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More than three decades into her storied career, Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott is gearing up for her first-ever headlining tour. On Monday morning (April 8) the “Work It” rapper announced the dates for her Out of This World – The Missy Elliott Experience 2024 North American arena tour, which is slated to kick off on on July 4 in Vancouver at Rogers Arena, and include stops in Seattle, Oakland, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Denver, Houston, Tampa, Atlanta, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston, Brooklyn and Detroit before winding down on August 22 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL.
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The summer outing will feature support from Busta Rhymes, Ciara and Elliott’s longtime musical partner producer Timbaland. The poster for the tour features Missy, Busta and Ciara dressed in Mad Max-style futuristic leather outfits standing in front of a giant space ship.
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“This is an incredible time in my life as I am experiencing so many milestone ‘firsts.’ Being the FIRST female Hip Hop artist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and now going out on my FIRST headline tour,” Elliott said in a statement about the 24-city tour co-produced by Live Nation and Elliott’s longtime manager Mona Scott-Young. “Fans have been asking me to tour forever but I wanted to wait until I felt the time was right because I knew if I was ever going to do it, I had to do it big, and I had to do it with family! So get ready to be taken OUT OF THIS WORLD with me, Busta Rhymes, Ciara, and Timbaland! We can’t wait to share this experience with the fans!”
In keeping with Elliott’s legendarily out-there music videos, the tour announce was accompanied by a short teaser video helmed by another one of Missy’s frequent collaborators, director Dave Meyers. “In 2024, these three icons come together to show you something you’ve never seen before,” Elliott says in voiceover in the clip in which she, Busta and Ciara emerge from the spacecraft.
“Something not right,” Elliott says at one point as the shoot is interrupted by confusion. “This is not Earth!” That leads to Busta busting out a paper celestial map only to discover that he took a “wrong turn” at Mars, a revelation that makes Ciara short of breath. Missy then calls Timbaland on her old school brick cell phone to complain about Busta’s terrible sense of space direction.
In an additional statement about her client’s first-ever headlining tour, Scott-Young said, “Missy has always been an iconic groundbreaker and continuously pushes herself to be bolder and go where she has never been before – and surprisingly, one of those places is headlining her own tour! For decades, fans and peers worldwide have clamored for Missy to tour and they’re finally going to get what they’ve been asking for as she teams up with Ciara, Busta, and longtime partner-in-rhyme Timbaland, to deliver a start-to-finish, nonstop, high-octane, OUT OF THIS WORLD concert experience. This will be one for the books, so trust me, you don’t want to miss it!”
Tickets for the tour will go on sale first through a Verizon presale that kicks off on Tuesday (April 9) beginning at 10 a.m. local time through Thursday (April 11) at 10 p.m. local time; click here for more details. Following additional presales throughout the week, the general onsale for the tour will begin on Friday (April 12) at 10 a.m. local time here.
Check out the dates for the tour and the teaser video below.
Missy Elliott 2024 Out of This World dates:
July 4 — Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
July 6 — Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
July 9 — Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
July 11 — Los Angeles, CA @ Crypto.com Arena
July 13 — Las Vegas, NV @ T-Mobile Arena
July 16 — Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
July 18 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center
July 20 — Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
July 21 — Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena
July 24 — Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena
July 25 — Sunrise, FL @ Amerant Bank Arena
Saturday, July 27 — Atlanta, GA — State Farm Arena
August 1 — Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena
August 2 — Hampton, VA @ Hampton Coliseum
August 3 — Belmont Park, NY @ UBS Arena
August 5 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
August 8 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena
August 9 — Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
August 10 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden
August 12 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
August 15 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
August 17 — Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
August 19 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
August 22 — Rosemont, IL @ Allstate Arena
Megan Thee Stallion is not afraid of any ban. The “Sweetest Pie” rapper issued a bold challenge on Saturday (April 6) when she launched what she dubbed “IG after dark” with a provocative twerking video just weeks after the social media company reportedly warned her that the cheeky poster for the MC’s upcoming Hot Girl Summer tour might violate its community standards.
“IG after dark lol and nobody better not challenge me bc this the best ass on IG 🤪 or if you think so tag me in your video 😂 stream WANNA BE,” Meg wrote alongside a video in which she shook her behind at the camera to the strains of her GloRilla collab “Wanna Be” while wearing barely there black shorts, furry boots, a t-shit and black beanie with rabbit ears.
By Sunday night, Meg had already posted a series of clips of fans who blew her away with their challenge videos, including one that elicited a “well damn” response from the star and another potential winner from Bad Girls Club alum Natalie Nunn.
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Meg’s challenge came after she said the poster for her upcoming Hot Girl Summer tour — in which she was seen in a magazine cover-like image laying on her stomach in a shallow pool while wearing a cheeky silver thong bikini — got flagged by Instagram for being too sexy for public viewing. “HOTTIESSS GET READY TO COME HAVE SOME FUN WITH ME AT THEE HOT GIRL SUMMER TOUR,” read the caption on the original post, which urged hotties to get their “outfits ready nowww!”
In a later Instagram Story, Meg posted a screenshot of what she described as a warning she reportedly got from the social media site telling her that the pic may have breached the site’s guidelines, which could lead to limits being put on her account. “Nooooo it’s just a lil cheek lol,” Megan reportedly commented.
Megan’s first-ever headlining tour will hit 31 cities and arenas in major markets, including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Detroit, Boston, Memphis, Atlanta and Philadelphia, as well as the rapper’s Houston hometown. After the U.S. dates end with a June 22 show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Megan will go international beginning on July 4 in Glasgow, Scotland, with additional shows in England, France, Germany, and Ireland.
Check out Meg’s video below.
A New Jersey earthquake rattled much of New York City and the surrounding Metropolitan area on Friday morning (April 5). While Big Apple residents searched for answers as to why the rare natural disaster struck the Northeast, Ice Spice stepped in to jokingly take the blame for shifting the tectonic plates. Explore Explore See latest […]
What’s rap beef?
