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If you’ve ever heard Ludacris talk about the early days of his career working as an intern at Atlanta’s Hot 97.5 under the name “Chris Lova Lova,” then parlaying his undeniable hustle into a nearly three-decade run as a hitmaker, movie actor and author, then you know there’s a great story there. A story that […]
On Sunday night (Jan. 21), 21 Savage clinched his fourth Billboard 200 No. 1 album with the release of his third solo LP, american dream. The long-awaited blockbuster set arrives over a half-decade after his sophomore effort, 2018’s i am > i was, and could be the masterwork that etches Savage’s name as a generational star for years to come.
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While a glaring time lapse between solo albums would derail most artists’ footing, 21 remained consistent, darting out scene-stealing features and indelible full-length collaborative projects, including 2020’s Savage Mode II with Metro Boomin and 2022’s Her Loss with Drake. And even before debunking the mythical sophomore curse, 21 was a stringent rookie with unyielding charm, detonating the mixtape scene in 2016 when teaming with Metro on Savage Mode heaters such as “No Heart” and “X.” Granted, Savage’s whimsical wordplay was not quite yet top-tier, as he hurled lines that made backpackers grimace. Still, at the same time, his records were instant headbangers amongst the younger generation and ear candy for clubgoers.
A prime example of Savage’s genius came in 2017 with “Bank Account.” With Metro Boomin helming the production, Savage scripted a minimal-yet-sticky hook that became a chant-along for money-hungry go-getters and led to his biggest Billboard Hot 100 hit at that time, the song peaking at No. 12. Savage’s playground wit and “less is more” mantra made his verses highly digestible and downright fun. Even if you look to his features, like one Post Malone’s Hot 100 chart-topper “rockstar,” Savage’s instantly unforgettable one-liners, “Your wifey say I’m lookin’ like a whole snack,” or “Sweeter than a Pop-Tart, you know you are not hard,” helped the poker-faced rapper become a peerlessly entertaining star.
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When paired with Offset on Without Warning or Drake on Her Loss, 21 is a chameleon who blends well regardless of his co-star and is uncomplicated in his approach. He can easily serve as a reliable wingman when carving out club bangers or the antagonizing heel when sparring with the opps. And while his quick-witted verses can be playful and in jest, 21 can easily juxtapose those efforts with his harrowing street tales, which made 2018’s i am > i was a step in the right direction. Songs like “letter 2 my momma,” “all my friends” and his Grammy award-winning collaboration “a lot” with J. Cole exemplified Savage’s introspectiveness and free-flowing ruminations as a deep thinker.
Along with 21 increasing his depth lyrically, his penchant for chopped-up soul samples and growth as a songwriter – both already apparent in i am > i was – reaches a new level on american dream. While 21’s lust for bedroom theatrics (“Sneaky”) and street raps (“Dangerous”) remains at an all-time high on his third album, he digs deeper and offers more on the cinematic set. After struggling through a years-long saga regarding his immigration status, Savage uses bits and pieces of his trials and tribulations to set the table for american dream, including getting his mother to speak on their journey to America in the album’s intro and outro. Rich samples, including Rose Royce’s “Wishing on a Star” for 21’s “All of Me,” are the backdrop for his tales of a turbulent upbringing and his conflicted fight between good and evil. “I seen plenty homicides and still kept my focus,” he spits.
The album standout, “Letter to My Brudda,” is a passionate push by 21 that centers around deceit and disappointment for his comrades and shows a more sophisticated writer versus previous years. “They’ll stand on couches with you, but won’t stand on business,” he raps in dismay. The album’s outro is probably 21’s most gripping showing: “Dark Days” sees him encouraging the youth to stay in school and not risk their lives for short-term gain, rapping: “You say you love your switch, but it doesn’t love you back/ You can hug that block all night, it ain’t gon’ hug you back.”
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And when Savage reaches into the R&B world, it’s not that much of a stretch, as he fits seamlessly with whichever singer joins his escapades: The second half of american dream thrives off ’90s soul samples with Summer Walker (“Prove It”) and Brent Faiyaz (“Should’ve Wore a Bonnet”). And, of course, his murderous streak on the charts remains intact, courtesy of his No. 5-debuting Hot 100 single “Redrum,” which is already his highest-peaking unaccompanied hit on the chart.
