Famuyide at the helm, expect nothing short of resounding results leading into the biggest Mania ever.
“I think that with Wale’s obvious experience and my experience in culture, we can bring something different to an industry that doesn’t see a lot of that,” says Famuyide. “I think that’s why it stands out so much and why it’s gotten so big over the years.”
Billboard spoke to Wale and Famyuide about putting together WaleMania, bridging the gap between hip-hop and wrestling, creating a safe space for Black wrestlers, and more.
It’s been nine years since the inception of WaleMania, what were some of your favorite moments of the first iteration of it?
Wale: The juxtaposition of it. Nothing like it is now, but you could see that we had something.
Kazeem Famuyide: I remember that first one — and Wale, you remember Rey Mysterio wasn’t in WWE at the time? He was involved in a tragedy where the dude he was in the ring with passed away.
A lot of the wrestlers got to see Rey [for the first time in a minute] – JR, Scott Hall – there was a lot of love in the room for Rey. From my point of view, I think we saw for the first time as fans the real cameraderie that really happens and the love there for a guy like Rey.
Wale: Inside the community – it doesn’t matter what company you work for, they just having a good time. They consoling Rey. You look back at it, we’ve lost so many people in that business and it hits 10 times harder when you get to this reunion every year. And see them get outside their character.
KF: I think the wrestlers love it even more than the fans. A lot of times WaleMania is the only time they’ll see each other all year long. I think the talent and the folks behind the scenes love it as much as the fans do and it kind of reminds you of the community of wrestling that’s bigger than just putting on a five-star match.
It was a lot of cats who were closet wrestling fans. Now for whatever reason, they feel like wrestling is cool again. Do you feel like WaleMania is responsible for playing a part in hip-hop being more receptive for their love of wrestling?
KF: Wale will never say, it but I’ll say it for him: Wale was spending his own bread to go to these events any time WWE was in town. That same WrestleMania weekend [where] we’re in San Jose and he’s spending thousands of dollars was the same week he’s dropping The Album About Nothing. And we’re in a church watching Ricochet wrestle and Apollo Crews and Rich Swann and all those guys. He has a legit love for the business and the people in it.
He’ll never take credit for the hip-hop connection with wrestling, but all you gotta do is look at it. He’s been the nucleus of it all. Whether it’s in front of the camera, behind the camera or creating relationships in WWE or AEW, he saw this world of professional wrestling where everyone can kick it and get along treating it more like a professional sport. The respect around it grew. A lot of folks that grew up in the Attitude Era are like, “Okay, it’s not a real sport, but as a grown man, you can appreciate the athleticism and what it takes to do it year in and year out.” Wale’s been there — and it’s not just for the looks.
As somebody who has covered hip-hop culture as a writer/producer, I could see the shift. WaleMania, as big as it is a part of his brand, I think of how big it’s gotten with everyone else. I think that’s a big part of why it’s been easier to be digestible for the common/casual fan of wrestling.
Wale: The biggest [genre of entertainment] out there, arguably.
I think it’s dope that it’s not just WWE-centric.
Wale: We got guys that only got one match under their belt. It’s just an experience for them to meet some people and get in some rooms. A lot of stuff goes on behind those doors. That’s some of the stuff I enjoy most to see people. Remember when everyone picked Kofi [Kingston] up and we knew he was gonna win the next day?
KF: Booker T was in that building too. Even though we felt it was gonna be Kofi’s moment, there was that little bit of uneasiness. We were like, “Man, if they don’t do right by our guy, it’s gonna be rough. At least we got tonight.” At least we got to bask in the love for Kofi, and he was kind enough to pull up and receive that love.
Wale talks about folks with one match under their belt. That same weekend we’re lifting up Kofi on our shoulders is when I kicked it with Swerve [Strickland] for the first time. He just signed to NXT and he had a buzz. He came through, and clearly wasn’t as big as he is now. Just seeing the evolution of folks that have pulled up to experience it, there are folks that pulled up that I’m a fan of that I didn’t know pulled up to previous WaleManias. Like, “I was just kicking it in the back trying to have a good time.”
I think the growth with this industry, Wale and the entire event has been beneficial, because at the center of it all it’s always been about celebrating each other, having a good time and giving back to the industry. It’s probably the wildest weekend of the year – hell, we’re gonna celebrate y’all and really enjoy it.