Rap beef is when the best claim the throne. This has happened throughout the genre’s history. Battling on wax is etched in stone, the ritual is one of the game’s 10 Rap Commandments. Rap’s been a game of thrones since the very beginning. Do the knowledge on MC Shan and KRS-One or Kool Moe Dee vs. LL Cool J. Carrying on tradition, last night J. Cole responded to Kendrick’s sneak attack on “7 Minute Drill,” the last track on his surprise mixtape Might Delete Later. However, he sounded like his heart wasn’t fully in it like when Nino had to put G-Money down, just as he alluded to on the song. And instead of a headshot like most expected, Cole instead fired a shot in the air. His retort wasn’t enough.
Though Cole gets right to it and is very direct, he never crosses the lines that need to be crossed. To be fair, he does say this is just a warning shot and this thing is just getting started. But when you first hear Cole spit, “Now I’m front of the line with a comfortable lead/How ironic, soon as I got it, now he want somethin’ with me” as he runs down his thoughts on Lamar’s catalog and claims to have overtaken him in the power rankings, your ears perk up and you start rubbing your hands together, expecting a proper reply. But then he just coasts along until the beat switches to something a little more sinister courtesy of Griselda stalwart Conductor Williams and your ears perk up again.
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And still, Cole plays with his food and never truly handles his business. Instead, he comes off reluctant to really engage, spitting, “My text flooded with the hunger for a toxic reply/I’m hesitant, I love my brother, but I’m not gonna lie/I’m powered up for real, that shit would feel like swattin’ a fly/Four albums in twelve years, n—a, I can divide.” Cole knew he needed to send a shot back, especially before the weekend of his annual Dreamville Fest. What’s interesting is “7 Minute Drill” would’ve hit a little harder if, instead of just coopting Jay lyrics, he went full Jigga and premiered it live on stage and not on streaming services on New Music Fridays. He missed the opportunity to put Kenny on that Dreamville screen.
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When Jay-Z was closing out his Volume era at the end of the ‘90s, he and Nas were the Defacto Kings of Rap with acts like Prodigy and Scarface not far behind. Jay was aware of the stakes and the history of this thing of ours. He understood what it took to be the best. So, at Hot 97’s annual Summer Jam concert in 2001, he boldly reached for the crown and snatched it. During his set he performed “Takeover” for the first time, months before it would appear on his sixth album, The Blueprint, and called Nas out by name. That moment was so seismic and important to hip-hop history, people forgot that he brought out Michael Jackson during that same performance! The stakes were that high. Now, over 20 years later, another band of kings must usher in a new era.
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The Big 3 Civil War has officially begun. Last month, Future and Metro Boomin dropped their chart topping collab album We Don’t Trust You. It’s essentially the equivalent of the Mean Girls burn book directed at Drake. On the album’s sixth track, “Like That,” there was a hidden pipe bomb that reverberated throughout every corner of hip-hop. It was very slick on Future and Metro’s part and fitting that they and Lamar chose that song to launch their offensive, with its Rodney-O & Joe Cooley sample serving as a reminder that at the end of the day, this is hip-hop.
Those saying Kendrick’s verse is mid (for the record, they’re delusional, but for the sake of an argument let’s go with it) are missing the point. The “Like That” verse has the potential to be the Big 3 Era’s defining moment. It’s closer to Jay on that Summer Jam stage performing “Takeover” than it is to Lamar’s first attempt at claiming the throne with ‘Control” back in 2013. We Don’t Trust You and Kenny’s vitriol have sparked the beginnings of a power struggle atop Mt. Rap and the game will be better for it in the long run.
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“Like That” is the number one song in the country. It’s being played in sports arenas and during “NBA on TNT” halftime shows. This is a page taken out of Drake’s own playbook. His Meek Mill diss “Back to Back” was made to be played in clubs and on the radio; you couldn’t escape it. The song peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and put a dent in Meek’s resume forever. Now, Drake and Cole find themselves in the position Nas was in when Jay said his name on that Summer Jam stage. Cole’s first rebuttal fell flat, but he still has a chance to drop an “Ether.” Drake, however, should pay attention to the response J. Cole is getting. He now knows that warmup jabs aren’t going to get it done, nor will they appease the fans thirsty to watch the game’s three biggest stars go bar-for-bar. Drake needs a “No Vaseline” or, you know, another “Back to Back.”
But one thing is for sure: The Great Rap Battle of 2024 is here, folks.
As Jamaica prepares for Carnival (April 7), Road March-ers have heaps of new music to celebrate and dance to, including some enjoyable selections from the month of March across reggae, dancehall, soca, calypso and more.
While clashes and the Bob Marley: One Love biopic dominated January and February, respectively, March was all Vybz Kartel‘s. On March 14, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) overturned the dancehall king’s murder conviction. Having already served 12 years in prison — alongside three other alleged co-conspirators — after being found guilty in 2014 for the 2011 murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams, the dancehall king’s future is now in the hands of Jamaica’s Court of Appeal, as the body decides whether to release him or order a retiral. Fans around the world have taken the JCPC’s decision as a good omen for Kartel’s freedom, including Drake, who shared a picture of a “Free Kartel” t-shirt to his official Instagram story on Tuesday (April 2).
Outside of Kartel, Bob Marley: One Love continues to bless people around the world. On Tuesday (April 2), One Love co-producer Cedella Marley announced a call for U.S. applications for 10 Bob Marley: One Love social impact scholarships. In her announcement — which she made via her official Instagram page — she detailed the scholarships as a partnership between the box office-topping film and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.
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The 10 scholarships will be granted to undergraduate students “pursuing social justice-related degrees” at HBCUs, including Bowie State University, Clark Atlanta University, Dillard University, Florida A&M University, Hampton University, Morehouse College, Morgan State University, Spelman College, Texas Southern University and the Xavier University of Louisiana.