Stat-wise, 21 already measures up well with his turn-of-the-’20s contemporaries, including Lil Baby, Lil Uzi Vert, Gunna, Lil Durk, and Playboi Carti, with his four Billboard 200 No. 1 albums and Grammy win for best rap song in 2020. He has the respect of rap luminaries such as Jay-Z and Nas, with the latter reeling him in for a feature in 2022 with “One Mic, One Gun,” disproving Savage’s inability to mesh with the older generation. His discography is pristine, boasting some of the best collaborative projects in the last decade, and his feature run is just as torrid as when he first entered the rap ecosystem, especially after last year’s showings with Travis Scott (“Topia Twins”) and Rod Wave (“Turks & Caicos”).
Though Savage has unlocked many levels so far in his young career, he still has yet to reach the status of superstars like Drake, J. Cole, Future, or Young Thug for most rap fans. Part of the issue stems from Savage not having a consensus classic album. Though american dream puts Savage on the right path to reach the mountainous heights before him, he needs to buckle down, continue to ease up on the cartoonish punchlines and create more moments like “Brudda” and “Dark Days” to have that magnum opus. And though it’s great to have the star power and cosigns 21 has on his resume, whether it’s a Drake collab album or a Post Malone record, 21 will need to churn out more solo hits to prove that he doesn’t need help and can stand alone — like “Redrum,” whose strong debut and positive momentum proves he’s getting off to a good start there.
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Before 21 can become the face of the new generation, though, he still must develop his willingness to become a formidable performer. After touring with Drake and J. Cole, the biggest question will be can he hold his own as a headliner and closer. While he has the anthems to deliver an electric showing, he needs the right energy and consistency to become an all-around threat for years. Also, while he has shown strides lyrically, it’ll be vital for 21 to continue to grow in that pocket, while maintaining that crossover ability.
The greats have been able to keep their essence and edge, all while barreling through the doors of mainstream with their hits. If he can develop those skills, then he’ll be the Savage he always wanted to be.
As we get closer to Usher‘s highly anticipated Super Bowl Halftime Show performance, the worlds of hip-hop and R&B are back in full swing with major albums, singles and pop culture moments driving tons of discourse across social media.
From Kendrick Lamar‘s tease of new music to Megan Thee Stallion‘s surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live alongside Reneé Rapp in support of their Mean Girls collaboration, some of hip-hop’s biggest heavyweights used stealth to their advantage. In contrast, Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign‘s elusive Vultures joint album received yet another release date; this time, the record is slated to arrive on Feb. 9. — just two days before Usher is set to take the stage at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, NV. There was also a hilarious meme acknowledgment from Drake by way of the rapper’s recreation of TikTok creator Drew Wall’s viral day-in-the-life Target run videos — soundtracked by the Grammy-winner’s “Virginia Beach,” naturally.
Of course, the R&B OGs also had an eventful week — chief among them funk legend George Clinton, who received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday (Jan. 19).
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Anycia and Latto’s new outside anthem to Naomi Sharon’s gorgeous, acoustic paean for love. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
Freshest Find: Anycia feat. Latto, “Back Outside”
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For their first official collaboration, Anycia and Latto skate over a horn-laden JetsonMade production that perfectly complements the laid-back-yet-urgent feel of each of their respective verses. When Anycia begins her pre-chorus with the deliciously cavalier, “Huh? I’m back outside/ Yeah, huh? N—a done made me mad,” her delivery immediately sets the foundation for a woman on a mission: she’s back outside and ready to get her lick back, but you’ll never see her sweat. As a fellow Atlanta rapper, Latto sounds right at home on the track, delivering yet another strong verse complete with funny punchlines (“And they sayin’ that I rap my ass off/ Turn around like, ‘I can’t tell’) and a healthy dose of shade (“Walked in, young b–ch, I’m turnt/ Got auntie hatin’, she burnt”).