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Looking at past videos, WaleMania gives off a family reunion vibe. How important is it to provide that looseness not just for the fans or wrestlers, but for everyone involved including the hip-hop acts?
Wale: I’ve been on tour and had to do WaleMania, and I’ve been off tour, but I’ll say this — this is by far the busiest day of our year. It’s the most hectic. We’re passive-aggressive to each other, we’re mean to each other, but when the lights come on, it’s hard to explain. There’s a lot of the universe working in our favor on them days. The timing of it all is crazy, and the moving pieces and not getting people in or phones not being on – it’s a lot. But it’s worth it to see everyone happy where they are. It’s worth it to pull up to WrestleMania and Triple H say, “I heard you guys had a blast last night.” That acknowledgment from the higher-ups and the OGs – people like Booker T – that s–t be making it worth it.
KF: As big as it’s become, it’s still very much a grassroots event. It’s not a massive production putting this thing together. It’s myself and Wale hitting people up personally. It’s been word of mouth. I think the reputation of the event perceives itself. It went from this underground, “If you know, you know” kick-back event to people saying, “I’m flying to Philadelphia, and if I don’t get to WrestleMania that’s fine, as long as I get to WaleMania.”
It’s been a common theme — and I think that’s because of what Wale has helped build with this thing. It’s a really unique, one-of-one situation and event, where if you wanna come enjoy different parts of the culture, there’s different ways to experience it, and this is one of those ways. I don’t think we’ve ever had anyone come from the hip-hop world that has no idea what this is that doesn’t say “this s–t was hella fun,” and an amazing experience. That’s what I love about it. I know the wrestling community is going to be super-supportive, but what I get a kick out of is folks that aren’t even wrestling fans at all that are like, “This is a vibe that’s fun as hell.” They come and enjoy themselves, [hear some] good music and meet folks they would never meet under these circumstances.
Is there any pressure on WaleMania to live up to the momentum of Wrestlemania XL, knowing that this will be the biggest Mania to date?
KF: I think the reason we get along so much is we’re both ultra-competitive in our own ways. I think we’re both trying to outdo the last year, have bigger moments, greater partners, bigger experiences for the people who buy tickets and doing it in bigger venues. I think just naturally both of us being super competitive. I compare it to when LeBron [James] and D-Wade teamed up — they’re both these ultra competitors, but that competitiveness is what they have in common, and why they’re so great together.
There’s always pressure and stress. There’s a million things that could go wrong, but it never really does. By the time the night gets there and the vibes get there, it always finds a way to be an unforgettable night. As much as there are benefits to the show production, it’s really the memories we create. You could scroll down the #WaleMania hashtag and see the photos, videos, the pure organic excitement and memories people make from it. To do that, you gotta put pressure on yourself or you get complacent. “It was good, but it wasn’t [this year]” – I never wanna hear that. I wanna hear that it gets better and better every time out.
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It’s a diverse crowd that comes through but it’s been dope to see you guys highlight the Black community. You give that space to Black wrestlers to be showered and praised. How important has that aspect been for WaleMania?
Wale: I think it’s one of those things you never want to be heavy-handed with, because it’s already implied. To be heavy-handed, it doesn’t feel like you’re doing it for the right reasons. They know this is a safe space for us. We gon’ love on each other, we gon’ support each other, we gon’ talk about whatever’s on our minds, we gon’ dap and we gon’ sip something good together and chill. We have guests of honor every year, so it’s kind of implied. We never wanna make it where there’s so many platforms that do that, but it’s cool. To make it how it is, it’s unique.
How do you word it, Kaz? You the loquacious one. It’s a unique thing we’re doing, where we don’t want to be heavy-handed with it, but it’s extremely implied.
KF: WaleMania is for everybody. When we first started doing it, the roster didn’t look like the roster now. I’ll say in the last four years plus, there hasn’t been a better time to be a Black wrestler.
Wale: Or a Black wrestling fan.
KF: There’s top stars, fans, work-rate guys, super-entertaining guys. When I was growing up, in entertainment in general, you fell into the trap of the tokens. They’ll throw you a token Black guy here and there, and there’s usually one spot for the token Black guy, and that’s the gimmick.
Now, like we’ve seen in many forms of entertainment, it’s been a lot more diverse. Just as far as the many different ways the Black experience takes place. That helped with the growth of WaleMania. It’s definitely implied, like yes, this is the party for the n—-s. At the same time, everyone wants that invite. I don’t want to say the “C” word, but everyone wants to feel like I’m cool enough to be in this building. This year, we’ll have those type of folks like, “I can’t believe this guy is up in here.” You can usually tell when the folks are more comfortable around the brothers and sisters.