Naturally, Billboard’s monthly Reggae/Dancehall Fresh Picks column will not cover every last track, but our Spotify playlist — which is linked below — will expand on the 10 highlighted songs. So, without any further ado:
Freshest Find: KES feat. Queen Omega, “Rise Up”
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In a recent interview with Billboard, soca superstar Kes detailed his five favorite tracks from Man With No Door — the band’s first album in a decade. One of those tracks, the Queen Omega-assisted “Rise Up,” is also one of the album’s most impressive offerings. Drawing inspiration from social justice-minded roots reggae tracks from acts like Capleton and Richie Spice, “Rise Up” is a brassy, militant ode to that era. Both Kes and Queen Omega deliver impassioned vocal performances that anchor their pleas for “humanity [to] rise up.”
As Kes pointed out in his Billboard interview, this track had to be shared with somebody, particularly Queen Omega who spits a blazing verse that drips with grit and hope. “I have deep love for humanity and sometimes deep concern too of where things are going,” Kes said. “I really wanted to write a song to capture that part of me.”
Skillibeng, “Missbnasty”
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Skillibeng has been a leader of dancehall’s new class for some years now, and he shows no signs of slowing down with his new single, “Missbnasty.” Inspired by a famed adult content creator, Skillibeng gets predictably nasty on this slinky bass-heavy Afrobeats-inflected beat courtesy of P2J. “Lovе when yuh bounce pon my d–k/ Cau yuh sweet like a pornstar b—h/ She’ll steal your interest/ Make a whole profit,” he croons in a voice that’s caught somewhere between a breathless whisper and raspy chant.
Sevana, “Keep Going (Chosen)”
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Fresh off her feature film debut in Bob Marley: One Love, Jamaican singer-songwriter Sevana is back with a brand new single. Titled “Keep Going,” a sultry slice of meditative reggae, the new track finds her crooning, “God know mi special, mi naw fi listen/ Know that I’m a king/ In this wicked jungle and that’s why I sing/ Blessed to be so gifted, so mi caan waste it.” A reminder of your purpose, greatness and claim to a life well-lived is always a welcome reminder, and Sevana delivers one by way of a vocal performance that exudes the warmth and sternness of a beloved mentor.
Romain Virgo, “Red Dress”
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For the midpoint of his The Gentle Man album — which arrived on March 1 — Romain Virgo delivers the thesis of his latest record. On “Red Dress,” Virgo effortlessly morphs into a bachelor, albeit a tasteful one that prioritizes mature, if not wistful, seduction over straightforward sleaze. He employs a strikingly reflective tone as he sings, “Please wear that red dress again/ Take me back to the beginning/ Love to watch you in it/ And I′ll cherish every minute.” The entire album is an exploration of what it means to reflect on different stages of your life, and “Red Dress” presents a Virgo who is ready to be an example of the premiere “gentle man” for the next generation.
Stalk Ashley & Skillibeng, “Really Like You”
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Cash Cobain and Bay Swag’s “Fisherrr” may be signaling a shift in the dominant sound of New York’s music scene, but that doesn’t mean drill is completely out the door. On “Really Like You,” a low-key sexed-up duet between Jamaican singer and internet personality Stalk Ashley and Skillibeng, the skittering snares of New York drill provide an urgent energy to the bare-bones dancehall beat. “One life weh me know bout/ So mi a do whatever I want/ F–k whoever I want, yeah/ And mi really like you baby,” she croons. The song is pretty much as far away from dancehall as you can get, but it is a winning showcase of the versatility of both drill motifs and the artists involved.
Shaneil Muir, “Protected”
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Jamaican singer Shaneil Muir places her focus on the Most High with her new “Protected” single. Soundtracked by raw acoustic guitar, plaintive piano keys and tender finger-snaps, she croons, “Yow damage, mi pray for miself/ Stop worry bout people and mi better miself.” Shaneil’s vocal performance on the song’s verses is the best part of the song, she expertly manipulates her tone to exude the alluring, comforting energy of a storybook reciter. A solemn reprieve from the high-octane tunes of Carnival season, “Protected” finds Shaneil surrendering herself to Jah and trusting that he will stand alongside and behind her as she fights the various battles life sends her way.
D-Major, “Alpha and Omega”
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On his new Morning Prayer EP, Jamaican singer D-Major is in his praise and worship bag. Consisting of six tracks, the project is quite succinct, but standout track “Alpha and Omega” dramatically boosts the EP’s replay value. “With God as your firm foundation, foundation of our lives now/ If you’re in a bad situation, he’ll provide a way for you to get out,” he proclaims over the highly percussive, calypso-inflected production. With a soaring vocal performance that finds assistance with rousing choir-esque background harmonies, “Alpha and Omega” is a delightful slice of gospel-reggae.
Khaliah, “Taboo”
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Effortlessly exuding the sensuality of smooth reggae bass, Khaliah’s seductive, siren-esque tone lifts “Taboo” to towering heights. “Selective with my time, my dear/ But I give to you/ The sweetest love from January/ Straight back to June,” she croons. Almost Tyla-esque in the way that she forgoes expletives and still finds a way to express the sultry come-hither bent of her lyrics, Khaliah makes quite the impression on “Taboo.” Especially when she lifts her voice into a few belts over the song’s final chorus. Unfussy both lyrically and production-wise, Khaliah’s “Taboo” understands that, sometimes, simplicity truly is key.
Upsetta, Loud City & Popcaan, “Devil Works (Never Work)”
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For his take on Upsetta and Loud City’s new “Devil Works” riddim, Popcaan rides the buoyant beat with a proclamation that he’s “nuh ‘fraid of nuh devil works.” His cadence here is a bit brighter than the ones he cycled through on last year’s Best Mood mixtape, but it’s the perfect complement to a song that doesn’t exactly try to hide its sanctified roots. Upsetta and Loud City’s riddim infuses electronic elements into their dancehall bass, but those pounding drums and sparkling synths ensure a sense of levity to go with Popcaan’s heady declarations.