Fivio Foreign & Meek Mill, “Same 24”
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Reuniting for the first time since 2020’s “Demons & Goblins,” Fivio Foreign and Meek Mill get introspective over a drum-heavy beat courtesy of Saint Cardona and Lala the DJ. Worlds away from the Brooklyn drill that dominated his debut studio album, 2022’s B.I.B.L.E., Fivi opens “Same 24” with a stream-of-consciousness verse in which he exalts his tenacity and his maturation journey. “We got the same twenty-four hours, n—a / Why what’s mine gotta be ours, n—a? / Talkin’ ’bout n—as need help, n—as, I was “n—as” / But I rose out of the dirt, give me my flowers, n—a,” he spits. Meek adds a characteristically loud guest verse that celebrates his own come-up by way of slick double entendres; “My granny house a mil’, she ain’t even know I could rap my ass off/ You s–ttin’ me? I was super broke, I took that cast off,” he raps.
Rob49 & Lil Wayne, “Wassam Baby”
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NOLA, stand up! In a week of stellar rap collaborations, Rob49 and Lil Wayne climb into the ring with thei rown “Wassam Baby.” Built around a gritty piano-anchored Mac Fly beat, the two New Orleans rappers wax poetic about their wealth and sexual prowess while spitting game at women from across the city, as Rob emphasizes in the chorus. If that hook sounds familiar, that’s because “Wassam Baby” leaked months ago and made the rounds as a viral sound on TikTok. With the addition of a strong Wayne verse — his balance of alliteration, punch lines and rhyme scheme variations are top-notch — Rob didn’t just give “Wassam Baby” a second wind, he gave it a completely new life.
Andra Day, “Where Do We Go”
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It’s been nearly a decade since Andra Day’s Grammy-nominated “Rise Up” first entered the world, and in the time since, the multihyphenate has earned a slew of major industry awards and honors, including an Academy Award nomination for best actress in a leading role for her starring turn as Billie Holiday in The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Now, she’s back with the lead single for her second non-soundtrack studio album. “Where Do We Go” is a rousing exercise in the pacing of show-stopping vocal performance. Day’s sense of dynamics is on full display as she parses through the complicated process of seeking closure from a relationship she’s not ready to leave. “I see love inside your brown eyes/ Listening to ‘New Sky’/ Is everything an absolute, babe?/ Like, do we absolutely have to say goodbye?” she croons.
1K Phew & Zaytoven, “Let Go Let God”
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For the latest chapter in the ever-evolving relationship between gospel and hip-hop, 1K Phew has finally unleashed his collaborative project with iconic rap producer Zaytoven. Titled Pray for Atlanta, the genre-blending set — which features collaborations with Hunxho and Jekalyn Carr — is a heartfelt address to the city from a rapper who clearly adores his hometown, and a producer who has helped shape the city’s modern sound. Focus track “Let Go Let God,” blends familiar Atlanta rap cadences with a hearty gospel message, finding the common ground between the secular notion of “trusting the process” and the sanctified notion of leaving things in God’s hands. “I been down if that’s okay, had to learn from yesterday/ Took a lot of L’s in my life, baby, and I ain’t goin’ back there, no way/ I got an iced out cross on my neck right now, tryna show him that he already paid,” he spits over Zaytoven’s trap production.
Destin Conrad, “WAR!”
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Last Friday (Jan. 19), Destin Conrad dropped off Submissive2, the sequel to last year’s Submissive. “War,” the fourth track on the set, is a perfect blend of the rising star’s penchant for idiosyncratic Gen Z humor and lustful-yet-subtle R&B melodies. Obviously, the song is about the lengths one will go to for the person they want — rather the person they want to bag — but the trick of “War” is the way Destin plays into the innate melodrama of the concept. “I would smash the windows out your ex’s car without a second thought, baby/ I would gladly take the f–kin’ charge and that’s a criminal offense,” he opens the song.
It’s the chorus, however, that really drives home Destin’s shtick. He plays with his pitch and intonation to embody different characters across a melody that plays on the bounce-rooted “I’ll do [insert outlandish thing] for the d–k” punchline set-up. “I’ll sing Adele for that d–k / Rolling in the deep for that d–k,” the voices joke. It’s all fun and games until one voice proclaims that they’ll “pay for the d–k,” to which Destin comes back down to earth and ends the song, quipping, “Alright, you’re buggin’ (Yeah, b–ch, you dragged it) / You did too much, b–ch, too much.”