I’ll tell you a story, even last year and years past, Rob Van Dam is one of my favorite wrestlers growing up. Rob Van Dam is a staple of WaleMania. We love RVD. He brings his girl, he might roll a jay or two, he’ll come and kick it with everybody and put on some music. It’s so many wrestlers of all creeds and colors that pull up.
Wale: Jim Ross, I think [was at] WaleMania Cleveland. Me and the good ol’ JR were smoking a good ol’ jay a couple years ago. It’s for everybody. That might be why they come to get something different.
I just want to say we definitely want to shout out a lot of the other pillars in our community, like Smoke DZA, Westside Gunn, Flatbush Zombies and the guys who come through. They come through off the love. We gon’ go to their stuff too. It takes a village. We not in competition with anybody. Unfortunately, throughout the years we’ve seen people try to compete and it didn’t go well. We not in competition with no one.
Ye – formerly known as Kanye West – and Ty Dolla $ign have nixed Vultures listening parties that were slated to be staged in multiple U.S. arenas later this month, Billboard can confirm.
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The listening parties were dubbed “Vultures 1 & 2 Listening Experience,” but notably, the Vultures 2 album, which was originally announced for release on March 8, about one month after the release of Vultures 1, still hasn’t materialized.
There’s still no word or sign of Vultures 2, and, now, those listening parties have gone quiet. A spokesperson for Ye tells Billboard those playbacks will no longer go ahead, but is confident new replacement dates will be announced shortly. No explanation has been given for the change of plan.
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At the time of writing, Kanye and Ty are still holding a listening party at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt on April 21, with tickets on sale here.
The listening sessions were quietly announced, and largely overlooked by the mainstream media.
Evidence of those shows can spotted, however, at Ticketmaster which hosts a page for the Washington D.C. “experience,” with a broken link.
A statement from Amelie Arena in Tampa, FL reads, “We regret to report that due to the time constraints for Ye and Ty Dolla $ign to curate production and meet logistic requirements, the upcoming dates for the VULTURES 1&2 listening experience will need to be revisited at a later date.” Amelie Arena was scheduled to host the playback on April 14.
Variety’s Chris Willman was first to report the canceled U.S. playbacks, which were also penciled-in for venues in Fort Lauderdale, FL; Pittsburgh, PA; Nashville, TN; and Charlotte, NC.
The delayed Vultures 1 project enjoyed a fast start around the globe when it finally dropped, including a back-to-back stint at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in February, for Ye’s eighth consecutive No. 1 album dating all the way back to 2005’s Late Registration.
That two-week stint at the summit for Vultures 1 marked the first time West held the top spot for more than a week since 2011’s collaborative album with Jay-Z, Watch The Throne. The latest LP also topped Australia’s ARIA Albums Chart and opened at No. 2 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart.
A handful of listening parties built the buzz for Vultures 1, and the hip-hop pair would appear on stage at Rolling Loud California on March 14, for a performance that divided audiences as either a spectacle of high-art or next-level trolling.
André 3000 once declared that “the South got something to say.” Nearly three decades later, fellow Atlanta natives Future and Metro Boomin are carrying the torch. The duo’s We Don’t Trust You joint album certainly made a noisy statement with the collab LP debuting atop the Billboard 200 and their nuclear Kendrick Lamar-assisted “Like That” […]
Ludacris is ready to tackle his next big role: hosting the iHeart Music Awards.
Tonight (Apr. 1), the multi-platform star will take centerstage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles at 8 PM EST on Fox. Justin Timberlake, TLC, Jelly Roll, Green Day and Luda himself will all dish out action-packed performances. There might even be a Beyoncé sighting, as the venerable legend will receive the Innovator Award.
For Ludacris, this will be his first time hosting the iHeart Music Awards — but he’s no stranger to the stage. Having previously hosted the Billboard Music Awards from 2016 to 2017, he’s fully aware of the audience he’ll be catering to, and he’s ready to bring the house down again with his comedic flair.
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“You always gotta know your audience. It’s always different audiences for different events and things you do,” says Luda ahead of tonight’s festivities. “To me, iHeart is all about energy, love and they wanna see their favorite artists. I’m also — humbly speaking — performing as well. So, it’s all about the energy in the building. We gotta keep that as high as possible.”