Kabaka Pyramid, Sean Paul & Jemere Morgan, “Energy (Remix)”
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Kabaka Pyrmaid’s Grammy-winning The Kalling LP may have dropped in 2022, but the renowned reggae star is still working the record. Produced by Damian “Jr Gong” Marley, this new Sean Paul-assisted “Energy” remix is set to appear on the forthcoming deluxe edition of The Kalling. Already a funky track bursting with dynamism — from the rollicking guitar riffs to Kabaka’s playful vocal delivery — Sean Paul injects some fiery dancehall flavor with his new verse. “Busy with my own focus mi deh on the grind/ Gotta get my own, gotta set my home in tact/ Can’t waste time cause you will never get that back/ Haffi reach fa di bag, so I get that stack,” he spits. The word “energy” can feel particularly banal nowadays, but this track couldn’t have been titled anything else — it’s literally vibrating with an unbreakable approach to all life has to offer.
Cardi B is leaving fans guessing after posting a sultry new photo that some speculate is a hint at her next era.
Posted on her socials Thursday (April 4), the snapshot finds the rapper posing in platform heels, a barely-there bikini bottom and an angelic veil held up in the back by two helper doves. Another pair of white birds covers her chest, but nothing else — well, besides a metal cross and chain — obscures the rest of her body, leaving the tattoos on her arms, thighs and midriff exposed.
“Jack your set 👌🏽,” she wrote in her caption, the OK sign emoji mirroring her pose in the photo.
The Bardi Gang isn’t sure what the artist’s post is for, but many fans are convinced it means she’s gearing up to release her long-awaited new album. “CARDI WHAT IS THIS FOR????” one person commented on the photo on X.
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“OMG IS THIS THE ALBUM COVER,” wrote another admirer.
Billboard has reached out to Cardi’s rep for comment.
Fans have long been waiting for a follow-up to 2018’s Invasion of Privacy, but the Grammy winner has only released a string of singles in the six years since it dropped. These include 2021’s “Hot S–t” with Ye and Lil Durk and 2023’s “Bongos” with Megan Thee Stallion, which peaked at Nos. 13 and 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively.
So far this year, Cardi has shared two solo singles — “Like What (Freestyle)” and “Enough (Miami),” which hit No. 38 and No. 9, respectively, on the Hot 100. Most recently, she joined Shakira on “Puntería,” the first track on the pop star’s new album Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, which hit No. 72 on the chart.
“I always wanted to do a record with Shakira and it’s like, wow, it landed on my lap,” Cardi said of the collaboration in a recent interview with Million Dollaz Worth of Game. “It really landed on my lap … It’s like, ‘B—h, I’ll do whatever the f–k you want me to do, b—h. I’ll fly to Colombia.’ Like I’ll go over there right now.”
By now you may have seen the sweat-drenched videos of former world heavyweight champ Mike Tyson, 57, prepping for his July 20 match with YouTuber-turned-professional-boxer Jake Paul. The bout — which will air on Netflix from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX — will feature the champ taking on 27-year-old Paul in Iron Mike’s first official fight in nearly two decades.
And now we have a clip of Paul’s work-out regime, which appears to involve easily leveling defenseless non-pugilists. In a clip uploaded on Thursday (April 4), Paul positions MAGA rapper Lil Pump just so in the middle of a boxing ring. After Paul asks if he’s ready, Pump, with his be-gloved arms in the air, takes the shot and immediately crumples to the ground in agony after Paul unleashes a single left hook into the unguarded “Big MAGA Steppin” MC’s midsection.
“Ohhhhhhhh!” a shirtless Pump yelps in agony as he crawls around the mat clutching his midsection, his face red from the screaming. With a crew of videographers swarming around the prostrate Pump to capture the clickbait moment for viral posterity — mission accomplished — Paul smiles and says, “I told you not to do it.”
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The just-for-the-cameras stunt was clearly meant to help hype the fight — as Paul was only wearing one glove — and Pump appeared to seriously, and immediately, regret agreeing to take the mighty blow. “Jake Paul is officially 10-1 [face sweating emoji],” Pump captioned the video. “Not gonna lie, that liver shot made me feel like I was dying [crying laughing emoji].”
While Tyson has been hitting the gym hard, over the past few weeks Paul appeared to be easing his way into his latest bout, posting a video on March 26 of him partying and chugging champagne with the classic trash-talking caption, “Day 1 of sending Mike Tyson back to his podcast for good.” By the next day, though, he posted an update from his 6,000-foot elevation training camp in Colorado Springs, where he said he was training hard with Olympians, followed by another in which he openly taunted Tyson, saying, “Mikey, Mikey, your hands can’t hit what your eyes can’t see.”
Last month, Tool’s Maynard James Keenan posted pics with Tyson, who has been training at the rocker’s Cottonwood, AZ Verde Valley BJJ martial arts school. The legendarily hard-hitting boxer with a career 50-6 record (including 44 knockouts), has been posting sweat-drenched videos of his intense workouts in the lead-up to his first fight since his controversial draw against fellow former champ Roy Jones Jr. in Nov. 202 in an exhibition match. Tyson is 21 years from his last win and both men are expected to take home major paydays for the headline-grabbing showdown.
Since his improbably pivot from Bizaardvark and YouTube prank video fame, Paul has fought a series of MMA fighters, former professional boxers and basketball players, boosting his record to date to 9-1 (6 by KO), with his one loss coming at the hands of the only active boxer he’s faced to date, Tommy Fury, in Feb. 2023.
Watch the one-punch knockout video below.
WrestleMania XL is upon us. As WWE fans of all ages prepare for the Super Bowl of pro wrestling this weekend in Philadelphia, WWE Superstar Big E is one of the company’s brightest ambassadors and building blocks for what will be an iconic 48 hours.
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Following a devastating injury in 2022, when he suffered a broken neck during a match on Smackdown, the former WWE champion has become a vital figure outside of the ring. He undertook a significant endeavor, crafting a poignant short film about the life of Ruby Bridges, the first Black student integrated into an all-white school. Collaborating with Grammy-nominated MC Rapsody, who recorded original music for the NAACP-nominated project, Big E infused his love for hip-hop and history. He transformed a heavy moment in Black history into a light and stirring conversation starter for kids living in the modern era.