Naomi Sharon, “Nothing Sweeter”
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Just a few months removed from the launch of her acclaimed debut album, Obsidian, Naomi Sharon has unveiled another new addition to her growing discography. “Nothing Sweeter” arrives as the latest evolution of the most Sade-influenced edges of Sharon’s sonic profile. The First Lady of OVO lays her elegant vocals over a sparse, delicate guitar-forward instrumental that allows her ample space to showcase her sense of vocal control. Lyrically, she extols the healing power of love while calling back to iconic R&B ballads of yesteryear, singing, “Uncover my skin, undo this pain/ Unbreak my heart/Until I remember the way.”
Kendrick Lamar has scored a short film for Chanel that arrived courtesy of a collaboration between pgLang and the French fashion house. The Button was released Saturday (Jan. 20) and serves as a precursor to the Chanel Spring-Summer 2024 Haute Couture show film, which is set to debut as part of Paris Fashion Week on […]
Pssssssssst. Megan Thee Stallion just announced her new single “Hiss” — and it’s arriving sooner than you think.
A fittingly titled follow-up to her most recent solo single “Cobra,” “Hiss” will arrive Friday (Jan. 26), as announced by Meg on Instagram Monday (Jan. 22). “HISS JANUARY 26 🥚🐍PRE-SAVE NOW,” she wrote.
The “WAP” rapper also shared artwork for the single — a graphic design with a retro feel that features Meg posing with a dangerous-looking white snake around her neck, its fangs and forked tongue on display. The song’s title is displayed in red gothic lettering at the top.
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The three-time Grammy winner also shared alternative artwork for the single on Twitter, this time sans snake. In the second version, Meg stares down the camera in a red bodysuit patterned with cutouts.
“Hiss” will mark Meg’s first solo release since her Nov. 3 single “Cobra,” which debuted at No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100. In between the two projects, she teamed up with Mean Girls star Reneé Rapp for “Not My Fault,” which the two women performed together over the weekend on Saturday Night Live.
The new track will also mark Meg’s second proper release under her own independent record label and entertainment company, Hot Girl Productions. She recently settled a yearslong legal battle with her former label, 1501 Certified Entertainment, with the two parties reaching a mutual settlement in October that allowed them to “amicably part ways.”
All of this comes in the lead-up to Meg’s upcoming third album, which will follow 2020’s Good News and 2022’s Traumazine — both of which charted in the top five of the Billboard 200. “This part of my album is very much so funded by Megan Thee Stallion because we’re trying to get off … Y’all know what’s the tea,” she teased in an October Instagram Live. “I have no label right now… The next s—t y’all about to see is all straight from Megan Thee Stallion’s brain and Megan Thee Stallion’s wallet. We are in my pockets, hotties, so let’s do our big one.”
See Meg’s announcement below:
Common and Jennifer Hudson have seemingly confirmed that they are indeed a couple after dating rumors began to heat up last year.
The Chicago native appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show on Monday (Jan. 22) and the two teasedone another about their dating life. After Common surprised Hudson with a bouquet of flowers, she quizzed him on whether he was seeing anyone at the moment.
“Yes. I am in a relationship with one of the most beautiful people that I ever met in life,” he replied with a laugh. “She’s smart, she loves God, she has something real down to earth about her.
“She’s talented but I set my standard kind of high because she had to have an EGOT, she had to win an Oscar on her first movie, she had to get her own talk show,” he continued.
The Be rapper then flipped the script and began asking Hudson about her own relationship status. “How’s your love life?” he queried.
Hudson confirmed she was dating, but didn’t go as far as to say it was the person in front of her. “I’m dating as well and I am very happy,” she added. “Are you happy in your relationship?”
Common called the relationship “a happy place” for him at this point in life.
He continued: “For me, it’s one of them things where I found seeing her happy actually makes me really happy. I’m just thankful and I thank God every day. We keep it private, but I wanna acknowledge how wonderful she is, how great she is.”