Billboard spoke to Luda about Beyoncé’s possible appearance, the current feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, wanting to reprise his role of Darius on Law & Order: SVU, and more.
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Is the preparation process with hosting similar to when you’re preparing to perform at a concert or act on set?
It’s always [me] praying beforehand and thanking the man above for allowing me to do the things that I love and actually make a living off of it. That’s pretty much the preparation, man. Of course, you have rehearsals and you got things that you do beforehand — but besides that, it’s between you and the man upstairs.
Beyoncé is getting the Innovator Award. Luda, is she going to be there?
I hope so. Are you trying to say you think she’s going to have a pre-recorded video or something?
You never know.
You never know. [Laughs]. Listen, I’m sure iHeart is doing everything within their power [to bring her to the show.] She is an innovator. Her receiving that award and being risky with cross-genres and doing what she’s doing with her evolution over the last two decades has been amazing. I love where’s she at, I loved where she was and I love where she’s going.
You and Larenz Tate were in the studio teasing music. I asked you about four years ago, when was the album coming — I’m back again posing you that same question: Where and when is it coming?
You know what’s crazy? When you put out so many projects as an artist, you gotta step back a little and live a little bit of life to give the right injection again, because artistry pulls from real life. I just think I’ve been so fortunate to be one of those artists that can make it that far, when you have that many albums — but in order to properly give the fans what they need, I gotta take a step back for a second. Now that time has passed, it’s time for more music. Absolutely.
Last time we spoke, I asked you if you’ve embraced the word “legend” when speaking on your music career. Let’s flip it. Do you feel you’ve touched those grounds yet on the acting side? If not, what more do you have to do?
Acting, man, I feel like there’s more work to be done. You can put out music a lot sooner it seems than you can put out movies. Well, Samuel Jackson has debunked that, so I take that back completely.
To answer your question, I have so much more time to go before I can be considered a legend in acting. Now, some people my disagree. I’m a Virgo and I feel like I have to overly do and over-prove in order to solidify [my status to] the majority of the people around the world. I have some more time to go before I can be considered a legend in acting. I’ve accepted it in music. Since the last time we spoke, people don’t even throw that around loosely. They’ve definitely given me the love. I’ve appreciated that and I’ve accepted that.
You know, this marks Law and Order SVU’s 25th season. As we’ve previously discussed, your role of Darius got a lot of love and acclaim. Because your character walked away free from charges, can Darius possibly make a return this season?
You know, they haven’t reached out yet — but that goes into your last question of what I was saying. Your work has to stand the test of time. With now my music — in terms of being engrained in hip-hop until this day — they’re still playing it in arenas, like “Move,” “Area Codes” and “Southern Hospitality.” Your movies after a certain amount of time have to do the same thing. Same with your acting jobs. You see Hustle & Flow, I would consider that a cult, legendary film. You got Crash. I still feel like I need a couple more under my belt. But to answer your question, they haven’t reached out. I would love for Law & Order to do that, so we can reprise that role.
Obviously, the internet has been buzzing since Kendrick came after Drake and J. Cole on “Like That.” Being that you’ve had some competitive days, sparring with rappers on the mic, why do you think this battle is good for the culture?
Man, I’m excited. I’m not gonna lie to you. I think I’m just as excited as everyone else is, just to see how it plays out [and] to see if people are going to respond accordingly. Or all of that can be subjective. Do they feel like they need to?
I feel like that everyone should respond, because we’re in a competitive world. Athletes, March Madness, the Super Bowl that I just did was about the two best teams. Everyone’s talking about who’s the best, and everyone wants to say who’s the GOAT. Right now, I think people are like, “OK. You say you’re the best. Prove that because there can only be one.” It’s exciting. I can’t wait to see what happens.
Speaking on that competitive fire, how do you personally keep that streak alive knowing the resumé you have? Does it transfer over to the different arenas you’re in like acting and hosting?
That’s a good question. I think I just want to have numerous options and choices depending on how I feel. [Laughs.] If I wake up and say, “I wanna put out some music today,” I’ll put it out. If I wake up and say, “I wanna do a movie” — it’s all art. It’s all entertainment. If I wanna do something in television that’s ingrained in inspiring people, or if I wanna do some philanthropy today or if I wanna host something and uplift people, I like to have those options moving forward in life. I love the versatility and I love diversifying the portfolio to have those options.