“I think there are so many stories of Black heroes, and we’re so often taught as young people: MLK, Rosa Parks, slavery, and that’s about it,” he says. “But our history is so much deeper. The Black men and women who have contributed to this country and our legacy have been incredible. We want to continue to tell these stories because there are so many out there, and we want to do it in a fun way.”
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Big E’s love for hip-hop and history is palpable. It blossomed during his tenure at Iowa University, where he became an avid lover of the Blog Era. While playing college football as a defensive lineman, Big E became a fan of Wale and his seminal 2008 project, The Mixtape About Nothing. After E ventured into the WWE and learned of Wale’s fandom in 2012, their mutual appreciation ultimately turned into a close-knit friendship.
“We ended up DMing years ago, and we connected more than just him being a wrestling fan and me being a fan of him,” he recalls. “We connected on life. So many times, we were texting about life on the road a lot more than just being industry friends. I’m such a massive fan of him, not just as an artist but as a human being.”
Though Big E remains in great shape, possessing the same burly physique that made him an elite champion, he is enjoying the sidelines, watching his peers, most notably the Black WWE superstars, carry the torch during his hiatus.
“It’s really just been an incredible time for Black talent, and I just think it’s gonna keep growing and growing,” he says. “We’ve made a lot of progress, and I still think we have more progress to go.”
Billboard spoke to Big E ahead of WrestleMania XL about hip-hop and wrestling becoming synonymous, his friendship with Wale, working with Rapsody on his short film Bridges, his “Big 3” in the WWE, and more.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of Wale’s debut album Attention Deficit. You guys are obviously friends and shared a WrestleMania moment when he performed your entrance song “Feel the Power” in 2021. When did you first become a fan of his?
I’m a big Seinfeld fan. The Blog Era for me was when I was in college. That was when I really first learned about Wale. Then, when he came out with The Mixtape About Nothing, that changed things for me. So I started really paying more attention and then I started following him on Twitter and saw that he was a wrestling fan. So between his Seinfeld stuff, him being an incredible MC and also being a wrestling fan, I was just like, “I gotta reach out to this man.”
It’s been a pleasure to have him perform for me at WrestleMania for me in my hometown. That was special. I’m so grateful to have Wale on my team. He’s also done so much to make wrestling cool.
I feel like wrestling is at this great stage right now where you have The Rock around, all these celebrities who wanna be involved, but let’s give some credit to the homie Wale for making wrestling cool and for doing WaleMania every single year. I’ve reached out to so many people who are excited for WrestleMania, but honestly, the biggest thing for them is WaleMania. Like, “What’s my WaleMania fit? I can’t wait. What’s the lineup?” Shout-out to Wale for what he’s done for the culture, and what he’s done for hip-hop and wrestling.
There were so many closeted wrestling fans, especially in the hip-hop community. Why do you think so many people are coming out and embracing the sport now more than ever before?
I think it’s just cool now, man. I don’t know exactly what to point to, but you have The Rock involved now. You have [WWE president] Nick Khan involved. You have so many connections with sports and entertainment. I feel like a lot of people were closeted wrestling fans because it wasn’t cool, because it was the nerdy thing to do — but now that it’s becoming more accessible for people, I think a lot of people are coming out of the wooodwork.
I think back to his celebrity flag football game I did a couple of years ago right before the Super Bowl, and I was amazed that Diplo knew who I was. He wanted to talk about storylines and whatnot. That stuff always blows me away. But you’d be surprised how many people watched back in the day when they were kids, and watch right now and love what we do. You know, when Wale started WaleMania a couple of years ago, it wasn’t really the cool thing to do. People felt like they had to keep it in, but now, it’s a lot more mainstream. You see the WWE titles all the time. You see how proudly people wear those WWE custom belts after they win a Super Bowl or World Series. It’s just really cool to see our product become mainstream again.
I spoke to Jey Uso a while back and we touched on the famous freestyle battle between The Usos and The New Day. What were you so surprised about from a lyrical standpoint in that battle?
Well look, I was hesitant to do it because I’m a hip-hop fan, but I can’t rap [Laughs.] The three of us can’t rap. Me, Kofi [Kingston] and [Xavier] Woods can’t rap. We all knew this — but man, that segment was so much fun. Having Wale be a part of it and be the host of that thing [was great]. The Usos, I told them a while ago that they need to drop an EP or something. They can actually spit. They got some bars. They did their thing. That segment was a lot of fun.
One of the things I remember was Daniel Bryan — who is such a wrestling head that I thought would be critical [of the segment] — he said, “Man, you guys could have done that for an hour and I would have been locked in and entertained.” I think a lot of people went into that with trepidation because segments like that in wrestling aren’t very good and are very corny. But I think with Wale being there, The Usos really bringing it, really just added so much to our programming and our rivalry. I also think we did it the right way. That’s a segment that I’m really proud of.
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Over the years, we’ve seen wrestlers like John Cena to even recently Montez Ford release music. Has there been anybody in the locker room that impressed you from a rapping standpoint?
I haven’t heard anything original from him, but Omos will surprise you. Omos can spit a whole Jay-Z verse. He’s a big hip-hop head. Omos is one of those dudes who haven’t been able to show his full charisma and full personality on TV, but he’s definitely a big hip-hop head, and a dude I love talking hip-hop with.
Because you grew up in the Blog Era, you know the big three is Drake, Kendrick and J. Cole. Who would you say from a wrestling standpoint is the holy trinity of the WWE and why?
That’s a really good question. You know what? I’ll go Randy [Orton]. He’s just one of the GOATs who I feel like sometimes as much credit as he gets, he still doesn’t get enough credit. So I’ll go Randy, Cena and I gotta put one more in there. This is hard. I’ll go Roman [Reigns]. He’s been doing his thing.