Reports emerged of Common and the EGOT winner dating go as far back as July 2022. Rumors heated up in January 2023 when they were on set as co-stars filming Breathe, in which they played husband and wife.
In the time since, they’ve showered each other with praise, withg Hudson called Common a “beautiful man” in an August interview with TMZ.
More recently, the couple was even spotted courtside in Los Angeles earlier this month at Crypto.com Arena when the Lakers defeated the Dallas Mavericks.
Watch Common on The Jennifer Hudson Show above and below:
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The Kansas City Chiefs aren’t the only NFL team in the playoff run with a superstar super fan. While Taylor Swift was getting her by-now-familiar screen time cheering on boyfriend Travis Kelce during KC’s hard-fought win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night (Jan. 22), earlier in the day the Detroit Lions had their own mega-platinum No. 1 fan firing up the crowd on the way to a punching the Motor City team’s ticket into the NFC championship round for the first time in 32 years.
D-town legend Eminem was once again in a skybox watching the action from on high on Sunday, and at one point in the game the big screen flashed a now-legendary September tweet from the rapper in which he wrote, “Let’s f–king go!!!! Detroit.” That got fans hyped up as the stadium speakers blasted the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s iconic 8 Mile pump-up anthem, “Lose Yourself.”
But when the cameras swung up to Slim Shady in the box, the MC — decked out in Lions gear, naturally — jumped up, flexed hard and screamed before pounding his chest and sitting back down in a moment that encapsulated the sheer, unrestrained joy felt by long-suffering Lions fans as they watched their beloved hometown heroes slip by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Em also responded to a meme featuring a picture of his 8 Mile character B-Rabbit driving around town with the caption, “[Lions QB Jared] Goff and the Lions pulling up to the NFC Championship game,” writing, “Can’t believe I did it again!!! @Lions.”
The tweet was the follow-up to an offer Eminem made last week, telling Lions coach Dan Campbell that he’s ready to help break the team’s three-decade playoff drought. “Yo, Dan, I’m reporting. I’m going to report. Third quarter,” the 5’8′, 150 pound Rap God said. “I’m reporting, offensive line, eligible receiver. I’ll be the quarterback, the entire line, (the) offensive line. And the receiver, I will throw it to myself and score a touchdown. In the third quarter. Just give me a uniform. Or at least just a helmet.”
It wasn’t the first time Marshall has offered to suit up for his favorite team. Back in 2022, the then-49-year-old appeared in an episode of HBO’s NFL series Hard Knocks, claiming he was ready to lace up whenever needed. “I said I’m here for whatever position. I’m here. Any of ‘em. All of ’em,” Em said while hanging on the sidelines at a Lions practice.
The Lions move on to the NFC championship game next week against the top-seeded San Francisco 49ers in search of the team’s first-ever Super Bowl appearance.
Watch video of Eminem at the Lions game cheering on his team.
To audience chants of “we want the funk; we gotta have that funk,” George “Dr. Funkenstein” Clinton received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
His star, the 2769th, is located at 6752 Hollywood Blvd. in front of the Musicians Institute. Speaking at the ceremony on Friday (Jan. 19) were Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, civil rights attorney Ben Crump and songwriter Janie Bradford.
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As the mastermind behind the legendary bands Parliament/Funkadelic, Clinton steered the way across the cosmos to such classics as “(I Wanna) Testify,” “P. Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up),” “Star Child (Mothership Connection),” “Tear the Roof Off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk),” “Flash Light,” “Aqua Boogie,” “One Nation Under a Groove,” “(Not Just) Knee Deep” and “Atomic Dog.” Along the way, Clinton also influenced a diverse range of artists from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Kendrick Lamar.
Acknowledging all the members of his bands over the years, Clinton said, “Lots of them are here, lots of them not. But for all of them I say thanks and I’m blessed to be representing a bunch of funky mothers. Thank you, Hollywood!”