Speak about Roman’s current run as champion — especially heading into Mania — considering we haven’t seen a run like this since Hulk Hogan. A lot of people want to see his reign end this weekend.
It’s just one of those things that I think a lot of fans have been so locked into. You say everyone wants it to end — but not everyone though. There’s still a lot of people riding with Roman that wanna see him push through.
When I see his run, I think of someone who reinvented himself — because you can think of someone who was really being pushed as “The Guy,” and a lot of fans didn’t accept him as much. He’s really found his footing since the pandemic. Since he came back, this has been a generational run. That’s what I think he’s a real testament to.
I think a lot of people are impatient with talent and they want them to have it all figured out right now, but sometimes, you need time to grow. You need time to really get in your feet and know, “This is who I am.” So Roman was a guy who obviously had a ton of talent first getting on the main roster, but he wasn’t quite himself yet. He wasn’t as comfortable as he could have been, but now I think you’re seeing him at his very best. You’re seeing him at his most natural. This is the guy he’s always been.
Don’t get me wrong, he was a good dude in the locker room and whatnot, but he always had that alpha mentality. He played football at Georgia Tech. He was all-ACC. I was a defensive tackle at the same time and watching him, hearing his name. So he’s always had that attitude of an alpha. I think so many times that he was positioned as a babyface and as a guy who had to pretend he wasn’t that guy, but I think he’s a lot more comfortable and you see it now. You see how natural his promos are. You see how comfortable he is in this position. So when I think of his run, I just think it’s a testament to riding a wave.
With Bianca Belair gracing WWE 2K24, the emergence of Jade Cargill and the rise of Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams in NXT, how would you describe this current renaissance we’re seeing right now with Black wrestlers?
It’s been beautiful to see, man. It’s a long time coming, and it’s one of those things where I just look around and I’m really proud of Black talent because I don’t think you can look at any of the Black talent in WWE who are in the spots they are in and say, “Oh, they’re just given [these opportunities] because it’s a quota system or because of the color of their skin.
What I love is how different everyone is and how they standout on their own. They all deserve those spots. They all bring something to the table. The Black men are killing it, but to see Black women doing their thing [is amazing]. You see what they’re doing on the main roster, but we got a crop coming behind them in NXT, as well. We as Black people, we dominate in the NBA and the NFL, it also makes sense to do the same thing here in WWE and pro wrestling. It’s been an exciting time and I’m really proud to see the amount of Black talent doing incredible things and standing out on their own.
Seeing the way Jade has came in and how the fans have taken to her has been incredible. Someone like Naomi, who doesn’t get enough credit for how she’s inspired young Black women to enter this business as well, [has been great too.] It’s really just been an incredible time for Black talent and I just think it’s gonna keep growing and growing. We’ve made a lot of progress, and I still think we have more progress to go. I think of someone like a Montez Ford and he hasn’t even approached his ceiling. Not even close. And [Angelo] Dawkins as well. A lot of people sleep on what Dawkins has been doing. Another super talented dude. There’s a bevy of Black talent in our industry. I love seeing it and I wanna see more of it.
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What was your experience working with Rapsody on your short-film “Bridges,” which honored Ruby Bridges, the first Black student to be integrated into an all-white school in the 1960s?
It was a real labor of love for us. It’s called Bridges. We got an NAACP nomination for it. It’s on YouTube right now, if you Google, Our Heroes Rock, but it’s something that we’re really proud of. We wanna tell more of these stories. Rapsody did an incredible job. She recorded an original song for us and we made a music video as well. It tells the story of Ruby Bridges in a way that I think is more engaging. I think for a lot of people, history can be heavy and can be dry, but we wanted to make it more engaging. So I voice this nine-foot tall robot who takes you through this futuristic museum and shows you all the myriad of Black leaders, politicians, and writers from all different backgrounds who have helped shape our history.
We just felt the first story we wanted to lead with was Ruby’s story because it’s a six-year-old Black girl simply trying to go to school in 1960 and being integrated in an all-white school for the first time. Seeing the type of vitriol, the anger and nastiness that this little girl who was simply trying to go school was met with — if you can’t emphasize, do you really have a heart at all?
One of the great things that I love about her story too is that there was one teacher who decided to stay. Parents were pulling their kids out of school, teachers were refusing to teach Ruby, but one teacher who was named Barbara Henry — still alive and with us — was able to say that something was wrong and did the right thing. I think there’s so many stories of Black heroes and we’re so often taught as young people MLK, Rosa Parks, slavery and that’s about it, but our history is so much deeper. The Black men and women who have contributed to this country, to our legacy as Black Men and women have been incredible. We just wanna continue to tell these stories because there’s so many out there and we wanna do it in a fun way.
Ryan Trey – who burst onto the scene with 2018’s LeBron James-cosigned “Mutual Butterflies” — is a new man. Sort of. The ascendant R&B crooner is in a transitional period as he begins to wrap up his current era and start working on a new LP.
Last winter (Nov. 3, 2023), Trey dropped his latest project, Streets Say You Miss Me, an evocative collection of decidedly post-Bryson Tiller rap-inflected R&B through which he processes the demise of a relationship. “I was upset with a lot of things, a lot of toxic energy that I’m not really a fan of,” he says. “Even though I love the songs, some of them are hard for me to listen to. I’m gonna move on from that place.”
Featuring guest appearances from next-generation R&B and rap artists such as NoCap and Vory, Streets Say You Miss Me cultivates a world of contemporary R&B where raw emotional vulnerability and moody drum-heavy beats are the name of the game. In support of the record, Trey joined Billboard-charting R&B singer Mariah the Scientist – who provides guest vocals on the single “Ain’t Even Friends” — on her To Be Eaten Alive tour as her support act. With performances at Lollapalooza and Broccoli City Festival on the horizon, Trey is honing his live show and, in turn, using that new knowledge to inform the direction of his new music.
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“Those are the dope things I’m learning about music,” he notes. “This may have sounded great in the studio and it’s still a great song, but it’s really tough to perform. So, what my next project is really catered [to] is what works live.”
Last week (March 27), Trey dropped the deluxe version of his album, titled Streets Say You Still Miss Me. Although he’s “not a fan” of deluxe editions, he views these three new songs as fan service than genuinely retreading the darkness of the standard album. “I’m just removed from it all, I feel like I’ve grown,” he muses. “But I still [think] about what my fans like.”
In an illuminating conversation with Billboard, Ryan Trey sounds off on the utility of deluxe editions, the rise of fans leaking artists’ unfinished music, exploring his faith and how Justin Bieber’s Journals album is influencing his new music. In addition, at the end of our discussion, the “2 Live” singer-songwriter shares the stories behind the new bonus tracks on Streets Say You Still Miss Me.
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You mentioned that you weren’t a fan of deluxe albums. How do you look at the purpose and the function of a deluxe album now? Has your opinion on them changed since putting out your own?
I just feel like you finished the album for a reason. [I] said everything I have to say right now. I’m not opposed to it, because I trust my team — I got great management, and it’s all about keeping momentum, especially as a new artist. But it’s tough because [Streets Say You Miss Me] was about a specific person. I was going through a specific feeling, [and] this album is really dark for me. So, when it comes to the deluxe, I was like, “Damn, I gotta go back in and put myself back in this mind space that I’m not in anymore.” That’s when I started going through my old songs, like, “What can I clean up and what do my fans like?” I never go in and try to make new songs to fit the rest of the album.
I really don’t like deluxes. I like my deluxe, I just don’t like the concept of it. Once you’re doing something, you’re done. That’s like Pablo Picasso painting something and you ask him to go back and add to it because “Man, people love this a lot!” It’s a catch-22 — it’s beneficial too, I’m happy the songs are out.
When it came to trying to record new songs for the deluxe, was the issue an emotional one or a musical one? Or some combination of the two?
That was a heartbreak album. I wasn’t in the best place maturity-wise [given] the way I went about a certain relationship. The whole Streets Say You Miss Me [album] was like, “I hurt you, but you also did this.” I always say this album was like a bunch of excuses. There’s a lot of toxicity in that album. I’m in a place now where I’m not a fan of the toxic stuff, I’m just angry at myself and her. To heal from that and learn from it, you gotta go back into this place of excuses. It’s tough because I don’t feel like that anymore. I feel like I’m more God-fearing now, I’m getting my faith right. The whole toxic thing is a dark place to be.
What sparked this reconnection with your faith?
Just reaping what you sow. I feel like I’d be a great girl dad. I always say I want a daughter and I want to be married and I want certain things. I just know it only gets worse from here. The way our generation is… all this toxicity going on and everybody just f—king everybody. I feel [that] especially in rap, the industry will do that to you. I turned 25 a week ago, I started making music when I was 19. I feel like a lot of my innocence got taken away being in this industry, being in these clubs, being around all these different environments.
So, when I met somebody I actually liked, I didn’t know how to take care of her. Now I’m in a place of killing off that version of myself. God doesn’t bless you if you in mess and moving around talking to all these different girls and that nonsense. It’s kind of like, what are you chasing? That stuff gets old, I don’t want to be like that. I feel like a lot of my peers — like, no disrespect to them — they’re just not happy. It’s a lot of my favorite artists have everything and they’re not happy. I don’t want to be like that.
You’ve been on tour for most of this year. How’s that been?
That’s been great. Shoutout Mariah [the Scientist], man. She’s a really dope artist because she took a chance on another artist. It be a lot of egos in this s—t. Atlanta being Atlanta, we met through people I knew who went to school with her sister. The “Ain’t Even Friends” record I did, I didn’t hear anybody else but her on it. She sent [her verse] back and then we stayed in touch, started seeing each other in certain places, and then they asked me to do the tour. It’s dope because she’s putting new artists on. She didn’t have to. She could have went and got anybody.
How do you think your live show has developed over the past few years?
More interaction and working the stage. I’ve had stage training and all that stuff since then. Talking in between songs, too. That’s the most scary thing that’s associated with stage fright. Like, what do you say in between songs? With the Mariah tour, I’m in a place where 80% of people don’t know me, so I make sure the 20% that do feel loved.
You noted that one of the deluxe tracks was “a long-awaited leak.” From Ariana Grande to SZA, there have been a lot of artists speaking out against leak culture and fans who participate in it. What’s your take?
I think it’s selfish. But I don’t ever expect a fan to think like that. I always say, artists gotta do what they gotta do. You’ll never hear Beyoncé‘s—t leak. Drake s—t leak all the time. Artists gotta do what they gotta do, from NDAs all the way down to who has the hard drive. You got to know where your records are. You can’t leave stuff in the studio. You can’t leave it on iCloud – I just don’t like things like that. I know producers and artists that don’t use iCloud if you know fans are going to do that. It’s not new, but we have to deal with it.
You’re slated for a few festivals this summer; how do you think this most recent tour has prepared you for that? Do you approach tours and festivals differently?
Take Rolling Loud, for example. They’re just now introducing R&B on an actual platform, so shout out Rolling Loud because that’s dope. Before, for the past 6-7 years, that is a rap festival. The first time I did Rolling Loud, it was tough because nobody [was] there to hear my type of sound. This time, there were way more people than last time, but they also did a better job of pushing R&B.
With festivals, you’re always gaining new fans. That’s the difference between me doing my own show and doing festivals. Maybe it feels different for headliners, but for where I’m at, getting the performance part is important. I can’t just hold the mic out when I’m doing shows that aren’t mine. I saw people complaining about Drake’s tour, debating that he’s not actually singing the songs. But then you got artists like SZA, for example — a lot of her fans love the new live versions she does. I feel like when you’re headlining, you can play around with stuff how you want. When you are new, people got to know what the record sounds like so they can go find it.
You collaborated with artists like Jordan Ward and Chase Shakur on the standard edition. You three are a kind of representative of a rising wave of male R&B stars. What’s your take on the state of male R&B right now?