Here are some additional soundbites from Clinton’s star ceremony:
Clinton: Noting to audience laughter that he was going to read his speech “because I’m so emotional and ain’t no way in hell I’m going to remember all this s—,” the newly minted Hollywood Walk of Fame inductee called it an “honor to receive a star alongside the many notables from the world of entertainment. The old fans and new fans who let the music move their souls; you all know who I’m talking about [because] I’ve always said it’s the people who make the funk. [Also] thank you to the Omega Psi Phi fraternity] brothers who adopted ‘Atomic Dog’ as their national anthem and keeping it relevant for over 40 years. Damn! 40 years. Now as we drop the star, let it be a symbol not just for George Clinton but for the power of the funk, the power of unity of one nation under a groove. This acknowledgement does not mark a destination or even a pause because we’re still going forward. I was encouraged by [artists] like Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, De La Soul, 2Pac, Kendrick Lamar, Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers and all those who said funk inspired them. They used the DNA of funk and that inspired me to go on in my fight for musical rights — thank you, Ben Crump — and not just for me but for all [artists’] rights that have been mishandled.”
Kiedis: “Welcome to the corner of Hollywood & George,” joked the RHCP shared that he first learned about George Clinton when a fellow student at Los Angeles’ Fairfax High brought Parliament’s Chocolate City album to school for show and tell. Years later in 1985, the Peppers released their Clinton-produced album Freaky Styley. “For me personally, George became an instant friend, teacher, mentor, a father figure, a co-conspirator, instigator. I love George Clinton with all my heart,” Kiedis concluded before leading the audience in a singalong of a “small spiritual hymn” as he warbled the chorus to “P. Funk”: “Make my funk the P-Funk / I wants my funk uncut …”
Crump: “Now more than ever in the world, we need music that brings us all together. And nobody’s music brings us all together quite like this brother’s brings us together — one nation under a groove. This brother got brothers and sisters all across the globe coming together through the Mothership Connection. He got people in Europe, Australia, Africa and North America walking around in daytime with a flashlight looking for the P-Funk. That’s why we celebrate the one and only, the iconic George Clinton: the father of funk music, Dr. Funkenstein himself.”
Bradford: Looking back at the ’70s heyday of Funkadelic, Bradford pointed out that Clinton “announced his retirement in 2018 and today in 2024, George [at 82] is still working [touring, readying three recording projects and painting]. “My kids think I’m cool because I know George Clinton. I think I am blessed that he is my friend and I am his. Congratulations, George!”
Billboard Arabia sat down for an exclusive one-on-one with Grammy-winning producer, rapper, songwriter and DJ Kasseem Daoud Dean — known professionally as Swizz Beatz — for an interview about his work in Saudi Arabia. These days, the 45-year-old musician-turned-businessman spends his time hyping up one place in particular, and that’s the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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“Why Saudi?” seems to be the question on everyone’s mind. “Why not Saudi?” Swizz Beatz answers assertively. “It’s so amazing and has so much heritage.” Speaking with the same passion you would find in locals of Jeddah and Riyadh arguing over which city they think is cooler, Swizz Beatz’s advocacy for Saudi creativity runs deep and started way before the kingdom decided to leverage celebrity influence as part of its global tourism campaign.
“It’s amazing to see where everything is going, from when I started coming to Saudi, to what I see today,” explains Swizz Beatz, who has been visiting the country since 2006 and supporting its talents even before that, such as in early 2000, when he crossed paths with a young kid from Jeddah who had big dreams of rapping about his homeland internationally.
“Skinny was the first Saudi artist I produced. His last album, I executive produced. I got him his deal, I structured his deal, and to see him on [the MDLBEAST] stage in front of all of those people, singing those songs that we were sitting in the studio with, it just shows you that Saudi is not far off at all!”
In March 2022, Skinny released the bass-laden track “Saudi’s Most Wanted,” produced by Swizz Beatz, accompanied by a three-minute video set to a montage of scenes throughout the kingdom.
“I think the creative community here is thriving! I have a compilation with some local artists called MOYA, including Jeed, Shaolin and Ntitled. All of those guys are family to me. When I came here and was listening to their music and their stories, I said to myself, ‘You know what? I want to give everybody music.’” A few months later, those same artists debuted at the region’s biggest music festival, Soundstorm.