I feel like it’s the most collaborative era. R&B n—as trying to beef… that’s something I’ve never understood. Everybody’s cool, everybody’s trying to help each other get a bag, especially with St. Louis right now, where me and Jordan are from. Everybody has their own style, so it’s cool. I feel like with ‘90s R&B, it was a lot of different versions of the same sound. They were all really good. It’s kind of the same now, but it’s more collaborative. I know I’ll do another record Chase and Jordan. I think because of that hybrid rap R&B, now it’s easier to get other fans from other genres.
When you straddle the lines of R&B and rap, as you do, do you feel a responsibility to beef up your how “R&B” your music sounds to appease industry classifications?
Wherever y’all wanna slot me is where y’all slot me. But I’m not gonna change for your definition of it. That’s a universal feeling that doesn’t change with Black artists no matter how big you are. We’re watching right now with Beyoncé, they don’t want to put her in country. It’s the same with new artists. On the business side, it’s important because of playlisting. [Songs] need to be placed based on what it sounds like, not who you are. I think it’s based too much off of the person’s character and not the sound. It don’t bother me, a good record is a good record and nothing can stop the good record from moving how it’s supposed to move.
Where’s your head at it in terms of new music?
I got my main album I’m working on. I think I’ll probably put out an EP in the summertime and get some songs off that I have that I really like. I haven’t been listening to any new music because I’m not a fan of anything right now. I really like Brent Faiyaz, obviously SZA, a couple of other artists. I listen to a lot of old stuff, pulling samples that I want to flip. I’ve been listening to a lot of Tame Impala, just seeing what I can pull from. Everybody’s on this whole toxic wave, I got to find artists that aren’t trying to talk about all that.
Or you could try and push them out of that comfort zone.
Yeah, I’m in my Justin Bieber bag, right now. I was never a Belieber, but I’ve been listening to his whole catalog. Journals is so consistent. It was R&B, everything worked on radio, everything was still technically a pop record, he went and got rappers, you know what I’m saying? It’s just such a complete body of work and he was 100% apologetic on there. I don’t know if it’s towards Selena [Gomez] or whatever, but it was like he was just full-fledged sorry. Girls really, really love that; you’re not trying to keep your ego and also apologize. I’ve just been studying. [My next record is about] obsession. Whether it’s an unhealthy obsession or whether it was a good obsession.
“RIDIN 4 U”
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I did that song in 2021, I just recut it. It was one of those songs that was at the end of a studio session where I went in trying to make a whole bunch of other songs and I didn’t like any of them. I was just playing around, and that one came out the best. I think that’s why I was comfortable enough [to go on] IG live and play it. Then my fans would always be like, “When you putting this out?” So, when I went on tour with Mariah [the Scientist], I just started teasing them. I knew I had to do the deluxe, but I didn’t think I was going to put [“Ridin’”] on there. But I got really good reception from fans — especially in Paris — and from there we made the switch.
In terms of the flow, I’ve been listening to a lot of Frank Ocean for the past year. I always have the intention of trying to make the biggest record that I possibly can. But, it’s just like anything creative — if you force it, it comes out whack or corny. I think that day was more of a management-scheduled session. I usually don’t do well in those, [but] when I was ready to go, I heard something that I liked and that felt most like myself. I think what the standard edition needed was one or two more of those really hardbody R&B records, the most singing records. I’m proud of the records on that album, but I’m still my biggest critic — and I like all my records from 2019-2020, when I was still trying to figure out my sound and this one reminds me of that.
“RESET”
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I think that’s my favorite one out of the three. I think it’s the most personal. It was like the last song I made in the last relationship I was in. That was a real tough one. TT Audi did the beat, he’s a dope producer. Every artist got a couple go-to producers, and for me, it’s Boi-1da, Vinylz and Audi. They’re just always sending me stuff. They do a good job at getting more R&B-catered artists on hard beats. I think that was the last day I was with the girl I was with, that was the last song I wrote toward her. I think [“Reset”] is more for me than my fans, but it ended up being one they really like.
I think I started out trying to find a balance between making music for myself and pleasing my fans. But the more you know yourself and figure out your sound, you can cater more towards the fans. I feel like that’s tough to do when you’re a newer artist trying to figure out what you even sound like. It’s a business at the end of the day, and that’s something I’m trying to get better at [with] this next album I’m working on. I feel like every artist says that after they tour, their sound changes because they know what records work. There’s a lot of records from Streets Say You Miss Me that I love, that I can sit and listen to in a room like this, but I can’t perform.
“POURIN OUT MY HEART”
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I recorded this in a hotel room. Somebody sold me some fake Lakers tickets. I was in the W across from the Staples Center, I went over there and they were like, “These tickets are invalid.”
Most of this album was recorded in Atlanta. My A&R, Sicakmore, sent me down there to really trap out the R&B sound I was working on. That was the first time I started working with different writers and producers. Atlanta is like a melting pot. Every song I did in Atlanta, I was in the studio 20 deep. You’ll have like 5-10 producers in there working, they’ll swap out and new producers come in, then some of your homeboys that rap, they’ll come lay a verse and leave, then the strippers get off their shift, they come in and they sit.
The girls were a big, important part of this album — like the HBCU girls that would come through. Every night was a vibe. I came down for Sonny Digital, Mike Will – those are the guys I started with – but when I got more comfortable I met my brother PopLord, he’s a really good writer and artist. It’s tough because some n—as just have girls in there to have them in there. The way the studio was set up, I could see the sitting area from the booth. Every song I was making, if the girls in there were moving, I would keep working on the record. If it was a song where nobody was really vibing, then I just scratch it and go on to the next.
During her visit to the Tamron Hall Show on Wednesday, Memphis MC GloRilla reflected on her mind-blowing visit to the White House in March, where she met President Biden and VP Kamala Harris. But host Hall had one more special moment to share during the segment, when she played a video from Glo’s dad, who […]