Having worked with legends such as DMX, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Drake, Mary J. Blige and his wife, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz has always had an eye for creative talent. Much like an unofficial brand ambassador for the kingdom, Swizz Beatz can often be seen publicly commenting on his celebrity friends’ Instagram posts with Saudi flag and red heart emojis. “I’ve been telling them for years! I’ve been saying, ‘You have to come to AlUla! You have to see the development of The Line and NEOM. Go visit JAX!’” In the time since, Saudi Arabia has continued to boom with artists visiting through performance opportunities, or on their own accord. In the 2023 edition of Soundstorm, major headliners from the global hip-hop community came through including Will Smith, 50 Cent and Travis Scott, to name a few.
“See, I’m kind of biased about Saudi. For me, it’s like being home. It’s like asking me about my own home when you speak about Saudi. I feel like it’s going to be the number one place in the world, period. Especially when you look at all the new places being built, the energy the region has in general.
“I just recently went to the Noor Festival [in Riyadh] and there were a lot of amazing artists in that particular show,” he says. “There’s Ahmed Mater, who is a great friend.”
An avid collector of art, Swizz Beatz admits he’s constantly inspired by the many talents he meets in the kingdom. “I’m getting them [Saudi artists] into my museum show in New York at the Brooklyn Museum. That’s coming soon insha’Allah, so their work can be seen abroad as well. But the art scene [in Saudi] is super booming. There’s a lot of talent here on all sides of art — fashion, music and visual photography. To see all of these doors open has been amazing to watch.”
Swizz Beatz is much more than a spectator. His latest endeavor, the new headquarters of his Riyadh-based company, Good Intentions, is less office space and more incubator-like venue that can easily be transformed into an interchangeable setting, ideal for all facets of creativity.
“I’ve seen so many styles in Saudi already now. It’s not just one particular style,” he explains. Swizz Beatz admits Saudi is a melting pot of influences and aesthetics, and exporting its culture is just as important as the country opening up to the rest of the world.
When closing out the interview, Swizz Beatz gave a final testament to his excitement about the progress in Saudi, stating, “The thing that I like is that everybody’s in their own vibe and everybody’s supporting each other.”
This week, Money Man tapped in with Billboard on Threads to speak about his origins, working with Lil Baby on “24s,” paying respect to the late Kobe Bryant, and more.
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With an expansive resume, including double-digit projects to his name, including his 2023 effort, Red Eye, read below and get familiar with the Atlanta dynamo.
On His Rap Origins & Paying Homage to Kobe Bryant:
While many people associate Money Man with his Atlanta ties, his roots initially originated in The Bronx, as he revealed during his conversation with Billboard.
“I listen to music from Atlanta and the East Coast, so my music vibes with both areas,” he said. “I have a mix of both cities in my DNA.”
Money Man’s most notable song, “24,” earned the remix treatment when one of Atlanta’s biggest stars, Lil Baby, graced the record. The track paid homage to the late Kobe Bryant, and according to Money Man, the shout-out to the Lakers great was a late addition.
“In the song, I said, ‘RIP Kobe Bryant,’ who had just passed away,” he notes. “The track had a crazy sound, and that line was heartfelt. [EMPIRE founder] Ghazi [Shami] suggested adding Lil Baby, and I agreed.”
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On Wanting to Collaborate in the Pop & Afrobeats Space:
Money Man’s collaborations run deep, as he’s previously partnered up with Larry June, Key Glock, DaBaby, and more. While Money savors the chance to link up with some of today’s hottest rappers, he hopes to one day swerve into the Pop and Afrobeats space, if given the right opportunity.
“I’m always down to work with whoever wants to work with me,” he explains. “I think some pop and afrobeats artists would be dope.
On His Prolific Track-Record:
Since 2016, Money Man has proven to be a formidable threat on the mixtape circuit with his extensive catalog. With over a dozen mixtapes to his name, including his most recently released effort, 2023’s Red Eye, he revels in the thought of being consistent and satisfying his core.
“I live an exciting life, and I’m always taking in new information, so I have a lot to get off my chest,” he says. “I have such a diverse audience so each one of my albums and mixtapes are for a specific group of people. You’ll know when you hear the first song. I want to give them music that they can relate to.”
Last week, Money Man released his first record of 2024 with “Servin Myself.” Listen below.
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